Paris society was rocked by scandal in 1787, when Madame Vigée Le Brun painted herself with a wide smile on her face.
Quote of the Day
"Untutored courage is useless in the face of educated bullets.
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~ George S. Patton, US general
On This Day
1509Pope Julius II, in his attempt to increase the power of the Church and to reduce Venice to a fishing village in the process, excommunicated the entire state.
1521Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer who organised the Spanish expedition to the East Indies, was killed by local tribesmen in the Philippines.
1667A blind and impoverished (thanks to the restoration of the monarchy) John Milton sold the rights to his magnum opus for £10. As soon as it was published, it was hailed as a masterpiece.
1828London Zoo opened its doors to the public for the first time.
1865The American steam boat Sultana exploded and sank on the Mississippi, killing between 1,500 and 1,800 people. It remains one of the worst maritime events in US history.
1941Athens fell to the German army, after a Blitzkrieg invasion of Greece that had lasted for less than a month.
1945Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini and his mistress Claretta Petacci were caught trying to escape to Switzerland. They were summarily executed the following day.
1968The Abortion Act, which allowed women abortions on certain medical grounds, came into effect.