TODAY IN HISTORY

In 912, Venice was founded and its main square named after St. Mark to honour his feast day.

In 1214, Louis IX, king of France and saint, was born. Leader of the Seventh and Eighth Crusades (he died on the latter), he was known for his humility.

In 1507, German cartographer Martin Waldseemueller named a huge land mass in the Western Hemisphere “America,” in honor of Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci.

In 1599, Oliver Cromwell, Puritan lord protector of England, was born near Cambridge. As lord protector he sought to allow more freedom of religion.

In 1792, a highwayman named Nicolas Pelletier became the first person to be guillotined in France when he was executed in Paris.

In 1849, Governor General Lord Elgin signed into law a bill providing payment for people who lost property in the rebellions of 1837-38. English Quebecers were infuriated the Queen’s representative would sign a bill rewarding treason. Rioting broke out and the Parliament buildings in Montreal were burned down. Lord Elgin was almost killed, but he could not call out British troops to quell the riots because they were not to interfere in a Canadian civil matter.

In 1850, news agency founder Paul Julius Reuter used 40 pigeons to carry stock market prices between Brussels and Aachen, Belgium.