A complex of territories in central Europe, covering at various times modern-day Germany Switzerland, Austria, the Low Countries, and parts of northern Italy and the Czech Republic. It developed during the Early Middle Ages and existed through the Early Modern period.
Holy Roman Empire
Fact of the Day
Roman women would use lead and crocodile dung, among other things, as make-up.
Quote of the Day
"I have beaten the Russian and Austrian army commanded by two emperors. I am a little tired.
"
~ Napoleon after Austerlitz
On This Day
1830 The Manchester to Liverpool train line opened, and caused the first train death (of MP William Huskisson).
1859 The great engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel died.
1916 Tanks were first used on the Somme. They weren't ready for use in combat and many broke down.
1935 The Nuremberg race laws were introduced, stripping German Jews of their citizenship and forbidding them to marry Aryans.
1940 Hitler indefinitely postponed his invasion of Britain following a massive defeat of the Luftwaffe.
2008 The financial services firm Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, the biggest such filing in US history, causing the Dow Jones to drop more than 500 points in a day.