Category: Today In History

1502 – Christopher Columbus lands at Honduras on his fourth, and final, voyage. 1635 – Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II of Austria declares war on France. 1679 – New Hampshire becomes a county of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. 1793 – The first cornerstone of the Capitol building is laid by George Washington. 1812 – The...

668 – Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse, Italy. 1440 – Gilles de Rais, one of the earliest known serial killers, is taken into custody upon an accusation brought against him by Jean de Malestroit, Bishop of Nantes. 1616 – The first non-aristocratic, free public school in Europe is...

585 BC – Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, king of Rome, celebrates a triumph for his victories over the Sabines, and the surrender of Collatia. 1501 – Michelangelo begins work on his statue of David. 1504 – Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand issue a Royal Warrant for the construction of a Royal Chapel (Capilla Real) to be...

1609 – Henry Hudson begins his exploration of the Hudson River while aboard the Halve Maen. 1683 – Austro-Ottoman War: Battle of Vienna: Several European armies join forces to defeat the Ottoman Empire. 1857 – The SS Central America sinks about 160 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, drowning a total of 426 passengers...

1226 – The Roman Catholic practice of public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass spreads from monasteries to parishes. 1541 – Santiago, Chile, is destroyed by indigenous warriors, led by Michimalonco. 1609 – Henry Hudson discovers Manhattan Island and the indigenous people living there. 1776 – British-American peace conference on Staten Island fails...

1492 – Christopher Columbus sails from La Gomera in the Canary Islands, his final port of call before crossing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. 1522 – The Victoria, the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, returns to Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, becoming the first ship to circumnavigate the world. 1620 –...