History Schmistory: April 26: Pazzi Conspiracy Fails
Friday, April 26, 2024
1478: In an attempt to overthrow the Medici family from power in Florence, Girolamo Riario, Archbishop Francesco Salviati, and several members of the Pazzi family planned an assassination in the Cathedral of Florence. Pope Sixtus IV, uncle to Riario, was aware of the plot but had no hand in the assassination attempt. Lorenzo de Medici survived with some minor injuries, but his younger brother Giuliano was stabbed 29 times. He was only twenty-three. Far from ridding Florence of “tyrants,” the assassination instigated an uprising in favor of the Medici, strengthening Lorenzo’s position. Makes me want to sing!
History Schmistory: April 24. Rough Anniversary for Mary Queen of Scots
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
1558: Mary Queen of Scots marries the future King Francis II of France.
1567: Mary Queen of Scots is captured by Lord Bothwell and taken to Dunbar.
1568: Mary Queen of Scots makes mental note to skip anniversary.
History Schmistory: April 23. Henry VIII becomes King.
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
1509. King Henry VIII accedes to the throne. His wife considers the whole thing a pain in the neck.
History Schmistory: April 22. Bastille Construction Begins
Monday, April 22, 2024
1370: Construction of the Bastille begins. Plans to build a big play toy in the back are never completed.
Da Vinci Birthday Week Continues!
Saturday, April 20, 2024
New Video! Get up close and personal with Mr. Da Vinci himself!
History Schmistory: August 31. Zeppelin’s Zeppelin
Thursday, August 31, 2023
1895: German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin patents his navigable balloon. He soon explores the heavens in search of the elusive stairway.
![By Till Krech from Berlin, Germany (stairway to heaven Uploaded by perumalism) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/400px-Stairway_to_heaven_156690123.jpg)
By Till Krech from Berlin, Germany (stairway to heaven Uploaded by perumalism) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
History Schmistory: August 30. “Vhaaaat?”
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
1940: Nazi Germany re-assigns Romania’s Northern Transylvania territory to Hungary. They hold daytime meetings to avoid Dracula.
![By Screenshot from "Internet Archive" of the movie Dracula (1958) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Dracula_1958_c.jpg)
By Screenshot from “Internet Archive” of the movie Dracula (1958) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
History Schmistory: August 29. Mafia Schmafia!
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
1991: Libero Grassi was a successful business man, a proud father and a well-loved human being throughout Sicily. When his fancy underwear business became a success, the mafia came calling to extort his profits. Instead of paying them off, he decided to go public with the incident, sending a scathing open letter to the Palermo daily newspaper with the heading, “Dear Extortionist”. He later appeared on national tv to further amplify the issue.
“Dear mafia, I challenge you”
Libero was not only standing up to the mafia, but also exposing a dispassionate  government which repeatedly turned a blind eye to fearful communities throughout Sicily. Twenty years ago today, Libero Grassi was gunned down while taking a stroll. He had even turned down police protection, almost as if he was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good…
History Schmistory: August 28. Go get ’em Tommy!
Monday, August 28, 2023
1830: Peter Cooper introduces Tom Thumb, the first American steam-powered locomotive, by racing it against a horse-drawn carriage. Horse claims he wasn’t ready and calls for a do-over.
![By The original uploader was Pottok at German Wikipedia (Transferred from de.wikipedia to Commons.) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Curly-horse.jpg)
By The original uploader was Pottok at German Wikipedia (Transferred from de.wikipedia to Commons.) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons
History Schmistory: August 27. Give peace a chance.
Sunday, August 27, 2023
1928: The Kellogg-Briand Pact, also known as the World Peace Act, is signed by 15 countries including the US, UK, Italy, Germany, and Japan. Must have been a few loopholes I guess.
![By Mark Baker (Flickr: Stay Alive and Avoid Zombies) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://www.teammarcopolo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Stay_Alive_and_Avoid_Zombies.png)
By Mark Baker (Flickr: Stay Alive and Avoid Zombies) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
