History Trivia - Birth of Wenceslas of Bohemia, Holy Roman Catholic German emperor

February 26

 1361  Wenceslas of Bohemia, Holy Roman Catholic German emperor (1378-1400 was born. Not to be confused with the "Good" King of the same name, Wenceslas, son of Holy Roman Empeeror Charles IV, was a peace-loving but incompetent ruler who was unable to prevent the frequent conflicts in Germany.  His power as King of Bohemia and Germany fluctuated until he was little more than a figurehead.  He died, childless, in 1419, whereupon the crown passed to his half-brother Sigismund.

History Trivia - Sixth Crusade - ten year truce signed

February 18

1229 The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor signed a ten-year truce with al-Kamil, regaining Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem with neither military engagements nor support from the papacy.
 

History Trivia - Charles the Fat crowned Holy Roman Emperor

February 12

881 Pope John VIII crowned Charles the Fat, the King of Italy, Holy Roman Emperor. Charles was the grandson of Charlemagne who suffered from epilepsy and other illnesses; he also paid the Vikings to keep the barbarians from pillaging his empire.
 

History Trivia - Sir Walter Raleigh executed for treason

October 29

1268 Conradin, the last legitimate male heir of the Hohenstaufen dynasty of Kings of Germany and Holy Roman Emperors, was executed along with his companion Frederick I, Margrave of Baden by Charles I of Sicily, a political rival and ally to the hostile Roman Catholic church. 

1618 English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh was executed for treason under a sentence passed 15 years earlier. He was a known writer, poet, soldier, courtier, spy, and explorer who was also largely known for popularizing tobacco in England. He fell out of favor with Queen Elizabeth I when his secret marriage to Bess Throckmorton was discovered. Because they were wed without the Queen's permission, they were imprisoned in the Tower of London. After being released, they retired to his estate at Sherborne, Dorset.

History Trivia - Constantine I victorious at Milvian Bridge.

October 28

312 Constantine I defeated Maxentius and became the sole ruler of the Roman empire in the west with victory at the Milvian Bridge.

 1017 Emperor Henry III was born. Holy Roman Emperor and German King, Henry was the last emperor to effectively dominate the papacy. 

1216 Henry III of England was crowned. Henry was the first English monarch to be crowned while still a minor.

History Trivia - Charles the Fat, the King of Italy, crowned Holy Roman Emperor

February 12

 881 Pope John VIII crowned Charles the Fat, the King of Italy, Holy Roman Emperor. Charles was the grandson of Charlemagne who suffered from epilepsy and other illnesses; he also paid the Vikings to keep the barbarians from pillaging his empire.

1554 Lady Jane Grey, the nine day queen of England, was executed at the age of 16.

 1554 Lord Guildford Dudley, Jane Grey's husband, was beheaded

History Trivia - Vikings attack Lindisfarne Island

January 8

794 Vikings attacked Lindisfarne Island (northeast coast of England).

871 King Ethelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred (the Great) defeated the Danish Vikings at the Battle of Ashdown.

1081 Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor was born. The last of the Salic or Frankish family of rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Henry was crowned in 1111.

History Trivia - Charlemagne, King of the Franks, crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor

December 25

 The date recognized by the Roman Catholic Church for the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas was also known as Yule (Anglo-Saxon) or Noel (French). 337 Earliest possible date that Christmas was celebrated on Dec 25th. 352 First definite date that Christmas was celebrated on Dec 25th.

498 French king Clovis baptized himself.

597 England adopted the Julian calendar.

795 Pope Adrian I died. The relationship of Adrian to Charlemagne was considered an ideal expression of Church and State in a united Christian society.

 800 Charlemagne, King of the Franks, was crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome.

875 Charles the Bald was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.

1066 William the Conqueror was crowned king of England, at Westminster Abbey, London.

1100 Baldwin of Boulogne was crowned the first King of Jerusalem in the Church of the Nativity.

1156 Peter the Venerable died. As Abbot of Cluny, Peter of Montboissier made great reforms to the monastery that restored its influence in European religious politics.

1223 St. Francis of Assisi assembled the first Nativity scene.

History Trivia - Sir Walter Raleigh executed for treason

October 29

437 Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor, married Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of his cousin Theodosius II, Eastern Roman Emperor in Constantinople unifying the two branches of the House of Theodosius. 9

1268 Conradin, the last legitimate male heir of the Hohenstaufen dynasty of Kings of Germany and Holy Roman Emperors, was executed along with his companion Frederick I, Margrave of Baden by Charles I of Sicily, a political rival and ally to the hostile Roman Catholic church.

1618 English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh was executed for treason under a sentence passed 15 years earlier. He was a known writer, poet, soldier, courtier, spy, and explorer who was also largely known for popularizing tobacco in England. He fell out of favor with Queen Elizabeth I when his secret marriage to Bess Throckmorton was discovered. Because they were wed without the Queen's permission, they were imprisoned in the Tower of London. After being released, they retired to his estate at Sherborne, Dorset.

History Trivia - City of Rhodes surrenders to the forces of the Knights of St. John

August 15

 778 The Battle of Roncevaux Pass (Pyrenees on the border between France and Spain), at which Roland (commander of the rear guard of Charlemagne's army) was killed. The battle was romanticized by oral tradition into a major conflict between Christians and Muslims, when in fact both sides in the battle were Christian. The legend is recounted in the 11th century The Song of Roland, which is the oldest surviving major work of French literature, and in Orlando Furioso, which is one of the most celebrated works of Italian literature.

982 Holy Roman Emperor Otto II was defeated by the Saracens in the battle of Capo Colonna, in Calabria.

1248  The foundation stone of Cologne Cathedral, built to house the relics of the Three Wise Men, was laid.

 1309 – The city of Rhodes surrendered to the forces of the Knights of St. John, completing their conquest of Rhodes. The knights established their headquarters on the island and renamed themselves the Knights of Rhodes.

1457 "Mainz Psalter," the earliest dated book was completed.

1483 Pope Sixtus IV consecrated the Sistine Chapel.

1548 Mary Queen of Scotland arrived in France.

History Trivia - Genoa loses its naval dominance in the Mediterranean

August 6

258 Pope Sixtus II was beheaded during the persecution by Emperor Valerian.

939 Battle at Simancas - Spain defeated the Moors. Arab witnesses reported a spectacular eclipse of the sun that took place on the first day of the battle, a bad omen.

1181 Supernova was observed by Chinese and Japanese astronomers.

 1284 The Republic of Pisa was defeated in the Battle of Meloria by the Republic of Genoa, thus losing its naval dominance in the Mediterranean.

1806 Francis II, the last Holy Roman Emperor, abdicated, ending the Holy Roman Empire.

History Trivia - Charles the Bald orders defensive measures against the Vikings

July 25

 864 The Edict of Pistres of Charles the Bald ordered defensive measures against the Vikings.

1215 Frederick II, called Stupor Munci (The Amazement of the World), was crowned Holy Roman Emperor at Aix-la-Chapelle.

1261 The city of Constantinople was recaptured by Nicaean forces under the command of Alexios Strategopoulos, re-establishing the Byzantine Empire.

1394: King James I of Scotland was born. He became heir to the throne upon the murder of his brother Robert. He himself would be assassinated in 1437.

1603 James VI of Scotland was crowned as king of England (James I of England), uniting the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into personal union. Political union would occur in 1707.