Discover fascinating historical events that occurred on the 12th of May, from the founding of Jodhpur and the commissioning of the Red Fort to remarkable achievements by explorers, playwrights, and pioneering women. A captivating read for history enthusiasts and students alike!
Dear Students,
So, today is the 12th of May, the 132nd day of the year. Did you know it was on this day that Jodhpur was founded? Or that the Red Fort in Delhi was commissioned? Well, go on—read to know more such fascinating history.
1) Did you know that the 12th of May was the day the Ostromir Gospel, the oldest surviving Russian manuscript, was completed in the year 1057?
2) As I mentioned earlier, it was on the 12th of May that Jodhpur—the Sun City, also known as the Blue City (because of its iconic blue colour)—was founded by Rao Jodha in the year 1459.
3) Then again, on the 12th of May, San Marcos University in Lima, Peru, was established in the year 1551. This is the oldest continuously operating university. Do you know which is the oldest university in the world? You can answer in the comments section.
4) Also, as mentioned earlier, on the 12th of May 1638, Emperor Shah Jahan ordered the construction of the Red Fort at Shahjahanabad, in the Mughal Empire (now Delhi, India).
5) Moving on with the history of the 12th of May, we come to the year 1797, when Napoleon I of France conquered Venice. Napoleon was one of the greatest military leaders of his time. You can read a book called The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, which is based on the period following the French Revolution.
6) Now we come to the year 1897, when, on this day, an 1800–1900-year-old fossil known as the “Girl of Yde” was found in Drenthe, Netherlands. What was fascinating about this discovery was the fact that the body was remarkably well-preserved—especially her hair.
7) In the year 1908, on the 12th of May, George Bernard Shaw’s play Getting Married premiered in London. Shaw was an Irish playwright well known for works such as Pygmalion (which inspired the musical My Fair Lady) and Saint Joan, which won him the Nobel Prize in Literature. Other significant plays include Man and Superman, Major Barbara, and Heartbreak House.
8) Another fascinating event in the history of the 12th of May occurred in the year 1926, when the Airship Norge flew over the North Pole for the first time. The expedition was led by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and piloted by the airship’s Italian designer, Umberto Nobile.
9) Once again, India made history on this day in the year 1949, when the first-ever woman ambassador to the USA was received. Do you know who she was? It was Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit. She was the first-ever woman, and the only Indian, to be appointed President of the United Nations General Assembly.
10) Students, do you know who climbed Mount Everest for the first time? Yes, it was Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary. But do you know who was the first woman to climb Everest? It was Junko Tabei from Japan. On the 12th of May 1992, Ingrid Baeyens became the first Belgian woman to ascend Mount Everest.
That’s all for today. Keep reading—and more importantly, keep smiling!
