History Trivia

April 24,709 Saint Wilfrid died. A monk of Lindisfarne Abbey and later Bishop of Hexham, Wilfrid spread the Benedictine Rule and worked to establish Roman Catholicism over the influence of the Celtic Church in England. 858 Nicholas I "the Great" was elected Roman Catholic pope. 1558 Mary, Queen of Scots, married the Dauphin of France, François, at Notre Dame de Paris. 1585 Pope Sixtus V elected. Sixtus was unanimously elected successor to Gregory XIII, who had left the Papal States in disarray. He defined the college of Cardinals and is considered the founder of the Counter-Reformation

History Trivia

April 23, 215 BC A temple was built on the Capitoline Hill and dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasimene. 1014 Battle of Clontarf Brian Boru (High King of Ireland in 1002) defeated Viking invaders, but was killed during the battle. 1348 The founding of the Order of the Garter by King Edward III was announced on St George's Day. 1509 Henry VIII was proclaimed King of England. 1564 William Shakespeare was born and died on the same date in 1616. The Bard's baptism was recorded on April 26; though the exact date of his birth is uncertain, it is traditionally celebrated on the 23rd.

History Trivia

April 22, 238 Year of the Six Emperors: The Roman Senate outlawed emperor Maximinus Thrax for his bloodthirsty proscriptions in Rome and nominated two of its members, Pupienus and Balbinus, to the throne. 960 Basil II was crowned Emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1073 Gregory VII was elected pope. Gregory was most noted for the sweeping reforms he implemented to the Papacy. He also attempted to limit the aggression of the Normans in Italy and initiate a military expedition to assist the Christians in Byzantine territories, neither with much success. 1370 First stone of the Bastille laid. The fortress that was later to become a prison was built on the orders of King Charles V of France. It was intended as a fortification to help protect the wall around Paris against English attack during the Hundred Years' War. 1451 Queen Isabella was born. As queen of Castille, Isabella's marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon united a huge portion of Spain. Her fierce Catholicism led to the expulsion of Jews from Spain and the establishment of the Spanish Inquisition. She also supported the voyages of Christopher Columbus.

History Trivia

April 21, 753 BC – Romulus and Remus founded Rome (traditional date). 43 BC Battle of Mutina: Mark Antony was again defeated in battle by Aulus Hirtius, who was killed. Antony failed to capture Mutina and Decimus Brutus was murdered shortly after.

History Trivia

April 20, 1303 The University of Rome La Sapienza was instituted by Pope Boniface VIII.1314 Clement V died. Clement, who owed his election largely to King Philip IV of France, chose to move the Papacy to Avignon, where it remained for more than 60 years. He also had a hand in the trial of the Templars. 1453 The last naval battle in Byzantine history occurred, as three Genoese galleys escorting a Byzantine transport fought their way through the huge Ottoman blockade fleet.

History Trivia

April 19, 1012 Viking raiders killed Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury before being bought off with a huge bribe. 1054 Pope Leo IX died.

History Trivia

April 18,1480 Lucrezia Borgia was born. Though long rumored to have conspired with her brother Cesare and her father, Pope Alexander VI, in their nefarious dealings, Lucrezia is now generally considered to have been their pawn. 1506 First stone laid in St. Peter's Basilica. Though it was Pope Nicholas V who conceived the idea of building the church, it was Julius II who laid the first stone. The Basilica was not completed until 1615.