All posts by buber

Hand-forged Knives by Andy “the Basco” Franco

Visitors to Buber’s Basque Page likely already know Andy Franco.  Since discovering his Basque roots, he has been very involved in the Boise Basque community.  Owner of Calico Forge and Knife Company, Andy has weaved his Basque heritage into his work.  He made the replica harpoons that were featured in the Boise Basque Museum’s exhibit […]

Today in Basque History: Death of Henry II King of Navarre

1555: Henry II, king of Nafarroa, dies. His father, John III or Jean d’Albret, had been defeated in 1512 by Ferdinand II of Aragon, both of whom had claimed the throne of Nafarroa. After that defeated, that portion of Nafarroa south fo the Pyrenees was annexed by Ferdinand while what became Nafarroa Beherea stayed in […]

Today in Basque History: Salt Riots, Amorebieta Agreement

1634: In the early morning, six rebels involved in the Salt Uprising, riots in Bizkaia protesting a salt tax imposed by Philip IV, are arrested, including their leader Juan de Larrabaster. They are tried and executed that same day. The salt tax had greatly affected the cod trade, of great importance to Bizkaia. 1872: The […]

Steven Skiena: Betting on Jai Alai

Holly Emblem is the editor of CasinoOnline.co.uk. They recently published an interview with Steven Skiena, author of Calculated Bets. Skiena, a Professor of Computer Science at the State University of New York, is also a fan of jai alai, a passion he picked up during a family vacation to Florida when he was a kid.  […]

New Book: Spanish and Basque Legends

Richard Marsh’s imprint, Legendary Books, has just released it’s newest title, Spanish and Basque Legends.  Focused mostly on Spanish legends, including El Cid, Fernán González, and The Seven Princes of Lara, it also includes a number of Basque tales. All told, 76 stories are featured, including The Jaun Zuria Cycle: Jaun Zuria – The Golden-haired […]

Today in Basque History: Charles IV of Nafarroa, Miners strike, Jon Bilbao dies, First woman president

1453: After being imprisoned for more than two years after his defeat in his quest to claim his throne from his father, Charles IV of Nafarroa is set free after his father, John II, is pressured by deputies of the Kingdom of Aragon. Charles tries again to claim his throne and is again defeated and […]

Today in Basque History: Siege of Zaragoza, Guerrillas against Napoleon, Basque opera

1118: The forces of Alfonso the Battler, King of Aragon and Nafarroa, besiege Zaragoza in an effort to reconquer the city from the Moors. After a siege of nine months, the city falls to Alfonso, who promptly makes Zaragoza the capital of Aragon. 1809: Mariano Renovales Revollar, soldier from Bizkaia, organizes a guerrilla campaign in […]

Today in Basque History: Death of a korrikalari, Children refugees, World’s best female climber

1922: Jacinto Etxenagusia races against the Franco-Belgian Leon De Nys along the famous 13 kilometer Zarauz-Aia route, the setting for countless numbers of wagers. Etxenagusia had earlier beat Vicente Erro, who had covered the Tolosa-Pamplona-Tolosa course, 125 kilometers, in just over 15 hours. However, De Nys was a professional runner with excellent times on the […]

The Crime of Old Blas, Part I, by Catulle Mendes

I found this searching for old texts related to the Basque Country. This story is set in the Basque Country, though that is the only Basque connection of the story. But, it also features two characters named Blas, so I had a particular affinity to it. Parts II and III will be coming soon. The […]

Today in Basque History: Battle of Cocherel, Invasion of Nafarroa, Bilbao Fortune

Unfortunately, I’ve been too swamped with work to keep up with the Today in Basque History articles.  I’ll do them as I get a chance, and hopefully fill in missing days in future years.  If anyone would like to assist me in this endeavor, please feel free to contact me. 1364: The Battle of Cocherel […]