Today in History - August 27
• Little St Hugh of Lincoln
• Huge Krakatoa Eruption
• Confucius Born
-- Compiled by James Finlayson-Bald
An early 19th century illustration of the volcanic island, Krakatoa.
On this date:
Feast day of Little St Hugh of Lincoln. A ten year old boy, he was found dead in 1255 on Jewish premises. Great indignation was aroused and several Jewish people were hanged or punished in other ways. Of course, local saints were the mediaeval equivalent of the Costa del Sol, attracting the tourist dollar, and another saint was always useful.
551BC—The Chinese philosopher Confucius was born in the state of Lu, modern Shantung. He was an ethical philosopher and none of his teachings deal with the nature of God or prospects of future life, stressing that society depends on the observances of natural relationships of authority, obedience and mutual respect, within the family and between ruler and subject, and urge observance of loyalty, submission and benevolence. He was an exact contemporary of the Buddha.
1172—Margeurite, wife of Henry Plantagenet, "the Young King" was crowned Queen of England.
1576—The Italian artist Titian (Tiziano Vecelli) died of plague in Venice.
1883—The small volcanic island of Krakatoa in the Sunda strait erupted, the disturbance lasting for two days. The great loss of life came from the waves generated by the explosion, all nearby islands were inundated and 36,000 are said to have died. The sound of the explosion was heard in Bangkok and in Western and South Australia, while the long wave reached Cape Horn, nearly 8000 miles distant, and the dust particles travelled as far as Scandinavia.
Birthdays:
-- C. S. Forester, novelist (1899-1966).
-- Sir Donald Bradman, cricketer (1908- ).
Quote:
"What you do not like done to yourself do not do to others."
— Confucius.
The above article was written by James Finlayson-Bald.
Edited and illustrations added by David Paul Wagner.
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