On This Day: November 26th

United States President Abraham Lincoln proclaims November 26 as a national Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated annually on the final Thursday of November. Following the Franksgiving controversy from 1939 to 1941, it has been observed on the fourth Thursday in 1942 and subsequent years.

An earthquake as high as magnitude 8.8 rocks the Banda Sea, triggering a tsunami and killing at least 60 in the Dutch East Indies.

The Battle of Berezina begins during Napoleon's retreat from Russia.

Official opening of Thomas Telford's Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

A national Thanksgiving Day is observed in the United States as proclaimed by President George Washington at the request of Congress.

In the Hawaiian Islands, Captain James Cook becomes the first European to visit Maui.

Vlad the Impaler defeats Basarab Laiota with the help of Stephen the Great and Stephen V Báthory and becomes the ruler of Wallachia for the third time.

Having been elected German king at Rhens on 11 July 1346, Charles IV is crowned King of Germany by bishop Walram of Cologne in Bonn.

Battle of Caishi: A Song dynasty fleet fights a naval engagement with Jin dynasty ships on the Yangtze river during the Jin-Song Wars.

The Asturian queen Adosinda is held at a monastery to prevent her nephew from retaking the throne from Mauregatus.