This Day in History

April 30, 1331:

Gaston III, Count of Foix, also known as Gaston Fébus, is born in Orthez, France.

The count won a fortune in battle against the family of D’Armagnac in 1362 after he captured his rivals and ransomed them for 600,000 florins.

Gaston’s son, also called Gaston, tried to betray him and kill him by poisoning him with a powder he received from King Charles II of Navarre. His father imprisoned him, and then later accidentally stabbed and killed him during a fight.

Gaston Fébus was also known for being one of the greatest huntsmen of the period, and died of a stroke while washing his hands after returning from a bear hunt. He dedicated a book about hunting to Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, in 1388, which depicts stages of hunting in miniatures, including information on how to hunt different animals.

April 30, 1992:

German footballer ‪Marc-André ter Stegen‬ is born in ‪Mönchengladbach‬.

Ter Stegen is the reserve goalkeeper for Borussia ‪Mönchengladbach‬ in the Bundesliga. He joined the club’s youth system when he was just four years old, and had represented it at every level by the time he was 18. He made his official first appearance for the club in 2011.

April 30, 1245:

Philip III of France is born in Poissy.

Before he became King, Philip was a Count of Orleans, and went with his mother to the Eighth Crusade in Tunisia in 1270. When his father died in Tunis, he became king.

Soon before he was crowned, he signed a truce with the emir of Tunisia, ending the crusade. He was able to negotiate a similar treaty with Edward I of England (the Treaty of Amiens) in 1279.

Philip sided with the Vatican in the Sicilian Vespers of 1282, which saw him invade Roussillon in the Aragonese Crusade against Peter III of Aragon, declared by pope Martin IV after he had excommunicated the Aragonese king.

Philip did not survive this crusade, as he died at Perpignan after having contracted dysentery at Girona and suffering a loss at the Battle of the Col de Panissars. Although he was buried in Narbonne, he is currently buried with Isabella of Aragon, his wife, in Paris’ Saint Denis Basilica.

His second son, Philip (Philip IV), succeeded him.

Above, a painting showing Philip III’s coronation.

April 27, 1737:

English historian Edward Gibbon is born in Putney.

He is best known for The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, which was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788.

April 27, 1404:

Philip ‘the Bold’ II, Duke of Burgundy dies in Halle, Hainaut (now Belgium). John the Fearless, his eldest son, inherits his territories, political position in France, and leadership of the Burgundians against Orléans. 

Philip was born in 1342, and acquired his nickname when he was captured with his father at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. He was originally made Duke of Touraine in 1360, but acquired the Duchy of Burgundy in 1363 from his father. 

Throughout his life, he was quite active in the French court, and had a major role in putting down the Harelle, or 1382 revolt against taxes. He became the principal ruler of France in 1392 when Charles VI killed several of his knights en route to Brittany to punish John V, its duke, for attempting to assassinate him. Philip ruled until 1402. 

April 27, 1989:

Twin German footballers Sven and Lars Bender are born in Rosenheim. 

Sven currently plays midfield for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, while Lars plays for Bayer Leverkusen. Both Benders have played internationally for Germany, and were on the U-19 team that won the 2008 European U-19 Championship.

April 27, 1990:

English footballer Martin Kelly is born in Whiston. 

Kelly currently plays for Liverpool as a right back, and has played internationally for England’s U-20 and U-21 squads.

April 27, 1993:

Filipino actor and singer Elmo Magalona is born in Manila.

He is the sixth child of late Filipino rapper Francis Magalona, who died in 2004, and he is the grandson of Filipino actors Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran. His sisters Maxene and Saab are famous actresses. 

Elmo has appeared in shows like ‘Bantalay,’ ‘Kaya ng Powers’ and ‘Pilyang Kerubin.’