1815: Napoleon defeated at Waterloo
On this day, Napoleon
Bonaparte suffers defeat at the hands of the Duke of Wellington, bringing an end to the
Napoleonic era of European history. Forced to abdicate as French emperor in 1814, Napoleon escaped from a brief exile on the island of Elba in 1815 to
France, where he raised a new Grand Army. For the next 100 days,
Napoleon, once regarded as an invincible military commander, again enjoyed success on the battlefields of Europe. However, on June 18, 1815, at the Battle of Waterloo in
Belgium, he suffered his last defeat against an allied force under Wellington. Soon after, Napoleon was arrested and exiled to the island of St. Helena, where he died six years later.
1997
Sirhan Sirhan, jailed for the assassination of US presidential candidate Robert Kennedy in 1968, has his 10th appeal for
parole turned down.
1996
Benjamin Netanyahu is sworn in as Israel's youngest ever Prime Minister at the head of a right-wing coalition government.1983
American Sally Ride becomes the first woman US astronaut in space with the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger.1979
US President
Jimmy Carter and Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev sign a Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT 2) in Vienna.
1975
In Riyadh ,Saudi Arabia, the public beheading in a shopping centre car park of Prince Faisal Ibn Musead Abdul Aziz for the murder of his uncle, King Faisal.1963
British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper comes close to becoming world champion - knocking
Cassius Clay (later
Mohammed Ali) to the floor at the end of the fourth round of their world championship bout at Wembley Stadium, London. Clay wins the fight in Round Six when the
referee decides the cut above Cooper' eye is too bad for the fight to continue.
1953
Following a military coup,
Egypt is declared a republic.
1935
Germany signs a treaty with Britain limiting the size of the
German fleet to 35 percent that of the
Royal Navy. 1928
American air pioneer
Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
1867
Mexican Emperor Ferdinand Maximillian Josepoh is executed by
firing squad following a revolution.
1817
In London, the opening of
Waterloo Bridge across the River Thames – originally Strand Bridge but re-named in honour of the British victory at Waterloo in 1815.
1815
Battle of Waterloo between the French forces of Napoleon
Bonaparte and the combined armies of
Britain, led by the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian forces commanded by Field Marshal Blucher.
1778
American War of Independence: Colonial forces enter Philadelphia following the British
evacuation of more than 12,000 troops.
1633
In Edinburgh,
Charles I is crowned King of Scotland.
1429
The French, led by
Joan of Arc, defeat the English at the Battle of Patay.
1961
English singer Alison Moyet.1942
Ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney born in Liverpool, England.1941
English TV cookery broadcaster Delia Smith.1929
Hungarian actress Eva Bartok.1913
American songwriter Sammy Cahn.1912
American singer Perry Como.1901
American actress/singer Jeanette MacDonald born in Philadelphia.1886
English mountain climber George Mallory.1982
German
actor Curt Jurgens aged 66.
1975
In Riyadh ,Saudi Arabia, the public beheading in a shopping centre car park of Prince Faisal Ibn Musead Abdul Aziz for the murder of his uncle, King Faisal.1958
Former England cricket captain Douglas Jardine - captain of the England touring side during the controversial 'bodyline' series against
Australia in 1932-1933.
1928
Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen .1916
German Chief of Staff during
World War I, Helmuth von Moltke, aged 67.
1867
Mexican Emperor Ferdinand Maximillian Josepoh is executed by
firing squad following a revolution.
