From today's featured article
Brochfael ap Meurig (ruled c. 872 – c. 910) was the king of Gwent in south-east Wales. He ruled jointly with his brother, Ffernfael ap Meurig . Gwent and Glywysing , the neighbouring territory to the west, were ruled as a single kingdom in some periods; at other times they were separate and the king of Glywysing had the higher status. Brochfael's father, Meurig ab Arthfael , ruled both territories with the title of King of Glywysing, but Brochfael and Ffernfael were only kings of Gwent, and had a lower status than their cousin Hywel ap Rhys , the king of Glywysing. The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia claimed dominion over most of Wales, but in the late 880s Brochfael, Ffernfael and Hywel submitted voluntarily to Alfred the Great , the king of Wessex , in order to gain protection from the oppression of Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians . A number of Brochfael's charters survive, mainly grants to Bishop Cyfeilliog and settlements of Brochfael's disputes with the bishop. Brochfael was the last of his line and was succeeded by Hywel's son, Owain ap Hywel . ( Full article... )
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Reagan Wilson
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In the news
Hakainde Hichilema
- The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria ends its autonomous rule following its full integration into Syria.
- President Hakainde Hichilema (pictured) wins the Zambian general election for a second consecutive term.
- A magnitude-7.7 earthquake strikes off the coast of Flores, Indonesia, causing at least 87 deaths.
- Former premier of China Zhu Rongji dies at the age of 97.
- A solar eclipse causes totality from Siberia to Iberia.
On this day
August 24 : Feast day of Saint Bartholomew (Western Christianity); Independence Day in Ukraine (1991)
Dutch expedition to Valdivia
- 1643 – A Dutch expedition (depicted) arrived at the mouth of the Valdivia River, in present-day Chile, to establish a new colony in the ruins of the abandoned Spanish settlement of Valdivia.
- 1814 – War of 1812: British forces invaded Washington, D.C., setting fire to various U.S. government buildings , including the White House.
- 1889 – The New Zealand Native football team , predominantly comprising Māori players, concluded their 107-game tour, the longest in rugby union history.
- 1942 – World War II: At the Battle of the Eastern Solomons , bombers from the U.S. aircraft carrier Saratoga sank the Japanese aircraft carrier Ryūjō near Santa Isabel Island, contributing to an Allied victory.
- 1992 – Hurricane Andrew , the third-most intense Category 5 cyclone to impact the United States in the 20th century, made landfall in southern Florida.
- Lavinia Fontana (bapt. 1552)
- John Green (b. 1977)
- Charlie Watts (d. 2021)
- Verónica Echegui (d. 2025)
Today's featured picture
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Erzi is a medieval aul (fortified village) in Dzheyrakhsky District in Ingushetia, Russia. Situated at an elevation of 1,315 metres (4,314 ft) above sea level on the right bank of the Armkhi, it is known for its complex of Ingush towers, used for combat and accommodation, which was reconstructed between 2012 and 2015. The settlement's name means 'eagle' in the Ingush language, and local tradition associates its foundation with an eagle's nest. In 1931, the 8th-century bronze Suleyman's Eagle was discovered at Erzi; it is now in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. This photograph shows the site of Erzi, with its reconstructed towers, in 2017. Photograph credit: Vyacheslav Argenberg Recently featured: |