Wikipedia:Main Page history/2023 December 20
From today's featured article
Tolui (c. 1191 – 1232) was a prominent general and prince of the early Mongol Empire. The fourth son of Genghis Khan and his first wife Börte, Tolui came to prominence in 1221 during the Mongol invasion of the Khwarazmian Empire—contemporary chroniclers claimed that his army killed more than three million people while capturing Merv and Nishapur in Khorasan. While modern historians consider this figure exaggerated, Tolui's campaign was undoubtedly brutal. A candidate to inherit his father's empire, Tolui was passed over in favour of his brother Ögedei; Tolui served as regent between Genghis's death in 1227 and Ögedei's coronation in 1229. He was instrumental in subduing the Chinese Jin dynasty, before dying in mysterious circumstances in 1232—explanations range from his self-sacrifice in a shamanic ritual to being poisoned by Ögedei. Led by his wife Sorghaghtani Beki, Tolui's family would become very influential—their sons Möngke and Kublai both acceded to the Mongol throne. (Full article...)
Did you know ...
- ... that Dustin Wolf (pictured) has been named his league's goaltender of the year the last four years in a row?
- ... that the British Tychon missile was developed from a Barnes Wallis concept to keep strike aircraft safe while dropping nuclear bombs?
- ... that voice actress Yurie Igoma considers Mickey Mouse to be her mentor?
- ... that in the documentary Transition, Jordan Bryon says he finds Taliban fighters "lovely"?
- ... that Emelia Quinn argues that "monstrous vegans" have recurred in literature since Mary Shelley's Frankenstein?
- ... that as a result of the Witch Fire almost 1 million people had to evacuate Southern California?
- ... that in Liber ad amicum, Bonizo of Sutri endorses violence against heretics?
- ... that orange paintbrushes are guarded by rufous hummingbirds?
In the news
- After weeks of earthquakes, a volcanic eruption (pictured) occurs at Sundhnúka near Grindavík, Iceland.
- An earthquake in Jishishan County, China, leaves more than 120 people dead.
- In the parliamentary election, the Serbian Progressive Party regains its parliamentary majority in the National Assembly.
- Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah becomes Emir of Kuwait after the death of his half-brother, Nawaf.
- The COP28 climate change summit ends with a call to transition away from the use of fossil fuels.
On this day
- 1852 – Led by George Cathcart, British troops defeated Basuto and Taung forces at the Battle of Berea in present-day Lesotho, leading to an offer of peace from King Moshoeshoe I.
- 1940 – The superhero Captain America made his first published appearance in the comic book Captain America Comics #1.
- 1980 – NBC aired the American football match between the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins without announcers.
- 1995 – Mandated by the Dayton Agreement that ended the Bosnian War, the NATO-led Implementation Force (troops pictured) began peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- 1999 – Portugal transferred the sovereignty over Macau, which it had administered since the mid–16th century, to China.
- Ambroise Paré (d. 1590)
- Jean Jannon (d. 1658)
- Bill O'Reilly (b. 1905)
- Elizabeth Kekaʻaniau (d. 1928)
Today's featured picture
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Walter Q. Gresham (1832–1895) was an American attorney, jurist, statesman, and politician who served in the cabinets of presidents Chester A. Arthur and Grover Cleveland. He was the 31st United States postmaster general under Arthur from 1883 to 1884 and briefly then the 35th secretary of the treasury from September to October 1884 before resigning to become a federal judge. He was twice a candidate for the Republican nomination for president in 1884 and 1888 before leaving the party to support Cleveland in the 1892 election. He joined Cleveland's second cabinet as the 33rd U.S. secretary of state from 1893 until his death in 1895. Gresham served as a federal judge on the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the circuit courts for the Seventh Circuit, and the district court for the District of Indiana. This line engraving of Gresham was produced around 1902 by the Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Engraving and Printing, as part of a presentation album of the first 42 secretaries of the treasury. Engraving credit: Bureau of Engraving and Printing; restored by Andrew Shiva
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