ON THIS DAY MAY 14

1607 English colonists establish the first permanent English settlement in America at Jamestown. Unknown to them they have landed amidst the worst drought in 800 years. 1610 Protestant King Henry IV of France is assassinated by fanatical Catholic François Ravaillac who stabs him to death in the streets of Paris.

1643 Louis XIV becomes French king, aged 4. 1796 English country doctor Edward Jenner administers the first inoculation against smallpox, using cowpox pus, in Berkeley, Gloucestershire.

1878 Vaseline is patented.

1889 The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is launched in London. 1948 Israel declares its independence from British administration.

1973 The first space station, Skylab is launched.

1991 Winnie Mandela sentenced to 6 years for complicity in the kidnapping and beating of four youths, one of whom died, She is freed pending appeal.

1995 Dalai Lama proclaims 6-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima 11th reincarnation of Panchen Lama, Tibet’s 2nd most senior spiritual leader. 1995 At 43 years, 162 days Manchester City goalkeeper John Burridge becomes the oldest player to appear in an EPL match, a 3-2 home defeat to Queens Park Rangers.

1997 Speaking before the TRC, FW de Klerk repeats his assertion that murder and torture had never been part of government policy, and apologizes ‘once and for all’ for apartheid. 2010 The 51 700 seat Aviva Stadium is officially opened on the site of the famous old Lansdowne Road Stadium in Dublin.

2018 Chinese mountain climber and double amputee Xia Boyu reaches the summit of Mt Everest.

2020 The global death toll from Covid-19 passes 300 000 with 4.4 million confirmed infections. | THE HISTORIAN