in History
A Norman duke claims southern Italy's jewel
After a prolonged siege, the ancient city of Salerno surrendered to the Norman warlord Robert Guiscard, though Duke Gisulf retreated to the citadel to continue his doomed resistance until the following spring. The fall of Salerno consolidated Norman control over southern Italy, transforming Viking descendants into the masters of one of the Mediterranean's most cultured regions.
Romania's maestro of Italian opera
In Ograda, Romania, Jonel Perlea was born with the musical sensitivity that would make him one of the twentieth century's finest opera conductors. Specializing in the Italian and German repertoires, he brought Verdi and Wagner to life on stages across Europe and America, earning acclaim for interpretations that combined technical precision with emotional depth.
The Battle of the River Plate is fought off the coast of Uruguay; the first naval battle of World War II.
The Battle of the River Plate is fought off the coast of Uruguay; the first naval battle of World War II. The Kriegsmarine's Deutschland-class cruiser (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee engages with three Royal Navy cruisers: HMS Ajax, HMNZS Achilles and HMS Exeter.