Today in history

Today is Saturday, October 20, the 293rd day of 2018. There are 72 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date:

1587 — Huguenots defeat the Catholic League at the

Battle of Coutras, France.

1639 — France’s Cardinal de Richelieu secures the arrest of Charles, Pretender to the Palatinate, at Moulins.

1740 — Maria Theresa becomes ruler of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia upon the death of her father, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI.

1822 — Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper is

published for the first time.

1827 — A TurkishEgyptian fleet is destroyed by a combined AngloFrenchRussian armada in the

Battle of Navarino.

1840 — 3000 acres (1214ha) of land is purchased from local Ngati Whatua chiefs for the Auckland settlement.

1842 — A huge fire ravages Wellington; New Zealand’s first formal race meeting is held at Petone.

1851 — The building of New Zealand’s first Baptist church is started at Nelson. It takes three years to complete the project because the building of a local brewery requires most of the region’s stonemasons.

1865 — Pai Marire warriors surrender at Te Teko in

the Bay of Plenty.

1888 — The Rev Rutherford Waddell draws attention to sweated labour in the Otago clothing industry.