Robert Burnell (c. 1239 – 1292) was an English bishop who served as Lord Chancellor of England from 1274 to 1292. A native of Shropshire, he served as a minor royal official before entering into the service of Prince Edward, the future King Edward I of England. When Edward went on the Eighth Crusade in 1270, Burnell stayed in England to secure the prince's interests. He served as regent after the death of King Henry III of England while Edward was still on crusade. He was twice elected Archbishop of Canterbury, but his personal life—which included a long- term mistress who was rumoured to have borne him four sons—prevented his confirmation by the papacy. In 1275 Burnell was elected Bishop of Bath and Wells, after Edward had appointed him Lord Chancellor in 1274. He was behind the efforts of the royal officials to enforce royal rights during his term of office as chancellor, including the implementation of the quo warranto procedures. He also helped with the legislative and legal reforms of Edward's reign. During Burnell's tenure the chancellor's office and records became fixed in London rather than travelling with the king. He went abroad on diplomatic missions for Edward, and for a time governed Gascony.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burnell

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1609:

Forces of the Japanese feudal domain of Satsuma captured the castle on Ryukyu Island, beginning the process that turned the Ryukyu Kingdom into a vassal state under Satsuma. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Ryukyu

1722:

Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen became the first European to land on Easter Island. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Island

1847:

Britain's first civic public park, Birkenhead Park in Birkenhead, Merseyside, opened. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birkenhead_Park

1942:

Second World War: Carrier-based aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy conducted the Easter Sunday Raid on Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and the British Eastern Fleet in an attempt to drive the Commonwealth naval force from the Indian Ocean. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Sunday_Raid

1992:

Bosnian War: Unidentified gunmen killed two people while firing upon a large crowd of anti-war protesters in Sarajevo, marking the start of the four-year-long Siege of Sarajevo. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Sarajevo

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

reptilianness: The quality of the embodiment of reptile characteristics. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reptilianness

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Not from without us, only from within, Comes or can ever come upon us light Whereby the soul keeps ever truth in sight.   --Algernon Charles Swinburne https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Algernon_Charles_Swinburne