Today in History

27BC – The title Augustus is bestowed upon Octavian by the Roman Senate, effectively making him Rome’s first emperor.

1547 – Ivan IV, ‘‘the Terrible’’, is crowned Russia’s first tsar, at the age of 16.

1605 – El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha, better known as Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes, is first published. 1793 – Louis XVI, right, is sentenced to death by France’s National Convention. He is executed five days later. 1917 – Germany proposes in a telegram that Mexico become its ally with a view to recovering Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The telegram is intercepted by British intelligence, hastening US entry into World War I. 1919 – The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, prohibiting the ‘‘manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes’’, is ratified by the requisite number of states. Prohibition comes into effect the following year.

1941 – New Zealand approves a women’s auxiliary air force to enable the RNZAF to release more men for service overseas.

1945 – Adolf Hitler takes to his bunker in Berlin, where he remains until committing suicide on April 30.

1969 – Soviet cosmonauts achieve the first link-up of two manned spaceships while in orbit around Earth.

2001 – Democratic Republic of Congo president Laurent Kabila is assassinated by a teenage member of his bodyguard.

2006 – Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is sworn in as president of Liberia, becoming Africa’s first elected female head of state.

2020 – The impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump begins in the Senate.

Birthdays

William Hall-Jones, NZ prime minister (1851-1936); Eric Liddell, UK athlete/ missionary (1902-45); Dian Fossey, US zoologist (1932-85); Susan Sontag, US writer (1933-2004); John Carpenter, US film director (1948-); Dalvanius Prime, NZ songwriter (1948-2003); Damien O’Connor, NZ politician (1958-); Sade (Helen Adu), UK musician (1959-); James May, UK TV presenter (1963-); Greg Page (Yellow Wiggle), Australian entertainer (1972-); Kate Moss, UK model (1974-); Mary Fisher, NZ paralympic swimmer (1993-).