Today in History

284 – Roman cavalry commander Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by the army.

1805 – Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fidelio, his only opera, premieres in Vienna.

1818 – Simon Bolivar formally declares Venezuela independent of Spain.

1841 – Seventeen-year-old Maketu¯ Whareto¯tara, son of Nga¯puhi chief Ruhe, goes on a killing spree in the

Bay of Islands, murdering five people. He is eventually executed.

1873 – Cities of Buda and Pest join to form the capital of Hungary.

1901 – Second Hay-Pauncefoot Treaty provides for construction of the Panama Canal by the US.

1929 – Spanish artist Salvador Dali has his first one-man show.

1945 – International War Crimes Tribunal begins as 24 accused Nazi criminals go on trial in Nuremberg, Germany.

1947 – Princess Elizabeth, left, and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten marry in Westminster Abbey, London.

1975 – General Francisco Franco dies. Two days later Juan Carlos becomes king of Spain.

1992 – A fire destroys parts of Windsor Castle, but rescuers help save its art treasures.

1995 – Princess Diana admits in a TV interview that she was unfaithful to Prince Charles.

2003 – The All Blacks beat France 40-13 to claim third place at the Rugby World Cup.

2014 – Nearly five million illegal migrants in the US have the threat of deportation deferred, after President Barack Obama announces immigration changes.

Birthdays:

Alexander Hamilton, US politician

(1755-1804); Edwin Hubble, US astronomer (1889-1953); Alistair Cooke, UK journalist (1908-2004); Robert F Kennedy, US politician

(1925-68); Joe Biden, US politician

(1942-); Bo Derek, US actress (1956-); Chris Harris, NZ cricketer (1969-); Dion Nash, NZ cricketer (1971-).