29th January 1856: The Victoria Cross medal for valour introduced by Queen Victoria
The Victoria Cross, which is commonly referred to as the VC, is the highest military decoration in the British honours system and takes precedence over every other order and ...
29 Jan 0s
28th January 1986: NASA Space Shuttle orbiter Challenger breaks apart 73 seconds after launch from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida
At 11.39am Challenger lifted off, and seventy-three seconds later the Shuttle began to disintegrate following a huge fireball. All seven members of crew were killed, and the disaster led to NASA suspe...
28 Jan 0s
27th January 1973: Paris Peace Accords end direct United States military involvement in the Vietnam War
The final agreement signed on 27 January 1973 called for an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of all US combat forces within sixty days, and the return of American prisoners of ...
27 Jan 0s
26th January 1564: Pope Pius IV confirms the decrees of the Council of Trent
Pope Pius IV issued a Papal bull confirming the decrees of the Council of Trent that defined Catholic doctrine in the face of the Protestant ...
26 Jan 0s
25th January 1890: American journalist Nellie Bly arrives in New Jersey after completing a 72-day solo journey around the world
With £200 in English gold and banknotes, and a single bag that was smaller than modern carry-on luggage, Bly departed from Hoboken Pier in New Jersey on board the Augusta Victoria steamship on 14 Nove...
25 Jan 0s
24th January 1890: The Shigir Idol, the oldest wooden sculpture in the world, discovered in Russia
The prehistoric sculpture, which is twice as old as the pyramids, was found during gold mining operations at the Shigir peat bog near present-day ...
24 Jan 0s
23rd January 1556: The deadliest earthquake ever recorded hit the Chinese province of Shaanxi and surrounding areas
Scientists have since judged that the earthquake had a magnitude of around 8.0 on the Richter scale, and have had no reason to question the traditional estimates of around 830,000 ...
23 Jan 0s
22nd January 1808: Portuguese royal court relocates to Brazil
The Portuguese royal family and more than 10,000 courtiers relocated to Brazil to escape the advancing Napoleonic ...
22 Jan 0s
