70. Jerusalem demolished, and her foundations broke up on this day, Gregorian time. The walls were crossed on Friday, the last day of August, the conquest was completed on the sabbath and the calends of September, and the havoc consumed about six days. There were slain or butchered one million beards. (See [8th Aug.] Gorpeius is a tropical month, beginning 25th Aug.)
1069. The Danes again made a descent on England, and landed at Dover.
1134. Alfonso, king of Arragon, killed in battle.
1493. Frederick IV, of Germany, died. He was a weak, indolent and superstitious monarch, who saw his subjects revolt with indifference, and was afterwards reduced to beg his bread.
1533. Birthday of Elizabeth, afterwards queen of England; daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.
1566. Nicholas Zrinyi, a Hungarian Leonidas, killed. He had thrown himself into the castle of Szigeth, with 3,000 men, and was besieged by the Turks. This number was dwindled down to 600 by repeated sallies. The sultan died of rage at his obstinacy, and the grand vizier made a general assault. Zrinyi rushed out at the head of his band, and was killed by three balls; the whole garrison shared his fate. Above 20,000 Turks had been killed during the siege.
1644. Grey Bentivoglio, an Italian cardinal, died. He wrote an account of Flanders, and a history of its civil wars.
1655. Nicholas Abram, a French Jesuit, died; distinguished for his proficiency in the dead languages.
1671. A great training in Boston, says Winthrop's journal, which lasted two days; 1,200 men in the field, not an oath uttered, nor any body drunk during the whole time, though there was much wine and strong beer in town.
1706. Battle of Turin; the French under count Marisin defeated by prince Eugene, with the loss of 2,000 killed, and all their baggage and ammunition, and the military chest.