History of the Day: 11/12

Happy birthday to Sor Juana Ines de la Crus, a Hispanic nun from Mexico born on this day in 1651. She, in addition to being a self-taught firebrand, was a bit of a proto-feminist. In her poems, she often mocked men for denigrating women, especially when it was the men who, themselves, promoted the very vices in women they denounced, like this one:

You mulish men, accusing
woman without reason,
not seeing you occasion
the very wrong you blame

She also had a really, really big necklace.

Happy 63rd birthday to another poet/musician who liked to denounce people, Neil Young. He's been a miner for a heart of gold, but he's gettin' old.

Finally, Canute the Great, Viking king of England, died on this day in 1035. He came with the raven banner of Odin, but eventually converted and ended up, apparently, getting crowned by angels (he did convert). You can read about his conquest in the Knytlinga Saga. Apparently, he was so powerful and successful, his subjects thought him divine and believed he controlled the waves. In response, Canute set his throne by the sea shore and commanded the tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes. The tide failed to stop. Canute leapt backwards and said,

Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws

He then hung his gold crown on a crucifix, and never wore it again.