History
On this day in 1431: Joan of Arc burned at the stake
On a grim morning in Rouen, France, on May 30, 1431, a young woman named Joan of Arc was led...
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On this day in 1953: Mount Everest summit reached by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
Two men conquer the world's tallest peak At 11.30am on 29th May 1953, two figures stood triumphant atop the 29,035-foot...
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On this day in 2011: Malta had historic divorce vote
In May 2011, Malta made history by becoming the last country in the European Union to legalise divorce, following a...
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On this day n 1703: St. Petersburg was founded by Russian Tsar Peter the Great
Peter the Great's vision rises from the marshes as St Petersburg is born On 27th May 1703, Russian Tsar Peter...
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On this day in 1977: The movie “Star Wars” (later retitled “A New Hope”) was released
On 26th May 1977, audiences queued around the block at cinemas across America to witness something extraordinary. George Lucas's space...
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On this day in 1453: The last Byzantine emperor’s final stand
The day the last Byzantine emperor died fighting on the walls of Constantinople On this day in 1453, the thunderous...
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On this day in 1701: Captain Kidd meets his end at Execution Dock
On this date in 1701, one of history's most notorious pirates met his grim fate at London's Execution Dock. Captain...
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On this day in 1666: The great fire of London
On 22 May 1666, the Great Fire of London, which had raged for four days, was finally brought under control....
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On this day in 1927: First nonstop solo transatlantic flight made by Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh etched his name into the annals of aviation history on 20-21 May 1927 when he successfully completed the...
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On this day in 1902: Cuba gained its independence from the United States
Cuba's path to independence represents one of history's more nuanced decolonisation stories, characterised by a transfer between imperial powers rather...
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