November 23rd, 2008

Today in History

1890:
King William III of the Netherlands dies without a male heir and a special law is passed to allow his daughter Princess Wilhelmina to become Queen.

1903:
Colorado Governor James Peabody sends the state militia into the town of Cripple Creek to break up a miners' strike.

1499:
Pretender to the throne Perkin Warbeck is hanged for reportedly attempting to escape from the Tower of London. He had invaded England in 1497, claiming to be the lost son of King Edward IV of England.

1971:
The People's Republic of China is given the Taiwan's seat on the United Nations Security Council. (See China and the United Nations)

1991:
Queen frontman Freddie Mercury publicly announces that he has AIDS. Freddie dies peacefully the next day.