Events Pre-1600 451 – The Chalcedonian Creed, regarding the divine and human nature of Jesus, is adopted by the Council of Chalcedon, an ecumenical council. 794 – Japanese Emperor Kanmu relocates his empire's capital to Heian-kyō (now Kyoto). 906 – Abbasid general Ahmad ibn Kayghalagh leads a raid against the Byzantine Empire, taking 4,000–5,000 captives. 1383 – The male line of the Portuguese House of Burgundy becomes extinct with the death of King Fernando, leaving only his daughter Beatrice. Rival claimants begin a period of civil war and disorder. 1601–1900 1633 – The Ming dynasty defeats the Dutch East India Company in naval battle. 1721 – The Russian Empire is proclaimed by Tsar Peter I after the Swedish defeat in the Great Northern War. 1724 – J. S. Bach leads the first performance of Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele (Adorn yourself, O dear soul) in Leipzig on the 20th Sunday after Trinity, based on the communion hymn of the same name. 1730 – Construction of the Ladoga Canal is completed in Russia. 1739 – The War of Jenkins' Ear begins with the first attack on La Guaira. 1746 – The College of New Jersey (later renamed Princeton University) receives its charter. 1777 – American Revolutionary War: American defenders of Fort Mercer on the Delaware River repulse repeated Hessian attacks in the Battle of Red Bank. 1784 – Russia founds a colony on Kodiak Island, Alaska. 1790 – Northwest Indian War: Native American forces defeat the United States, ending the Harmar Campaign. 1797 – André-Jacques Garnerin makes the first recorded parachute jump, from above Paris. 1836 – Sam Houston is inaugurated as the first President of the Republic of Texas. 1844 – The Millerites (followers of Baptist preacher William Miller) anticipate the end of the world in conjunction with the Second Advent of Christ. The following day becomes known as the Great Disappointment. 1859 – Spain declares war on Morocco. 1866 – A plebiscite ratifies the annexation of Veneto and Mantua to Italy, which had occurred three days before on October 19. 1875 – The first telegraphic connection in Argentina becomes operational. 1877 – The Blantyre mining disaster in Scotland kills 207 miners. 1878 – The Bramall Lane stadium sees the first rugby match played under floodlights. 1879 – Using a filament of carbonized thread, Thomas Edison tests the first practical electric incandescent light bulb (lasting 13 hours before burning out). 1883 – The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City opens with a performance of Gounod's Faust. 1884 – The International Meridian Conference designates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich as the world's prime meridian. 1895 – In Paris an express train derails after overrunning the buffer stop, crossing almost of concourse before crashing through a wall and falling to the road below.
evenTS pRe-1600 451 – the chalcEdOniAn CrEED, reGardIng the DiviNe And huMan nAture of jesUs, IS aDopted by the cOUNciL of cHALCeDoN, An ecumENIcAl coUNcil. 794 – japanesE emperoR kanmu rELOcates His emPirE's CapItal To hEian-kYō (now kyoTo). 906 – AbbasId generAL AHmAD ibn KAyghaLaGH leAds A rAId Against thE byZaNtIne eMpIRE, Taking 4,000–5,000 CAptives. 1383 – the Male liNe of the portuguesE houSe oF BurGundy BecOmes EXtINCt WIth the deAth OF KIng fernAndo, LEAViNg OnLy His DaUgHter bEAtRicE. RiVal claimanTS beGin A pErioD of CivIL War aNd disordEr. 1601–1900 1633 – thE ming Dynasty dEFEAtS the Dutch EaSt indIA cOmpanY IN nAvaL BATtlE. 1721 – The russian emPirE iS proClaIMeD by TsaR peter I afTer ThE sWedisH DEfeat iN the grEAt norThern waR. 1724 – J. s. bacH LeaDs The fIrst perFORMAncE of schMüCkE dIcH, o LiEbe seELe (adorN yourseLf, o DeAR SOUl) In LeIpZig ON thE 20Th sunDay afteR trinity, Based on thE CommunIon hyMn of tHE Same namE. 1730 – ConStRuCTION of thE laDoGa CanAL is cOmpletEd in rusSia. 1739 – the wAr of JeNkinS' ear beGinS With the fIrst attacK on LA guAiRA. 1746 – The cOllEGe of new Jersey (later rENaMEd prinCetOn UnIvERSIty) RecEIves Its chArteR. 1777 – ameRIcAn rEVolutionaRy wAr: amERicaN defEnders of FOrt meRCer On tHe DelaWare riveR rEpuLSe REPeaTEd hesSIan AttACKs In THE bAtTLe Of reD bank. 1784 – russIA fOundS a cOLOny on KoDiak iSLAnd, alaska. 1790 – northweSt indiAn war: natiVe americaN FoRces DEfeAt tHe UNitED sTAtes, ending the harmar CampAiGN. 1797 – andré-jACqUeS garneRIN makeS tHe fiRst recoRDEd parACHUte JuMP, from abOve PaRiS. 1836 – sAm HoustON is INAuguratEd as the First preSidEnt of the rEPubLIc Of texAs. 1844 – tHe milleriTEs (folLOwErs Of baptIst prEacHER wiLlIam MIllEr) anTicIpAte THE End of the WOrld in ConJuncTion wiTH the SeConD advenT of chrisT. tHe foLlowINg daY BeComes kNown as ThE gReaT DisaPpointmEnt. 1859 – spaiN DEcLarES wAr on MOROcco. 1866 – A plEbIsCiTe ratifiEs ThE anNexatIon Of venEto and manTUa to italy, wHiCh had ocCurreD three days beFore on oCToBer 19. 1875 – the fIrsT telEgRAphIc connectiOn iN aRGentinA BecOmeS operATIonal. 1877 – The bLantyre MiniNG disaster in scotlanD kILLS 207 miners. 1878 – THE braMall LanE StadiUm sees THe FIRSt rugbY matCh played UndEr floodLighTs. 1879 – Using a fIlamenT of CaRbonized threaD, thomas EdiSOn tesTs THe FirsT PRActiCal electric INcAndescenT lIGht bulb (LaSting 13 hoURs befoRe BurnINg Out). 1883 – the metropolItaN OperA hOusE IN nEW york CIty opens wIth a PerFoRmANcE of gounOd's faust. 1884 – tHe iNternatiOnAl meridIAn conFErenCe dESigNateS The rOyaL oBservatorY, gREenwiCh as tHe woRld's prime MEridiaN. 1895 – IN paris An eXprEss tRain DerailS after oVerrUnning the buffer sTop, croSsInG aLmost oF cONcoUrse bEfoRE crasHing thROUgh a WaLl And falling tO THE road Below.