December 30, 2025
The Granada Massacre (1066)
When Rabbi Samuel ha-Nagid died around the year 1055, his son Joseph succeeded him as leader of the Jewish community of Granada and vizier to the Berber king. At the time, figures in the Muslim community were unhappy with what they believed to be inordinate Jewish political power. Joseph, who was said to be arrogant and ostentatious, in contrast with his father, was eventually assassinated by a Muslim mob in a siege that also claimed 4,000 Jews of Granada. How was Joseph killed? Discuss
December 29, 2025
WWII: Germans Firebomb the City of London (1940)
By the end of the Blitz—Germany's eight-month nighttime bombing campaign in Britain—tens of thousands of people were dead and millions of homes lay in ruins. For about a two-month period, the country faced nightly attacks. One of the worst raids occurred on December 29, when much of London—including such historic landmarks as St. Paul's Cathedral and the Guildhall—was destroyed or damaged by bombs and the fires they started. How many children were evacuated to the countryside during the Blitz?
December 28, 2025
Westminster Abbey Is Consecrated (1065)
The first church built on the site of what is now Westminster Abbey is believed to date from the early 7th century. Around 1050, King Edward the Confessor began rebuilding it. A week after the consecration of the new church, he died. William the Conqueror then launched the Norman invasion and, a year later, was crowned at Westminster Abbey—which would later house Edward's shrine. Nearly every British sovereign since then has been crowned in the abbey. What do they sit on during the coronation?
