23BC: The first recorded ritual Sumo wrestling bout took place - each year a priest still officiates for the Ceremony of the Crows at the Kamo Shrine, Kyoto, Japan.

1157: King Richard I was born in Oxford, third son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was later known as Richard the Lionheart. Although he reigned for nearly 10 years, he was only in England twice - for a grand total of 160 days. He was mostly away on crusades.

1504: Michaelangelo unveiled his statue of David in Florence.

1664: The Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam was seized by the English and re-named New York, in honour of James, Duke of York, the future King James II.

1886: When public diggings for gold were permitted, thousands flocked to the Witwatersrand where a town sprang up, known today as Johannesburg.

1886: Siegfried Sassoon, First World War poet, was born in Brenchley, Kent.

1888: The first English Football League matches were played.

1944: The first German V2 flying bombs fell in Britain.

1960: Penguin Books was charged with public obscenity for publishing DH Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover.

1966: The Severn Bridge was officially opened by the Queen.

LAST YEAR: The MoD announced plans to send an extra 1,000 troops to Iraq immediately with more reinforcements possible to combat terror attacks against British soldiers.