July 27th in History

1054 - Siward, Earl of Northumbria invades Scotland and defeats Macbeth, King of Scotland somewhere north of the Firth of Forth.

1214 - Battle of Bouvines : Philip II of France decisively defeats Imperial, English and Flemish armies, effectively ending John of England's Angevin Empire.

1382 - Joanna I of Naples dies

1549 - The Jesuit priest Francis Xavier's ship reaches Japan.

1694 - A Royal charter is granted to the Bank of England.

1794 - French Revolution: Maximilien Robespierre is arrested after encouraging the execution of more than 17,000 "enemies of the Revolution".

1890 - Vincent van Gogh shoots himself and dies two days later.

1929 - The Geneva Convention of 1929, dealing with treatment of prisoners-of-war, is signed by 53 nations.

1940 - The animated short A Wild Hare is released, introducing the character of Bugs Bunny.

1941 - Japanese troops occupy French Indochina.

1942 - World War II: Allied forces successfully halt the final Axis advance into Egypt.

1953 - Fighting in the Korean War ends when the United States, China, and North Korea sign an armistice agreement. Syngman Rhee, President of South Korea, refuses to sign but pledges to observe the armistice.

1955 - The Allied occupation of Austria stemming from World War II, ends.

1974 - Watergate scandal: the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee votes 27 to 11 to recommend the first article of impeachment (for obstruction of justice) against President Richard Nixon.

1990 - The Supreme Soviet of the Belarusian Soviet Republic declares independence of Belarus from the Soviet Union. Until 1996 the day is celebrated as the Independence Day of Belarus; after a referendum held that year the celebration of independence is moved to June 3.

2007 - Phoenix News Helicopter Collision: news helicopters from Phoenix, Arizona television stations KNXV and KTVK collide over Steele Indian School Park in central Phoenix while covering a police chase;

Famous Birthdays

1740 - Jeanne Baré, explorer

1777 - Thomas Campbell, poet

1866 - António José de Almeida, 6th President of Portugal

1915 - Mario Del Monaco, tenor

1938 - Gary Gygax, game designer and writer, co-created Dungeons & Dragons

1952 - Roxanne Hart, actress

1956 - Carol Leifer, actress

1969 - Triple H, wrestler

1975 - Alessandro Pistone, footballer

1977 - Jonathan Rhys Meyers, actor

1989 - Charlotte Arnold, actress

1993 - Max Power, footballer