What Happened on July 25

8 stories from 306 to 2007, written as the news broke.

The Yesterday Times front page for July 25: Mozart's New Symphony in G Minor Enters His Catalogue — The Yesterday Times front page for July 25.

On July 25, a Roman usurper, Mozart's new symphony, Mussolini's fall, a Concorde crash, a Martian face, and India's first female president all mark this day's sprawling historical reach.

July 25 in History

Musical Chronicle

1788 — Mozart's New Symphony in G Minor Enters His Catalogue

Mozart's new Symphony No. 40 in G minor joins his 39th and 41st as part of a summer's swift creation, and a revised version with clarinets exists.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who completes his masterful Symphony No. 40 in G minor — Barbara Krafft

VIENNA, July 25 — The musical world has received a new symphony of extraordinary depth and melancholy, for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has today entered into his catalogue his Symphony No. 40 in G minor, one of only two such works he has penned in a minor key. Its completion crowns a prodigious season of labour, for within the space of a few weeks this summer he has also finished his 39th and 41st symphonies, a trinity of works that will surely stand among the glories of the age. The new symphony, marked by restless agitation and dark-hued passion, already exists in two versions; a revised score adds parts for clarinets, enlarging the instrumental palette of the original. Such is the esteem in which the work is held that Johann Wenzel, a musician of note, wrote on the 10th of July, 1802, recalling a performance at the home of Baron Gottfried van Swieten, with Mozart himself present. It was likewise heard at a concert in the Burgtheater on the 17th of April, 1791, conducted by Antonio Salieri, the imperial Kapellmeister. In later years the manuscripts passed into the hands of Johannes Brahms, who acquired both autograph scores in the 1860s and presented them to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna, where they are preserved for posterity.

Mozart entered Symphony No. 40 into his catalog on 25 July 1788.
Mozart completed the 40th Symphony during a productive period of a few weeks, also finishing the 39th and 41st symphonies.
The 40th Symphony exists in two versions, one with clarinet parts added in a revised version.
Johannes Brahms acquired the autograph scores of both versions in the 1860s and donated them to the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna.
A 10 July 1802 letter by musician Johann Wenzel refers to a performance of the symphony at Baron Gottfried van Swieten's home with Mozart present.

War Cabinet Despatch

1943 — Fascist Grand Council Ousts Mussolini; King Appoints Badoglio

Grand Council's 19-8 vote leads to Mussolini's arrest and Badoglio's appointment

ROME, July 25 — In a stroke that shatters the twenty-year edifice of Fascist rule, the Grand Council has voted no confidence in Benito Mussolini, and the King has dismissed him. The Duce, who but a day ago seemed the master of Italy, was this afternoon arrested on the orders of Victor Emmanuel III and replaced as Prime Minister by General Pietro Badoglio. The Grand Council's motion passed by a count of 19 to 8, with one abstention, a rebellion that reached into the Duce's own family, for his son-in-law Galeazzo Ciano and Marshal Emilio De Bono were among the nineteen who voted against him. Within hours of the vote, Mussolini was summoned to the royal palace, where the King informed him of his dismissal; upon leaving the meeting, he was taken into custody by carabinieri. The new government under Marshal Badoglio has assumed the reins, and the nation awaits its first acts. Badoglio immediately proclaimed the government’s intention to continue the war alongside Germany, while ordering martial law and a strict censorship of all communications. Rome’s streets remained quiet, though police patrols were doubled and the public awaited official word.

The Grand Council of Fascism voted 19 to 8, with one abstention, to remove Mussolini.
Mussolini's son-in-law Galeazzo Ciano and Marshal Emilio De Bono were among the 19 no-confidence votes.
King Victor Emmanuel III dismissed Mussolini and appointed General Pietro Badoglio as Prime Minister the next day.
Mussolini was arrested immediately after his meeting with the king on July 25, 1943.
Six of those who voted against Mussolini were executed by firing squad on January 11, 1944, after the Verona trial.

Imperial Proclamation

306 — Constantine Raised on Shields at Eboracum

Constantine, proclaimed Augustus at Eboracum after his father's death, will later found a new capital and convene the Council of Nicaea in 325.

EBORACUM, July 25 — Constantine, son of the Emperor Constantius Chlorus, has been proclaimed Augustus by the legions of Britain, who raised him upon their shields in the camp at this northern outpost. The soldiers acted upon the death of his father, who breathed his last at this very place, and the young commander, already beloved of his men, has accepted their acclamation. The new emperor, who has long shown favor to the Christian faith, is destined to become the first of his line to embrace the cross, and in years to come he will issue the Edict of Milan, which decriminalizes Christian worship throughout the empire. He is said to harbor grand designs, among them the founding of a new capital at Byzantium, which shall bear his name and serve as the seat of empire. He has also convoked the First Council of Nicaea in the year 325, where bishops shall gather to affirm the Nicene Creed. The solidus, a new gold coin he introduced, will become the standard currency for centuries.

Constantine was proclaimed emperor by his army at Eboracum (York, England) after his father's death in 306.
Constantine was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity and issued the Edict of Milan decriminalizing Christian practice.
He founded the city of Constantinople (now Istanbul) and made it the capital of the Roman Empire.
Constantine introduced the solidus, a new gold coin that became the standard for Byzantine and European currencies for over a thousand years.
He convoked the First Council of Nicaea in 325, which produced the Nicene Creed.

Aviation Desk

2000 — Concorde Crash Kills 113 Near Paris

Supersonic jet hits hotel two minutes after takeoff — all aboard and four on ground dead

GONESSE, July 25 — All 109 people on board Air France Flight 4590, a Concorde bound for New York, were killed when the jet crashed into a hotel here two minutes after takeoff from Charles de Gaulle Airport, along with four people on the ground. The jet, 25 years old with 11,989 flight hours, had been chartered by a German cruise line for passengers bound for New York.

All 109 people on board and 4 people on the ground were killed in the crash.
The Concorde ran over a titanium alloy wear strip dropped by Continental Airlines Flight 55, a DC-10, during takeoff.
The crash occurred two minutes after takeoff from Charles de Gaulle Airport, when the jet hit a hotel in Gonesse.
The flight was chartered by German company Peter Deilmann Cruises for passengers boarding the MS Deutschland in New York.
The aircraft involved was a 25-year-old Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde (registration F-BTSC) with 11,989 flight hours.

Space Desk

1976 — Viking 1 Photographs Apparent Face on Mars

Orbiter's camera captures 1.5-mile mesa in Cydonia that resembles human visage — scientists urge caution

PASADENA, July 25 — The Viking 1 orbiter photographed an apparent face on Mars today, a mesa in the Cydonia region that resembles a human visage. The formation, about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) across, is a classic example of pareidolia, where the eye finds familiar shapes in random patterns.

Viking 1 photographed the Cydonia region of Mars on July 25, 1976.
The image showed a mesa that resembled a human face, later called the 'Face on Mars'.
The 'Face on Mars' is about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) across.
The apparent face was later revealed by higher-resolution images to be a natural landform.

National Desk

2007 — Patil Sworn In As India's First Female President

12th President takes oath in New Delhi — vows not to be a 'rubber-stamp' — won with nearly two-thirds of votes

NEW DELHI, July 25 — Pratibha Patil took the oath of office in the central hall of Parliament, becoming India's 12th President and the first woman to hold the post. She won the election on July 19 with nearly two-thirds of the votes.

She took oath as India's 12th President, the first woman to hold the position, on 25 July 2007.
She won the presidential election on 19 July 2007 with nearly two-thirds of the votes.
She was announced as the United Progressive Alliance candidate on 14 June 2007.
She emerged as a compromise candidate after left-wing parties opposed Shivraj Patil or Karan Singh.
She stated she had no intention of being a 'rubber-stamp president'.

Eastern Chronicles

1261 — Nicaeans Recapture Constantinople; Byzantine Empire Restored

Strategopoulos' 800 soldiers enter through secret passage — Latin Emperor Baldwin II flees by ship — Michael VIII to be crowned at Hagia Sophia

CONSTANTINOPLE, July 25 — The Byzantine Empire has been restored after 57 years of Latin rule, as Nicaean forces under Alexios Strategopoulos recaptured this ancient capital. The small advance force of 800 soldiers entered through a secret passage near the Gate of the Spring during the night, surprising the Latin guards and opening the gate. After a short struggle, they gained control of the land walls. Latin Emperor Baldwin II and many inhabitants fled to the Golden Horn and escaped by ship as the Nicaeans set fire to Venetian buildings. Emperor Michael VIII will enter the city in triumph on August 15 and be crowned at Hagia Sophia, ending the Latin Empire that had held Constantinople since the Fourth Crusade.

Alexios Komnenos Strategopoulos led a small advance force of 800 soldiers to recapture Constantinople from the Latin Empire in July 1261.
Strategopoulos' men entered the city through a secret passage near the Gate of the Spring on the night of 24/25 July 1261.
The Nicaeans surprised the Latin guards, opened the gate, and gained control of the land walls after a short struggle.
Latin Emperor Baldwin II and inhabitants fled to the Golden Horn and escaped by ship as the Nicaeans set fire to Venetian buildings.
Emperor Michael VIII entered Constantinople in triumph on 15 August 1261 and was crowned at Hagia Sophia, restoring the Byzantine Empire.

Court Gazette

1547 — Henry II Crowned King of France at Reims

28-year-old monarch succeeds Francis I — edict against blasphemy reaffirmed — new heresy chamber to be created

REIMS, July 25 — In a ceremony of great splendor, Henry II was crowned King of France at Reims Cathedral, succeeding his father Francis I, who died on March 31, Henry's 28th birthday. The new king has already reaffirmed an edict against blasphemy, including judicial torture and public whipping.

He was crowned at Reims Cathedral on 25 July 1547.
Henry succeeded his father Francis I, who died on 31 March 1547, Henry's 28th birthday.
An edict of 5 April 1547 reaffirmed punishments for blasphemy including judicial torture and public whipping.
In October 1547, Henry created a new chamber for heresy cases in the Parlement of Paris, the chambre ardente.

Born on July 25

1920 — Rosalind Franklin, English biophysicist, chemist, and academic, Rosalind Franklin, English biophysicist, chemist, and academic. Contributor to basic research of DNA. (died 1958)
1967 — Matt LeBlanc, American actor and producer, Matt LeBlanc, American actor and producer
1995 — Alvin Kamara, American football player, Alvin Kamara, American football player
1750 — Henry Knox, American general and 1st Secretary of War, Henry Knox, American general and politician, 1st United States Secretary of War (died 1806)
1941 — Nate Thurmond, American basketball player, Nate Thurmond, American basketball player (died 2016)
1902 — Eric Hoffer, American philosopher and author, Eric Hoffer, American philosopher and author (died 1983)
1857 — Frank J. Sprague, American naval officer and inventor, Frank J. Sprague, American naval officer and inventor (died 1934)