1521: Magellan killed in the Philippines
After traveling three-quarters of the way around the globe,
Portuguese navigator
Ferdinand Magellan is killed during a tribal skirmish on Mactan Island. Magellan was helping a local chief conquer a rival tribe when he was injured and left behind by his retreating comrades. In 1520, his expedition had set out from
Spain to find a western passage to
Indonesia. After sailing through the dangerous straits below South America that now
bear his name, he became the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic. Encountering waters so strangely calm that Magellan named the ocean Pacific, his fleet spent 99 days making their westward crossing. After his death in the
Philippines, his ships continued the journey and one of the five original ships returned to Spain in September 1522, thus completing the first
circumnavigation of the world.
1981
Former Beatle Ringo Starr marries American actress Barbara Bach.1974
A Soviet airliner crashes shortly after take-off from Leningrad Airport killing all 108 passengers and crew on board.1972
US
Apollo 16 spacecraft safely crash lands in the Pacific Ocean after taking three astronauts to the
Moon. 1968
The Abortion Act legalises abortion in
Britain. 1967
Opening of the Expo 67 Exhibition in Montreal.1961
Sierra Leone gains independence.1950
Britain officially recognises the State of
Israel. 1943
Britain's first professional women's jockey makes her racing debut.1941
World War II: Athens falls to the
German invaders after 180 days of
Greek resistance.
1938
Greece and
Turkey sign a treaty of friendship.
1937
The world's longest suspension
bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, is officially opened. Its length: 4,200 feet.
1910
Louis Botha and James Hertzob officially found the South African Party.1908
Start of the Fourth Modern Olympic Games in London (April 27-October 31). Britain heads the medal table winning 56 gold.1830
Simon Bolivar abdicates from his position of President of
Colombia. 1828
Opening of the London Zoological Gardens in Regent's Park, London.1810
Beethoven publishes his latest
composition for the piano, Fur Elise.
1964
British singer Sheena Easton.1939
British actress Judy Carne.1904
Irish poet and writer Cecil Day-Lewis - pseudonym of Nicholas Blake.1822
USA President and Army General
Ulysses S.Grant.
1791
USA inventor
Samuel Morse is born in Massachusetts. Inventor of the Morse Code - a system of sending messages via an electric wire.
