11 August in history
5 events that happened on 11 August, from 117 to 1965.
✦ Anniversary of the day
117 CE 1,909 years ago
Hadrian is proclaimed Roman Emperor
Days after Trajan's death in Cilicia, the army in Syria hailed Hadrian as emperor. He abandoned Trajan's eastern conquests and consolidated the frontiers, building Hadrian's Wall in Britain.
1492 CE 534 years ago
Rodrigo Borgia is elected Pope Alexander VI
The Spanish cardinal Rodrigo Borgia was elected pope, amid accusations of bribery. His reign became notorious for nepotism and for advancing his children, among them Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia.
1919 CE 107 years ago
President Ebert signs the Weimar Constitution
Friedrich Ebert signed the constitution of the new German republic, with universal suffrage and a strong president. Its emergency powers were later exploited in Hitler's rise to power.
1960 CE 66 years ago
Chad becomes independent from France
Chad gained independence, with François Tombalbaye as its first president. It was one of 17 African countries to win independence in 1960, the 'Year of Africa'.
1965 CE 61 years ago
The Watts riots erupt in Los Angeles
A traffic stop in the Watts district sparked six days of unrest in which 34 people died. The riots exposed deep anger over poverty and policing in America's segregated cities.
