Today in History

Historical Events

1595 - Spanish Mendaña and Queirós Expedition departs Callao, Peru, led by Alvaro de Mendan accompanied by 378 men, women and children in four ships to colonise the Solomon Islands (find Marquesas instead)
1914 - "World, the Flesh and the Devil," the first color film, is shown in London
1973 - Otto Kerner, former governor of Illinois, convicted for his role in an illegal racetrack scheme
2017 - Suicide car bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia kills at least 17, Al-Shabaab group claim responsibility
2024 - Simon Harris becomes Ireland's youngest taoiseach at 37 after the resignation of Leo Varadkar

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Famous Birthdays

1773 - Étienne Aignan, French writer, born in Beaugency, France (d. 1824)
1895 - Rudolf Kattnigg, Austrian composer, born in Carinthia, Austria (d. 1955)
1917 - Vincent O'Brien, Irish racehorse trainer (6 x Epsom Derby; 2 x British champion trainer; only British Triple Crown winner, Nijinsky 1970), born in Churchtown, Ireland (d. 2009)
1946 - Alan Knott, English cricket wicket-keeper (1967-81), born in Belvedere, Kent
1967 - Graeme Lloyd, Australian baseball pitcher (World Series 1996, 98 NY Yankees; Olympic silver 2004), born in Geelong, Australia

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Famous Deaths

1865 - Thomas Alfred Smyth, Irish/US Union general-major, dies at 32
1879...