Donnchadh (Duncan), Earl of Carrick (died 1250), was a Gall-Gaidhil
prince and one of the longest serving magnates in medieval Scotland. His
father, Gille-Brighde of Galloway, and his uncle, Uhtred of Galloway,
were the two rival sons of Fergus, Lord of Galloway. As a result of
Gille-Brighde's conflict with Uhtred and the Scottish monarch William
the Lion, Donnchadh became a hostage of King Henry II of England. He
probably remained in England for almost a decade before returning north
on the death of his father. Although denied succession over all the
lands of Galloway, he was granted lordship over Carrick in the north.
Allied to John de Courcy, Donnchadh fought battles in Ireland, acquiring
and losing land there. A patron of religious houses, particularly
Melrose Abbey and North Berwick priory nunnery, he attempted to
establish a monastery in his own territory, at Crossraguel. He married
the daughter of Alan fitz Walter, a leading member of the family later
known as the House of Stewart—future monarchs of Scotland and England.
His descendants include the Bruce, the Stewart Kings of Scotland, and
probably the Campbell Dukes of Argyll.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnchadh,_Earl_of_Carrick>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
797:
Byzantine emperor Constantine VI was captured, blinded, and
imprisoned by the supporters of his mother Irene.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_VI>
1809:
War of the Fifth Coalition: The French won a hard-fought
victory over Austria in Lower Bavaria when their opponents withdrew from
the field of battle that evening.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Teugen-Hausen>
1927:
American actress Mae West was sentenced to ten days in jail for
"corrupting the morals of youth" for her play Sex.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_West>
1984:
Scottish-born composer Peter Dodds McCormick's "Advance
Australia Fair", a patriotic song that was first performed in 1878,
officially replaced "God Save the Queen" as Australia's national anthem.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Australia_Fair>
2005:
Joseph Alois Ratzinger was elected Pope Benedict XVI on the
second day of the papal conclave.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_XVI>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
syllabub:
1. A drink dating back to the 16th century consisting primarily of milk
curdled with an alcoholic beverage or some acid such as lemon juice,
which is usually then sweetened and spiced.
2. Also everlasting syllabub or solid syllabub: a dessert pudding derived
from the drink.
3. (figuratively) Something lacking substance; something frothy,
insubstantial, or lightweight.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/syllabub>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
In studying the literature connected with my work, I became aware
of the great universal significance of visionary experience. It plays a
dominant role, not only in mysticism and the history of religion, but
also in the creative process in art, literature, and science. More
recent investigations have shown that many persons also have visionary
experiences in daily life, though most of us fail to recognize their
meaning and value. Mystical experiences, like those that marked my
childhood, are apparently far from rare.
--Albert Hofmann
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Albert_Hofmann>