Wannaskan Almanac for Tuesday, February 20, 2024 Free to Sun Dress

Fractured history returns today!  I know that you are glad to hear that because unfractured history is so boring.  Enjoy!

1472 Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a dowry payment.  They were then lost to France in 1507 due to a gambling debt and were finally ceded to to Great Britain in 1801 as payment for the rights to live broadcast cricket games with implied consent.

1525 Swiss and German mercenaries desert the army of French King Francis I.  As a final humiliation King Francis I was required to wear a sundress every February 20th for the rest of his reign.  

Sacre Bleu...C'est février 20!

1547 King Edward VI of England crowned following the death of his father Henry VIII.  I guess he VIed for the crown of Edward VIII.  

1653 Defeat of Dutch fleet under Admiral Van Tromp by Admiral Blake off Portsmouth.  Admiral was "Tromped" because he was too busy listening to the sound of music, seems like Van Tromp was caught in a Van Trapp.  

1673 1st recorded wine auction held in London.  The recording is very scratchy but it is available on K-Tel records or wherever Wine Auction Records are sold.  

K-TEL...proud sponsors of fractured history

1768 1st American chartered fire insurance company opens in Pennsylvania.  They sponsored the short-lived live action animal show "Mutual of Pennsylvania's Wild Kingdom" starring Marlon Pennkins.  Other insurance companies have been ripping off their show for hundreds of years.  

1811 Austria declares bankruptcy, ending the first game of Monopoly and leading to three years of not talking to each other.