Shoemaker Becomes a King

A chasm 130 feet deep was carved from solid rock in the 12th century to bar access to the castle of Saune in Syria. A tower of stone was left in the center of the chasm to support a drawbridge.

Believe it or not. In a moment I'll tell you the tale of a shoemaker who became a king. In Algiers in North Africa the ruler in 1695 was a renowned warrior named Shabang. He was deposed by a group of rebels.

a new ruler, they noticed an ancient cobbler mending the local babushas or slippers. His name was Hajj Ahmed. They snatched a frightened old man and had him formally enthroned. He ruled Algeria for three years until he died in an epidemic in July 1698. Believe it or not.