Today in History

1095 – Pope Urban II orders the first Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land, in perhaps the most influential speech of the Middle Ages, saying: ‘‘Deus vult!’’ or ‘‘God wills it!’’

1582 – William Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway.

1847 – Death of Nga¯ti Toa chief Te Rauparaha, right, in O¯ taki.

1895 – Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel signs his last will, in which he leaves the bulk of his wealth to endow annual prizes.

1935 – New Zealand’s first Labour government takes power, under Michael Joseph Savage.

1942 – The French navy scuttles its ships and submarines at Toulon to keep them out of the hands of the Nazis. 1978 – Gay activist Harvey Milk is murdered in City Hall in San Francisco.

1990 – John Major is chosen as leader of the Conservative Party – and prime minister of Britain – after the resignation of Margaret Thatcher.

1999 – The Labour Party, led by Helen Clark, wins most seats in the general election, paving the way for Clark to become New Zealand’s first elected female prime minister.

2009 – Golfer Tiger Woods is injured in an accident outside his home, as reports begin to emerge of serial marital infidelity, leading to a divorce from wife Elin Nordegren.

2014 – Australian cricketer Philip Hughes dies after being struck by a cricket ball two days earlier.

2017 – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce their engagement; eight donkeys are freed from four days in jail in northern India, for eating ‘‘very expensive’’ plants.

Birthdays

Anders Celsius, Swedish creator of temperature scale (1701-44); Chaim Weizmann, first president of Israel (1874-1952); Bruce Lee, Chinese-US actor (1940-73); Jimi Hendrix, US musician (1942-70); Kathryn Bigelow, US director (1951-); Farah Palmer, Black Fern (1972-).