This Day in History!

On May 20, 1527, Roman Catholic authorities executed Michael Sattler. King Ferdinand declared drowning (called the third baptism) "the best antidote to Anabaptism". It has been said that a "16th century man who did not drink to excess, curse, or abuse his workmen or family could be suspected of being an Anabaptist and thus persecuted." Thousands died in Europe in the sixteenth century. The Tudor regime, even those that were Protestant (Edward VI and Elizabeth I) persecuted Anabaptists as they were deemed too radical and therefore a danger to religious stability. The persecution of Anabaptists was condoned by ancient laws of Theodosius and Justinian that were passed against the Donatists which decreed the death penalty for any who practiced rebaptism.

This day that year, Sattler was arrested by Roman Catholic authorities, along with his wife and several other Anabaptists. He was tried and sentenced to be executed as a heretic. As part of his execution, his tongue was cut out, and red hot tongs were used to tear two pieces of flesh from his body. He was then taken outside the city by wagon, and the tongs were used on him five more times. After that, he was burned at the stake. The other men in the group were executed by sword, and the women, including Margaretha (his wife), were executed by drowning.

Honorable Mention for this day...
325- The 1st Council of Nicaea was held.
1609- Shakespeare's Sonnets are first published in London, by the publisher Thomas Thorpe. (I did not know that he is that old! I used to live with the guy.)
1861- The state of Kentucky proclaims its neutrality in The American Civil War, which lasted until September 3 when Confederate forces entered the state.
1873- Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a U.S. patent for blue jeans with copper rivets.
1902- Cuba gains independence from the United States.
1916- The Saturday Evening Post publishes its first cover with a Norman Rockwell painting.
1972- Busta Rhymes was born.
1983- First publications of the discovery of the HIV virus that causes AIDS in the journal Science by Luc Montagnier and Robert Gallo individually.
1989- Gilda Radner died.