Lancaster's chevauchée of 1356 in Normandy was an English offensive
directed by Henry, Earl of Lancaster (depicted), as part of the Hundred
Years' War. The offensive took the form of a chevauchée, a large-scale
mounted raid, and lasted from 22 June to 13 July 1356. Lancaster
landed in the Cotentin and pillaged and burnt his way eastward across
the Duchy of Normandy with 2,300 men. John II of France moved to Rouen
with a much stronger force to intercept Lancaster, but the English
turned south after relieving and re-victualling the besieged friendly
citadel of Pont-Audemer. They resupplied another friendly fortification,
Breteuil, then stormed and sacked the important town of Verneuil-sur-
Avre before retreating. John pursued, but bungled several opportunities
to bring the English to battle. In 22 days the English travelled
330 miles (530 km), a remarkable effort for the period. The expedition
seized a large amount of loot, damaged the French economy and prestige,
and cemented new alliances.
Read more:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancaster%27s_Normandy_chevauch%C3%A9e_of_1356>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1911:
King George V and Queen Mary of Teck were crowned at
Westminster Abbey in London.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_of_Teck>
1966:
Vietnamese Buddhist activist leader Thích Trí Quang was
arrested as the military junta of Nguyễn Cao Kỳ crushed the Buddhist
Uprising.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%ADch_Tr%C3%AD_Quang>
2002:
An earthquake registering 6.5 Mw struck northwestern Iran,
killing at least 230 people and injuring 1,300 others, and later causing
widespread public anger at the slow official response.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Bou%27in-Zahra_earthquake>
2009:
Two Metro trains collided in Washington, D.C., killing nine
people and injuring eighty others.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_2009_Washington_Metro_train_collision>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
gadfly:
1. Any dipterous (“two-winged”) insect or fly of the family Oestridae
(commonly known as a botfly) or Tabanidae (horsefly), noted for
irritating animals by buzzing about them, and biting them to suck their
blood; a gadbee.
2. (figuratively, also attributively)
3. A person or thing that irritates or instigates.
4. (specifically) A person who upsets the status quo by posing novel or
upsetting questions, or attempts to stimulate innovation by being an
irritant.
5. Synonym of gadabout (“a person who restlessly moves from place to
place, seeking amusement or the companionship of others”)
6. (derogatory, slang) A person who takes without giving back; a
bloodsucker.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gadfly>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I would urge all of those watching today to focus on the evidence
the committee will present. Don't be distracted by politics. This is
serious. We cannot let America become a nation of conspiracy theories
and thug violence.
--Liz Cheney
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Liz_Cheney>