48 years ago today
Karol Wojtyła Elected Pope John Paul II
On October 16, 1978, Cardinal Karol Wojtyła of Kraków was elected by the College of Cardinals as the 264th Pope, taking the name John Paul II. He was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years and the first Polish pope in history. His election sent shockwaves through the Soviet bloc: a Pole with extraordinary personal charisma, moral authority, and an uncompromising stance against communism had become the spiritual leader of more than a billion Catholics. His 1979 visit to Poland — watched live by millions who had never seen anything like it — electrified the population and helped galvanise the Solidarity movement. Ronald Reagan later credited him, alongside Lech Wałęsa and Margaret Thatcher, as one of the three people most responsible for the fall of communism.
Oscar Wilde
Irish Playwright, Poet & Wit
The most quotable writer in the English language, Wilde's plays — "The Importance of Being Earnest," "An Ideal Husband" — remain in constant production worldwide, while "The Picture of Dorian Gray" endures as one of the great Gothic novels. Prosecuted for homosexuality, imprisoned, and broken, he died in Paris aged 46, having reportedly quipped: "My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One of us has got to go."
Noah Webster
American Lexicographer
Webster's "American Dictionary of the English Language" (1828) was the first great American dictionary and helped standardise American English spelling — replacing "colour" with "color," "honour" with "honor" — as a deliberate act of cultural independence from Britain. His name remains synonymous with the dictionary in American culture.
Angela Lansbury
British-American Actress
One of the most versatile performers in stage and screen history, Lansbury won five Tony Awards for her Broadway work and is beloved by millions as the mystery-writing sleuth Jessica Fletcher in "Murder, She Wrote" — one of the longest-running and most-watched drama series in American television history.
Tim Robbins
American Actor & Director
Robbins won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for "Mystic River" and is indelibly associated with his role in "The Shawshank Redemption" — consistently voted one of the greatest films ever made by audiences worldwide. As a director, his films "Bob Roberts" and "Dead Man Walking" confirmed his range and political engagement.
Marie Antoinette Executed at the Guillotine
The former Queen of France was guillotined at the Place de la Révolution in Paris before a vast crowd, nine months after her husband Louis XVI had been executed at the same spot. She reportedly stepped on her executioner's foot and apologised. Her death marked the radical phase of the Revolution reaching its most feverish pitch.
Palace of Westminster Burns Down
A fire started by the overheating of furnaces used to destroy old tally sticks consumed the old Palace of Westminster — the home of the English Parliament since the 11th century. The rebuilding project produced the iconic Gothic Revival building seen today, with its Victoria Tower, Central Lobby, and the clock tower housing Big Ben.
Ether Used as Surgical Anaesthetic for the First Time
Dentist William T.G. Morton publicly demonstrated the use of ether as a surgical anaesthetic at Massachusetts General Hospital — "Ether Day" — changing medicine forever. The patient, Gilbert Abbott, underwent removal of a neck tumour without pain. The surgeon turned to the audience and said: "Gentlemen, this is no humbug."
The Cardiff Giant Is "Discovered"
Workers digging a well behind the barn of William "Stub" Newell in Cardiff, New York, unearth a 10-foot, 3,000-pound "petrified man" — sparking a national sensation. Thousands pay to see the giant, and prominent figures debate whether it is an ancient statue or a genuine petrified human. It was neither: tobacconist George Hull had secretly commissioned the gypsum figure and buried it a year earlier to win a bet about Biblical giants. The Cardiff Giant remains one of the most famous archaeological hoaxes in American history.
Walt Disney Company Founded
Walt Disney and his brother Roy O. Disney established the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in Hollywood — later renamed the Walt Disney Company — beginning one of the most influential entertainment enterprises in history. Mickey Mouse and Steamboat Willie, the landmark synchronized-sound cartoon, Snow White, and eventually a global empire would follow.
Nuremberg War Criminals Executed
Ten senior Nazi officials convicted at the Nuremberg Trials were hanged, including Joachim von Ribbentrop, Wilhelm Keitel, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, and Julius Streicher. Hermann Göring cheated the gallows by swallowing cyanide hours before his scheduled execution. The trials established the precedent that heads of state could be held criminally accountable for war crimes.
Kennedy Briefed on Soviet Missiles in Cuba
President Kennedy was shown U-2 photographs confirming Soviet nuclear missile installations in Cuba, formally beginning the thirteen-day Cuban Missile Crisis — the closest humanity came to nuclear war. Kennedy's calm, methodical response over the days that followed was shaped by his determination not to repeat what he saw as the errors of leaders in 1914.
HistorIQly Chat
Ask the figures of history about this day
Dive deeper — ask questions, challenge assumptions, hear the story in their own words. Powered by AI, grounded in history.
Start a conversation →Marie Antoinette
Queen of France
The last Queen of France before the Revolution, Marie Antoinette's extravagant court life made her a focus of popular rage, though the famous "Let them eat cake" was almost certainly never said by her. She bore her imprisonment and trial with dignity, apologising to her executioner after accidentally stepping on his foot. She was 37 years old.
The figures and events above are only the beginning. Dive deeper into history with HistorIQly's full collection.
Discover Your Day
What happened on your birthday?
Every date in history holds its own stories. Find the events, birthdays, and turning points that share your day.