Today in History – Oct. 29 – 539 BC – King Cyrus “The Great” Of Persia Marches Into Babylon, Freeing Jewish Captives

370 St. Regulus is wrecked off the coast of Scotland with the bones of St. Andrew, who is therefore adopted as the patron saint of Scotland. A site near the wreck becomes the seat of the archbishop of Scotland.

539 BC King Cyrus “the Great” of Persia marches into Babylon, freeing Jewish captives and allowing them to return home.

1525 Luther introduces the first complete German mass at the City Church of Wittenberg.

1268 Conradin, the last legitimate male heir of the German Hohenstaufen dynasty of Kings and Holy Roman Emperors, is executed with Frederick I, Margrave of Baden by Charles I of Sicily.

1665 Battle of Mbwila [Ambuila]: Portuguese defeat forces of the Kingdom of Kongo and decapitate King Antonio I of Kongo / Nvita a Nkanga.

1863 A conference opens in Geneva to found the organization that becomes the International Red Cross. It is spearheaded by Henri Dunant, a businessman influenced by Christian ideals.

1929 “Black Tuesday” Wall Street Stock Market crashes triggering the “Great Depression”.

2015 China announces the end of their one-child policy after 35 years.

Today’s Historical Events

Today in Film & TV

1956 NBC anchors Chet Huntley and David Brinkley first team up in “The Huntley–Brinkley Report”.

Today in Music

1787 Opera “Don Giovanni”, music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte premieres at the National Theater of Bohemia in Prague.

Today in Sport

1960 Cassius Clay’s [Muhammad Ali] 1st professional fight; beats Tunney Hunsaker on points in 6 rounds in Louisville, Kentucky.

Do you know this fact about today? Did You Know?

English adventurer, writer and courtier Walter Raleigh is beheaded for allegedly conspiring against King James I of England, on this day in 1618.

Would you believe this fact about today? Would You Believe?

En route Adana to Ankara, Turkish Airlines flight with crew of 6 and 33 passengers hijacked by Kurdish militant, orders pilot fly to Switzerland. Pilot lands in Ankara tricking hijacker he was landing in Sofia to refuel, on this day in 1998.