June 10 - First Execution in the Salem Witch Trials

This Day in History: 10 June 2020

 

10 June 1692

 

328 years ago, today, Bridget Bishop was hanged, marking her as the first woman in Salem to be killed after being accused of practising witchcraft. Trouble in the Puritan community had begun in February, when Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams, the daughter and niece of the Reverend Samuel Parris, started to experience fits and exhibited other strange behaviours. This was concluded by a doctor to be the effects of witchcraft, prompting the girls to name those who allegedly were responsible for their suffering. Sarah Good, Sarah Osbourne and Tituba, a slave from Barbados, became the first from Salem to be charged with witchcraft, and soon even more people were accused, most of them being middle-aged women.

 

In June 1693, those who were accused were to be judged by the special Court of Oyer and Terminer, with the first tried being Bridget Bishop, who had more accusations than any other defendant. She was infamous for her dubious moral character, her flamboyant clothing, and her three marriages. Despite proclaiming her innocence, she was found guilty and was executed by hanging. 13 more women and 5 men would follow her to the gallows. Executions were finally ceased in October, with the Court of Oyer and Terminer being dissolved. The Superior Court eventually released all those who were awaiting trial, and pardoned those sentenced to death, effectively ending the Salem witch trials.

 

Want to find out more about the Salem witch trials of 1692? Click here for more information, or here for a cartoon of the events.

June 9 - Death of Emperor Nero

This Day in History: 9 June 2020

 

9 June 68

 

1952 years ago, today, the Roman Emperor Nero committed suicide. The problems he was facing had begun to pile up; he had killed his mother and first wife, and a financial strain was put on the empire, due to the rebuilding of Rome. He was forced to raise taxes wherever he could and take religious treasures. The emperor's support began to crumble as a result, with the Roman governor Gaius Iulius Vindex renouncing Nero, and declaring his support for Galba. Shortly afterwards, the Praetorian Guard, who were in charge of guarding the emperor himself, renounced their support, declaring him an enemy of the people. The following day, he committed suicide, with his long-time mistress Acte by his side.

 

Nero had ascended to power in 54 A.D., after the death of his adopted father, Emperor Claudius. He has become one of the most infamous men in history, notorious for murdering his female relatives and allegedly starting the great fire of Rome in 64 A.D., so that he could re-build the city centre. The blame fell on him for starting the fire, but he still took it upon himself to organise relief efforts. Additionally, he had a passion for music and the arts, and even gave a public performance to Rome in 65 A.D. After his death, the Roman Empire fell into chaos, and short-lived emperors tried to gain control. Supposedly, rumours spread about the emperor's death and people even refused to believe that he was dead.

 

Want to find out more about the life and death of Emperor Nero? Click here for more information, or here for a video with more on his death and its aftermath.

 

June 8 - Death of Prophet Muhammad

This Day in History: 8 June 2020

 

8 June 632

 

1388 years ago, today, Muhammad, the founder of Islam, died in the arms of his third and favourite wife, Aisha. This influential leader was first inspired to preach the religion of Islam in 610, when he experienced a vision in which he heard God command him to become the Arab prophet of the 'true religion'.  Thus, began a lifetime of religious revelations, which was collected in the form of the Qur'an, and provided the foundation for Islam. According to Muhammad himself, he was the last prophet of the Judaic-Christian tradition, and he adopted the theology of these older religions while introducing new rules.

 

By 622, Muhammad had gained a great amount of converts in Mecca, leading the city's authorities to plan his assassination. Muhammad fled to Medina, where he was given a position of political power, allowing him to build a model theocratic state. 7 years later, numerous Arab tribes converted to his new religion, and by his death, he was essentially ruler of all southern Arabia. Even after his death, the Muslim advance was not stopped until the Battle of Tours in France in 732, when the Muslim empire was now among the largest the world had ever seen. The spread of the religion continued voluntarily throughout African and Asian cultures, and thanks to Muhammad, is now the world's second-largest religion.

 

Want to find out more about Muhammad's life? Click here for more, or here for a history of the Islamic faith. Click here for a 10-minute video on how Islam began.

 

June 7 - The Petition of Rights is Passed

This Day in History: 7 June 2020

 

7 June 1628

 

392 years ago, today, the Petition of Rights was passed, severely limiting the power of King Charles I. This was an English document that helped to promote the civil rights of the King's subjects and is one of England's most famous constitutional documents. It was written by Parliament as an objection to an overreach of authority by the king, which English citizens saw as a major breach of their civil rights. The Petition contained four main points: no taxes could be levied without Parliament's consent; no English subject could be imprisoned without cause; no quartering of soldiers in citizens' homes; and no martial law may be used in peacetime.

 

This document was part of a wider conflict between Parliament and the Stuart monarchy that eventually led to the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which was ultimately resolved in the 1688 Glorious Revolution. Following a series of disagreements with Parliament over taxes, Charles imposed 'forced loans' and imprisoned those who refused to pay, without trial. In 1628, martial law was used to force private citizens to feed, clothe and accommodate soldiers and sailors. This implied that the king could take any person's freedom without the need to justify it. It united opposition in society, particularly those who the monarchy depended on for financial support. The document also reportedly influenced elements of the 3^rd, 5^th and 7^th Amendments of the United States constitution, and remains in force today in the United Kingdom and parts of the Commonwealth.

 

Want to find out more about the Petition of Rights? Click here for more information.

 

June 6 - D-Day

This Day in History: 6 June 2020

 

6 June 1944

 

76 years ago, today, Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of northern France, was initiated, which is now commonly known as D-Day. Before this attack, Hitler's armies were in control of most of mainland Europe, and both sides knew a successful invasion of the continent was key to winning the war. The invasion conducted by the Allies was the largest ever assembled, consisting of 156,000 Allies troops on the sea and in air, on five beachheads in Normandy. D-Day was the start of Allied operations which would ultimately liberate Western Europe, defeat the Nazis and end the Second World War.

 

When any military operation is being planned, its actual date and time is not always known, so the term 'D-Day' was used to mean the date on which operations would begin, whenever the date may be. The 'D' is commonly thought to stand for 'deliverance', 'doom', 'debarkation' and similar words, but it actually does not stand for anything. It is instead derived from the word 'day'. As well as this, many people think that the troops that landed on the D-Day beaches were only from Great Britain, Canada and the United States, but this is also not true. Other countries that participated include Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, New Zealand and Poland. By the time the assault phase of Operation Overlord had ended, also known as Operation Neptune, the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy.

 

Want to find out more about D-Day? Click here for more information, or perhaps watch a film depicting the bravery of the D-Day troops. Options include 'The Longest Day' (1962) and 'Saving Private Ryan' (1998).

 

June 5 - The Six-Day War Begins

This Day in History: 5 June 2020

 

5 June 1967

 

53 years ago, today, Israel responded to a build-up of Arab forces along its borders by launching attacks against Egypt and Syria, initiating the Six-Day War. Jordan subsequently entered the battle, but the nations were no match for Israel's superior armed forces. In the six days of fighting, Israel managed to occupy the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, the Golan Heights of Syria, and the West Bank and Arab sector of East Jerusalem, that were previously under Jordanian rule. On June 11, a United Nations cease-fire took place, but Israel had more than doubled its size. When Israel claimed the Old City of Jerusalem from Jordan, many wept in prayer at the Western Wall.

 

Nevertheless, the UN Security Council requested Israel to withdraw from the occupied regions, but they declined, and instead set up military administrations in the territories. They let it be known that the claimed areas would be returned in exchange for Arab recognition of the right of Israel to exist and guarantees against future attack. When Arab leaders met to discuss this, they decided upon a policy of no peace, no negotiations and no recognition of Israel, as well as plans to defend the rights of the Palestinian Arabs in the occupied territories. However, Egypt would eventually negotiate with Israel, resulting in the return of the Sinai Peninsula, in exchange for full diplomatic recognition of Israel. The claims to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank were given to the Palestinians, who opened 'land for peace' talks with Israel in the 1990s. Despite this, a permanent Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement remains unsettled.

 

Want to find out more about the Six-Day War? Click here for more information, or here for a video with more details on the matter.

 

June 4 - Tiananmen Square Massacre

This Day in History: 4 June 2020

 

4 June 1989

 

31 years ago, today, the Tiananmen Square Massacre occurred when Chinese troops killed and arrested thousands of pro-democracy protestors. This act of brutality from the Chinese government shocked the West and lead to the United States imposing sanctions and denunciations onto China. Prior to this, nearly a million Chinese had crowded into central Beijing to protest for greater democracy and call for the resignations of the Chinese Communist Party leaders. These protesters maintained this daily, marching and chanting through the streets. However, they were eventually met with Chinese troops that fired indiscriminately into the crowds. Some protestors tried to escape, but others fought back. Reporters estimated that at least 300 had been killed, and as many as 10,000 were arrested.

 

The atrocities committed by the Chinese government shocked its allies and enemies during the ongoing Cold War. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev declared his sadness over the events in China and said that he hoped the government would adopt his own domestic reforms. In the United States, President George Bush was pressed by editorialists and Congress to punish the Chinese government. This came in the form of a US Congress vote, a little more than 3 weeks later, calling for economic sanctions to be imposed upon China in response to the human rights violation.

 

Want to find out more about the Tiananmen Square Massacre and protests? Click here for more information, or here for a video where protestors recount the events.

 

June 3 - Edward VIII Marries Wallis Simpson

This Day in History: 3 June 2020

 

3 June 1937

 

83 years ago, today, the Duke of Windsor, formerly known as King Edward VIII, married Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. The year prior, he had abdicated the British throne in order to marry her. Before this took place, Wallis had finalised her divorce, and had her surname legally changed. The two married at the Chateau de Cande in France's Loire Valley, with the ceremony conducted by a clergyman, witnessed by only around 16 guests. After the marriage, Wallis acquired the title of the Duchess of Windsor, but King George VI, under pressure from his ministers, denied her the title of 'royal highness', that was enjoyed by her husband.

 

Edward and Wallis had met and fell in love in 1934, despite Wallis' marriage to Ernest Simpson, an English-American businessman. Before this, Wallis had also been married and divorced to a US Navy pilot. The royal family disapproved of Edward's married mistress, but 2 years later, he had his heart set on marrying her. To the Church of England and many British politicians, to marry an American woman twice divorced was unacceptable. Before this could be discussed, however, Edward's father, George V, died, leading Edward to be proclaimed as King. Still, he proposed a morganatic marriage, where Wallis would be granted no rights of rank or property, but Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin rejected this. With no resolution possible, the king renounced the throne on December 10. Throughout their marriage, they lived mainly in Paris, where Edward would die, but the couple nevertheless were buried together, after their deaths, at Frogmore, on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

 

Want to find out more about the truth of the marriage between the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson? Click here for more information.

 

June 2 - Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

This Day in History: 2 June 2020

 

2 June 1953

 

67 years ago, today, Queen Elizabeth II was formally crowned as the monarch of the United Kingdom. This took place in a lavish ceremony that was attended by a thousand dignitaries and guests, at Westminster Abbey. Millions additionally listened on their radio, and for the first time were able to watch the event on live television. In the procession that followed, through the streets of London, Elizabeth and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, were joined by representatives from more than 40 member states of the Commonwealth. After the parade, Elizabeth stood with her family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, waving to the crowd as jet planes from the Royal Air Force flew across the sky.

 

Despite her coronation taking place in 1953, she had been proclaimed as the new British monarch in early 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI. However, she remained in seclusion for her first three months, taking the time to mourn. In the summer of 1952, she began to perform routine sovereign duties, and carried out her first state opening of Parliament in November. Throughout her reign of more than six decades, her popularity has hardly decreased. She has travelled more than any other British monarch and was the first to visit South America and the Persian Gulf countries. Most notably, however, she became the longest-reigning British monarch in 2015, surpassing the reign of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. Recently, she has begun to hand off some official duties to her children, especially Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, but she has given no indication of an intention to abdicate.

 

Want to find out more about the life and coronation of Queen Elizabeth II? Click here for more information on her life, or here for more details on her coronation.

 

June 1 - The Glorious First of June

This Day in History: 1 June 2020

 

1 June 1794

 

226 years ago, today, the Fourth Battle of Ushant, more commonly known as the Glorious First of June, was fought. This was the first and largest fleet action of naval conflict between Great Britain and the French Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars. It had been the result of the Atlantic campaign that occurred the previous month, where both sides managed to capture many merchant ships. The British Channel Fleet, commanded under Admiral Lord Howe, had attempted to prevent the passage of a vital French grain convoy, but this was protected by Rear-Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse. The two sides engaged in conflict in the Atlantic Ocean, west of the French island of Ushant.

 

During the battle, Howe subverted naval conventions by ordering his fleet to engage with their immediate opponent. This subsequently was not understood by all of his captains, so the attack was more disorganised than intended. However, his ships were still able to inflict a tactical defeat on the French, but both sides were left shattered and in no state for further combat. Villaret had brought enough time for the French to reach safety, resulting in a strategic success, but allowed the British to conduct a blockade campaign for the rest of the war. Both sides claimed victory, and the press of both nations proclaimed their country's bravery.

 

Want to find out more about the Glorious First of June? Click here for more information, or here for a video with more details on the event.