December 22nd in History
TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M
On This Day - 22nd December
1135 The crowning of King Stephen. King Henry I left no legitimate heirs and named his eldest daughter, Matilda as his heir. When Henry died, Stephen of Blois (Matilda's cousin) invaded England, and in a coup d'etat had himself crowned instead of Matilda. The period which followed is known as The Anarchy, as parties supporting each side fought in open warfare , both in Britain and on the continent for the better part of two decades.
1550 The death of Richard Plantagenet (Richard of Eastwell). Shorty before the Battle of Bosworth (Richard - then aged 16) was taken to see King Richard III at his encampment. The King informed the boy that he was his son, and told him to watch the battle from a safe vantage point, telling him that, if he won, he would acknowledge him as his son. If he lost, the boy was told that he had to forever conceal his identity. King Richard was killed in the battle, the boy fled to London and was apprenticed to a bricklayer, but kept up the Latin he had learned by reading during his work.
1716 Lincoln's Inn Theatre in London put on England's first pantomime which included the characters Harlequin, Columbine and Pantaloon.
1807
The Embargo Act, forbidding trade with all foreign countries, is passed by the U.S. Congress, at the urging of President Thomas Jefferson.
1808
Ludwig van Beethoven conducts and performs in concert at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, with the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Fourth Piano Concerto (performed by Beethoven himself) and Choral Fantasy (with Beethoven at the piano).
1851
India's first freight train is operated in Roorkee, India.
1978 - ClassicBands.com
December 22
Kenney Jones, formerly of The Small Faces, becomes The Who's drummer, replacing the late Keith Moon who died two months earlier.
61-69, M
