A Tale of Two Cities Published: Dickens' Best-Seller
Dickens wrote the entire manuscript in eighteen months while his marriage collapsed. His wife Catherine moved out with their ten children scattered between them, and he poured his rage into guillotines and resurrection. The novel sold 200 million copies, making it history's bestselling book after religious texts. He'd lifted the plot from Wilkie Collins's *The Frozen Deep*, a play about self-sacrifice that Catherine had watched him perform opposite his young mistress. Sometimes the best art comes from the worst behavior.
July 11, 1859
167 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on July 11
Kaiser Caracalla verleiht mit der Verkündung der Constitutio Antoniniana allen freien Bewohnern des Römischen Imperiums das Bürgerrecht.
Western Roman Emperor Anthemius met his end at the hands of his own generals after they cornered him inside St. Peter’s Basilica. His execution shattered the la…
le nouveau roi des Francs Pépin le Bref premier carolingien du titre réaffirme un monopole royal de frappe de la monnaie dans un capitulaire de Ver et en émetta…
Byzantine Emperor Michael I steps down on July 11, 813, handing power to General Leo the Armenian before entering monastic life as Athanasius. This transfer end…
Charles the Simple granted the lower Seine valley to the Viking leader Rollo, ending decades of Norse raids in exchange for a defensive buffer against future in…
Conrad III devient roi de Bourgogne transjurane.[réf. nécessaire]
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.