Today in History is a daily newsletter from Britannica. (more) Today in History—March 22: The Most Ingenious Prison Escape Written by Michele Metych Michele Metych is the lead editor for Today in History at Encyclopædia Britannica. Michele Metych Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Mar. 19, 2026 •History On this day in 1621, the man who would later be called the “father of international law” was smuggled out of prison disguised as a chest of books. Today in History is a daily newsletter from Britannica.Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Want to learn more about what happened on March 22, or any other day of the year? Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox every morning. It was his wife’s idea—and it worked. Dutch legal scholar...

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