DayBird - April 23rd
303 – Saint George, Roman soldier and Christian martyr, is beheaded. When he appeared before Diocietian, it is said that St. George denounced him for his cruelty and injustice. The Emperor sent George to prison with instructions that he be tortured until he denied his faith.
St George, having defended his faith was beheaded at Nicomedia near Lyddia in Palestine. He didn’t really slay a dragon. They don’t exist.
1014 - King Brian of Ireland is murdered by Vikings hordes. His forces, under his kiddo’s command annihilated the Vikings at the Battle of Clontarf, near Dublin. As the Norsemen were running from their defeat, they stumbled on the king’s tent and slaughtered him. Was his tent just lying there? Whatever. Victory at Clontarf broke Norse power in Ireland forever, and ever.
1564 / 1616 – William Shakespeare, English writer and actor was born (traditional birth date based on baptism) and died on this day. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. Although the plays of William Shakespeare may be the most widely read works in the English language, little is known for certain about the playwright himself.
He never went to University, I did not know that.
At age 18 married Anne Hathaway, who was eight years his senior and pregnant at the time of the marriage. Their first daughter, Susanna, was born six months later, and in 1585 he had twins. He became an actor and writer in the Lord Chamberlain’s Men and eventually died.
He is buried at Holy Trinity Church, in Stratford. On the stone slab that covers his grave a curse is carved:
Don’t move my bones or I’ll wreck you.
Good frend for Iesvs sake forbeare,
To digg the dvst encloased heare.
Blese be ye man yt spares thes stones,
And cvrst be he yt moves my bones.
I don’t know if that last part is true. Why not a plague a' both your houses? I would of gone OG.
Some scholars believe the plays were not written by William Shakespeare but by some other well-educated, aristocratic writer. snobs.
1616 – Miguel Cervantes, Spanish author of Don Quixote rambles on.
1899 - Vladimir Nabokov, Russian-born American novelist and critic born. Nabokov's Lolita has become one of the best-known and most controversial examples of 20th century literature, about dirty old men.
