Today in History

1098 – The Crusaders defeat the Turks at Antioch during the First Crusade.

1762 – Catherine the Great seizes power in Russia, declaring herself sovereign.

1836 – Snow falls in Sydney. 1838 – The coronation of Queen Victoria, right, takes place in London.

1846 – The saxophone is patented by Antoine-Joseph ‘‘Adolfe’’ Sax.

1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie are assassinated, setting in motion a chain of events that would lead to the start of World War I.

1919 – The Treaty of Versailles is signed, formally ending WWI.

1928 – Jazz musician Louis Armstrong records West End Blues.

1971 – The United States Supreme Court overturns boxer Muhammad Ali’s conviction for avoiding the military draft.

1973 – Prime Minister Norman Kirk tells the crew of Otago, about to depart for Mururoa to protest against nuclear testing, that their mission is to be silent witnesses ‘‘with the power to bring alive the conscience of the world’’.

1997 – Mike Tyson bites Evander Holyfield’s ears in a heavyweight boxing bout. He is disqualified in the third round.

2012 – Archaeologists say pottery fragments found in a south China cave have been confirmed as being 20,000 years old, making them the oldest pottery in the world. Birthdays Henry VIII, King of England (1491-1547); John Wesley, English evangelist (1703-1791); Mel Brooks, US film-maker (1926-); John Inman, English actor (1935-2007); Kathy Bates, US actress (1948-); John Elway, American NFL player (1960-); John Cusack, US actor (1966-), Willie Apiata, New Zealand soldier awarded the Victoria Cross; Duane Mann, NZ rugby league player (1965-); Mushtaq Ahmed, Pakistani cricketer (1970-), Jimmy Spithill, Australian sailor (1979-).