OTD:

In 1547, the Battle of Pinkie in Scotland, part of the War of the Rough Wooing, ended in a decisive English victory, being the last pitched battle between England and Scotland.

In 1813, the U.S. Navy, led by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, won the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812, securing control of the lake and boosting American morale.

In 1898, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as "Sisi," was assassinated by Italian anarchist Luigi Lucheni in Geneva, shocking Europe due to her popularity and tragic life.

In 1919, the Treaty of Saint-Germain was signed, dissolving the Austro-Hungarian Empire and creating new nations, while forbidding Austria's unification with Germany.

In 1943, the Allies launched Operation Avalanche, invading mainland Italy during World War II, which marked a key step in the eventual defeat of the Axis powers in Europe.

In 1946, the first session of the United Nations Security Council was held in Washington, D.C., beginning the UN's role in maintaining global peace and security.

In 1967, Gibraltar held a referendum where over 99% of the population voted to remain under British sovereignty, rejecting Spain's claims to the territory.

In 1977, France used the guillotine for the last time to execute Hamida Djandoubi, marking the end of capital punishment in the country before its abolition in 1981.

In 2002, Switzerland officially joined the United Nations, reflecting its evolving role in international diplomacy while maintaining its neutral stance.

In 2008, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN was powered up for the first time, eventually leading to the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012, a major breakthrough in physics.