#imperator totius hispaniae

[isadomna]

Berenguela de Barcelona

She was a very beautiful and extremely graceful young girl who loved chastity and truth and all God-fearing people.

Berenguela was the daughter of Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona and his third wife Dolça I de Gévaudaun, Countess of Provence. Although her date of birth is unknown, the sources place it between 1108 and 1116. It is known that Berenguela had a good relationship with her older sister, María de Osona, who was the daughter of the first marriage of her father with María Rodríguez, the daughter of El Cid Campeador.

In 1128 Berenguela married Alfonso VII, King of León, Castile and Galicia. She becoming the first queen of the newly reigning dynasty of the House of Ivrea. In 1135, Alfonso VII was crowned “Emperor of Spain” (Imperator totius Hispaniae) in the Cathedral of León. The imperial couple had seven children, of whom Sancho III was King of Castile and Fernando II King of León. The daughters, Constanza and Sancha, became Queens consorts of France and Navarre.

Historians who have dedicated to studying her life consider that Berenguela de Barcelona was one of the characters who deserves a privileged position in the history of Spain. She actively participated in political life and was patroness of the arts. She accompanied her husband in the battles, stopped the uprising in Asturias and heroically resisted the besieged of Toledo by the Muslims. She also introduced a taste for Provencal troubadours to the kingdom, supported writers who narrated the exploits of El Cid and encouraged pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela, where she was buried in 1149.

Berenguela nació en el prestigioso y rico condado de Barcelona como hija del conde Ramón Berenguer III y de su segunda esposa Dulce de Provenza. La joven barcelonesa destacó por su inteligencia y gran belleza, llegando su fama hasta la corte del rey Alfonso VII de Léon, Castilla y Galicia, hijo de la legendaria reina Urraca. Al parecer fue un noble, Armengol de Urgel, quien le facilitó los trámites para entrar en contacto con los condes de Barcelona. El rey de León tenía poco más de veinte años y no estaba casado, ni siquiera había ninguna candidatura seria para un matrimonio, que tarde o temprano tendría que celebrarse.

Una vez prometida al rey Alfonso VII, Berenguela de Barcelona emprendió un largo viaje. Desde Barcelona hasta la corte de su futuro marido, debía cruzar los dominios del rey aragonés Alfonso el Batallador, quien estaba en disputa con Castilla por cuestiones territoriales y fronterizas. Para evitarlo, Berenguela y su comitiva tuvieron que hacer parte del viaje por el sur de Francia, llegar hasta el Golfo de Vizcaya y fletar unas barcazas que, bordeando la costa cantábrica, les permitieran desembarcar en un puerto controlado por los leoneses.

A finales de 1128 o enero de 1129, los prometidos contraían matrimonio en la villa de Saldaña. Con motivo de las celebraciones de los esponsales, que duraron varios días, se dice que tuvo lugar la primera corrida de toros celebrada en la Península. La pareja imperial tuvo siete hijos, destacándose Sancho III de Castilla y Fernando II de León. La joven reina forjó una gran amistad con su cuñada la infanta Sancha Raimúndez, llegando a ser ambas las principales consejeras de Alfonso VII. Berenguela participó en la política de forma activa, fue la principal responsable de apagar la rebelión del conde de Asturias Gonzalo Peláez y acompañó a su esposo a la guerra en muchas ocasiones, participando así de sus victorias.

En 1135 tuvo lugar la coronación de Alfonso VII como Imperator totius Hispaniae en la catedral de León, gran parte de los nobles presentes en el acto habían llegado gracias a los contactos de la reina y su familia; así su hermano Ramón Berenguer IV, Armengol de Urgel, el conde Alfonso Jordán de Tolosa, el de Montpellier, el duque de Gascuña, el de Foix y otros grandes señores del Sur de Francia. A ella, entonces, cupo el gran honor de ser la Emperatriz consorte de Hispania.

Nos dice la crónica de Alfonso VII que en 1139 la reina Berenguela fue la responsable de una heroica resistencia en Toledo. Habiendo partido su marido al sitio del castillo de Aurelia, encargó a su esposa la defensa de la ciudad. Pero la campaña se alargó demasiado y Toledo fue sitiada por las tropas musulmanas. Berenguela reunió un pequeño ejército, pero, consciente de su inferioridad, decidió intentar una jugada diplomática para tratar de evitar la lucha. Indignada por la destrucción de la torre de San Servando, cercana a la ciudad, Berenguela envió un mensajero con una carta al campo enemigo que decía lo siguiente:

"¿No conocéis que es mengua de caballeros y capitanes esforzados acometer a una mujer indefensa cuando tan cerca os espera el emperador? Si quereis pelear id a Aurelia y allí podréis acreditar que sois valientes, como aquí dejar demostrado que sois hombres de honor si os retiráis".

La reina Berenguela apareció además sentada sobre un trono real en una de las torres, rodeada de sus doncellas, que cantaban con tímpanos, cítaras, címbalos y salterios. Los musulmanes quedaron impresionados por la nobleza de la reina y levantaron inmediatamente el cerco, marchando a luchar contra Alfonso. Cuando el alcaide de Toledo, Nuño Alfonso, entró victorioso en la ciudad portando las cabezas de los emires de Sevilla y Córdoba, las mandó colgar de las torres del alcázar, pero la reina se apiadó, ordenando que las embalsamaran y enviaran a sus viudas en cofres de oro. Una torre en Toledo (la Torre de la Reina) recuerda la gesta de la reina Berenguela.

Berenguela es recordada como una prudente reina que sacrificó sus sentimientos dando prioridad a los intereses de la corona. Cuando de las infidelidades de su esposo con la noble asturiana Gontrodo Pérez nació una hija, doña Urraca, la reina perdonó a su esposo y quiso ganárselo mediante el cariño. Aún más, cuando Urraca casó con el rey de Navarra García el Restaurador, la reina Berenguela se encargó de preparar los esponsales con gran pompa y asistió, dando gran realce a la ceremonia. Mujer culta, Berenguela fue una gran mecenas y amante de las artes, a ella se debe el impulso de la poesía provenzal en el reino, apoyó a escritores que narraban las hazañas del Cid y fomentó el peregrinaje a Santiago de Compostela, donde fue enterrada. Su muerte fue muy lamentada, tanto que, según los historiadores de la época, el año 1149 fue usado en los documentos como punto de partida para fechar los acontecimientos, bajo la fórmula "año en que falleció la señora emperatriz".

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.26 (before 1940)

17 – Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe. 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place. The Sasanids defeat the Armenians militarily but guarantee them freedom to openly practice Christianity. 946 – King Edmund I of England is murdered by a thief whom he personally attacks while celebrating St Augustine's Mass Day. 961 – King Otto I elects his six-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom. He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda. 1135 – Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain). 1293 – An earthquake strikes Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, killing about 23,000. 1328 – William of Ockham, the Franciscan Minister-General Michael of Cesena, and two other Franciscan leaders secretly leave Avignon, fearing a death sentence from Pope John XXII. 1538 – Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city. Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years. 1573 – The Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a naval engagement in the Eighty Years' War. 1637 – Pequot War: A combined English and Mohegan force under John Mason attacks a village in Connecticut, massacring approximately 500 Pequots. 1644 – Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese and Spanish forces both claim victory in the Battle of Montijo. 1736 – The Battle of Ackia is fought near the present site of Tupelo, Mississippi. British and Chickasaw soldiers repel a French and Choctaw attack on the then-Chickasaw village of Ackia. 1783 – A Great Jubilee Day held at North Stratford, Connecticut, celebrates the end of fighting in the American Revolution. 1805 – Napoléon Bonaparte assumes the title of King of Italy and is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Milan Cathedral, the gothic cathedral in Milan. 1821 – Establishment of the Peloponnesian Senate by the Greek rebels. 1822 – At least 113 people die in the Grue Church fire, the biggest fire disaster in Norway's history. 1864 – Montana is organized as a United States territory. 1865 – American Civil War: The Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, is the last full general of the Confederate Army to surrender, at Galveston, Texas. 1868 – The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson ends with his acquittal by one vote. 1869 – Boston University is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1879 – Russia and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak establishing an Afghan state. 1896 – Nicholas II is crowned as the last Tsar of Imperial Russia. 1896 – Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 1900 – Thousand Days' War: The Colombian Conservative Party turns the tide of war in their favor with victory against the Colombian Liberal Party in the Battle of Palonegro. 1903 – Românul de la Pind, the longest-running newspaper by and about Aromanians until World War II, is founded. 1908 – The first major commercial oil strike in the Middle East is made at Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia. The rights to the resource were quickly acquired by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. 1917 – Several powerful tornadoes rip through Illinois, including the city of Mattoon. 1918 – The Democratic Republic of Georgia is established. 1923 – The first 24 Hours of Le Mans is held and has since been run annually in June. 1927 – The last Ford Model T rolls off the assembly line after a production run of 15,007,003 vehicles. 1936 – In the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, Tommy Henderson begins speaking on the Appropriation bill. By the time he sits down in the early hours of the following morning, he had spoken for ten hours. 1938 – In the United States, the House Un-American Activities Committee begins its first session.

[roehenstart]

Queen Urraca of León by Carlos Múgica y Pérez.

Called the Bold, she was Queen of León, Castile, and Galicia from 1109 until her death (1126). She claimed the imperial title as suo jure Empress of All Spain and Empress of All Galicia.

Urraca succeeded her father as the first reigning queen in European history. Her earliest extant diploma, issued in favor of the León Cathedral a day after her father's funeral, referred to her as "queen of whole Spain". Prominent Leonese, Castilian and Galician aristocrats and twelve bishops witnessed the document, showing that her realm's elite acknowledged her as lawful monarch.

[reallunargift]

I think it’s important to know that depending on the historical context, Spain = /= modern Spain. 

As in, the term “Spain” was used as a geographical term that encompassed the entirety of the peninsula (Hispania). The meaning of Spain as the Kingdom of Spain is relatively recent, please take this into account when reading historical documents.

This is why you’ll see monarchs from the various Christian Kingdoms calling themselves Emperor of all of Spain (Imperator totius Hispaniae), when the modern country of Spain did not yet exist.

As Vulgar Latin gave way to the Ibero-Romance languages, Hispania eventually mutated into Hespanha/Espanha/España/etc. All with the meaning of the Iberian peninsula. 

This is why in 1572 you can find Portugal’s national poem referring to the Portuguese as “a very strong people from Spain” (The Lusiads, 1.31), though of course it has nothing to do with the modern country of Spain.

So even when using resources in other languages this is something to keep in mind.

It took a long time for Spain to mean exclusively what we now know as the modern country of Spain. Luckily nowadays Hispania is used when talking about the historical/geographic definition (along with Iberia, of course), so it’s not as much of an issue.

As an aside, I sometimes wonder if this is where the erroneous idea that Portugal used to be Spanish (relating to modern Spain) comes from, because looking at historical maps you see “Spain” instead of Hispania, and then you look at a modern map and see “Spain” again, but there’s that strip of land that isn’t included. 

So logically you’d think that bit of land separated at some point, when actually reality is much more complicated than that, and there were lots of strips of land there before.

I would hope think it wouldn’t be the Iberian Union that gave rise to it, because if someone knows about a dynastic union that lasted a relatively short 60 years, they’d hopefully know the background to it too.

Anyway, after having said all that, this is really only a post about the historical (now obsolete) definition of “Spain”, specifically something to keep in mind when you’re looking at historical records that use it.

(Which is to say, please don’t use the demonym Spanish for anyone outside of the citizens of the modern country of Spain, regardless of historical usage. It no longer applies to anyone else.)

[arekuschrodinger]

State that have claimed in some point of his history to be succesors of the roman empire.

This map is updated, since original one didn´t count Spain as by the Catholic kings disposition of the byzantine titles, as medieval proclaim as “Imperator totius Hispaniae“ by kings during the Reconquista

[condadodecastilla]

Alfonso VI, rey de Castilla y León, el Bravo

Alfonso VI, rey de Castilla y León, el Bravo

[?, 1040/41 – Toledo, 30 mayo 1109]Rey de León, Castilla, Galicia, Asturias y Nájera e imperator totius Hispaniae. Hijo de Fernando I, rey de León y conde Castilla, y de Sancha Alfónsez. Era el cuarto de los hermanos y el segundo de los varones. El orden de los cinco hermanos, según lo han conservado las crónicas y las fuentes documentales, fue el siguiente: Urraca, Sancho, Elvira, Alfonso y…

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.26

17 – Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe. 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place. The Sasanids defeat the Armenians militarily but guarantee them freedom to openly practice Christianity. 946 – King Edmund I of England is murdered by a thief whom he personally attacks while celebrating St Augustine's Mass Day. 961 – King Otto I elects his six-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom. He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda. 1135 – Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain). 1293 – An earthquake strikes Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, killing about 23,000. 1328 – William of Ockham, the Franciscan Minister-General Michael of Cesena, and two other Franciscan leaders secretly leave Avignon, fearing a death sentence from Pope John XXII. 1538 – Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city. Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years. 1573 – The Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a naval engagement in the Dutch War of Independence. 1637 – Pequot War: A combined English and Mohegan force under John Mason attacks a village in Connecticut, massacring approximately 500 Pequots. 1644 – Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese and Spanish forces both claim victory in the Battle of Montijo. 1736 – The Battle of Ackia is fought near the present site of Tupelo, Mississippi. British and Chickasaw soldiers repel a French and Choctaw attack on the then-Chickasaw village of Ackia. 1783 – A Great Jubilee Day held at North Stratford, Connecticut, celebrates the end of fighting in the American Revolution. 1805 – Napoléon Bonaparte assumes the title of King of Italy and is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Milan Cathedral, the gothic cathedral in Milan. 1821 – Establishment of the Peloponnesian Senate by the Greek rebels. 1822 – At least 113 people die in the Grue Church fire, the biggest fire disaster in Norway's history. 1864 – Montana is organized as a United States territory. 1865 – American Civil War: The Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, is the last full general of the Confederate Army to surrender, at Galveston, Texas. 1868 – The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson ends with his acquittal by one vote. 1869 – Boston University is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1879 – Russia and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak establishing an Afghan state. 1896 – Nicholas II is crowned as the last Tsar of Imperial Russia. 1896 – Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 1900 – Thousand Days' War: The Colombian Conservative Party turns the tide of war in their favor with victory against the Colombian Liberal Party in the Battle of Palonegro. 1903 – Românul de la Pind, the longest-running newspaper by and about Aromanians until World War II, is founded. 1908 – The first major commercial oil strike in the Middle East is made at Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia. The rights to the resource were quickly acquired by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. 1917 – Several powerful tornadoes rip through Illinois, including the city of Mattoon. 1918 – The Democratic Republic of Georgia is established. 1923 – The first 24 Hours of Le Mans is held and has since been run annually in June. 1927 – The last Ford Model T rolls off the assembly line after a production run of 15,007,003 vehicles. 1936 – In the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, Tommy Henderson begins speaking on the Appropriation bill. By the time he sits down in the early hours of the following morning, he had spoken for ten hours. 1937 – Walter Reuther and members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) clash with Ford Motor Company security guards at the River Rouge Complex complex in Dearborn, Michigan, during the Battle of the Overpass. 1938 – In the United States, the House Un-American Activities Committee begins its first session. 1940 – World War II: Operation Dynamo: In northern France, Allied forces begin a massive evacuation from Dunkirk, France. 1940 – World War II: The Siege of Calais ends with the surrender of the British and French garrison. 1942 – World War II: The Battle of Gazala takes place. 1948 – The U.S. Congress passes Public Law 80-557, which permanently establishes the Civil Air Patrol as an auxiliary of the United States Air Force. 1966 – British Guiana gains independence, becoming Guyana. 1967 – The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is released. 1968 – H-dagurinn in Iceland: Traffic changes from driving on the left to driving on the right overnight. 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 10 returns to Earth after a successful eight-day test of all the components needed for the forthcoming first crewed moon landing. 1970 – The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 becomes the first commercial transport to exceed Mach 2. 1971 – Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army slaughters at least 71 Hindus in Burunga, Sylhet, Bangladesh. 1972 – The United States and the Soviet Union sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. 1981 – Italian Prime Minister Arnaldo Forlani and his coalition cabinet resign following a scandal over membership of the pseudo-masonic lodge P2 (Propaganda Due). 1981 – An EA-6B Prowler crashes on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, killing 14 crewmen and injuring 45 others. 1983 – The 7.8 Mw  Sea of Japan earthquake shakes northern Honshu with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A destructive tsunami is generated that leaves about 100 people dead. 1986 – The European Community adopts the European flag. 1991 – Zviad Gamsakhurdia becomes the first elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. 1991 – Lauda Air Flight 004 breaks apart in mid-air and crashes in the Phu Toei National Park in the Suphan Buri Province of Thailand, killing all 223 people on board. 1998 – The Supreme Court of the United States rules in New Jersey v. New York that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York. 1998 – The first "National Sorry Day" is held in Australia. Reconciliation events are held nationally, and attended by over a million people. 1998 – A MIAT Mongolian Airlines Harbin Y-12 crashes near Erdenet, Orkhon Province, Mongolia, resulting in 28 deaths. 2002 – The tugboat Robert Y. Love collides with a support pier of Interstate 40 on the Arkansas River near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, resulting in 14 deaths and 11 others injured. 2003 – Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines Flight 4230 crashes in the Turkish town of Maçka, killing 75. 2004 – United States Army veteran Terry Nichols is found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the Oklahoma City bombing. 2008 – Severe flooding begins in eastern and southern China that will ultimately cause 148 deaths and force the evacuation of 1.3 million. 2020 – Protests triggered by the murder of George Floyd erupt in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, before becoming widespread across the United States and around the world. 2021 – Ten people are killed in a shooting at a VTA rail yard in San Jose, California, United States.

[roehenstart]

King Alfonso VI of León and Castile. By José María Rodríguez de Losada.

Nicknamed the Brave or the Valiant, was king of León (1065–1109), Galicia (1071–1109), and Castile (1072–1109).

After the conquest of Toledo in 1085, Alfonso proclaimed himself victoriosissimo rege in Toleto, et in Hispania et Gallecia (most victorious king of Toledo, and of Hispania and Galicia). This conquest, along with El Cid's taking of Valencia would greatly expand the territory and influence of the Leonese/Castilian realm, but also provoked an Almoravid invasion that Alfonso would spend the remainder of his reign resisting. The Leonese and Castilian armies suffered defeats in battles at Sagrajas (1086) and Uclés (1108), in the latter of which his only son and heir, Sancho Alfónsez, died, and Valencia was abandoned but Toledo remained part of an expanded realm that he passed to his daughter.

[roehenstart]

King Ferdinand I of León the Great (1015-1065) by Antonio Maffei Rosal.

He was the Count of Castile from his uncle's death in 1029 and the King of León after defeating his brother-in-law in 1037. According to tradition, he was the first to have himself crowned Emperor of Spain (1056), and his heirs carried on the tradition. He was a younger son of Sancho III of Navarre and Muniadona of Castile, and by his father's will recognised the supremacy of his eldest brother, García Sánchez III of Navarre. While Ferdinand inaugurated the rule of the Navarrese Jiménez dynasty over western Spain, his rise to preeminence among the Christian rulers of the peninsula shifted the focus of power and culture westward after more than a century of Leonese decline.

[roehenstart]

King Alfonso V of León by Dionisio Fierros.

Called “the Noble”, he was King of León from 999 to 1028. Like other kings of León, he used the title emperor (Imperator totius Hispaniae) to assert his standing among the Christian rulers of Spain.

[roehenstart]

King Alfonso VII of León. By José María Rodríguez de Losada.

He was the son of Urraca of León and Raymond of Burgundy, the first of the House of Ivrea to rule in the Iberian peninsula.

Alfonso, born Alfonso Raimúndez, first used the title Emperor of All Spain, alongside his mother Urraca, once she vested him with the direct rule of Toledo in 1116. Alfonso later held another investiture in 1135 in a grand ceremony reasserting his claims to the imperial title.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.26

17 – Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe. 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place. The Sasanids defeat the Armenians militarily but guarantee them freedom to openly practice Christianity. 946 – King Edmund I of England is murdered by a thief whom he personally attacks while celebrating St Augustine's Mass Day. 961 – King Otto I elects his 6-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom. He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda. 1135 – Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain). 1293 – An earthquake strikes Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, killing about 23,000. 1328 – William of Ockham, the Franciscan Minister-General Michael of Cesena, and two other Franciscan leaders secretly leave Avignon, fearing a death sentence from Pope John XXII. 1538 – Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city. Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years. 1573 – The Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a naval engagement in the Dutch War of Independence. 1637 – Pequot War: A combined English and Mohegan force under John Mason attacks a village in Connecticut, massacring approximately 500 Pequots. 1644 – Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese and Spanish forces both claim victory in the Battle of Montijo. 1736 – The Battle of Ackia was fought near the present site of Tupelo, Mississippi. British and Chickasaw soldiers repelled a French and Choctaw attack on the then-Chickasaw village of Ackia. 1783 – A Great Jubilee Day held at North Stratford, Connecticut, celebrated the end of fighting in the American Revolution. 1805 – Napoléon Bonaparte assumes the title of King of Italy and is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Milan Cathedral, the gothic cathedral in Milan. 1821 – Establishment of the Peloponnesian Senate by the Greek rebels. 1822 – One hundred sixteen people die in the Grue Church fire, the biggest fire disaster in Norway's history. 1857 – Dred Scott is emancipated by the Blow family, his original owners. 1864 – Montana is organized as a United States territory. 1865 – American Civil War: The Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, is the last full general of the Confederate Army to surrender, at Galveston, Texas. 1868 – The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson ends with his acquittal by one vote. 1869 – Boston University is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1879 – Russia and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak establishing an Afghan state. 1896 – Nicholas II becomes the last Tsar of Imperial Russia. 1896 – Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 1897 – Dracula, a Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, is published. 1897 – The original manuscript of William Bradford's history, "Of Plymouth Plantation" is returned to the Governor of Massachusetts by the Bishop of London after being taken during the American Revolutionary War. 1900 – Thousand Days' War: The Colombian Conservative Party turns the tide of war in their favor with victory against the Colombian Liberal Party in the Battle of Palonegro. 1908 – The first major commercial oil strike in the Middle East was made at Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia. The rights to the resource were quickly acquired by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. 1917 – Several powerful tornadoes rip through Illinois, including the city of Mattoon. 1918 – The Democratic Republic of Georgia is established. 1923 – The first 24 Hours of Le Mans was held and has since been run annually in June. 1927 – The last Ford Model T rolls off the assembly line after a production run of 15,007,003 vehicles. 1936 – In the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, Tommy Henderson begins speaking on the Appropriation bill. By the time he sits down in the early hours of the following morning, he had spoken for ten hours. 1937 – Walter Reuther and members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) clashed with Ford Motor Company security guards at the River Rouge Complex complex in Dearborn, Michigan, during the Battle of the Overpass. 1938 – In the United States, the House Un-American Activities Committee begins its first session. 1940 – World War II: Operation Dynamo: In northern France, Allied forces begin a massive evacuation from Dunkirk, France. 1940 – World War II: The Siege of Calais ends with the surrender of the British and French garrison. 1942 – World War II: The Battle of Gazala takes place. 1948 – The U.S. Congress passes Public Law 80-557, which permanently establishes the Civil Air Patrol as an auxiliary of the United States Air Force. 1966 – British Guiana gains independence, becoming Guyana. 1967 – The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is released. 1968 – H-dagurinn in Iceland: Traffic changes from driving on the left to driving on the right overnight 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 10 returns to Earth after a successful eight-day test of all the components needed for the forthcoming first manned moon landing. 1970 – The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 becomes the first commercial transport to exceed Mach 2. 1971 – Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army slaughters at least 71 Hindus in Burunga, Sylhet, Bangladesh. 1972 – The United States and the Soviet Union sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. 1981 – Italian Prime Minister Arnaldo Forlani and his coalition cabinet resign following a scandal over membership of the pseudo-masonic lodge P2 (Propaganda Due). 1981 – An EA-6B Prowler crashes on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, killing 14 crewmen and injuring 45 others. 1983 – The 7.8 Mw  Sea of Japan earthquake shakes northern Honshu with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A destructive tsunami is generated that leaves about 100 people dead. 1986 – The European Community adopts the European flag. 1991 – Zviad Gamsakhurdia becomes the first elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. 1991 – Lauda Air Flight 004 breaks apart in mid-air and crashes in the Phu Toei National Park in the Suphan Buri Province of Thailand, killing all 223 people on board. 1998 – The Supreme Court of the United States rules in New Jersey v. New York that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York. 1998 – The first "National Sorry Day" was held in Australia, and reconciliation events were held nationally, and attended by over a million people. 1998 – A MIAT Mongolian Airlines Harbin Y-12 crashes near Erdenet, Orkhon Province, Mongolia, resulting in 28 deaths. 2002 – The tugboat Robert Y. Love collides with a support pier of Interstate 40 on the Arkansas River near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, resulting in 14 deaths and 11 others injured. 2004 – United States Army veteran Terry Nichols is found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the Oklahoma City bombing. 2008 – Severe flooding begins in eastern and southern China that will ultimately cause 148 deaths and force the evacuation of 1.3 million.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.26

17 – Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe. 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place. The Sasanids defeat the Armenians militarily but guarantee them freedom to openly practice Christianity. 946 – King Edmund I of England is murdered by a thief whom he personally attacks while celebrating St Augustine's Mass Day. 961 – King Otto I elects his 6-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom. He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda. 1135 – Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain). 1293 – An earthquake strikes Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, killing about 23,000. 1328 – William of Ockham, the Franciscan Minister-General Michael of Cesena, and two other Franciscan leaders secretly leave Avignon, fearing a death sentence from Pope John XXII. 1538 – Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city. Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years. 1573 – The Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a naval engagement in the Dutch War of Independence. 1637 – Pequot War: A combined English and Mohegan force under John Mason attacks a village in Connecticut, massacring approximately 500 Pequots. 1644 – Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese and Spanish forces both claim victory in the Battle of Montijo. 1736 – The Battle of Ackia was fought near the present site of Tupelo, Mississippi. British and Chickasaw soldiers repelled a French and Choctaw attack on the then-Chickasaw village of Ackia. 1770 – The Orlov Revolt, an attempt to revolt against the Ottoman Empire before the Greek War of Independence, ends in disaster for the Greeks. 1783 – A Great Jubilee Day held at North Stratford, Connecticut, celebrated the end of fighting in the American Revolution. 1805 – Napoléon Bonaparte assumes the title of King of Italy and is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Milan Cathedral, the gothic cathedral in Milan. 1821 – Establishment of the Peloponnesian Senate by the Greek rebels. 1822 – One hundred sixteen people die in the Grue Church fire, the biggest fire disaster in Norway's history. 1830 – The Indian Removal Act is passed by the U.S. Congress; it is signed into law by President Andrew Jackson two days later. 1857 – Dred Scott is emancipated by the Blow family, his original owners. 1864 – Montana is organized as a United States territory. 1865 – American Civil War: The Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, is the last full general of the Confederate Army to surrender, at Galveston, Texas. 1868 – The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson ends with his acquittal by one vote. 1869 – Boston University is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1879 – Russia and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak establishing an Afghan state. 1896 – Nicholas II becomes the last Tsar of Imperial Russia. 1896 – Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 1897 – Dracula, a Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, is published. 1897 – The original manuscript of William Bradford's history, "Of Plymouth Plantation" is returned to the Governor of Massachusetts by the Bishop of London after being taken during the American Revolutionary War. 1900 – Thousand Days' War: The Colombian Conservative Party turns the tide of war in their favor with victory against the Colombian Liberal Party in the Battle of Palonegro. 1908 – The first major commercial oil strike in the Middle East was made at Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia. The rights to the resource were quickly acquired by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. 1917 – Several powerful tornadoes rip through Illinois, including the city of Mattoon. 1918 – The Democratic Republic of Georgia is established. 1923 – The first 24 Hours of Le Mans was held and has since been run annually in June. 1936 – In the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, Tommy Henderson begins speaking on the Appropriation Bill. By the time he sits down in the early hours of the following morning, he had spoken for ten hours. 1937 – Walter Reuther and members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) clashed with Ford Motor Company security guards at the River Rouge Complex complex in Dearborn, Michigan, during the Battle of the Overpass. 1938 – In the United States, the House Un-American Activities Committee begins its first session. 1940 – World War II: Operation Dynamo: In northern France, Allied forces begin a massive evacuation from Dunkirk, France. 1940 – World War II: The Siege of Calais ends with the surrender of the British and French garrison. 1942 – World War II: The Battle of Gazala takes place. 1948 – The U.S. Congress passes Public Law 80-557, which permanently establishes the Civil Air Patrol as an auxiliary of the United States Air Force. 1966 – British Guiana gains independence, becoming Guyana. 1967 – The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is released. 1968 – H-dagurinn in Iceland: Traffic changes from driving on the left to driving on the right overnight 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 10 returns to Earth after a successful eight-day test of all the components needed for the forthcoming first manned moon landing. 1970 – The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 becomes the first commercial transport to exceed Mach 2. 1971 – Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army slaughters at least 71 Hindus in Burunga, Sylhet, Bangladesh. 1972 – The United States and the Soviet Union sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. 1981 – Italian Prime Minister Arnaldo Forlani and his coalition cabinet resign following a scandal over membership of the pseudo-masonic lodge P2 (Propaganda Due). 1981 – An EA-6B Prowler crashes on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, killing 14 crewmen and injuring 45 others. 1983 – The 7.8 Mw  Sea of Japan earthquake shakes northern Honshu with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A destructive tsunami is generated that leaves about 100 people dead. 1986 – The European Community adopts the European flag. 1991 – Zviad Gamsakhurdia becomes the first elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. 1991 – Lauda Air Flight 004 breaks apart in mid-air and crashes in the Phu Toei National Park in Thailand, killing all 223 people on board. 1998 – The Supreme Court of the United States rules in New Jersey v. New York that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York. 1998 – The first "National Sorry Day" was held in Australia, and reconciliation events were held nationally, and attended by over a million people. 2002 – The tugboat Robert Y. Love collides with a support pier of Interstate 40 on the Arkansas River near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, resulting in 14 deaths and 11 others injured. 2004 – United States Army veteran Terry Nichols is found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the Oklahoma City bombing. 2008 – Severe flooding begins in eastern and southern China that will ultimately cause 148 deaths and force the evacuation of 1.3 million.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.26

47 BC – Julius Caesar visits Tarsus on his way to Pontus, where he meets enthusiastic support, but where, according to Cicero, Cassius is planning to kill him at this point. AD 17 – Germanicus returns to Rome as a conquering hero; he celebrates a triumph for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe. 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place. The Sasanids defeat the Armenians militarily but guarantee them freedom to openly practice Christianity. 946 – King Edmund I of England is murdered by a thief whom he personally attacks while celebrating St Augustine's Mass Day. 961 – King Otto I elects his 6-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom. He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda. 1135 – Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain). 1293 – An earthquake strikes Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, killing about 23,000.[1] 1328 – William of Ockham, the Franciscan Minister-General Michael of Cesena, and two other Franciscan leaders secretly leave Avignon, fearing a death sentence from Pope John XXII. 1538 – Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city. Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years. 1573 – The Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a naval engagement in the Dutch War of Independence. 1637 – Pequot War: A combined English and Mohegan force under John Mason attacks a village in Connecticut, massacring approximately 500 Pequots. 1644 – Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese and Spanish forces both claim victory in the Battle of Montijo. 1736 – The Battle of Ackia was fought near the present site of Tupelo, Mississippi. British and Chickasaw soldiers repelled a French and Choctaw attack on the then-Chickasaw village of Ackia. 1770 – The Orlov Revolt, an attempt to revolt against the Ottoman Empire before the Greek War of Independence, ends in disaster for the Greeks. 1783 – A Great Jubilee Day held at North Stratford, Connecticut, celebrated the end of fighting in the American Revolution. 1805 – Napoléon Bonaparte assumes the title of King of Italy and is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Milan Cathedral, the gothic cathedral in Milan. 1821 – Establishment of the Peloponnesian Senate by the Greek rebels. 1822 – One hundred sixteen people die in the Grue Church fire, the biggest fire disaster in Norway's history. 1830 – The Indian Removal Act is passed by the U.S. Congress; it is signed into law by President Andrew Jackson two days later. 1857 – Dred Scott is emancipated by the Blow family, his original owners. 1864 – Montana is organized as a United States territory. 1865 – American Civil War: The Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, is the last full general of the Confederate Army to surrender, at Galveston, Texas. 1868 – The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson ends with his acquittal by one vote. 1869 – Boston University is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1879 – Russia and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak establishing an Afghan state. 1896 – Nicholas II becomes the last Tsar of Imperial Russia. 1896 – Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 1897 – Dracula, a novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, is published. 1897 – The original manuscript of William Bradford's history, "Of Plymouth Plantation" is returned to the Governor of Massachusetts by the Bishop of London after being taken during the American Revolutionary War. 1900 – Thousand Days' War: The Colombian Conservative Party turns the tide of war in their favor with victory against the Colombian Liberal Party in the Battle of Palonegro. 1908 – At Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia, the first major commercial oil strike in the Middle East is made. The rights to the resource are quickly acquired by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. 1917 – Several powerful tornadoes rip through Illinois, including the city of Mattoon, killing 101 people and injuring 689. 1918 – The Democratic Republic of Georgia is established. 1923 – The first 24 Hours of Le Mans was held and has since been run annually in June. 1936 – In the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, Tommy Henderson begins speaking on the Appropriation Bill. By the time he sits down in the early hours of the following morning, he had spoken for ten hours. 1938 – In the United States, the House Un-American Activities Committee begins its first session. 1940 – World War II: Operation Dynamo: In northern France, Allied forces begin a massive evacuation from Dunkirk, France. 1940 – World War II: The Siege of Calais ends with the surrender of the British and French garrison. 1942 – World War II: The Battle of Gazala takes place. 1948 – The U.S. Congress passes Public Law 80-557, which permanently establishes the Civil Air Patrol as an auxiliary of the United States Air Force. 1966 – British Guiana gains independence, becoming Guyana. 1967 – The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is released.[2] 1968 – H-dagurinn in Iceland: Traffic changes from driving on the left to driving on the right overnight[3] 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 10 returns to Earth after a successful eight-day test of all the components needed for the forthcoming first manned moon landing. 1970 – The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 becomes the first commercial transport to exceed Mach 2. 1971 – Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army slaughters at least 71 Hindus in Burunga, Sylhet, Bangladesh. 1972 – The United States and the Soviet Union sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. 1981 – Italian Prime Minister Arnaldo Forlani and his coalition cabinet resign following a scandal over membership of the pseudo-masonic lodge P2 (Propaganda Due). 1981 – An EA-6B Prowler crashes on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, killing 14 crewmen and injuring 45 others. 1983 – The 7.8 Mw  Sea of Japan earthquake shakes northern Honshu with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A destructive tsunami is generated that leaves about 100 people dead. 1986 – The European Community adopts the European flag. 1991 – Zviad Gamsakhurdia becomes the first elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. 1991 – Lauda Air Flight 004 breaks apart in mid-air and crashes in the Phu Toei National Park in Thailand, killing all 223 people on board.[4] 1993 – Tahar Djaout, Algerian journalist and writer, was assassinated by Islamic fundamentalists, dying in hospital on June 2, 1993. 1998 – The Supreme Court of the United States rules that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York. 1998 – The first "National Sorry Day" was held in Australia, and reconciliation events were held nationally, and attended by over a million people. 1999 – Manchester United complete an unprecedented Treble as they beat Bayern Munich 2-1 to add their second European Cup triumph to their Premier League and FA Cup success, becoming the first and only English club to achieve the feat. 2002 – The tugboat Robert Y. Love collides with a support pier of Interstate 40 on the Arkansas River near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, resulting in 14 deaths and 11 others injured. 2004 – United States Army veteran Terry Nichols is found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the Oklahoma City bombing. 2008 – Severe flooding begins in eastern and southern China that will ultimately cause 148 deaths and force the evacuation of 1.3 million.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.26

47 BC – Julius Caesar visits Tarsus on his way to Pontus, where he meets enthusiastic support, but where, according to Cicero, Cassius is planning to kill him at this point. AD 17 – Germanicus returns to Rome as a conquering hero; he celebrates a triumph for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti and other German tribes west of the Elbe. 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place. The Sasanids defeat the Armenians militarily but guarantee them freedom to openly practice Christianity. 946 – King Edmund I of England is murdered by a thief whom he personally attacks while celebrating St Augustine's Mass Day. 961 – King Otto I elects his 6-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom. He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda. 1135 – Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain). 1293 – An earthquake strikes Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, killing about 23,000. 1328 – William of Ockham, the Franciscan Minister-General Michael of Cesena and two other Franciscan leaders secretly leave Avignon, fearing a death sentence from Pope John XXII. 1538 – Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city. Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years. 1573 – The Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a naval engagement in the Dutch War of Independence. 1637 – Pequot War: A combined English and Mohegan force under John Mason attacks a village in Connecticut, massacring approximately 500 Pequots. 1644 – Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese and Spanish forces both claim victory in the Battle of Montijo. 1736 – The Battle of Ackia was fought near the present site of Tupelo, Mississippi. British and Chickasaw soldiers repelled a French and Choctaw attack on the then-Chickasaw village of Ackia. 1770 – The Orlov Revolt, an attempt to revolt against the Ottoman Empire before the Greek War of Independence, ends in disaster for the Greeks. 1783 – A Great Jubilee Day held at North Stratford, Connecticut, celebrated the end of fighting in American Revolution. 1805 – Napoléon Bonaparte assumes the title of King of Italy and is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Milan Cathedral, the gothic cathedral in Milan. 1821 – Establishment of the Peloponnesian Senate by the Greek rebels. 1822 – One hundred sixteen people die in the Grue Church fire, the biggest fire disaster in Norway's history. 1830 – The Indian Removal Act is passed by the U.S. Congress; it is signed into law by President Andrew Jackson two days later. 1857 – Dred Scott is emancipated by the Blow family, his original owners. 1864 – Montana is organized as a United States territory. 1865 – American Civil War: The Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, is the last full general of the Confederate Army to surrender, at Galveston, Texas. 1868 – The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson ends with his acquittal by one vote. 1869 – Boston University is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1879 – Russia and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak establishing an Afghan state. 1896 – Nicholas II becomes the last Tsar of Imperial Russia. 1896 – Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 1897 – Dracula, a novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, is published. 1897 – The original manuscript of William Bradford's history, "Of Plymouth Plantation" is returned to the Governor of Massachusetts by the Bishop of London after being taken during the American Revolutionary War. 1900 – Thousand Days' War: The Colombian Conservative Party turns the tide of war in their favor with victory against the Colombian Liberal Party in the Battle of Palonegro. 1908 – At Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia, the first major commercial oil strike in the Middle East is made. The rights to the resource are quickly acquired by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. 1917 – Several powerful tornadoes rip through Illinois, including the city of Mattoon, killing 101 people and injuring 689. 1918 – The Democratic Republic of Georgia is established. 1923 – The first 24 Hours of Le Mans was held and has since been run annually in June. 1936 – In the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, Tommy Henderson begins speaking on the Appropriation Bill. By the time he sits down in the early hours of the following morning, he had spoken for ten hours. 1938 – In the United States, the House Un-American Activities Committee begins its first session. 1940 – World War II: Operation Dynamo: In northern France, Allied forces begin a massive evacuation from Dunkirk, France. 1940 – World War II: The Siege of Calais ends with the surrender of the British and French garrison. 1942 – World War II: The Battle of Gazala takes place. 1948 – The U.S. Congress passes Public Law 80-557, which permanently establishes the Civil Air Patrol as an auxiliary of the United States Air Force. 1966 – British Guiana gains independence, becoming Guyana. 1968 – H-dagurinn in Iceland: Traffic changes from driving on the left to driving on the right overnight 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 10 returns to Earth after a successful eight-day test of all the components needed for the forthcoming first manned moon landing. 1970 – The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 becomes the first commercial transport to exceed Mach 2. 1971 – Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army slaughters at least 71 Hindus in Burunga, Sylhet, Bangladesh. 1972 – The United States and the Soviet Union sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. 1981 – Italian Prime Minister Arnaldo Forlani and his coalition cabinet resign following a scandal over membership of the pseudo-masonic lodge P2 (Propaganda Due). 1981 – An EA-6B Prowler crashes on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, killing 14 crewmen and injuring 45 others. 1983 – The 7.8 Mw Sea of Japan earthquake shakes northern Honshu with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A destructive tsunami is generated that leaves about 100 people dead. 1986 – The European Community adopts the European flag. 1991 – Zviad Gamsakhurdia becomes the first elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. 1998 – The Supreme Court of the United States rules that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York. 1998 – The first "National Sorry Day" was held in Australia, and reconciliation events were held nationally, and attended by over a million people. 2002 – The tugboat Robert Y. Love collides with a support pier of Interstate 40 on the Arkansas River near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, resulting in 14 deaths and 11 others injured. 2004 – United States Army veteran Terry Nichols is found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the Oklahoma City bombing. 2008 – Severe flooding begins in eastern and southern China that will ultimately cause 148 deaths and force the evacuation of 1.3 million.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.26

47 BC – Julius Caesar visits Tarsus on his way to Pontus, where he meets enthusiastic support, but where, according to Cicero, Cassius is planning to kill him at this point. AD 17 – Germanicus returns to Rome as a conquering hero; he celebrates a triumph for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti and other German tribes west of the Elbe. 451 – Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place. The Empire defeats the Armenians militarily but guarantees them freedom to openly practice Christianity. 946 – King Edmund I of England is murdered by a thief whom he personally attacks while celebrating St Augustine's Mass Day. 1135 – Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain). 1293 – An earthquake strikes Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, killing about 30,000. 1328 – William of Ockham, the Franciscan Minister-General Michael of Cesena and two other Franciscan leaders secretly leave Avignon, fearing a death sentence from Pope John XXII. 1538 – Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city. Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years. 1573 – The Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a naval engagement in the Dutch War of Independence. 1637 – Pequot War: A combined English and Mohegan force under John Mason attacks a village in Connecticut, massacring approximately 500 Pequots. 1644 – Portuguese Restoration War: Portuguese and Spanish forces both claim victory in the Battle of Montijo. 1736 – The Battle of Ackia was fought near the present site of Tupelo, Mississippi. British and Chickasaw soldiers repelled a French and Choctaw attack on the then-Chickasaw village of Ackia. 1770 – The Orlov Revolt, an attempt to revolt against the Ottoman Empire before the Greek War of Independence, ends in disaster for the Greeks. 1783 – A Great Jubilee Day held at North Stratford, Connecticut, celebrated the end of fighting in American Revolution. 1805 – Napoléon Bonaparte assumes the title of King of Italy and is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy in Milan Cathedral, the gothic cathedral in Milan. 1821 – Establishment of the Peloponnesian Senate by the Greek rebels. 1822 – One hundred sixteen people die in the Grue Church fire, the biggest fire disaster in Norway's history. 1830 – The Indian Removal Act is passed by the U.S. Congress; it is signed into law by President Andrew Jackson two days later. 1857 – Dred Scott is emancipated by the Blow family, his original owners. 1864 – Montana is organized as a United States territory. 1865 – American Civil War: The Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of the Confederate Trans-Mississippi division, is the last full general of the Confederate Army to surrender, at Galveston, Texas. 1868 – The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson ends with his acquittal by one vote. 1869 – Boston University is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1879 – Russia and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Gandamak establishing an Afghan state. 1896 – Nicholas II becomes the last Tsar of Imperial Russia. 1896 – Charles Dow publishes the first edition of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 1897 – Dracula, a novel by Irish author Bram Stoker, is published. 1897 – The original manuscript of William Bradford's history, "Of Plymouth Plantation" is returned to the Governor of Massachusetts by the Bishop of London after being taken during the American Revolutionary War. 1900 – Thousand Days' War: The Colombian Conservative Party turns the tide of war in their favor with victory against the Colombian Liberal Party in the Battle of Palonegro. 1908 – At Masjed Soleyman in southwest Persia, the first major commercial oil strike in the Middle East is made. The rights to the resource are quickly acquired by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. 1917 – Several powerful tornadoes rip through Illinois, including the city of Mattoon, killing 101 people and injuring 689. 1918 – The Democratic Republic of Georgia is established. 1923 – The first 24 Hours of Le Mans was held and has since been run annually in June. 1936 – In the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, Tommy Henderson begins speaking on the Appropriation Bill. By the time he sits down in the early hours of the following morning, he had spoken for ten hours. 1938 – In the United States, the House Un-American Activities Committee begins its first session. 1940 – World War II: Operation Dynamo: In northern France, Allied forces begin a massive evacuation from Dunkirk, France. 1940 – World War II: The Siege of Calais ends with the surrender of the British and French garrison. 1942 – World War II: The Battle of Gazala takes place. 1948 – The U.S. Congress passes Public Law 80-557, which permanently establishes the Civil Air Patrol as an auxiliary of the United States Air Force. 1966 – British Guiana gains independence, becoming Guyana. 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 10 returns to Earth after a successful eight-day test of all the components needed for the forthcoming first manned moon landing. 1970 – The Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 becomes the first commercial transport to exceed Mach 2. 1971 – Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army slaughters at least 71 Hindus in Burunga, Sylhet, Bangladesh. 1972 – The United States and the Soviet Union sign the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. 1981 – Italian Prime Minister Arnaldo Forlani and his coalition cabinet resign following a scandal over membership of the pseudo-masonic lodge P2 (Propaganda Due). 1981 – An EA-6B Prowler crashes on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, killing 14 crewmen and injuring 45 others. 1983 – The 7.8 Mw Sea of Japan earthquake shakes northern Honshu with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). A destructive tsunami is generated that leaves about 100 people dead. 1986 – The European Community adopts the European flag. 1991 – Zviad Gamsakhurdia becomes the first elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era. 1998 – The Supreme Court of the United States rules that Ellis Island, the historic gateway for millions of immigrants, is mainly in the state of New Jersey, not New York. 1998 – The first "National Sorry Day" was held in Australia, and reconciliation events were held nationally, and attended by over a million people. 2002 – The tugboat Robert Y. Love collides with a support pier of Interstate 40 on the Arkansas River near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, resulting in 14 deaths and 11 others injured. 2004 – United States Army veteran Terry Nichols is found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the Oklahoma City bombing. 2008 – Severe flooding begins in eastern and southern China that will ultimately cause 148 deaths and force the evacuation of 1.3 million.