Sunday, August 5, 2012

August 5th in History



1100 - Henry I is crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey.

1305 - William Wallace, who led the Scottish resistance against England, is captured by the English near Glasgow and transported to London where he is put on trial and executed.

1620 - The Mayflower departs from Southampton, England on its first attempt to reach North America.

1772 - The First Partition of Poland begins.

1860 - Charles XV of Sweden of Sweden-Norway is crowned King of Norway in Trondheim

1870 - Franco-Prussian War: the Battle of Spicheren is fought, resulting in a Prussian victory.

1926 - Harry Houdini performs his greatest feat, spending 91 minutes underwater in a sealed tank before escaping.


1960 - Burkina Faso, then known as Upper Volta, becomes independent from France.

1962 - Nelson Mandela is jailed. He would not be released until 1990.

Famous Birthdays:

1797 - Friedrich August Kummer, composer

1866 - Harry Trott, cricketer

1908 - Harold Holt, 17th Prime Minister of Australia

1930 - Michal Kováč, politician

1934 - Gay Byrne, broadcaster

1956 - Maureen McCormick, actress

1969 - Robert Scott, rower

1975 - Kajol Mukherjee, actress



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