📅 Today in HistoryOctober 16

Ricimer defeats Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the Western Roman Empire.

Empress Wu Zetian ascends to the throne of the Tang dynasty and proclaims herself ruler of the Chinese Empire.

Abd ar-Rahman III becomes the eighth Emir of Córdoba.

King Otto I defeats a Slavic revolt in what is now Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

The Council of Vienne convenes for the first time.

Jadwiga is crowned King of Poland, although she is a woman.

Prince Gesualdo of Venosa murders his wife and her lover.

Mathematician William Whiston's predicted comet fails to strike the Earth.

American Revolutionary War: The British-led Royalton raid is the last Native American raid on New England.

The Great Hurricane of 1780 finishes after its sixth day, killing between 20,000 and 24,000 residents of the Lesser Antilles.