28 August 1592

Birth of royal favourite George Villiers, later the 1st Duke of Buckingham. His popularity with James VI and I was only matched by his unpopularity throughout the country. News of his murder in 1628 was met with wild rejoicing.

Advertisement

28 August 1640

A Scottish Covenanter army defeated an English force before occupying Newcastle. This was important, as the need to buy off the Scots forced Charles I to call the Long Parliament which sat through the Civil Wars.


28 August 1648

After a siege lasting 11 weeks, the royalist-held stronghold of Colchester finally surrenders to Sir Thomas Fairfax’s parliamentarian army. The town has to pay £12,000 to be preserved from pillage.


28 August 1879

After seven weeks on the run following his defeat at Ulundi, Zulu king Cetshwayo was captured by the British. He was briefly restored to part of his dismantled kingdom but was soon overthrown and died in exile.

Advertisement

28 August 1941

German troops from Field Marshal Ritter von Leeb’s Army Group North entered the Estonian capital, Tallinn.

More like this
Browse more On this day in history
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement