1770 Austrian Marie Antoinette, 14, marries Louis Auguste, 15, who becomes the last king of France. Both lose their heads to the guillotine during the French Revolution. Disliked by the public who were hostile to a foreign-born queen and known as Madame Déficit, she was the biggest obstacle to reform. The phrase “Let them eat cake” is attributed to her, but there is no evidence she actually said it.
1849 Following a large protest meeting, the Anti-Convict Association is formed in Cape Town and almost 5 000 people sign a petition against establishing a penal colony in the Cape. (Ignoring the protests, Britain pushes ahead with plans to settle convicts in the Cape, and sends the Neptune with 282 prisoners on-board to form the Cape’s first penal colony. But, due to opposition in the Cape, they were forced to endure a torrid five-month stay moored offshore, before upping anchor and sailing for Australia.
1811 Cape governor Sir John Cradock orders a court to investigate the murder of Hottentots (Khoi-Khoi) by whites.
1843 The first major wagon train, with 1 000 pioneers, sets out for the Pacific Northwest.
1988 A US report says nicotine is as addictive as heroin and cocaine.
1997 Mobutu Sese Seko, who ruled Zaire for about 30 years, looting billions of dollars, flees rebels. Laurent Kabila becomes head of state.
2019 Zambian-born South African Saray Khumalo is the first black African woman to climb Mt Everest after her first try, in 2014, ended when an avalanche killed 16 guides. An earthquake in Nepal stopped her in 2015, and in 2017 bad weather scuppered her chances.
2019 British people get drunk more than any other nation, 51 times year according to the Global Drug survey, with English-speaking countries drinking the most.
2022 US President Joe Biden approves redeployment of several hundred US ground troops to Somalia, reversing a decision by former President Donald Trump.
2023 Intense floods in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy causes 23 rivers to burst their banks, resulting in at least 13 deaths and cancellation of the F1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
* Written and compiled by Greg Hutson
DAILY NEWS
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