The Seljuk Turks, led by Alp Arslan, defeat the Byzantine Empire at the Battle of Manzikert, marking a significant step in the decline of Byzantine power.
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What Happened Today in History on August 26
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on August 26th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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The Battle of Crécy occurs during the Hundred Years' War, where the English army, led by Edward III, defeats the French forces under the command of but King Philip VI of France. was the commanding monarch of the losing French army.
King John of Bohemia, known as John the Blind, a loyal ally of France was a notable fatality on the French side. As the battle turned against the French, he insisted his knights tie their horses' reins to his so he could fulfill his wish to strike one blow with his sword; their bodies were discovered the next day still bound together.
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is adopted in France, laying the groundwork for the French Revolution, becoming the basis for a nation of free individuals protected equally by the law. It is included at the beginning of the constitutions of both the French Fourth Republic (1946) and French Fifth Republic (1958) and is considered valid as constitutional law. More
President George Washington leads a militia force of 12,950 men towards Western Pennsylvania to subdue the Whiskey Rebellion, warning locals "not to abet, aid, or comfort the Insurgents aforesaid, as they will answer the contrary at their peril." More
Krakatoa eruption. One of the most catastrophic volcanic eruptions in recorded history takes place on the Indonesian island of Krakatoa (Krakatau). The first eruption sends a cloud of gas and debris into the air and it is followed by increasingly powerful explosions culminating in a gigantic blast around 10 am on August 27.
The blast sent ash and debris 50 miles into the air blanketing 300,000 square miles (800,000 square kilometers) and plunging the area into darkness for two and a half days. The explosions were heard 2,000 miles away. Tidal waves 120 ft. high killed 36,000 persons on nearby islands, while five cubic miles of earth were blasted into the air up to a height of 50 miles. More
The 19th amendment giving women the Constitutional right to vote is formally adopted into the Constitution by proclamation as the US Secretary of State, Bainbridge Colby certifies it, after the State of Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment. It had been first proposed in Congress, forty two years earlier in 1878 and passed by Congress on June 4, 1919. More
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Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers Quarterback, remains seated while other players stand for the National Anthem played before the preseason game, rather than stand as is customary. He continued to sit during the rendition of the anthem for the third preseason games but advise from a former NFL player and Green Beret convinced Kaepernick to kneel, rather than sit, out of respect for members of the military.
The controversy brought light to racial tensions across the sporting world for many years and also determined Kaepernick's football career; he left at the end of the season and did not get an offer from any other team. He is now politically active, writes books for children and young people that deal with black identity, produces documentaries, founds his own organizations and initiatives, and remains undeterred despite fierce criticism. More