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Emperor Constantine XI died on this day 571 years ago, aged 49. - Of the Palaiologos dynasty, Constantine was a son of Manuel II. After his father suffered a stroke in 1422, Constantine and his older brother John would act as regents, and after Manuel died in 1425, John (VIII) became emperor. - Constantine would became the despot of the Despotate of the Morea in 1428, serving for 20 years before becoming emperor himself after John's death in 1448 (not being proclaimed until January of 1449). - Constantine's reign was defined by conflict with the Ottoman Empire. While sultan Mehmed II swore by his faith that he would not begin a war with the Byzantines, Constantine was still suspicious and would attempt to ally with Venice. Mehmed would change his mind when Constantine threatened to release an imprisoned claimant to the Ottoman throne in Constantinople after he refused to increase payment to keep him there, and would quickly build a castle to block sea trade to the Byzantines. - Constantine died during the Ottoman siege of Constantinople, reportedly via decapitation by Ottoman forces. His death saw the end of the Byzantine Empire; Mehmed would not see it as the end of the Roman Empire once he conquered all of the Byzantines' lands, however, and would proclaim himself caesar.

Danny Elfman is 71.

5/28/2024 88 Lady Gaga & Beyoncé — Telephone 80 Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg — California Gurls 74 Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris — We Found Love -6 63 Yolanda Be Cool Vs D Cup — We No Speak Americano 62 Owl City — Fireflies 57 Cee Lo Green — Forget You 26 B.O.B ft. Hayley Williams — Airplanes +4 24 Rihanna — Only Girl (In The World)

5/28/2024 69 R. Dean Taylor - There’s A Ghost in My House 37 Lulu - The Man Who Sold The World +2 34 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony - The Hustle +1 30 The Wombles - Remember You’re a Womble 28 Cozy Powell - Dance With the Devil 26 Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run +1 25 The Drifters - There Goes My First Love 18 Kenny - The Bump 16 Slade - Bangin’ Man 5 Slade - Everyday -5 0 Smokie - If You Think You Know How to Love Me -1

Phil Hartman died on this day 26 years ago, aged 49. - Hartman's last name was initially spelt with 2 Ns, and he dropped the second one at the end. His first TV appearance was on an episode of The Dating Game as a contestant. - Hartman joined the comedy group The Groundlings in 1975, where he would meet Paul Reubens. The two would create the character of Pee-wee Herman together, and Hartman would collaborate with Reubens when he achieved stardom as the character- he co-wrote the script for Pee-wee's Big Adventure, and was Captain Carl in Pee-wee's Playhouse. - Hartman joined Saturday Night Live in 1986, and was most known for his roles as the Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer and his portrayals of Ronald Reagan, Kirk Douglas, Michael Caine, and especially Bill Clinton: - Hartman was also a voice actor. In the 1980s, he provided background characters' voices in The Smurfs, as well as Mr. Wilson, Mr. Mitchell, and Dennis' dog Ruff in season 1 of Dennis the Menace. He was, however, best known for his roles of Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure in The Simpsons: "You may also remember him from films such as Jingle all the Way and Disney's dub of Kiki's Delivery Service." - Hartman was tragically murdered by his wife in his sleep following a domestic argument. At the time of his death, Hartman had been planned to have provide the voice of Zapp Brannigan in Futurama (a role that would end up going to Billy West).

John Fogerty is 79.

5/27/2024 86 Lady Gaga & Beyoncé— Telephone 78 Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris — We Found Love -3 76 Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg — California Gurls 62 Yolanda Be Cool Vs D Cup — We No Speak Americano 62 Cee Lo Green — Forget You 57 Owl City — Fireflies 46 Rihanna — Only Girl (In The World) 35 B.O.B ft. Hayley Williams — Airplanes +4 06 Taio Cruz — Dynamite 0 Professor Green ft. Emeli Sande — Read All About It -3

5/27/2024 63 R. Dean Taylor - There’s A Ghost in My House 37 Lulu - The Man Who Sold The World +2 32 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony - The Hustle +1 32 Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run +1 30 The Wombles - Remember You’re a Womble 27 The Drifters - There Goes My First Love 26 Cozy Powell - Dance With the Devil 22 Smokie - If You Think You Know How to Love Me 22 Kenny - The Bump 18 Slade - Bangin’ Man -2 13 Fox - Only You Can 6 Slade - Everyday -4

Simeon I of Bulgaria died on this day 1097 years ago, aged 63. - Simeon was the son of Boris I, and was not expected to take the throne as he had an older brother, Vladimir; as such his father planned for him to become a church official, sending him to Constantinople to receive theological education in 878. He would return 10 years later to establish a monastery. - For political reasons, Boris would oust Vladimir (Boris had abdicated to become a monk, then Vladimir would reintroduce pagan religion into Bulgaria), had him blinded, and then put Simeon on the throne in 893. - Simeon's reign saw a literal trade war initiated by the Byzantines (using the Magyars as a proxy) in 895, and would continue fighting their forces throughout, most notably a war that began in 913 after Emperor Alexander stopped paying Bulgaria an annual tribute. One notable development of this latter war came in 924, when Simeon would send diplomats to seek assistance from the Fatimid Caliphate, hoping they would send their navy in to help him take Constantinople; these diplomats were captured and imprisoned by Byzantine forces. - Simeon would die from heart failure after 34 years as king, being succeeded by his son Peter I. No Bulgarian monarch would take the name 'Simeon' for a thousand years, until Simeon II in 1943.

Andre 3000 (one half of Outkast) is 49. Also going to mention his 2006-2008 Cartoon Network show Class of 3000:

5/26/2024 84 Lady Gaga & Beyoncé — Telephone 79 Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris — We Found Love -2 76 Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg — California Gurls 65 Yolanda Be Cool Vs D Cup — We No Speak Americano 56 Cee Lo Green — Forget You 48 Owl City — Fireflies +1 47 Rihanna — Only Girl (In The World)  42 B.O.B ft. Hayley Williams — Airplanes +2 29 Professor Green ft. Emeli Sande — Read All About It -2 20 Taio Cruz — Dynamite +1 6 Jessie J ft. B.O.B — Price Tag -2

5/26/2024 57 R. Dean Taylor - There’s A Ghost in My House 37 Lulu - The Man Who Sold The World +2 36 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony - The Hustle +1 33 The Drifters - There Goes My First Love 29 Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run +1 28 The Wombles - Remember You’re a Womble 26 Cozy Powell - Dance With the Devil 23 Smokie - If You Think You Know How to Love Me 23 Kenny - The Bump 20 Slade - Bangin’ Man 18 Fox - Only You Can 16 Slade - Everyday 14 Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died 6 The Rubettes - Juke Box Jive -6

Edmund I of England died on this day 1078 years ago, aged 26. - Edmund was a son of king Edward ("The Elder"), who died when he was about 4 years old. His older brother Athelstan would be Edward's successor, and Edmund himself would succeed him after he died without an heir in 939. - Edmund's reign was largely defined by pushing back against Viking advances in the British Isles, and would regain English land in the north following the death of Olaf Guthfrithson in 941. He would also seize York from the Vikings in 944. - Edmund would also issue legal reform during his rule, which included controlling blood feuds by having the murderer pay the victim's family, and ordering local communities to assist tracking down farmers' livestock stolen by rustlers. - Edmund was killed while fighting a thief at a feast celebrating Augustine of Canterbury; some historians may believe this could have been a politically-charged assassination. Edmund would be succeeded as king by his brother Eadred.

Stevie Nicks is 76. (Good rhyme.)

5/25/2024 82 Lady Gaga & Beyoncé — Telephone 75 Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris — We Found Love 74 Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg — California Gurls 61 Yolanda Be Cool Vs D Cup — We No Speak Americano 47 Cee Lo Green — Forget You 47 Rihanna — Only Girl (In The World) 47 B.O.B ft. Hayley Williams — Airplanes +1 46 Owl City — Fireflies +1 39 Professor Green ft. Emeli Sande — Read All About It 34 Jessie J ft. B.O.B — Price Tag 30 Taio Cruz — Dynamite +2 6 Olly Murs — Dance With Me Tonight -6

5/25/2024 51 R. Dean Taylor - There’s A Ghost in My House 37 Lulu - The Man Who Sold The World +2 34 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony - The Hustle +1 33 The Drifters - There Goes My First Love 27 The Wombles - Remember You’re a Womble 23 Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died 22 Cozy Powell - Dance With the Devil 22 Smokie - If You Think You Know How to Love Me 22 Kenny - The Bump  21 The Rubettes - Juke Box Jive 20 Slade - Bangin’ Man 19 Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run +1 18 Fox - Only You Can 18 Slade - Everyday 16 Bay City Rollers - Summerlove Sensation 11 Hot Chocolate - Emma 6 Johnny Bristol - Hang On In There Baby -6

Charles Nelson Reilly died on this day 17 years ago, aged 76. - Reilly was a survivor of the 1944 Hartford Circus Fire. The event gave him PTSD which made him afraid of being in an audience, and when he did he often sat near the exit of the room. - Reilly began acting in 1957 in the film A Face in the Crowd, and his breakout role came in 1960 in Broadway's Bye Bye Birdie as an understudy for Dick Van Dyke when he wasn't able to perform due to scheduling conflicts. He would star in more iconic plays that included How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Hello, Dolly!, both of which earning him Tony Award nominations. - On TV, Reilly would often appear as a panelist on game shows, most notably Match Game and the '80s revivals of Password. - In later years, Reilly took to voice acting, often in Don Bluth films- these roles included Carface's lackey Killer in All Dogs Go to Heaven, the Grand Duke of Owls' nephew Hutch in Rock-a-Doodle, and King Llort in A Troll in Central Park. His most memorable voice role, however, was as the Dirty Bubble in the SpongeBob episode "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II": - Reilly had respiratory issues in the last few years of his life, and he died of pneumonia. In 2009, Weird Al Yankovic would posthumously make a song about him:

80 years old today, Frank Oz is. A happy birthday, I must wish him. And not to mention his roles as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Grover, Bert, Cookie Monster and a bunch of other Muppets:

5/24/2024 85 Lady Gaga & Beyoncé — Telephone 73 Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris — We Found Love 72 Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg — California Gurls 59 Yolanda Be Cool Vs D Cup — We No Speak Americano 53 Cee Lo Green — Forget You 50 Jessie J ft. B.O.B — Price Tag 48 Rihanna — Only Girl (In The World) 47 B.O.B ft. Hayley Williams — Airplanes +1 35 Owl City — Fireflies +2 34 Professor Green ft. Emeli Sande — Read All About It 25 Taio Cruz — Dynamite +1 25 Olly Murs — Dance With Me Tonight 8 DJ Fresh ft. Sian Evans — Louder -6 6 B.O.B ft. Bruno Mars — Nothin' On You

5/24/2024 45 R. Dean Taylor - There’s A Ghost in My House 34 Cozy Powell - Dance With the Devil 33 Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony - The Hustle +1 28 The Drifters - There Goes My First Love 27 Lulu - The Man Who Sold The World +2 26 The Wombles - Remember You’re a Womble 23 Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died 21 Smokie - If You Think You Know How to Love Me 21 Kenny - The Bump 21 The Rubettes - Juke Box Jive 20 Slade - Everyday 20 Slade - Bangin’ Man 20 Johnny Bristol - Hang On In There Baby 20 Fox - Only You Can 20 Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run +1 18 Bay City Rollers - Summerlove Sensation 15 Hot Chocolate - Emma 12 Peter Shelley - Love Me Love My Dog -3 10 Bay City Rollers - Money Honey 0 The Stylistics - Sing Baby Sing -3

Tina Turner died on this day a year ago, aged 83. - Turner's birth name was Anna Bullock. She took her stage name after meeting her future husband Ike Turner, who gave her the first name because it rhymed with the character of the comic book character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, which Ike tried to evoke within Tina. Ike would copyright her name if he were to need another 'Tina Turner' in the Ike & Tina Turner group. - With Ike, Tina reached mainstream success with their songs such as "River Deep, Mountain High" and their cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary": This would earn the two a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group in 1972. - After divorcing Ike in 1978, Tina went solo and saw even bigger success. Her 1984 song "What's Love Got to Do With It" reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984, and her 1989 cover of Bonnie Tyler's "The Best" is considered her signature song: - Outside of her most famous role as Auntie Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Turner was known for her roles in The Who's Tommy as the Acid Queen, a cameo at the end of the 1978 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and one episode of Ally McBeal in 2000. - Turner had a multitude of health problems throughout her later years, which included a stroke, kidney failure, and intestinal cancer. She would appear on the DeathList twice (2019 and 2023), and was the 7th of the 19 deaths on the 2023 list.

Patti LaBelle is 80.

5/23/2024 34 R Dean Taylor - There’s A Ghost in My House  28 Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony - The Hustle +4 25 The Wombles - Remember You’re a Womble 24 Cozy Powell - Dance With the Devil 24 The Rubettes - Juke Box Jive 24 The Drifters - There Goes My First Love 24 Bay City Rollers - Summerlove Sensation 24 Lulu - The Man Who Sold the World 21 Kenny - The Bump 20 Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run 20 Hot Chocolate - Emma 20 Slade - Everyday 20 Paper Lace - The Night Chicago Died 20 Slade - Bangin’ Man 20 Johnny Bristol - Hang On In There Baby 20 Mud - The Secrets That You Keep 20 Fox - Only You Can 20 Peter Shelley - Love Me Love My Dog 20 Smokie - If You Think You Know How to Love Me 17 The Moments and Whatnauts - Girls -3 14 Bay City Rollers - Money Honey 11 The Stylistics - Sing Baby Sing -3

5/23/2024 83 Lady Gaga & Beyoncé — Telephone 71 Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris — We Found Love 70 Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg — California Gurls 56 Yolanda Be Cool Vs D Cup — We No Speak Americano 53 Rihanna — Only Girl (In The World) 51 Cee Lo Green — Forget You 44 Jessie J ft. B. O .B — Price Tag 43 Professor Green ft. Emeli Sande — Read All About It 38 B.O.B ft. Hayley Williams — Airplanes 35 Owl City — Fireflies 35 Olly Murs — Dance With Me Tonight 25 DJ Fresh ft. Sian Evans — Louder 25 Taio Cruz — Dynamite +2 20 B.O.B ft. Bruno Mars — Nothin' On You +2 15 Flo Rida ft. David Guetta — Club Can't Handle Me  0 Tinie Tempah — Pass Out -6

Ismail I of Iran died on this day 500 years ago, aged 36. - Ismail had European ancestry through his mother- he was a great-grandson of king John IV of Trebizond. - Ismail's father was killed by Turkic warlords, and Ismail spent his childhood in hiding with his mother. He would receive education from Persian resistance leaders. - At the age of 13, Ismail would lead a campaign to drive the Turks out of Persia, where he gathered 7,000 people to fight against them, and would later gain the support of the kings of Georgia. After capturing the city of Tabriz in 1501, Ismail declared himself the shah, considered to be the starting point of modern Iranian history. By 1510, he and his forces had taken back all of Iran from the Turks. - Being a Shiite Muslim, Ismail was hated by the Sunni Ottoman sultan Selim I. Selim would declare war on Iran after an incursion on Ottoman territory by Iranian military surveyors, and Selim would defeat Ismail in battle in 1514. Selim would end up withdrawing due to his troops fearing the Iranians would encircle them, and therefore Ismail was allowed to live. - Ismail's defeat would cause him to fall into a depression, and turned to alcohol to drown his sorrows. His grand vizier would run the country for him (and often partook in drinking booze with him). He would also write religious poetry, and in the late 1510s, he would attempt to form an alliance with Habsburg Austria against the Ottoman Empire. - Ismail's alcoholism was likely what led to his early demise. He was succeeded as shah by his son Tahmasp I.