The House of Plantagenet (1154–1485) was the royal house of all the
English kings from Henry II to Richard III, including the Angevin kings
and the houses of Lancaster and York. In addition to the traditional
judicial, feudal and military roles of the king, the Plantagenets had
duties to the realm that were underpinned by a sophisticated justice
system. They were often forced to agree to constraints on royal power,
such as Magna Carta, in return for financial and military support.
During their reigns, a distinct national identity was shaped by conflict
with the French, Scots, Welsh and Irish, and by the establishment of
English as the primary language. In the 15th century, the Plantagenets
were defeated in France in the Hundred Years' War and beset with social,
political and economic problems. Revolts were triggered by politics and
by the denial of freedoms. English nobles raised private armies, engaged
in private feuds and openly defied Henry VI. Rivalry between the
Yorkists and Lancastrians erupted into the Wars of the Roses. After
Richard III's death ended the reign of the Plantagenets, Henry VII
founded the Tudor dynasty.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Plantagenet>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1453:
With the conquest of Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire fell
to the Ottomans.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire>
1852:
Swedish operatic soprano Jenny Lind concluded a successful
concert tour of the US under the management of showman P. T. Barnum.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Lind_tour_of_America,_1850%E2%80%9352>
1913:
During the premiere of Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of
Spring at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the avant-garde
nature of the music and choreography caused a near-riot in the audience.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rite_of_Spring>
1954:
The first annual Bilderberg Group meeting of leaders from
European countries and the United States took place in Oosterbeek,
Netherlands.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilderberg_Group>
1982:
Falklands War: Approximately 1,000 Argentine troops
surrendered, ending the Battle of Goose Green.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Goose_Green>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
daimon:
A tutelary spirit that guides a person; a demon, a genius, a lar.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/daimon>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie —
deliberate, contrived and dishonest — but the myth — persistent,
persuasive, and unrealistic.
--John F. Kennedy
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy>