Edward the Confessor, King of England, dies on January 5, 1066, leading to a succession crisis, the Battle of Hastings. and the Norman Conquest.
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On This Day in History: January 5
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on January 5th. 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 Nancy takes place on January 5, 1477. It was the decisive final battle of the Burgundian Wars, where Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, was defeated and killed by René II, Duke of Lorraine, and Swiss forces, marking the end of Burgundian power and leading to significant shifts in European borders.
Pope Clement VII sends a letter to Henry VIII on January 5, 1531, forbidding him from remarrying until his first marriage is resolved; threatening excommunication if he did so.
Henry, who was seeking to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn, ignored the Pope's warning and went on to secretly marry Anne Boleyn in 1532. This defiance ultimately led to Henry VIII's excommunication and the English Reformation, as England broke away from the authority of the Catholic Church. More
The Golden Gate Bridge construction starts on January 5, 1933. Joseph B. Strauss led the way as Chief Engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge. He is is also credited as being the leading force behind seeing the Golden Gate Bridge become a reality. The bridge was completed on May May 28, 1937. More
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The Eisenhower Doctrine was announced on January 5, 1957; "To provide military and economic aid to Middle Eastern countries threatened by communism".
It was a U.S. Cold War policy securing pro-Western alignment to prevent Soviet expansion in the crucial region, with the U.S. promising to protect these nations' independence and territorial integrity.
Alexander Dubček comes to power in Czechoslovakia on January 5, 1968, replacing hardliner Antonín Novotný and beginning the short period known as the Prague Spring of major political liberalization, economic reform, and increased freedom of speech and the press. It quickly came to an end when the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact troops invaded on August 21, 1968, to crush the reforms.
President Richard Nixon signs a bill on January 5, 1972, authorizing $5.5 billion for the development of a reusable winged space transportation system commonly known as the space shuttle.
The reusability of the shuttle’s components was expected to provide regular access to space to many customers, while at the same time reducing costs. The spacecraft was to be designed to carry seven astronauts and up to 50,000 pounds of cargo into orbits a few hundred miles from Earth. NASA launched Columbia, the first space shuttle, in 1981. More
Democrats win both Senate seats in the State of Georgia's runoff elections, giving them control of the U.S. Senate.