On this day: 6 July

The Battle of Leuctra shatters Sparta's reputation of military invincibility.

Battle of Heliopolis: The Muslim Arab army under 'Amr ibn al-'As defeat the Byzantine forces near Heliopolis (Egypt).

Mindaugas is crowned King of Lithuania.

Ming China's Admiral Zheng He returns to Nanjing after the third treasure voyage and presents the Sinhalese king, captured during the Ming–Kotte War, to the Yongle Emperor.

A temporary compromise between the rebellious Transylvanian peasants and the noblemen is signed in Kolozsmonostor Abbey.

The reunion of the Catholic and Orthodox Church is proclaimed and celebrated with a public holiday.

Portuguese sea captain Diogo Cão finds the mouth of the Congo River.

First Italian War: Battle of Fornovo: Charles VIII defeats the Holy League.

The explorer Jacques Cartier lands at St. Malo at the end of his second expedition to North America. He returns with none of the gold he expected to find.

French Wars of Religion: Siege of La Rochelle ends.

Córdoba, Argentina, is founded by Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera.

The Ottoman Empire made a final attempt to conquer the island of Malta, but were repulsed by the Knights Hospitaller.

Thirty Years' War: Four thousand Swedish troops under Gustavus Adolphus land in Pomerania, Germany.

Pope Benedict XIV suppresses the Patriarchate of Aquileia and establishes from its territory the Archdiocese of Udine and Gorizia.

At Padua, the Emperor Leopold II calls on the monarchs of Europe to join him in demanding the king of France Louis XVI's freedom.

Napoleon's French forces defeated Archduke Charles' Austrian army at the Battle of Wagram, the decisive confrontation of the War of the Fifth Coalition.

The Republican Party of the United States held its first convention in Jackson, Michigan.

Louis Pasteur successfully tests his vaccine against rabies on Joseph Meister, a boy who was bitten by a rabid dog.

David Kalākaua, monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, is forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution, which transfers much of the king's authority to the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

First World War: Russian troops won a victory in the Battle of Kostiuchnówka, with the Polish Legions playing a key role on the Austro-Hungarian side.

The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game is played in Chicago's Comiskey Park. The American League defeated the National League 4–2.

Spanish Civil War: Battle of Brunete: The battle begins with Spanish Republican troops going on the offensive against the Nationalists to relieve pressure on Madrid.

The Story Bridge in Brisbane, the longest cantilever bridge in Australia, was opened by Sir Leslie Wilson, Governor of Queensland.

World War II: The German army launches its offensive to encircle several Soviet armies near Smolensk.

Jackie Robinson refuses to move to the back of a bus, leading to his court-martial.

The AK-47 goes into production in the Soviet Union.

The Late Late Show, the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster, airs on RTÉ One for the first time.

Malawi declares its independence from the United Kingdom.

Malawi becomes a republic, with Hastings Banda as its first President.

Nigerian Civil War: Nigerian forces invade Biafra, beginning the war.

After visiting several Asian communist countries, Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu (pictured) gave a speech on a number of neo-Stalinist and socialist-realist ideals, which became known as the July Theses.

The Comoros declares independence from France.

In the Bosnian War, under the command of General Ratko Mladić, Serbia begins its attack on the Bosnian town of Srebrenica.

Hong Kong International Airport opens in Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong, replacing Kai Tak Airport as the city's international airport.

The 70-metre Yevpatoria Planetary Radar sends a METI message (Cosmic Call 2) to five stars: Hip 4872, HD 245409, 55 Cancri (HD 75732), HD 10307 and 47 Ursae Majoris (HD 95128). The messages will arrive to these stars in 2036, 2040, 2044, and 2049, respectively.

The Nathu La pass between India and China, sealed during the Sino-Indian War, re-opens for trade after 44 years.

Jadranka Kosor became the first female prime minister of Croatia.