April 28

Born in AD 32 into a patrician family of Rome. After serving as governor of Lusitania under Emperor Nero, he rose in the ranks of the Praetorian Guard. Declared emperor in January AD 69 during the chaotic Year of the Four Emperors, his reign lasted only three months. He engaged Vitellius’s forces but chose to end his life to prevent further civil war. Though his rule was brief, Otho is remembered for his leadership and attempts to stabilize the empire in a time of crisis.

Born in 1402 in Texcoco, Nezahualcoyotl inherited the throne in 1431 and presided over a golden age of legal reform and cultural achievement. He codified laws, commissioned aqueducts and temples, and forged alliances that strengthened the Triple Alliance of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan. An accomplished poet, he wrote profound verses in Nahuatl reflecting on the nature of life and the divine. His court became a center of learning and artistic expression in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Nezahualcoyotl’s intellectual and architectural legacy endures as one of the most enlightened rulers of his era.

Born on April 28, 1442, at Rouen in France, Edward was the eldest son of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York. He led Yorkist forces to victory at the Battle of Towton and was proclaimed king in 1461. His rule consolidated Yorkist power, though he was briefly deposed in 1470 by the Earl of Warwick and Henry VI. Edward regained the throne in 1471, defeating his rivals at Barnet and Tewkesbury. He implemented administrative reforms, patronized the arts, and maintained stability until his sudden death in 1483, leaving the kingdom to his young son.

Born in 1545 in Seoul, Yi Sun-sin rose through the ranks of the Joseon military due to his skill and leadership. As admiral of the Korean navy, he pioneered the use of the turtle ship and orchestrated decisive victories at Hansando and Myeongnyang despite overwhelming odds. His innovative tactics and unwavering courage helped stave off Japanese invasions from 1592 to 1598. Yi’s victories preserved Korea’s coastal defenses and safeguarded countless civilians. He died in battle on December 16, 1598, and is revered today as one of Korea’s greatest national heroes.

Born on April 28, 1573, Charles de Valois was the third son of King Charles IX of France and Marie de' Medici. He held the title Duke of Angoulême but spent much of his life overshadowed by his elder siblings and the turmoil of the Wars of Religion. After Henry III’s death, Charles lived at various European courts and cultivated connections without gaining significant political power. He returned to France under King Louis XIII but remained on the periphery of courtly affairs. He died in 1650 without heirs, remembered for his cultured presence rather than political influence.

Born in 1604 in Amsterdam, Joris Jansen Rapelje emigrated to New Netherland in 1624 as part of one of the colony’s first expeditions. He received land grants near present-day Brooklyn and helped establish settlements such as Wallabout and Flatlands. As a prominent farmer and community leader, he negotiated with Native American tribes and shaped early colonial governance. His descendants became among the first European families to flourish in what became New York. Rapelje died in 1662, leaving a legacy woven into the city’s early history.

Born in 1623 in Hasselt, Overijssel, Wilhelmus Beekman arrived in New Amsterdam in 1647 seeking opportunity in the Dutch colony. He served as Treasurer and held offices equivalent to deputy mayor, overseeing finances and land transactions. After the English takeover, he acted as mayor of New York City and was appointed Governor of the Vice-Admiralty Court. Beekman later governed the colonies of Delaware and Pennsylvania, promoting trade and settlement. He returned to Europe and died in 1707, remembered as a key figure in the transition from Dutch to English rule.

Born in 1630 in Crook, Cornwall, Charles Cotton became a celebrated poet and lifelong angler who immortalized nature in his writings. He translated Michel de Montaigne’s essays into English and authored original poetry on rural life and sport. Cotton is best remembered for adding a second part to Izaak Walton’s The Compleat Angler, detailing fishing methods and reflections on the natural world. His works influenced pastoral literature and early natural history writing in England. He died in 1687, leaving a lasting legacy in both literary and recreational angling circles.

Born on April 28, 1676, Frederick I was the second son of Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. He married Princess Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden and was elected king following her abdication in 1720. His reign ushered in the Age of Liberty, a period of parliamentary rule and curtailed royal authority. Frederick maintained Swedish neutrality in European conflicts and patronized the arts and sciences. He died in 1751, succeeded by Adolf Frederick, and is remembered for his ceremonial role during a pivotal constitutional era.

Born in Salzburg in 1715, Franz Sparry entered the Benedictine Order and devoted his life to sacred music. He taught at the Admont monastery school and composed numerous liturgical works, including masses, vespers, and motets. Sparry’s music blended intricate counterpoint with Baroque expressiveness, reflecting the stylistic currents of his time. As an educator, he influenced generations of church musicians through his teaching and publications. He died in 1767, leaving a body of work that continues to be studied by scholars of early eighteenth-century sacred music.

Born in Virginia in 1758, James Monroe fought in the American Revolutionary War before embarking on a long political career. He served as governor of Virginia, U.S. senator, and as Secretary of State and Secretary of War under President Madison. Elected President in 1816, Monroe oversaw the 'Era of Good Feelings,' reduced the national debt, and promoted westward expansion. He articulated the Monroe Doctrine in 1823, warning European powers against further colonization in the Americas. After leaving office, he retired to his estate in Virginia and remained a respected elder statesman until his death in 1831.

Born in Normandy in 1761, Marie Harel developed a distinctive method for producing a soft, creamy cheese using local milk and a unique mould. During the turmoil of the French Revolution, she refined her techniques and passed her knowledge to succeeding generations. Her recipe gave rise to Camembert cheese, which gained enduring popularity across France and eventually the world. Today, her legacy lives on in the dairy traditions of Normandy, where Camembert remains a symbol of French gastronomy. She died in 1844, leaving behind a culinary heritage that continues to delight cheese lovers.