World War I was known as "The War to End All Wars". It has also, at various times, been referred to as the "First World War", the "Great War", and the "War of the Nations". This worldwide conflict, which lasted from 1914 to 1918, holds several dubious distinction, including the first use of chemical weapons and the first mass bombardment of civilians from the sky. It is also worth noting that four powerful dynasties (the Habsburgs, the Romanovs, the Ottomans, and the Hohenzollerns) which had held positions of power dating back to the days of the Crusades all fell during World War I.