The first known mention of Lithuania in historical chronicles appeared s on March 9, 1109 in the German medieval Latin chronicle, the "Annals of Quedlinburg". The mention records that Saint Bruno, also known as Boniface, was slain by pagans on the border of "Rus" and "Litua" (the Latinized form of Lithuania).
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On This Day in History: March 9
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on March 9th. 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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Pope Clement V, accedes to the demands of French King Philip IV and moves the papal seat from Rome to Avignon on March 9, 1309; beginning the period known as the "Avignon Papacy" between 1309–1377, when seven successive popes resided in Avignon, all under the influence of the French Crown.
German physician Johannes Fabricius, who devoted much of his spare time to astronomical observations, observes sunspots through a telescope for the first time on March 9, 1611 when working with his father, David, using a camera obscura technique to safely observe these spots. Their findings published later contributed to early astronomy studies and demonstrated the Sun's rotation.
Napoleon Bonaparte marries Josephine de Beauharnais in a civil ceremony on March 9, 1796, in Paris. Napoleon was an up-and-coming general at the time, while Josephine was a wealthy widow with two children.
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The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the case was issued on March 9, 1841, ruling that the Africans were free and could return home. Read about The Amistad
The German Empire, formally declares war on Portugal, on March 9, 1916, during WWI. Portugal had supported its alliance with Great Britain, seizing German ships which were anchored in Lisbon’s harbor. The declaration of war drew Portugal into World War I alongside the Allied powers.
More than three hundred American bombers drop incendiary bombs on Tokyo on March 9, 1945, during a three-hour raid . Causing a firestorm greater than that in Dresden, killing 130,000 and displacing a million people. The raid was one of over a hundred such raids that eventually laid waste to sixty percent of the city's total area. More