MaryAnn Bernal's Blog, page 543

History Trivia

February 4, 211 Roman emperor Septimius Severus died at York while campaigning to subdue northern Britain, leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons, Caracalla and Geta. 1194 King Richard I of England was freed by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, after being ransomed. Richard did return to England but soon set sail for France where he died five years later. 1586 Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, became governor of Neth (Netherlands).

History Trivia

February 3, 590 Gregory I, the Great, was elected Roman Catholic pope. He is known as the Father of Christian Worship because of his liturgical reforms. 1014 King Sweyn I (Forkbeard) of Denmark died. The Viking leader established a Danish empire, gained control of Norway, and conquered England. His name appears as Swegen in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

History Trivia

February 2, 506, The Breviarium Alaricianum or Lex Romana Visigothorum, a collection of Roman law, was drafted at Toulouse under Alaric II, King of the Visigoths. 962 Pope John XII crowned Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor in nearly 40 years. 1032 Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor became King of Burgundy. 1208 James I (the Conqueror) King of Aragon was born. 1461 England's War of the Roses: Second battle of St Alban's-Lancastrians defeated Yorkists.

History Trivia

February 1, 772 Adrian I was elected pope. During one of the longest pontificates in history, he forged a strong bond with Charlemagne and presided over the Second Council at Nicea where twenty-two canons relating to points of discipline was established. 1327 Edward III was crowned King of England. 1587 Elizabeth I of England signed the Warrant of Execution for Mary (Queen of Scots).

History Trivia

January 31, 314 Silvester I began his reign as Pope of the Catholic Church, succeeding Pope Miltiades. During his pontificate, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, St. Peter's Basilica, and several cemeterial churches over the graves of martyrs were founded. 1606 Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes was executed for his plotting against Parliament and James I of England. Guy Fawkes and fellow surviving Gunpowder Plotters were hanged, drawn and quartered at Westminster.

History Trivia

January 30, 1077 Pope Gregory VII pardoned German emperor Henry IV. 1487 Bell chimes were invented. 1522 Duke of Albany took captured French back to Scotland. 1648 Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster and Osnabrück was signed, which ended the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain. 1649 King Charles I of England was beheaded. 1661 Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England was ritually executed two years after his death, on the anniversary of the execution of the monarch he himself deposed.

History Trivia

January 29, 904 Pope Sergius III came out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed antipope Christopher. 1119 Pope Gelasius II died. The brief reign of Gelasius II was plagued by the lingering investiture controversy and the aggressive actions of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. Henry took possession of Rome and twice drove the pope from the city, installing in his place the antipope Gregory VIII.1595 William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet was performed for the first time on this day. 1613 Galileo observed Neptune but failed to understand the significance of his find.

History Trivia

January 28, 814 Charlemagne, King of the Franks and creator of the Holy Roman Empire, died in Aachen. 1077 the excommunication of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor was lifted by Pope Gregory VII. 1099 First Crusaders began the siege of Hosn-el-Akrad Syria. 1262 Flemish/Dutch coast was ravaged by a north western storm. 1495 Pope Alexander VI gave his son Cesare Borgia as a hostage to Charles VIII of France to ensure the Pope's good behavior as Charles left Rome to conquer Naples. However, Cesare did escape and returned to Rome. 1547 Henry VIII died. His nine year old son, Edward VI became King, and the first Protestant ruler of England.

History Trivia

January 27, 484 BC, the temple of Castor and Pollux, the Heavenly Twins, was dedicated. 98 Trajan became Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva. 1186 Henry VI, the son and heir of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, married Constance of Sicily. 1302 Dante became a Florentine political exile because of his political activities that included the banishment of several rivals. 1606 Gunpowder Plot: The trial of Guy Fawkes and other conspirators began, ending with their execution on January 31.

The Briton and the Dane: Legacy

The Briton and the Dane: Legacy is available on Amazon Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/Briton-Dane-Leg...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Briton-Dane-L...

Print version available soon.