The Roman general Drusus completes the conquest of Raetia (modern-day Switzerland and Bavaria).
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What Happened Today in History on January 12
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on January 12th. 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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Crusaders start constructing siege engines for the siege of Arqa during the First Crusade.
Marriage negotiations between King Edward II of England and Isabella of France, daughter of King Philip IV, begin.
Henry, Duke of Lancaster, arrives in Calais to aid King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.
King Peter I of Portugal dies, succeeded by his daughter, Beatrice, and her husband, John I of Castile.
Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I dies on Jan 12, 1519 and his grandson Charles V becomes the new Holy Roman Emperor on June 28, 1519. Charles had to secure the support of the seven electors and defeated rivals like Francis I of France through extensive bribery, funded by the Fugger banking family. Charles's election united his inherited Spanish, Burgundian, and Austrian territories and marked a new era of Habsburg dominance in Europe.
King Henry VIII of England leads an invasion of France during the Italian War of 1542–1546.
The Royalist stronghold of Bolesworth Castle surrenders to the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War.
James Oglethorpe and 130 English colonists arrive at Charleston, South Carolina, establishing the colony of Georgia.
An earthquake in the Midwest, known as the New Madrid earthquake, shakes the central United States.
The Aeronautical Society of Great Britain, the precursor to the modern-day Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) is formed in London, becoming the world's oldest aeronautical society.
One of the deadliest winter storms hits the upper Midwest. The blizzard with an epicenter in present-day South Dakota caused the deaths of hundreds of people, including 213 children who never made it home from their one-room schoolhouses and became known as the “Children’s Blizzard”. The frigid temperatures were a nationwide phenomenon. Sub-zero temperatures reached all the way to Texas and Georgia, people could ice skate in San Francisco, and water mains froze in Los Angeles. More
The Mona Lisa is recovered in Florence after being stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris in 1911.
Hattie Ophelia Wyatt Caraway becomes first woman elected to U.S. Senate when she defeated two male opponents in a special race in Arkansas. More
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake strikes Haiti, causing widespread devastation and loss of life.