Today in History: Pope John Paul II survives assassination attempt

The following is a chronological list of notable events that occurred on May 13 throughout history:

1. 1568 – Mary, Queen of Scots, defeated at the Battle of Langside

Mary’s forces were defeated by those of the Scottish Regent, James Stewart, Earl of Moray, near Glasgow. This loss forced Mary to flee to England, leading to her imprisonment by Queen Elizabeth I.

2. 1607 – English colonists land at Jamestown

Three ships carrying English settlers arrived in Virginia and established Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America.

3. 1846 – United States declares war on Mexico

The U.S. Congress approved a declaration of war against Mexico, initiating the Mexican-American War, which resulted in significant territorial gains for the United States.

4. 1917 – Apparition of the Virgin Mary reported in Fátima

Three shepherd children in Fátima, Portugal, reported witnessing an apparition of the Virgin Mary, an event that became a significant religious occurrence in Catholicism.

5. 1940 – Churchill delivers “blood, toil, tears and sweat” speech

In his first address as Prime Minister to the British House of Commons, Winston Churchill delivered his iconic speech, rallying the nation during the early days of World War II.

6. 1943 – Axis forces surrender in North Africa

German and Italian troops in North Africa surrendered to Allied forces, marking the end of the North African Campaign during World War II.

7. 1981 – Pope John Paul II survives assassination attempt

Pope John Paul II was shot and seriously wounded by Mehmet Ali Ağca in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City; he survived after extensive surgery.

8. 1985 – MOVE bombing in Philadelphia

A confrontation between Philadelphia authorities and the radical group MOVE ended when police dropped explosives on the group’s residence, resulting in 11 deaths and the destruction of over 60 homes.

9. 1989 – Tiananmen Square hunger strike begins

Thousands of students initiated a hunger strike in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, escalating the pro-democracy protests that were later met with a violent government crackdown.

10. 1996 – Oasis sets UK concert ticket sales record

British rock band Oasis sold out 330,000 tickets for their summer concerts in just nine hours, setting a record for the fastest-selling shows in UK history.