August 22 Birthday
On August 22, 1485, the Battle of Bosworth Field ended the Wars of the Roses. Richard III, the last Plantagenet king, was killed. His body was found in 2012 under a parking lot in Leicester. He had been buried in a hastily dug grave with his hands tied. The battle was won by Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII. Richard's death was Shakespearean — his last words, according to the play: "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!" The historical record is less clear. The Tudors who followed had a vested interest in portraying Richard as a villain, which may not have been entirely accurate. On August 21, 1986, Lake Nyos in Cameroon released a massive cloud of carbon dioxide. The gas, heavier than air, flowed downhill into nearby villages. 1,746 people died, along with 3,500 livestock. The lake sits on top of volcanic rock that leaks CO2 into the deep water. Over time, the gas builds up until a disturbance — a landslide, an earthquake, or even heavy rain — triggers a release. The lake is now vented through pipes that release the gas gradually. People born on August 22 fall under the zodiac sign of Leo. The birthstone is Peridot and the birth flower is Gladiolus. Historical events on August 22 include 1485: Battle of Bosworth Field — Richard III killed, Tudor dynasty begins, 1986: Lake Nyos disaster — CO2 eruption kills 1,746 in Cameroon, 1962: OAS assassination attempt on Charles de Gaulle fails. Famous people born on August 22 include Dorothy Parker (1893), John Lee Hooker (1917), Valerie Harper (1939).