Curious fact I just learned from the Wikipedia page about sturgeons — apparently there is a Catholic Saint, Amalberga of Temse (also known as Amalia or Amelia), who is said to have escaped to safety by crossing a river on the back of a giant sturgeon after King Charlemagne made her an offer of marriage she couldn’t (as in, wasn’t supposed to) refuse.

She is commonly depicted riding a sturgeon, which might provide some explanation as to how he obtained the rank of general…