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On This Day
May
11 May

On This Day: 11 May

Constantinople is dedicated as the new capital of the Roman Empire Click to show or hide the answer
The Diamond Sutra – the oldest known dated printed book – is printed in China Click to show or hide the answer
Philip IV of France has 54 members of the Knights Templar burned at the stake, ostensibly for heresy Click to show or hide the answer
Christopher Columbus sails from Cádiz on his fourth and final voyage to the Americas Click to show or hide the answer
Dutch settler Peter Minuit writes a letter ordering the purchase of Manhattan island from native Americans, reputedly for trinkets worth about $25 Click to show or hide the answer
Peter Stuyvesant arrives at New Amsterdam (New York) to replace Willem Kieft as Director–General of New Netherland Click to show or hide the answer
Battle of Fontenoy: French forces defeat Austria, Britain and Holland Click to show or hide the answer
William Pitt the Elder, first Earl of Chatham – 'The Great Commoner' – dies Click to show or hide the answer
Chang and Eng Bunker – the original Siamese twins – are born in Siam of Chinese parents Click to show or hide the answer
Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is assassinated by John Bellingham in the House of Commons lobby Click to show or hide the answer
British forces, using a steamship in action for the first time, capture Rangoon Click to show or hide the answer
Lady of the Lake, a brig bound from Belfast to Quebec, strikes an iceberg off Newfoundland and sinks with the loss of up to 265 passengers and crew Click to show or hide the answer
Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Imperial Russia (later Nicholas II) suffers a critical head injury in a sword attack by a policeman, while on a tour of Japan. He is rescued by Prince George of Greece and Denmark Click to show or hide the answer
The City of Greater New York is established Click to show or hide the answer
US world heavyweight boxing champion Jim Jeffries knocks out former champion James J. Corbett, after 23 rounds, in New York Click to show or hide the answer
Nellie Melba signs a recording contract with the Gramophone Company Click to show or hide the answer
Big Jim Colosimo, Chicago racketeer, is shot dead by Al Capone Click to show or hide the answer
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is founded Click to show or hide the answer
New York World's Fair reopens Click to show or hide the answer
Siam changes its name to Thailand, for the second time. The name had been in use since 1939 but was reverted in 1945 Click to show or hide the answer
Elvis Presley makes his first UK chart appearance with Heartbreak Hotel Click to show or hide the answer
The liner France is launched at St. Nazaire Click to show or hide the answer
Adolf Eichmann is arrested by Israeli secret agents as he steps off a bus in Buenos Aires Click to show or hide the answer
Terence Conran opens the first Habitat shop, in London's Fulham Road Click to show or hide the answer
The Daily Sketch appears for the last time Click to show or hide the answer
73 lives are lost when a refrigerator ship and a tanker collide and catch fire in the Plate estuary Click to show or hide the answer
Cats opens in London Click to show or hide the answer
56 die in a fire at Valley Parade, Bradford City's football ground, during a match against Lincoln City Click to show or hide the answer
Klaus Barbie goes on trial in Lyon for war crimes committed during World War II Click to show or hide the answer
Robert Maxwell launches The European – the first 'European' newspaper Click to show or hide the answer
More than 170 countries extend the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, indefinitely and without conditions Click to show or hide the answer
Eight people die after being caught in a blizzard near the summit of Mount Everest Click to show or hide the answer
ValuJet DC–9 crashes into the Everglades swamp, Florida; all 109 on board die Click to show or hide the answer
Manchester United secure a unique second League and Cup double by beating Liverpool 1–0 in the FA Cup Final Click to show or hide the answer
IBM's Deep Blue beats world chess champion Garry Kasparov in the final and deciding game of their six–game match in New York – the first time a world–champion player has been beaten by a computer in a classic match format Click to show or hide the answer
India conducts three underground nuclear tests, bringing worldwide condemnation and increased tension with Pakistan Click to show or hide the answer
The first Euro coin is minted in France Click to show or hide the answer
India welcomes a baby girl born in Delhi as its 1,000,000,000th (one billionth) citizen Click to show or hide the answer
Cats closes after 21 years and 8,950 performances in the West End Click to show or hide the answer
A group linked to al–Qa'ida releases a video showing the beheading of American businessman Nick Berg in revenge for the abuse of prisoners by US soldiers in Abu Ghraib jail Click to show or hide the answer
The Stockline Plastics factory in Glasgow is destroyed by an explosion Click to show or hide the answer
32 previously unseen paintings by Jackson Pollock are discovered in a Long Island lock–up Click to show or hide the answer

© Haydn Thompson 2019