Around June 1447,John Greenwell was poisoned by a monk, William Downom. Theabbot ofFountains Abbey(ruins pictured), Greenwell led the richestabbey in England; his office made him an important figure inYorkshire. The first half of the century saw the abbey wracked with internal strife, including a disputed election which had violent repercussions as well as, possibly,embezzlement. Greenwell appears to have brought a degree of peace to the abbey upon his election, but he does not seem to have been popular. Downom poisoned a dish ofpottage, which he attempted to feed to Greenwell while he was sick. He survived the poisoning, and the case became notorious. Although it took over a year and discussions with Fountains'motherhouse ofCîteaux Abbey, Downom was eventually expelled. Greenwell remained controversial and was both accused and accuser in local lawsuits, and incurred the distrust ofKing Edward IV for his political leanings.(Full article...)
.jpg)
December 17:International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers
 | Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire and span thetransition from the Classical period to the Romantic era. His early period, during which he forged his craft, is typically considered to have lasted until 1802. From 1802 to around 1812, his middle period showed an individual development from the styles ofJoseph Haydn andWolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and is sometimes characterised as heroic. During this time, Beethoven began to grow increasingly deaf. In his late period, from 1812 to 1827, he extended his innovations in musical form and expression. This oil-on-canvas portrait, titledBeethoven with the Manuscript of the Missa Solemnis, was painted byJoseph Karl Stieler in 1820, and depicts Beethoven while composing hisMissa solemnis, which was first performed in 1824. The painting hangs in theBeethoven House at his birthplace inBonn, Germany. Painting credit:Joseph Karl Stieler Recently featured: |
Wikipedia is written by volunteer editors and hosted by theWikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other volunteerprojects:
This Wikipedia is written inEnglish. Manyother Wikipedias are available; some of the largest are listed below.