On This Day in 1566, David Rizzio was murdered in the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburg, Scotland.
David Rizzio was the private secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots.
David Rizzio, as the name might suggest, was not actually Scottish. He was an Italian from an ancient and noble family.
Rizzio was not much liked by Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. Some put Darnley's dislike of his wife's private secretary down to the rumours that David Rizzio had got Mary up-the-duff.
It was these rumours that made Lord Darnley angry. In fact, very angry. On the 9th of March, 1566, Darnley, along with a few of his trusted bestest-buddies, entered his wife's chamber. And that is not a euphemism.
They had overpowered the Queen's guards, stormed into her tiny bedchambers, and insisted she hand over the sneaky little Italian.
She refused. A lot. But it didn't matter.
David Rizzio's attempt to hide behind the 7-month pregnant Queen didn't even work.
Lord Darnley and his best-buds grabbed him, dragged him across the floor, and then proceeded to stab David Rizzio 56 times. After that he was pretty much dead.
Although satisfying for Lord Darnley, this event eventually led to his downfall and his own murder. It also damaged Mary's reputation and put a severe damper on her career as Queen of the Scots.
On This Day in 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte married his first wife, Johephine de Beauharnais.
There is a very common myth about Napoleon Bonaparte: He was a very short and angry man.
Well, he may have been angry, but he wasn't short. He measured in at 5ft 7inches tall.
Now, 5ft 7 inches might not be impressive by today's standards, and wasn't tall for Napoleon's time, but it was far from being short.
In fact, it was pretty spot on the average height of a French man back in the day.
However, the guy did have a teeny weeny, which is actually where the term "Napoleon Syndrome" comes from. He was a tiny, angry man, because of his small fun-stick.
Also On This Day In History
On This Day in 141BC, Liu Che assumed the throne and takes control of the Han Dynasty of China.
Strangely, after Liu Che died, he would become known as Emperor Wu of Han.
On This Day in 1009, Lithuania is mentioned for the first time in the annals of the Quedlinburg monastery. Before that date no one had ever heard of it, let alone known where it's located.
In 2011, a poll of 7,500 adults in America found 87% could not name half the countries in Europe. The same poll found 63% couldn't even point out France.
On This Day in 1276, Augsburg became a Free Imperial city. (It's south of Bag End on Middle Earth)
On This Day in 1765, Jean Calas is exonerated of murdering his son.
Jean Calas had been tortured and then executed in 1762 on the charge of murder.
After a long campaign by the infamous writer, Voltaire, Jean Calas was cleared of all charges. Not that it did him any good. He had been executed for the crimes three years earlier. It is now believed that Jean Calas' son might have actually committed suicide.
[More on Jean Calas tomorrow]
[More on Jean Calas tomorrow]
On This Day in 1959, the Barbie doll made her first ever appearance at the American International Toy Fair in New York, New York.
Fun Fact:
Slumber Party Barbi in the mid-60's came with a
book called "How to Lose Weight." One of her tips was "Don't eat."
On This Day in 2011, after 39 flights, the Space Shuttle Discovery made its final landing.
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