Also in April 1831
10th: At the Battle of Poryk (in modern-day Ukraine), Polish forces led by General Jozef Dwernicki defeat a larger Russian army under General Theodor von Rüdiger. The Poles’ victory, however, does not help to rally local support for the November Uprising rebellion, so Dwernicki and his troops move eastwards on to Podolia.
12th: The vibrations of soldiers marching in step cause the Broughton Suspension Bridge in Manchester to collapse. Thankfully, no lives are lost and the bridge, which traverses the River Irwell and is one of the first suspension bridges in Europe, is soon rebuilt and strengthened. However, from now on, soldiers are ordered to break step when crossing such bridges.
13th: The Austrian composer Ferdinand Kauer dies in Vienna aged 80. His large number of compositions included over 200 operas and Singspiele, one of which, Das Donauweibchen, was the first ever opera to be performed in Finland. Also famous for introducing the xylophone into classical music ensembles, Kauer saw much of his legacy disappear when a major flood destroyed many of his scores in 1830.
27th: Charles Albert becomes king of Sardinia. At the beginning of his reign, he is opposed to the Young Italy independence movement, but he will eventually lead his troops against the occupying Austrian Imperial army. His hesitant, downbeat nature earns him the nickname ‘The Italian Hamlet’. 27th: On his grand tour of Italy, Felix Mendelssohn writes to his family from Naples. As well as making visits to Pompeii and admiring the scenery, he reveals he has been making good progress with his Walpurgisnacht cantata and that ‘if I continue in my present mood, I shall finish my Italian symphony also in Italy, in which case I shall have a famous store to bring home with me.’