Today before… – personal selection of today’s anniversaries

Today is the day of St. Benedict II., the feast day is Stanislav.

Today is the 69th birthday of prof. Milan Hlavačka, historian, 56 is Tereze Brodská.

Today, 1,466 years ago, the main dome of the Basilica of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople collapsed during an earthquake. Emperor Justinian immediately orders repairs, during which the dome is built to its current fascinating height of 55.6 meters within 4 years.

783 years ago today, at Königstein Castle, King Václav I signs the Upper Lusatia Border Document, which demarcates the borders between the Kingdom of Bohemia and the possessions of the Bishops of Meissen on the territory of Upper Lusatia. The document lists a number of Lusatian towns, settlements and castles, for which it is the first documented mention ever.

750 years ago today, the Second Council of Lyons, convened by Pope Gregory X and dealing with the financing of the Crusade to liberate the Holy Sepulcher, begins its deliberations. The Council unites the Eastern and Western Church for the last time, but it only lasts a few years. The rule that the cardinals cannot leave the conclave until they elect a new pope will last much longer.

604 years ago today, Čenek of Vartenberk, the highest burgrave (i.e. No. 2 after the king), a devoted Hussite, releases Prague Castle to the legitimate Czech king, Sigismund of Luxemburg. Far from being the last change of sides in his career…

566 years ago today, George of Poděbrady was crowned king of Bohemia.

275 years ago today, the Royal Representation and Chamber was established in Prague as the highest political and economic office of the Czech Kingdom, replacing the abolished Royal Viceroyalty.

259 years ago today, HMS Victory, the oldest warship still in active service, was launched.

248 years ago today, the opera Lazebník Sevilský by Bedřich Ludvík Benda premiered in Berlin.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born 184 years ago today.

165 years ago today, Václav Michal Pešina from Čechorod, a canon of the St. Vitus chapter, whose completion he was given the task of completing in a vision repeated several times, died. He did not live to see it completed, but he moved it in a significant way.

Rabindranath Tagore was born 163 years ago today.

109 years ago today, German submarine U-20 sinks the liner Lusitania, killing 1,198, including 128 Americans, leading to US involvement in the Great War.

Today, 104 years ago, Polish troops under the command of Pilsudski occupy Kyiv, Ukraine. It won’t last long, after a month the city will be occupied by the Red Army.

And the Bolshevik Russian government contractually recognizes the independence and sovereignty of Georgia. Even this will not last long, after half a year Georgia will be invaded by the Red Army.

83 years ago today, Glenn Miller’s big band recorded the legendary Chattanooga-Choo-Choo.

79 years ago today, General Jodl signs the unconditional surrender of Germany in Reims. At the request of the USSR, the ceremony will be repeated once more the next day.

76 years ago today, the European Congress opens in The Hague, at which the foundations of European post-war architecture are laid, the direct result of which is the establishment of the Council of Europe a year later.

24 years ago today, Vladimir LiliPutin assumed the office of President of the Russian Federation for the first time.

One year ago today, Soňa Červená dies.