On July 9, 1401, the brutal warlord Tamerlane (also known as Timur) launched one of the deadliest attacks in Middle Eastern history by sacking the city of Baghdad. At the time, Baghdad was under the rule of the Jalayirid dynasty, and Tamerlane had just finished wiping out resistance across Persia. When the city refused to fully submit to him, he responded with total destruction.

Tamerlane's army overwhelmed the defenders and then carried out a massacre of the population. According to historical accounts, as many as 90,000 people were killed, and the city was left in ruins. His troops were even said to have stacked towers of skulls — one for each soldier in his army — to celebrate the slaughter.

Baghdad, once the thriving heart of the Islamic Golden Age, was never quite the same after that. The city’s libraries, culture, and infrastructure were shattered, and it took generations to rebuild. Tamerlane’s goal wasn’t just conquest — it was domination through fear and terror, and Baghdad became one of his most infamous examples.

So on July 9, 1401, a once-great capital was burned nearly off the map — a reminder of how one man’s thirst for empire could erase centuries of civilization in just a few days.

On July 9, 1893, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, a Black surgeon in Chicago, performed what’s considered the first successful open-heart surgery — and he did it without modern anesthesia or antibiotics. His patient, James Cornish, had been stabbed in the chest during a bar fight and arrived at Williams’ hospital with a severely damaged pericardium, the sac around the heart.

Most doctors in that era would’ve declared it a lost cause. But Dr. Williams had other ideas. At Provident Hospital — which he had founded himself as the first interracial hospital in the U.S. — he opened Cornish’s chest, carefully stitched the wound, and managed to save his life. Cornish would go on to live another 20 years.

What made this even more impressive is that Dr. Williams performed the surgery before X-rays, blood transfusions, or advanced surgical tools were available. It was a risky, delicate operation that most doctors wouldn’t have dared attempt. But it worked — and it made history.

So on July 9, 1893, not only was a life saved, but a milestone in medical history was set by a pioneer who proved that skill, not background, defines greatness in medicine.

Einstein For President🧪
In 1952, Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel — and turned it down. Though deeply honored, he politely refused, saying he lacked the “natural aptitude and experience to deal with people properly.” Known for brilliance in physics, not politics, Einstein chose to remain a scientist rather than become a statesman. Even geniuses know their limits. 🧠🇮🇱

Demon Balloon🎈
In 1784, the first hot air balloon flight in North America ended not with cheers — but pitchforks. After soaring over Pennsylvania, the unmanned balloon landed in a field where terrified farmers mistook it for a demon or omen and promptly attacked it. To them, it wasn’t science — it was sorcery from the sky. Sometimes the future needs a little PR. 🎈😱🔱

Niagara’s Barrel Fall🛢️
In 1901, schoolteacher Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel — at 63 years old. Hoping to earn fame and money, she braved the plunge in a cushioned wooden barrel... and miraculously lived. But her fortune never came: her manager stole the barrel and vanished with her profits. She risked her life — and got robbed for the trouble. 🎢🌊🥃

Battle of Adwa⚔️
In 1896, at the Battle of Adwa, Ethiopian forces led by Emperor Menelik II dealt a crushing defeat to Italy, becoming one of the few African nations to successfully repel European colonizers. The victory preserved Ethiopia’s independence during the height of the Scramble for Africa, sending shockwaves through Europe and pride across the continent. It wasn’t just a win — it was a statement. 🛡️🌍⚔️

If you enjoy this edition of Today In History be sure to send it to a friend and force them to sign up because that’s what good friends do. Until next time, stay curious, question everything, and keep uncovering the mysteries of the past.