Today in History - July 3
• Licinius defeated by Constantine at Adrianople
• Samuel de Champlain founds Quebec
• Marie de Medicis dies destitute in a hay loft
-- Compiled by James Finlayson-Bald
Peinture représentant l'arrivée de Samuel de Champlain au futur site de la ville de Québec, 1608 (Painting showing the arrival of Samuel de Champlain on the future site of Quebec City, 1608.
This painting was created in 1909 by George Agnew Reid.
On this date:
323--Battle of Adrianople in which Licinius was defeated by Constantine. Though low-born, Licinius did well for himself by marrying Constantine's half-sister, Constantia. That, and a smart little victory at Heraclea Pontica made him Emperor of the East. A Peasant had Prospects in that time. However Licinius was a bad egg and engaged in all manner of treasons, which in the end brought him down.
683--Pope St Leo II died after a pontificate of one year.
1608--Samuel de Champlain founded and named Quebec. An interesting man he was the first proponent of the Panama Canal and a very industrious explorer, although one of his expeditions was to have disastrous results. Hearing from the Indians about large lakes he joined a war party of Alonquin and Huron who proposed showing them to him, and did --the present Lakes Champlain and Ticonderoga. In gratitude he joined his Indian friends, with arquebus, in a clash, and victory, over the Iroquois. The Iroquois turned to the English for aid and began "a long suite of murderous conflicts, bearing havoc and flame to generations yet unborn".
1642--Marie de Medicis,; widow of Henri IV of France, died, destitute, in a hayloft in Cologne. As Regent after the assassination of the King, she dismissed the experienced minister, Sully, and squandered wealth on her favourite, Concini, Marshal d'Ancre, the patron of the sinister, but at that time, powerless, Richelieu. In 1617 the young King Louis XIII ordered Concini arrested; apprehended on the bridge of the Louvre, he was killed by the guards "while attempting to escape". His wife Leonora, the Queen's Lady-in-Waiting, was taken up, charged with sorcery and burned at the stake. 1754--Washington abandoned Fort Necessity to the French and Indians.
1898--Battle of Santiago de Cuba, between four U.S. battleships and three cruisers and a Spanish fleet of our cruisers and three torpedo boats. The Spaniards were attempting to leave Santiago Harbour but were all destroyed by the Americans who claimed that they only lost one man.
1901--Kid Curry bushranged the Great Northern train near Malta, Montana.
1928--The London North-Western Region Railway's Mai 1ard achieved a speed of 126mph, a world record for a steam locomotive.
Birthdays:
- Robert Adam, architect (1728-1792)
- William Henry Davis, poet (1871-1940)
Quote:
"Fanticism consists in redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim."
-- George Santayana.
The above article was written by James Finlayson-Bald.
Edited and illustrations added by David Paul Wagner.
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