Historical Events on July 29: From the Rise of Emperors to Modern Marvels
- 1221: At just 10 years old, Emperor Go-Horikawa ascends to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan.
- 1565: Mary, Queen of Scots, marries her cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley.
- 1567: James VI is crowned King of Scots at Stirling.
- 1588: The Spanish Armada is damaged and scattered by the English fleet at the Battle of Gravelines.
- 1609: Samuel de Champlain kills two Iroquois chiefs at Ticonderoga, New York, igniting French-Iroquois conflicts for 150 years.
- 1696: Louis XIV of France and Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy, sign the Peace of Turin, marking a pivotal moment in the War of the League of Augsburg.
- 1751: Jack Stack of England defeats M. Petit of France in the first international world title prize fight.
- 1783: The Skaptar volcano erupts in Iceland, killing approximately 9,000 people.
- 1833: Abolitionist William Wilberforce passes away at age 73.
- 1836: The Arc de Triomphe is inaugurated in Paris.
- 1848: During the Irish potato famine, a nationalist revolt in Tipperary against British rule is quashed by police.
- 1864: Confederate spy Belle Boyd is arrested by Union troops and detained at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C.
- 1884: The Society of Independent Artists is founded in Paris by Albert Dubois-Pillet, Odilon Redon, Georges Seurat, and Paul Signac.
- 1890: Artist Vincent van Gogh dies two days after shooting himself.
- 1900: King Umberto I of Italy is assassinated by anarchist Gaetano Bresci.
- 1905: US Secretary of War William Howard Taft and Japanese Prime Minister Katsura secretly agree on Japanese control in Korea in exchange for US non-interference in the Philippines.
- 1907: The first helicopter ascent takes place in Douai, France, and Robert Baden-Powell forms the Boy Scouts movement in England.
- 1914: The first transcontinental phone link is made between New York City and San Francisco. On the same day, Austria-Hungary bombs Belgrade and Russian troops mobilize along the Austrian boundary.
- 1921: Adolf Hitler becomes leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party.
- 1922: Greek troops defeat Turkish forces and advance towards Constantinople, but the Allies forbid them from taking the city.
- 1923: Albert Einstein speaks on pacifism in Berlin.
- 1928: France beats the USA in Paris to win the Davis Cup.
- 1930: The first passenger-carrying airship flight from England to Canada.
- 1934: Antonin Magne of France wins the Tour de France.
- 1937: Japanese troops occupy Peking and Tientsin; the East Hopei Army mutinies against Japanese troops and civilians.
- 1943: A million people flee bomb-blasted Hamburg.
- 1949: Moscow ends the blockade of West Berlin.
- 1953: A US bomber is shot down by Soviet Air Defence Forces in the Sea of Japan, north of Vladivostok.
- 1954: "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first volume of the Lord of the Rings saga by JRR Tolkien, is published.
- 1957: Floyd Patterson defeats Tommy Jackson in Round 10 for the heavyweight boxing title.
- 1959: Liverpool signs Roger Hunt from non-league Stockton Heath.
- 1965: Premier of The Beatles' film "Help!" and Gemini 5 returns to Earth.
Singles Chart:
- Mr. Tambourine Man – The Byrds
- Heart Full Of Soul – The Yardbirds
- You’ve Got Your Troubles – The Fortunes
- Tossing And Turning – The Ivy League
- Help! – The Beatles
- We Gotta Get Out Of This Place – The Animals
- I’m Alive – The Hollies
- In The Middle Of Nowhere – Dusty Springfield
- To Know You Is To Love You – Peter and Gordon
- There But For Fortune – Joan Baez
- 1966: Cream makes their live debut at The Twisted Wheel, Manchester. Bob Dylan suffers a motorcycle accident, and General Aguiyi Ironsi is murdered in a Nigerian counter-coup.
- 1967: The International Love-In Festival takes place at Alexandra Palace, London, with Pink Floyd, Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger, The Animals, and The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown.
- 1968: Pope Paul VI confirms a ban on the use of contraceptives by Roman Catholics. Gram Parsons leaves The Byrds, and The Beatles begin recording "Hey Jude."
- 1969: Mariner 6 begins transmitting far-encounter photos of Mars.
- 1970: Race riots begin in Hartford, Connecticut.
- 1972: Screaming Lord Sutch is arrested in London after publicizing his gigs by jumping from a bus with four nude women.
- 1973: Led Zeppelin loses $203,000 in cash from the safe at The Drake Hotel in New York. Greece chooses a republic over a monarchy in a plebiscite.
- 1974: Singer Cass Elliot dies in her sleep from a heart attack after playing a sold-out show in London.
- 1975: A military coup in Nigeria leads to President Jakubu Gowon being overthrown.
- 1976: Fire engulfs Southend Pier causing extensive damage.
- 1978: Penny Dean swims the English Channel in a record 7h40m. Pioneer 11 transmits images of Saturn and its rings.
- 1981: Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul’s Cathedral. Anti-apartheid protesters in New Zealand are confronted by police.
- 1982: James Bond actor Harold Sakata (Oddjob) dies aged 62.
- 1983: Hollywood star David Niven dies from motor neurone disease aged 73.
- 1989: Javier Sotomayor of Cuba sets the high jump record (8’0″) in San Juan.
- 1990: Elton John checks into a Chicago clinic to cure bulimia and an addiction problem.
- 1993: A court in Israel overturns the conviction of John Demjanjuk, accused of being Nazi guard Ivan the Terrible. Charges are dropped against two youths accused of murdering black teenager Stephen Lawrence.
- 1994: German World Cup star Jürgen Klinsmann signs for Spurs. Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour marries Polly Samson.
- 2000: Brad Pitt marries Jennifer Aniston in Malibu.
- 2001: Iván Córdoba scores the winner as Colombia edges Mexico 1-0 to win the Copa América in Bogotá.
- 2005: Astronomers announce the discovery of the dwarf planet Eris.
- 2006: Robyn Denise Moore divorces actor/director Mel Gibson after 31 years of marriage.
- 2007: Alberto Contador of Spain wins the Tour de France. Comedian and EastEnders actor Mike Reid dies aged 66.
- 2012: Adele’s album "21" continues to top charts.
- 2013: €103 million worth of diamonds is stolen from the Carton Intercontinental Hotel, Cannes.
- 2014: Israeli strikes on Gaza kill 100. Jazz drummer Idris Muhammad dies aged 74.
- 2015: More than 3,500 immigrants attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel at Calais to cross into Britain. Microsoft launches Windows 10, and British horse racing commentator Peter O’Sullevan dies aged 97.
- 2018: Geraint Thomas becomes the first Welshman to win the Tour de France.
- 2019: A prison riot between rival factions at the Altamira prison in Brazil results in 58 deaths, with 16 decapitated.
- 2022: Rebekah Vardy loses her UK libel trial with Coleen Rooney in the so-called Wagatha Christie trial.
Birthdays:
- Mike Garson, pianist, 79
- Neal Doughty, keyboards (REO Speedwagon), 78
- Geddy Lee (Gary Weinrib), bassist/singer/keyboards (Rush), 71
- Patti Scialfa (Springsteen), singer, 71
- Viv Anderson, footballer, 68
- Nellie Kim, gymnast, 67
- Alvin Martin, footballer, 66
- Sally Gunnell, former athlete, 58
- Miles Hunt, singer (The Wonder Stuff), 58
- Giles Coren, food critic, 55
- David Walliams (Williams), comedian/author, 53
- Simon Jones, bassist (The Verve), 52
- Wil Wheaton, actor, 52
- Stephen Dorff, actor, 51
- Danger Mouse (Brian Joseph Burton), musician/producer/songwriter, 47
- Fernando Alonso, Formula 1 driver, 43
- Jay Rodriguez, footballer, 35
- Joey Essex, TV personality, 34