The time during the Holocene epoch when the weather was at its best (between 9000BCE and 5000BCE). See 'A Brief History of Climate Change'.
Holocene Optimum
Fact of the Day
When Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins came to Lavenham, he forced a woman to confess to keeping imps in the form of blue kittens.
Quote of the Day
"Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its students.
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~ Hector Berlioz, composer
On This Day
303 St George, a possibly Greek, Palestinian, or non-existent Roman soldier, was executed for preaching Christianity. He is the patron saint of Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia.
1344 Or 1348. The Order of the Garter, the highest order of chivalry in England, was founded by Edward III.
1616 William Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights in English history, died at the age of 52 and within a month of signing his will where he was described as being 'in perfect health'.
1661 Charles II was crowned king of England, Scotland and Ireland, thereby officially restoring the monarchy. He chose St George's Day for his coronation, as did James II and Queen Anne.
1850 Poet William Wordsworth died of pleurisy, aged 80.
1915 Idealistic war poet Rupert Brooke died of an infected mosquito bite on his way to Gallipoli.
1945 Hitler's propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, and his wife committed suicide in Hitler's Berlin bunker, after killing their six children. Meanwhile, Hitler's private secretary, Martin Bormann, escaped from the bunker. He didn't make it far: his remains were discovered in Berlin in 1972.