July 28: North Texas e-News celebrates a milestone

July 28 marks the 209th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 156 days left until the end of the year. Throughout history, this date has been the backdrop for various significant events across different centuries.

In the pre-1600s, on July 28, 1364, troops from the Republic of Pisa and the Republic of Florence clashed in the Battle of Cascina. Fast forward to 1540, King Henry VIII of England married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, on this day. In 1571, the Spaniards founded La Laguna encomienda, which is now known as the Laguna province in the Philippines.

Moving into the 1601-1900 period, key events occurred on July 28, such as the capture of the strategic Dutch fortress of Schenkenschans by the Spanish in 1635 during the Eighty Years’ War. In 1656, the Battle of Warsaw began as part of the Second Northern War. Later, in 1778, the constitution of the province of Cantabria was ratified in Spain. Jumping ahead to 1794, Maximilien Robespierre and Louis Antoine de Saint-Just were executed by guillotine during the French Revolution.

The 19th century also saw important events unfolding on July 28. For instance, in 1808, Mahmud II became Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and Caliph of Islam. The Peninsular War’s Battle of Talavera took place in 1809, with Sir Arthur Wellesley’s British, Portuguese, and Spanish army defeating a French force in a decisive battle. Additionally, in 1821, José de San Martín declared the independence of Peru from Spain.

At the dawn of the 20th century and beyond, July 28 continued to be a witness to major historical episodes. The Australasian Antarctic Expedition set sail from London in 1911. In 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, precipitating the outbreak of World War I. The United States began its 19-year occupation of Haiti in 1915.

Throughout the years, July 28 also saw advancements and tragedies in various fields. In 1935, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress took its first flight. However, in 1938, the Hawaii Clipper disappeared between Guam and Manila, marking the first loss of an airliner in trans-Pacific China Clipper service. The devastating Tangshan earthquake struck China in 1976, resulting in significant loss of life.

These events, along with numerous others, paint a vivid picture of the historical significance and diversity of occurrences that have taken place on July 28 over the centuries.