On this day in history...

[Lianachan]

May 29th 1453 - the end of the eastern Roman empire as Mehmed the Conqueror captures Constantinople after a 57 day siege.

[Heid the Ba]

The first man onto the wall was this guy at 0930 or so. I'm hoping to get back to the City later this summer.

[Мастер]

May 29th 1453 - the end of the eastern Roman empire as Mehmed the Conqueror captures Constantinople after a 57 day siege.

The western one lasted another 353 years

[Lianachan]

Indeed. Sort of.

[Heid the Ba]

Or a thousand years less, discuss.

[Lianachan]

Also on this day, in 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary become the first men to climb Everest and in 1660 Charles II arrived in London (on his 30th birthday, as it happens) to reclaim the throne.

[Arneb]

Or a thousand years less, discuss.

I'll go with "a thousand years less"because citing my father, the problem with the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation was that ist was neither holy, nor Roman, nor indeed an Empire, German, or a nation.

[Heid the Ba]

The most apt phrase for that institution.

[Lianachan]

May 30th 1431 - one of my favourite historical people, Joan of Arc, is burnt at the stake by the English.

[Arneb]

On the same day 530 years later, the dictator of the Dominican Republic, Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina is killed in an ambush. I mention it because it inspired Mario Vargas Llosa to write his wonderful novel, La Fiesta del Chivo (The Billy-Goat's Feast). I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn how dictatorships work.

[Arneb]

BTW, since this is looking to become a regular diversion of ours, I've moved this to Baba O'Reilly. Hey, I've got to so something with my moderator hat, right?

[Heid the Ba]

Yet another abuse of power by the Mods, actually possibly the first use of power, never mind . . .

[Мастер]

Or a thousand years less, discuss.

I'll go with "a thousand years less"because citing my father, the problem with the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation was that ist was neither holy, nor Roman, nor indeed an Empire, German, or a nation.

Well, was the eastern one the proper successor of Caesar? It had a bit of a "restructuring" in 1204.

[Мастер]

I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn how dictatorships work.

I checked out at an early age, and therefore have no direct memories of the dictatorship where I started live. However, the country to which I moved is very kindly planning a re-enactment for my benefit.

[Heid the Ba]

Or a thousand years less, discuss.

I'll go with "a thousand years less"because citing my father, the problem with the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation was that ist was neither holy, nor Roman, nor indeed an Empire, German, or a nation.

Well, was the eastern one the proper successor of Caesar? It had a bit of a "restructuring" in 1204.

We don't talk about 1204 round these parts, we do however piss in the Adriatic and or throw stones in at every opportunity.

You can argue that it hung on in Trebizond for a long time after 1453, or that Moscow is the new Constantinople/Rome. In fact I did in my honours course.

[Мастер]

or that Moscow is the new Constantinople/Rome. In fact I did in my honours course.

"is", or "was"?

[Arneb]

I recommend it to anyone wanting to learn how dictatorships work.

I checked out at an early age, and therefore have no direct memories of the dictatorship where I started live. However, the country to which I moved is very kindly planning a re-enactment for my benefit.

And you decided to watch the play from the boxes instead of taking part in the show?

[Мастер]

And you decided to watch the play from the boxes instead of taking part in the show?

It's better that way.

[Heid the Ba]

or that Moscow is the new Constantinople/Rome. In fact I did in my honours course.

"is", or "was"?

Was I suppose.

[Heid the Ba]

31st May 1916 saw the start of the Battle of Jutland, a low scoring draw between the Royal Navy's Home Fleet and Imperial Germany's High Seas Fleet.

[Lianachan]

1st June 1879 - Eugene Napoleon, the last heir to Napoleon's dynasty, is killed fighting for Britain in the Zulu Wars.

[Heid the Ba]

He was actually killed dicking about in an area he had been told not to go into. He was in an odd position, he couldn't be in the British Army (because Napoleon) but his mother was a close friend of Queen Victoria so he got to tag along. His minders were in the unenviable position of having to do what he said as he was an Imperial Prince but being responsible for his safety. My recollection is that the officer whose advice the Mint Imperial ignored was ostracised and may have committed suicide.

Edit: And there is some evidence that as a young thruster he wore very tight trousers which prevented him remounting quickly which is why he was killed. With apologies, I can get very tedious about the Zulu War.

[Lianachan]

He was actually killed dicking about in an area he had been told not to go into. He was in an odd position, he couldn't be in the British Army (because Napoleon) but his mother was a close friend of Queen Victoria so he got to tag along. His minders were in the unenviable position of having to do what he said as he was an Imperial Prince but being responsible for his safety. My recollection is that the officer whose advice the Mint Imperial ignored was ostracised and may have committed suicide.

Edit: And there is some evidence that as a young thruster he wore very tight trousers which prevented him remounting quickly which is why he was killed. With apologies, I can get very tedious about the Zulu War.

Ah, cool - cheers. My summary was lifted directly from that well known bastion of impartial accuracy, the BBC.

[Arneb]

It may or may not have been June 2, but some time around this day, in 1265, 750 years ago, one Dante Alighieri, apparently a poet of some note, was born in Florence, Italy.

[Lianachan]

More firmly on the 2nd of June, in 1746, Charles Stuart was on the run and in hiding at Choradail on South Uist. Probably the safest he'd been while on the run, and he seemed to enjoy his time there. He'd arrived on the 14th of May and was to stay until the 5th of June. Romantic tradition has it that he spent that time in this cave, even though the historical record is extremely clear about him staying in a house.