World Events Today
- Mary Queen of Scots took over the reign of Scotland from her father, King James V of Scotland today in 1542, she was just 6 days old
- The French Invasion of Russia, led by Napoleon, also known as the Patriotic War of 1812, ended today in 1812, the French lost and over half a million died
- Construction of the Three Gorges Dam, the hydroelectric gravity dam spanning the Yangtze River, started today in 1994
Entertainment Events Today
- The hit album London Calling, the third studio album by the British band The Clash, was released today in 1979 in the United Kingdom
- The Australian cricket legend Allan Border scored 205 against New Zealand today in 1987, to become Australia’s record run-scorer, he no longer holds the record
- The British boxer Lennox Lewis was awarded the WBC title today in 1992 without even throwing a punch, Riddick Bowe had earlier given up the title and Lewis was the number one contender
Family Events Today
- George Washington, a founding father and the first President of the United States, died today in 1799 aged 67
- Albert Frederick Arthur George, who would become King George VI following the abdication of his brother Edward VIII, was born today in 1895
- The actor Peter O’Toole, star of the movie Lawrence of Arabia, died today in 2013 aged 81
Main Event Today
- The Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team, became the first to reach the South Pole today in 1911
National Day Today
- Today, it’s National Bouillabaisse Day