The Wombat File Is Yours to Keep: The Friday Quiz: Beyond Pádraig

We're tempted this morning to offer a tribute to our favorite under-known Irish literary prankster, Flann O'Brien, in the form of a quiz question, but we fear we'd be throwing the contest all too easily to some fellow Myles Na Gopaleen fans.

However, March 17 provides some other notable historical anniversaries. One in particular:

On this day, a famed leader put some 300 men into battle -- the largest force he had ever commanded -- with mounts for about a third of them, in pursuit of a military victory that was predicted to happen at little cost of blood. However, the general found his enemies more prepared for his assault than he'd predicted. The battle began with a three-on-three fight of champions, before the leader eventually charged his men. According to one historian, "this spectacular and unsought success" meant that everyone "would have to take him seriously." The name of the place at which the battle was fought has become a touchstone, and in fact one modern military force borrows its name from this community.

Who was the leader? For a bonus point, what was the town?

First correct answer posted to comments wins an unsealed bottle of cabbage liqueur. No Googling or asking the leprechaun you've been spotting out of the corner of your eye ever since you ate that out-of-date package of Lucky Charms last night while you were watching Jon Stewart. One guess per comment please, but you may comment as often as you like.

Comments

Ethan Allen.

Posted by: boxjam | March 17, 2006 10:44 AM

William Wallace?

Posted by: james | March 17, 2006 12:29 PM

Bob Hope, beyotch.

Posted by: herbivorous | March 17, 2006 01:12 PM

Nothing yet. The closest, in terms of time, is Wallace, but that's still wide of the mark in several ways.

Posted by: BT | March 17, 2006 02:12 PM

I'm thinking of something Crusades-y. King Richard the Lion-Hearted? (He'd always wanted to be King Richard the Horse-Hung, but affordable internet access didn't reach Jerusalem for hundreds of years, so the spam he needed never reached him. Sad, really.)

Posted by: herbivorous | March 17, 2006 02:33 PM

Lord Nelson & Trafalgar?

Posted by: james | March 17, 2006 02:47 PM

Alfred the Great

Posted by: boxjam | March 17, 2006 02:51 PM

Robert the Bruce

Posted by: boxjam | March 17, 2006 03:54 PM

Wasn't Trafalgar a naval battle?

Posted by: herbivorous | March 17, 2006 04:14 PM

(Not that you're catching the glint of canny insight off my guesses, either.)

Posted by: herbivorous | March 17, 2006 04:16 PM

Yeah, Nelson was an admiral. What about it? You sayin' sailors cannot be mounted? 3-on-3 couldn't be bitchin' sailboats?

Posted by: james | March 17, 2006 04:21 PM

let's cover all bases: Bruce the Robert (now makes quality shirts)

Posted by: james | March 17, 2006 04:22 PM

Atilla the Hun

Posted by: boxjam | March 17, 2006 05:07 PM

Tokugawa Ieyasu?

Posted by: art | March 17, 2006 06:58 PM

Charlemagne?

Posted by: art | March 17, 2006 07:10 PM

The military force is the Istanbullies (no offense intended, of course).

Posted by: art | March 17, 2006 07:48 PM

Sorry I couldn't check in earlier. Work has gotten kind of big-brotherish, and then when I came home we had guests.

This one worked out a stumper: The man in question is Mohammed, who at Badr proved that he and his forces could beat the Meccans, and his victory their was seen later as enabled by the specific intervention of God.

And, of course, the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq has, as its armed wing, the Badr Organization (also/formerly known as The Badr Brigade).

But "Istanbullies" is an excellent answer, Art.

Posted by: BT | March 17, 2006 11:59 PM

The Wombat File Is Yours to Keep

The Wombat File is a Delaying Tactic that May Save Your Life

The Friday Quiz: Beyond Pádraig

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