Today:
476 – Odoacer is proclaimed King of Italy by his troops, marking the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe.
1305 – Scottish leader William Wallace is executed in London by English authorities for his role in leading a rebellion against English rule.
1514 – The Battle of Chaldiran takes place, where the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Selim I defeats the Safavid Empire, establishing Ottoman dominance in the region.
1775 – King George III declares that the American colonies are in open rebellion, setting the stage for the escalation of the American Revolutionary War.
1833 – The Slavery Abolition Act receives Royal Assent in Britain, paving the way for the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire.
1914 – Japan declares war on Germany during World War I, marking Japan’s entry into the conflict on the side of the Allies.
1927 – Italian-American anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are executed in the United States after being convicted of murder, sparking international protests and controversy over their trial.
1939 – Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union sign the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression treaty that includes a secret protocol dividing Eastern Europe into spheres of influence, leading to the invasion of Poland and the start of World War II.
1944 – The Liberation of Paris begins during World War II as Allied forces and the French Resistance begin to free the city from German occupation.
1990 – West Germany and East Germany announce that they will reunite on October 3, 1990, following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of East Germany’s communist government.
Disclaimer: Snake does not fact check these items. In fact, he doesn’t even read them before posting. Often he doesn’t read them after posting. If you have a complaint, click here