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nInjust returned from a road trip during which my husband and I visitednthe lovely campus of Gonzaga University. My husband was surprised Inhad never heard of this college before—apparently it is really bignin basketball—but I was surprised just now to be researchingnhappenings on August 16 and to see the Gonzaga name!
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nToday’snanniversary hasn’t got much to do with the university! (But thenuniversity was named for a member of the House of Gonzaga, so therenis a family connection.) Instead, today’s anniversary has to do withnthat all-too-common practice of people fighting other people fornpower. n
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nMantuanis in Northern Italy, and it was invaded and ruled by a variety ofnempires, including the Romans, Byzantines, Longobards, and Franks.nFinally, about a thousand years ago, it became a “free commune,”nand a ruler altered the course of a nearby river to form four lakesnthat would surround and protect Mantua. (One of the four lakes hasnsince dried up.) Because of these surrounding lakes, Mantua isnsometimes called “the city of lakes,” and there are some canalsnrather like the ones in Venice.
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nAtnthat point, instead of fighting off outsiders, the Mantuans foughtnamong each other to see who would rule. On this date in 1328, thenHouse of Gonzaga took over the throne and held it for almost 300nyears. n
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Thengood news is that the Gonzaga family helped Mantua become one of thenmain artistic, cultural, and musical capitals in Europe during thenbeginning of the Renaissance.
Thengood news is that the Gonzaga family helped Mantua become one of thenmain artistic, cultural, and musical capitals in Europe during thenbeginning of the Renaissance.n
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nThenbad news is that some of the Gonzaga rulers werendespots—dictators—you know, the sort of leaders who rule “withnan iron fist.”
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nChecknout Mantua in this video. Notice that the Italian name for Mantuanis “Mantova.”
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nAlsonon this date:
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nAnniversary of the start of the Klondike Gold Rush.
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nIndependence Day in Gabon
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