WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016

Today is Wednesday, December 7, the 342nd day of 2016. There are 24 days left in the year.

1301 — Pope Boniface VIII’s degree Ausculta fili (only nominee)

1448 — Bishop Jona of Moscow chosen as metropolitan of Kiev/Intoxication

1456 — Earthquake strikes Naples; about 35,000 die

1492 — Columbus discovers Hispaniola (El Espanola/Haiti)

1496 — Jews are expelled from Portugal by order of King Manuel I

1602 — Giulio Caccini’s "Euridice" premieres in Florence

1757 — Battle at Leuthen: Prussian army beats Austrians

1766 — London auctioneers Christie’s hold their first sale

1776 — Phi Beta Kappa, 1st American scholastic fraternity (William & Mary College), is founded