On This Day In History - 18th June

On This Day In History - 18th June

 

18th June 1633, Charles I was crowned King of Scotland in Edinburgh. He had been king of England since 1625 and king of Scotland since that date, too. However, keen to avoid travelling to Scotland, he waited 8 years to be crowned.

 

Charles struggled with some personal issues just before his reign as king ended. The main issue, which was rather personal, was his head being separated from his body. Yep, the guy was executed for treason in January 1649. A bit surprising considering he was the king.

 

18 June 1812, The US Congress declared war on Great Britain, Canada, and Ireland. Come on, I can understand them not liking Britain and Ireland, those countries are a like 'em or leave them kinda countries, but Canada? They're all friendly and happy and nice. And they have Mounties.

 

18th June 1815, the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by the pop group ABBA. Such a catchy tune.

 

The Battle of Waterloo was a great victory for Britain and for the now famous Duke of Wellington, one of the greatest Generals in British history. It was fought near Waterloo, hence the name, in what is now present-day Belgium.

 

After Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, his time as Emperor of the French was at an end. The French monarchy was restored to King Louis XVIII and Napoleon was exiled to St Helena.

 

The battle cost the French forces almost 26,000 lives. The British and its allies lost less than 5,000 in comparison.

 

18th June 1940, Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister gave his "This was their finest hour" speech to the British Parliament. He had only been in office for a month, the Second World War raged on in the Battle of France.

 

Hope for a victory was at a low. Winston Churchill stomped into the House of Commons to face those who needed to hear these words:

 

"But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, This was their finest hour."

 

Read more facts about Winston Churchill Here.