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Welcome to Wikipedia,the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.2,341,481 articles in EnglishArtsBiographyGeographyHistoryMathematicsScienceSocietyTechnologyAll portalsOverview · Editing · Questions · HelpContents · Categories · Featured content · A–Z indexToday’s featured articleThe monarchy of the United Kingdom is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The terms British monarch and British monarchy may mean different things in different contexts beyond the United Kingdom. The present monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952. The heir apparent is her eldest son, Charles, Prince of Wales and Duke of Rothesay. They and the Queen’s husband and consort, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, undertake various public duties in accordance with their positions. Elizabeth II is Head of the Commonwealth and also reigns as head of state of 15 other Commonwealth countries. This developed from the former colonial relationship of these countries to Britain, but they are now independent and the monarchy of each is legally distinct. (more…)Recently featured: Reactive attachment disorder – Emma Goldman – Cannibal HolocaustArchive – By email – More featured articles…Did you know…From Wikipedia’s newest articles:…that the Condemnations of 1277 at the University of Paris (pictured) are cited by historians as the birth of science, as they forced scholars to question Aristotle and think about the physical world in new ways?…that Pullmantur Cruises is the largest Spain-based cruise line?…that a diary attributed to Jose Enrique de la Peña claims that Davy Crockett surrendered at the Battle of the Alamo and was executed on the orders of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna?…that Hurricane Cosme in 2007 helped relieve a persistent drought in Hawaii?…that Cognos Reportnet is compatible with multiple databases including Oracle, SAP, Teradata, Microsoft SQL server, DB2 and Sybase?…that Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln sent the Secret Service and Pinkerton’s detectives to find and capture convicted embezzler Capt. Henry W. Howgate?…that Moti Masjid (Lahore), built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, was turned into a gemstone repository by Ranjit Singh during the Sikh rule of Punjab?…that archbishop Joseph Signay cited the man’s poor eyesight to delay Michel-Édouard Méthot’s tonsuring?…that while James Howard was Mayor of Bedford in 1864, he entertained Giuseppe Garibaldi, who planted a Giant Sequoia that was later struck by lightning?…that the Rab battalion was a Yugoslav partisans unit of Jewish survivors of Rab concentration camp?…that George Steiner’s 1975 book on language and translation, After Babel, was the first comprehensive study of the subject?Archive – Start a new article…In the newsFernando Lugo (pictured) wins the presidential election in Paraguay, ending 61 years of single-party rule under the Colorado Party.In auto racing, Danica Patrick wins the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first female driver to win an IndyCar race.An airliner operated by Hewa Bora Airways crashes upon takeoff in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least 44 people.An alliance led by Silvio Berlusconi of the People of Freedom party wins the general election in Italy.Trevor Immelman of South Africa wins the 2008 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.Jacques-Édouard Alexis is ousted as Prime Minister of Haiti following riots over the price of food.Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events…On this day…April 21: Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts and Maine (2008); Grounation Day in the Rastafari movement; First day of Ridván in the Bahá’í Faith; Tiradentes Day in Brazil.753 BC – Romulus and Remus founded Rome, according to the calculations by Roman scholar Varro Reatinus.1836 – Texan forces led by Sam Houston (pictured) defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna and his Mexican troops in the Battle of San Jacinto near La Porte, the decisive battle in the Texas Revolution.1894 – Norway formally adopted the Krag-Jørgensen, a repeating bolt action rifle designed by the Norwegians Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jørgensen, as the main firearm of its armed forces.1918 – The German fighter pilot known as “The Red Baron”, the most successful flying ace of World War I with 80 confirmed air combat victories, was shot down and killed near Vaux-sur-Somme in France.1967 – Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos overthrew the government of Prime Minister Panagiotis Kanellopoulos in a coup d’état, establishing the Regime of the Colonels in Greece.1970 – In response to a long-running dispute over wheat quotas, the Principality of Hutt River proclaimed their secession from Western Australia, but to this day has never been formally acknowledged by the Commonwealth of Australia or any other international entity.More events: April 20 – April 21 – April 22Archive – By email – More anniversaries…Today’s featured pictureChamp de Mars, Paris (Paris, France), as seen from the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower. In the distance is Tour Montparnasse and the dome on the left is Les Invalides. The École Militaire is at the end of the Champ de Mars. In English the name means “Field of Mars”, from Mars the Roman god of war, from its original use for military training. During the French Revolution, the Champ de Mars was the setting of the Fête de la Fédération, on 14 July 1790.Photo credit: David IliffRecently featured: Hairy Toad Lily – Ocybadistes walkeri – Red lionfishArchive – More featured pictures…