On This Day
1709 – The opera Agrippina by George Frideric Handel premiered in Venice.[4]
Agrippina (HWV 6) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel with a libretto by Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani. Composed for the 1709–10 Venice Carnevale season, the opera tells the story of Agrippina, the mother of Nero, as she plots the downfall of the Roman Emperor Claudius and the installation of her son as emperor. Grimani’s libretto, considered one of the best that Handel set, is an “anti-heroic satirical comedy”,[1] full of topical political allusions. Some analysts believe that it reflects Grimani’s political and diplomatic rivalry with Pope Clement XI.
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1703 – Portugal and England sign the Methuen Treaty which allows Portugal to export wines to England on favorable trade terms.[6]
The Methuen Treaty was a military and commercial treaty between England and Portugal that was signed in 1703 as part of the War of the Spanish Succession.
The treaty stipulated that no tax higher than the tax charged for an equal amount of French wines could be charged for Portuguese wines (but see below) exported to England, and that English textiles would be admitted to Portugal at all times, regardless of the geopolitical situation in each of the two nations (to ensure England would still accept Portuguese wine in periods when not at war with France).[1][2]
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893 – An earthquake destroys the city of Dvin, Armenia.
The 893 Dvin earthquake occurred on 28 December at around midnight. It had a magnitude of approximately 6 and a maximum intensity of approximately IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale. It destroyed the city of Dvin in Armenia, causing approximately 30,000 casualties. The similarity of the Arabic name for Dvin, ‘Dabil’ to Ardabil in northwestern Iran, has caused confusion in written records, such that the 893 Ardabil earthquake appears in several catalogues, although it is generally regarded as a false event. It was also recorded as an event during the classical period of India in several early catalogues at an unspecified capital.
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1862 – American Civil War: The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou ends in a Union defeat as forces under General William T. Sherman are repulsed with heavy losses by Confederate troops under General John C. Pemberton.[9]
The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, also called the Battle of Walnut Hills,[3] fought December 26–29, 1862, was the opening engagement of the Vicksburg Campaign during the American Civil War. Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton repulsed an advance by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman that was intended to lead to the capture of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
1066 – Granada massacre: A Muslim mob storms the royal palace in Granada, crucifies Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela and massacres most of the Jewish population of the city.
The 1066 Granada massacre took place on 30 December 1066 (9 Tevet 4827; 10 Safar 459 AH) when a Muslim mob stormed the royal palace in Granada, in the Taifa of Granada,[1] killed and crucified[2] the Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela, and massacred much of the Jewish population of the city.[3][4]
Born On This Day
1532 – Wilhelm Xylander, German scholar and academic (d. 1576)
Wilhelm Xylander (born Wilhelm Holtzman, graecized to Xylander; 26 December 1532 – 10 February 1576) was a German classical scholar and humanist. He served as rector of Heidelberg University in 1564.[1]
1459 – John I Albert, King of Poland (d. 1501)[19]
John I Albert (Polish: Jan I Olbracht; 27 December 1459 – 17 June 1501) was King of Poland from 1492 to his death and Duke of Głogów from 1491 to 1498. He was the fourth Polish sovereign from the Jagiellonian dynasty and the son of Casimir IV and Elizabeth of Austria.
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1535 – Martin Eisengrein, German theologian (d. 1578)
Martin Eisengrein (28 December 1535 – 4 May 1578) was a German Catholic theologian, university professor, and polemical writer.
1633 – Johannes Zollikofer, Swiss vicar (d. 1692)[38]
Johannes Zollikofer (born 29 December 1633 in St. Gallen; died 23 April 1692 in Herisau) was a Swiss reformed vicar.
1371 – Vasily I of Moscow (d. 1425)
Vasily I Dmitriyevich (Russian: Василий I Дмитриевич; 30 December 1371 – 27 February 1425) was Grand Prince of Vladimir and Moscow from 1389.[1][2] He was the heir of Dmitry Donskoy, who reigned from 1359 to 1389.
FYI
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Olivia Hussey (née Osuna; 17 April 1951 – 27 December 2024) was a British actress. Her awards included a Golden Globe Award and a David di Donatello Award. The daughter of Argentine tango singer Osvaldo Ribó, Hussey was born in Buenos Aires but spent most of her early life in her mother’s native England. She aspired to become an actress at a young age and studied drama for five years at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London.
NPR: Remembering the actors, musicians, writers and artists we lost in 2024
CBS News: “Hail and Farewell”: A tribute to those we lost in 2024
James Clear: 3-2-1: On making a comeback, revising your habits, and how to work smart
By Matthew Hutson, The New York Times: The Elephantine Memories of Food-Caching Birds Some animals can remember where they’ve buried hundreds of thousands of seeds. Why can’t we remember where we’ve put our eyeglasses?
Cleared Hot Podcast: Episode 367 – Robbie Kröger
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Recipes
Hank Shaw: Tjalknol, Frost Bump Venison
Food Talk Daily: Oliebollen – Dutch New Year Doughnuts
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.
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RecipeTinEats
- 2024 Ultimate Christmas menu planning guide December 12, 2024Here’s a handy list of my Christmas recipes, organised by make-ahead and reheating suitability, and those best made fresh. Perfect for menu planning, especially alongside the new Christmas recipe index! I thrive on holiday menu planning. It’s like the Olympics of cooking – except less athleticism and more butter! The goal, as always, is a... […]Nagi
- Easy Christmas Cheesecake Slab – no bake! December 6, 2024This no bake Christmas cheesecake is designed for sizzling Aussie summers – no sweating over a hot oven! Designed to serve a crowd, it’s the easiest cheesecake recipe I know yet it still captures all the hallmarks of a beautiful classic baked cheesecake. Decorate with whipped cream, berries and rosemary sprigs for an effortless, pretty... […]Nagi
wikimedia
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for January 2 January 2, 2025Picture of the day The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, formerly and commonly referred to as the Château Frontenac, is a historic hotel located in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for January 1 January 1, 2025Picture of the day Jeeps riding near Natal Dunes State Park in Genipabu, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
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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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