17th June 1579 – Sir Francis Drake claimed a land he called "Nova Albion" (modern California) for England. 1631 – Mumtaz Mahal died during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, then spent more than 20 years building her tomb, the Taj Mahal. 1882 - Igor Stravinsky, the Russian composer, was born. 1885 – […]

16th June 1487 – The Battle of Stoke Field was fought. The final battle of the Wars of the Roses. 1586 – Mary Queen of Scots recognizes Philip II of Spain as her heir. 1779 – Spain declared war on Great Britain, and the siege of Gibraltar began. 1871 – The University Tests Act allowed […]

15th June 1215 – King John of England put his seal to the Magna Carta. 1667 – The first human blood transfusion was administered by Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys. 1752 – Benjamin Franklin proved that lightning is electricity. 1785 – Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, co-pilot of the first-ever manned flight (1783), and his companion, Pierre Romain, […]

14th June 1381 – Richard II met leaders of the Peasants' Revolt on Blackheath. 1381 - The Tower of London was stormed by rebels who entered without resistance. 1645 – Battle of Naseby – 12,000 Royalist forces were beaten by 15,000 Parliamentarian soldiers. 1648 – Margaret Jones was hanged in Boston for witchcraft. 1777 – […]

10th June 1184 BC – The city of Troy was sacked and burned. 1509 – Henry VIII of England married Catherine of Aragon. 1692 - Salem Village. Bridget Bishop, the first colonist tried in the Salem witch trials, was hanged after being found guilty of the practice of witchcraft. (In 1956 the Massachusetts General Court […]

9th June 62 – Claudia Octavia commited suicide. 68 - Roman Emperor Nero commited suicide. 1934 – Donald Duck makes his debut in The Wise Little Hen. 1958 – Queen Elizabeth II officially opened London Gatwick Airport, (LGW). 1975 - BBC radio broadcast the first live transmission from the House of Commons. 1978 – The […]