April 5

in History

Lothair Crowned in Italy — The Pope anoints a Carolingian king

Rome, ItalyMedieval

823

Lothair Crowned in Italy

The Pope anoints a Carolingian king

In the sacred halls of Rome, Pope Paschal I placed the crown of Italy upon the head of young Lothair I, son of Emperor Louis the Pious. This coronation cemented the Carolingian grip on the Italian peninsula and set in motion decades of dynastic struggle that would eventually fracture Charlemagne's great empire. Lothair would go on to rule as emperor, but his kingdom would be divided among his sons, reshaping the map of medieval Europe.

823 AD

Spencer Tracy Was Born — Hollywood's most natural actor arrives

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United StatesEarly 20th Century

1900

Spencer Tracy Was Born

Hollywood's most natural actor arrives

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was born -- the man who would become Hollywood's gold standard for naturalistic acting. Over a career spanning seventy-five films, he won two consecutive Best Actor Oscars and earned nine nominations in total. His understated style and emotional depth made him the actor other actors admired most. From 'Captains Courageous' to 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner,' Tracy proved that the greatest performances are the ones that look effortless.

1900 AD

Late 20th Century

1958

Ripple Rock

Ripple Rock, an underwater threat to navigation in the Seymour Narrows in Canada is destroyed in one of the largest.

Ripple Rock, an underwater threat to navigation in the Seymour Narrows in Canada is destroyed in one of the largest non-nuclear controlled explosions of the time.

1958 AD