Medieval

John sealing the Magna Carta by Frank Wood, 1925

Magna Carta (meaning 'Great Charter') has gone into myth as the foundation of modern human and civil rights, and of our current systems of government and law. Many look to its legend to give themselves authority legally or politically, and…

High and Late Medieval

The Battle of Hastings

The Battle of Hastings is considered to be one of the most important battles of England's history. Often taken as the definitive point when England stopped being Anglo-Saxon and instead became Norman - with all the associated changes in…

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Fact of the Day

Before signing the trade embargo against Cuba, John F. Kennedy got his press secretary to buy him 1,000 Cuban cigars.

Quote of the Day

"Were this the skeleton of the oldest man, then the oldest man was a freak "

~ Mayer on the Neanderthal, 1864.

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.