Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 October 2

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Today's featured article
The Battle of Bicocca was fought on April 27, 1522, during the Italian War of 1521–26. A combined French and Venetian force under Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec, was decisively defeated by a Spanish-Imperial and Papal army under the overall command of Prospero Colonna. Lautrec then withdrew from Lombardy, leaving the Duchy of Milan in Imperial hands. Having been driven from Milan by an Imperial advance in late 1521, Lautrec had regrouped, attempting to strike at Colonna's lines of communication. When the Swiss mercenaries in French service did not receive their pay, however, they demanded an immediate battle, and Lautrec was forced to attack Colonna's fortified position in the park of the Arcimboldi Villa Bicocca, north of Milan. The Swiss pikemen advanced over open fields under heavy artillery fire to assault the Imperial positions, but were halted at a sunken road backed by earthworks. Having suffered massive casualties from the fire of Spanish arquebusiers, the Swiss retreated. Unwilling to fight further, they marched off to their cantons a few days later, and Lautrec retreated into Venetian territory with the remnants of his army. (more...) Recently featured: Monadnock Building – Nancy Drew – Armillaria luteobubalina Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that in both 1969 and 2009, Helmuth Rilling conducted the Gächinger Kantorei in Bach's Mass in B minor at the festival Bachwoche Ansbach in St. Gumbertus (pictured)? ... that Gene Sharp's book Gandhi as a Political Strategist seeks to rebut what it asserts are six mistaken views about Gandhi that have "masqueraded as 'realistic' assessments"? ... that in May 1981 David Blatherwick advised the British Prime Minister on how to respond to criticism following the deaths of hunger strikers in Northern Ireland? ... that Njoo Cheong Seng's first film without his wife was 1941's Djantoeng Hati? ... that a blog was created on tumblr to cover the errors found on the new version of Apple Inc.'s map app? ... that when the newly discovered comet C/2012 S1 reaches its perihelion on 28 November 2013, it may appear brighter than the full moon? ... that the Denkoroku by Keizan, the Great Patriarch of Sōtō Zen, is not historical fact? ... that though Oliver Bosbyshell claimed to have been the first Union soldier wounded in the American Civil War, his name does not appear on official casualty lists? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Harumafuji Kōhei In golf, the Ryder Cup concludes with Europe defeating the United States. The African Union helps South Sudan and Sudan negotiate oil revenue and other agreements following conflict earlier this year. In sumo, Mongolian wrestler Harumafuji Kōhei (pictured) is formally promoted to become the 70th yokozuna. At the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards, Homeland and Modern Family win the awards for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series, respectively. In Gaelic football, Donegal defeat Mayo in the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. Syrian civil war – Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
October 2: International Day of Non-Violence; Gandhi Jayanti in India 1263 – Scottish–Norwegian War: The armies of Norway and Scotland fought at the Battle of Largs, an inconclusive engagement near the present-day town of Largs in North Ayrshire. 1928 – Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá founded Opus Dei (logo pictured), a worldwide organization of the Catholic Church which teaches that everyone can be a saint. 1937 – Under the orders of President Rafael Trujillo, Dominican troops began mass killings of approximately 20,000 Haitians living in the Dominican Republic. 1992 – In response to a prison riot, military police stormed the Carandiru Penitentiary in São Paulo, Brazil, killing at least 100 prisoners. 2009 – The Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was approved at the second attempt, permitting the state to ratify the European Union's Treaty of Lisbon. More anniversaries: October 1 – October 2 – October 3 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now October 2, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Léon Georget (1879–1949) was a racing cyclist from Preuilly-sur-Claise, Indre-et-Loire, France. He was known as The Father of the Bol d'Or having won the race nine times between 1903 and 1919 in Paris.

Photo: Bain News Service; Restoration: Jujutacular

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