Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 March 12

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The Government of the Han Dynasty had its capital at Chang'an, and later Luoyang. The emperor headed the government, promulgating all written laws, serving as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and presiding as the chief executive official. He appointed all government officials who earned a salary of 600 bushels of grain or more with the help of advisors who reviewed each nominee. Near the beginning of the dynasty, semi-autonomous regional kings rivaled the emperor's authority. This autonomy was greatly diminished when the imperial court enacted reforms following the threats to central control like the Rebellion of the Seven States. The empress dowager could either be the emperor's actual or symbolic mother, and was in practice more powerful than the emperor, as she could override his decisions. The emperor's executive powers could also be practiced by any official upon whom he bestowed the Staff of Authority. These powers included the right to execute criminals without the imperial court's permission. The highest officials in the central bureaucracy, who provided advisory, censorial, executive, and judicial roles in governing the empire, consisted of cabinet members known as the Excellencies, heads of large specialized ministries known as the Nine Ministers, and various metropolitan officials of the capital region. Local government divisions, in descending order by size, were the province, commandery, county, and district. (more...)

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  • An explosion at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant (pictured) raises fears of a nuclear meltdown.
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  • Amid a continued uprising in Libya, France becomes the first country to recognize the National Transitional Council as Libya's legitimate government.
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  • On this day...

    March 12: Independence Day in Mauritius (1968); Arbor Day in China and Taiwan

    Gandhi at the Dandi March

  • 515 BCE – Construction of the Temple in Jerusalem was completed.
  • 538Vitiges, king of the Ostrogoths, ended his siege of Rome, leaving the city in the hands of the victorious Roman general, Belisarius.
  • 1622Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier, founders of the Jesuits, were canonized as saints by Pope Gregory XV.
  • 1930Gandhi began the Dandi March (pictured), a 24-day walk to defy the British tax on salt in colonial India.
  • 1947Cold War: U.S. President Harry S. Truman proclaimed the Truman Doctrine to help stem the spread of Communism.
  • 1971 – The Turkish Armed Forces executed a coup by memorandum, forcing the resignation of Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel.
  • More anniversaries: March 11March 12March 13

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    Canberra

    A stitched panoramic view of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, as seen from the top of Black Mountain Tower. Among the many landmarks visible are (left-to-right) Mount Ainslie, Canberra International Airport (in the distance near the horizon), Australian National University (slightly below the city centre), and Lake Burley Griffin (centre-right).

    Photo: JJ Harrison

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