IT HAPPENED TODAY
1814:
Britain and its allies entered Paris in triumph against Napoleon Bonaparte.
1842:
Ether was used as an anaesthetic for the first time, by American surgeon Dr Crawford Long.
1853:
Artist Vincent van Gogh (above), who painted Sunflowers, was born in the Dutch village of Groot-zundert.
1856:
The Crimean War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
1867:
Alaska was bought by America from Russia for $7.2million — less than two cents an acre.
1945:
The advancing Russian forces captured the Baltic Sea port of Danzig, also known as Gdansk.
1972:
The Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act came into force decreeing direct rule from London and prompting the resignation of then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Brian Faulkner (below).
1981:
US President Ronald Reagan was wounded in an assassination bid outside Washington’s Hilton Hotel.
1986:
James Cagney, American tough-guy actor, died aged 86.
1987:
Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh was sold at auction by Christie’s for £24.75million.
2002:
The Queen Mother died peacefully in her sleep at Buckingham Palace at the age of 101.
ON THIS DAY LAST YEAR:
An adventurer from Basingstoke set off on a solo round the world trip in a gyrocopter.
BIRTHDAYS:
Warren Beatty, actor, 83; Eric Clapton, guitarist, 75; Robbie Coltrane, actor, 70; MC Hammer (Stanley Kirk Burrell), rapper, 58; Tracy Chapman, singer, 56; Piers Morgan, broadcaster and former tabloid editor, 55; Celine Dion (above), singer, 52; Norah Jones, singer, 41.