What happened on this day in history: King Henry VIII dies in 1547, the Space Shuttle Challenger explodes in 1986, and other important events.
814 C.E.: Charlemagne Dies
Charlemagne dies in Aachen, Francia (present-day Germany), at the age of 66 after several years of ill health. The first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne was originally the king of the Franks before he conquered much of Christian Europe. Today, he’s known as the “Father of Europe.”
1547: King Henry VIII Dies
Public DomainHenry VIII’s death led to the rapid succession of his three surviving children, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.
King Henry VIII dies at the Palace of Whitehall, in Westminster, England, at the age of 55, following several years of obesity and poor health. After his death, Henry’s only son Edward VI succeeded him as king at the age of nine. But Edward died himself just six years later, leading the eventual succession of his two older sisters, Mary I in 1553 and Elizabeth I in 1558.
1881: Fyodor Dostoyevsky Dies In St. Petersburg
Fyodor Dostoyevsky dies in St. Petersburg, Russia. Dostoyevsky was a Russian novelist and journalist known for his raw portraits of the human condition. His works include Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, and Notes from Underground. Dostoyevsky caught the attention of the Tsarist Russian government after joining a banned book club. He would serve four years in a work camp and six years in exile for this crime before being able to return to Russia and write once more. During his final days, Dostoyevsky suffered multiple hemorrhages before finally passing away in St. Petersburg at the age of 59.
1932: The Shanghai Incident Takes Places
Japanese troops provoke an uprising in Shanghai, China. The suppression of the uprising led to a short war between Japan and China. Though it lasted only until March 3, tens of thousands of civilians are estimated to have died.
1986: The Space Shuttle Challenger Explodes
Bettmann/Getty ImagesA man stares up at the trail of smoke left behind by the Challenger explosion.
The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes just 73 seconds after liftoff.
NASA’s 25th space shuttle program mission, the launch was supposed to be a part of a routine transportation mission, though it also included Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher to go to space. Tragically, all seven crew members were killed instantly in the explosion, which was watched by 40 million Americans.
