Counting Down History’s Most Ridiculous War Triggers – Crazier Than Modern Jokes

The Shouting Match That Triggered a Siege

In 1607, two generals from rival Italian city-states shouted insults across a narrow riverbank. When one called the other’s horse “a donkey in drag,” his troops opened fire. The other side responded with a siege that lasted over a month.

The entire conflict is sometimes referred to as “The Insult War,” and many of the recorded taunts were later printed in comedic pamphlets. If you ever wondered whether medieval trash talk could be weaponized, the answer is yes — loudly.

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