March 27 in World History: From Charles I’s ascension to the English Throne, blood transfusion breakthrough to power shift and deadly air disaster

On this day in history, in 1625, Charles I ascended the English throne as King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. In 1914, the first successful non-direct blood transfusion was performed by Dr. Albert Hustin in Brussels. In 1958, Nikita Khrushchev became Soviet premier as well as first secretary of the Communist Party. Later, in 1977, 583 people died in aviation’s worst-ever disaster when two Boeing 747s collided at Tenerife Airport in Spain.

1625: Charles I, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, ascends the English throne

Charles was born in 1600. He was best remembered for his involvement in the English Civil War and his subsequent execution in 1649, according to British Online Archives.


He was known by his family as “Baby Charles," with a small stature and slight stammer that remained his entire life. Following the death of his older brother Henry in 1612 at the age of 18, Charles became the royal heir.

1914: First successful non-direct blood transfusion is performed by Dr. Albert Hustin in Brussels

On 27 March 1914, Belgian doctor Albert Hustin carried out the first non-direct transfusion. For this, he made use of sodium citrate as an anticoagulant, according to the portal South African History Online. Initially, blood transfusions were required to be made directly from the donor to the receiver before coagulation occurred.

1958: Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet Premier as well as First Secretary of the Communist Party

On March 27, 1958, Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev replaced Nicolay Bulganin as Soviet premier. Born on April 15, 1894, in Kalinovka, Russia, he became the first leader since Joseph Stalin to simultaneously hold the USSR’s two top offices.

1977: 583 die in aviation's worst-ever disaster when two Boeing 747s collide at Tenerife Airport in Spain

The Tenerife airport disaster involved a runway collision between two Boeing 747 passenger aircraft in the Canary Islands on March 27, 1977. The tragedy claimed 583 lives, making it the deadliest aviation accident in history.

Both aircraft were originally scheduled to depart from Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria. However, a terrorist bombing earlier that day forced authorities to divert the planes to the smaller Los Rodeos Airport on Tenerife.