What Happened on July 9
Historical Events
- 1401 Turko-Mongol ruler Tamerlane (Timur) destroys Baghdad, killing 20,000
- 1790 Russo-Swedish War: Second Battle of Svensksund - in the Baltic Sea, the Swedish Navy captures one third of the Russian fleet
- 1868 Louisiana and South Carolina are the last states to ratify the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing civil rights
- 1893 Daniel Williams repairs the torn pericardium of a knife wound patient, James Cornish, without penicillin or blood transfusion
- 1917 British battleship HMS Vanguard explodes at Scapa Flow (the result of an internal explosion of faulty cordite), killing 804
- 1971 Henry Kissinger visits the People's Republic of China to negotiate a detente between the US and China
- 2002 The African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The first chairman is Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa.
- 2017 Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi proclaims victory over Islamic State forces in Mosul
- More Historical Events
Jul 9 in Film & TV
- 2001 "The Office" mockumentary created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, starring Ricky Gervais and Martin Freeman premieres on BBC Two in the UK
Jul 9 in Music
- 1955 Bill Haley & His Comets "Rock Around the Clock" tops the billboards chart, one of the best-selling singles ever
Jul 9 in Sport
- 1877 First ever Wimbledon tennis championship begins - first official lawn tennis tournament - men's singles only
Did You Know?
Nintendo release arcade game "Donkey Kong" created by Shigeru Miyamoto in Japan (July 31 in the US)
On July 9, 1981
Ferdinand II
Elias Howe
Edward Heath
O.J. Simpson
Tom Hanks
Courtney LoveWould You Believe?
Michael Fagan breaks into Buckingham Palace and enters the Queen's bedroom in Buckingham Palace, London
On July 9, 1982
Famous Weddings
- 1735 Author, poet, critic and lexicographer and writer of the first English dictionary Dr. Samuel Johnson (25) marries the widow Elizabeth "Tetty" Porter, 21 years his senior
- 1842 American writer "The Scarlett Letter" Nathaniel Hawthorne (38) marries painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody (33) in the Peabody's home, Boston
- 1952 American country singer June Carter (23) weds singer Carl "Mr. Country" Smith (25); divorce 1956
Famous Divorces
- 1540 English King Henry VIII annuls his 6 month marriage to his 4th wife Anne of Cleves, on the grounds of non-consummation and her pre-contract to Francis of Lorraine
- 2007 Former contestant on "The Apprentice" and beauty queen Jennifer Murphy (28) divorces "Extreme Makeover" Bill Dorfman (48) due to irreconcilable differences after 1 year of marriage
More Weddings & Divorces
Zachary Taylor
Amedeo Avogadro
King C. Gillette
Alice Paul
Rod Steiger
Ross PerotArticles, Photos and Quiz
Battle of Svolder
The Battle of Svolder, a naval battle fought between King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway and an alliance of his enemies
July 9, 1000
$48 Million Prize Money: Anyone For Tennis?
The first Wimbledon Men’s Singles championship began on this day. The winner received prize money of $15. In 2022 the champion took away more than $2 million.
July 9, 1877
HMS Vanguard Disaster
HMS Vanguard in 1909
July 9, 1917
Weekly Quiz for July 8-14
Test your knowledge of historical events and famous people in our multi-choice, weekly history quiz for July 8-14. Then challenge your friends!
