March 22

Severus Alexander was born in 208 AD and became Roman emperor at the age of 13. He is considered the last ruler of the Severan dynasty and sought to implement military and financial reforms. His reign was marked by efforts to strengthen the empire's borders and improve relations with the army. Despite his youth, he attempted to restore stability following years of turmoil. In 235 AD, he was assassinated by his own troops, an event that precipitated the Year of the Six Emperors.

Carloman of Bavaria was the eldest son of King Louis the German and a grandson of Charlemagne. He became joint ruler of Bavaria in 876 and sole king after his brother's death. His brief reign was marked by internal strife among the Carolingian heirs. He sought to defend his realm against external threats such as Viking raids. Carloman died unexpectedly in 880, leaving his lands to his brothers. His death contributed to the fragmentation of Carolingian authority in East Francia.

Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, was born in 1278 into one of the wealthiest noble families in England. He became a central figure in the baronial opposition to King Edward II and his favorite, Piers Gaveston. Lancaster held the title Lord High Steward and wielded significant political and military influence. After rebelling against the king, he was captured and executed in 1322, becoming a martyr for noble rights. His life illustrates the tensions between the monarchy and nobility in medieval England.

Thomas of Lancaster was born in 1388 as the second son of King Henry IV of England. He was created 1st Duke of Clarence and served as a prominent commander during the Hundred Years' War. Thomas led English forces at the Battle of Agincourt and later campaigns in France. In 1421, he commanded troops at the Battle of Baugé where he was killed in combat. His death was a significant blow to English ambitions and marked a turning point in the war.

Born in 1420, George of Poděbrady emerged as a leader of the Hussites and was elected King of Bohemia in 1458. He worked to heal religious divisions by promoting moderate Utraquist beliefs and legal reforms. George championed diplomatic solutions and proposed a European league to prevent warfare. His reign saw efforts to maintain Bohemian independence amid pressures from the papacy and neighboring powers. Despite challenges, he secured a period of relative stability before his death in 1471. He is remembered as a visionary ruler committed to tolerance and peace.

Born in 1638 as Imperial Prince Nagahito, he ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1655 at age 17. During his reign, he navigated court politics under the Tokugawa shogunate and promoted cultural activities. He was known for his interest in waka poetry, calligraphy, and the tea ceremony. In 1663, he abdicated in favor of his brother but continued to influence imperial rituals and the arts. He passed away in 1685, leaving a legacy as a cultured and scholarly sovereign.

Born in 1838 near Grodno, Kalinowski studied law in Vilnius and became an influential writer and journalist. He founded and edited the Belarusian-language newspaper Mužyckaaja prauđa, promoting peasant rights and national consciousness. As a key leader in the January Uprising of 1863 against Russian rule, he organized military units and inspired fighters with his writings. Captured by imperial forces, Kalinowski was executed in 1864. He is remembered as a pioneering voice for Belarusian nationalism and social reform.

Born in 1822 in Uffington, Oxfordshire, Hughes studied at Oxford University and qualified as a lawyer. He championed social reforms including education for the working class and better prison conditions. Elected to Parliament as a Liberal MP, he advocated for public health and workers' rights. Hughes is best known for his 1857 novel 'Tom Brown's School Days', which highlighted the value of moral education in boarding schools. He continued to write, lecture, and campaign for social justice until his death in 1896.

Born in 1882 in Taoyuan, Hunan Province, Song Jiaoren studied politics and law in Japan. He became a prominent advocate for republicanism and co-founded the Tongmenghui alongside Sun Yat-sen. After the 1911 Revolution, he drafted the organization and strategy of the Nationalist Party and won major victories in parliamentary elections. Song pushed for strong legislative oversight and democratic reforms. In 1913, he was assassinated in Shanghai, a tragedy widely attributed to Yuan Shikai's government.

James Henry Mussen Campbell was born in Dromore, County Down in 1851 and educated at Trinity College Dublin. He was called to the Bar and quickly rose through the ranks, serving as Solicitor-General for Ireland in 1880 and Attorney-General in 1881. In 1892, he was appointed Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, overseeing major trials and judicial reforms. In 1921, he became Lord Chancellor of Ireland during the turbulent years leading to the establishment of the Irish Free State. Elevated to the peerage as Baron Glenavy that same year, he played a pivotal role in shaping the new nation's legal framework. After retiring in 1924, he remained active in legal circles until his death in 1931. His career bridged the era from British rule to independent Irish governance, marking him as a key figure in Irish jurisprudence.

Don Stephen Senanayake was born in 1884 to a prominent farming family and educated in Sri Lanka and India. He entered politics in the 1920s, advocating for self-rule and land reform to benefit rural communities. As leader of the United National Party, he negotiated with British authorities and led Ceylon to independence in 1948. Senanayake served as Prime Minister from 1947 until his death in 1952, implementing policies on irrigation, agriculture, and education that boosted the economy. He established the Gal Oya and other major irrigation projects, improving agricultural productivity. Known for his pragmatic leadership and consensus-building, he maintained relative stability during the transition to self-governance. Senanayake died suddenly in 1952, and his legacy endures in Sri Lankan national identity and infrastructure development.

Ivan Šubašić was born in 1892 in the village of Prkose in Croatia and graduated in law from the University of Zagreb. He entered politics as a member of the Croatian Peasant Party and served as the Ban (governor) of the Sava Banovina in the 1930s. After the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia, Šubašić joined the royal government in exile and was appointed its Prime Minister in 1944. In 1944–45, he negotiated the Tito-Šubašić agreement with Josip Broz Tito, aiming to create a coalition government and reconcile royalist and communist forces. The agreement laid the groundwork for Yugoslavia's post-war political structure, although real power ultimately shifted to Tito's Partisans. Following the war, Šubašić held a vice-presidential position in the provisional government before leaving Yugoslavia. He spent his later years practicing law in London and remained vocal about democratic governance. Šubašić died in 1955, and his efforts are remembered for bridging divisive political factions during a pivotal era.