On this day in Europe - 08 January
8 January 2026
On this day in 871, King Æthelred I and Alfred the Great lead a West Saxon army against the invading Vikings in the Battle of Ashdown.
On this day in 1297, Genoese leader Francesco Grimaldi, disguised as a monk, captures the fortress on the Rock of Monaco. It marks the beginning of the Grimaldi family’s long rule over Monaco.
On this day in 1959, Charles de Gaulle is proclaimed the first President of the French Fifth Republic.
On this day in 1297, Genoese leader Francesco Grimaldi, disguised as a monk, captures the fortress on the Rock of Monaco. It marks the beginning of the Grimaldi family’s long rule over Monaco.
On this day in 1959, Charles de Gaulle is proclaimed the first President of the French Fifth Republic.