In History, Today on April 6

King Richard I of England, also known as Richard the Lionheart, died from an infection following an injury sustained during a siege in France.

The Declaration of Arbroath, a declaration of Scottish independence, was signed by Scottish nobles.

Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck established a resupply camp that eventually became Cape Town, marking the beginning of European colonization in South Africa.

The New York Slave Revolt of 1712 occurred, where enslaved Africans rose up against their masters, resulting in severe reprisals and stricter slave codes.

John Jacob Astor incorporated the American Fur Company, which would become one of the largest businesses in the United States at the time.

Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated the throne of France for the first time and was exiled to the island of Elba.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized by Joseph Smith in Fayette, New York.

The Battle of Shiloh, one of the major early engagements of the American Civil War, began in southwestern Tennessee.

American explorer Robert Peary allegedly reached the North Pole, though his claim has been subject to controversy.

The United States formally entered World War I by declaring war on Germany.

Mahatma Gandhi completed his 240-mile Salt March to the sea in protest against the British salt monopoly in India.

Nazi Germany launched Operation Marita, invading Greece and Yugoslavia during World War II.

The first commercial communications satellite, Intelsat I (nicknamed 'Early Bird'), was launched into geosynchronous orbit.

The Rwandan Genocide began following the assassination of Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana when his plane was shot down.

A devastating earthquake struck the Abruzzo region in central Italy, with its epicenter near L'Aquila, causing widespread destruction and resulting in the deaths of 308 people.

Kyrgyzstan experienced a violent uprising that led to the ousting of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. The unrest was fueled by public dissatisfaction with corruption and rising utility prices.

The United Nations Security Council approved a resolution to send an advance team of observers to Syria to monitor a ceasefire between the government and opposition forces, part of efforts to end the Syrian Civil War.

A shooting at the Fort Hood military base in Texas resulted in the deaths of four people, including the gunman, and injuries to 16 others. The incident raised concerns about security and mental health issues within the military.

The United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Shayrat Airbase in Syria in response to a chemical weapons attack on civilians in Khan Shaykhun, marking the first direct American assault on the Syrian government during the civil war.