1442

Death of Le Thai Tong, Nguyen Long, King of Viet Nam from 1433-42. He was crowned King at the age of 11 and reigned until his death.

1701

Treaty of The Hague, known as the Grand Alliance, is signed, whereby Britain, Holland and Holy Roman Empire ally against France.

1714

France signs Peace of Baden with Holy Roman Empire, whereby France keeps Alsace and Strasbourg.

1776

The first submarine used in warfare makes an unsuccessful attempt to attach a mine to a British flagship in New York harbour.

1822

Brazil proclaims independence from Portugal.

1927

American television pioneer Philo T Farnsworth succeeds in transmitting an image through purely electronic means by using a device called an image dissector.

1940

The Blitz, during World War II, begins in earnest: German planes bomb London for the first of 57 consecutive nights.

1977

The Panama Canal treaties, calling for the United States to eventually turn over control of the waterway to Panama, are signed in Washington DC.

1996

In Rome, an 18-year-old black woman is named Miss Italy after two judges at the pageant are dismissed for saying her skin collar doesn't reflect true Italian beauty.

2001

US House of Representatives passes the Viet Nam-US Trade Pact.

2005

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his top deputy failed the ideals of the United Nations in their management of the oil-for-food programme by allowing corruption and waste to flourish, a year-long probe concludes. — AP