Hilary (c. 1110 – 1169) was a medieval English Bishop of Chichester. He served as Dean of the church of Christchurch in Hampshire and as a clerk for Henry of Blois, who was the Bishop of Winchester and brother of King Stephen, and probably received both offices through the influence of Henry. As a papal clerk in Rome, he got to know the future Pope Adrian IV and the writer John of Salisbury. After Hilary's unsuccessful nomination to become Archbishop of York, Pope Eugene III promoted him to the bishopric of Chichester in 1147. Hilary spent many years in a struggle with Battle Abbey, attempting to assert his right to oversee it as bishop. He supported King Henry II's position in a conflict with Thomas Becket, who was then the king's chancellor and later the Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry appointed Hilary a sheriff, and employed him as a judge in the royal courts; he was also a papal judge-delegate, hearing cases referred back to England.

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

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1054:

Chinese astronomers recorded the sudden appearance of a "guest star", later identified as the supernova that created the Crab Nebula. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_Nebula

1776:

In Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence (signing pictured), announcing that the thirteen American colonies were no longer a part of the British Empire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence

1918:

World War I: An Allied force led by the Australian general John Monash was victorious in the Battle of Hamel, demonstrating the effectiveness of combined arms techniques in trench warfare. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hamel

1943:

The aircraft carrying Władysław Sikorski, Prime Minister of the Polish government-in-exile, crashed, killing him and fifteen others, leading to several conspiracy theories. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W%C5%82adys%C5%82aw_Sikorski%27s_death_controversy

1954:

In what is known as the "The Miracle of Bern", the underdogs West Germany defeated the favourites Hungary 3–2 to win the FIFA World Cup. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_FIFA_World_Cup_Final

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

moccasin: 1. A modern shoe with either a low or no heel resembling a traditional Native American moccasin in that the leather forming the sides of the shoe is stitched at the top. 2. A light beige colour, like that of a moccasin. 3. Any of several North American snakes of the genus Agkistrodon, particularly the copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) and the cottonmouth or water moccasin (Agkistrodon piscivorus). https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/moccasin

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Let us forget the other names of American statesmen, that have been stamped upon these hills, but still call the loftiest — WASHINGTON. Mountains are Earth's undecaying monuments. They must stand while she endures, and never should be consecrated to the mere great men of their own age and country, but to the mighty ones alone, whose glory is universal, and whom all time will render illustrious.   --Nathaniel Hawthorne https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthorne