HISTORY FUN FACTS - September 11th

HISTORY FUN FACTS for September 11th

On This Day In History in 1269, Philip of Artois died of injuries sustained during battle.

 

During the Battle of Furnes, where he served under the command of his father, Robert II of Artois, Philip was on his horse at full charge when an arrow pierced his armour coming to an abrupt stop halfway into his left testicle.

 

Philip of Artois, the Lord of Conches, Nonancourt and Domfront, didn't die on the spot. There was a great deal of agony first. Well, you'd be in a lot of pain if your left nut had nutted an arrow.

 

His aunt, called Stella, also of Artois, created a special potion for her nephew to consume so as to alleviate most, if not all, of the pain.

 

This special potion also had some strange effects. His speech became slurred, he had the urge to eat a kebab, and he kept declaring his love to lampposts. Urinating in a policeman's helmet, although some believe to be one of the side effects of drinking the potion of Stella of Artois, became clear later, that Philip had been doing that for years.

 

Philip of Artois remained on the medication for over a year before he succumbed to the injury he sustained during the Battle of Furnes and died. If only they'd removed the arrow sooner.

 

 

The 15th Anniversary of 9/11

 

 

For the next part, I leave the humour behind, and remember those who perished 15 years ago today.

 

I'd like to take a moment to remember all those who died as a result of the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

 

On This Day, September 11th, 2001, the twin towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed when terrorists hijacked and crashed two planes into them.

 

Almost three thousand people lost their lives as a result of four aircraft being hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists in a coordinated attack on the United States of America.

 

Two were deliberately crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York. A third crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, and a fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

 

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

 

[Poem: In Flanders Field by John McCrae 1915]