This Day in History – April 23

215 BC: A temple built on the Capitoline Hill
To commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasimene, a temple dedicated to Venus Erycina was constructed on Capitoline Hill.

1516: The German Beer Purity Law
Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria adopts “The German Beer Purity Law” (Reinheitsgebot) and adds requirements for the selling of beer in Bavaria, ensuring that beer is only made from three ingredients: water, barley, and hops.

1597: “The Merry Wives of Windsor”
“The Merry Wives of Windsor” was first performed in the presence of Queen Elizabeth I of England on April 23, 1597.

1661: Charles II
English king Charles II was crowned in London.

1849: Fyodor Dostoyevsky
In St. Petersburg, Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky and members of the Petrashevsky Circle were arrested on April 23, 1849.

1867: Queen Victoria & Napoleon III
The proposals for a channel tunnel were rejected by Queen Victoria and Napoleon III.

1920: End of Ottoman Empire
Under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the Turkish Grand National Assembly convened for the first time in Ankara, denouncing Sultan Mehmed VI’s government and announcing a provisional constitution.

1965: On April 23, 1965, the first Soviet communications satellite was launched.

1969: Flood
In China’s Shantung Province, over 1000 square miles were flooded.

1969: Sirhan Sirhan sentenced to death
On April 23, 1969, Sirhan Sirhan was sentenced to death for assassinating US Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

1985: New Coke debuts
Coca-Cola has revealed that its proprietary flavour recipe will be changed.

1989: William Sokolin
At the Four Seasons restaurant in New York, wine merchant William Sokolin shattered a $500,000 bottle of 1787 Château Margaux, probably belonging to Thomas Jefferson on April 23, 1989.

1994: Howard Stern
Howard Stern was nominated for Governor of New York by the Libertarian Party.

1995: National day of mourning
President Bill Clinton announced a national day of mourning for the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 23, 1995

1996: 49th British Film and Television Awards
“Sense and Sensibility” wins Best Film at the 49th British Film and Television Awards (BAFTAS), with Michael Radford winning Best Director on April 23, 1996.

2002: John Paul II met with US Catholic Church leaders
Pope John Paul II met with representatives of the Catholic Church in the United States at the Vatican to discuss sexual exploitation of minors.

2003: SARS VIRUS
Because of the SARS virus, Beijing closed all schools for two weeks.

2013: Fastest century in history
Chris Gayle, a West Indian cricketer, scored the fastest century in history in just 30 balls on April 23, 2013.

2018: Avengers: Infinity War
In Los Angeles, the premiere of Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War,” directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and a huge ensemble cast, was held.

2019: World’s first malaria vaccine
The WHO launched the world’s first malaria vaccine in Malawi, providing children with partial protection.

2020: Ecuador’s COVID-19
According to a survey by “The New York Times,” Ecuador’s COVID-19 death toll was one of the highest per capita in the world, with 7,600 more deaths than average (503 official toll) on April 23, 2020.

2020: “Not the end phase but still just the beginning”
The COVID-19 pandemic, according to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is “not at its peak, but only at its beginning.”

1969: Manoj Bajpayee
Manoj Bajpayee is an Indian film actor who has mostly worked in Hindi films, but has also appeared in films in Telugu and Tamil. Three National Film Awards, four Filmfare Awards, and two Asia Pacific Screen Awards for Best Actor have been bestowed upon him.

1990: Dev Patel
Dev Patel is an English actor who made his screen debut in the first two series of the British teen drama Skins as Anwar Kharral, despite having no previous professional acting experience.

1995: Gigi Hadid
Jelena Noura Gigi Hadid is a model from the United States. Hadid first appeared in Models.com’s Top 50 Models list in November 2014. The British Fashion Council appointed her International Model of the Year in 2016.