Page 92 - All About History - Issue 26-15

HISTORY ANSWERS

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Who is/was

history’s longest-
serving dictator?
John Lockwood, Washington DC
The term ‘dictator’ can mean a
variety of titles ranging from military
generals to supreme leaders. Fidel
Castro is one man who has been
given this title, having had a 52-year
premiership over Cuba since the
Cuban Revolution. However, some
do not see him as a ‘dictator’ as such,
so Kim Il-sung of North Korea could
well take the crown after his 45-year
tenure, and he is still known as the
‘Eternal President of the Republic’
even in death. The longest-serving
dictator still in power today is
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of
Equatorial Guinea, who has been in
power some 36 years.

The fire cost the
How much of London was damages, when the
city £10 million in
annual income of the
destroyed in the Great Fire? city was only £12,000

Will Mckay, Warrington soldiers to pour buckets of water Exchange and the original St Paul’s
Everybody knows the story of a fire onto the inferno. This was clearly Cathedral. Remarkably, fewer than
in Pudding Lane, but many do not not enough to stop the flames ten people were recorded as dying,
know the true extent of the carnage and 13,200 houses were destroyed but don’t be fooled by the statistics
caused by the blaze. Figures suggest on 400 of the city’s streets. 90 – the death toll was much higher,
that 176 hectares (436 acres) of land churches were lost in the blaze the data just wasn’t recorded.
were destroyed, with 150 hectares and 100,000 people were made In the rebuilding operation, 51
(73 acres) of those inside the city homeless, which was a sixth of the churches and 9,000 houses were
walls themselves. This made up an city’s inhabitants. put back up with new wider streets
astonishing 80 per cent of the city. Some iconic buildings were to prevent the fire ever happening Going back to the ancient era, emperors
With no fire brigade to stem the reduced to rubble, including the again. Unfortunately, it did ten years such as Augustus of the Roman Empire
are near the top of the dictator table
flames, it was left to Londoners and offices of the lord mayor, the Royal later, but that’s a different story…
Thisdayinhistory 28 May

621 1533 1588 1871

O Battle of Hulao O Henry ‘marries’ Anne O Spanish Armada sets sail O Fall of the Paris Commune
This conflict, fought on a The Archbishop of Canterbury ThefleetknownastheSpanish Anationalgovernmenthad
mountain pass, is a decisive declares the marriage of the Armada leaves the port of ruledFrancefornearlythree
victory for the soon-to-be- king and his second wife valid. Lisbon with 130 ships and months after the country’s
ruling Tang Dynasty, who The marriage breaks Henry’s 30,000 men to overthrow the defeat in the Franco-German
defeat their numerically bonds with the Catholic Church Protestant monarchy of England. War.Itfallsonthisdate,as
superior rivals with a and Anne will later gave birth The Armada arrives two months 20,000 revolutionaries are
devastating cavalry charge. to future queen, Elizabeth I. laterandthebeaconsarelit. killed in revenge.

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