On this day in 1266, the Battle of Benevento took place in southern Italy, where the forces of Manfred of Sicily clashed with the troops of Charles of Anjou.
On this day in 1266, the Battle of Benevento took place in southern Italy, where the forces of Manfred of Sicily fought against the troops of Charles of Anjou in a decisive struggle for power.
On this day in 1616, the Roman Inquisition demanded that Galileo renounce his belief in heliocentrism, according to which the Earth and the other planets orbit the sun.
In 1773, Pennsylvania approved the construction of the Walnut Street Prison in Philadelphia, marking the first use of solitary confinement in the United States.
In 1797, the Bank of England issued the first ever £1 note, a watershed moment in the history of British currency and paper money circulation.
In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte and his supporters launched a 100-day adventure from Elba to regain control of France.
In 1839, the first Grand National steeplechase took place at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, where Jem Mason won the race as the 5/1 favourite.
On this day in 1863 Abraham Lincoln signed the National Currency Act, which laid the foundation for a unified national currency in the United States. The aim of the act was to regulate banking and stabilize the country’s financial system by introducing a standardized currency.
On this day in 1891, Golden Gate Park welcomed its first buffalo, marking the beginning of a groundbreaking initiative to preserve and protect the species.
In 1899, Anton Bruckner’s “Symphony No. 6 in A” was performed for the first time, conducted by Gustav Mahler with the Vienna Philharmonic in Graz, Austria.
On this day in 1907 Royal Oil and Shell merged, paving the way for the creation of British Petroleum (BP). This merger marked a pivotal moment in the oil industry, leading to the emergence of one of the world’s largest energy companies.
In 1910, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi supported a day of mourning on the arrival of the Prince of Wales in South Africa, and protested against the disenfranchisement of Indians and Africans under the South Africa Act.
In 1912, coal miners across Britain went on strike demanding better pay and working conditions. The dispute continued until a settlement was reached on 1 March.
In 1914, Titanic’s sister ship HMHS Britannic was launched at Harland & Wolff in Belfast. Initially built as an ocean liner, it was later converted into a hospital ship during World War I.
On this day in 1991, during the Gulf War, coalition forces launch airstrikes on retreating Iraqi troops in Kuwait, causing heavy casualties on the infamous “Highway of Death.”
