This Week in History

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.
5th November 1605: A plot by Catholic conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament - in order to restore England to the Catholic faith - is foiled.
4th November 1979: Iranian students demanding the extradition of the deposed Shah from the US storm the American embassy in Tehran, resulting in a hostage crisis which lasts over a year.
4th November 1966: The city of Florence suffers one of the worst floods in its history when the River Arno bursts its banks, leading to death and the destruction of countless artworks.

1st November 1908: Belgium annexes Congo, previously private property of King Leopold II.
31st October 1922: Benito Mussolini becomes Italian Prime Minister.
1st November 1755: An enormous earthquake shakes Lisbon and kills over 50,000 people.

24 October 1945: The Charter of a new international organisation, the United Nations, comes into effect.
23 October 1642: King Charles I beats English Parliamentarian forces at the Battle of Edgehill in Warwickshire.
20 October 1960: Penguin Books fights for the right to publish DH Lawrence’s novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' in a landmark trial at the Old Bailey.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.
16th October 1793: Marie Antoinette is executed in Paris.
17th October 1814: A flood of beer courses through the streets of London.
13th October 1963: The Beatles perform on 'Sunday Night at the London Palladium', marking the beginning of Beatlemania.

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.
5th October 1910 - The centuries-old Portuguese monarchy was overthrown in a coup d'état organized by the Portuguese Republican Party. 
10th October 1881 - The Savoy Theatre - the first public building to be lit by electricity - opens with a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience.
11th October 1440 - King Henry the Sixth founds Eton College. It was established as a charity school to provide free education to 70 poor boys who would then go on to King's College, Cambridge.