AncientPages.com – On July 8, 1497, Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer, departed from Lisbon on a voyage that led to the discovery of a sea route to India around the southern tip of Africa. Vasco da Gama – 1838.

AncientPages.com – On July 7, 1550, chocolate was introduced in Europe, and the Mexican drink became a passion that endures after nearly half a millennium. In 1550 Dominican friars promoted chocolate as a beverage by introducing it to royalty and

AncientPages.com – On July 6, 1189, young Richard I, Coeur de Lion, or Lionheart, ascended the British throne in alliance with King Philip II of France. Richard was the third son of Henry II and the last in line to the English

AncientPages.com – On July 5, 1687, one of the most famous books in the history of science was published by Isaac Newton. Newton’s own copy of his Principia Mathematica. Image credit: Andrew Dunn – CC BY-SA 2.0 The book “Principia Mathematica” or simply ‘Principia’

AncientPages.com – On July 4, 1456, the Siege of Nándorfehérvár (also known as the Siege of Belgrade or Battle of Belgrade began. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottoman Empire launched an invasion through the Balkans against the

AncientPages.com – On July 3, 1841, astronomer John Couch Adams was one of two who independently discovered the planet Neptune. Many people consider him the true discoverer of the planet. Astronomer John Couch Adams was one of two who independently discovered

AncientPages.com – On July 2, 1937, Amelia Earhart,  the most famous female pilot, disappeared without a trace over the Pacific Ocean. Earhart’s last communication was at 8:43 a.m.: “We are running north and south.” American aviator/pilot Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) standing

AncientPages.com – On July 1, 69, Vespasian was elected the Roman Emperor. This historical event occurred during the troublesome period after Nero’s death when several Roman emperors had a succession in only one year. Aureus 75-79, AV 7.30 g. IMP CAESAR

AncientPages.com – On June 30, 1908, at 7.17 am, the legendary and mysterious Tunguska explosion occurred in the area of the Podkamennaya Tunguska River, located in Central Siberia approximately 620 miles north of the town of Irkutsk and Lake Baikal. Many

AncientPages.com – On June 29, 1194, Sverre (Sverrir) Sigurdsson was crowned King of Norway. Sverre Sigurdsson (c. 1151-1202) was one of the best-known figures in the medieval history of Norway. According to sagas, he was born and grew up in

AncientPages.com – On June 28, 1709, Peter the Great defeated Charles XII of Sweden at the Battle Of Poltava. The battle of Poltava was the turning point in the Northern War (1700–21) between Sweden and Russia. It was the crucial

AncientPages.com—On June 27, 1743, King George of England and his armies defeated the French at Dettingen, Bavaria, Germany. The Battle of Dettingen is a highly significant victory for the British Army, being the only time in modern history that a

AncientPages.com – On June 26, 363, Roman Emperor Julian (also known as Julian the Apostate) died near Maranga, Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), aged 31, during a battle against the Sassanid army. Julian the Apostate was a prominent philosopher and author in Greek; he

AncientPages.com – On June 25, 1900, the Dunhuang manuscripts were discovered in one of the sealed caves of the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, China. They are important religious and secular documents dating from the 5th to the early 11th centuries and contain

AncientPages.com – On June 24, 1348, the terrible Black Death arrived in Britain. The Black Death started in the Gobi Desert with a minor disease, Yersinia Pestis.  It first entered the country at Melcombe Regis, what is now Weymouth, a seaside town in

AncientPages.com – On June 23, 1314, the Battle of Bannockburn started. It was the first war of Scottish independence. Robert the Bruce, the guardian of Scotland, faced King Edward II at Bannockburn, near Stirling. Bruce crowned King of Scots; modern tableau