September 25

275 – For the last time, the Roman Senate chooses an emperor, electing 75 year old Marcus Claudius Tacitus, who rules for less than a year before dying of an illness.

1066 – Having arrived at York by forced march from London 200 miles away, King Harold Godwinson and his army surprise the army of Norse King Harald Hardrada near Stamford Bridge. Despite suffering heavy casualties, Godwinson’s army defeats and nearly annihilates the Norsemen.

1396 – Forces of Ottoman Emperor Bayezid I defeat and rout a Christian army at the Battle of Nicopolis in northern Bulgaria.

1513 – Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa, crosses the isthmus of Panama and reaches what would become known as the Pacific Ocean.

1775 – In the Battle of Longue-Pointe, Ethan Allen and his force of American and Quebec militia are forced to surrender to the British after failing to capture Montreal

1789 – The Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added;
Thus, the U.S. Congress passes twelve articles termed The Bill Of Rights and submits them to the states for ratification.

1804 – During the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Teton Sioux demand one of the company’s boats as a toll for allowing it to move further upriver. However, the demonstration of the firepower the expedition had on hand, especially the Girardoni air rifle, convinced the tribe to back down.

1890 – Congress establishes Sequoia National Park.

1912 – Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is founded in New York City.

1944 – Surviving elements of the British 1st Airborne Division withdraw from Arnhem via Oosterbeek having failed to take the last bridge necessary to cross the Nederrijn river and open the way to invade Germany in Operation Market Garden.

1956 – TAT-1, the first submarine transatlantic telephone cable system becomes operational

1964 – The Mozambican War of Independence against Portugal begins.

1978 – PSA Flight 182, a Boeing 727, collides in mid-air with a Cessna 172 and crashes in San Diego, killing all 137 people aboard both planes and 7 on ground.

1992 – NASA launches the Mars Observer probe. 11 months later, the probe would fail while preparing for orbital insertion.

2006 – Jeff Cooper dies at age 86 at his home in Paulden, Arizona