Scott Allsop's Blog, page 257
March 23, 2017
24th March 1721: Bach dedicates the Brandenburg Concertos
On the 24th March 1721, German composer Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated what were to become known as the Brandenburg Concertos to Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt, the younger brother of King Frederick I of Prussia....
March 22, 2017
23rd March 1540: Waltham Abbey last to be dissolved by Henry VIII
On the 23rd March 1540, Waltham Abbey in Essex became the last abbey to be dissolved by Henry VIII. Henry had visited the abbey a number of times and is known to have stayed there...
March 21, 2017
22nd March 1621: Hugo Grotius escapes prison by hiding in a book chest
On the 22nd March 1621, Dutch legal scholar Hugo Grotius – also known as Hugo de Groot – escaped imprisonment in Loevestein Castle concealed inside a book chest. He had been given a life sentence...
March 20, 2017
21st March 1556: Thomas Cranmer executed for heresy
On the 21st March 1556, Thomas Cranmer was executed heresy. As a leader of the English Reformation he had not only promoted Protestantism but had also established the first structures of the Church of England....
March 19, 2017
20th March 1890: Wilhelm II formally accepts Bismarck’s resignation
On the 20th March 1890, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany formally accepted Otto von Bismarck’s resignation. His resignation had been demanded by the Kaiser a few days earlier and was submitted on the 18th. Bismarck’s...
March 18, 2017
19th March 1962: Bob Dylan releases his eponymous debut album
On the 19th March 1962, American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan released his eponymous debut album. Dylan had arrived in New York from Minnesota the previous year, but had quickly worked his way into the coffee houses...
March 17, 2017
18th March 1314: Execution of last Knights Templar Grand Master
On the 18th March 1314 Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, was executed on the orders of King Philip IV. Although he had first been arrested in 1307, and the...
March 16, 2017
17th March 1766: First Saint Patrick’s Day parade
On the 17th March 1766, the first recorded St Patrick’s Day parade took place…in New York. Irish soldiers serving in the British Army led the parade which, due to the high number of Irish immigrants...
March 15, 2017
16th March 1968: My Lai Massacre committed by US troops
On the 16th March 1968, US soldiers from Company C of the Americal Division’s 11th Infantry Brigade committed the My Lai Massacre. Commanded by Lieutenant William Calley, the troops killed between 347 and 504 unarmed...
March 14, 2017
15th March 44BCE: Assassination of Julius Caesar
On the 15th March 44BCE, Roman dictator Julius Caesar was stabbed to death near to the Theatre of Pompey in Rome. His death, coming shortly after he had been declared dictator for life by the...
