Today in History 01/06/17

Portrait of Henry VIII of England & the Queen consort Anne of Cleves (© De Agostini/Getty Images)(1540) Henry VIII marries for the fourth time
England’s King Henry VIII, trying yet again to produce a male heir, marries Germany’s Anne of Cleves. The union, however, is said to be unconsummated and the marriage will be annulled six months later, this time without the aid of an axe.
Anne of Cleves was the fourth wife of King Henry VIII; it was a very brief marriage, to the astonishment of all observers but the relief of both spouses. Henry infamously referred to his bride as a ‘Flanders mare’ and told courtiers and ambassadors that he could not perform his husbandly duties because of Anne’s appearance. Anne’s reaction to Henry’s physical charms was not recorded, but she agreed to an annulment very quickly and remained in England for the rest of her life. Henry was grateful for her cooperation and granted her a generous income and several homes, including Hever Castle. Anne enjoyed an independent lifestyle denied most women, often visiting Henry’s court as an honored guest. Her fondness for English ale and gambling were her only vices. Along with her successor as Henry’s wife, Catherine Howard, Anne remains a mysterious figure about whom too little is known. Had she and Henry remained married and had children, the course of English history might have changed dramatically. But the mysteries of physical attraction denied Anne her place on the throne, ended the brilliant career of Thomas Cromwell, and thrust the king into the arms of his ill-fated fifth queen, Catherine Howard.
‘So she came to Greenwich that night, and was received as queen. And the next day, being Sunday, the king’s grace kept a great court at Greenwich, where his grace with the queen offered at mass, richly dressed. And on Twelfth Night, which was Tuesday, the king’s majesty was married to the said queen Anne solemnly, in her closet at Greenwich, and his grace and she went publicly in procession that day, she having a rich coronet of stone and pearls set with rosemary on her hair, and a gown of rich cloth of silver, richly hung with stones and pearls, with all her ladies and gentlewomen following her, which was a goodly sight to behold.’ Anne of Cleves marries King Henry VIII, 1540
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. Henry was the second Tudor monarch, succeeding his father, Henry VII. Henry is best known for his six marriages and, in particular, his efforts to have his first marriage, to Catherine of Aragon, annulled. His disagreement with the Pope on the question of such an annulment led Henry to initiate the English Reformation, separating the Church of England from papal authority and appointing himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England. Despite his resulting excommunication, Henry remained a believer in core Catholic theological teachings.

wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England
Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was Queen of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540 as the fourth wife of King Henry VIII. The marriage was declared never consummated and, as a result, she was not crowned queen consort. Following the annulment of their marriage, Anne was given a generous settlement by the King, and thereafter referred to as the King’s Beloved Sister. She lived to see the coronation of Queen Mary I, outliving the rest of Henry’s wives.

wiki/Anne_of_Cleves
Samuel Morse photographed by Mathew Brady, circa 1850 (© Encyclopaedia Britannica/UIG/Getty Images)(1838) The telegraph makes its debut
The telecommunications revolution begins as Samuel Morse taps out a coded message that travels over two miles of wire near Morristown, New Jersey.
An electrical telegraph is a telegraph that uses electrical signals, usually conveyed via dedicated telecommunication lines or radio. The electrical telegraph, or more commonly just telegraph, superseded optical semaphore telegraph systems, such as Claude Chappe’s towers designed for communication among the French military, and Friedrich Clemens Gerke for the Prussian military, thus becoming the first form of electrical telecommunications. In a matter of decades after their creation, electrical telegraph networks permitted people and commerce to transmit messages across both continents and oceans almost instantly, with widespread social and economic impacts.
wiki/Electrical_telegraph
Portrait of Maria Montessori, 1931 (© Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images)(1907) Maria Montessori opens her first school
Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori opens the Casa dei Bambini (Children’s House) for low-income residents in Rome. Montessori will use the school as her own laboratory, observing the students’ behavior to inform the educational philosophy that will eventually bear her name.
Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori was an Italian physician and educator best known for the philosophy of education that bears her name, and her writing on scientific pedagogy. Her educational method is in use today in some public and private schools throughout the world.
wiki/Maria_Montessori
US figure skaters Tonya Harding, left, and Nancy Kerrigan during the US Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, MI, on Jan 9, 1994 (© Merline Summers/AP)(1994) Olympic skater Kerrigan attacked and injured
Two days before the Olympic trials, an assailant strikes Nancy Kerrigan on her knee with a police baton. The attacker will later be identified as an associate of Kerrigan’s rival, Tonya Harding.
Nancy Ann Kerrigan is a former American figure skater. Kerrigan was the 1992 Olympic Bronze medalist, the 1993 US National Champion, the 1994 Olympic Silver medalist, and a two-time world medalist. Kerrigan was noted for her conflict on and off the ice with skating rival Tonya Harding.
Born: Oct 13, 1969 (age 47) · Woburn, MA
Height: 5′ 4″ (1.62 m)
Net worth: $8 million USD (2016)
Spouse: Jerry Solomon (m. 1995)
Children: Matthew Eric Solomon (Son) · Brian Solomon (Son) · Nicole Elizabeth Solomon (Daughter)
Parents: Brenda Kerrigan (Mother) · Daniel Kerrigan (Father)
Highlights
  • 1992: She received a bronze medal in the 1992 Winter Olympics (Yamaguchi won the gold) and the silver medal at the 1992 World Championships.

  • 1995: In 1995, Nancy had a guest appearance on Boy Meets World in the episode, “Wrong Side of the Track.”

  • 1995: Kerrigan married her agent, Jerry Solomon, on September 9, 1995, the year after she retired from competition.

  • 2003: In 2003, Kerrigan became a national spokeswoman for Fight for Sight.

  • 2004: Kerrigan was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2004.

  • 2008: She was also honored at Ice Theatre of New York’s annual benefit gala in 2008.

  • 2014: On February 23, 2014, NBC aired a documentary during the 2014 Winter Olympics on the incident called Nancy & Tonya.

wiki/Nancy_Kerrigan
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