Today In History. What Happened This Day In History
A chronological timetable of historical events that occurred on this day in history. Historical facts of the day in the areas of military, politics, science, music, sports, arts, entertainment and more. Discover what happened today in history.
April 9
| 193 | In the Balkans, the distinguished soldier Septimius Severus is proclaimed emperor by the army in Illyricum. | |
| 715 | Constantine ends his reign as Catholic Pope. | |
| 1241 | In the Battle of Liegnitz, Mongol armies defeat Poles and Germans. | |
| 1454 | The city states of Venice, Milan and Florence sign a peace agreement at Lodi, Italy. | |
| 1682 | Robert La Salle claims lower Mississippi River and all lands that touch it for France. | |
| 1731 | British Captain Robert Jenkins loses an ear to a band of Spanish brigands, starting a war between Britain and Spain: The War of Jenkins' Ear. | |
| 1770 | Captain James Cook discovers Botany Bay on the Australian continent. | |
| 1859 | Realizing that France has encouraged the Piedmontese forces to mobilize for invading Italy, Austria begins mobilizing its army. | |
| 1865 | General Robert E. Lee surrenders his rebel forces to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, Va. | |
| 1900 | British forces route Boers at Kroonstadt, South Africa. | |
| 1916 | The German army launches its third offensive during the Battle of Verdun. | |
| 1917 | The Battle of Arras begins as Canadian troops begin a massive assault on Vimy Ridge. | |
| 1921 | Russo-Polish conflict ends with signing of the Riga Treaty. | |
| 1940 | Germany invades Norway and Denmark. | |
| 1942 | In the Battle of Bataan, American and Filipino forces are overwhelmed by the Japanese Army. | |
| 1945 | The Red Army is repulsed at the Seelow Heights on the outskirts of Berlin. | |
| 1950 | Comedian Bob Hope makes his first television appearance. | |
| 1963 | Winston Churchill becomes the first honorary U.S. citizen. | |
| 1966 | The statue of Winston Churchill is dedicated at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. | |
| 1968 | Murdered civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., is buried. | |
| 1970 | Paul McCartney announces the official break-up of the Beatles. | |
| Born on April 9 | ||
| 1649 | James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. | |
| 1821 | Charles Baudelaire, French poet. | |
| 1826 | Chatham Roberdeau Wheat, Confederate commander during the American Civil War. | |
| 1865 | Erich Ludendorff, German general during World War I. | |
| 1879 | W.C. Fields (Claude William Dukenfield), comedian and actor. | |
| 1898 | Paul Robeson, actor and activist. | |
| 1905 | J. William Fulbright, U.S. senator from Arkansas. | |
| 1926 | Hugh Hefner, founder and publisher of Playboy magazine. | |
