Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on April 6th?

Halley's Comet makes its closest known approach to Earth, a significant event before the Battle of Hastings.

Magnus III Barefoot, King of Norway, dies in an expedition to Ireland.

Wars of the Investitures: The Concordat of Worms is signed, ending the investiture controversy between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire.

The Second Council of the Lateran, presided over by Pope Innocent II, begins.

Saint Maimonides, Jewish philosopher, theologian, and physician, is born in Córdoba.

Richard the Lionheart officially ascends to the throne of England.

King Richard I of England dies from an infection following the removal of an arrow during a siege in France.

Traditional founding date of the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Pope Clement V suppresses the Order of the Knights Templar with a papal bull.

The Scots reaffirm their independence by signing the Declaration of Arbroath, asserting their right to self-determination.

John, Master of Aviz, is declared King John I of Portugal after defeating the Castilian forces in the Battle of Aljubarrota.

Mehmed II begins his siege of Constantinople, eventually leading to the fall of the Byzantine Empire.

John Argyropoulos, a Greek philosopher and scholar, becomes the first to introduce Aristotelian studies in Italy.

Committee of Public Safety is formed in France, wielding significant power during the Reign of Terror.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is officially organized in Fayette, New York. More

Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter-day Saint movement, delivers a sermon in Kirtland, Ohio, introducing the Mormon Church's new doctrine of baptism for the dead.

The first modern Olympic Games open in Athens, Greece.

The United States enters World War I as the U.S Congress voted to declare war on Germany and to enter what optimistically was called the “Great War. More

The first successful flight around the world takes off from Seattle's Sand Point Naval Air Station. Eight U.S. Army Air Service pilots and mechanics in four airplanes left to carry out the first circumnavigation of the globe by air. They completed their mission 175 days later. More

The Rwandan Genocide erupts, leading to the mass slaughter of ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, with neighbors turning on neighbors and family turning on family. Up to 1 million people on some accounts — were brutally slaughtered in just 100 days, leaving the once-beautiful country in ruins as the International community failed to intervine. Against all odds, Rwanda has made remarkable strides in the years since, showing resilience and determination. Despite the lasting scars, Rwanda’s journey of healing, reconciliation, and development stands as an inspiring testament to the unyielding spirit of its people. More

A massive immigration reform protest, known as the "Great American Boycott," takes place across the United States.

The discovery of the Higgs boson particle is announced by scientists at CERN.