Ismail I of Granada

Ismail I of Granada.
Ismail I (1279–1325) was the fifth Nasrid ruler of the Emirate of Granada (map pictured) on the Iberian Peninsula, from 1314 to 1325. He claimed the throne during the reign of his uncle, Sultan Nasr, after a rebellion started by his father Abu Said Faraj. Ismail was proclaimed sultan in February 1314. He spent the early years of his reign fighting Nasr, who attempted to regain the throne after enlisting the help of Castile. The war reached its climax in the Battle of the Vega in 1319, a complete victory for Ismail's forces over Castile. The deaths in the battle of Infante Peter and Infante John, the two regents for the infant King Alfonso XI, left Castile leaderless. Ismail followed up his victory with the capture of castles on the Castilian border in 1324 and 1325. He was murdered by his relative Muhammad ibn Ismail. Historians characterise Ismail as an effective ruler who improved the emirate's position with military victories.

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Cactus wren

Cactus wren.
The cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) is a large wren that is endemic to the deserts of the US and Mexico. It is the state bird of Arizona. The wren's upperparts are brown with black and white spots and the underparts are cinnamon-buff with a whiter breast; it has striking white eyebrows. The song is loud and raspy. Cactus wrens are ground feeders and eat mainly insects, with some plant material; they can meet their water needs from their diet. The wrens use saguaro and cholla cacti as nesting sites, which provide protection for their large bulky nests and their young. The wrens are non-migratory and territorial around their nests. Pairs are monogamous; males build nests, females incubate eggs, and both parents feed chicks. Populations have declined due to human activities, habitat loss and introduced species including cats, but the wrens still number in the millions. The species is classed as being of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

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Third Silesian War

Third Silesian War.
The Third Silesian War was a conflict between Prussia and an Austrian alliance that lasted from 1756 to 1763 and confirmed Prussia's control of Silesia (now in south-western Poland). The war was fought mainly in Silesia, Bohemia and Upper Saxony and formed one theatre of the Seven Years' War. It can be viewed as a continuation of the First and Second Silesian Wars of the previous decade. The war was costly on both sides and ended inconclusively when neither of the main belligerents could sustain the conflict any longer. The war began with a Prussian invasion of Saxony in mid-1756, and it ended in a Prussian diplomatic victory with the 1763 Treaty of Hubertusburg. The conflict formed part of the ongoing Austria–Prussia rivalry that would shape German politics for more than a century. The war enhanced the prestige of Prussia, which was recognised as a major European power, and of Frederick, who cemented his reputation as a preeminent military commander. (This article is part of a featured topic: Silesian Wars.)

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Vespro della Beata Vergine

Vespro della Beata Vergine.
Vespro della Beata Vergine (Vespers for the Blessed Virgin) by Claudio Monteverdi is an extended composition for the evening vespers on Marian feasts, printed in 1610. The composer set the usual Latin psalms and Magnificat, but also solo concertos in the style of the emerging opera. The ambitious composition, which uses traditional Gregorian chant as cantus firmus, is scored for soloists, choirs of up to ten parts, and orchestra. Monteverdi wrote it when he was maestro di capella in Mantua, where he served as musician and composer for the Gonzagas, the Dukes of Mantua. He had it printed in Venice, with a dedication to Pope Paul V dated 1 September 1610 (pages from a copy pictured). He then travelled to Rome to deliver it to Pope Paul in person. Monteverdi became director of music at San Marco in Venice in 1613. His Vespers represent a milestone of music history at the transition from Renaissance to Baroque styles.