Cædwalla (659–689) was the King of Wessex from about 685 until 688, when he abdicated. His name is derived from the British Cadwallon. He was exiled as a youth, and during this time attacked the South Saxons, in what is now Sussex, killing their king, Æthelwealh, but he was unable to hold the territory and was driven out by Æthelwealh's ealdormen. In either 685 or 686 he became king of Wessex. He may have been involved in suppressing rival dynasties at this time, as an early source records that Wessex was ruled by underkings until Cædwalla. After his accession Cædwalla returned to Sussex and won the territory again, and also conquered the Isle of Wight, extinguishing the ruling dynasty there. He gained control of Surrey and the kingdom of Kent, and in 686 he installed his brother, Mul, as king of Kent. Mul was burned in a Kentish revolt a year later, and Cædwalla returned, possibly ruling Kent directly for a period. Cædwalla was wounded during the conquest of the Isle of Wight, and perhaps for this reason he abdicated in 688 to travel to Rome for baptism. He reached Rome in April of 689, and was baptised on the Saturday before Easter, dying ten days later on 20 April 689. He was succeeded by Ine.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A6dwalla_of_Wessex

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

9:

Germanic Wars: An alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius engaged Roman forces led by Publius Quinctilius Varus at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, defeating three of the legions within the next few days. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Teutoburg_Forest

1513:

War of the League of Cambrai: King James IV of Scotland was killed at the Battle of Flodden Field in Northumberland while leading an invasion of England. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_IV_of_Scotland

1850:

As part of the Compromise of 1850, California was admitted into the United States as a free state instead of a slave state where slavery was legal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California

1944:

With the help of the advancing forces of the Soviet Red Army, the Bulgarian government of Konstantin Muraviev was overthrown and replaced with a government of the Fatherland Front. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat_of_1944

2004:

A car bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, killing at least nine people and injuring over 150 others. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Jakarta_embassy_bombing

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

scupper (v): (UK) Thwart, destroy http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/scupper

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly. It is the one thing we are interested in here. --Leo Tolstoy http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Leo_Tolstoy