Events in History
- 27 BC The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate
- 550 Gothic War (535-552): The Ostrogoths, under King Totila, conquer Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison
- 929 Caliphate of Cordoba is established by Emir Abd-al-Rahman III
- 1120 The Council of Nablus is held, establishing the earliest surviving written laws of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem
- 1219 Floods in Northern Netherlands after storm, thousands killed
- 1362 A great storm tide in the North Sea destroys the German island of Strand and the city of Rungholt
- 1412 The Medici family is appointed official banker of the Papacy
- 1492 The first grammar of a modern language, Spanish, is presented to Queen Isabella.
- More Events in History
André Michelin
Fulgencio BatistaWeddings in History
- 1325 Laure de Noves, beloved of Petrarch, marries Hugues de Sade
- 1864 White chapel murder victim and possible Jack the Ripper victim Mary Ann Nichols (18) weds printer's machinist William Nichols
- 1865 Confederate Brigadier-General John Pegram marries Hetty Cary (US Civil War)
More Weddings in History
Edward Gibbon
Hiram R. Revels
George Dewey
Laurent-Désiré KabilaJanuary in History
British Museum Opens its Doors
The British Museum opened to visitors on January 15, 1759. Fearing damage to the collections by unruly hordes, nobody was admitted without a ticket.
January 15, 1759
'Terrifying' Top Hat Causes Sensation
The first time a man stepped out in London wearing a topper it caused a sensation, then a court case. Who now could imagine Fred Astaire without his famous top hat?
January 15, 1797
Prohibition and The Rise of Al Capone
Prohibition began in America on this day. The 13-year ban on alcohol led to resentment, gangsterism, bribery, murder and widespread flouting of the law.
January 16, 1920
Prohibition is Ratified
The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which established prohibition
January 16, 1919