Historical Events on April 18, Facts & Special Events On This Day

796

King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The patrician Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days.

1025

Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland.

1232

The Spanish town of Arjona declares independence and names its native Muhammad ibn Yusuf as ruler. This marks the Muhammad's first rise to prominence; he would later establish the Nasrid Emirate of Granada, the last independent Muslim state in Spain.

1506

The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid.

1518

Bona Sforza is crowned as queen consort of Poland.

1521

Trial of Martin Luther begins its second day during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. He refuses to recant his teachings despite the risk of excommunication.

1689

Bostonians rise up in rebellion against Sir Edmund Andros.

1738

Real Academia de la Historia ("Royal Academy of History") is founded in Madrid.

1775

American Revolution: The British advancement by sea begins; Paul Revere and other riders warn the countryside of the troop movements.

1831

The University of Alabama is founded in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

1847

American victory at the battle of Cerro Gordo opens the way for invasion of Mexico.

1857

"The Spirits Book" by Allan Kardec is published, marking the birth of Spiritualism in France.

1864

Battle of Dybbøl: A Prussian-Austrian army defeats Denmark and gains control of Schleswig. Denmark surrenders the province in the following peace settlement.

1897

The Greco-Turkish War is declared between Greece and the Ottoman Empire.

1899

The St. Andrew's Ambulance Association is granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria.

1902

The 7.5 Mw Guatemala earthquake shakes Guatemala with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), killing between 800-2,000.

1906

An earthquake and fire destroy much of San Francisco, California.

1909

Joan of Arc is beatified in Rome.

1912

The Cunard liner RMS Carpathia brings 705 survivors from the RMS Titanic to New York City.

1915

French pilot Roland Garros is shot down and glides to a landing on the German side of the lines during World War I.

1923

Yankee Stadium: "The House that Ruth Built" opens.

1942

World War II: The Doolittle Raid on Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagoya are bombed.

1942

Pierre Laval becomes Prime Minister of Vichy France.

1943

World War II: Operation Vengeance, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is killed when his aircraft is shot down by U.S. fighters over Bougainville Island.

1945

Over 1,000 bombers attack the small island of Heligoland, Germany.

1946

The International Court of Justice holds its inaugural meeting in The Hague, Netherlands.

1949

Ireland leaves the British Commonwealth and becomes the Republic of Ireland.

1949

The keel for the aircraft carrier USS United States is laid down at Newport News Drydock and Shipbuilding. However, construction is canceled five days later, resulting in the Revolt of the Admirals.

1954

Gamal Abdel Nasser seizes power in Egypt.

1955

Twenty-nine nations meet at Bandung, Indonesia, for the first Asian-African Conference.

1980

The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country's first President. The Zimbabwean dollar replaces the Rhodesian dollar as the official currency.

1983

A suicide bomber in Lebanon destroys the United States embassy in Beirut, killing 63 people.

1988

The United States launches Operation Praying Mantis against Iranian naval forces in the largest naval battle since World War II.

1992

General Abdul Rashid Dostum revolts against President Mohammad Najibullah of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and allies with Ahmad Shah Massoud to capture Kabul.

1996

In Lebanon, at least 106 civilians are killed when the Israel Defense Forces shell the United Nations compound at Quana where more than 800 civilians had taken refuge.

2007

A series of bombings, two of them being suicides, occur in Baghdad, killing 198 and injuring 251.

2013

April 18 in History

Historical Events on April 18

King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The patrician Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days.

Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland.

The Spanish town of Arjona declares independence and names its native Muhammad ibn Yusuf as ruler. This marks the Muhammad's first rise to prominence; he would later establish the Nasrid Emirate of Granada, the last independent Muslim state in Spain.

The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid.

Bona Sforza is crowned as queen consort of Poland.

Trial of Martin Luther begins its second day during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. He refuses to recant his teachings despite the risk of excommunication.

Bostonians rise up in rebellion against Sir Edmund Andros.

Real Academia de la Historia ("Royal Academy of History") is founded in Madrid.

American Revolution: The British advancement by sea begins; Paul Revere and other riders warn the countryside of the troop movements.

The University of Alabama is founded in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

American victory at the battle of Cerro Gordo opens the way for invasion of Mexico.

"The Spirits Book" by Allan Kardec is published, marking the birth of Spiritualism in France.

Battle of Dybbøl: A Prussian-Austrian army defeats Denmark and gains control of Schleswig. Denmark surrenders the province in the following peace settlement.

The Greco-Turkish War is declared between Greece and the Ottoman Empire.

The St. Andrew's Ambulance Association is granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria.

The 7.5 Mw Guatemala earthquake shakes Guatemala with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), killing between 800-2,000.

An earthquake and fire destroy much of San Francisco, California.

Joan of Arc is beatified in Rome.

The Cunard liner RMS Carpathia brings 705 survivors from the RMS Titanic to New York City.

French pilot Roland Garros is shot down and glides to a landing on the German side of the lines during World War I.

Yankee Stadium: "The House that Ruth Built" opens.

World War II: The Doolittle Raid on Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and Nagoya are bombed.

Pierre Laval becomes Prime Minister of Vichy France.

World War II: Operation Vengeance, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is killed when his aircraft is shot down by U.S. fighters over Bougainville Island.

Over 1,000 bombers attack the small island of Heligoland, Germany.

The International Court of Justice holds its inaugural meeting in The Hague, Netherlands.

Ireland leaves the British Commonwealth and becomes the Republic of Ireland.

The keel for the aircraft carrier USS United States is laid down at Newport News Drydock and Shipbuilding. However, construction is canceled five days later, resulting in the Revolt of the Admirals.

Gamal Abdel Nasser seizes power in Egypt.

Twenty-nine nations meet at Bandung, Indonesia, for the first Asian-African Conference.

The Republic of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) comes into being, with Canaan Banana as the country's first President. The Zimbabwean dollar replaces the Rhodesian dollar as the official currency.

A suicide bomber in Lebanon destroys the United States embassy in Beirut, killing 63 people.

The United States launches Operation Praying Mantis against Iranian naval forces in the largest naval battle since World War II.

General Abdul Rashid Dostum revolts against President Mohammad Najibullah of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and allies with Ahmad Shah Massoud to capture Kabul.

In Lebanon, at least 106 civilians are killed when the Israel Defense Forces shell the United Nations compound at Quana where more than 800 civilians had taken refuge.

A series of bombings, two of them being suicides, occur in Baghdad, killing 198 and injuring 251.

A suicide bombing in a Baghdad cafe kills 27 people and injures another 65.

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