Discover the Historical Events and Famous People Born on July 18

July 18 is a day full of important events in history. It’s also the birthday of some very interesting people. In this article, we’ll learn about big things that happened on this day and about some famous people born on July 18. We’ll see how these events and people have changed the world in different ways.

Historical Events on July 18

The Great Fire of Rome (64 AD)

On July 18, 64 AD, a big fire started in Rome. Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire, and Nero was the emperor at that time. The fire burned for six days and destroyed much of the city.

Emperor Nero was known for being cruel and not caring about his people. When the fire started, he was in a city called Antium, away from Rome. Some people think Nero started the fire on purpose so he could build a new palace. Others say he didn’t start it but used the fire as a chance to rebuild Rome the way he wanted.

The fire caused a lot of damage:

• It destroyed three districts of Rome completely
• Four more districts were badly damaged
• Only three districts were not harmed

After the fire, Nero blamed the Christians for starting it. This led to the first time Romans punished Christians just for being Christian. Nero’s actions made people dislike him even more, and it was one of the reasons he lost power a few years later.

Edict of Expulsion of Jews from England (1290)

On July 18, 1290, King Edward I of England made a rule that all Jews had to leave England. This was called the Edict of Expulsion. It was a very unfair decision based on hate for Jewish people.

In medieval times, many people in England didn’t like Jews. They believed false stories about Jews and were jealous of their success in business. King Edward I decided to make all Jews leave England for these reasons:

1. He wanted to please the people who didn’t like Jews
2. He wanted to take the money and property of Jewish people
3. He thought it would make the Catholic Church happy

This rule was very harsh:

• About 16,000 Jews had to leave England
• They could only take what they could carry
• Many died trying to leave

This unfair rule stayed in place for 350 years. Jews were not allowed to live in England again until 1656.

Canonization of Thomas Aquinas (1323)

On July 18, 1323, Pope John XXII made Thomas Aquinas a saint. This happened in a city called Avignon in France.

Thomas Aquinas was a very smart man who lived from 1225 to 1274. He was a priest and a teacher who wrote many important books about God and philosophy. His ideas are still important in the Catholic Church today.

Making someone a saint is a big honor in the Catholic Church. It means the Church thinks this person lived a very good life and is now in heaven. By making Thomas Aquinas a saint, the Church was saying his ideas were very important and that people should learn from them.

Florence Cathedral’s Bell Tower Foundation (1334)

On July 18, 1334, something important happened for a famous building in Italy. The bishop of Florence blessed the first stone for the bell tower of Florence Cathedral. This tower is called a campanile.

The Florence Cathedral is a very big and beautiful church. It took a long time to build. The bell tower was designed by a famous artist named Giotto di Bondone. Giotto was known for his paintings, but he also designed buildings.

This bell tower is important because:

• It’s one of the most beautiful parts of Florence Cathedral
• It shows how skilled artists were during the Renaissance
• It helped make Florence an important city for art and culture

William I of Orange recognized as Stadtholder (1572)

On July 18, 1572, William I of Orange was recognized as the Stadtholder of Holland, Friesland, and Utrecht. This happened at a meeting in a city called Dordrecht.

A Stadtholder was like a governor or a leader. William I of Orange was fighting against the Spanish king who ruled the Netherlands at that time. By making William the Stadtholder, the Dutch people were saying they wanted him to be their leader instead of the Spanish king.

This event was important because:

• It was a big step in the Dutch fight for independence
• It helped William I become a national hero in the Netherlands
• It led to the creation of the Netherlands as a country

Famous Birthdays on July 18

Robert Hooke (1635-1703)

Robert Hooke was an important English scientist. He was born on July 18, 1635, on the Isle of Wight in England. Hooke made many discoveries in science and helped invent new tools for studying the world.

Some of Hooke’s most important work:

1. He wrote a book called “Micrographia” in 1665. In this book, he drew pictures of tiny things he saw through a microscope. He was one of the first people to use a microscope to study nature.
2. He discovered “cells” in plants. Cells are the tiny building blocks that make up all living things.
3. He made Hooke’s law, which explains how springs work. This law is still used in physics today.
4. He helped improve many scientific tools, like the microscope and the telescope.

Hooke was very curious and studied many different things. He worked on physics, chemistry, biology, and even helped design buildings. His work helped other scientists make more discoveries later.

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)

Nelson Mandela was a very important person in world history. He was born on July 18, 1918, in Mvezo, South Africa. Mandela is known for fighting against apartheid in South Africa and becoming the country’s first Black president.

Key facts about Nelson Mandela:

1. Apartheid: Mandela fought against apartheid, which was a system in South Africa that treated Black people unfairly and kept them separate from white people.

2. Long imprisonment: Because of his fight against apartheid, Mandela was put in prison for 27 years. He was in prison from 1962 to 1990.

3. Presidency: After he was freed from prison, Mandela became the first Black president of South Africa in 1994. He worked to bring peace and equality to the country.

4. Nobel Peace Prize: In 1993, Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end apartheid peacefully.

5. “Madiba”: Many people called Mandela by his clan name, “Madiba,” as a sign of respect and affection.

Mandela’s life showed how one person can make big changes in the world. He taught people about forgiveness and how to work together even after facing unfair treatment. His birthday, July 18, is now celebrated as Nelson Mandela International Day. On this day, people are asked to spend 67 minutes helping others, one minute for each year Mandela fought for social justice.

W. G. Grace (1848-1915)

Some important things about W. G. Grace:

1. He played cricket for a very long time. He played for 44 seasons, which is a record.
2. He scored a lot of runs. In total, he scored 54,896 runs in first-class cricket matches.
3. He played for England’s national team 22 times. He scored two centuries (100 runs or more) in these matches.
4. He was known for his big beard and for being a doctor as well as a cricket player.

Grace changed the way cricket was played. He invented new ways of batting and made cricket more popular. Even today, many people think of W. G. Grace when they think of cricket’s history.

Vidkun Quisling (1887-1945)

Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian politician born on July 18, 1887, in Fyresdal, Norway. He is known for a very bad reason: he helped the Nazis during World War II.

Important facts about Vidkun Quisling:

1. Before World War II, he was Norway’s Minister of Defense.
2. When Nazi Germany invaded Norway in 1940, Quisling helped them take over the country.
3. From 1942 to 1945, he was the leader of Norway under Nazi control. His title was Minister-President.
4. After the war, Quisling was arrested and executed for treason.

Because of what Quisling did, his name became a word in English. A “quisling” means someone who helps an enemy take over their own country. This shows how bad people thought his actions were.

George “Machine Gun” Kelly (1895-1954)

George Kelly Barnes, known as “Machine Gun Kelly,” was an American criminal. He was born on July 18, 1895, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Key facts about Machine Gun Kelly:

1. He got his nickname because he often used a machine gun, but he rarely actually fired it.
2. Kelly was active during Prohibition, when alcohol was illegal in the United States.
3. His most famous crime was kidnapping a rich oil man in 1933.
4. He was caught by the FBI and spent the rest of his life in prison.

Kelly became famous because of movies and books about gangsters. While he wasn’t as violent as some other criminals, his nickname made him seem very dangerous.

Takeaway

July 18 is a day with many important events in history. From the Great Fire of Rome to the recognition of William I of Orange, these events have shaped the world we live in today. The people born on this day, like Robert Hooke and W. G. Grace, have made big impacts in science and sports. Even the less positive figures, like Vidkun Quisling and Machine Gun Kelly, teach us important lessons about history. This day shows us how diverse and interesting history can be.

References

1. Tacitus, The Annals
2. Mundill, R. R. (2010). The King’s Jews: Money, Massacre and Exodus in Medieval England
3. Weisheipl, J. A. (1974). Friar Thomas D’Aquino: His Life, Thought, and Works
4. Cadogan, J. K. (2000). Domenico Ghirlandaio: Artist and Artisan
5. Israel, J. I. (1995). The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall 1477–1806
6. Inwood, S. (2002). The Man Who Knew Too Much: The strange and inventive life of Robert Hooke 1635-1703
7. Rae, S. (1998). W. G. Grace: A Life
8. Dahl, H. F. (1999). Quisling: A Study in Treachery
9. Toland, J. (1995). The Dillinger Days