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Explore the historical events that shaped our world on September 4th. 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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Fall of the Western Roman Empire. Odoacer (Adovacar), a barbarian member of the Germanic tribe Siri and former commander in the Roman army enters the city of Rome unopposed and dethrones emperor Romulus Augustus, becoming the first barbarian king of Italy.
Although Roman rule continued in the East, the crowning of Odoacer marked the end of the original Roman Empire centered in Italy, although there was some resurgence and expansion of the power of Rome to the west.
Otto III, the Holy Roman Emperor, issues a document known as the "Privilege of Otto III," granting certain rights and privileges to the bishopric of Merseburg, Germany.
The War of the Sicilian Vespers ends with the Peace of Caltabellotta, granting independence to the Kingdom of Sicily from the Angevin Kingdom of Naples.
The Treaty of Alcáçovas is signed by the Catholic Monarchs of Castile and Aragon and Afonso V and his son, Prince John of Portuga. It ended the War of Castilian Succession between Portugal and Castile and formally divided the Atlantic Ocean into Portuguese and Castilian spheres of influence, a foundational step in European colonialism
King Charles VIII of France begins his invasion of Italy by crossing the Alps in early September 1494. The French king's army then marched through Italy, entering Florence in November and Rome on the last day of the year, as part of a campaign that formally initiated the Italian Wars More
Los Angeles is founded. A group of settlers consisting of 14 families numbering 44 individuals journeyed more than one-thousand miles across the desert from present-day northern Mexico and established a farming community in the area.
The Settlement was named "The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Porciúncula" ("El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula"). The community grew over time under the flags of Spain, Mexico and eventually the United States to become the City of Los Angeles, one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world. More
Source: Unknown author - Dating from the era of the Pueblo de Los Angeles, The Plaza and "Old Plaza Church" (Mission Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles) in 1869. There is a square main brick reservoir in the middle of the Plaza at the right, which was the terminus of the town's historic lifeline: the Zanja Madre. The Plaza itself was rounded and turned into a traditional ornate plaza, with a fountain that later became a bandstand. The building in the top right background was the Lugo House: first home to St. Vincent's College (now Loyola Marymount University). They are now a part of Olvera Street.
Geronimo, also known as Goyathlay, hands his rifle to a U.S. General bringing the Apache armed resistance to an end after his tribe had been relocated to a reservation in Arizona 14 years earlier. His military resistance with his tiny band of Chiricahuas made him feared by white settlers.
After his surrender, Goyathlay and about 30 followers, including children, were sent to Fort Marion in St. Augustine, destined fto years of imprisonment. On his deathbed, he confessed to his nephew that he regretted his decision to surrender. His last words were reported to be: "I should have never surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive." He dictated his autobiography "Geronimo's Story of his Life" to S.M Barrett Superintendent of Education, Lawton.
U.S. Patent No. 388,850 is granted to George Eastman for the Kodak camera. He also registered the trademark "Kodak". The patent marked a significant moment in photography by introducing a small, handheld, and easy-to-use box camera loaded with roll film.
This innovation made photography accessible to the general public, allowing them to "press the button, we do the rest" by sending the completed camera back to the factory for film development, prints, and a reload. More
Source: Smithsonian - National Museum of American History.
About 4500 U.S. troops land at Arkhangelsk, Russia (Archangel) as part of an Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. Starting at 4500 military personnel the U.S. troops, peaked to about 13000. By the time they left in late 1919, 150 U.S. soldiers had been killed in action and about 100 more died from illness or accidents. More
Ford introduces its newest model called the Edsel which went on to become perhaps its most notable financial and marketing failure. The Edsel was discontinued after three model years, with the brand becoming a symbol of corporate failure . It is now a prized collector's item. More
Larry Page and Sergey Brin officially incorporated Google while pursuing their PhDs at Stanford University. What began as a research project quickly grew into the world’s most popular search engine, ushering in a new internet age that transformed how people connect, communicate, and find information — changing not only daily life for billions, but also the strategies and structures of corporations worldwide. More.
The Canterbury earthquake strikes the South Island of New Zealand with a magnitude of 7.1 Some damaging aftershocks followed, the strongest of which was a magnitude 6.3 shock known as the Christchurch earthquake that occurred nearly six months later on 22 February 2011 and was much more destructive due to its proximity to Christchurch, and resulted in the deaths of 185 people.
Mother Teresa, the founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity and winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize for Peace, is canonized by Pope Francis I. Mother Teresa died on 5 September 1997. More
