TODAY IN HISTORY: OCTOBER 12

 

 

October 12

 

October 12th is a significant date in history, with significant events occurring, and a day of importance for various individuals around the world. In this essay, we will explore the events that took place on October 12th, highlighting their impact and relevance.

One notable event that occurred on October 12th is Christopher Columbus reaching the Americas in 1492. Columbus, an Italian explorer, embarked on a journey with the support of the Spanish monarchs to find a westward route to Asia. On this day, he landed on a small island in the present-day Bahamas, thus initiating European contact with the New World. This historic event marked the beginning of a new era, leading to significant changes in global trade, culture, and history.

Another significant occurrence on October 12th is the founding of the Knights Templar in 1119. This religious order, initially established to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land during the Crusades, grew in power and influence over time. The Knights Templar amassed considerable wealth, becoming a prominent force in medieval Europe until their suppression and disbandment in the early 14th century. Their ideals and legends continue to captivate historians and enthusiasts even today.

Moving into the realm of literature and arts, the renowned novel \Robinson Crusoe\ by Daniel Defoe was first published on October 12th, 1719. This influential work of fiction tells the story of a castaway stranded on a remote island, and it is considered one of the earliest examples of realistic fiction. The novel's popularity led to numerous adaptations and inspired future authors to explore similar themes, making it a groundbreaking piece in the world of literature.

Shifting our focus to scientific achievements, October 12th, 1957 witnessed the launch of Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite, by the Soviet Union. This groundbreaking event marked the beginning of the Space Age and kicked off the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Sputnik's successful launch sparked significant advancements in space exploration and technology, leading to subsequent missions to the moon and beyond.

October 12th also holds a special place for various individuals who celebrate their birthdays on this date. Notable personalities born on this day include Aleister Crowley, an influential occultist and writer, whose controversial beliefs and works continue to intrigue many; a magnificent Spanish painter, Francisco Goya, known for his powerful and evocative artworks that challenged the conventions of his time; and Luciano Pavarotti, an Italian opera singer hailed as one of the greatest tenors of all time.

Throughout history, October 12th can be seen as a remarkable date, encompassing significant events and shaping the world we live in today. From Columbus's arrival in the Americas to the Knights Templar's foundation, from the publication of \Robinson Crusoe\ to the launch of Sputnik 1, this day served as a catalyst for change, exploration, and artistic expressions. Additionally, the birthdays of notable figures remind us of the diverse talents and contributions of individuals who share this anniversary. In conclusion, October 12th holds a rich tapestry of historical, cultural, and personal significance, leaving a lasting impression on the annals of time.

Here are more events on this day:

539 BC – The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon, ending the Babylonian empire. (Julian calendar)

633 – Battle of Hatfield Chase: King Edwin of Northumbria is defeated and killed by an alliance under Penda of Mercia and Cadwallon of Gwynedd.

1279 – The Nichiren Shōshū branch of Buddhism is founded in Japan.

1398 – In the Treaty of Salynas, Lithuania cedes Samogitia to the Teutonic Knights.

1406 – Chen Yanxiang, the only person from Indonesia known to have visited dynastic Korea, reaches Seoul after having set out from Java four months before.

1492 – Christopher Columbus's first expedition makes landfall in the Caribbean, specifically on San Salvador Island. (Julian calendar)

 

1654 – The Delft Explosion devastates the city in the Netherlands, killing more than 100 people.

1692 – The Salem witch trials are ended by a letter from Province of Massachusetts Bay Governor William Phips.

1748 – War of Jenkins' Ear: A British squadron wins a tactical victory over a Spanish squadron off Havana.

1773 – America's first insane asylum opens.

1792 – The first celebration of Columbus Day is held in New York City.

1793 – The cornerstone of Old East, the oldest state university building in the United States, is laid at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

1798 – Flemish and Luxembourgish peasants launch the rebellion against French rule known as the Peasants' War.

1799 – Jeanne Geneviève Labrosse becomes the first woman to jump from a balloon with a parachute.

1810 – The citizens of Munich hold the first Oktoberfest in celebration of the marriage of Crown Prince Louis of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen.

1822 – Pedro I of Brazil is proclaimed the emperor.

1849 – The city of Manizales, Colombia, is founded by 'The Expedition of the 20'.

1856 – An M 7.7–8.3 earthquake off the Greek island of Crete cause major damage as far as Egypt and Malta.

1871 – The British in India enact the Criminal Tribes Act, naming many local communities "Criminal Tribes".

1890 – Uddevalla Suffrage Association is formed.

1892 – The Pledge of Allegiance is first recited by students in many US public schools.

 

1901 – President Theodore Roosevelt officially renames the "Executive Mansion" to the White House.

1915 – World War I: British nurse Edith Cavell is executed by a German firing squad for helping Allied soldiers escape from occupied Belgium.

1917 – World War I: The First Battle of Passchendaele takes place resulting in the largest single-day loss of life in New Zealand history.

1918 – A massive forest fire kills 453 people in Minnesota.

1928 – An iron lung respirator is used for the first time at Boston Children's Hospital.

1933 – The military Alcatraz Citadel becomes the civilian Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary.

1944 – World War II: The Axis occupation of Athens comes to an end.

1945 – World War II: Desmond Doss is the first conscientious objector to receive the U.S. Medal of Honor.

1945 – The Lao Issara took control of Laos' government and reaffirmed the country's independence.

1959 – At the national congress of the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance in Peru, a group of leftist radicals are expelled from the party who later form APRA Rebelde.

1960 – Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev pounds his shoe on a desk at the United Nations to protest a Philippine assertion.

1960 – Japan Socialist Party leader Inejiro Asanuma is stabbed to death during a live television broadcast.

1962 – The Columbus Day Storm strikes the U.S. Pacific Northwest with record wind velocities. There was at least U.S. $230 million in damages and 46 people died.

1963 – After nearly 23 years of imprisonment, Reverend Walter Ciszek, a Jesuit missionary, was released from the Soviet Union.

1964 – The Soviet Union launches the Voskhod 1 into Earth orbit as the first spacecraft with a multi-person crew, and the first flight without pressure suits.

1967 – A bomb explodes on board Cyprus Airways Flight 284 while flying over the Mediterranean Sea, killing 66.

1968 – Equatorial Guinea becomes independent from Spain.

1970 – Vietnam War: Vietnamization continues as President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will withdraw 40,000 more troops before Christmas.

1971 – The 2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire begins.

1973 – President Nixon nominates House Majority Leader Gerald R. Ford as the successor to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew.

1977 – Hua Guofeng succeeds Mao Zedong as paramount leader of China.

1979 – Typhoon Tip becomes the largest and most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded.

1983 – Japan's former Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei is found guilty of taking a $2 million bribe from the Lockheed Corporation, and is sentenced to four years in jail.

1984 – The Provisional Irish Republican Army fail to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet. The bomb kills five people and wounds 31.

1988 – Two officers of the Victoria Police are gunned down execution-style in the Walsh Street police shootings, Australia.

1992 – A 5.8 earthquake occurred in Cairo, Egypt. At least 510 died.

1994 – The Magellan spacecraft burns up in the atmosphere of Venus.

1996 – New Zealand holds its first general election under the new mixed-member proportional representation system, which led to Jim Bolger's National Party forming a coalition government with Winston Peters's New Zealand First.

1997 – The Sidi Daoud massacre in Algeria kills 43 people at a fake roadblock.

1998 – Matthew Shepard, a gay student at University of Wyoming, dies five days after he was beaten outside of Laramie.

1999 – Pervez Musharraf takes power in Pakistan from Nawaz Sharif through a bloodless coup.

1999 – The former Autonomous Soviet Republic of Abkhazia declares its independence from Georgia.

2000 – The USS Cole, a US Navy destroyer, is badly damaged by two al-Qaeda suicide bombers, killing 17 crew members and wounding at least 39.

2002 – Terrorists detonate bombs in the Sari Club in Bali, killing 202 and wounding over 300.

2005 – The second Chinese human spaceflight, Shenzhou 6, is launched, carrying two cosmonauts in orbit for five days.

2010 – The Finnish Yle TV2 channel's Ajankohtainen kakkonen current affairs program airs controversial Homoilta episode (literally "gay night"), which leads to the resignation of almost 50,000 Finns from the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

2012 – The European Union wins the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.

2013 – Fifty-one people are killed after a truck veers off a cliff in Peru.

2017 – The United States announces its decision to withdraw from UNESCO. Israel immediately follows.

2018 – Princess Eugenie marries Jack Brooksbank at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

2019 – Typhoon Hagibis makes landfall in Japan, killing 10 and forcing the evacuation of one million people.

2019 – Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya becomes the first person to run a marathon in less than two hours with a time of 1:59:40 in Vienna.

2019 – The Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans, which is under construction, collapses, killing two and injuring 20.