On This Day in History

March 31

Historical Events

1146 Bernard of Clairvaux preaches his famous sermon in a field at Vézelay, urging the necessity of a Second Crusade. Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine are present and join the Crusade.

1492 Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon issue the Alhambra Decree which expels Jews from their kingdoms.

1657 English Parliament makes the Humble Petition and Advice to Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell offering him the crown: he declines.

The Eiffel Tower on opening day in Paris

1889 Eiffel Tower officially opens in Paris. Designed by Gustave Eiffel and built for the Exposition Universelle, at 300m high it retains the record for the tallest man made structure for 41 years.

1920 British parliament accepts the Irish Home Rule law.

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Famous Birthdays

Cesar Chavez 1927 - 1993 Shirley Jones 90th Birthday

Al Gore 76th Birthday Ewan McGregor 53nd Birthday

Also René Descartes and Johann Sebastian Bach.

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Famous Deaths

Isaac Newton 1643 - 1727 Charlotte Brontë 1816 - 1855

J. P. Morgan 1837 - 1913 Jesse Owens 1913 - 1980

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Margaret Thatcher Tax Triggers Riot

London was rocked by a major riot on this day in history as protests erupted against the poll tax introduced by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Poll Tax Triggers Riot