In History, Today on December 25

William the Conqueror was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey, marking the beginning of Norman rule in England.

Isaac Newton, one of the most influential scientists of all time, was born in Woolsthorpe, England.

George Washington crossed the Delaware River, leading to a surprise attack against Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey, during the American Revolutionary War.

The Christmas carol "Silent Night" was performed for the first time at St. Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria.

Scottish nationalists removed the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey, a symbol of Scottish kingship, which was later returned in 1951.

Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife Elena were executed after a summary trial, marking the end of Communist rule in Romania.

The Beagle 2, a British Mars lander, was expected to land on Mars as part of the European Space Agency's Mars Express mission. However, contact was never established, and it was declared lost.

A failed terrorist attack occurred on Northwest Airlines Flight 253, when a passenger attempted to detonate an explosive device on the plane as it approached Detroit, Michigan.

A Russian military plane, a Tupolev Tu-154, crashed into the Black Sea shortly after takeoff from Sochi, Russia, killing all 92 people on board, including members of the Alexandrov Ensemble choir.