Friday, October 26, 2012

October 26th in History


306 - Martyrdom of St Demetrius of Thessaloniki

899 - Alfred the Great, King of Wessex dies 

1341 - The Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347 formally begins with the proclamation of John VI Kantakouzenos as Byzantine Emperor at Didymoteicho.

1775 - King George III of Great Britain goes before Parliament to declare the American colonies in rebellion, and authorized a military response to quell the American Revolution.

1776 - Benjamin Franklin departs from America for France on a mission to seek French support for the American Revolution.

1905 - Norway becomes independent from Sweden.

1917 - World War I: Brazil declared in state of war with Central Powers.

1944 - World War II: The Battle of Leyte Gulf ends with an overwhelming American victory.

1967 - Mohammad Reza Pahlavi crowns himself Emperor of Iran and then crowns his wife Farah Empress of Iran.

1977 - The last natural case of smallpox is discovered in Merca district, Somalia. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider this date the anniversary of the eradication of smallpox, the most spectacular success of vaccination.

1985 - The Australian government returns ownership of Uluru to the local Pitjantjatjara Aborigines.

Famous Birthdays:

1427 - Archduke Sigismund of Austria 

1491 - Zhengde Emperor of China

1802 - King Miguel of Portugal 

1869 - Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa, President of Brazil 

1916 - François Mitterrand, President of France 

1966 - Steve Valentine, actor


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