Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1468, Juan del Encina, Spanish poet, playwright, and composer (probable; (died 1530) was born. In 1527, Lê Cung Hoàng ceded the throne to Mạc Đăng Dung, ending the Lê dynasty and starting the Mạc dynasty. In 1562, Fray Diego de Landa, acting Bishop of Yucatán, burns the sacred idols and books of the Maya. In 1675, Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco, Italian violinist and composer (died 1742) was born. In 1789, In response to the dismissal of the French finance minister Jacques Necker, the radical journalist Camille Desmoulins gives a speech which results in the storming of the Bastille two days later. In 1801, British ships inflict heavy damage on Spanish and French ships in the Second Battle of Algeciras. In 1852, Hipólito Yrigoyen, Argentinian lawyer and politician, 19th President of Argentina (died 1933) was born. In 1868, Stefan George, German poet and translator (died 1933) was born. In 1904, Pablo Neruda, Chilean poet and diplomat, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1973) was born. In 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe declare independence from Portugal. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.