On This Day
1081 – Alexios I Komnenos overthrows the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates,[2] and, after his troops spend three days extensively looting Constantinople, is formally crowned on April 4.[3]
Alexios I Komnenos (Greek: Ἀλέξιος Κομνηνός, 1057 – 15 August 1118; Latinized Alexius I Comnenus) was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118. Although he was not the first emperor of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power and initiated a hereditary succession to the throne. Inheriting a collapsing empire and faced with constant warfare during his reign against both the Seljuq Turks in Asia Minor and the Normans in the western Balkans, Alexios was able to curb the Byzantine decline and begin the military, financial, and territorial recovery known as the Komnenian restoration. His appeals to Western Europe for help against the Turks was the catalyst that sparked the First Crusade.
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Born On This Day
1220 – Emperor Go-Saga of Japan (d. 1272)
Emperor Go-Saga (後嵯峨天皇, Go-Saga-tennō, April 1, 1220 – March 17, 1272) was the 88th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years 1242 through 1246.[1]
This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 8th-century Emperor Saga and go- (後), translates literally as “later”; and thus, he is sometimes called the “Later Emperor Saga”. The Japanese word go has also been translated to mean the “second one;” and in some older sources, this emperor may be identified as “Saga, the second”, or as “Saga II”.
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FYI
NASA: Astronomy Picture of the Day
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Interesting Facts
Word Genius: Word of the Day
By Michael Ratner, How to Have a Community Conversation
Quartz: Cordyceps: Nature’s own zombie-maker Control freaks
Quartz: Granola bars: The crunch of consumerism Crumbles for the masses
Quartz: Havana syndrome: Spooky sounds A spy thriller, IRL
Quartz: Fish sticks: How consumers got hooked Caught up in nostalgia.
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Stump the Bookseller is a service offered by Loganberry Books to reconnect people to the books they love but can’t quite remember. In brief (for more detailed information see our About page), people can post their memories here, and the hivemind goes to work. After all, the collective mind of bibliophiles, readers, parents and librarians around the world is much better than just a few of us thinking. Together with these wonderful Stumper Magicians, we have a nearly 50% success rate in finding these long lost but treasured books. The more concrete the book description, the better the success rate, of course. It is a labor of love to keep it going, and there is a modest fee. Please see the How To page to find price information and details on how to submit your Book Stumper and payment.
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