Wikipedia:Main Page history/2013 December 31

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Welcome to Wikipedia,
4,412,437 articles in English

From today's featured article

Áedán mac Gabráin was a king of Dál Riata from circa 574 until circa 609. The kingdom of Dál Riata was situated in modern Argyll and Bute, Scotland, and parts of County Antrim, Ireland. Genealogies record that Áedán was a son of Gabrán mac Domangairt. He was a contemporary of Saint Columba, and much that is recorded of his life comes from hagiography such as Adomnán of Iona's Life of Saint Columba. Other sources include Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum and Irish annals; none of the sources are contemporary. Áedán appears as a character in Old Irish and Middle Irish language works of prose and verse, some now lost. Áedán also appears in some Welsh sources, making him one of the few non-Britons to figure in Welsh tradition. The Irish annals record his campaigns against his neighbours, in Ireland, and in northern Britain, including expeditions to the Orkney Islands, the Isle of Man, and the east coast of Scotland. As recorded by Bede, Áedán was decisively defeated by Æthelfrith of Bernicia at the Battle of Degsastan. Áedán may have been deposed, or have abdicated, following this defeat, and the annals report nothing of him until his death around six years later. (Full article...)

Recently featured: T-26 tank – Robert Howe (Continental Army officer) – Keith Johnson (cricket administrator)

Did you know...

From Wikipedia's new and recently improved content:

Wilhelm Gustloff

In the news

Volgograd-1 station

Recent deaths: Mikhail Kalashnikov

On this day...

December 31: New Year's Eve (Gregorian calendar)

Parliament Hill, Ottawa

More anniversaries: December 30 December 31 January 1

It is now December 31, 2013 (UTC) – Reload this page

Today's featured picture

Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket

Nocturne in Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket is a painting by James Abbott McNeill Whistler, completed circa 1875, that exemplified the art for art's sake movement. The painting, which shows a foggy fireworks display in the night sky and was inspired by the Cremorne Gardens in London, drew heated criticism from art critic John Ruskin, who accused Whistler of "flinging a pot of paint in the public's face". In the libel suit which followed, the court awarded a single farthing to Whistler, who was forced to share it with Ruskin; the artist declared bankruptcy soon afterwards, his paintings having quickly lost their popularity.

Painting: James Abbott McNeill Whistler

Other areas of Wikipedia

  • Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
  • Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
  • Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
  • Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
  • Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other projects: