It happened today – this day in history – October 19

1216: Death of King John.

1466: The Thirteen Years’ War ends with the Second Peace of Thorn.

1512: Martin Luther becomes a doctor of theology.

1739: England declares war on Spain.

1745: Death of author Jonathan Swift.

1781: The American Revolution ends as Gen Charles Cornwallis signs the terms of surrender to George Washington at Yorktown.

1812: Napoleon’s forces begin their retreat from Moscow.

1845: Wagner’s opera “Tannhäuser” premieres in Dresden.

1901: Edward Elgar’s “Pomp & Circumstance March” premieres in Liverpool.

1915: Russia and Italy declare war on Bulgaria.

1921: Portuguese Prime Minister António Granjo and other politicians are murdered in a Lisbon coup.

1926: Leon Trotsky is thrown out of the Russian Politburo.

1951: President Truman formally ends the state of war with Germany.

1954: British troops depart from Egypt.

1960: Martin Luther King is arrested at a sit-in demonstration in Atlanta.

1969: Jackie Stewart wins his first Formula 1 World Drivers Championship.

1983: Maurice Bishop, premier of Grenada, is murdered in a coup

1987: Black Monday: Stock markets around the world crash.

1988: Britain bans broadcast interviews with IRA members.

1991: Noel Gallagher’s first gig with Oasis at The Boardwalk in Manchester.

2004: Singer songwriter Elliott Smith commits suicide.

2005: Saddam Hussein goes on trial in Baghdad for crimes against humanity.

BIRTHDAYS: John Le Carre (David Cornwell) author, 88; Michael Gambon, actor, 79; John Lithgow, actor, 74; Patrick Simmons, musician (Doobie Brothers) 71; Sam Allardyce, football manager, 65; Dan ‘Woody’ Woodgate, drummer (Madness) 59; Evander Holyfield, former heavyweight boxing champion, 57; Jon Favreau, actor/director 53; Sinitta (Malone) singer, 51.