Wikipedia:Main Page history/2017 May 17

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From today's featured article

Edward III (1312–1377), King of England from 1327 until his death, restored royal authority after the unorthodox and disastrous reign of his father, Edward II. Edward III transformed the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe. His reign of fifty years, the second longest in medieval England, saw vital developments in legislation and government—in particular the evolution of the English parliament—as well as the ravages of the Black Death. Edward was crowned at age fourteen after his father was deposed by his mother, Isabella of France, and her lover Roger Mortimer. At age seventeen he led a successful coup against Mortimer, the de facto ruler of the country, and began his personal reign. After a successful campaign in Scotland he declared himself the rightful heir to the French throne in 1337, but his claim was denied, starting the Hundred Years' War. Following some initial setbacks the war went well for England; victories at Crécy and Poitiers led to the favourable Treaty of Brétigny. Edward's later years were marked by international failure and domestic strife, largely as a result of his inactivity and poor health. (Full article...)

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Did you know...

McLoughlin Promenade

... that the McLoughlin Promenade (pictured) sits on a bluff in Oregon that was occupied by the Molala people thousands of years before the arrival of settlers of European ancestry?
... that Max Thurn, who founded the NDR Chor in 1946, conducted a series of Bach cantatas and prepared the choir for a live recording of Isang Yun's Om mani padme hum in 1964?
... that Five Nights at Freddy's appeared in the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition, breaking the record for the most sequels released in a year?
... that astronomer Sidney C. Wolff was the first woman to direct a major observatory in the United States?
... that a cryptic crossword central to "The Riddle of the Sphinx", an episode of Inside No. 9, was published in The Guardian the same day the episode aired?
... that when the Red Rock Bridge was no longer needed for trains, it was converted to carry the auto traffic of U.S. Route 66 over the Colorado River?
... that although socialism is one of its four fundamental principles, the Constitution of Bangladesh also allows cooperative and private ownership alongside state ownership?
... that Leon Day pitched a no-hitter on Opening Day after a nearly three-year absence from the Negro leagues?

In the news

Salvador Sobral

Salvador Sobral (pictured), representing Portugal, wins the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Amar pelos dois".
A large-scale cyber attack involving ransomware causes severe disruption around the world.
At least 28 people are killed in Mastung, Pakistan, in a suicide attack targeting Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, the Senate Deputy Chairman.
The Free National Movement, led by Hubert Minnis, wins the Bahamian general election.
Remains of Homo naledi are dated to the Middle Pleistocene, suggesting coexistence with early Homo sapiens in southern Africa.
Moon Jae-in is elected President of South Korea.

On this day...

May 17

Anne of Denmark in 1612

1395 – An outnumbered Wallachian army repulsed an Ottoman invasion force in the Battle of Rovine.
1590 – Anne of Denmark (pictured) was crowned Queen consort of Scotland in the abbey church at Holyrood Palace.
1914 – Albania officially recognized the area of Northern Epirus as an autonomous region within the Albanian state, which was never established due to World War I.
1947 – After renegotiating the contract with the makers of her signature Chanel No. 5 perfume, Coco Chanel received her share of wartime profits from its sale, making her one of the richest women in the world.
1997 – The First Congo War came to an end when Laurent-Désiré Kabila proclaimed himself president of Zaire, which was also renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mary, Queen of Hungary (d. 1395) · Cool Papa Bell (b. 1903) · Maggie Laubser (d. 1973)

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Today's featured picture

The Namaqua chameleon (Chamaeleo namaquensis) is a lizard found in the western desert regions of Namibia, South Africa, and southern Angola. This species, which can reach 25 cm (9.8 in) in length, is common in the Namib Desert. It has evolved several adaptations which allow it to thrive in hot and arid areas, such as the ability to change color to control temperature.

Photograph: Yathin S Krishnappa

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