Gilbert M. Stack's Blog, page 115
December 1, 2018
Today in History: Charlemagne Puts a Pope On Trial
On this day (December 1) in 800, Charlemagne held a hearing regarding the fitness of Pope Leo III to hold the papal office. Relatives of the late pope, Adrian I, believed that the pope should be a nobleman (presumably one of them), and that since Leo was a commoner, he was unfit for office. Too make him doubly unfit, they had attacked the pope the previous year and attempted to rip his tongue out and gouge his eyes out. When this failed, they accused him of adultery and perjury. Charlemagne let both sides have their say, then on December 23, allowed Leo to clear himself by an oath of purgation. (This involved Leo swearing he was innocent and getting twelve others to also swear he was innocent.) His accusers were exiled.
Reduced Price--Celebrate the One Year Anniversary of The Fire Islands
To celebrate the one year anniversary of the release of The Fire Islands, the price will be reduced to 99 cents for one week.
Lesser Tribune Marcus Venandus, Legion officer exemplar, was exiled to the disease-ridden hell hole known as the Fire Islands as punishment for the failed political machinations of his father. While the days of the powerful witchdoctor kings throwing skeletal armies against the shields of the legion have faded into history, all is not right at the edge of the world. Unrest is boiling once again as long dead darkness seeps back into the islands. With the legion more concerned with its personal rivalries than with its duty, it will fall to Marcus and his small, highly disciplined, command to put the horrors of the past back in their graves and literally save Aquila from a fate worse than death.
November 30, 2018
Today in History: Impeaching a Supreme Court Justice
On this day (November 30) in 1804 the impeachment trial of Samuel Chase began. He was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and was accused of being partisan in his rulings. Chase was a Federalist. The impeachment began because Thomas Jefferson was concerned that Chase insisted on the exclusive right of judicial review. Jefferson wanted to remove all Federalists from the courts to make room for more like-minded judges. The House of Representatives impeached Chase on eight articles, but the Senate acquitted him on all eight accounts. Chase is the only Supreme Court Justice to ever be impeached.
November 29, 2018
Today in History: The First Phonograph
On this day (November 29) in 1877, Thomas Edison showed off his phonograph for the first time ushering in an incredible new era of recorded music. There have been a lot of advances in technology since then such as the Victrola, the stereo, the eight-track player, the cassette player, the Sony Walkman, the iPod, and so many more—but all began with Edison’s wax-cylinder based machine.
November 28, 2018
Today in History: Talking Leaves
On this day (November Twenty-Eight) in 1785 the Treaty of Hopewell was signed between the U.S. Confederation Congress and the Cherokee Nation to establish a western border for the United States. The Cherokee referred to the treaty as “Talking Leaves” saying that when the document no longer suited the United States the treaty would “blow away like talking leaves.”
November 27, 2018
Today in History: Pope Urban Calls for the First Crusade
On this day (November 27) in 1095, Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade. Urban was responding to a request for help from Eastern Roman Emperor, Alexus Comnenus, although it is highly unlikely that the emperor imagined armies marching west to “help” him. Urban saw the request for aid as an opportunity to strengthen his claims to papal supremacy, but even he must have been shocked by the west’s response as tens of thousands of people “took the cross” to recapture the Holy Land for Christendom.
November 26, 2018
Today in History: Casablanca
On this day (November 26) in 1942 Casablanca premiered. This is one of my favorite classic movies. It’s built on a love triangle under the threat of the Nazi domination of Europe. Rick (played by Humphrey Bogart) is a broken man who has become little more than a shady nightclub owner when, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), the woman who broke him by deserting him as the Nazi’s took Paris, comes to Casablanca with her husband, resistance leader, Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid). Ilsa and Lazlo need to escape Casablanca to continue their work against the Nazis and Rick is the only one who can help them—but will he? This movie moves from one powerful scene to another and has some of the most memorable moments and lines in cinematic history. “Play it again, Sam.” “I am shocked—shocked—to learn that gambling is going on in this establishment!” “Round up the usual suspects.” “Louis, this may be the start of a beautiful friendship.” The list just goes on and on. There isn’t a weak actor or actress in the entire cast. If you haven’t seen this one, watch it! And if you haven’t seen it in years, isn’t it time you treated yourself and watched it again?
November 25, 2018
Today in History: Confederates Try to Burn Down NYC
On this day (November 25) in 1864, eight southerners calling themselves the Confederate Army of Manhattan tried to burn down New York City. They started fires in twenty-one different places, hoping to overwhelm the city’s firefighting resources, but apparently they weren’t very good at arson. Some of the fires failed to start and others were quickly extinguished. All eight of the men escaped, but one, Robert Cobb Kennedy, was apprehended the following January when he tried to travel from Canada to Richmond, Virginia. He was hanged.
Winterhaven--Epic New Fantasy Available for Pre-Order
25% off if pre-ordered by 2/7/19. By the author of Legionnaire, an epic new military fantasy:
In the far off Duchy of Winterhaven at the edge of human civilization, a young knight investigates a most unusual murder while the Great Lords of the land scheme to expand their borders and take control of the duchy. A decade of relative peace is about to collapse and only young Dhrugal of Edgefield and his brothers and sister stand between Winterhaven and dark-spun chaos.
November 24, 2018
Today in History: The Texas Rangers
On this day (November 24) in 1835 Texas formally created the Texas Rangers. They’d actually informally been in existence since 1823 when Stephen Austin deputized ten men to protect several hundred new settler families. They’ve been involved in all sorts of law enforcement since that time and are famous for their television and cinematic appearances such as Walker, Texas Ranger and of course, The Lone Ranger, who started out as a Texas Ranger.
