The assassination of the Duke of Milan and a gas explosion in Newham: 5 things that happened On This Day 16 May
What happened on this day in history? We round up five famous events, births, battles and deaths...
Published:
16 May
1968: Three people were killed after a gas explosion caused the collapse of a corner of Ronan Point, a newly-built tower block in Newham, East London.
1770: Louis-Auguste, the future King Louis XVI of France, married Marie Antoinette of Austria in the Palace Versailles.
1811: A British, Spanish and Portuguese army under General Sir William Beresford won a hard-fought and extremely costly victory over a French force under Marshal Jean de Dieu Soult at Albuera in Spain.
1412: Gian Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan, was assassinated in front of the Church of San Gottardo in Milan. He was succeeded by his brother, Filippo Maria.
1643: A royalist army under Sir Ralph Hopton defeated a much larger parliamenrarian force under the Earl of Stamford at Stratton in Cornwall, securing the country with its tin mines and ports for the royalist cause.
Compiled by Julian Humphrys – You can follow Julian on Twitter @GeneralJules
