Major Mike | Today in History 07/31 (Daniel Defoe)

Wood engraving depicting Daniel Defoe in a pillory in London in 1703 (© Getty Images)

(1703) Writer Daniel Defoe pelted with flowers for libel crime

A pamphlet satirizing England’s High Church has gotten its author, Daniel Defoe, into trouble and leads to his arrest for seditious libel. Legend has it that his popularity provokes folks to toss blooms instead of brickbats as he’s locked in a London pillory for three days.

Daniel Defoe, born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe, which is second only to the Bible in its number of translations. Defoe is noted for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain with others such as Aphra Behn and Samuel Richardson, and is among the founders of the English novel. Defoe wrote many political tracts and often was in trouble with the authorities, including prison time. Intellectuals and political leaders paid attention to his fresh ideas and sometimes consulted with him.

Lived: Sep 13, 1660 – Apr 24, 1731 (age 70)
Nationality: British
Spouse: Mary Tuffley (m. 1684 – 1731)
Children: Sophia Baker (Daughter) · ?? 5th Daughter of Daniel Defoe (Daughter) · ?? 1st Daughter of Daniel Defoe (Daughter) · ?? 2nd Daughter of Daniel Defoe (Daughter) · ?? 3rd Daughter of Daniel Defoe (Daughter) · ?? 2nd Son of Daniel Defoe (Son) · ?? 1st son of Daniel Defoe (Son) · ?? 4th Daughter of Daniel Defoe (Daughter)
Parents: James Foe (Father) · Annie Defoe (Mother)
Buried: Bunhill Fields
Highlights
1684: On 1 January 1684, Defoe married Mary Tuffley at St Botolph’s Aldgate.

1697: Defoe’s first notable publication was An essay upon projects, a series of proposals for social and economic improvement, published in 1697.

1706: By September 1706, Harley ordered Defoe to Edinburgh as a secret agent to do everything possible to help secure acquiescence in the Treaty of Union.

1708: When Harley was ousted from the ministry in 1708, Defoe continued writing the Review to support Godolphin, then again to support Harley and the Tories in the Tory ministry of 1710–14.

1726: Published in 1726, The Complete English Tradesman is an example of Defoe’s political works.

1731: Daniel Defoe died on 24 April 1731, probably while in hiding from his creditors.

Portrait of Daniel Defoe, National Maritime Museum, London
wiki/Daniel_Defoe

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(1703) Writer Daniel Defoe pelted with flowers for libel crime.
Also on this day,

1715 | Spanish fleet packed with treasures founders off Florida

Gold and silver coins worth 14 million pesos, miles of gold chains, precious jewels, and other priceless treasures bound for Europe are sent to the bottom of the briny sea when a hurricane hits off the Florida coast, sinking 11 of the dozen ships in the Spanish Treasure fleet.

1930 | Evil lurking in the hearts of men no longer unknowable as ‘The Shadow’ airs

A pulp novel vigilante armed with an ability to cloud men’s minds, ‘The Shadow debuts on the ‘Detective Story Hour,’ a popular radio program. His appeal will grow until he gets his own radio serial, which will run for 24 years, spawning one of the most well-known catchphrases in American radio history.

1989 | North America gets its hands on Game Boy

Nintendo releases the black-and-white handheld console, letting gamers play ‘Super Mario Land,’ ‘Tetris’ and other titles on the go. The Game Boy (and subsequent color version) will go on to sell more than 100 million units.

Today in History ^07/31/17

Painting depicting the Spanish Treasure Fleet sinking off the Florida coast in a hurricane on July 31, 1731 (© National Geographic Image Collection/Alamy)

(1715) Spanish fleet packed with treasures founders off Florida

Gold and silver coins worth 14 million pesos, miles of gold chains, precious jewels, and other priceless treasures bound for Europe are sent to the bottom of the briny sea when a hurricane hits off the Florida coast, sinking 11 of the dozen ships in the Spanish Treasure fleet.

The 1715 Treasure Fleet was a Spanish treasure fleet returning from the New World to Spain. At two in the morning on Wednesday, July 31, 1715, seven days after departing from Havana, Cuba, eleven of the twelve ships of this fleet were lost in a hurricane near present-day Vero Beach, Florida. Because the fleet was carrying silver, it is also known as the 1715 Plate Fleet. Some artifacts and even coins still wash up on Florida beaches from time to time.