Today in Medieval History, February 9

Good morning! Today is February 9, 2010

On this date in Medieval History:

Notable Births:

1404 - Constantine XI Dragases last Byzantine Emperor
1441 - Ali Sjir Neva'i [Fani] Turkish poet/author (Mahbub al-kulub)
1578 - Giambattista Andreini Italian playwright/actor (L'adamo)
1579 - John Meursius [van Meurs], Dutch historian
1602 - Franciscus van de Enden Flemish Jesuit/free thinker/tutor of Spinoza
1607 - Abraham Megerle composer

Notable Deaths:

0444 - Death of St. Cyril of Alexandria

0720 - Death of Umar II

1088 - Death of Muiredach MacRory (Marianus Scotus), Abbot of Ratisbon

1555 - John Hooper deprived Bishop of Gloucester, burnt for heresy
1567 - Henry Stuart earl of Darnley/Consort of Mary Queen of Scots, murdered
1583 - Jeseph Sanalbo Jewish convert in Rome, burned at stake
1588 - Marquis of Santa Cruz Spanish Admiral, dies
1617 - Hans Christoph Haiden composer, dies at 44
1640 - Murad IV sultan of Turkey (1623-40), dies in Baghdad at 27
1670 - Frederik III King of Denmark/Norway (1648-70), dies at 60
1675 - Gerard Dou Dutch painter, buried

Notable Events:

1098 - Ridwan fails to relieve the Crusader's Siege of Antioch

1119 - Coronation of Pope Calixtus II in France

1267 - Synod of Breslau orders Jews of Silesia to wear special caps

1292 - First Scottish Parliament assembles at Scone

1401 - Burning of a Mr. Sawtre as a Lollard heretic

1458 - Marriage of Mathias I, King of Hungary, to Catherine of Bohemia
1499 - France & Venice sign treaty against Milan

1507 - Pereira discovers Santa Appolionia Island, later named Reunion, and the Dodo bird
1537 - Pope Paul III routes Cardinal Pole to England
1540 - The 1st recorded race meet in England (Roodee Fields, Chester)
1554 - Battle at London Sir Thomas Wyatt defeated

1555 - Burning of Bishop Hooper as an heretic

1555 - Burning of Dr. Rowland Taylor as an heretic

1567 - Murder of Lord Henry Darley, husband of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots
1574 - Louis of Nassau ends siege of Maastricht

1588 - The Duke of Medina-Sidonia appointed to head the Spanish Armada

1619 - Burning of Lucilio Vanini, aka "Giulio Cesare," freethinker
1621 - Alexander Ludovisi is elected Pope Gregory XV
1667 - Treaty of Andrussovo Russia/Poland signs peace treaty
1674 - English re-conquer New York from Netherlands
1682 - Thomas Otway's "Venice Preserved" premieres in London