On This Day in History for December 31
Events in History
- 192 Roman Emperor Commodus survives poisoning attempt by his mistress only to be strangled in the bath in assassination plot
- 406 80,000 Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine at Mainz, beginning invasion of Gallia
- 535 Byzantine General Belisarius completes the conquest of Sicily, defeating Ostrogothic garrison of Syracuse, and ending his consulship for the year
- 765 Coffin of Ho-tse Shen-hui interred in a stupa built in China
- 870 Skirmish at Englefield: Ethelred of Wessex beats Danish invasion army
- 1229 James I of Aragon the Conqueror enters Medina Mayurqa (Palma) consummating Christian conquest of the island of Majorca
- 1492 100,000 Jews expelled from Sicily
- 1502 Cesare Borgia (son of pope Alexander VI) occupies Urbino
- More Events in History
Andreas Vesalius
Charles Cornwallis
Henri Matisse
George Marshall
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Diane von FurstenbergWeddings in History
- 1910 Editor Maxwell Perkins (26) weds Louise Saunders at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in North Plainfield, New Jersey
- 1978 Best-selling author Michael Crichton (36) weds lawyer Kathleen St. Johns
More Weddings in History
Commodus
John Flamsteed
Richard Montgomery
Marshall McLuhan
Benedict XVIDecember in History
The Taming of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill made an emotional speech to the Canadian Parliament on this day, December 30, 1941. His photograph from that day is just as memorable.
December 30, 1941
Soviet Union Founded
Signature page of the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR
December 30, 1922
Collector Samuel Pepys Sets a Shining Example
Fire, warfare and discontent meant 1666 was not a good year, his collection of silver plate seemingly providing the only bright spot for diarist Samuel Pepys.
December 31, 1666
Battle of Quebec
The Death of General Montgomery in the failed American Attack on Quebec City
December 31, 1775