Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII. and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, becomes Queen of England.

In 1786 the German Romantic composer and conductor Carl Maria von Weber is born: He created many fabulous operas, among others Carostrelec and Oberon.

In 1796 Empress Catherine the Great of Russia dies. She reigned from 1762, during which time she supported the development of Russian science and art, and the Europeanization of Russia.

In 1869, the French Empress Eugene opened the Suez Canal, which took ten years to build. It was designed by the French engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps.

In 1925 American actor Rock Hudson is born.

In 1935 Austrian skier Anton Sailer is born. At the Olympics in 1956, he won all three gold medals (downhill, slalom and giant slalom).

In 1988, in Pakistan Benazir Bhutto wins the election and becomes the first woman to head an Islamic state.

MUSIC HISTORY
1957 - Harry Belafonte takes the top spot on the British charts with 'Mary's Boy Child'.
1962 - The Four Seasons with their song 'Big Girls Don't Cry' are No. 1 on the American singles chart.
1966 – at the top of the British charts are The Beach Boys with the song 'Good Vibrations.'
1979 – in the USA the song 'Still' by The Commodores is No. 1 on the singles chart.

BORN ON THIS DAY
1938 – Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot ('If You Could Read My Mind').
1944 - Gene Clark, singer in the group The Byrds ('Mr Tambourine Man').
1981 - Sarah Harding, singer in the group Girls Aloud.

RSI