#henry howard earl of surrey

[elizabethan-memes]

Henry Howard's arrogance hit Henry’s paranoia like a dentist's drill striking an exposed nerve and provoked the king into a destructive, unthinking rage.

Thomas S. Freeman, "The Account of Katherine Parr in Foxe's book of martyrs"

[natequarter]

medieval/early modern history is a fun game of "Where Did That Earldom Go?" where you have to follow a chain of biography citations, genealogical trees, and wikipedia pages for old men who died childless to figure out where the hell that earldom got to, and if it even remained an earldom

[memendoemori]

This is both my favorite character in The Tudors and my favorite historical figure from the Tudor period

[gravityoccult]

This is a painting by Edward Henry Corbould from 1853 depicting Agrippa conjuring the image of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey's love.

[tudorblogger]

Book and Writing Update

[mr-e-gallery]

Hans Holbein the Younger (1498-1543), Portrait of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey,

[scotianostra]

On 26th July 1513 James IV responded to pleas for assistance from France and declared war on England.

While most Scots will know a wee bit about The Battle of Flodden, few will understand the background behind the fateful day for arguably the most succesful of the Stewart Kings, I will fill in a few of the blanks in this longish post.

It wasn’t all Flodden, it only ended up there. The build up to the cataclystic battle began in the years beforehand as James started building his great navy. Yes the Auld Alliance is often used as an excuse to go to war with the English, but other factors also played a hand, not least the that the English Navy had seized two Scottish ships, there was also the case that Scotland was due part of an unpaid dowry for his Queen, Margaret Tudor.

James IV was a flamboyant King, it has been called a Golden age for Scotland by historians, he lavished his wife with gifts, now it might not sound much nowadays, and no disrespect to the town, but he gave her Kilmarnock as a wedding present! They also loved holidays around his Kingdom and in particular James and Margaret enjoyed making music together and listening to professional players.

With that he was also making sure his country was protected and he put together a most impressive navy, two huge ships were at the centre of it, The Great Michael, and the Margaret, the fleet numbered 13 larger ships and they carried an armée de mer (‘army of the sea’) of thousands of troops, about 10 smaller ships sailed with the fleet, and it must have been some sight, about two dozen ships sailing out The Firth of Forth.

James Hamilton, first Earl of Arran, the Kings cousin was admiral of the fleet. James was aboard the Michael as the ships sailed round North Scotland past the Hebrides attacking the English stronghold of Carrickfergus in Ulster. After looting Carrickfergus the Earl of Arran’s fleet returned to Scotland, berthing at the port of Ayr. These events are described by the 16th century Scottish historian George Buchanan in his History of Scotland :

“James, king of Scotland, although he had determined to remain neuter, yet being inclined to favour his ancient ally, resolved to send the fleet, formerly mentioned, as a gift to the French queen, Anne, that it might appear rather as a pledge of friendship, than any assistance for carrying on the war.

…having heard that great preparations were making for a maritime war, James determined to send the fleet, we have mentioned, to Anne immediately, that it might, if possible, arrive there before the war broke out. He appointed James Hamilton, earl of Arran, admiral, and ordered him to sail with the first fair wind ; but Hamilton, a simple kind of man, more acquainted with the arts of peace than of war, either afraid of danger, or through his natural indolence, having delayed to go to France, landed at Carrick-Fergus, a town in Ireland, opposite Galloway, and after pillaging the place, burned it, and set sail for Ayr, a harbour of Kyle in Scotland, as if he had performed a great exploit.”

Less than a month after the royal fleet left the Firth of Forth under the command of the Earl of Arran, King James led a massive invasion of north-east England. The prime military objective of the campaign, the taking of Norham castle, was achieved within a week. In early September the Scottish army moved south, capturing the smaller castles of Etal and Ford before encamping on the summit of Flodden Hill where they faced the army of the Earl of Surrey.

The invasion achieved the wider objective of drawing English forces from northern France. The Earl of Surrey was joined by his son, Lord Thomas Howard, who had returned from France with a force of a thousand men, according to the 16th century Chronicle of Edward Hall. Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie gives a higher figure, narrating how James IV invaded England “for lufe of France” prompting Henry VIII to despatch six thousand of his best men from France to England.

On the 9th of September the Scots moved from the summit of Flodden Hill towards the nearby Branxton Hill in an attempt to deny the English the high ground. The Earl of Surrey had manoeuvred his forces to the foot of Branxton Hill, blocking a northwards retreat back to Scotland and forcing the Scots to fight.

I shall leave it there and pick up the rest in September when we will lament the loss of “The Floo'ers 'o the Forest.

[richmond-rex]

In 1495 Anne married Thomas, Lord Howard, later earl of Surrey, and the wedding of Catherine and Sir William Courtenay, later the earl of Devon, took place at Greenwich Palace. These court festivities had carefully calculated political and dynastic purposes, formulated by the king himself. (R. A. Griffiths)

Not criticising this author in specific, but it's disappointing that this is the traditional view and Elizabeth of York is never mentioned in that aspect despite evidence of her involvement in arranging her sisters' marriages, as well as her direct involvement in the planning of court festivities. One would think that much like Margaret of Anjou's matchmaking in her time, Elizabeth was at least as equally involved in her sisters' marriages as the king himself. It brings to mind the time Elizabeth and Henry offered a marriage arrangement to the Spanish ambassador, mainly, Henry says, at Elizabeth's insistence:

After many excuses, [Puebla] has at last been persuaded, principally by the Queen, to accept the marriage, but under the express condition that [Ferdinand and Isabella] must first give him their consent. Wishing to marry De Puebla well in England, he [Henry] and his Queen beg them to grant their prayers, and to give their consent (3 February 1498).

De Puebla later confirms it was Elizabeth's own idea:

Thanks them for not having answered the letter of Henry respecting their consent to the marriage which the Queen of England had offered to him. The King will write again on the same subject. Begs them to put off the answer again. Does not like to accept the match, because he fears [Ferdinand and Isabella] would not have so much confidence in him if he were married by the Queen of England to a rich English lady (16 June 1500).

It would be nothing extraordinary for Elizabeth of York to be one of the (if not the main) drivers of the marriages that took place at the English court, considering that was one aspect of royal patronage in which queens consort traditionally excelled. Unfortunately, however, Elizabeth of York is not usually afforded any degree of agency in traditional scholarship.

[fideidefenswhore]

Allo.

Would you be so kind to direct me to the source where Elizabeth Stafford says Norfolk dragged her round the room whilst she was giving birth to Mary Howard please.

Thank you.

I believe the only source available is the Duke of Norfolk's refutation, the letter extant in which she describes incidents of abuse does not include that specific claim. The letter that Norfolk seems to be referencing below ("first written to me") does not seem to be extant.

Duke of Norfolk to Lord Cromwell c. 1537, Buntingford "My very good Lord, it is come to my knowledge that my wilful wife is come to London, and hath been with you intending me to come to London. My Lord, I assure you as long as I live I shall never come into her company, unto the time she hath first written to me that she hath untruly slandered me in writing and say that when she had be in childbed of my daughter of Richmond two nights and a day, I should draw her out of her bed by the hair of her head about the house, and with my dagger give her a wound in the head. My good Lord, if I prove not by witness, and that with many honest persons, that she had the scar in her head fifteen months before she was delivered of my said daughter, and that the same cut was by a surgeon of London for a swelling she had in her head, of drawing two teeth, never trust my word after; reporting to your good lordship whether I shall play the fool or no, to put me in her danger, that so falsely will slander me, and so wilfully stick thereby. Surely I think there is no man on live that would handle a woman in childbed of that sort, nor for my part would not so have done for all that I am worth." Rivals in Power: Lives and Letters of the Great Tudor Dynasties (1990)

Essentially the same version is in Jessie Childs' biography of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, with some additional analysis. Source cited is BL MS Cottonian Titus B I, fo. 394. Dr Nicola Clark has also analyzed the letter, dating it to December 1536.

[blackboar]

Are there any ministers in henry vii who are very close and trusted?

Quite a lot in fact:

-John Morton, bishop of Ely and then Archbishop of Canterbury who was basically his ecclesiastical and bureaucratic right-hand man as lord Chancellor

-John de Vere, his constable and military chief advisor.

-Reynald Bray, more a servant of his mother but a chief advisor.

-Gilles, lord Daubeney, also a military mind.

-Dudley and Empson over financial and administrative matters.

-Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey for various military and ruling of localities.

The list could go on but basically, Henry VII didn't lack loyal servants and critical allies for his reign.

[mihrsuri]

Headcanons for Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr in OT3 and OT4 verse?

The one thing I know about Katherine Howard right now is that Henry Mannox and Francis Dereham both fall into a ditch or something + partly due to her relative remaining Queen she has a much much better upbringing and education.

Katherine Parr shows up briefly in the first version of the OT3 verse as a governess to Owen, Edmund and Pippa but I’m slowly expanding her role - I borrowed the idea of her marrying the Duke of Norfolk’s son from @eidetictelekinetic - Kate Parr comes to court to be Mary Tudors lady in waiting, because their mothers were friends and they do in fact also become friends here. In theory she was supposed to be betrothed to a much older man but falling for and marrying the Earl of Surrey trumped that.

Anne of Cleves is currently a big mystery - I was toying with the idea of her marrying someone in England but I genuinely do not know who it might be. I will work something out though.

For OT4 verse:

Katherine Howard getting to have a loving husband and wife. It’s actually not entirely impossible that in this world, she marries the son of Charles Brandon and Mary Rose Tudor.

Katherine Parr ending up with Dorothy Seymour instead of Thomas Seymour is in fact my dream now I have thought of it.

Anne of Cleves I genuinely have no idea what she is doing in OT4 verse.

[ixzieli]

“Sweet is the death that taketh end by love.” — Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

“No one will ever know the violence it took to become this gentle”

“This is real darkness. It’s not death, or war, or child molestation. Real darkness has love for a face. The first death is in the heart, Harry.” — Dolores Dei, Disco Elysium

[katharined]

𝗄𝖺𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝖻𝗋𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗈𝗇-𝗀𝗋𝖾𝗒, 𝖽𝗈𝗐𝖺𝗀𝖾𝗋 𝖽𝗎𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝗎𝖿𝖿𝗈𝗅𝗄, 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖻𝗅𝗈𝗈𝖽𝗒 𝖽𝖺𝗒𝗌.

– Born Katharine Brandon on 16 July 1514 at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, England, to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and his wife Mary Tudor, Queen of France (their marriage, having incurred a steep royal fine and nearly cost them their lives, was by now forgiven and widely admired throughout England). She is christened in robes sent to the Dowager Queen by King Francis I of France (which she will, many years later, christen each of her own daughters in). The second eldest of three, Katharine’s two full-brothers, Henry Brandon (1516-1522) and Henry Brandon Earl of Lincoln (1523-1534), both named in honour of their maternal uncle Henry VIII, tragically predecease her.

– Inheriting the red-gold hair (which darkens with time) and famous beauty of her mother, Mary Tudor, Katharine’s blood pumps with the characteristic hubris of her Tudor relatives. She is raised under her mother’s supervision and, along with her half-sisters Anne and Mary Brandon, blossomed under the tutelage of her nurse, Anne Kynge, at Westhorpe Hall in Suffolk, England. Her father and uncle are always distant, looming figures – great men to be prayed for, but rare to behold with one’s own eyes. In her later years, howbeit, both will be subject to Katharine’s scathing indignity.

– As the niece of the King of England, a swarm of marriage proposals buzzed about Katharine Brandon, suspiciously early into her childhood. One such involving Henry Howard, the Earl of Surrey, was mooted when Katharine freshly sprouted from the nursery, and scuppered in the same year. Though her ambitious father was a true ‘man on the make’ – that is, unscrupulous and grasping – her mother was a natural born princess, and rightly put her foot down when another avaricious offer came Katharine’s way: remembering well the strict warnings of her own grandmother, Margaret Beaufort, against the dwindling institution of child brides.

– But at the age of twelve, Katharine was at last betrothed to Henry Grey, Marquess of Dorset. In 1533, with her uncle king Henry’s hearty blessing, Katharine married Henry at Suffolk Place, her father’s recently built mansion in Southwark. Her mother, by now seriously ill and aggrieved by Charles’ string of lewd mistresses, thenceforth permanently retired from court and settled in ailing discomfort at Westhorpe Hall, where she died on June 25 1533; the Suffolk’s young ward, Catherine Willoughby, led Mary’s elaborate funeral processions. Heartbroken, but as keen-eyed as her father before her, her mother’s death paved the way for Katharine’s career at the royal court, where she assumed Mary’s role in ceremonial affairs.

– Three months after her mother’s death, her father Charles took Catherine Willoughby, then betrothed to Charles’ ten-year old son Henry, as his wife. Whilst also personally interested in Catherine, thirty-five years his junior, Catherine’s hand in marriage effectively made Charles Brandon the richest magnate in Lincolnshire. He then built a series of imposing manors throughout his new lands, gleaned from his fourth, and so far most lucrative, marriage. Katharine railed at her father for his indiscretions, and father and daughter, between 1533 until his death in 1545, spoke less than a handful of times; it is rumoured, and will be confirmed by a letter discovered in 2023, that Katharine never allowed Charles to meet his granddaughters.

– As the niece of King Henry, Katharine was one of the highest-ranking women at court and often took on public duties, lauded for her dignified air (though to some, her insistence on speaking French, lest anyone forget that her mother was once the Queen of France, proved a great irritant). Together with her royal cousins who were near to her in age, Princess Mary and Lady Margaret Douglas, she firmly supported Queen Catherine’s plight in the King’s Great Matter and stood as one of the Queen’s chief mourners upon her death in 1536. Briefly after Anne Boleyn’s coronation, Katharine retired from court to Bradgate House, where she gave birth to her three daughters and soon after returned to the King’s royal fold, taunting her uncle’s new wife, Anne Boleyn, with the string of healthy babes she’d produced in swift succession, and the outwardly ‘happy’ marriage she’d secured. But her union would soon spell trouble that not even Katharine’s ingrained opportunism could surmount, and for all her unbridled boasting, Katharine's private life was all smoke and mirrors.

– Katharine’s inability to bear her husband, Henry, an heir had permanently soured their union; in the end, it was a sin for which Henry could never forgive her. Unbeknownst to him, Katharine did give birth to a son – also named Henry – a stillborn, premature child, in the darkened halls of Bradgate House; it was her eldest daughter, Philippa, who found her mother in a pool of her own blood and shrieked for help. Katharine exhorted Philippa to secrecy and quickly covered up the scene as if nothing had ever happened; neither her husband, other daughters, nor horde of servants ever learned of the tragedy.

– After the death of both Katharine’s father and eldest brother in 1545, Henry and Katharine Grey inherited Charles Brandon’s title of Duke of Suffolk (Henry enjoyed the luxury ‘jure uxoris,’ by right of his wife, though their marriage was, for all intents and purposes, over). Well-aware of the roles her children could now perform in England, Katharine had each daughter remarkably educated (although this did not inhibit them from making inane decisions, evidently…) and employed John Alymer, later Bishop of England, to inoculate their fine, fresh minds with Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and kept personally abreast of the marriage market of England, resolving that her daughters should have the very best husbands in all of Europe.

– As her husband, Henry Grey, lay dying, Katharine vowed to him that she would protect and advance their family, a promise that her daughters’ reckless incaution has made difficult to keep. As of the start of Bloody Days, Katherine has recently returned from a pleasure trip to France; she returns in grand flourish, keen to reunite with members of her cousin Queen Mary’s court and to continue promoting her daughters (and dotin’ on her secret grandson, Baby Jack). As for this whole 'true Queen' business, well, more of that remains to be revealed :^)

[poemshubs]

What is the Most Beautiful Sonnet Ever?

The sonnet has long been celebrated as one of the most exquisite forms of poetry, capturing the essence of beauty, love, and emotion within its structured confines. With its origins dating back to the 13th century, the sonnet has seen numerous poets contribute to its legacy, each bringing their unique voice and perspective. This article delves into the world of sonnets, exploring what makes a sonnet beautiful and examining some of the most celebrated sonnets to determine what might be considered the most beautiful sonnet ever written.

The Structure of a Sonnet

Definition and Origin

A sonnet is a 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and meter, traditionally written in iambic pentameter. The sonnet originated in Italy, with Giacomo da Lentini credited as its inventor. The form was later popularized by Petrarch, whose sonnets dedicated to his muse Laura set a high standard for the genre. The Petrarchan sonnet, also known as the Italian sonnet, consists of an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines), typically with a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA for the octave and varying patterns for the sestet.

Evolution of the Sonnet

The sonnet form traveled to England in the 16th century, where it was adapted by poets such as Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. The English or  Shakespearean sonnet, named after William Shakespeare, who perfected it, consists of three quatrains (four-line stanzas) followed by a final couplet (two-line stanza), with a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG. This structure allowed for a more flexible exploration of themes and emotions.

Components of a Beautiful Sonnet

To determine the most beautiful sonnet, it is essential to consider the components that contribute to its beauty:

Theme and Subject Matter: The subject of a sonnet often revolves around love, beauty, time, and mortality. A sonnet’s theme must resonate deeply with readers, evoking emotions and contemplation.

Language and Imagery: The language used in a sonnet should be rich and evocative, employing vivid imagery and metaphors to create a lasting impact.

Form and Structure: A beautifully crafted sonnet adheres to its form while allowing the poet‘s creativity to shine. The rhyme scheme, meter, and structure should enhance the poem’s overall effect.

Emotional Impact: A sonnet’s ability to move the reader, to stir emotions and provoke thought, is a crucial element of its beauty.

Notable Sonnets in Literary History

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

One of the most famous and frequently anthologized sonnets, Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, is often hailed as a pinnacle of poetic beauty. The poem begins with the lines:

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate:”

In this sonnet, Shakespeare explores the theme of eternal beauty through the comparison of his beloved to a summer’s day. The poem’s structure, with its flawless iambic pentameter and harmonious rhyme scheme, coupled with its timeless language, creates a work of enduring beauty. The final couplet, “So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee,” encapsulates the idea of immortalizing beauty through poetry.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43, from her collection “Sonnets from the Portuguese,” is another strong contender for the most beautiful sonnet. The poem opens with the famous lines:

“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace.”

Browning’s sonnet is a profound expression of love, detailing the many dimensions of her affection. The poem’s language is both passionate and sincere, capturing the depth of emotion in a way that resonates with readers. The sonnet’s structure, with its Petrarchan form, allows for a gradual build-up of emotion, culminating in a powerful declaration of eternal love.

John Donne’s Sonnet 14: “Batter my heart, three-person’d God”

John Donne’s Holy Sonnet 14, often referred to by its opening line, “Batter my heart, three-person’d God,” is a masterful blend of spiritual fervor and poetic beauty. The sonnet begins with a forceful plea:

“Batter my heart, three-person’d God; for you As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend; That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.”

Donne’s sonnet explores the theme of divine love and redemption, using striking imagery and metaphors to convey the speaker’s intense spiritual longing. The poem’s powerful language and emotional intensity make it a standout work in the realm of religious poetry.

Petrarch’s Sonnet 90: “Upon the breeze she spread her golden hair”

Petrarch’s Sonnet 90, one of his many sonnets dedicated to Laura, exemplifies the beauty of the Italian sonnet form. The poem opens with the lines:

“Upon the breeze she spread her golden hair that in a thousand gentle knots was turned, and the sweet light beyond all radiance burned in eyes where now that radiance is rare.”

Petrarch’s sonnet is a poignant reflection on lost love and the passage of time. The poem’s exquisite language and harmonious structure capture the beauty and sorrow of the poet’s longing. Petrarch’s ability to evoke powerful emotions through vivid imagery and carefully crafted language makes this sonnet a timeless work of art.

Analyzing the Elements of Beauty in Sonnets

Theme and Subject Matter

The themes explored in these sonnets—love, beauty, time, and spirituality—are universal and timeless. Each poet brings their unique perspective to these themes, creating works that resonate with readers across different eras and cultures. The ability to touch upon fundamental human experiences and emotions is a key element of a beautiful sonnet.

Language and Imagery

The language used in these sonnets is rich and evocative, employing vivid imagery and metaphors to create a lasting impact. Shakespeare’s comparison of his beloved to a summer’s day, Browning’s detailed enumeration of her love, Donne’s intense spiritual plea, and Petrarch’s reflection on lost beauty all demonstrate the power of language to convey deep emotions and complex ideas.

Form and Structure

Each of these sonnets adheres to its respective form while allowing the poet’s creativity to shine. The structure of a sonnet, with its specific rhyme scheme and meter, provides a framework within which poets can explore their themes. The mastery of form and structure enhances the overall effect of the poem, creating a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing work.

Emotional Impact

The emotional impact of these sonnets is profound, moving readers to reflect on their own experiences and emotions. Whether expressing romantic love, spiritual longing, or the passage of time, these sonnets evoke a powerful response from readers. The ability to stir emotions and provoke thought is a crucial element of a beautiful sonnet.

The Most Beautiful Sonnet: A Subjective Choice

Determining the most beautiful sonnet is ultimately a subjective choice, influenced by personal preferences and experiences. Each of the sonnets discussed—Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, Browning’s Sonnet 43, Donne’s Holy Sonnet 14, and Petrarch’s Sonnet 90—has its own unique qualities and merits. These sonnets exemplify the beauty and power of the form, showcasing the talents of their respective poets and the timeless appeal of the sonnet.

Personal Reflections

For many, Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 stands out as the most beautiful sonnet, with its perfect blend of language, imagery, and emotional depth. The poem’s exploration of eternal beauty and the power of poetry to immortalize the beloved resonates deeply with readers. Others may find Browning’s passionate declaration of love or Donne’s intense spiritual plea to be the most moving and beautiful. Ultimately, the most beautiful sonnet is the one that speaks most profoundly to the individual reader, capturing their heart and imagination.

Conclusion

The sonnet is a timeless and exquisite form of poetry, capable of capturing the essence of human emotion and experience within its structured confines. While it is challenging to definitively declare the most beautiful sonnet, works by Shakespeare, Browning, Donne, and Petrarch are strong contenders, each offering a unique and powerful exploration of themes such as love, beauty, time, and spirituality. The beauty of a sonnet lies in its ability to resonate with readers, evoking deep emotions and contemplation. As readers and lovers of poetry, we are fortunate to have these masterpieces to inspire and move us, each in its own way a testament to the enduring power of the sonnet.

[natequarter]

Since the last letters he wrote concerning the state of these affairs, nothing fresh occurred. A public assembly of the realm, called by them a parliament, is being held for its reformation, in which some acts have been passed, and first of all, a general amnesty for all offences against the King. The Earl of Northumberland [Henry Percy], who was captured and imprisoned, has been set at liberty, but on security from all the prelates, the temporal lords, and likewise from the commons. The Earl of Surrey [Thomas Howard] is still under arrest, but De Giglis hears he will be released. The first-born daughter of King Edward has been declared Duchess of York; it is positively asserted that the King is about to marry her, which everybody considers advantageous for the kingdom. The King himself is deemed most prudent and element: all things appear disposed towards peace.

Giovanni de Giglis, Collector of Peter's Pence in England, to Pope Innocent VIII. London, 6 December 1485 (Calendar of State Papers Venice, 1202-1509)

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 1.13 (before 1940)

27 BC – Octavian transfers the state to the free disposal of the Roman Senate and the people. He receives Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years. 532 – The Nika riots break out, during the racing season at the Hippodrome in Constantinople, as a result of discontent with the rule of the Emperor Justinian I. 1435 – Sicut Dudum, forbidding the enslavement of the Guanche natives in Canary Islands by the Spanish, is promulgated by Pope Eugene IV. 1547 – Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, is sentenced to death for treason, on the grounds of having quartered his arms to make them similar to those of the King, Henry VIII of England. 1793 – Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville, representative of Revolutionary France, is lynched by a mob in Rome. 1797 – French Revolutionary Wars: A naval battle between a French ship of the line and two British frigates off the coast of Brittany ends with the French vessel running aground, resulting in over 900 deaths. 1815 – War of 1812: British troops capture Fort Peter in St. Marys, Georgia, the only battle of the war to take place in the state. 1822 – The design of the Greek flag is adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus. 1833 – United States President Andrew Jackson writes to Vice President elect Martin Van Buren expressing his opposition to South Carolina's defiance of federal authority in the Nullification Crisis. 1840 – The steamship Lexington burns and sinks four miles off the coast of Long Island with the loss of 139 lives. 1842 – Dr. William Brydon, an assistant surgeon in the British East India Company Army during the First Anglo-Afghan War, becomes famous for being the sole survivor of an army of 4,500 men and 12,000 camp followers when he reaches the safety of a garrison in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. 1847 – The Treaty of Cahuenga ends the Mexican–American War in California. 1849 – Establishment of the Colony of Vancouver Island. 1849 – Second Anglo-Sikh War: Battle of Chillianwala: British forces retreat from the Sikhs. 1888 – The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C. 1893 – The Independent Labour Party of the United Kingdom holds its first meeting. 1893 – U.S. Marines land in Honolulu, Hawaii from the USS Boston to prevent the queen from abrogating the Bayonet Constitution. 1895 – First Italo-Ethiopian War: The war's opening battle, the Battle of Coatit, occurs; it is an Italian victory. 1898 – Émile Zola's J'accuse…! exposes the Dreyfus affair. 1900 – To combat Czech nationalism, Emperor Franz Joseph decrees German will be language of the Austro-Hungarian Armed Forces. 1908 – The Rhoads Opera House fire in Boyertown, Pennsylvania kills 171 people. 1915 – The 6.7 Mw  Avezzano earthquake shakes the Province of L'Aquila in Italy with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing between 29,978 and 32,610. 1920 – The Reichstag Bloodbath of January 13, 1920, the bloodiest demonstration in German history. 1935 – A plebiscite in Saarland shows that 90.3% of those voting wish to join Nazi Germany. 1939 – The Black Friday bushfires burn 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 sq mi) of land in Australia, claiming the lives of 71 people.