This Day In European History
20th January
Events1265: Simon de Montfort calls what is generally considered England's first national parliament.
1503: Spain creates the House of Trade (Casa Contratacion) to organise mercantile affairs with the Americas.
1613: The Peace of Knarod ends the War of Kalmar between Denmark and Sweden.
1649: Trial of King Charles I of England begins.
1788: The Parliament of Paris gives a list of complaints about France's government to King Louis XVI, setting itself up as an opposition.
1841: China cedes Hong Kong to Britain.
1942: The Wannsee Conference between Nazi officials decides on a 'final solution' to the 'Jewish problem'; the Holocaust ensues.
Births
1716: King Charles III of Spain and King Charles VII of Naples.
1734: Charles-Alexandre de Calonne, French statesman.
1843: Paul Cambon, French ambassador partly responsible for the Anglo-French 'Entente Cordiale' in 1904.
Deaths
1569: Miles Coverdale, English bishop and translator of first bible printed in English.
1606: Alessandro Valignano, Italian Jesuit missionary to Japan.
1612: Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II, considered a key reason in the Thirty Years War.
1666: Anne of Austria, Queen consort and Regent of France.
1745: Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII.
1790: John Howard, English health and prison reformer.
1813: Christoph Wieland, German poet.
1837: John Soane, English architect.
1875: Jean-Francois Millet, French painter.
1900: John Ruskin, British artist and writer.
1936: King George V of England.
