This Day in History: March 29

845: Paris sacked by Viking raiders

In 845, Viking raiders, possibly under the leadership of Ragnar Lodbrok, attacked Paris and collected a huge ransom in exchange for leaving. This event marked the beginning of Viking raids on the European continent, which continued for several centuries.

1549: Salvador da Bahia founded as Brazil's first capital

The city of Salvador da Bahia was founded in 1549 by the Portuguese as the first capital of Brazil. It played an important role in the country's colonial history and was a major center of the African slave trade.

1912: Robert Scott makes his final diary entry

In 1912, British explorer Robert Scott made his final diary entry while on an ill-fated expedition to the South Pole. He and his companions perished on the journey, and their deaths became a symbol of the dangers of polar exploration.

1971: Charles Manson sentenced to death

In 1971, infamous criminal Charles Manson was sentenced to death in California's gas chamber for ordering several murders. However, the sentence was never carried out due to the abolition of the death penalty in the state the following year. Manson served a life sentence and died in 2017.

2004: Ireland bans smoking in all workplaces

In 2004, Ireland became the first country to ban smoking in all workplaces, including bars and restaurants. This move was later followed by several other countries and was seen as a significant victory in the fight against smoking-related health problems.

2010: Moscow underground bombings

In 2010, two Chechen female suicide bombers carried out an attack on the Moscow underground, killing 40 people. The bombers were known as "black widows," and the attack was seen as part of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Chechen separatists.

2022: Russia announces withdrawal of forces from around Kyiv

In 2022, in a major victory for Ukraine, Russia announced that it was withdrawing its forces from around Kyiv. The conflict between the two countries had been ongoing since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and had escalated into a full-scale war in 2022.

Other notable events:

• 1901: Edmund Barton is elected as Australia's first Prime Minister in the country's first parliamentary election.
• 1961: Nelson Mandela is acquitted of treason in Pretoria after a 4½ year trial.
• 1974: Chinese farmers discover the Terracotta Army near Xi'an, consisting of 8,000 clay warrior statues buried to guard the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
• 1999: The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes above the 10,000 mark for the first time ever.