Today is Friday, May 14, the 134th day of 2010. There are 231 days left in the year.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT

On May 14, 1610, King Henry IV of France was stabbed to death while riding in his carriage in Paris by a religious fanatic, Francois Ravaillac, who was executed less than two weeks later.

ON THIS DATE

In 1643, Louis XIV became King of France at age four upon the death of his father, Louis XIII (the successor to Henry IV).

In 1796, English physician Edward Jenner succeeded in inoculating 8-year-old James Phipps against smallpox by using cowpox matter.

In 1804, the Lewis and Clark expedition to explore the Louisiana Territory as well as the Pacific Northwest left camp near present-day Hartford, Ill.

In 1860, the first Japanese diplomatic mission to the United States arrived in Washington.

Associated Press