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Pope Pius II, who as Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, before his ordination, visited northern England in 1435, and accepted the hospitality of villagers one night near the border with Scotland. When, after supper one evening, the men and older boys suddenly left for a nearby tower guardhouse in case the Scots mounted a raid, Aeneas asked why no one was staying behind to protect the women. He was told … what?

Answer: The women had nothing to fear from the Scots ‘since they do not count rape as harm’.

Source: The War of the Roses by John Gillingham

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1908 – King Carlos I of Portugal and his heir, Prince Luis Filipe are assassinated by Republican sympathizers in Lisbon.

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Source: The Wicket Wit of Winston Churchill by Dominique Enright

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Marcus Porcius Cato (234-149BCE)

Roman statesman, soldier and writer of virtue, simplicity and wisdom. He condemned the luxury of his time and was nicknamed “the censor”. He became Consul in 195BCE, took part in the defeat of Hannibal at Zama, held command in Sardinia and Spain, and in 191 BCE assisted the Greeks in overthrowing Antiochus III at Thermopolyae.

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