TODAY in HISTORY

Today is Monday, September 3, the 239th day of 2018. There are 126 days left in the year.

673 King Wamba of the Visigoths puts down a revolt by Hilderic, governor of Nîmes ( France) and rival for the throne. 863 Major Byzantine victory at the Battle of Lalakaon against an Arab raid. 1189 Richard I of England ( a. k. a. Richard “the Lionheart”) is crowned at Westminster.

1260 The Mamluks defeat the Mongols at the Battle of Ain Jalut in Palestine, marking their first decisive defeat and the point of maximum expansion of the Mongol Empire. 1411 The Treaty of Selymbria is concluded between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice.

1651 Third English Civil War: Battle of Worcester: Charles II of England is defeated in the last main battle of the war.

1666 The Royal Exchange burns down in the Great Fire of London. 1798 The week long battle of St. George’s Caye begins between Spain and Britain off the coast of Belize. 1802 William Wordsworth composes the sonnet Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802. 1843 King Otto of Greece is forced to grant a constitution following an uprising in Athens. 1875 The first official game of polo is played in Argentina after being introduced by British ranchers. 1914 William, Prince of Albania leaves the country after just six months due to opposition to his rule. 1933 Yevgeniy Abalakov is the first man to reach the highest point in the Soviet Union, Communism Peak ( now called Ismoil Somoni Peak and situated in Tajikistan) ( 7495 m).

1945 A three- day celebration begins in China, following the Victory over Japan Day on September 2.

1950 “Nino” Farina becomes the first Formula One Drivers’ champion after winning the 1950 Italian Grand Prix.

1954 The People’s Liberation Army begins shelling the Republic of Chinacontrolled islands of Quemoy, starting the First Taiwan Strait Crisis.

1967 Dagen H in Sweden: Traffic changes from driving on the left to driving on the right overnight. 1976 Viking program: The American Viking 2 spacecraft lands at Utopia Planitia on Mars. 1987 In a coup d’état in Burundi, President Jean- Baptiste Bagaza is deposed by Major Pierre Buyoya. 2016 The U. S. and China, together responsible for 40 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions, both formally joined the Paris global climate agreement. 2017 North Korea conducts its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.