6 April

1199     King Richard I of England dies from an infection following the removal of an arrow from his shoulder (born 1157). 1327     The poet Petrarch first sees his idealized love, Laura, in the church of Saint Clare in Avignon. 1520    Raphael, Italian painter and architect (died), (born 1483) 1528    Albrecht Dürer, German painter, engraver, and… Continue reading

5 April

1419    Vincent Ferrer (died), Spanish missionary and saint (born 1350) 1472    Bianca Maria Sforza (born), Italian wife of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (died 1510) 1523    Blaise de Vigenère (born), French cryptographer and diplomat (died 1596) 1536    Royal Entry of Charles V into Rome: the last Roman triumph. 1588   Thomas Hobbes (born), English philosopher (died… Continue reading

4 April

1147       First historical record of Moscow. 1492       Ambrosius Blarer (born), German reformer (died 1564) 1581       Francis Drake is knighted for completing a circumnavigation of the world. 1609       Carolus Clusius (died), Flemish botanist and doctor (born 1526) 1617       John Napier (died), Scottish mathematician, physicist, and astronomer (born 1550) 1646       Antoine Galland (born), French orientalist and archaeologist… Continue reading

3 April

1043 – Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. 1860 – The first successful United States Pony Express run from Saint Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California begins. 1865 – American Civil War: Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederate States of America. 1882 – Jesse James is killed by Robert Ford…. Continue reading

I’m Back

Thanks to all of you who sent messages wishing me a speedy recovery.  I returned home from the hospital a week ago, and am only now ready to sit down at the computer.  This visit, like all the others, reminds me to take life one day at a time and not spend so much time… Continue reading