John FitzWalter, 2nd Baron FitzWalter (c. 1315 – 1361), was a prominent Essex landowner who waged an armed campaign against the neighbouring town of Colchester. With connections to the powerful de Clare family, who had arrived in England at the time of the Norman conquest, the FitzWalter family was of a noble and ancient lineage. They held estates across Essex, as well as properties in London and Norfolk. John FitzWalter played a prominent role during the early years of King Edward III's wars in France. FitzWalter's dispute with Colchester was exacerbated when townsmen illegally entered his park in Lexden; in return, he banned them from one of their own watermills. In 1342, he ransacked Colchester, destroyed its market, and besieged the town, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. In 1351, he was arrested and imprisoned in the Marshalsea. He languished in the Tower of London for over a year until the king agreed to pardon him.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_FitzWalter,_2nd_Baron_FitzWalter

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1887:

The Parliament of Canada passed the Rocky Mountains Park Act, creating Banff National Park in Alberta as the country's first national park. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banff_National_Park

1956:

In a nationwide referendum, Gamal Abdel Nasser was elected President of Egypt, a post he held until his death in 1970. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamal_Abdel_Nasser

1972:

President Richard Nixon signed Title IX into law as part of the Education Amendments, prohibiting gender discrimination in any educational program receiving U.S. federal funds. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_IX

2014:

Under the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 2118, the last of Syria's declared chemical weapons were shipped out for destruction. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destruction_of_Syria%27s_chemical_weapons

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

ithyphallic: 1. (historical, Ancient Rome) Of or pertaining to the erect phallus that was carried in bacchic processions. 2. (specifically) Of a poem or song: having the metre of an ode sung in honour of the bacchic phallus. 3. Of or pertaining to an upward pointing, erect penis; (specifically) of an artistic depiction of a deity or other figure: possessing an erect penis. 4. (by extension) Lascivious, obscene. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ithyphallic

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The greatest expression of rebellion is joy.   --Joss Whedon https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Joss_Whedon