This Day in History - July 9th

1993: Romanov remains identified

British forensic scientists announce that they have positively identified the remains of Russia’s last Tsar, Nicholas II, his wife, Tsarina Alexandra and three of their daughters. The scientists used mitochondria DNA fingerprinting to identify the bones, which had been excavated in a forest near Yekaterinburg by Russian scientists in 1991. The Crown Prince Alexei and one Romanov daughter were not accounted for, fuelling the persistent legend that Anastasia, the youngest Romanov daughter, had survived the July 1918 execution of her family by the Bolsheviks. Of the several Anastasias that surfaced in Europe in the decade after the Russian Revolution, Anna Anderson, who died in the United States in 1968, was the most convincing. In 1994, however, British and American scientists used DNA to prove that Anna Anderson was not Anastasia but a Polish woman named Franziska Schanzkowska.

Also On This Day

2006

In his last game of professional football Zinedine Zidane is sent off for headbutting Italian defender Marco Materazzi as France go on to lose to Italy 5-3 on penalties in the World Cup final.

2001

The African Union is formed.

1991

The International Olympic Committee lifts its 21 year old boycott of South Africa.

1991

The Bank of Credit and Commerce International is forced to close amid allegations of fraud, severely affecting around 20 councils in England who had money with the bank.

1984

In Britain, lightning sets fire to York Minster. The 700 year old building suffers severe damage.

1982

In England, Michael Fagan breaks into Buckingham Palace and spends ten minutes talking to the Queen in her bedroom before he is apprehended by the police.

1973

Prince Charles hosts a reception in the Bahamas to celebrate the country’s last day as a British colony.

1972

Singer David Bowie appears for the first time as alter ego Ziggy Stardust in London.

1947

Florence Blanchfield is appointed lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, making her the first woman in U.S. history to hold permanent military rank.

1944

The Second World War: America defeats the Japanese at the Battle of Saipan to seize control of the island.

1922

18 year old American swimmer Johnny Weismuller becomes the first person to cover 100 metres in less than a minute in a new world record time of 58.6 seconds.

1877

The first Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship takes place in England.

1816

The Congress of Tucuman declares Argentina’s independence from Spain.

1789

The National Constituent Assembly is formed in France.

1540

Henry VIII of England divorces his fourth wife Anne of Cleves.