This day in history: 14 april

Europa

Battle of Barnet (1471) – England

• On April 14, 1471, during the Wars of the Roses, the Yorkists led by Edward IV defeated the Lancastrians at the Battle of Barnet, near London. Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick—known as “the Kingmaker”—was killed in the battle. This victory allowed Edward IV to reclaim the English throne after a period of exile.

Hungarian Declaration of Independence (1849) – Hungary

• On this day in 1849, Hungary declared its independence from Austria, with Lajos Kossuth as its leader. This was a pivotal moment in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848–1849, part of the wider wave of European revolutions.

Ljubljana Earthquake (1895) – Slovenia

• The 1895 Ljubljana earthquake struck on April 14, causing significant destruction in the city, which was then part of Austria-Hungary. It remains the most destructive earthquake in the region’s history.

Proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic (1931) – Spain

• On April 14, 1931, the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed, leading to the exile of King Alfonso XIII. In Barcelona, Francesc Macià declared the Catalan Republic on the same day, marking a major shift in Spanish and Catalan history.

First Monaco Grand Prix (1929) – Monaco

• The inaugural Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world, took place on April 14, 1929. William Grover-Williams won the race driving a Bugatti Type 35.

Other Notable European Events

• 966: Mieszko I, ruler of the Polans, converted to Christianity, an event considered the founding of the Polish state.
• 972: Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor, married Byzantine princess Theophanu in Rome.
• 1639: During the Thirty Years’ War, Swedish forces defeated the Holy Roman Empire and Saxony at the Battle of Chemnitz, allowing the Swedes to advance into Bohemia.
• 1858: The Christiania fire destroyed several city blocks in what is now Oslo, Norway, leaving about 1,000 people homeless.

America

• 1865: President Abraham Lincoln is shot at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.
• 1912: The RMS Titanic strikes an iceberg (sinks early April 15).
• 1935: “Black Sunday” Dust Bowl storm devastates the Great Plains.
• 1775: First abolitionist society in North America founded in Philadelphia.
• 1828: Noah Webster publishes his American Dictionary of the English Language.

Asia

• 1699: Establishment of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh, a significant event in Sikh history, celebrated in India.
• 1986: The heaviest hailstones ever recorded hit Bangladesh, with hailstones weighing about 1 kg and causing 92 deaths.
• 1988: The Soviet Union agrees to withdraw from Afghanistan, a pivotal moment in Asian and world geopolitics.
• 1995: India wins the Asia Cup cricket final in Sharjah, defeating Sri Lanka.
• 1999: Malaysia’s former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is sentenced to six years in prison for corruption.
• 2006: Twin bomb blasts at Jama Masjid in Delhi, India, injure 13 people.
• 2010: A cyclonic storm kills 123 people in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orissa, India.
• 2020: India’s COVID-19 lockdown is extended until May 3 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Africa

Liberia: The 1979 Rice Riots

• On April 14, 1979, Liberia experienced a pivotal moment in its history with the “Rice and Rights” uprising. Thousands of Liberians protested against a proposed increase in the price of rice, which was seen as a symbol of broader social and economic injustices. The protest marked a turning point in Liberian politics, bringing the grievances of ordinary people to the forefront and is often cited as a catalyst for the country’s later civil unrest.

Seychelles: Underwater Presidential Address

• On April 14, 2019, Seychelles President Danny Faure became the first head of state to deliver a speech from underwater. Speaking from a submersible off the Seychelles, he called for stronger protections for the world’s oceans, highlighting the importance of marine conservation.

West Africa: Founding of Cotonou

• On April 14, 1830, the Kingdom of Dahomey (in present-day Benin) established a major slaving port on the Gulf of Guinea. The port town, named Kutonou (now Cotonou), meaning “by the river of death” in the Fon language, would later become the capital of Benin.

South Africa: Mandela’s Call for Calm

• On April 14, 1993, following the assassination of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani, Nelson Mandela made a televised appeal for peace and unity. The country was on the brink of widespread violence, and Mandela’s intervention is credited with helping to prevent further escalation during a critical period in South Africa’s transition from apartheid.

Sudan: Ongoing Conflict in Darfur

• On April 14, 2025, the United Nations condemned a deadly escalation in North Darfur, Sudan, where hundreds of civilians were killed or wounded in attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on displacement camps. The violence trapped over 700,000 displaced people in crossfire, drawing international concern.

South Africa: Reopened Inquest into Anti-Apartheid Leader’s Death

• On April 14, 2025, a South African court reopened the inquest into the 1967 death of Chief Albert Luthuli, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and anti-apartheid leader. The move responded to longstanding doubts about the official account of his death and was part of broader efforts to address unresolved injustices from the apartheid era.