1796: Napoleon married society beauty Josephine de Beauharnais.
1917: The Russian Revolution began.
1932: Eamon de Valera became president of the Irish Free State.
1937: George Orwell's examination of life during the Depression in the north of England, The Road To Wigan Pier, was published.
1956: Britain deported Archbishop Makarios from Cyprus for "actively fostering terrorism".
1973: In a referendum boycotted by most Catholics, Northern Ireland voted in favour of staying in the UK by a majority of 90-1.
1981: John Lambe, the "M5 Rapist" who admitted 16 attacks, received 12 life sentences.
1990: Talks began on German reunification in Berlin.
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