May 16

in History

Emperor Suzaku Abdicates — A Japanese emperor steps aside for his brother

Kyoto, JapanMedieval

946

Emperor Suzaku Abdicates

A Japanese emperor steps aside for his brother

In the imperial court of Kyoto, Emperor Suzaku abdicated the Chrysanthemum Throne in favor of his younger brother, who became Emperor Murakami -- the sixty-second emperor of Japan. Suzaku's decision to step aside was influenced by political pressures from the powerful Fujiwara clan, who dominated court politics during the Heian period. The transition marked another chapter in the complex dance between imperial authority and aristocratic power that defined medieval Japan.

946 AD

Grand Island, Nebraska, United StatesEarly 20th Century

1905

Henry Fonda Was Born

America's everyman is born in Nebraska

In Grand Island, Nebraska, Henry Jaynes Fonda was born -- the actor who would become the conscience of American cinema. From Tom Joad in 'The Grapes of Wrath' to the lone holdout juror in '12 Angry Men,' Fonda embodied the quiet integrity of the American everyman. His career spanned five decades, culminating in a long-overdue Academy Award for 'On Golden Pond' just months before his death. Few actors have so perfectly captured the moral core of a nation.

1905 AD

Late 20th Century

1958

Lockheed F-104 Starfighter

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, a supersonic interceptor aircraft, set a world flight airspeed record of 1,404.

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, a supersonic interceptor aircraft, set a world flight airspeed record of 1,404.012 mph (2,259.538 km/h).

1958 AD