Wikipedia:Main Page history/2022 November 17
From today's featured article
The Battle of the Defile was fought over three days in July 731 in and near the Takhtakaracha Pass (in modern Uzbekistan) between a large army of the Umayyad Caliphate and forces of the Türgesh Khaganate. The Türgesh had been besieging Samarkand; Samarkand's commander, Sawra ibn al-Hurr al-Abani, sent a request for relief to the newly appointed governor of Khurasan, Junayd ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Murri. Junayd's 28,000-strong army was attacked by the Türgesh in the pass, and although the Umayyad army managed to extricate itself and reach Samarkand, it suffered heavy casualties. Sawra's 12,000 men attacked the Türgesh from the rear in a relief effort and were almost annihilated. The battle halted and even reversed Muslim expansion into Central Asia for a decade. In addition, it increased Khurasani disaffection for the Umayyad regime, and drew away reinforcements from the metropolitan regions of the Caliphate, helping to bring about its downfall twenty years later. (Full article...)
Did you know ...
- ... that Enriqueta Legorreta (pictured), who was the first Mexican woman to appear as Sieglinde in Wagner's Die Walküre, became an award-winning environmental activist?
- ... that the only known copy of People, Places and Things, co-authored by Stephen King, is owned by King?
- ... that singer Mohinder Kaur Bhamra encouraged British Indian women to join in party celebrations at a time when they were typically excluded?
- ... that the Tellico Dam project was controversial for its acquisition of farmland for real estate development, loss of Native American sites, and damaging an endangered fish habitat?
- ... that Katie Leung was told to deny witnessing any racism from fans while filming the Harry Potter movies?
- ... that politics in The Simpsons have caused controversy in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, and Japan?
- ... that a version of the video game Rhino Rumble was not released due to the creators not wanting to add licensed characters?
- ... that Carson Steele, known as the "Man of Steele", has a pet alligator named Crocky-J and has been called "the most interesting man" in college football?
In the news
- NASA's Artemis 1 is successfully launched (pictured) on an uncrewed test flight to the Moon.
- The United Nations estimates the world population to have exceeded eight billion.
- At least six people are killed and 81 others injured in a bombing in Istanbul, Turkey.
- In rugby union, the Rugby World Cup concludes with New Zealand defeating England in the final.
On this day
- 1558 – Elizabeth I (pictured) became Queen of England and of Ireland, marking the beginning of the Elizabethan era.
- 1592 – Sigismund III Vasa, who was already King of Poland, succeeded his father John III as King of Sweden.
- 1796 – French Revolutionary Wars: French forces defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Arcole in a manoeuvre to cut the latter's line of retreat.
- 1968 – NBC controversially cut away from an American football game between the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets to broadcast Heidi, causing viewers in the Eastern United States to miss the game's dramatic ending.
- 2009 – Administrators at the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit discovered that their servers had been hacked and thousands of emails and files on climate change had been stolen.
- Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (d. 1818)
- Bernard Montgomery (b. 1887)
- Ng On-yee (b. 1990)
Today's featured picture
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Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, pianist and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel and pop. The sixth of eight children born to a poor family in Tryon, North Carolina, Simone initially aspired to be a concert pianist. However, after being denied admission to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia despite a well-received audition (which she attributed to racism), she started playing piano at a nightclub in Atlantic City. She changed her name from her birth name Eunice Waymon to disguise herself from family members, having chosen to play "the devil's music" or so-called "cocktail piano". She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment, which effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist. This photograph of Simone was taken in 1965. Photograph credit: Ron Kroon for Anefo; restored by Bammesk
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