Although I spelled it right on my first go. Woot!

I type with a phone.And I refuse to have T9 mess up and autofinish my words.

Germany beat the Maginot line by looking back at WW1, deciding that invading Belgium was still a good plan, and blitzing right through the weakly-defended Belgian-French border.

What ethnic groups originally colonized Madagascar?

Re the high jacked plane, was that the plane that was flown to Entebbe in Uganda that was stormed by Israeli commandos?

@ambassador: ehm, I never heard that part of the story if that’s so. But to be honest I’m not quite certain what happened after the main drama. I suspect there could be some truth to your claim as Israel is definitely a part of the story. However, I thought the plane went on to Libya afterwards but I may be mistaken on that. Regardless, it’s really the reason for the main drama that was the question. And you’ve already figured out that it’s related to an event that happened during the Olympic Games in Munich.

Hi d-ice I googled after posting, it was actually a seperate terrroist incident four years later.

I got a question - and a certain group of people... you know who you are - are not allowed to answer this as you'll know it instinctively.

What happened on this day 230 years ago?

The sun rose.

@Ambassador I know it instinctively, therefore I'll answer it if nobody else gets it.

The answer to my previous question is Manuel Belgrano. My next question is which Turkish city was made the capital of the Ottoman Empire after being captured in 1326?

Edime?

@Ambassador: George Washington inaugurated as first US President?

Ender, incorrect. Think northwest Turkey.

I know it’s not Constantinople/Istanbul and would confess I need a map otherwise. Thought Edime was the original/traditional seat of the Ottomans, but obviously wrong. Clearly I should have paid more attention in history class.

Edirne *is* northwestern Turkey :p

It was also the capital before they took Constantinople and moved it there, but if you're saying it's not the subject of the question, I'm not sure what the capital was before it. Complete guess would be Bursa? Fairly high on Civ city order, and iirc Ankara wasn't that relevant until Ataturk...

Fairly certain I'm in the 'instinctive' category for Amby's one.

Mouse, from memory you are instinctively aware.

Good try Ender, but no (Google tells me that was 30 April 1789.)

The plane was hijacked to demand the release of the imprisoned terrorists responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes that happened during the Olympic Games in Munich 1972.

@Ambassador: I'm guessing it's a very significant event to the group you're referring to (which I assume includes yourself). And if I'm not mistaken from the podcast, you're Australian, no? So, perhaps it is an important event in Australia 230 years ago? I'm poor on Australian history, but I know it was "discovered" a lot earlier, so
it can't be that. Something to do with its colonial rule?

@Technostar: your question makes me aware of how little I know of African history! I blame the educational system!

@Technostar Being a language nerd I think I remember that the language on madagascar is related to the oceanian languages. That would suggest that the people who settled there were from there somewhere? It seems unlikely that people from small islands like Tonga colonized Madagascar so perhaps some larger place like New Guinea?

I've always known that my history needs improving, but I'm still annoyed that I don't think I could have answered any so far. I'll add a Q I know the answer to - perhaps the 'instinctively know it' rule should be applied here, as it might be easy for a certain few. Then again, it might be easy for all, in which case feel free to hurl abuse.

- Who won the battle of Ethandun in 878, defeating whom?

@d-ice.... ooh you are so close!

@technostar, I don't know but think it was something like from the Maldives?

@battalion, great question but no idea!

I realise that the name of the event probably isn't as well known as the event itself (and I have no idea how well the event is known internationally - a clue in itself given how I spell things...) - if people aren't getting closer later, I'll give another pointer or two.

@Ambassador - As for your question, if d-ice is close then perhaps it'll be colonisation itself?

@Batallion: I've never heard of Ethandun, but the year suggests it was a battle between Vikings and the English (from watching the Vikings TV-show I assume the kingdom of Merica, which might have been led by king Alfred at the time? Or was he later?). Anyway I haven't finished watching this season yet so I don't know if the battle is actually depicted in the show, nor do I know who won that battle. I'll put my money on the English, as that would make for an interesting season finale.

Ethandun was Wessex defeating the Danes

@Ambassador: On the colonization of Australia. Could it be that the Brits divided Australia into her states? I know it doesn't feel significant enough, and it doesn't rhyme very well with Victoria either, as she wasn't borne yet. But I can't think of anything else, perhaps the state had another name at the time?

Another guess would be the installment of the first British governor (or something) of Australia?

@d-ice I'm sorry if I've spoiled the plot. Spoiler alert as I'll give a little more context below.

@fasces got it. King Alfred the great defeated Guthrum of the Danes after coming out of exile in the marshes. The victory is often attributed to the birth of England, although recently there is a lot of debate surrounding that. Either way, an important turning point in the history of our small island given that Saxon rule was all but conquered at that point, but subsequently survive until William the Conqueror in 1066...

Heres another question-what did Trotsky die from?

Mexico.

@Batallion: Thanks for the spoiler alert, I'm not reading your post.
@Surok: Trostky died from an assassination. I don't know any specifics about the attack if that's what you're asking for.

New question: Which real-life monarch was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula?

He dies from an ice axe, by an assasssin sent from Stalin.