Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (1660–1744) was one of the
most influential women in British history due to her close friendship
with Queen Anne of Great Britain. By the time Anne became queen in 1702,
Sarah had become a powerful friend and a dangerous enemy, the last in
the long line of Stuart favourites. A strong-willed woman who liked to
get her own way, Sarah tried the Queen's patience whenever she disagreed
with her on political, court or church appointments. Sarah enjoyed an
unusually close relationship with her husband, John Churchill, 1st Duke
of Marlborough, whom she married in 1677. When Anne came to the throne,
the Duke of Marlborough, together with Sidney Godolphin, rose to head
the government, partly due to his wife's friendship with the queen.
Sarah campaigned on behalf of the British Whig Party, while also
devoting time to building projects such as the construction of Blenheim
Palace. The money she inherited from the Marlborough trust made her one
of the richest women in Europe.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Churchill,_Duchess_of_Marlborough>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
320:
Pappus of Alexandria, one of the last great Greek mathematicians
of antiquity, observed an eclipse that allowed historians to calculate
the approximate dates of his life.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pappus_of_Alexandria>
1081:
Byzantine–Norman wars: The Normans under Robert Guiscard,
Duke of Apulia and Calabria, defeated the Byzantines outside the city of
Dyrrhachium, the Byzantine capital of Illyria.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dyrrhachium_(1081)>
1386:
A special Pontifical High Mass in the Church of the Holy Spirit
commemorated the opening of Heidelberg University.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_University>
1954:
The first commercial transistor radio, the Regency TR-1
(pictured), was introduced in Indianapolis, Indiana, US.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regency_TR-1>
2007:
A suicide attack on a motorcade carrying former Prime Minister
of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto in Karachi caused at least 139 deaths and 450
injuries.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Karachi_bombing>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
stipulate:
(botany; not comparable) Having stipules; that is, having outgrowths
borne on either side of the base of the leafstalk.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stipulate>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Not one man in five cycles, who is wise, will expect appreciative
recognition from his fellows, or any one of them. Appreciation!
Recognition! Is Jove appreciated? Why, ever since Adam, who has got to
the meaning of his great allegory — the world? Then we pigmies must be
content to have our paper allegories but ill comprehended. in
--Moby-Dick
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Moby-Dick>