1146 – Bernard of Clairvaux preaches his famous sermon in a field at Vézelay, urging the necessity of a Second Crusade. Louis VII is present, and joins the Crusade.
1492 – Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon issue the Alhambra Decree which expels Jews from their kingdoms.
1959 – The Dalai Lama, fleeing the Chinese suppression of a national uprising in Tibet, crosses the border into India, where he is granted political asylum.
1657 – English Parliament makes the Humble Petition to Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell offering him the crown: he declines.
1889 – The 984-foot (300-metre) Eiffel Tower, a wrought iron technological masterpiece created by Gustave Eiffel to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution, was officially inaugurated in Paris this day in 1889.
1920 – British parliament accepts Irish Home Rule law.
Births & Dates:
1948 – American politician Al Gore, who served as vice president (1993–2001) in the administration of President Bill Clinton and lost the disputed 2000 presidential election, was born.
2008 – American director Jules Dassin, a master of film noir perhaps best known for the influential heist film Rififi (1955), died at age 96.
Film:
1930 – The Motion Pictures Production Code is instituted, imposing strict guidelines on the treatment of sex, crime, religion and violence in film for the next 38 years.
1981 – 1st Golden Raspberry Awards: “Can’t Stop the Music” wins.
1999 – The writing and directing sibling team of Lana and Lilly Wachowski release their second film, the mind-blowing science-fiction blockbuster The Matrix.
Music:
1967 – 1st time Jimi Hendrix burns his guitar (London).
Via Britannica / On This Day
