37           Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the title of the Principate, a title given to him by the Senate. 845         Paris is sacked by Viking raiders, probably under Ragnar Lodbrok, who collects a huge ransom in exchange for leaving. 1584       Ivan the Terrible (died), Russian king (born 1530) 1613       Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang of China (born) (died 1688)… Continue reading →

922         Mansur Al-Hallaj (died), Persian mystic and poet (born 858) 1130       Sigurd the Crusader (died), Norwegian son of Magnus Barefoot (born 1090) 1169       Saladin becomes the emir of Egypt. 1344       The Siege of Algeciras, one of the first European military engagements where gunpowder was used, comes to an end. 1484       William Caxton prints his translation… Continue reading →

1027       Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. 1130       Sigurd the Crusader (died), Norwegian son of Magnus Barefoot (born 1090) 1169       Saladin becomes the emir of Egypt. 1344       The Siege of Algeciras, one of the first European military engagements where gunpowder was used, comes to an end. 1484       William Caxton prints his… Continue reading →

421         Venice is founded at twelve o’clock noon, according to legend. 717         Theodosios III resigns the throne to the Byzantine Empire to enter the clergy. 1199       Richard I is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting France, leading to his death on April 6. 1306       Robert the Bruce becomes King of Scotland. 1539       Christopher Clavius… Continue reading →

1396       Walter Hilton (died), English mystic (born 1340) 1455       Pope Nicholas V (died) (born 1397) 1494       Georgius Agricola (born), German scientist and scholar (died 1555) 1558       Anna van Egmont (died), Dutch wife of William the Silent (born 1533) 1603       Elizabeth I of England (died) (born 1533) 1603       James VI of Scotland also becomes James I… Continue reading →