On This Day
963 – Nikephoros II Phokas is crowned emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
Nikephoros II Phokas (Νικηφόρος Φωκᾶς; c. 912 – 11 December 969), Latinized Nicephorus II Phocas, was Byzantine emperor from 963 to 969. His career, not uniformly successful in matters of statecraft or of war, nonetheless included brilliant military exploits which contributed to the resurgence of the Byzantine Empire during the 10th century. In the east, Nikephoros completed the conquest of Cilicia and retook the islands of Crete and Cyprus, opening the path for subsequent Byzantine incursions reaching as far as Upper Mesopotamia and the Levant; these campaigns earned him the sobriquet “pale death of the Saracens”.
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986 – Byzantine–Bulgarian wars: Battle of the Gates of Trajan: The Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Samuel and Aron defeat the Byzantine forces at the Gate of Trajan, with Byzantine Emperor Basil II barely escaping.
The Battle of the Gates of Trajan (Bulgarian: Битка край Траянови врати, Medieval Greek: Μάχη στις Πύλες του Τραϊανού) was a battle between Byzantine and Bulgarian forces in the year 986.
It took place in the pass of the same name, modern Trayanovi Vrata, in Sofia Province, Bulgaria. It was the largest defeat of the Byzantines under Emperor Basil II. After the unsuccessful siege of Sofia he retreated to Thrace, but was surrounded by the Bulgarian army under the command of Samuil in the Sredna Gora mountains. The Byzantine army was annihilated and Basil himself barely escaped.
Fifteen years after the fall and re-capture of the Bulgarian capital of Preslav, the victory at the Gates of Trajan extended the Bulgarian successes achieved since 976. Later on Tsar Samuil moved the capital from Preslav in the northeast to Ohrid in the southwest. The memory of the great victory over Basil II was preserved thirty years later in the Bitola inscription of Ivan Vladislav (1015–1018), the son of Aron.
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Born On This Day
1378 – Hongxi Emperor of China (d. 1425)
The Hongxi Emperor (16 August 1378 – 29 May 1425), personal name Zhu Gaochi (朱高熾), was the fourth Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1424 to 1425. He was the eldest son of the Yongle Emperor and Empress Renxiaowen and the maternal grandson of Xu Da, Prince of Zhongshan. His era name “Hongxi” means “vastly bright”.
1465 – Philibert I, Duke of Savoy (d. 1482)
Philibert I (17 August 1465, Chambéry – 22 September 1482), surnamed the Hunter, was the son of Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy and Yolande of Valois.[1] Philibert was Duke of Savoy from 1472 to 1482.
After his father’s death in 1472, his mother became regent. Philibert was betrothed to Bianca Maria Sforza, daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza of Milan, by his second wife, Bona of Savoy, in 1474.[a][2] They had no children.
Initially kidnapped by Savoyard noblemen and held at Turin, the intervention of Louis XI of France led to Philibert’s release.[3] He died from tuberculosis, in Lyons, at the age of 17 and the duchy was inherited by his younger brother Charles.[3]
FYI
NASA: Astronomy Picture of the Day
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Interesting Facts
Word Genius: Word of the Day
James Clear: 3-2-1: Making small bets, how to do great work, how to support the people you love
Wickersham’s Conscience: Evolution Is Amazing: Still Dinosaurs
Wickersham’s Conscience: Geology in Real Time: Alaska Law Meets Geomorphology
No shi@?
By Debra Dennett, BBC Family Tree: The lifelong effects of ‘the favourite child’
Classic Rock: 30 musicians on the album that changed their life as a kid
Colion Noir: Wow, Oakland Wants Citizens To Use Air Horns To Fight Criminals Due To Surge In Armed Robberies
Ed Calderon: Combating Mexican Drug Cartels – Danger Close with Jack Carr
Recipes
By Laura Manzano, the kitchn: Why Serving Salad on a Baking Sheet Is Infinitely Better than a Bowl
Food Network Kitchen: How to Microwave Corn on the Cob
Caramel & Spice: Fried Rice With Frozen Vegetables
By Betty Crocker Kitchens: 23 Pasta Recipes Your Slow Cooker Wants to Make
Just the Recipe: Paste the URL to any recipe, click submit, and it’ll return literally JUST the recipe- no ads, no life story of the writer, no nothing EXCEPT the recipe.
DamnDelicious
RecipeTinEats
- Nutella Stuffed Cookies November 22, 2024Nutella Stuffed Cookies. Yes, they are as naughty and indulgent as they look. But so much easier to make than you think! No electric beater, just a wooden spoon. That moment when the melty Nutella floods in your mouth…. send help! Nutella Stuffed Cookies This is no ordinary cookie. This is a cookie that is... […]Nagi
- New Orleans Chicken Wings November 19, 2024Why settle for plain chicken wings when you can have bold, spicy, New Orleans sass?! Tossed in Creole seasoning and garlic butter then baked until golden, the smell alone will make you drool. Easy enough for dinner, excellent for parties. Get in my belly! New Orleans Chicken Wings Today’s recipe is inspired by New Orleans... […]Nagi
wikimedia
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for November 24 November 24, 2024Picture of the day The Scroll of Eighty-Seven Immortals, drawn by an unknown painter, measuring 30cm high and 292cm wide, is a line-drawing Chinese figure painting. Drawn on a long silk scroll with lines, the painting depicts 87 taoist immortals, including three supreme gods with halo, ten divine generals, seven deities and 67 celestial maidens […]
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for November 23 November 23, 2024Picture of the day Rainbow yarn for knitting displayed in front of a needlework shop in Graz, Austria
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