In Normandy in 1386 a pig, dressed in human clothes, was executed for the murder of an infant.
Quote of the Day
"I see that you have made three spelling mistakes
"
~ Thomas de Mahy, Marquis de Favras's last words on being handed a copy of his order of execution, 1790
On This Day
38 BCEOctavian, soon to become Augustus, married Livia Drusilla,
395Theodosius the Great died, leading to the permanent division of the Roman Empire into eastern and western empires.
1377Pope Gregory XI arrived in Rome, officially ending the Avignon Papacy.
1562The Edict of Saint-German was signed, allowing French Huguenots a degree of tolerance.
1648Long Parliament passed the Vote of No Addresses, which broke off negotiations with King Charles I after the discovery that he was entering into an engagement with the Scots.
1746Bonnie Prince Charlie won the Battle of Falkirk Muir, their last notable victory of the Jacobite uprising.
1912Robert Falcon Scott and his team reached the South Pole, only to find a Norwegian expedition had beaten them to it.
1945Raoul Wallenberg, who saved tens of thousands of Jews during the Holocaust, was captured by the Soviets. He was never seen again.
1945The SS began the final evacuation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp as the Soviets drew nearer. Thousands died on these 'death marches' towards the German interior.
