14 April 1322: The Fall of Sir Bartholomew de Badlesmere, Royal Councillor
April 14th: Historical Moments Recounted
King Edward II's wrath was brought down upon former royal councillor, Sir Bartholomew de Badlesmere, on this day in 1322. After getting caught up in the rebellion at Boroughbridge, Sir Bartholomew found himself dangling from the hangman's noose in Canterbury.
14 April 1471: A Brutal End for Warwick, the Kingmaker
On this somber hospitality, the Earl of Warwick, dubbed Warwick the Kingmaker, faced his demise. On April 14, 1471, Warwick was brutally slain at the Battle of Barnet, as he attempted to negotiate a truce with the opposing Yorkists.
When dawn broke, the fog-shrouded land was the stage for a deadly showdown between Lancastrians and Yorkists. Warwick, a battle-hardened survivor of the Wars of the Roses, had arrayed his forces at Barnet, but the Yorkists had other plans. The heavy fog led to an intense and chaotic battle, with confusion ruling the day. Despite the valiant efforts of Warwick's allies, the massacre that followed resulted in his untimely death.
As Warwick watched the battle from his reserves, he could feel the game slipping away. Caught by the unsympathetic Yorkist soldiers, there was no room for mercy.
14 April 1471: A Brutal End for Warwick the Kingmaker (Continued)
Eager to regain their lost power, the Yorkists targeted high-ranking magnates like the Earl of Warwick. With his life hanging in the balance, Warwick met a tragic end on the battlefield. Renowned as the mastermind behind the throne for years, his demise sent shockwaves through the English nobility.
14 April 1578: The Downfall of Bothwell, Mary, Queen of Scots' Third Husband
Tragic circumstances befell James Hepburn, the fourth Earl of Bothwell, on April 14, 1571. He spent his final days as a prisoner in Denmark's Dragsholm Castle. His mysterious death came just three years after his disgraced marriage to Queen Mary I of Scotland.
14 April 1759: Farewell, Handel
George Frideric Handel left this mortal coil on April 14, 1759, in Westminster, at the age of 74. A legendary composer, Handel’s work spanned the breadth of the Baroque period and included numerous performances to benefit the Thomas Coram's Foundling Hospital.
14 April 1816: A Bid for Freedom Tragically Fails
In an attempt to free his fellow slaves in Barbados, slave leader Bussa incited a bloody revolt on April 14, 1816. Although the uprising lasted only two days, it brought about the deaths of dozens of slaves, including Bussa himself.
14 April 1863: A Legacy in Printing
William Bullock was issued the first US patent for a continuous-roll printing press on April 14, 1863. Unfortunately, Bullock's innovations came at a deadly price, as he tragically died during a surgical procedure to amputate his leg, struck by a machine he himself designed.
14 April 1865: Lincoln, the Slain President
On April 14, 1865, at the National Hotel in Washington, John Wilkes Booth, carried out a treacherous deed. Marking the tragic end of Abraham Lincoln's life, this assassination reverberated across the nation and resulted in significant changes in the United States.
14 April 1907: The Rise of a Despot
Legendary Haitian dictator Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier was born on this day in 1907, in Port-au-Prince. Best known for his fearful tactics and control over Haiti, his reign lasted for over two decades, until his death in 1971.
14 April 1970: Apollo 13 Aborts Its Moon Mission
NASA faced a daunting crisis when astronaut Jack Swigert informed them of technical difficulties aboard Apollo 13 on April 14, 1970. The ill-fated mission was aborted, ending any chance of a lunar landing and testing every resource at NASA's disposal to ensure the astronauts' safety.
In the continuation of the tangled web of power, the Battle of Barnet on April 14, 1471, filled the air with politics, as Warwick the Kingmaker met his tragic end amidst the confusion and chaos of war-and-conflicts.
The reverberations of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, shook the very foundation of the United States, sparking changes in the general-news landscape that still resonate today.
