10 Video Games That Taught Us Forgotten History

Crusader Kings 2 allows the player choose from a number of starting scenarios which puts in power of the many, many Kingdoms and regions those that were in power at the time. While events play out according to the will of the player and the AI, almost every historical figure, institution and realm can be further studied using the in-game encyclopedia.

It was through Crusader Kings 2 that, while starting a game ruling over my home county, Devon, I learned that it was one of the few English counties to remain Celtic Breton. With the Roman Empire losing interest in constantly regaining territories from the rebellious Celts, their presence diminished, and was replaced by migrating Germanic tribes.

The Anglo-Saxons came to dominate the culture and the language of most of England - and parts of Scotland and Wales - though some counties held on to their mother tongue.

There are thousands of stories like this for every region of the map and it's inhabitants. Every time one plays Crusader Kings 2 they teeter on the edge of history and, unless their careful, often find themselves tumbling into it's black hole of late night reading sessions.