New Amsterdam became New York today in 1665. The British drove out the Dutch settlers who had bought Manhattan from the Native Americans for a broken mirror and a pack of hula hoops and were led by their thoroughly unpleasant chain-smoking Governor Peter Stuyvesant (he of the silver leg - what a terrible birth defect). Stuyvesant was a rabid Puritan who imprisoned people for playing tennis (actually, not a bad idea) and no one was sorry to see him go.
Song lyric writers of course are particularly grateful. Imagine getting your tongue and guitar chords around 'New Amsterdam, New Amsterdam' - so good they renamed it.
In other news ...
One of the all-time survivors of History was born 258 years ago today. His name was Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord and as you've probably guessed, he was of the French persuasion. As an aristocrat, he became adviser to Louis XVI, he of the less-than-happy encounter with Madame Guillotine, but bounced back to become adviser to the Revolutionary Government. When Napoleon Bonaparte seized power, who should be at his elbow but Talleyrand and when the Emperor was defeated at Waterloo, b****r me, he's there again, giving sound and sensible advice to his successor, Louis XVIII.
I don't know if you've noticed the occasional PR presentation by Barack Obama from the White House, but there's a little old boy with a wig and breeches in the background who I can't help but think looks a little familiar ...
