This Day In European History
13th April
Events1111: The Holy Roman Emperor Henry V is crowned.
1387: Geoffrey Chaucer probably begins writing 'The Canterbury Tales'.
1598: The Edict of Nantes by King Henry IV of France ends the Wars of Religion and gives Huguenots places to worship.
1600: The Time of Troubles begins in Russia when Fyodor II becomes Tsar on the death of Boris Godunov.
1668: England appoints John Dryden as the first Poet Laureate.
1742: Handel's 'Messiah' premiers.
1796: A French General called Napoleon Bonaparte takes command of the French Army in Italy.
Births
1519: Catherine de Medici, Queen Consort of King Henry II of France.
1748: Joseph Bramah, English inventor of the beer pump and hydraulic press.
1771: Richard Trevithick, British steam pioneer.
1885: György Lukács, Hungarian philosopher.
1892: Arthur 'Bomber' Harris, British air force commander and proponent of saturation bombing.
1892: Robert Watson-Watt, Scottish physicist.
Deaths
1638: Henri, duc de Rohan, French Huguenot commander.
1695: Jean de La Fontaine, French poet.
