707day.year
Princess Abe accedes to the imperial Japanese throne as Empress Genmei.
In 707, Princess Abe ascended the Japanese throne as Empress Genmei, becoming one of Japan’s few reigning empresses.
Princess Abe became Empress Genmei upon the abdication of Emperor Monmu.
Her reign marked the establishment of reforms in court administration and the relocation of the capital.
Empress Genmei is credited with commissioning the New Year's Ceremony and supporting cultural growth.
Under her rule, the imperial court stabilized after years of political turmoil.
Her era laid foundations for the future Nara period and Japan’s classical governance structures.
707
Princess Abe
Empress Genmei
1572day.year
The Huguenot King Henry III of Navarre marries the Catholic Margaret of Valois, ostensibly to reconcile the feuding Protestants and Catholics of France.
King Henry III of Navarre married Margaret of Valois in 1572 to bridge the divide between French Protestants and Catholics.
The marriage of the Protestant Henry of Navarre to Catholic Margaret of Valois aimed to heal France’s religious rift.
Arranged by Catherine de’ Medici, the union was intended to foster peace in a war-torn kingdom.
Tragically, it preceded the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, where thousands of Huguenots were killed.
Despite their efforts, the couple faced political betrayal and religious extremism.
Henry later converted to Catholicism to claim the French throne but safeguarded Huguenot rights.
The marriage remains a poignant symbol of attempted reconciliation during the French Wars of Religion.
1572
Huguenot
King Henry III of Navarre
Catholic
Margaret of Valois
Protestants
Catholics
France
1612day.year
The trial of the Pendle witches, one of England's most famous witch trials, begins at Lancaster Assizes.
The Pendle witch trials began at Lancaster Assizes in 1612, becoming one of England’s most infamous witchcraft prosecutions.
In the spring of 1612, a wave of accusations swept through Lancashire’s Pendle region.
Twelve women and two men were charged with witchcraft after local testimonies.
The trials at Lancaster Assizes pitted them against a skeptical judiciary and hostile crowds.
Ten of the accused were convicted and executed by hanging, stirring public fear of witchcraft.
The proceedings exemplify the intersection of superstition and legal practice in early modern England.
The Pendle trials remain a chilling reminder of the era’s witch-hunting fervor.
1612
Pendle witches
Lancaster
Assizes
1634day.year
Urbain Grandier, accused and convicted of sorcery, is burned alive in Loudun, France.
In 1634, Urbain Grandier was executed by burning in Loudun after being convicted of sorcery in a highly controversial trial.
Urbain Grandier was a charismatic French priest accused of causing demonic possessions.
Under pressure from political rivals and Cardinal Richelieu’s agents, he faced trial in Loudun.
Charges included pacts with the devil and performing black masses.
Despite questionable evidence and alleged torture, Grandier was found guilty.
He was executed by burning on August 18, 1634, amid public spectacle.
The case inspired debates on justice, religious politics, and mass hysteria in 17th-century France.
1634
Urbain Grandier
Loudun
1809day.year
The Senate of Finland is established in the Grand Duchy of Finland after the official adoption of the Statute of the Government Council by Tsar Alexander I of Russia.
On August 18, 1809, Tsar Alexander I approved the Statute of the Government Council, creating the Senate of Finland as the Grand Duchy’s highest administrative body.
Following Russia’s acquisition of Finland from Sweden earlier that year, Tsar Alexander I formalized Finnish autonomy by enacting the Statute of the Government Council. This law established the Senate of Finland as the central governing institution, overseeing judicial, financial, and administrative matters. Composed of Finnish officials under a Russian governor-general, the Senate balanced local self-rule with imperial oversight. It laid the groundwork for modern Finnish governance, fostering a distinct national identity. The Senate continued to evolve through the 19th century, ultimately playing a key role in Finland’s push for full independence in 1917.
1809
Senate of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
Alexander I of Russia
1848day.year
Camila O'Gorman and Ladislao Gutierrez are executed on the orders of Argentine dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas.
On August 18, 1848, Argentine socialite Camila O’Gorman and priest Ladislao Gutierrez were executed for defying dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas.
Camila O’Gorman, a young member of Buenos Aires high society, scandalized the nation by eloping with Jesuit priest Ladislao Gutierrez. Their forbidden romance led them to seek refuge outside the capital, but Rosas’s regime viewed their union as both moral and political rebellion. Upon capture, the couple was court-martialed and sentenced to death by firing squad, shocking Argentine elites. O’Gorman’s youth and status fueled public outrage, yet Rosas remained unyielding. The harsh punishment underscored the dictator’s absolute control and intolerance for dissent. Their tragic fate has since inspired literature, film, and ongoing debates about moral authority and state power.
1848
Camila O'Gorman
Juan Manuel de Rosas
1920day.year
The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing women's suffrage.
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, granting women the constitutional right to vote nationwide.
On August 18, 1920, the United States officially ratified the Nineteenth Amendment, prohibiting voter discrimination based on sex. The amendment's passage marked the culmination of a decades-long struggle led by suffragists such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul. After intense campaigns, protests, and state-by-state battles, Tennessee became the pivotal thirty-sixth state to ratify the measure. With its incorporation into the Constitution, millions of American women gained a fundamental voice in the democratic process. The victory transformed the nation's political landscape and energized subsequent movements for gender equality. Today, the Nineteenth Amendment stands as a cornerstone of civil rights and a testament to grassroots political activism.
1920
Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
suffrage
1933day.year
The Volksempfänger is first presented to the German public at a radio exhibition; the presiding Nazi Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, delivers an accompanying speech heralding the radio as the ‘eighth great power’.
Joseph Goebbels unveils the Volksempfänger radio, praising its potential as the 'eighth great power' of the Third Reich.
On August 18, 1933, Nazi Germany's Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, introduced the Volksempfänger at a public radio exhibition in Berlin. Designed to be affordable and mass-produced, this radio receiver aimed to extend the reach of state broadcasts into every German household. Goebbels heralded the device as the 'eighth great power' of the Reich, underscoring radio's role in unifying public opinion and disseminating propaganda. The Volksempfänger became a key tool in the Nazi regime's efforts to control information and influence the populace. Its widespread adoption revolutionized communications and set precedents for state-directed media systems. Technologically, the design influenced future radio manufacturing worldwide while leaving a complex legacy tied to its political use.
1933
Volksempfänger
radio exhibition
Joseph Goebbels
1945day.year
Sukarno takes office as the first president of Indonesia, following the country's declaration of independence the previous day.
Sukarno assumes office as the first president of Indonesia, cementing the nation's newly declared independence.
On August 18, 1945, Sukarno was inaugurated as the first President of Indonesia, one day after the country proclaimed its independence from Dutch colonial rule. A leading figure in the nationalist movement, Sukarno had collaborated with Mohammad Hatta to declare sovereignty on August 17. His presidency faced immense challenges, including securing international recognition and uniting a diverse archipelago under a central government. Sukarno's charismatic leadership and appeals to nationalism mobilized support across Java, Sumatra, and beyond. Despite internal conflicts and diplomatic pressures, his administration laid the groundwork for Indonesia's political institutions. Sukarno would remain a dominant figure in Indonesian politics for the next decade.
1945
Sukarno
first president of Indonesia
1950day.year
Julien Lahaut, the chairman of the Communist Party of Belgium, is assassinated. The Party newspaper blames royalists and Rexists.
Belgian Communist Party leader Julien Lahaut was assassinated in a politically charged attack blamed on right-wing elements.
On August 18, 1950, Julien Lahaut, chairman of the Communist Party of Belgium, was fatally shot by unknown assailants as he left a party meeting. Lahaut was a prominent figure in Belgium's post-war politics and a vocal critic of the monarchy. His assassination sent shockwaves through the nation, prompting the party newspaper to accuse royalists and the Rexists of orchestrating the killing. The event intensified political tensions in Belgium during the early Cold War period. A massive outcry from left-wing organizations demanded a thorough investigation and justice. Despite several inquiries, the murder remains officially unsolved. Lahaut's death underscored the volatile atmosphere of ideological conflict in Europe at the time.
1950
Julien Lahaut
Rexists
1977day.year
Steve Biko is arrested at a police roadblock under Terrorism Act No. 83 of 1967 in King William's Town, South Africa. He later dies from injuries sustained during this arrest, bringing attention to South Africa's apartheid policies.
Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko is arrested in South Africa, an event that amplifies global condemnation of the apartheid regime.
As a founder of the Black Consciousness Movement, Steve Biko challenged the injustices of apartheid through peaceful activism.
On August 18, 1977, he was detained under the Terrorism Act and severely beaten in custody.
He succumbed to his injuries on September 12, sparking outrage across the world.
Biko’s death became a rallying point for anti-apartheid campaigns and drew renewed scrutiny on South Africa’s racial segregation policies.
His legacy continues to inspire human rights and social justice movements internationally.
1977
Steve Biko
King William's Town
apartheid
1989day.year
Leading presidential hopeful Luis Carlos Galán is assassinated near Bogotá in Colombia.
Colombian presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán is assassinated near Bogotá, shocking the nation and escalating the fight against drug cartels.
Luis Carlos Galán was a charismatic leader of the New Liberalism movement who campaigned vigorously against corruption and narcotrafficking.
On August 18, 1989, he was shot dead at a rally in Soacha, just outside Bogotá.
The assassination, ordered by powerful drug cartels, triggered widespread public outrage.
Galán’s death galvanized anti-drug policies and strengthened Colombia’s resolve to dismantle criminal networks.
His vision for political reform and social justice remains influential in Colombian politics today.
1989
Luis Carlos Galán
Bogotá
Colombia