217       Roman Emperor Caracalla is assassinated (and succeeded) by his Praetorian Guard prefect, Marcus Opellius 1093    The new Winchester Cathedral is dedicated by Walkelin. 1320    Peter I of Portugal (born) (died 1367) 1364    John II of France (died) (born 1319) 1461     Georg von Peuerbach (died), German mathematician and astronomer (born 1423) 1541     Michele Mercati… Continue reading →

451       Attila the Hun sacks the town of Metz and attacks other cities in Gaul. 529      First draft of the Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I. 1141     Empress Matilda, became the first female ruler of England, adopting the title ‘Lady of the English’ 1348   … Continue reading →

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 →

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 →

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 →