What events happened on 27 August in history? We round up the events, births and deaths…

By Elinor Evans

Published: Sunday, 27 August 2023 at 05:06 AM


27 August 1172

Prince Henry, eldest son of the still-living and ruling Henry II, was crowned ‘Young’ King of England. Henry had been crowned two years earlier but the ceremony was repeated in order to include his wife, Margaret of France.


27 August 1770

Influential German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was born in Stuttgart, then part of the Duchy of Württemberg.


27 August 1859

The world’s first successful oil well came into being as Edwin Drake struck oil 69 feet below ground level near Titusville, Pennsylvania.


27 August 1861

Martin Doyle became the last person in Britain to be executed for attempted murder when he was hanged in Chester prison after being found guilty of attempting to kill his girlfriend.

Browse more On this day in history

Screenshot 2021-09-09 at 17.22.22