ON THIS DAY

1431:

St Joan of Arc is burned at the stake at Rouen, France. Spanish Armada under Duke of Medina sails from Lisbon for England. France’s Napoleon Bonaparte annexes Tuscany in Italy. Royal Australian Navy’s first cruiser HMAS Melbourne is launched at Birkenhead, England. American forces secure the Aleutian island of Attu from the Japanese during World War II. US space probe Mariner 9 blasts off from Cape Kennedy, Florida, on a journey to Mars. First boat people from East Timor in 20 years arrive in Darwin. Controversial Rodrigo Duterte becomes the president of the Philippines. Russian tsar Peter the Great (16721725); Australian artist Pro Hart (1928-2006); AFL footballer Matt Maguire (1984).

1588: 1808: 1912: 1943: 1971: 1995: 2016: Birthdays: