8 August 1090

A Friday in history

Weekday

Friday

Season

Summer (N. Hemisphere)

Century

11th century

Records

428

  1. 2014

    The World Health Organization declared the Western African Ebola epidemic, which began in December 2013, to be a public health emergency of international concern.

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  2. 2010

    A massive mudslide in the Chinese province of Gansu killed at least 1,471 people.

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  3. 2009

    Nine people died when a tour helicopter and a small private airplane collided over the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey.

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  4. 2008

    A EuroCity train en route to Prague struck a part of a motorway bridge that had fallen onto the track near Studénka station and derailed, killing 8 people and injuring 64 others.

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  5. 1998

    The Iranian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, was raided by Taliban leading to the death of 10 Iranian diplomats and an Iranian journalist.

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  6. 1991

    Hudson Volcano in Chile began to erupt, depositing volcanic ash over 150,000 square kilometres (58,000 sq mi).

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  7. 1991

    The Warsaw radio mast (pictured), then the tallest structure ever built, at 646.38 metres (2,120.7 ft), collapsed due to an error in exchanging the guys on the highest telecommunications equipment of the mast.

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  8. 1988

    Tropical Storm Beryl formed over southeastern Louisiana, making it one of the few tropical cyclones to form over land.

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  9. 1988

    A series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots, which became known as the 8888 Uprising, began against the one-party state of the Burma Socialist Programme Party.

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  10. 1969

    At a zebra crossing (pictured) on Abbey Road in London, Iain Macmillan took the photograph that was used for the cover of the Beatles' album Abbey Road.

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  11. 1969

    At a zebra crossing in London (pictured), photographer Iain Macmillan took the photo that was used for the cover of the Beatles' album Abbey Road.

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  12. 1956

    A mining disaster killed 262 workers, mainly Italian nationals, at the Bois du Cazier coal mine in Belgium.

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  13. 1929

    The German airship Graf Zeppelin departed Lakehurst, New Jersey, on a flight to circumnavigate the world.

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  14. 1919

    The Third Anglo-Afghan War ended with the United Kingdom signing a treaty to recognise the independence of the Emirate of Afghanistan.

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  15. 1918

    The Battle of Amiens began in northern France, marking the start of the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive through the German front lines that ultimately led to the end of World War I.

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  16. 1914

    The Endurance departed Plymouth, England, on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

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  17. 1695

    The foundation for what is now known as the Wren Building, the oldest surviving college building in the United States, was laid in a ceremony at Middle Plantation, Virginia.

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  18. 1576

    The cornerstone of Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe's observatory Uraniborg was laid on the island of Hven.

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  19. 1264

    Reconquista: In the early stages of the Mudéjar revolt, Muslim rebels captured the Alcázar of Jerez de la Frontera in present-day Spain, holding it for about two months.

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  20. -685

    Spring and Autumn period: Amid a succession dispute, the forces of Duke Zhuang of Lu, who was attempting to install a claimant to the Qi throne, were defeated at the Battle of Qianshi.

    Source

Photo archive

24 historic images from this day — tap to open the gallery.

What was life like?

Prices, jobs, food, music and everyday routine — the world as it felt to live in.

Sources & fact check

Every claim is traced to primary sources, archives, universities and the press — with an explicit confidence rating. Dossiers are generated once and cached permanently.