ON THIS DAY

752BC Romulus, legendary founder of Rome, celebrates his first triumph after defeating the Caeninenses.

1562 About 1200 French Huguenots are slain at Massacre of Vassy, provoking first French War of Religion.

1565 Estácio de Sá founded the city of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro in the area located between Sugarloaf Mountain and the Cara de Cão mountain.

1767 Clandestine orders are sent out across Spain to expel all members of the Catholic Jesuit order. King Charles III had previously issued a royal edict, blaming the Jesuits for an uprising and ordering their expulsion, but he had rescinded it.

1901 The Australian Army is founded out of the combined forces of the six colonial militaries; Major general Sir Edward Hutton becomes the army’s first commander.

1921 Escapologist Harry Houdini receives a patent for a diving suit that allows the wearer to quickly remove the suit and escape danger.

1921 The Australian cricket team, captained by Warwick Armstrong, wins the fifth and final Test against England – the first time a team has whitewashed an Ashes series.

1932 Charles “Buster” Lindbergh Jr (above), the son of US aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh, is kidnapped from New Jersey home. He is later found murdered.

1966 Soviet Union lands the Venera 3 space probe on Venus.

1968 TAA pilots begin 39day strike in Australia over the operation of DC-9s with only two-pilot crews.

1981 IRA member Bobby Sands begins a hunger strike at the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland. He dies 65 days later.

1994 Australian Broadcasting Authority approves Cable Television Services’ application for 10 cable TV licences.