This Day in History is DUE’s daily dose of trivia for all the history buffs out there. So sit back and take a ride to all the fascinating things that happened today!
People are trapped in history and history is trapped in people, and hence, every day has been a significant one in the foibles of History. Let’s take a tour of “This Day in History – 21st of April”.
753 BC: Remus and Romulus discover Rome
According to mythology, twin brothers Remus and Romulus found Rome today on the site where a she-wolf suckled them as orphaned infants. Though this myth originated in the fourth century BC, Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro set the exact date in the first century BC. They soon became involved in a petty quarrel, however, and Romulus slew his brother. He then became ruler of the settlement, which was named “Rome” after him. Read the entire legend HERE.
1526: Babur defeats Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat
Central Asian conqueror Babur defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat and established the Mughal Empire in India. Babur demonstrated his use of field fortifications and gunpowder. He became the undisputed ruler of Hindustan, and the road to Delhi and the domains of the sultanate lay wide open. On the basis of this victory, he was able to establish a glorious new ruling line.
1816: Charlotte Brontë is born
Victorian writer Charlotte Brontë was born today in Thornton, Yorkshire. Known for her books Jane Eyre, Villette and Shirley, she was one of the three novelist Bronte sisters and the only one to live past 31. Charlotte’s Jane Eyre was published in 1847 under the pseudonym Currer Bell. Though she experimented with poetic forms, she abandoned writing poetry after the success of Jane Eyre. In June 1854, she married her father’s curate Arthur Nicholls, but died aged 38 during pregnancy.
1947: National Civil Service Day
April 21 is marked as National Service Day to appreciate the tremendous work done by officers engaged in public administration, in various departments of the central and state governments. On this day, the country’s first home minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the newly appointed Administrative Services Officers in 1947. He laid out the golden rules and principles of good governance for the civil servants, referring to them as the ‘steel frame of India.’
2010: Shrek Forever After premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival
The fourth installment in the Shrek film franchise, Shrek Forever After premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival today. Directed by Mike Mitchell, it had the voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy. It was the top-grossing film for three consecutive weeks in the United States and Canada and also became the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2010. It was DreamWorks Animation’s second-highest-grossing film at the foreign box office.
2016: Legendary musician and megawatt star Prince dies at 57
Seven-time Grammy Award winner Prince Rogers Nelson died due to an accidental overdose of fentanyl in his home and recording studio Paisley Park at the age of 57. Creator of more than 30 albums, Prince defied and transcended genre. His music fused elements of funk, R&B, rock and pop into what later became known as Minneapolis Sound. “Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent,” former US President Obama said in a statement.
