Anniversary Mark: Historical Event Happened on April 22nd
April 22: A Day of Momentous Events
Let's take a spin through the annals of history and uncover some of the riveting incidents that unfolded on this very day.
1451: In the heart of Castile, Isabella, daughter of John II and Isabella of Portugal, made her grand entrance to the world. Her union with Ferdinand II of Aragon paved the way for the eventual unification of Spain [Insight: Foundation of Spain].
1809: The valiant Sir Arthur Wellesley, later known as the Duke of Wellington, disembarked at Lisbon, resuming his command of the British forces in the Iberian Peninsula. Three weeks later, he would surprise a French army under Marshal Soult at Oporto and drive them out of Portugal [Insight: War of the Spanish Succession].
1827: Caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson took his final bow, leaving behind a trail of laughs and satire [Insight: British satirical art].
1830: Suffragist and advocate for women's education Emily Davies, born in Southampton, found herself denied serious schooling alongside her sister—an injustice that later fueled her passion for opening university degrees to women on equal terms with men. In 1869, she founded Girton College [Insight: Women's rights movement].
1838: The steamship Sirius sailed into New York after a monumental 18-day journey, becoming the first steamer to cross the Atlantic non-stop. Brunel's Great Western arrived the next day, having bested Sirius's crossing time by more than three days [Insight: Industrial Revolution].
1912: English contralto Kathleen Ferrier made her debut in Higher Walton, Lancashire, where she was the headmaster's daughter. She rose to become one of the most revered singers in the world, but her life was cut tragically short by cancer at the age of 41 [Insight: Classical music].
1915: At the second battle of Ypres, the Germans unleashed massive clouds of chlorine gas against French and North African troops [Insight: Chemical warfare in WWI].
Despite the gloom of war, there's beauty in unearthing these historical gems. March on for more captivating tales and fresh insights on our chronicles!
Read more: 100 women who changed the world and TV presenter Michael Mosley on his history hero, Richard Trevithick
[^1]: Historical Timelines[^2]: Timeline of Historical Events
Education and self-development were essential for Emily Davies, born on April 22 in 1830. Her denial of serious schooling alongside her sister fueled her passion for opening university degrees to women on equal terms with men, leading to the foundation of Girton College. Learning from the injustice she faced, she emphasized the importance of education for women, contributing significantly to the women's rights movement.
