{"id":16812,"date":"2022-08-13T06:04:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-13T04:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/?p=213351"},"modified":"2022-08-13T07:01:10","modified_gmt":"2022-08-13T05:01:10","slug":"13-august-on-this-day-in-history","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/rss_feed\/13-august-on-this-day-in-history\/","title":{"rendered":"13 August: On this day in history"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Elinor Evans\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Saturday, 13 August 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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13 August 1521<\/h3>\n

Aided by European diseases and indigenous allies, Spanish conquistador Hern\u00e1n Cort\u00e9s captures the city of Tenochtitlan<\/a> after a 93-day siege. This signals the downfall of the Aztec empire and the conquest of Mexico.<\/p>\n

13 August 1704:\u00a0English troops are triumphant at Blenheim<\/h3>\n

Victory in Bavaria upsets Europe\u2019s balance of power<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

With its near-sacred reputation as Winston Churchill<\/a>\u2019s birthplace, Blenheim Palace<\/a> is one of the most famous country houses in Britain, far more so than the Bavarian village of Blindheim, from which it takes its name. But it was at Blindheim, on 13 August 1704, that the Duke of Marlborough secured one of the most famous victories in English history.<\/p>\n

Two years into the War of the Spanish Succession \u2013 a series of conflicts fought over the disputed succession to the Spanish throne following the death of the childless Charles II \u2013 France remained the greatest military power\u00a0in Europe. If Louis XIV<\/a> could seize Vienna and knock Austria out of the war, then French victory would be almost certain. So in just five weeks, Marlborough had led his men from the Low Countries to join their imperial allies on the Danube.<\/p>\n

With about 52,000 men, he was slightly outnumbered by his French adversary, Marshal Tallard. \u201cI know the danger,\u201d he told officers on the night of 12 August, \u201cyet a battle is absolutely necessary, and I rely on the bravery and discipline of the troops, which will make amends for our disadvantages.\u201d<\/p>\n

When battle was joined the next morning, it was a close-run thing. Amid the musket and artillery fire, the bloodshed was terrible, with at least 30,000 men killed or wounded. Only as evening drew in did the French troops crack, as enemy fire poured into them. They \u201cdied to a man where they stood\u201d, a French officer said later, \u201cstationed right out in the open plain \u2013 supported by nobody\u201d.<\/p>\n

As night fell, Marlborough was still on his horse. On the back of a tavern bill he scribbled a note to his wife, Sarah: \u201cI have no time to say more but to beg you will give my duty to the Queen [Queen Anne<\/a>], and let her know her army has had a glorious victory.\u201d | Written by Dominic Sandbrook<\/strong><\/p>\n

13 August 1792<\/h3>\n

Birth of Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, the future wife of King William IV. The South Australian city of Adelaide, which was founded in 1836, is named after her.<\/p>\n

13 August 1809<\/h3>\n

English physician, botanist, JP and social reformer William Penny Brookes was born in Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Brookes went on to found the Shropshire Olympian games and the National Olympian Society. His games were visited in 1890 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin who later credited Brookes for inspiring him to found the International Olympic Committee in 1894. | Read more about the history of the Olympic Games<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

13 August 1910<\/h3>\n

Florence Nightingale<\/a> died in her sleep, aged 90. Her relatives declined the offer of a burial in Westminster Abbey<\/a> and she was laid to rest next to her parents in East Wellow churchyard, Hampshire.<\/p>\n

13 August 1913:\u00a0A former lion tamer is crowned king of Albania<\/h3>\n

Otto Witte enjoys a brief taste of the royal high life \u2013 or does he?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Born in Germany in 1872, Witte first appeared in the circus as an eight-year-old lion tamer, before becoming an acrobat. His friends knew him as a great raconteur, always inventing daring and implausible adventures. But nothing could match his tale of his ascent to the throne of Albania.<\/p>\n

According to Witte\u2019s account, he was performing in Budapest in early 1913 when he read a newspaper story about Albania, a former Ottoman possession but now independent. The newspaper explained that some Albanians wanted the Ottoman sultan\u2019s nephew, Halim Eddine, to be their new king. To Witte\u2019s amazement, the printed picture of Halim Eddine showed an uncanny resemblance to\u2026 himself!<\/p>\n

Witte set off for Albania where he declared himself to be Halim Eddine: on 13 August, he was crowned king. The next five days were very good for Witte, as he sampled the pleasures of his royal harem and even declared war on Montenegro.<\/p>\n

Alas, all good things come to an end. Increasingly anxious that locals had seen through his ruse, Witte mounted an audacious getaway, making off with a considerable portion of the royal treasury.<\/p>\n

But there was one flaw in Witte\u2019s story: it was totally untrue. No Albanian sources supported it, and Halim Eddine did not exist. Still, people liked to believe it and the story was featured in books and newspapers. Back in Berlin, the authorities allowed Witte to include the words \u2018Former King of Albania\u2019 on his identity card, and Witte toured Germany in uniform, telling his story. Even his tombstone in Hamburg, where he was buried in 1958, carries his royal title. | Written by Dominic Sandbrook<\/strong><\/p>\n

13 August 1961<\/h3>\n

To stem the flow of refugees to the West, the East German authorities closed the border between East and West Berlin. Berlin would remain divided until November 1989. | Read more about the Berlin Wall<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Browse more On this day in history<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n