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Edward III of England

Burnt Candlemas was a failed invasion of Scotland in early 1356 by an English army commanded by King Edward III (pictured), and was the last campaign of the Second War of Scottish Independence. Tensions on the Anglo-Scottish border led to a military build-up in 1355. In September a nine-month truce was agreed, and most of the English left. A few days later the Scots invaded and devastated Northumberland. In early November, the Scots escaladed the walls of Berwick-on-Tweed, captured the town and laid siege to its castle. The English army retook the town and marched on Edinburgh, leaving a trail of devastation 50 to 60 miles (80 to 100 km) wide. The Scots refused battle and practised a scorched earth policy, removing or destroying all food in their own territory. The English burnt Edinburgh and thoroughly despoiled Lothian. Edward's army was supplied by sea, but a winter storm scattered his fleet, forcing the English to withdraw. In 1357 a permanent peace was agreed, largely on English terms. (Full article...)

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On this day

February 2: Groundhog Day in Canada and the United States

Vineyard in Stellenbosch, South Africa

506 – Alaric II, King of the Visigoths, promulgated a collection of Roman law known as the Breviary of Alaric.
1659 – Jan van Riebeeck, the founder of Cape Town, produced the first bottle of South African wine (vineyard pictured).
1913 – New York City's Grand Central Terminal, the world's largest train station by number of platforms, opened immediately after midnight.
1942 – The first act of the Norwegian resistance movement took place with the bombing of Oslo East Station by the Osvald Group to protest the inauguration of Vidkun Quisling.
2009 – Omid, Iran's first domestically made satellite, was successfully launched from Semnan Space Center.

Judith Quiney (bapt. 1585)
José Guadalupe Posada (b. 1852)
Alfred Delp (d. 1945)

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Today's featured picture

Alice Locke Park (February 2, 1861 – October 17, 1961) was an American suffragist and a defender of women's rights. She served as associate director of the Susan B. Anthony Memorial Committee of California. This photograph of Park, from the records of the National Woman's Party, was taken around the 1910s.

Photograph credit: unknown; restored by Adam Cuerden

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