November 27

Pope Urban II delivers his famous sermon at the Council of Clermont, formally calling for the First Crusade.

Pope Urban II concluded the Council of Clermont with a fiery sermon urging European Christians to take up arms and march east to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslim control, promising spiritual rewards to those who joined the campaign. The enthusiastic response to his call launched the First Crusade, setting off nearly two centuries of recurring conflict between European and Middle Eastern powers.

Sultan Al-Salih Hajji, the last Qalawunid ruler of Egypt, is deposed by the emir Barquq.

Sultan Al-Salih Hajji's brief and troubled reign over the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt ended when the powerful emir Barquq deposed him, marking a significant transition in Mamluk leadership. Barquq's subsequent consolidation of power established a new ruling dynasty within the sultanate that would govern Egypt and the surrounding region for decades afterward.

A group of palace women attempt to assassinate the Jiajing Emperor of Ming China, resulting in a brutal crackdown.

A group of palace women in Ming dynasty China, driven to desperation by the abusive treatment of the young Jiajing Emperor, attempted to strangle him in his sleep, an extraordinarily rare instance of a direct assassination attempt from within the imperial harem. Though the plot failed and its participants faced brutal execution, the episode revealed deep tensions within the imperial court.

Theodore Hook perpetrates the elaborate "Berners Street hoax" in London, sending thousands of unwanted deliveries to a single address.

Theodore Hook orchestrated an elaborate practical joke by sending an overwhelming flood of deliveries, tradespeople, and even dignitaries to a single London address on a specific date, reportedly to win a wager with a friend. The resulting chaos became one of the most famous hoaxes in British history and a lasting example of elaborate Victorian-era pranksterism.

Alfred Nobel signs his final will, establishing the fund that would create the Nobel Prizes.

Swedish industrialist and dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel signed his final will, directing that the bulk of his substantial fortune fund annual prizes recognizing outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace. His decision surprised and initially troubled his family, but the resulting Nobel Prizes have since become among the most prestigious honors in their respective fields.

Richard Strauss's tone poem Also sprach Zarathustra receives its premiere performance in Frankfurt.

Richard Strauss's ambitious orchestral tone poem, inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical work of the same name, received its premiere performance in Frankfurt, showcasing the composer's mastery of large-scale orchestration. The piece later achieved widespread popular recognition decades afterward through its dramatic opening fanfare's prominent use in the film "2001: A Space Odyssey."

The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is held in New York City.

The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade featured department store employees, professional entertainers, and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo marching through the streets of New York City to celebrate the holiday and the opening of the Christmas shopping season. The event proved immediately popular and has continued annually ever since, eventually adding its now-signature giant character balloons.

San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk are assassinated at City Hall.

San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States, were shot and killed at City Hall by former supervisor Dan White following his resignation and failed attempt to be reinstated. The assassinations and White's subsequently lenient sentencing sparked significant public outrage and riots.

An Avianca Boeing 727 explodes over Colombia after a bombing, killing all 107 people aboard and three on the ground.

An Avianca passenger jet exploded in mid-air over Colombia after a bomb planted by drug cartel operatives detonated, killing all 107 people aboard in an attack reportedly intended to assassinate a presidential candidate who was not actually on the flight. The bombing was one of numerous violent incidents during Colombia's intense conflict with drug trafficking organizations.

Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh is assassinated near Tehran.

Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, considered a central figure in Iran's nuclear program, was killed in an ambush near Tehran using a remotely operated weapon, according to later reports. Iranian officials attributed the assassination to Israeli intelligence, and the killing significantly heightened regional tensions during an already fraught period.