ON THIS DAY

IN HISTORY

The Zuiderzee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses, killing 50 000 people.

Princess Mary Stuart, aged 6 days, becomes Queen of Scots on the death of her father, James V.

The Forty-Seven Ronin avenge the death of their master in the Akō vendetta.

The Montgolfier brothers test-fly an unmanned hot air balloon in France for nearly 2km.

Napoleon’s invasion of Russia ends with the remnants of his Grande Armée in retreat.

Physicist Max Planck presents a theory, giving rise to quantum physics.

Reports reach London of the large number of deaths in SA concentration camps.

The Wright brothers make their first attempt to fly.

Roald Amundsen’s Norwegian team becomes the first to reach the South Pole.

Jopie Fourie, rebel commando leader during the 1914 Rebellion, is captured.

The UN General Assembly declares that the South African regime has “no right to represent the people of South Africa” and that the liberation movements recognised by the OAU are “the authentic representatives of the overwhelming majority of the South African people”.

Israel annexes Golan Heights, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 war.

Voyager takes off on the first nonstop, non-refuelled flight around world.

The Dayton Agreement is signed in Paris, ending the conflict in former Yugoslavia.

Venezuelan flash floods kill thousands and cause a collapse in the state’s infrastructure.

The tallest bridge in the world is inaugurated near Millau, France.

President George W Bush is almost struck by shoes during a conference in Baghdad.

Amazon announces its first delivery by drone 2km from its warehouse in the UK.

The Vatican announces the rediscovery of the lost last paintings of Raphael, painted in about 1520.

A British surgeon admits branding the liver of patients with his initials. |