1218

Birth of Tran Thai Tong (died 1277) whose real name was Tran Canh, the first king (1225-58) of the Tran dynasty. He was also a poet and Buddhist bonze. In 1257, he led the country in defeating the Yuan for the first time.

1429

With Saint Joan of Arc standing by, Charles VII is crowned king of France in Reims, a day after the English-held town surrenders.

1453

The French defeat the English at the battle of Castillon, ending the Hundred Years' War, with Calais the only English possession on the continent.

1924

Birth of Vietnamese painter Duong Bich Lien (died 1988). His best known works include Chieu Vang (Golden Afternoon), Mua Gat (Harvest), Di Hoc Them (Going to Evening Class) and Bac Ho O Chien Khu Viet Bac (Uncle Ho in the Viet Bac Resistance Base).

1936

Spanish Civil War starts as General Francisco Franco leads army forces in revolt against the government.

1945

US President Harry S Truman, British Prime Minister Clement Atlee, and Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin meet at Potsdam, Germany, to settle the post World War II future of Europe.

1955

Disneyland, the first Disney amusement park, opens its gates in Anaheim, California.

1965

US B-52 bombers from Guam make their first strikes in Viet Nam in support of Allied ground operations.

1973

Afghanistan is proclaimed a republic following a palace coup that ends the 40-year rule of King Mohammed Zahir Shah.

1988

Death of Thanh Tinh (born 1911 as Tran Van Ninh), Vietnamese writer and poet. His main works are Chi Va Em (Sisters), Nhung Giot Nuoc Bien (Drops of Sea Water).

1995

Viet Nam and the European Union sign a framework agreement on co-operation that took effect on June 1, 1996.

2004

The Palestinian prime minister resigns in a sweeping leadership shake-up that also sees two senior officials replaced in Yasser Arafat's overhaul of his security forces – a key US and Israeli demand for restarting the deadlocked peace process.

2006

A tsunami crashes into beach resorts and fishing villages on Java island, killing more than 300 people and leaving more than 160 missing after bulletins failed to reach the Indonesian region because no warning system was in place. — AP/REUTERS