On This Day in History: March 20 In 1345, scholars at the University of Paris believed that the conjunction of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn caused the Black Death. In reality, the plague was spread by the Yersinia pestis bacterium through fleas, rats and other animals. In 1648, King Charles I of England attempted to escape…
Historical Events on March 19
On This Day in History: March 19 In 1077 the Norman monk Gundulf was consecrated as Bishop of Rochester. As chief engineer to William the Conqueror, he later oversaw the construction of Rochester Castle and the White Tower of the Tower of London. In 1644, when the dynasty was near its collapse, 200 members of…
Historical Events on March 18
On This Day in History: March 18 In A.D. 37, the Roman Senate annulled Tiberius’ will and declared Caligula emperor, beginning a new era for Rome. In 1229, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II declared himself King of Jerusalem, establishing his rule without papal approval, marking a key moment in the Sixth Crusade. In 1314, Jacques…
Historical Events on March 17
On This Day in History: March 17 In 432, at the age of about 16, St. Patrick was captured by Irish pirates from his home in Great Britain and taken as a slave to Ireland (traditional date). In 1580, Prince William I of Orange was welcomed in Amsterdam. In 1762, New York City hosted its…
Historical Events on March 16
On This Day in History: March 16 In 1079 Iran adopted the Solar Hijri calendar, which is still in use today. In 1322, the Battle of Boroughbridge took place during the First War of Scottish Independence. In 1527, the Mughal army led by Babur defeated the Rajput confederacy led by Rana Sanga in the Battle…
Historical Events on March 15
On This Day in History: March 15 In 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was assassinated in Rome in March, stabbed to death by Brutus, Cassius, and other Roman senators. In 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Spain after completing his first voyage to the New World. In 1770, 14-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completed his String Quartet No….
Historical Events on March 14
On This Day in History: March 14 In 1590, King Henry IV of France defeated the Catholic League at the Battle of Ivry during the French Wars of Religion. In 1743, the first American town meeting was held at Boston’s Faneuil Hall. In 1812, the US Congress approved war bonds to finance the War of…
Historical Events on March 13
On This Day in History: March 13 In 1634, the first meeting of the future French Academy took place at the Paris residence of Valentin Conrart, laying the foundation for France’s premier linguistic institution. In 1778, France informed Great Britain of its treaty with America, four days after which Britain declared war. In 1865, Confederate…
Historical Events on March 12
On This Day in History: March 12 In 1054 Pope Leo IX escaped from prison and returned to Rome and resumed his papacy. In 1455, the first mention of Johannes Gutenberg’s Bible appeared in a letter from Enea Silvio Piccolomini, mentioning its printing the year before. In 1594, Dutch merchants in Amsterdam founded the Company…
Historical Events on March 11
On This Day in History: March 11 In 843, the veneration of icons was officially reintroduced in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, marking an end to Byzantine iconoclasm. In 1708, Queen Anne withheld royal assent to the Scottish Militia Bill, the last time a British monarch vetoed a bill. In 1789, Benjamin Banneker and Pierre…