1431: Joan of Arc martyred
At Rouen,
Joan of Arc, the
peasant girl who became the savior of
France, is burned at the stake for
heresy. At the age of 16, voices of
Christian saints told Joan to aid Charles, the French
dauphin, in gaining the French throne and expelling the English from France. Convinced of the
validity of her divine mission, Charles furnished Joan with a small force of troops. During the next two months, Joan led the French into a series of stunning victories over the English. In July 1429, Reims, the traditional city of
coronation, was captured, and
Charles VII was crowned king, with Joan kneeling at his feet. In 1430, while leading another military expedition against the English, Bourguignon soldiers captured her and sold her to the English, who tried her for heresy. One of the great heroes of French history, Joan of Arc was canonized by the Roman
Catholic Church in 1920.
1997
Diana, Princess of Wales, reprimands a senior aide for telling a newspaper she was furious with former royal nanny Tiggy Legge Bourke for joining Prince William at a picnic at Eton.1989
British singer Cliff Richard releases his 100th single record.1986
England cricketer Ian Botham is banned from international matches for two months for possession of drugs.1971
Launch of the US space probe Mariner 9 on its mission to
Mars. It is able to send more than 7,000 pictures of the planet back to Earth.
1959
The first full-size experimental hovercraft, the SR-N1, built by Saunders- Roe and designed by Sir Christopher Cockerell, is launched at Cowes on the Isle of Wight.1948
The British Citizenship Act confers the status of British subjects on all Commonwealth citizens.1942
World War II: The
RAF carries out its first 1,000 plus bombing raid of
Germany - sending 1,047 aircraft to bomb Cologne.
1911
First running of the Indianapolis 500 motor race. Winner is Ray Harroun at an average speed of 74.59 miles an hour.1848
Mexico ratifies a treaty with America, which gives Mexico 15 million dollars while the United States gain possession of New Mexico, California and parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Colorado.1842
An assassination attempt is made on Queen Victoria as she drives down Constitution Hillin London with her husband Prince Albert. The would-be assassin is John Francis.1656
Formation of the Grenadier Guards the senior regiment of the British Army.1431
Joan of Arc, the French
peasant girl who became a national heroine leading French troops against the English, is burnt at the stake in Rouen for
heresy. She is canonised in 1920 on the anniversary of her death.
1967
British
actor Claude Rains.
1960
Russian writer Boris Pasternak, author of Doctor Zhivago, dies in Moscow.1912
American air pioneer Wilbur Wright.1431
Joan of Arc, the French
peasant girl who became a national heroine leading French troops against the English, is burnt at the stake in Rouen for
heresy. She is canonised in 1920 on the anniversary of her death.
