On this day in history

Hugh Glass Hugh Glass was an American frontiersman, fur trapper, trader, hunter and explorer. He is best known for his story of survival and forgiveness after being left for dead by companions when he was mauled by a grizzly bear.

#OTD (Aug 25) in the year 1823: American fur trapper Hugh Glass is mauled by a grizzly bear while on an expedition in South Dakota. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c19th

Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, also known as the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia, was the joint invasion of the neutral Imperial State of Iran by the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union in August 1941. The two powers announced that they would stay until six months after the end of the war with their mutual enemy, Nazi Germany, which turned out to be 2 March 1946. On that date the British began to withdraw, while the Soviet Union delayed until May, initially citing "threats to Soviet security", followed by the Iran crisis of 1946.

#OTD (Aug 25) in the year 1941: World War II: Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran: The United Kingdom and the Soviet Union jointly stage an invasion of the Imperial State of Iran. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

Book of Common Prayer (1662) The 1662 Book of Common Prayer is an authorised liturgical book of the Church of England and other Anglican bodies around the world. In continuous print and regular use for over 360 years, the 1662 prayer book is the basis for numerous other editions of the Book of Common Prayer and other liturgical texts. Noted for both its devotional and literary quality, the 1662 prayer book has influenced the English language, with its use alongside the King James Version of the Bible contributing to an increase in literacy from the 16th to the 20th century.

#OTD (Aug 24) in the year 1662: The 1662 Book of Common Prayer is legally enforced as the liturgy of the Church of England, precipitating the Great Ejection of Dissenter ministers from their benefices. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #EarlyModern #17thc

Kweilin incident The Kweilin incident occurred on August 24, 1938 when a Douglas DC-2 airliner named Kweilin carrying 18 passengers and crew was shot down by Japanese aircraft in China. There were fifteen fatalities including two crew. It was the first civilian airliner in history to be shot down by hostile aircraft. The pilot of the downed aircraft was American and the crew and passengers Chinese. As it was unprecedented for a civilian aircraft to be attacked, there was international diplomatic outrage over the incident. In the United States, it helped solidify the view that Japan was morally wrong in its war against China, however the incident was not enough to spur the United States into action against Japan despite Chinese entreaties. The Kweilin was rebuilt, renamed as the Chungking and destroyed by the Japanese army in a second attack two years later.

#OTD (Aug 24) in the year 1938: Kweilin incident: A Japanese warplane shoots down the Kweilin, a Chinese civilian airliner, killing 14. It is the first recorded instance of a civilian airliner being shot down. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

William Wilberforce William Wilberforce was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the Atlantic slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, and became an independent Member of Parliament (MP) for Yorkshire (1784–1812). In 1785, he underwent a conversion experience and became an Evangelical Anglican, which resulted in major changes to his lifestyle and a lifelong concern for reform.

#OTD (Aug 24) in the year 1759: birth of William Wilberforce, English philanthropist and politician (died 1833) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c18th

Ronee Blakley Ronee Sue Blakley is an American actress, singer-songwriter, composer, producer and director.

#OTD (Aug 24) in the year 1945: birth of Ronee Blakley, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

Thomas Blood Thomas Blood was an Anglo-Irish officer and self-styled colonel best known for his attempt to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671. Described in an American source as a "noted bravo and desperado," he was also known for his attempt to kidnap and, later, to kill, his enemy James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond.

#OTD (Aug 24) in the year 1680: death of Thomas Blood, Irish colonel (born 1618) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #EarlyModern #17thc

Sovereign Council of Asturias and León The Sovereign Council of Asturias and León, was an unrecognized state in northern Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Proclaimed on 6 September 1936, it was self-declared sovereign on 24 August 1937, while the region was occupied on 20 October 1937 by Franco's military forces. Belarmino Tomás was the Sovereign Council's first and only President. The capital of the short-lived state was Gijón.

#OTD (Aug 24) in the year 1937: Spanish Civil War: Sovereign Council of Asturias and León is proclaimed in Gijón. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

Francine Lalonde Francine Lalonde was a Canadian politician who served on both the provincial and federal levels. Prior to being elected, she was a lecturer, teacher, and unionist.

#OTD (Aug 24) in the year 1940: birth of Francine Lalonde, Canadian educator and politician (died 2014) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

Parmigianino Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola, also known as Francesco Mazzola or, more commonly, as Parmigianino, was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker active in Florence, Rome, Bologna, and his native city of Parma. His work is characterized by a "refined sensuality" and often elongation of forms and includes Vision of Saint Jerome (1527) and the iconic if somewhat anomalous Madonna with the Long Neck (1534), and he remains the best known artist of the first generation whose whole careers fall into the Mannerist period.

#OTD (Aug 24) in the year 1540: death of Parmigianino, Italian painter and etcher (born 1503) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #EarlyModern

Battle of Großbeeren The Battle of Großbeeren occurred on 23 August 1813 in neighboring Blankenfelde and Sputendorf between the Prussian III Corps under Friedrich von Bülow and the Franco-Saxon VII Corps under Jean Reynier. Napoleon had hoped to drive the Prussians out of the Sixth Coalition by capturing their capital, but the swamps south of Berlin combined with rain and marshal Nicolas Oudinot's ill health all contributed to the French defeat.

#OTD (Aug 23) in the year 1813: At the Battle of Großbeeren, the Prussians under Von Bülow repulse the French army. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c19th

Luis de León Luis de León, was a Spanish lyric poet, Augustinian friar, theologian and academic.

#OTD (Aug 23) in the year 1591: death of Luis de León, Spanish poet and academic (born 1527) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #EarlyModern

Michael I of Romania Michael I was the last King of Romania, reigning from 20 July 1927 to 8 June 1930 and again from 6 September 1940 until his forced abdication on 30 December 1947.

#OTD (Aug 23) in the year 1944: World War II: King Michael of Romania dismisses the pro-Nazi government of Marshal Antonescu, who is later arrested. Romania switches sides from the Axis to the Allies. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

North Carolina North Carolina is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia to the southwest, and Tennessee to the west. The state is the 28th-largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. Along with South Carolina, it makes up the Carolinas region of the East Coast. At the 2020 census, the state had a population of 10,439,388. Raleigh is the state's capital and Charlotte is its most populous and one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. The Charlotte metropolitan area, with an estimated population of 2,883,370 in 2024, is the most populous metropolitan area in North Carolina, the 21st-most populous in the United States, and the largest banking center in the nation after New York City. The Research Triangle, with an estimated population of 2,368,947 in 2023, is the second-most populous combined metropolitan area in the state, 31st-most populous in the United States, and is home to the largest research park in the United States, Research Triangle Park.

#OTD (Aug 23) in the year 1784: Western North Carolina (now eastern Tennessee) declares itself an independent state under the name of Franklin; it is not accepted into the United States, and only lasts for four years. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c18th

Snow chains Snow chains, or tire chains, are devices fitted to the tires of vehicles to provide increased traction when driving through snow and ice.

#OTD (Aug 23) in the year 1904: The automobile tire chain is patented. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

Edward Despard Edward Marcus Despard, an Irish officer in the service of the British Crown, gained notoriety as a colonial administrator for refusing to recognise race as a distinction in English law and, following his recall to London, as a republican conspirator. Despard's associations with the London Corresponding Society, the United Irishmen and United Britons led to his trial and execution in 1803 as the alleged ringleader of a plot to assassinate the King.

#OTD (Aug 23) in the year 1782: British forces under Edward Despard complete the reconquest of the Black River settlements on the Mosquito Coast from the Spanish. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c18th

Sacco and Vanzetti Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were Italian immigrants and anarchists who were controversially convicted of murdering Alessandro Berardelli and Frederick Parmenter, a guard and a paymaster, during the April 15, 1920, armed robbery of the Slater and Morrill Shoe Company in Braintree, Massachusetts, United States. Seven years later, they were executed in the electric chair at Charlestown State Prison.

#OTD (Aug 23) in the year 1927: Italian anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti are executed after a lengthy, controversial trial. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

Henry Bachtold Brigadier Henry Bachtold, was an Australian soldier and railway engineer. He fought during the First World War as an engineer with the 1st Field Company at the Gallipoli Campaign, where he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross. He commanded the 14th Field Company at the Battle of Polygon Wood, for which he was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order. Bachtold commanded the engineers of the 5th Australian Division in 1917–18 and the engineers of the 3rd Australian Division in 1918. He was mentioned in despatches four times during the First World War and ended the war as a lieutenant colonel. During 1942 and 1943, Bachtold was the Chief Engineer of II Corps, after which he was placed in reserve with the honorary rank of brigadier. Bachtold retired from the Department of Railways New South Wales in 1962 and died on 9 May 1983.

#OTD (Aug 22) in the year 1891: birth of Henry Bachtold, Australian soldier and railway engineer (died 1983) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c19th

David Dellinger David T. Dellinger was an American pacifist and an activist for nonviolent social change. Although active beginning in the early 1940s, Dellinger reached peak prominence as one of the Chicago Seven, who were put on trial in 1969.

#OTD (Aug 22) in the year 1915: birth of David Dellinger, American activist (died 2004) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

José de la Mar José Domingo de la Merced de La Mar y Cortázar was a Peruvian military leader and politician who served as the third President of Peru.

#OTD (Aug 22) in the year 1827: José de La Mar becomes President of Peru. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c19th

Henri Cartier-Bresson Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French humanist photographer, and also an artist. He was considered a master of candid photography, and was an early user of 35mm film. He pioneered the genre of street photography and viewed capturing what he named the decisive moment as the essence of the very best pictures.

#OTD (Aug 22) in the year 1908: birth of Henri Cartier-Bresson, French photographer and painter (died 2004) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

William II, Duke of Athens William II was the third son of Frederick III of Sicily and Eleanor of Anjou. He inherited the Duchy of Athens after the death of his elder brother Manfred on 9 November 1317.

#OTD (Aug 22) in the year 1338: death of William II, Duke of Athens (born 1312) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #Medievalsky

Max Scheler Max Ferdinand Scheler was a German philosopher known for his work in phenomenology, ethics, and philosophical anthropology. Considered in his lifetime one of the most prominent German philosophers, Scheler developed the philosophical method of Edmund Husserl, the founder of phenomenology.

#OTD (Aug 22) in the year 1874: birth of Max Scheler, German philosopher and author (died 1928) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c19th

America's Cup The America's Cup is a sailing competition and the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one from the yacht club that currently holds the trophy and the other from the yacht club that is challenging for the cup. The winner is awarded the America's Cup trophy, informally known as the Auld Mug. Matches are held several years apart on dates agreed between the defender and the challenger. There is no fixed schedule, but the races have generally been held every three to four years.

#OTD (Aug 22) in the year 1851: The first America's Cup is won by the yacht America. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c19th

Anders Zorn Anders Leonard Zorn was a Swedish artist who attained international success as a painter, sculptor, and etching artist. His portrait subjects include King Oscar II of Sweden and three American Presidents: Grover Cleveland, William H. Taft, and Theodore Roosevelt. At the end of his life in 1920, he established the Swedish literary Bellman Prize.

#OTD (Aug 22) in the year 1920: death of Anders Zorn, Swedish artist (born 1860) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

James Farnell James Squire Farnell was an Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales. Farnell was a hard-working legislator who gave much study to the land question and also tried hard for some years to pass a bill for the regulation of contagious diseases.

#OTD (Aug 21) in the year 1888: death of James Farnell, Australian politician, eighth Premier of New South Wales (born 1825) #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c19th

Loretta Devine Loretta Devine is an American actress. She is known for numerous roles across stage and screen. Her most high profile roles include Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls (1981), Gloria Matthews in the film Waiting to Exhale (1995), and her recurring role as Adele Webber on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Devine also played Juanita Sims in the film adaptation of For Colored Girls (2010).

#OTD (Aug 21) in the year 1949: birth of Loretta Devine, American actress and singer #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary national bar association of lawyers and law students in the United States, and not specific to any single jurisdiction. Founded in 1878, the ABA's stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation of model ethical codes related to the legal profession. As of fiscal year 2017, the ABA had 194,000 dues-paying members, constituting approximately 24.4% of American attorneys. In 1979, half of all lawyers in the U.S. were members of the ABA. In 2016, about one third of the 1.3 million practicing lawyers in the U.S. were included in the ABA membership of 400,000, with figures largely unchanged in 2024; Included are "about 150,000 paying members" for 2024–2025, according to Reuters.

#OTD (Aug 21) in the year 1878: The American Bar Association is founded in Saratoga Springs, New York. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c19th

Dumbarton Oaks Conference The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, or, more formally, the Washington Conversations on International Peace and Security Organization, was an international conference at which proposals for the establishment of a "general international organization", which was to become the United Nations, were formulated and negotiated. The conference was led by the Four Policemen – the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and China. It was held at the Dumbarton Oaks estate in Washington, D.C., from August 21, 1944, to October 7, 1944.

#OTD (Aug 21) in the year 1944: Dumbarton Oaks Conference, prelude to the United Nations, begins. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians

Gustav III Gustav III, also called Gustavus III, was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Sweden.

#OTD (Aug 21) in the year 1772: King Gustav III completes his coup d'état by adopting a new Constitution, ending half a century of parliamentary rule in Sweden and installing himself as an enlightened despot. #OTDIH 🗃️ #Skystorians #c18th