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  • July 29 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 587 BC – The Neo-Babylonian Empire sacks Jerusalem and destroys the First Temple.
    • 238 – The Praetorian Guard storm the palace and capture Pupienus and Balbinus. They are dragged through the streets of Rome and executed. On the same day, Gordian III, age 13, is proclaimed emperor.
    • 615 – Pakal ascends the throne of Palenque at the age of 12.
    • 904 – Sack of Thessalonica: Saracen raiders under Leo of Tripoli sack Thessaloniki, the Byzantine Empire’s second-largest city, after a short siege, and plunder it for a week.
    • 923 – Battle of Firenzuola: Lombard forces under King Rudolph II and Adalbert I, margrave of Ivrea, defeat the dethroned Emperor Berengar I of Italy at Firenzuola (Tuscany).
    • 1014 – Byzantine–Bulgarian wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat on the Bulgarian army, and his subsequent treatment of 15,000 prisoners reportedly causes Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria to die of a heart attack less than three months later, on October 6.
    • 1018 – Count Dirk III defeats an army sent by Emperor Henry II in the Battle of Vlaardingen.
    • 1030 – Ladejarl-Fairhair succession wars: Battle of Stiklestad: King Olaf II fights and dies trying to regain his Norwegian throne from the Danes.
    • 1148 – The Siege of Damascus ends in a decisive crusader defeat and leads to the disintegration of the Second Crusade.
    • 1565 – The widowed Mary, Queen of Scots marries Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, Duke of Albany, at Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh, Scotland.
    • 1567 – James VI is crowned King of Scotland at Stirling.
    • 1588 – Anglo-Spanish War: Battle of Gravelines: English naval forces under the command of Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake defeat the Spanish Armada off the coast of Gravelines, France.
    • 1693 – War of the Grand Alliance: Battle of Landen: France wins a Pyrrhic victory over Allied forces in the Netherlands.
    • 1775 – Founding of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps: General George Washington appoints William Tudor as Judge Advocate of the Continental Army.
    • 1818 – French physicist Augustin Fresnel submits his prizewinning “Memoir on the Diffraction of Light”, precisely accounting for the limited extent to which light spreads into shadows, and thereby demolishing the oldest objection to the wave theory of light.
    • 1836 – Inauguration of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France.
    • 1848 – Irish Potato Famine: Tipperary Revolt: In County Tipperary, Ireland, then in the United Kingdom, an unsuccessful nationalist revolt against British rule is put down by police.
    • 1851 – Annibale de Gasparis discovers asteroid 15 Eunomia.
    • 1858 – United States and Japan sign the Harris Treaty.
    • 1864 – American Civil War: Confederate spy Belle Boyd is arrested by Union troops and detained at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C.
    • 1871 – The Connecticut Valley Railroad opens between Old Saybrook, Connecticut and Hartford, Connecticut in the United States.
    • 1899 – The First Hague Convention is signed.
    • 1900 – In Italy, King Umberto I of Italy is assassinated by the anarchist Gaetano Bresci.
    • 1907 – Sir Robert Baden-Powell sets up the Brownsea Island Scout camp in Poole Harbour on the south coast of England. The camp runs from August 1 to August 9, 1907, and is regarded as the foundation of the Scouting movement.
    • 1914 – The Cape Cod Canal opened.
    • 1920 – Construction of the Link River Dam begins as part of the Klamath Reclamation Project.
    • 1921 – Adolf Hitler becomes leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party.
    • 1932 – Great Depression: In Washington, D.C., troops disperse the last of the “Bonus Army” of World War I veterans.
    • 1937 – Tōngzhōu Incident: In Tōngzhōu, China, the East Hopei Army attacks Japanese troops and civilians.
    • 1945 – The BBC Light Programme radio station is launched for mainstream light entertainment and music.
    • 1948 – Olympic Games: The Games of the XIV Olympiad: After a hiatus of 12 years caused by World War II, the first Summer Olympics to be held since the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, open in London.
    • 1950 – Korean War: After four days, the No Gun Ri Massacre ends when the US Army 7th Cavalry Regiment is withdrawn.
    • 1957 – The International Atomic Energy Agency is established.
    • 1958 – U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
    • 1959 – First United States Congress elections in Hawaii as a state of the Union.
    • 1965 – Vietnam War: The first 4,000 101st Airborne Division paratroopers arrive in Vietnam, landing at Cam Ranh Bay.
    • 1967 – Vietnam War: Off the coast of North Vietnam the USS Forrestal catches on fire in the worst U.S. naval disaster since World War II, killing 134.
    • 1967 – During the fourth day of celebrating its 400th anniversary, the city of Caracas, Venezuela is shaken by an earthquake, leaving approximately 500 dead.
    • 1973 – Greeks vote to abolish the monarchy, beginning the first period of the Metapolitefsi.
    • 1973 – During the Dutch Grand Prix driver Roger Williamson was killed in the race, after a suspected tire failure caused the car to pitch into the barriers at high speed.
    • 1976 – In New York City, David Berkowitz (a.k.a. the “Son of Sam”) kills one person and seriously wounds another in the first of a series of attacks.
    • 1980 – Iran adopts a new “holy” flag after the Islamic Revolution.
    • 1981 – A worldwide television audience of over 700 million people watch the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
    • 1981 – After impeachment on June 21, Abolhassan Banisadr flees with Massoud Rajavi to Paris, in an Iranian Air Force Boeing 707, piloted by Colonel Behzad Moezzi, to form the National Council of Resistance of Iran.
    • 1987 – British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and President of France François Mitterrand sign the agreement to build a tunnel under the English Channel (Eurotunnel).
    • 1987 – Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi and President of Sri Lanka J. R. Jayewardene sign the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord on ethnic issues.
    • 1993 – The Supreme Court of Israel acquits alleged Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk of all charges and he is set free.
    • 1996 – The child protection portion of the Communications Decency Act is struck down by a U.S. federal court as too broad.
    • 2005 – Astronomers announce their discovery of the dwarf planet Eris.
    • 2010 – An overloaded passenger ferry capsizes on the Kasai River in Bandundu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulting in at least 80 deaths.
    • 2013 – Two passenger trains collide in the Swiss municipality of Granges-près-Marnand near Lausanne injuring 25 people.
    • 2019 – Prison riot between rival gangs broke out in Brazil, at least 57 people have been killed.

    Births on July 29 

    • 869 – Muhammad al-Mahdi, Iraqi 12th Imam (d. 941)
    • 996 – Fujiwara no Norimichi, Japanese nobleman (d. 1075)
    • 1166 – Henry II, French nobleman and king of Jerusalem (d. 1197)
    • 1356 – Martin the Elder, king of Aragon, Valencia and Majorca (d. 1410)
    • 1537 – Pedro Téllez-Girón, Spanish nobleman (d. 1590)
    • 1573 – Philip II, duke of Pomerania-Stettin (d. 1618)
    • 1580 – Francesco Mochi, Italian sculptor (d. 1654)
    • 1605 – Simon Dach, German poet and hymn-writer (d. 1659)
    • 1646 – Johann Theile, German organist and composer (d. 1724)
    • 1744 – Giulio Maria della Somaglia, Italian cardinal (d. 1830)
    • 1763 – Philip Charles Durham, Scottish admiral and politician (d. 1845)
    • 1797 – Daniel Drew, American businessman and financier (d. 1879)
    • 1801 – George Bradshaw, English cartographer and publisher (d. 1853)
    • 1805 – Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian and philosopher (d. 1859)
    • 1806 – Horace Abbott, American businessman and banker (d. 1887)
    • 1817 – Ivan Aivazovsky, Armenian-Russian painter and illustrator (d. 1900)
    • 1817 – Martin Körber, Baltic German pastor, composer, and conductor (d. 1893)
    • 1841 – Gerhard Armauer Hansen, Norwegian physician (d. 1912)
    • 1843 – Johannes Schmidt, German linguist and academic (d. 1901)
    • 1846 – Sophie Menter, German pianist and composer (d. 1918)
    • 1846 – Isabel, Brazilian princess (d. 1921)
    • 1849 – Max Nordau, Hungarian physician, author, and critic, co-founded the World Zionist Organization (d. 1923)
    • 1860 – Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington, English politician, 8th Governor of Queensland (d. 1940)
    • 1867 – Berthold Oppenheim, Moravian rabbi (d. 1942)
    • 1869 – Booth Tarkington, American novelist and dramatist (d. 1946)
    • 1871 – Jakob Mändmets, Estonian writer and journalist (d. 1930)
    • 1872 – Eric Alfred Knudsen, American author, lawyer, and politician (d. 1957)
    • 1874 – J. S. Woodsworth, Canadian minister and politician (d. 1942)
    • 1876 – Maria Ouspenskaya, Russian-American actress and acting teacher (d. 1949)
    • 1878 – Don Marquis, American author, poet, and playwright (d. 1937)
    • 1883 – Porfirio Barba-Jacob, Colombian poet and author (d. 1942)
    • 1883 – Benito Mussolini, Italian fascist revolutionary and politician, 27th Prime Minister of Italy (d. 1945)
    • 1884 – Ralph Austin Bard, American financier and politician, 2nd Under Secretary of the Navy (d. 1975)
    • 1885 – Theda Bara, American actress (d. 1955)
    • 1887 – Sigmund Romberg, Hungarian-American pianist and composer (d. 1951)
    • 1888 – Vladimir K. Zworykin, Russian-American engineer, invented the Iconoscope (d. 1982)
    • 1891 – Bernhard Zondek, German-Israeli gynecologist and academic (d. 1966)
    • 1892 – William Powell, American actor and singer (d. 1984)
    • 1896 – Maria L. de Hernández, Mexican-American rights activist (d. 1986)
    • 1897 – Neil Ritchie, Guyanese-English general (d. 1983)
    • 1898 – Isidor Isaac Rabi, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize Laureate (d. 1988)
    • 1899 – Walter Beall, American baseball player (d. 1959)
    • 1900 – Mary V. Austin, Australian community worker and political activist (d. 1986)
    • 1900 – Eyvind Johnson, Swedish novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize Laureate (d. 1976)
    • 1900 – Teresa Noce, Italian labor leader, activist, and journalist (d. 1980)
    • 1900 – Don Redman, American composer, and bandleader (d. 1964)
    • 1904 – Mahasi Sayadaw, Burmese monk and philosopher (d. 1982)
    • 1904 – J. R. D. Tata, French-Indian pilot and businessman, founded Tata Motors and Tata Global Beverages (d. 1993)
    • 1905 – Clara Bow, American actress (d. 1965)
    • 1905 – Dag Hammarskjöld, Swedish economist and diplomat, 2nd Secretary-General of the United Nations, Nobel Prize Laureate (d. 1961)
    • 1905 – Stanley Kunitz, American poet and translator (d. 2006)
    • 1906 – Thelma Todd, American actress and singer (d. 1935)
    • 1907 – Melvin Belli, American lawyer (d. 1996)
    • 1909 – Samm Sinclair Baker, American author (d. 1997)
    • 1909 – Chester Himes, American-Spanish author (d. 1984)
    • 1910 – Gale Page, American actress (d. 1983)
    • 1911 – Foster Furcolo, American lawyer and politician, 60th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1995)
    • 1911 – Archbishop Iakovos of America (d. 2005)
    • 1913 – Erich Priebke, German war criminal, leader of the 1944 Ardeatine massacre (d. 2013)
    • 1914 – Irwin Corey, American actor and activist (d. 2017)
    • 1915 – Bruce R. McConkie, American colonel and religious leader (d. 1985)
    • 1915 – Francis W. Sargent, American soldier and politician, 64th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1998)
    • 1916 – Budd Boetticher, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2001)
    • 1916 – Charlie Christian, American guitarist (d. 1942)
    • 1916 – Rupert Hamer, Australian politician, 39th Premier of Victoria (d. 2004)
    • 1917 – Rochus Misch, German SS officer (d. 2013)
    • 1918 – Don Ingalls, American writer and producer (d. 2014)
    • 1918 – Edwin O’Connor, American journalist and author (d. 1968)
    • 1918 – Mary Lee Settle, American novelist, essayist, and memoirist (d. 2005)
    • 1920 – Neville Jeffress, Australian businessman (d. 2007)
    • 1921 – Richard Egan, American actor (d. 1987)
    • 1921 – Chris Marker, French photographer and journalist (d. 2012)
    • 1923 – George Burditt, American screenwriter and producer (d. 2013)
    • 1923 – Edgar Cortright, American scientist and engineer (d. 2014)
    • 1923 – Jim Marshall, English businessman, founded Marshall Amplification (d. 2012)
    • 1923 – Gordon Mitchell, American bodybuilder and actor (d. 2003)
    • 1924 – Lloyd Bochner, Canadian-American actor (d. 2005)
    • 1924 – Robert Horton, American actor (d. 2016)
    • 1925 – Harold W. Kuhn, American mathematician and academic (d. 2014)
    • 1925 – Ted Lindsay, Canadian ice hockey player, manager, and sportscaster (d. 2019)
    • 1925 – Mikis Theodorakis, Greek composer
    • 1926 – Robert Kilpatrick, Baron Kilpatrick of Kincraig, Scottish physician, academic, and politician (d. 2015)
    • 1927 – Harry Mulisch, Dutch author, poet, and playwright (d. 2010)
    • 1930 – Paul Taylor, American dancer and choreographer (d. 2018)
    • 1931 – Kjell Karlsen, Norwegian pianist, composer, and bandleader (d. 2020)
    • 1932 – Leslie Fielding, English diplomat
    • 1932 – Nancy Kassebaum, American businesswoman and politician
    • 1933 – Lou Albano, Italian-American wrestler, manager, and actor (d. 2009)
    • 1933 – Colin Davis, English race car driver (d. 2012)
    • 1933 – Robert Fuller, American actor and rancher
    • 1933 – Randy Sparks, American folk singer-songwriter and musician (The New Christy Minstrels)
    • 1935 – Peter Schreier, German tenor and conductor (d. 2019)
    • 1936 – Elizabeth Dole, American lawyer and politician, 20th United States Secretary of Labor
    • 1937 – Daniel McFadden, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize Laureate
    • 1938 – Peter Jennings, Canadian-American journalist and author (d. 2005)
    • 1938 – Jean Rochon, Canadian physician and politician
    • 1940 – Betty Harris, American chemist
    • 1940 – Winnie Monsod, Filipina economist and political commentator
    • 1941 – Jennifer Dunn, American engineer and politician (d. 2007)
    • 1941 – Goenawan Mohamad, Indonesian poet and playwright
    • 1941 – David Warner, English actor
    • 1942 – Doug Ashdown, Australian singer-songwriter
    • 1943 – David Taylor, English snooker player and sportscaster
    • 1944 – Jim Bridwell, American rock climber and mountaineer
    • 1945 – Sharon Creech, American author and educator
    • 1945 – Mircea Lucescu, Romanian footballer, coach, and manager
    • 1946 – Ximena Armas, Chilean painter
    • 1946 – Stig Blomqvist, Swedish race car driver
    • 1946 – Neal Doughty, American keyboard player, songwriter, and producer
    • 1946 – Alessandro Gogna, Italian mountaineer and adventurer
    • 1946 – Diane Keen, English actress
    • 1946 – Aleksei Tammiste, Estonian basketball player
    • 1947 – Dick Harmon, American golfer and coach (d. 2006)
    • 1948 – John Clarke, New Zealand-Australian comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2017)
    • 1949 – Leslie Easterbrook, American actress
    • 1949 – Jamil Mahuad, Ecuadorian lawyer and politician, 51st President of Ecuador
    • 1950 – Jenny Holzer, American painter, author, and dancer
    • 1951 – Susan Blackmore, English psychologist and theorist
    • 1951 – Dan Driessen, American baseball player and coach
    • 1951 – Dean Pitchford, American actor, director, screenwriter, and composer
    • 1952 – Norman Blackwell, Baron Blackwell, English businessman and politician
    • 1952 – Joe Johnson, English snooker player and sportscaster
    • 1952 – Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, Greek politician
    • 1953 – Ken Burns, American director and producer
    • 1953 – Geddy Lee, Canadian musician
    • 1953 – Frank McGuinness, Irish poet and playwright
    • 1953 – Tim Gunn, American television host and actor
    • 1954 – Patti Scialfa, American musician
    • 1955 – Jean-Hugues Anglade, French actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1955 – Dave Stevens, American illustrator (d. 2008)
    • 1955 – Stephen Timms, English politician, Minister of State for Competitiveness
    • 1956 – Teddy Atlas, American boxer, trainer, and sportscaster
    • 1956 – Ronnie Musgrove, American lawyer and politician, 62nd Governor of Mississippi
    • 1956 – Faustino Rupérez, Spanish cyclist
    • 1957 – Liam Davison, Australian author and educator (d. 2014)
    • 1957 – Viktor Gavrikov, Lithuanian-Swiss chess player (d. 2016)
    • 1957 – Nellie Kim, Russian gymnast and coach
    • 1958 – Gail Dines, English-American author, activist, and academic
    • 1958 – Simon Nye, English screenwriter and producer
    • 1958 – Cynthia Rowley, American fashion designer
    • 1959 – Sanjay Dutt, Indian actor, singer, and producer
    • 1959 – Ruud Janssen, Dutch blogger and illustrator
    • 1959 – Dave LaPoint, American baseball player and manager
    • 1959 – John Sykes, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1960 – Didier Van Cauwelaert, French author
    • 1962 – Carl Cox, English DJ and producer
    • 1962 – Frank Neubarth, German footballer and manager
    • 1962 – Scott Steiner, American wrestler
    • 1962 – Vincent Rousseau, Belgian runner
    • 1963 – Hans-Holger Albrecht, Belgian-German businessman
    • 1963 – Jim Beglin, Irish footballer and sportscaster
    • 1963 – Julie Elliott, English politician
    • 1963 – Azeem Hafeez, Pakistani cricketer
    • 1963 – Alexandra Paul, American actress and producer
    • 1963 – Graham Poll, English footballer, referee, and journalist
    • 1964 – Jaanus Veensalu, Estonian footballer
    • 1965 – Luis Alicea, Puerto Rican-American baseball player and coach
    • 1965 – Dean Haglund, Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1965 – Adam Holloway, English captain and politician
    • 1965 – Stan Koziol, American soccer player (d. 2014)
    • 1965 – Chang-Rae Lee, South Korean-American author and academic
    • 1965 – Xavier Waterkeyn, Australian author
    • 1965 – Woody Weatherman, American guitarist and songwriter
    • 1966 – Sally Gunnell, English hurdler and sportscaster
    • 1966 – Stuart Lampitt, English cricketer
    • 1966 – Martina McBride, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1968 – Gideon Henderson, English geologist and academic
    • 1968 – Paavo Lötjönen, Finnish cellist and educator
    • 1970 – Adele Griffin, American author
    • 1970 – Andi Peters, English journalist, actor, and producer
    • 1970 – John Rennie, Zimbabwean cricketer
    • 1971 – Andrea Philipp, German sprinter
    • 1972 – Wil Wheaton, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1973 – Stephen Dorff, American actor and producer
    • 1973 – Denis Urubko, Kazakh mountaineer
    • 1975 – Yoshihiro Akiyama, Japanese mixed martial artist
    • 1975 – Lanka de Silva, Sri Lankan cricketer
    • 1975 – Corrado Grabbi, Italian footballer
    • 1975 – Jaanus Sirel, Estonian footballer
    • 1978 – Mike Adams, American baseball player
    • 1978 – Marina Lazarovska, Macedonian tennis player
    • 1979 – Karim Essediri, Tunisian footballer
    • 1979 – Ronald Murray, American basketball player
    • 1979 – Juris Umbraško, Latvian basketball player
    • 1980 – Ryan Braun, Canadian-American baseball player
    • 1980 – Fernando González, Chilean tennis player
    • 1980 – Ben Koller, American drummer
    • 1980 – John Morris, Australian rugby league player
    • 1981 – Fernando Alonso, Spanish race car driver
    • 1981 – Andrés Madrid, Argentinian footballer
    • 1981 – Troy Perkins, American soccer player
    • 1982 – Janez Aljančič, Slovenian footballer
    • 1982 – Jônatas Domingos, Brazilian footballer
    • 1982 – Allison Mack, American actress and criminal
    • 1983 – Jason Belmonte, Australian bowler
    • 1983 – Inés Gómez Mont, Mexican journalist and actress
    • 1983 – Alexei Kaigorodov, Russian ice hockey player
    • 1983 – Jerious Norwood, American football player
    • 1983 – Elise Testone, American singer-songwriter
    • 1984 – Oh Beom-seok, South Korean footballer
    • 1984 – Chad Billingsley, American baseball player
    • 1984 – Wilson Palacios, Honduran footballer
    • 1985 – Besart Berisha, Albanian footballer
    • 1985 – Okinoumi Ayumi, Japanese sumo wrestler
    • 1985 – Simon Santoso, Indonesian badminton player
    • 1988 – Tarjei Bø, Norwegian biathlete
    • 1989 – Grit Šadeiko, Estonian heptathlete
    • 1991 – Dale Copley, Australian rugby league player
    • 1991 – Irakli Logua, Russian footballer
    • 1992 – Karen Torrez, Bolivian swimmer
    • 1993 – Nicole Melichar, American tennis player
    • 1994 – Liam O’Brien, Canadian ice hockey player

    Deaths on July 29

    • 238 – Balbinus, Roman emperor (b. 165)
    • 238 – Pupienus, Roman emperor (b. 178)
    • 451 – Tuoba Huang, prince of Northern Wei (b. 428)
    • 796 – Offa of Mercia (b. 730)
    • 846 – Li Shen, chancellor of the Tang Dynasty
    • 1030 – Olaf II of Norway (b. 995)
    • 1095 – Ladislaus I of Hungary (b. 1040)
    • 1099 – Pope Urban II (b. 1042)
    • 1108 – Philip I of France (b. 1052)
    • 1236 – Ingeborg of Denmark, Queen of France (b. 1175)
    • 1326 – Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster (b. 1259)
    • 1504 – Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby (b. 1435)
    • 1507 – Martin Behaim, German-Bohemian geographer and astronomer (b. 1459)
    • 1573 – John Caius, English physician and academic (b. 1510)
    • 1612 – Jacques Bongars, French scholar and diplomat (b. 1554)
    • 1644 – Pope Urban VIII (b. 1568)
    • 1752 – Peter Warren, Irish admiral and politician (b. 1703)
    • 1781 – Johann Kies, German astronomer and mathematician (b. 1713)
    • 1792 – René Nicolas Charles Augustin de Maupeou, French lawyer and politician, Chancellor of France (b. 1714)
    • 1813 – Jean-Andoche Junot, French general (b. 1771)
    • 1833 – William Wilberforce, English philanthropist and politician (b. 1759)
    • 1839 – Gaspard de Prony, French mathematician and engineer (b. 1755)
    • 1844 – Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart, Austrian pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1791)
    • 1856 – Robert Schumann, German composer and critic (b. 1810)
    • 1857 – Thomas Dick, Scottish minister, astronomer, and author (b. 1774)
    • 1887 – Agostino Depretis, Italian politician, 9th Prime Minister of Italy (d. 1813)
    • 1890 – Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter and illustrator (b. 1853)
    • 1895 – Floriano Peixoto, Brazilian general and politician, 2nd President of Brazil (b. 1839)
    • 1900 – Umberto I of Italy (b. 1844)
    • 1908 – Marie Adam-Doerrer (b. 1838)
    • 1913 – Tobias Asser, Dutch lawyer and jurist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1838)
    • 1918 – Ernest William Christmas, Australian-American painter (b. 1863)
    • 1924 – Sotirios Krokidas, Greek educator and politician, 110th Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1852)
    • 1934 – Didier Pitre, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1883)
    • 1938 – Nikolai Krylenko, Russian lawyer, jurist, and politician, Prosecutor General of the Russian SFSR (b. 1885)
    • 1950 – Joe Fry, English race car driver (b. 1915)
    • 1951 – Ali Sami Yen, Turkish footballer and manager, founded Galatasaray S.K. (b. 1886)
    • 1954 – Coen de Koning, Dutch speed skater (b. 1879)
    • 1960 – Hasan Saka, Turkish politician, 7th Prime Minister of Turkey (b. 1885)
    • 1962 – Ronald Fisher, English biologist and statistician (b. 1890)
    • 1962 – Leonardo De Lorenzo, Italian-American flute player and educator (b. 1875)
    • 1964 – Vean Gregg, American baseball player (b. 1885)
    • 1966 – Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, Nigerian general and politician, 2nd Head of State of Nigeria (b. 1924)
    • 1966 – Adekunle Fajuyi, Nigerian colonel (b. 1926)
    • 1970 – John Barbirolli, English cellist and conductor (b. 1899)
    • 1973 – Norm Smith, Australian footballer and coach (b. 1915)
    • 1973 – Roger Williamson, English race car driver (b. 1948)
    • 1974 – Cass Elliot, American singer (b. 1941)
    • 1974 – Erich Kästner, German author and poet (b. 1899)
    • 1976 – Mickey Cohen, American gangster (b. 1913)
    • 1978 – Andrzej Bogucki, Polish actor, operetta singer, and songwriter (b. 1904)
    • 1979 – Herbert Marcuse, German sociologist and philosopher (b. 1898)
    • 1979 – Bill Todman, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1916)
    • 1981 – Robert Moses, American urban planner, designed the Northern State Parkway and Southern State Parkway (b. 1888)
    • 1982 – Harold Sakata, American wrestler and actor (b. 1920)
    • 1982 – Vladimir K. Zworykin, Russian-American engineer, invented the Iconoscope (b. 1889)
    • 1983 – Luis Buñuel, Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1900)
    • 1983 – Raymond Massey, Canadian-American actor and screenwriter (b. 1896)
    • 1983 – David Niven, English military officer and actor (b. 1910)
    • 1984 – Fred Waring, American television host and bandleader (b. 1900)
    • 1987 – Bibhutibhushan Mukhopadhyay, Indian author, poet, and playwright (b. 1894)
    • 1990 – Bruno Kreisky, Austrian academic and politician, 22nd Chancellor of Austria (b. 1911)
    • 1992 – Michel Larocque, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (b. 1952)
    • 1994 – John Britton, American physician (b. 1925)
    • 1994 – Dorothy Hodgkin, Egyptian-English biochemist and biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1910)
    • 1995 – Les Elgart, American trumpet player and bandleader (b. 1917)
    • 1996 – Ric Nordman, Canadian businessman and politician (b. 1919)
    • 1996 – Marcel-Paul Schützenberger, French mathematician and theorist (b. 1920)
    • 1996 – Jason Thirsk, American singer and bass player (b. 1967)
    • 1998 – Jerome Robbins, American director, producer, and choreographer (b. 1918)
    • 2001 – Edward Gierek, Polish soldier and politician (b. 1913)
    • 2001 – Wau Holland, German computer scientist, co-founded Chaos Computer Club (b. 1951)
    • 2003 – Foday Sankoh, Sierra Leonean soldier, founded the Revolutionary United Front (b. 1937)
    • 2004 – Rena Vlahopoulou, Greek actress and singer (b. 1923)
    • 2007 – Mike Reid, English comedian, actor, and author (b. 1940)
    • 2007 – Michel Serrault, French actor (b. 1928)
    • 2007 – Tom Snyder, American journalist and talk show host (b. 1936)
    • 2007 – Marvin Zindler, American journalist (b. 1921)
    • 2008 – Bruce Edward Ivins, American scientist and bio-defense researcher (b. 1946)
    • 2010 – Charles E. Wicks, American chemist and academic (b. 1925)
    • 2012 – Tatiana Egorova, Russian footballer and manager (b. 1970)
    • 2012 – August Kowalczyk, Polish actor and director (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – Chris Marker, French photographer and journalist (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – James Mellaart, English archaeologist and author (b. 1925)
    • 2012 – John Stampe, Danish footballer and coach (b. 1957)
    • 2013 – Christian Benítez, Ecuadorian footballer (b. 1986)
    • 2013 – Peter Flanigan, American banker and civil servant (b. 1923)
    • 2013 – Tony Gaze, Australian soldier, pilot, and race car driver (b. 1920)
    • 2013 – Munir Hussain, Indian cricketer and sportscaster (b. 1929)
    • 2014 – M. Caldwell Butler, American soldier, lawyer, and politician (b. 1925)
    • 2014 – Jon R. Cavaiani, English-American sergeant, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1943)
    • 2014 – Giorgio Gaslini, Italian pianist and composer (b. 1929)
    • 2014 – María Antonia Iglesias, Spanish journalist and author (b. 1945)
    • 2014 – Péter Kiss, Hungarian engineer and politician (b. 1959)
    • 2014 – Idris Muhammad, American drummer and composer (b. 1939)
    • 2014 – Thomas R. St. George, American soldier and author (b. 1919)
    • 2015 – Antony Holland, English-Canadian actor, director, and playwright (b. 1920)
    • 2015 – Peter O’Sullevan, Anglo-Irish sportscaster (b. 1918)
    • 2015 – Mike Pyle, American football player and sportscaster (b. 1939)
    • 2015 – Franklin H. Westervelt, American computer scientist, engineer, and academic (b. 1930)
    • 2018 – Oliver Dragojević, a Croatian recording artist (b. 1947)
    • 2018 – Josip Peruzovic, Yugoslav-born American professional wrestler (b. 1947)

    Holidays and observances on July 29

    • Christian feast day:
      • Lupus of Troyes
      • Martha of Bethany (Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran Church)
      • Mary of Bethany
      • Olaf II of Norway
      • Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrix
      • July 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Earliest day on which Somer’s Day can fall, while August 4 is the latest; celebrated on Friday before the first Monday in August. (Bermuda)
    • International Tiger Day
    • Mohun Bagan Day (India)
    • National Anthem Day (Romania)
    • National Thai Language Day (Thailand)
    • Ólavsøka or Olsok, opening of the Løgting session. (Faroe Islands and the Nordic countries)

  • July 21- History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 356 BC – The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is destroyed by arson.
    • 230 – Pope Pontian succeeds Urban I as the eighteenth pope.
    • 285 – Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar and co-ruler.
    • 365 – The 365 Crete earthquake affects the Greek island of Crete with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), causing a destructive tsunami that affects the coasts of Libya and Egypt, especially Alexandria. Many thousands were killed.
    • 905 – King Berengar I of Italy and a hired Hungarian army defeats the Frankish forces at Verona. King Louis III is captured and blinded for breaking his oath (see 902).
    • 1242 – Battle of Taillebourg: Louis IX of France puts an end to the revolt of his vassals Henry III of England and Hugh X of Lusignan.
    • 1403 – Battle of Shrewsbury: King Henry IV of England defeats rebels to the north of the county town of Shropshire, England.
    • 1545 – The first landing of French troops on the coast of the Isle of Wight during the French invasion of the Isle of Wight.
    • 1568 – Eighty Years’ War: Battle of Jemmingen: Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alva defeats Louis of Nassau.
    • 1645 – Qing dynasty regent Dorgon issues an edict ordering all Han Chinese men to shave their forehead and braid the rest of their hair into a queue identical to those of the Manchus.
    • 1656 – The Raid on Málaga takes place during the Anglo-Spanish War.
    • 1718 – The Treaty of Passarowitz between the Ottoman Empire, Austria and the Republic of Venice is signed.
    • 1774 – Russo-Turkish War (1768–74): Russia and the Ottoman Empire sign the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca ending the war.
    • 1798 – French campaign in Egypt and Syria: Napoleon’s forces defeat an Ottoman-Mamluk army near Cairo in the Battle of the Pyramids.
    • 1831 – Inauguration of Leopold I of Belgium, first king of the Belgians.
    • 1861 – American Civil War: First Battle of Bull Run: At Manassas Junction, Virginia, the first major battle of the war begins and ends in a victory for the Confederate army.
    • 1865 – In the market square of Springfield, Missouri, Wild Bill Hickok shoots and kills Davis Tutt in what is regarded as the first western showdown.
    • 1873 – At Adair, Iowa, Jesse James and the James–Younger Gang pull off the first successful train robbery in the American Old West.
    • 1877 – After rioting by Baltimore and Ohio Railroad workers and the deaths of nine rail workers at the hands of the Maryland militia, workers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, stage a sympathy strike that is met with an assault by the state militia.
    • 1904 – Louis Rigolly, a Frenchman, becomes the first man to break the 100 mph (161 km/h) barrier on land. He drove a 15-liter Gobron-Brillié in Ostend, Belgium.
    • 1907 – The passenger steamer SS Columbia sinks after colliding with the steam schooner San Pedro off Shelter Cove, California, killing 88 people.
    • 1919 – The dirigible Wingfoot Air Express crashes into the Illinois Trust and Savings Building in Chicago, killing 12 people.
    • 1925 – Scopes Trial: In Dayton, Tennessee, high school biology teacher John T. Scopes is found guilty of teaching evolution in class and fined $100.
    • 1925 – Malcolm Campbell becomes the first man to exceed 150 mph (241 km/h) on land. At Pendine Sands in Wales, he drives Sunbeam 350HP built by Sunbeam at a two-way average speed of 150.33 mph (242 km/h).
    • 1944 – World War II: Battle of Guam: American troops land on Guam, starting a battle that will end on August 10.
    • 1944 – World War II: Claus von Stauffenberg and fellow conspirators are tortured and executed in Berlin, Germany, for the July 20 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
    • 1949 – The United States Senate ratifies the North Atlantic Treaty.
    • 1952 – The 7.3 Mw  Kern County earthquake strikes Southern California with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing 12 and injuring hundreds.
    • 1954 – First Indochina War: The Geneva Conference partitions Vietnam into North Vietnam and South Vietnam.
    • 1959 – NS Savannah, the first nuclear-powered cargo-passenger ship, is launched as a showcase for Dwight D. Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” initiative.
    • 1959 – Elijah Jerry “Pumpsie” Green becomes the first African-American to play for the Boston Red Sox, the last team to integrate. He came in as a pinch runner for Vic Wertz and stayed in as shortstop in a 2–1 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
    • 1960 – Sirimavo Bandaranaike is elected Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, becoming the world’s first female head of government
    • 1961 – Mercury program: Mercury-Redstone 4 Mission: Gus Grissom piloting Liberty Bell 7 becomes the second American to go into space (in a suborbital mission).
    • 1969 – Apollo program: At 02:56 UTC, astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to walk on the Moon.
    • 1970 – After 11 years of construction, the Aswan High Dam in Egypt is completed.
    • 1972 – The Troubles: Bloody Friday: The Provisional IRA detonate 22 bombs in central Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom in the space of 80 minutes, killing nine and injuring 130.
    • 1973 – In Lillehammer, Norway, Mossad agents kill a waiter whom they mistakenly thought was involved in the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre.
    • 1976 – Christopher Ewart-Biggs, the British ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, is assassinated by the Provisional IRA.
    • 1977 – The start of the four-day-long Libyan–Egyptian War.
    • 1979 – Jay Silverheels, a Mohawk actor, becomes the first Native American to have a star commemorated in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
    • 1983 – The world’s lowest temperature in an inhabited location is recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica at −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F).
    • 1990 – Taiwan’s military police forces mainland Chinese illegal immigrants into sealed holds of a fishing boat Min Ping Yu No. 5540 for repatriation to Fujian, causing 25 people to die from suffocation.
    • 1995 – Third Taiwan Strait Crisis: The People’s Liberation Army begins firing missiles into the waters north of Taiwan.
    • 2001 – At the conclusion of a fireworks display on Okura Beach in Akashi, Hyōgo, Japan, 11 people are killed and more than 120 are injured when a pedestrian footbridge connecting the beach to JR Asagiri Station becomes overcrowded and people leaving the event fall down in a domino effect.
    • 2005 – July 2005 London bombings occur.
    • 2008 – Ram Baran Yadav is declared the first president of Nepal.
    • 2011 – NASA’s Space Shuttle program ends with the landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-135 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
    • 2012 – Erden Eruç completes the first solo human-powered circumnavigation of the world.

    Births on July 21

    • 541 – Emperor Wen of Sui, emperor of the Sui Dynasty (d. 604)
    • 1030 – Kyansittha, King of Burma (d. 1112)
    • 1414 – Pope Sixtus IV (d. 1484)
    • 1462 – Queen Jeonghyeon, Korean royal consort (d. 1530)
    • 1476 – Alfonso I d’Este, Duke of Ferrara (d. 1534)
    • 1476 – Anna Sforza, Italian noble (d. 1497)
    • 1515 – Philip Neri, Italian Roman Catholic saint (d. 1595)
    • 1535 – García Hurtado de Mendoza, 5th Marquis of Cañete, Royal Governor of Chile (d. 1609)
    • 1616 – Anna de’ Medici, Archduchess of Austria (d. 1676)
    • 1620 – Jean Picard, French astronomer (d. 1682)
    • 1648 – John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee, Scottish general (d. 1689)
    • 1654 – Pedro Calungsod, Filipino catechist and sacristan; later canonized (d. 1672)
    • 1664 – Matthew Prior, English poet and diplomat, British Ambassador to France (d. 1721)
    • 1693 – Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1768)
    • 1710 – Paul Möhring, German physician, botanist, and zoologist (d. 1792)
    • 1783 – Charles Tristan, marquis de Montholon, French general (d. 1853)
    • 1808 – Simion Bărnuțiu, Romanian historian, academic, and politician (d. 1864)
    • 1810 – Henri Victor Regnault, French chemist and physicist (d. 1878)
    • 1811 – Robert Mackenzie, Scottish-Australian politician, 3rd Premier of Queensland (d. 1873)
    • 1816 – Paul Reuter, German-English journalist, founded Reuters (d. 1899)
    • 1858 – Maria Christina of Austria (d. 1929)
    • 1858 – Lovis Corinth, German painter (d. 1925)
    • 1858 – Alfred Henry O’Keeffe, New Zealand painter and educator (d. 1941)
    • 1863 – C. Aubrey Smith, English-American cricketer and actor (d. 1948)
    • 1866 – Carlos Schwabe, Swiss Symbolist painter and printmaker (d. 1926)
    • 1870 – Emil Orlík, Czech painter, etcher, and lithographer (d. 1932)
    • 1875 – Charles Gondouin, French rugby player and tug of war competitor (d. 1947)
    • 1880 – Milan Rastislav Štefánik, Slovak astronomer, general, and politician (d. 1919)
    • 1882 – David Burliuk, Ukrainian author and illustrator (d. 1967)
    • 1885 – Jacques Feyder, Belgian actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1948)
    • 1891 – Julius Saaristo, Finnish javelin thrower and soldier (d. 1969)
    • 1893 – Hans Fallada, German author (d. 1947)
    • 1896 – Sophie Bledsoe Aberle, Native American anthropologist, physician and nutritionist (d. 1996)
    • 1898 – Sara Carter, American singer-songwriter (d. 1979)
    • 1899 – Hart Crane, American poet (d. 1932)
    • 1899 – Ernest Hemingway, American novelist, short story writer, and journalist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1961)
    • 1900 – Isadora Bennett, American theatre manager and modern dance publicity agent (d. 1980)
    • 1903 – Russell Lee, American photographer and journalist (d. 1986)
    • 1903 – Roy Neuberger, American businessman and financier, co-founded Neuberger Berman (d. 2010)
    • 1908 – Jug McSpaden, American golfer and architect (d. 1996)
    • 1911 – Marshall McLuhan, Canadian author and theorist (d. 1980)
    • 1911 – Umashankar Joshi, Indian author, poet, and scholar (d. 1988)
    • 1914 – Aleksander Kreek, Estonian shot putter and discus thrower (d. 1977)
    • 1917 – Alan B. Gold, Canadian lawyer and jurist (d. 2005)
    • 1920 – Constant Nieuwenhuys, Dutch painter, sculptor, and illustrator (d. 2005)
    • 1920 – Isaac Stern, Polish violinist and conductor (d. 2001)
    • 1920 – Jean Daniel, Algerian-French-Jewish journalist and author (d. 2020)
    • 1921 – James Cooke Brown, American sociologist and author (d. 2000)
    • 1921 – John Horsley, English actor (d. 2014)
    • 1921 – Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa, Zulu sangoma (d. 2020)
    • 1922 – Kay Starr, American singer (d. 2016)
    • 1922 – Mollie Sugden, English actress (d. 2009)
    • 1923 – Rudolph A. Marcus, Canadian-American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1923 – Queenie Watts, English actress and singer (d. 1980)
    • 1924 – Rahimuddin Khan, Pakistani general and politician, 7th Governor of Balochistan
    • 1924 – Don Knotts, American actor and screenwriter (d. 2006)
    • 1926 – Paul Burke, American actor (d. 2009)
    • 1925 – Johnny Peirson, Canadian hockey player
    • 1926 – Norman Jewison, Canadian actor, director, and producer
    • 1926 – Bill Pertwee, English actor (d. 2013)
    • 1926 – Karel Reisz, Czech-English director and producer (d. 2002)
    • 1928 – Sky Low Low, Canadian wrestler (d. 1998)
    • 1929 – Bob Orton, American wrestler (d. 2006)
    • 1930 – Anand Bakshi, Indian poet and songwriter (d. 2002)
    • 1930 – Helen Merrill, American singer
    • 1931 – Sonny Clark, American pianist and composer (d. 1963)
    • 1931 – Plas Johnson, American saxophonist
    • 1931 – Leon Schidlowsky, Chilean-Israeli painter and composer
    • 1932 – Kaye Stevens, American singer and actress (d. 2011)
    • 1933 – John Gardner, American novelist, essayist, and critic (d. 1982)
    • 1934 – Chandu Borde, Indian cricketer and manager
    • 1934 – Jonathan Miller, English actor, director, and author (d. 2019)
    • 1935 – Norbert Blüm, German businessman and politician
    • 1935 – Moe Drabowsky, Polish-American baseball player and coach (d. 2006)
    • 1937 – Eduard Streltsov, Soviet footballer (d. 1990)
    • 1938 – Les Aspin, American captain and politician, 18th United States Secretary of Defense (d. 1995)
    • 1938 – Anton Kuerti, Austrian-Canadian pianist, composer, and conductor
    • 1938 – Janet Reno, American lawyer and politician, 79th United States Attorney General (d. 2016)
    • 1939 – Jamey Aebersold, American saxophonist and educator
    • 1939 – Kim Fowley, American singer-songwriter, producer, and manager (d. 2015)
    • 1939 – John Negroponte, English-American diplomat, 23rd United States Ambassador to the United Nations
    • 1943 – Fritz Glatz, Austrian race car driver (d. 2002)
    • 1943 – Edward Herrmann, American actor (d. 2014)
    • 1943 – Henry McCullough, Northern Irish guitarist, singer and songwriter (d. 2016)
    • 1944 – John Atta Mills, Ghanaian lawyer and politician, 3rd President of Ghana (d. 2012)
    • 1944 – Buchi Emecheta, Nigerian author and academic (d. 2017)
    • 1944 – Paul Wellstone, American academic and politician (d. 2002)
    • 1945 – Wendy Cope, English poet, critic, and educator
    • 1945 – Geoff Dymock, Australian cricketer
    • 1945 – Barry Richards, South African cricketer
    • 1946 – Ken Starr, American lawyer and judge, 39th Solicitor General of the United States
    • 1946 – Timothy Harris, American author, screenwriter and producer
    • 1947 – Chetan Chauhan, Indian cricketer and politician
    • 1948 – Art Hindle, Canadian actor and director
    • 1948 – Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1948 – Garry Trudeau, American cartoonist
    • 1949 – Christina Hart, American playwright and actress
    • 1949 – Hirini Melbourne, New Zealand singer-songwriter and poet (d. 2003)
    • 1950 – Ubaldo Fillol, Argentinian footballer and coach
    • 1950 – Susan Kramer, Baroness Kramer, English politician, Minister of State for Transport
    • 1951 – Richard Gozney, English politician and diplomat, 30th Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, 139th Governor of Bermuda
    • 1951 – Robin Williams, American actor, singer, and producer (d. 2014)
    • 1952 – John Barrasso, American physician and politician
    • 1952 – Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Malaysian economist
    • 1953 – Eric Bazilian, American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer (The Hooters)
    • 1953 – Jeff Fatt, Australian keyboard player and actor
    • 1953 – Bernie Fraser, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1953 – Brian Talbot, English footballer and manager
    • 1955 – Howie Epstein, American bass player, songwriter, and producer (d. 2003)
    • 1955 – Dannel Malloy, American lawyer and politician, 88th Governor of Connecticut
    • 1955 – Henry Priestman, English singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer
    • 1955 – Taco, Indonesian-born Dutch singer and entertainer
    • 1955 – Béla Tarr, Hungarian director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1956 – Michael Connelly, American author
    • 1957 – Stefan Löfven, Swedish trade union leader and politician, 33rd Prime Minister of Sweden
    • 1957 – Jon Lovitz, American comedian, actor, and producer
    • 1958 – Dave Henderson, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 2015)
    • 1959 – Gene Miles, Australian rugby league player and sportscaster
    • 1959 – Reha Muhtar, Turkish journalist
    • 1959 – Paul Vautin, Australian rugby league player, coach, and sportscaster
    • 1960 – Amar Singh Chamkila, Indian singer-songwriter (d. 1988)
    • 1960 – Veselin Matić, Serbian basketball player and coach
    • 1960 – Fritz Walter, German footballer
    • 1961 – Morris Iemma, Australian politician, 40th Premier of New South Wales
    • 1961 – Jim Martin, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1962 – Victor Adebowale, Baron Adebowale, English businessman
    • 1963 – Kevin Poole, English footballer and manager
    • 1963 – Giant Silva, Brazilian basketball player, mixed martial artist, and wrestler
    • 1964 – Steve Collins, Irish boxer and actor
    • 1964 – Ross Kemp, English actor and producer
    • 1964 – Jens Weißflog, German ski jumper and journalist
    • 1965 – Guðni Bergsson, Icelandic footballer and lawyer
    • 1965 – Mike Bordick, American baseball player, coach, and sportscaster
    • 1966 – Arija Bareikis, American actress
    • 1966 – Sarah Waters, Welsh author and academic
    • 1968 – Brandi Chastain, American soccer player and sportscaster
    • 1968 – Aditya Srivastava, Indian actor
    • 1968 – Lyle Odelein, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1969 – Godfrey, American comedian and actor
    • 1969 – Klaus Graf, German race car driver
    • 1969 – Emerson Hart, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1969 – Isabell Werth, German equestrian
    • 1970 – Michael Fitzpatrick, American singer-songwriter
    • 1971 – Emmanuel Bangué, French long jumper
    • 1971 – Charlotte Gainsbourg, English-French actress and singer
    • 1971 – Nitzan Shirazi, Israeli footballer and manager (d. 2014)
    • 1972 – Korey Cooper, American singer and guitarist
    • 1972 – Catherine Ndereba, Kenyan marathon runner
    • 1974 – Geoff Jenkins, American baseball player and coach
    • 1974 – René Reinumägi, Estonian actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1975 – Christopher Barzak, American author and educator
    • 1975 – Cara Dillon, Irish singer-songwriter
    • 1975 – Ravindra Pushpakumara, Sri Lankan cricketer
    • 1975 – Mike Sellers, American football player
    • 1976 – Jaime Murray, English actress
    • 1977 – Paul Casey, English golfer
    • 1978 – Justin Bartha, American actor
    • 1978 – Anderson da Silva Gibin, Brazilian footballer
    • 1978 – Josh Hartnett, American actor
    • 1978 – Julian Huppert, English academic and politician
    • 1978 – Damian Marley, Jamaican singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1978 – Gary Teale, Scottish footballer
    • 1979 – David Carr, American football player
    • 1979 – Tamika Catchings, American basketball player
    • 1979 – Luis Ernesto Michel, Mexican footballer
    • 1979 – Andriy Voronin, Ukrainian footballer
    • 1980 – Justin Griffith, American football player
    • 1980 – Sandra Laoura, French skier
    • 1980 – CC Sabathia, American baseball player
    • 1980 – Yvonne Sampson, Australian journalist and sportscaster
    • 1981 – Paloma Faith, English singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1981 – Anabelle Langlois, Canadian figure skater
    • 1981 – Joaquín, Spanish footballer
    • 1981 – Romeo Santos, American singer-songwriter
    • 1981 – Stefan Schumacher, German cyclist
    • 1982 – Jason Cram, Australian swimmer
    • 1982 – Mao Kobayashi, Japanese newscaster and actress (d. 2017)
    • 1984 – Jurrick Juliana, Dutch footballer
    • 1984 – Liam Ridgewell, English footballer
    • 1985 – Mati Lember, Estonian footballer
    • 1985 – Von Wafer, American basketball player
    • 1986 – Anthony Annan, Ghanaian footballer
    • 1986 – Rebecca Ferguson, American-English singer-songwriter
    • 1986 – Jason Thompson, American basketball player
    • 1987 – Bilel Mohsni, French footballer
    • 1987 – Jesús Zavala, Mexican footballer
    • 1988 – KB, American rapper
    • 1988 – DeAndre Jordan, American basketball player
    • 1988 – Chris Mitchell, Scottish footballer (d. 2016)
    • 1989 – Marco Fabián, Mexican footballer
    • 1989 – Juno Temple, English actress
    • 1990 – Chris Martin, English footballer
    • 1990 – Jason Roy, English cricketer
    • 1990 – Erislandy Savón, Cuban amateur heavyweight boxer
    • 1990 – Franck Elemba, Congolese athlete
    • 1991 – Sara Sampaio, Portuguese model
    • 1992 – Rachael Flatt, American figure skater
    • 1996 – Mikael Ingebrigtsen, Norwegian footballer
    • 1998 – Thomas Preining, Austrian racing driver

    Deaths on July 21

    • 658 – K’an II, Mayan ruler (b. 588)
    • 710 – Li Guo’er, princess of the Tang dynasty
    • 710 – Wei, empress of the Tang Dynasty
    • 710 – Shangguan Wan’er, Chinese poet (b. 664)
    • 987 – Geoffrey I, Count of Anjou
    • 1259 – Gojong of Goryeo
    • 1403 – Henry Percy, English soldier (b. 1364)
    • 1403 – Sir Walter Blount, English soldier, standard-bearer of Henry IV
    • 1403 – Edmund Stafford, 5th Earl of Stafford, English soldier
    • 1425 – Manuel II Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (b. 1350)
    • 1552 – Antonio de Mendoza, Spanish politician, 1st Viceroy of New Spain (b. 1495)
    • 1688 – James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, English soldier and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (b. 1610)
    • 1793 – Antoine Bruni d’Entrecasteaux, French admiral, explorer, and politician (b. 1739)
    • 1796 – Robert Burns, Scottish poet and songwriter (b. 1759)
    • 1798 – François Sébastien Charles Joseph de Croix, Count of Clerfayt, Austrian field marshal (b. 1733)
    • 1798 – Anthony Perry, Irish rebel leader (b. ca. 1760)
    • 1868 – William Bland, Australian surgeon and politician (b. 1789)
    • 1878 – Sam Bass, American outlaw (b. 1851)
    • 1880 – Hiram Walden, American general and politician (b. 1800)
    • 1889 – Nelson Dewey, American lawyer and politician, 1st Governor of Wisconsin (b. 1813)
    • 1899 – Robert G. Ingersoll, American soldier, lawyer, and politician (b. 1833)
    • 1920 – Fiammetta Wilson, English astronomer and educator (b. 1864)
    • 1932 – Bill Gleason, American baseball player (b. 1858)
    • 1934 – Hubert Lyautey, French general and politician, French Minister of Defence (b. 1854)
    • 1938 – Owen Wister, American lawyer and author (b. 1860)
    • 1941 – Bohdan Lepky, Ukrainian poet and scholar (b. 1872)
    • 1943 – Charley Paddock, American runner and actor (b. 1900)
    • 1943 – Louis Vauxcelles, French Jewish art critic (b. 1870)
    • 1944 – Claus von Stauffenberg, German soldier (b. 1907)
    • 1946 – Gualberto Villarroel, Bolivian soldier and politician, 45th President of Bolivia (b. 1908)
    • 1948 – Arshile Gorky, Armenian-American painter and illustrator (b. 1904)
    • 1952 – Pedro Lascuráin, Mexican politician, president for 45 minutes on February 13, 1913. (b. 1856)
    • 1966 – Philipp Frank, Austrian-American physicist, mathematician, and philosopher, Vienna Circle member (b. 1884)
    • 1967 – Jimmie Foxx, American baseball player, coach, and manager (b. 1907)
    • 1967 – Albert Lutuli, South African academic and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1898)
    • 1967 – Basil Rathbone, South African-American actor and singer (b. 1892)
    • 1968 – Ruth St. Denis, American dancer and choreographer (b. 1878)
    • 1970 – Mikhail Mikhaylovich Gerasimov, Russian anthropologist and sculptor (b. 1907)
    • 1970 – Bob Kalsu, American football player and lieutenant (b. 1945)
    • 1972 – Ralph Craig, American sprinter and sailor (b. 1889)
    • 1972 – Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, Bhutanese king (b. 1928)
    • 1977 – Lee Miller, American model and photographer (b. 1907)
    • 1982 – Dave Garroway, American journalist and actor (b. 1913)
    • 1991 – Paul Warwick, English race car driver (b. 1969)
    • 1994 – Marijac, French author and illustrator (b. 1908)
    • 1997 – Olaf Kopvillem, Estonian-Canadian conductor and composer (b. 1926)
    • 1998 – Alan Shepard, American admiral, pilot, and astronaut (b. 1923)
    • 1998 – Robert Young, American actor and singer (b. 1907)
    • 2000 – Marc Reisner, American environmentalist and author (b. 1948)
    • 2002 – Esphyr Slobodkina, Russian-American author and illustrator (b. 1908)
    • 2003 – John Davies, English-New Zealand runner and coach (b. 1938)
    • 2004 – Jerry Goldsmith, American composer and conductor (b. 1929)
    • 2004 – Edward B. Lewis, American geneticist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1918)
    • 2005 – Long John Baldry, English-Canadian singer and actor (b. 1941)
    • 2005 – Lord Alfred Hayes, English-American wrestler and manager (b. 1928)
    • 2006 – Mako Iwamatsu, Japanese-American actor and singer (b. 1933)
    • 2006 – Ta Mok, Cambodian soldier and monk (b. 1926)
    • 2007 – Dubravko Škiljan, Croatian linguist and academic (b. 1949)
    • 2008 – Donald Stokes, English businessman (b. 1914)
    • 2010 – Luis Corvalán, Chilean educator and politician (b. 1916)
    • 2010 – Ralph Houk, American baseball player, coach, and manager (b. 1919)
    • 2010 – John E. Irving, Canadian businessman (b. 1932)
    • 2012 – Alexander Cockburn, Scottish-American journalist and author (b. 1941)
    • 2012 – Marie Kruckel, American baseball player (b. 1924)
    • 2012 – Ali Podrimja, Albanian poet and author (b. 1942)
    • 2012 – James D. Ramage, American admiral and pilot (b. 1916)
    • 2012 – Angharad Rees, English-born Welsh actress (b. 1944)
    • 2012 – Don Wilson, English cricketer and coach (b. 1937)
    • 2013 – Andrea Antonelli, Italian motorcycle racer (b. 1988)
    • 2013 – Lourembam Brojeshori Devi, Indian martial artist (b. 1981)
    • 2013 – Det de Beus, Dutch field hockey player (b. 1958)
    • 2013 – Luis Fernando Rizo-Salom, Colombian-French composer and educator (b. 1971)
    • 2013 – Fred Taylor, American football player and coach (b. 1920)
    • 2014 – Louise Abeita, Isleta Pueblo (Native American) writer, poet, and educator (b. 1926)
    • 2014 – Dan Borislow, American businessman, invented the magicJack (b. 1961)
    • 2014 – Lettice Curtis, English engineer and pilot (b. 1915)
    • 2014 – Hans-Peter Kaul, German lawyer and judge (b. 1943)
    • 2014 – Rilwanu Lukman, Nigerian engineer and politician (b. 1938)
    • 2014 – Kevin Skinner, New Zealand rugby player and boxer (b. 1927)
    • 2015 – Robert Broberg, Swedish singer-songwriter (b. 1940)
    • 2015 – E. L. Doctorow, American novelist, short story writer, and playwright (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – Nicholas Gonzalez, American physician (b. 1947)
    • 2015 – Czesław Marchaj, Polish-English sailor and academic (b. 1918)
    • 2015 – Dick Nanninga, Dutch footballer (b. 1949)
    • 2016 – Dennis Green, American football player and coach (b. 1949)
    • 2017 – John Heard, American film and television actor (b. 1946)
    • 2018 – Alene Duerk, U.S. Navy first female admiral (b. 1920)

    Holidays and observances on July 21

    • Christian feast day:
      • Albert John Luthuli (Episcopal Church)
      • Arbogast
      • Barhadbesciabas
      • Carlos of Brazil (Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church)
      • Daniel (Catholic Church)
      • Lawrence of Brindisi
      • Praxedes
      • Victor of Marseilles
      • July 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Liberation Day in 1944 (Guam)
    • Belgian National Day (Belgium)
    • Racial Harmony Day (Singapore)
    • Summer Kazanskaya (Russia)

  • May 29 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 363 – The Roman emperor Julian defeats the Sasanian army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Sasanian capital, but is unable to take the city.
    • 1108 – Battle of Uclés: Almoravid troops under the command of Tamim ibn Yusuf defeat a Castile and León alliance under the command of Prince Sancho Alfónsez.
    • 1167 – Battle of Monte Porzio: A Roman army supporting Pope Alexander III is defeated by Christian of Buch and Rainald of Dassel.
    • 1176 – Battle of Legnano: The Lombard League defeats Emperor Frederick I.
    • 1328 – Philip VI is crowned King of France.
    • 1416 – Battle of Gallipoli: The Venetians under Pietro Loredan defeat a much larger Ottoman fleet off Gallipoli.
    • 1453 – Fall of Constantinople: Ottoman armies under Sultan Mehmed II Fatih capture Constantinople after a 53-day siege, ending the Byzantine Empire.
    • 1658 – Battle of Samugarh: decisive battle in the struggle for the throne during the Mughal war of succession (1658–1659).
    • 1660 – English Restoration: Charles II is restored to the throne of England, Scotland and Ireland.
    • 1733 – The right of settlers in New France to enslave natives is upheld at Quebec City.
    • 1780 – American Revolutionary War: At the Battle of Waxhaws, the British continue attacking after the Continentals lay down their arms, killing 113 and critically wounding all but 53 that remained.
    • 1790 – Rhode Island becomes the last of North America’s original Thirteen Colonies to ratify the Constitution and become one of the United States.
    • 1798 – United Irishmen Rebellion: Between 300 and 500 United Irishmen are executed as rebels by the British Army in County Kildare, Ireland.
    • 1807 – Mustafa IV became Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and Caliph of Islam.
    • 1848 – Wisconsin is admitted as the 30th U.S. state.
    • 1852 – Jenny Lind leaves New York after her two-year American tour.
    • 1861 – The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce is founded, in Hong Kong.
    • 1864 – Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico arrives in Mexico for the first time.
    • 1867 – The Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 (“the Compromise”) is born through Act 12, which establishes the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
    • 1868 – Mihailo Obrenović III, Prince of Serbia is assassinated.
    • 1886 – The pharmacist John Pemberton places his first advertisement for Coca-Cola, which appeared in The Atlanta Journal.
    • 1900 – N’Djamena is founded as Fort-Lamy by the French commander Émile Gentil.
    • 1903 – In the May Coup, Alexander I, King of Serbia, and Queen Draga, are assassinated in Belgrade by the Black Hand (Crna Ruka) organization.
    • 1913 – Igor Stravinsky’s ballet score The Rite of Spring receives its premiere performance in Paris, France, provoking a riot.
    • 1914 – The Ocean liner RMS Empress of Ireland sinks in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence with the loss of 1,012 lives.
    • 1918 – Armenia defeats the Ottoman Army in the Battle of Sardarabad.
    • 1919 – Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity is tested (later confirmed) by Arthur Eddington and Andrew Claude de la Cherois Crommelin
    • 1920 – The Louth flood of 1920 was a severe flash flooding in the Lincolnshire market town of Louth which occurred 29 May 1920, resulting in 23 fatalities in 20 minutes. It has been described as one of the most significant flood disasters in Britain during the 20th century.
    • 1931 – Michele Schirru, a citizen of the United States, is executed by Italian military firing squad for intent to kill Benito Mussolini.
    • 1932 – World War I veterans begin to assemble in Washington, D.C., in the Bonus Army to request cash bonuses promised to them to be paid in 1945.
    • 1935 – First flight of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aeroplane.
    • 1945 – First combat mission of the Consolidated B-32 Dominator heavy bomber.
    • 1948 – United Nations Truce Supervision Organization is founded.
    • 1950 – The St. Roch, the first ship to circumnavigate North America, arrives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
    • 1953 – Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay become the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest, on Tenzing Norgay’s (adopted) 39th birthday.
    • 1964 – The Arab League meets in East Jerusalem to discuss the Palestinian question, leading to the formation of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
    • 1973 – Tom Bradley is elected the first black mayor of Los Angeles, California.
    • 1982 – Pope John Paul II becomes the first pontiff to visit Canterbury Cathedral.
    • 1982 – Falklands War: British forces defeat the Argentines at the Battle of Goose Green.
    • 1985 – Heysel Stadium disaster: Thirty-nine association football fans die and hundreds are injured when a dilapidated retaining wall collapses.
    • 1985 – Amputee Steve Fonyo completes cross-Canada marathon at Victoria, British Columbia, after 14 months.
    • 1988 – The U.S. President Ronald Reagan begins his first visit to the Soviet Union when he arrives in Moscow for a superpower summit with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
    • 1989 – Signing of an agreement between Egypt and the United States, allowing the manufacture of parts of the F-16 jet fighter plane in Egypt.
    • 1990 – The Russian parliament elects Boris Yeltsin as president of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
    • 1993 – The Miss Sarajevo beauty pageant is held in war-torn Sarajevo drawing global attention to the plight of its citizens.
    • 1999 – Olusegun Obasanjo takes office as President of Nigeria, the first elected and civilian head of state in Nigeria after 16 years of military rule.
    • 1999 – Space Shuttle Discovery completes the first docking with the International Space Station.
    • 2001 – The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the disabled golfer Casey Martin can use a cart to ride in tournaments.
    • 2004 – The National World War II Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C.
    • 2008 – A doublet earthquake, of combined magnitude 6.1, strikes Iceland near the town of Selfoss, injuring 30 people.
    • 2012 – A 5.8-magnitude earthquake hits northern Italy near Bologna, killing at least 24 people.
    • 2015 – One World Observatory at One World Trade Center opens.

    Births on May 29

    • 1421 – Charles, Prince of Viana (d. 1461)
    • 1439 – Pope Pius III (d. 1503)
    • 1443 – Victor, Duke of Münsterberg, Reichsgraf, Duke of Münsterberg and Opava, Count of Glatz (d. 1500)
    • 1504 – Antun Vrančić, Croatian archbishop (d. 1573)
    • 1555 – George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes, English Earl, general and administrator (d. 1629)
    • 1568 – Virginia de’ Medici, Italian princess (d. 1615)
    • 1594 – Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim, Bavarian field marshal (d. 1632)
    • 1627 – Anne, Duchess of Montpensier, French princess (d. 1693)
    • 1630 – Charles II of England (d. 1685)
    • 1675 – Humphry Ditton, English mathematician and philosopher (d. 1715)
    • 1716 – Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton, French zoologist and mineralogist (d. 1800)
    • 1722 – James FitzGerald, 1st Duke of Leinster, Irish soldier and politician (d. 1773)
    • 1730 – Jackson of Exeter, English organist and composer (d. 1803)
    • 1736 – Patrick Henry, American lawyer and politician, 1st Governor of Virginia (d. 1799)
    • 1780 – Henri Braconnot, French chemist and pharmacist (d. 1855)
    • 1794 – Johann Heinrich von Mädler, German astronomer and selenographer (d. 1874)
    • 1797 – Louise-Adéone Drölling, French painter (d. 1836)
    • 1823 – John H. Balsley, American carpenter and inventor (d. 1895)
    • 1860 – Isaac Albéniz, Spanish pianist and composer (d. 1909)
    • 1871 – Clark Voorhees, American painter (d. 1933)
    • 1873 – Rudolf Tobias, Estonian organist and composer (d. 1918)
    • 1874 – G. K. Chesterton, English essayist, poet, and playwright (d. 1936)
    • 1880 – Oswald Spengler, German historian and philosopher (d. 1936)
    • 1892 – Alfonsina Storni, Swiss-Argentinian poet and author (d. 1938)
    • 1893 – Max Brand, American journalist and author (d. 1944)
    • 1894 – Beatrice Lillie, Canadian-English actress, singer and writer (d. 1989)
    • 1894 – Josef von Sternberg, Austrian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1969)
    • 1897 – Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Czech-American pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1957)
    • 1899 – Douglas Abbott, Canadian lawyer and politician, 10th Canadian Minister of Defence (d. 1987)
    • 1902 – Harry Kadwell, Australian rugby league player and coach (d. 1999)
    • 1903 – Bob Hope, English-American actor, singer, and producer (d. 2003)
    • 1904 – Hubert Opperman, Australian cyclist and politician (d. 1996)
    • 1905 – Sebastian Shaw, English actor, director, and playwright (d. 1994)
    • 1906 – T. H. White, Indian-English author (d. 1964)
    • 1907 – Hartland Molson, Canadian captain and politician (d. 2002)
    • 1908 – Diana Morgan, Welsh-English playwright and screenwriter (d. 1996)
    • 1910 – Ralph Metcalfe, American sprinter and politician (d. 1978)
    • 1913 – Tony Zale, American boxer (d. 1997)
    • 1914 – Stacy Keach Sr., American actor (d. 2003)
    • 1914 – Tenzing Norgay, Nepalese-Indian mountaineer (d. 1986)
    • 1915 – Karl Münchinger, German conductor and composer (d. 1990)
    • 1917 – John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States (d. 1963)
    • 1917 – Marcel Trudel, Canadian historian, author, and academic (d. 2011)
    • 1919 – Jacques Genest, Canadian physician and academic (d. 2018)
    • 1920 – John Harsanyi, Hungarian-American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2000)
    • 1920 – Clifton James, American actor (d. 2017)
    • 1921 – Norman Hetherington, Australian cartoonist and puppeteer (d. 2010)
    • 1922 – Joe Weatherly, American race car driver (d. 1964)
    • 1922 – Iannis Xenakis, Greek-French composer, engineer, and theorist (d. 2001)
    • 1923 – Bernard Clavel, French author (d. 2010)
    • 1923 – John Parker, 6th Earl of Morley, English colonel and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Devon (d. 2015)
    • 1923 – Eugene Wright, American jazz bassist
    • 1924 – Lars Bo, Danish author and illustrator (d. 1999)
    • 1924 – Miloslav Kříž, Czech basketball player and coach (d. 2013)
    • 1924 – Pepper Paire, American baseball player (d. 2013)
    • 1926 – Katie Boyle, Italian-English actress and television host (d. 2018)
    • 1926 – Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe, Queen Consort of Tonga (d. 2017)
    • 1926 – Abdoulaye Wade, Senegalese academic and politician, 3rd President of Senegal
    • 1927 – Jean Coutu, Canadian pharmacist and businessman, founded the Jean Coutu Group
    • 1929 – Harry Frankfurt, American philosopher and academic
    • 1929 – Peter Higgs, English-Scottish physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1929 – Roberto Vargas, Puerto Rican-American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 2014)
    • 1932 – Paul R. Ehrlich, American biologist and author
    • 1932 – Richie Guerin, American basketball player and coach
    • 1933 – Helmuth Rilling, German conductor and educator
    • 1933 – Tarquinio Provini, Italian motorcycle racer (d. 2005)
    • 1934 – Bill Vander Zalm, Dutch-Canadian businessman and politician, 28th Premier of British Columbia
    • 1935 – André Brink, South African author and playwright (d. 2015)
    • 1935 – Sylvia Robinson, American singer and producer (d. 2011)
    • 1937 – Charles W. Pickering, American lawyer and judge
    • 1937 – Irmin Schmidt, German keyboard player and composer
    • 1937 – Alwin Schockemöhle, German show-jumper
    • 1937 – Harry Statham, American basketball player and coach
    • 1938 – Christopher Bland, English businessman and politician (d. 2017)
    • 1938 – Fay Vincent, American lawyer and businessman
    • 1939 – Pete Smith, Australian radio and television announcer
    • 1939 – Al Unser, American race car driver
    • 1940 – Taihō Kōki, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 48th Yokozuna (d. 2013)
    • 1940 – Farooq Leghari, Pakistani politician, 8th President of Pakistan (d. 2010)
    • 1941 – Doug Scott, English mountaineer and author
    • 1941 – Bob Simon, American journalist (d. 2015)
    • 1942 – Pierre Bourque, Canadian businessman and politician, 40th Mayor of Montreal
    • 1942 – Kevin Conway, American actor and director (d. 2020)
    • 1943 – Robert W. Edgar, American educator and politician (d. 2013)
    • 1944 – Bob Benmosche, American businessman (d. 2015)
    • 1944 – Quentin Davies, English soldier and politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
    • 1945 – Gary Brooker, English singer-songwriter and pianist
    • 1945 – Peter Fraser, Baron Fraser of Carmyllie, Scottish lawyer and politician, Solicitor General for Scotland (d. 2013)
    • 1945 – Julian Le Grand, English economist and author
    • 1945 – Martin Pipe, English jockey and trainer
    • 1945 – Joyce Tenneson, American photographer
    • 1945 – Jean-Pierre Van Rossem, Belgian scholar and author (d. 2018)
    • 1946 – Fernando Buesa, Spanish politician (d. 2000)
    • 1947 – Anthony Geary, American actor
    • 1948 – Michael Berkeley, English composer and radio host
    • 1948 – Keith Gull, English microbiologist and academic
    • 1949 – Robert Axelrod, American actor and screenwriter (d. 2019)
    • 1949 – Brian Kidd, English footballer and manager
    • 1949 – Francis Rossi, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1950 – Rebbie Jackson, American singer and actress
    • 1953 – Danny Elfman, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
    • 1954 – Robert Beaser, American composer and educator
    • 1954 – Jerry Moran, American lawyer and politician
    • 1955 – Frank Baumgartl, German runner (d. 2010)
    • 1955 – John Hinckley Jr., American attempted assassin of Ronald Reagan
    • 1955 – David Kirschner, American animator, producer, and author
    • 1955 – Gordon Rintoul, Scottish historian and curator
    • 1955 – Ken Schrader, American race car driver and sportscaster
    • 1956 – Mark Lyall Grant, English diplomat, British Ambassador to the United Nations
    • 1956 – La Toya Jackson, American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1957 – Steven Croft, English bishop and theologian
    • 1957 – Jeb Hensarling, American lawyer and politician
    • 1957 – Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Iranian film director
    • 1958 – Annette Bening, American actress
    • 1958 – Juliano Mer-Khamis, Israeli actor, director, and activist (d. 2011)
    • 1958 – Uwe Rapolder, German footballer and coach
    • 1958 – Mike Stenhouse, American baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1959 – Rupert Everett, English actor and novelist
    • 1959 – Mel Gaynor, English drummer
    • 1959 – Steve Hanley, Irish-English bass player and songwriter
    • 1960 – Thomas Baumer, Swiss economist and academic
    • 1960 – Mike Freer, English politician
    • 1961 – Melissa Etheridge, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist
    • 1961 – John Miceli, American drummer
    • 1962 – Fandi Ahmad, Singaporean footballer, coach, and manager
    • 1962 – Eric Davis, American baseball player
    • 1962 – Carol Kirkwood, Scottish journalist
    • 1962 – Chloé Sainte-Marie, Canadian actress and singer
    • 1963 – Blaze Bayley, English singer-songwriter
    • 1963 – Zhu Jianhua, Chinese high jumper
    • 1963 – Ukyo Katayama, Japanese race car driver
    • 1963 – Claude Loiselle, Canadian ice hockey player and manager
    • 1964 – Howard Mills III, American academic and politician
    • 1964 – Oswaldo Negri Jr., Brazilian race car driver
    • 1966 – Natalie Nougayrède, French journalist
    • 1967 – Noel Gallagher, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1967 – Mike Keane, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1967 – Steven Levitt, American economist, author, and academic
    • 1968 – Torquhil Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll, Scottish politician
    • 1968 – Tate George, American basketball player
    • 1968 – Jessica Morden, English politician
    • 1968 – Hida Viloria, American activist
    • 1970 – Natarsha Belling, Australian journalist
    • 1970 – Roberto Di Matteo, Italian footballer and manager
    • 1971 – Éric Lucas, Canadian boxer
    • 1971 – Bernd Mayländer, German race car driver
    • 1971 – Jo Beth Taylor, Australian television host and actress
    • 1971 – Rob Womack, English shot putter and discus thrower
    • 1972 – Bill Curley, American basketball player and coach
    • 1972 – Simon Jones, English singer and bass player
    • 1973 – Tomoko Kaneda, Japanese voice actress, singer, and radio personality
    • 1973 – Mark Lee, American guitarist and songwriter
    • 1973 – Alpay Özalan, Turkish footballer
    • 1974 – Steve Cardenas, American martial artist and retired actor
    • 1974 – Stephen Larkham, Australian rugby player and coach
    • 1974 – Aaron McGruder, American author and cartoonist
    • 1974 – Myf Warhurst, Australian radio and television host
    • 1974 – Jenny Willott, English politician
    • 1975 – Jason Allison, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1975 – Mel B, English singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress
    • 1975 – Sven Kubis, German footballer
    • 1975 – Sarah Millican, English comedian
    • 1975 – Anthony Wall, English golfer
    • 1975 – Daniel Tosh, American comedian, television host, actor, writer, and executive producer
    • 1976 – Caçapa, Brazilian footballer and manager
    • 1976 – Jerry Hairston Jr., American baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1976 – Raef LaFrentz, American basketball player
    • 1976 – Yegor Titov, Russian footballer
    • 1977 – Massimo Ambrosini, Italian footballer
    • 1977 – Marco Cassetti, Italian footballer
    • 1977 – António Lebo Lebo, Angolan footballer
    • 1978 – Pelle Almqvist, Swedish singer-songwriter
    • 1978 – Sébastien Grosjean, French tennis player
    • 1978 – Lorenzo Odone, Italian-American adrenoleukodystrophy patient who inspired the 1992 film, Lorenzo’s Oil (d. 2008)
    • 1978 – Adam Rickitt, English singer
    • 1979 – Arne Friedrich, German footballer
    • 1979 – Brian Kendrick, American wrestler
    • 1979 – John Rheinecker, American baseball player (d. 2017)
    • 1980 – Ernesto Farías, Argentinian footballer
    • 1981 – Andrey Arshavin, Russian footballer
    • 1982 – Nataliya Dobrynska, Ukrainian heptathlete
    • 1982 – Matt Macri, American baseball player
    • 1982 – Kim Tae-kyun, South Korean baseball player
    • 1984 – Carmelo Anthony, American basketball player
    • 1984 – Nia Jax, Australian-American professional wrestler
    • 1984 – Funmi Jimoh, American long jumper
    • 1984 – Andreas Schäffer, German footballer
    • 1984 – Ina Wroldsen, Norwegian singer and songwriter
    • 1985 – Nathan Horton, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1987 – Lina Andrijauskaitė, Lithuanian long jumper
    • 1987 – Issac Luke, New Zealand rugby league player
    • 1987 – Kelvin Maynard, Dutch footballer (d. 2019)
    • 1987 – Noah Reid, Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1987 – Rui Sampaio, Portuguese footballer
    • 1988 – Muath Al-Kasasbeh, Jordanian captain and pilot (d. 2015)
    • 1988 – Cheng Fei, Chinese gymnast
    • 1988 – Steve Mason, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1989 – Ezekiel Ansah, Ghanaian-American football player
    • 1989 – Diego Barisone, Argentinian footballer (d. 2015)
    • 1989 – Riley Keough, American model and actress
    • 1990 – Joe Biagini, American baseball pitcher
    • 1992 – Sarah Moundir, Swiss tennis player
    • 1993 – Jana Čepelová, Slovak tennis player
    • 1993 – Maika Monroe, American actress and kiteboarder
    • 1993 – Grete Šadeiko, Estonian heptathlete
    • 1998 – Markelle Fultz, American basketball player
    • 1999 – Park Ji-hoon, South Korean singer and actor

    Deaths on May 29

    • 931 – Jimeno Garcés of Pamplona
    • 1040 – Renauld I, Count of Nevers
    • 1259 – Christopher I of Denmark (b. 1219)
    • 1311 – James II of Majorca (b. 1243)
    • 1320 – Pope John VIII of Alexandria, Coptic pope
    • 1327 – Jens Grand, Danish archbishop (b. c. 1260)
    • 1379 – Henry II of Castile (b. 1334)
    • 1405 – Philippe de Mézières, French soldier and author (b. 1327)
    • 1425 – Hongxi Emperor of China (b. 1378)
    • 1453 – Ulubatlı Hasan, Ottoman commander (b. 1428)
    • 1453 – Constantine XI Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (b. 1404)
    • 1500 – Bartolomeu Dias, Portuguese explorer and navigator (b. 1451)
    • 1500 – Thomas Rotherham, English cleric and minister (b. 1423)
    • 1546 – David Beaton, Scottish cardinal and politician, Lord Chancellor of Scotland (b. 1494)
    • 1593 – John Penry, Welsh martyr (b. 1559)
    • 1660 – Frans van Schooten, Dutch mathematician and academic (b. 1615)
    • 1691 – Cornelis Tromp, Dutch admiral (b. 1629)
    • 1790 – Israel Putnam, American general (b. 1718)
    • 1796 – Carl Fredrik Pechlin, Swedish general and politician (b. 1720)
    • 1814 – Joséphine de Beauharnais, first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte (b. 1763)
    • 1829 – Humphry Davy, English-Swiss chemist and academic (b. 1778)
    • 1847 – Emmanuel de Grouchy, Marquis de Grouchy, French general (b. 1766)
    • 1862 – Franz Mirecki, Polish composer, music conductor, and music teacher (b. 1791)
    • 1866 – Winfield Scott, American general, lawyer, and politician (b. 1786)
    • 1873 – Prince Friedrich of Hesse and by Rhine (b. 1870)
    • 1892 – Bahá’u’lláh, Persian religious leader, founded the Bahá’í Faith (b. 1817)
    • 1896 – Gabriel Auguste Daubrée, French geologist and academic (b. 1814)
    • 1903 – Bruce Price, American architect, designed the Château Frontenac and American Surety Building (b. 1845)
    • 1910 – Mily Balakirev, Russian pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1837)
    • 1911 – W. S. Gilbert, English playwright and poet (b. 1836)
    • 1914 – Laurence Sydney Brodribb Irving, English author and playwright (b. 1871)
    • 1914 – Henry Seton-Karr, English explorer, hunter, and author (b. 1853)
    • 1917 – Kate Harrington, American poet and educator (b. 1831)
    • 1919 – Robert Bacon, American colonel and politician, 39th United States Secretary of State (b. 1860)
    • 1920 – Carlos Deltour, French rower (b. 1864)
    • 1921 – Abbott Handerson Thayer, American painter and educator (b. 1849)
    • 1935 – Josef Suk, Czech violinist and composer (b. 1874)
    • 1939 – Ursula Ledóchowska, Austrian-Polish nun and saint, founded the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus (b. 1865)
    • 1941 – Léo-Pol Morin, Canadian pianist, composer, and educator (b. 1892)
    • 1942 – John Barrymore, American actor (b. 1882)
    • 1946 – Martin Gottfried Weiss, German SS officer (b. 1905)
    • 1948 – May Whitty, English actress (b. 1865)
    • 1951 – Fanny Brice, American singer and comedian (b. 1891)
    • 1951 – Dimitrios Levidis, Greek-French soldier and composer (b. 1885)
    • 1953 – Morgan Russell, American painter and educator (b. 1886)
    • 1957 – James Whale, English director (b. 1889)
    • 1958 – Juan Ramón Jiménez, Spanish poet and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1881)
    • 1963 – Netta Muskett, English author (b. 1887)
    • 1966 – Ignace Lepp, Estonian-French priest and psychologist (b. 1909)
    • 1968 – Arnold Susi, Estonian lawyer and politician, Estonian Minister of Education (b. 1896)
    • 1970 – John Gunther, American journalist and author (b. 1901)
    • 1970 – Eva Hesse, American artist (b. 1936)
    • 1972 – Moe Berg, American baseball player, coach, and spy (b. 1902)
    • 1972 – Stephen Timoshenko, Ukrainian-American engineer and academic (b. 1878)
    • 1973 – George Harriman, English businessman (b. 1908)
    • 1977 – Ba Maw, Burmese politician, Prime Minister of Burma (b. 1893)
    • 1979 – Mary Pickford, Canadian-American actress, producer, and screenwriter, co-founded United Artists (b. 1892)
    • 1979 – John H. Wood Jr., American lawyer and judge (b. 1916)
    • 1982 – Romy Schneider, Austrian actress (b. 1938)
    • 1983 – Arvīds Pelše, Latvian-Russian historian and politician (b. 1899)
    • 1987 – Charan Singh, Indian politician, 5th Prime Minister of India (b. 1902)
    • 1988 – Salem bin Laden, Saudi Arabian businessman (b. 1946)
    • 1989 – George C. Homans, American sociologist and academic (b. 1910)
    • 1991 – Margaret Barr (choreographer), Australian choreographer and teacher of dance-drama (b. 1904)
    • 1993 – Billy Conn, American boxer (b. 1917)
    • 1994 – Erich Honecker, German lawyer and politician (b. 1912)
    • 1994- Lady May Abel Smith, member of the British Royal Family (b. 1906)
    • 1996 – Tamara Toumanova, American ballerina and actress (b. 1919)
    • 1997 – Jeff Buckley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1966)
    • 1998 – Barry Goldwater, American general, activist, and politician (b. 1909)
    • 2003 – David Jefferies, English motorcycle racer (b. 1972)
    • 2004 – Archibald Cox, American lawyer and politician, 31st United States Solicitor General (b. 1912)
    • 2004 – Samuel Dash, American academic and politician (b. 1925)
    • 2005 – John D’Amico, Canadian ice hockey player and referee (b. 1937)
    • 2005 – Hamilton Naki, South African surgeon (b. 1926)
    • 2005 – George Rochberg, American soldier and composer (b. 1918)
    • 2006 – Jacques Bouchard, Canadian businessman (b. 1930)
    • 2007 – Dave Balon, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1938)
    • 2007 – Lois Browne-Evans, Bermudian lawyer and politician (b. 1927)
    • 2008 – Paula Gunn Allen, Native American writer (b. 1939)
    • 2008 – Luc Bourdon, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1987)
    • 2008 – Harvey Korman, American actor and comedian (b. 1927)
    • 2010 – Dennis Hopper, American actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1936)
    • 2011 – Sergei Bagapsh, Abkhazian politician, 2nd President of Abkhazia (b. 1949)
    • 2011 – Bill Clements, American soldier and politician, 42nd Governor of Texas (b. 1917)
    • 2011 – Ferenc Mádl, Hungarian academic and politician, 14th President of Hungary (b. 1931)
    • 2012 – Mark Minkov, Russian composer (b. 1944)
    • 2012 – Kaneto Shindo, Japanese director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1912)
    • 2012 – Doc Watson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1923)
    • 2013 – Richard Ballantine, American-English journalist and author (b. 1940)
    • 2013 – Françoise Blanchard, French actress (b. 1954)
    • 2013 – Andrew Greeley, American priest, sociologist, and author (b. 1928)
    • 2013 – Mulgrew Miller, American pianist and composer (b. 1955)
    • 2013 – Henry Morgentaler, Polish-Canadian physician and activist (b. 1923)
    • 2013 – Franca Rame, Italian actress and playwright (b. 1928)
    • 2013 – Ludwig G. Strauss, German physician and academic (b. 1949)
    • 2013 – Wali-ur-Rehman, Pakistani commander (b. 1970)
    • 2014 – Christine Charbonneau, Canadian singer-songwriter (b. 1943)
    • 2014 – Walter Jakob Gehring, Swiss biologist and academic (b. 1939)
    • 2014 – Peter Glaser, Czech-American scientist and engineer (b. 1923)
    • 2014 – Miljenko Prohaska, Croatian composer and conductor (b. 1925)
    • 2014 – William M. Roth, American businessman (b. 1916)
    • 2015 – Henry Carr, American football player and sprinter (b. 1942)
    • 2015 – Doris Hart, American tennis player (b. 1925)
    • 2015 – Betsy Palmer, American actress (b. 1926)
    • 2017 – Manuel Noriega, Panamanian general and politician, Military Leader of Panama (b. 1934)
    • 2017 – Mordechai Tzipori, Israeli Lieutenant General and minister (b. 1924)
    • 2017 – Konstantinos Mitsotakis, Greek politician and prime minister (b. 1918)
    • 2020 – Maikanti Baru, Nigerian engineer, former chief of state oil firm. (b. 1959)

    Holidays and observances on May 29

    • Army Day (Argentina)
    • Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh (Bahá’í Faith) (Only if Bahá’í Naw-Rúz falls on March 21 of the Gregorian calendar)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Bona of Pisa
      • Hypomone (Eastern Orthodox Church)
      • Maximin of Trier
      • Pope Alexander of Alexandria (Eastern Orthodox Church)
      • Theodosia of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox Church)
      • Ursula Ledóchowska
      • May 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Earliest day on which Feast of the Sacred Heart can fall, while July 2 is the latest; celebrated 19 days after Pentecost. (Catholic Church)
    • International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers (International)
    • National Elderly Day (Indonesia)
    • Oak Apple Day (England), and its related observance:
      • Castleton Garland Day (Castleton)
    • Statehood Day (Rhode Island and Wisconsin)
    • Veterans Day (Sweden)
    • World Digestive Health Day

  • May 20 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 325 – The First Council of Nicaea is formally opened, starting the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church.
    • 491 – Empress Ariadne marries Anastasius I. The widowed Augusta is able to choose her successor for the Byzantine throne, after Zeno (late emperor) dies of dysentery.
    • 685 – The Battle of Dun Nechtain is fought between a Pictish army under King Bridei III and the invading Northumbrians under King Ecgfrith, who are decisively defeated.
    • 794 – While visiting the royal Mercian court at Sutton Walls with a view to marrying princess Ælfthryth, King Æthelberht II of East Anglia is taken captive and beheaded.
    • 1217 – The Second Battle of Lincoln is fought near Lincoln, England, resulting in the defeat of Prince Louis of France by William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke.
    • 1293 – King Sancho IV of Castile creates the Estudio de Escuelas de Generales in Alcalá de Henares.
    • 1449 – The Battle of Alfarrobeira is fought, establishing the House of Braganza as a principal royal family of Portugal.
    • 1497 – John Cabot sets sail from Bristol, England, on his ship Matthew looking for a route to the west (other documents give a May 2 date).
    • 1498 – Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discovers the sea route to India when he arrives at Kozhikode (previously known as Calicut), India.
    • 1521 – Ignatius of Loyola is seriously wounded in the Battle of Pampeluna.
    • 1570 – Cartographer Abraham Ortelius issues Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern atlas.
    • 1609 – Shakespeare’s sonnets are first published in London, perhaps illicitly, by the publisher Thomas Thorpe.
    • 1631 – The city of Magdeburg in Germany is seized by forces of the Holy Roman Empire and most of its inhabitants massacred, in one of the bloodiest incidents of the Thirty Years’ War.
    • 1645 – Yangzhou massacre: The ten day massacre of 800,000 residents of the city of Yangzhou, part of the Transition from Ming to Qing.
    • 1741 – The Battle of Cartagena de Indias ends in a Spanish victory and the British begin withdrawal towards Jamaica with substantial losses.
    • 1775 – The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence is allegedly signed in Charlotte, North Carolina.
    • 1802 – By the Law of 20 May 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte reinstates slavery in the French colonies, revoking its abolition in the French Revolution.
    • 1813 – Napoleon Bonaparte leads his French troops into the Battle of Bautzen in Saxony, Germany, against the combined armies of Russia and Prussia. The battle ends the next day with a French victory.
    • 1840 – York Minster is badly damaged by fire.
    • 1861 – American Civil War: The state of Kentucky proclaims its neutrality, which will last until September 3 when Confederate forces enter the state. Meanwhile, the State of North Carolina secedes from the Union.
    • 1862 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signs the Homestead Act into law, opening 84 million acres of public land to settlers.
    • 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Ware Bottom Church: In the Virginia Bermuda Hundred campaign, 10,000 troops fight in this Confederate victory.
    • 1873 – Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a U.S. patent for blue jeans with copper rivets.
    • 1875 – Signing of the Metre Convention by 17 nations leading to the establishment of the International System of Units.
    • 1882 – The Triple Alliance between the German Empire, Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Italy is formed.
    • 1883 – Krakatoa begins to erupt; the volcano explodes three months later, killing more than 36,000 people.
    • 1891 – History of cinema: The first public display of Thomas Edison’s prototype kinetoscope.
    • 1902 – Cuba gains independence from the United States. Tomás Estrada Palma becomes the country’s first President.
    • 1927 – Treaty of Jeddah: The United Kingdom recognizes the sovereignty of King Ibn Saud in the Kingdoms of Hejaz and Nejd, which later merge to become the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
    • 1932 – Amelia Earhart takes off from Newfoundland to begin the world’s first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean by a female pilot, landing in Ireland the next day.
    • 1940 – The Holocaust: The first prisoners arrive at a new concentration camp at Auschwitz.
    • 1941 – World War II: Battle of Crete: German paratroops invade Crete.
    • 1948 – Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek wins the 1948 Republic of China presidential election and is sworn in as the first President of the Republic of China at Nanjing.
    • 1949 – In the United States, the Armed Forces Security Agency, the predecessor to the National Security Agency, is established.
    • 1956 – In Operation Redwing, the first United States airborne hydrogen bomb is dropped over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.
    • 1964 – Discovery of the cosmic microwave background radiation by Robert Woodrow Wilson and Arno Penzias.
    • 1967 – The Popular Movement of the Revolution political party is established in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    • 1969 – The Battle of Hamburger Hill in Vietnam ends.
    • 1971 – In the Chuknagar massacre, Pakistani forces massacre thousands, mostly Bengali Hindus.
    • 1980 – In a referendum in Quebec, the population rejects, by 60% of the vote, a government proposal to move towards independence from Canada.
    • 1983 – First publications of the discovery of the HIV virus that causes AIDS in the journal Science by Luc Montagnier.
    • 1983 – Church Street bombing: A car bomb planted by Umkhonto we Sizwe explodes on Church Street in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, killing 19 people and injuring 217 others.
    • 1985 – Radio Martí, part of the Voice of America service, begins broadcasting to Cuba.
    • 1989 – The Chinese authorities declare martial law in the face of pro-democracy demonstrations, setting the scene for the Tiananmen Square massacre.
    • 1990 – The first post-Communist presidential and parliamentary elections are held in Romania.
    • 1996 – Civil rights: The Supreme Court of the United States rules in Romer v. Evans against a law that would have prevented any city, town or county in the state of Colorado from taking any legislative, executive, or judicial action to protect the rights of gays and lesbians.
    • 2002 – The independence of East Timor is recognized by Portugal, formally ending 23 years of Indonesian rule and three years of provisional UN administration (Portugal itself is the former colonizer of East Timor until 1976).
    • 2012 – At least 27 people are killed and 50 others injured when a 6.0-magnitude earthquake strikes northern Italy.
    • 2013 – An EF5 tornado strikes the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, killing 24 people and injuring 377 others.
    • 2019 – The International System of Units (SI): The base units are redefined, making the international prototype of the kilogram obsolete.

    Births on May 20

    • 1315 – Bonne of Luxembourg, first wife of John II of France (d. 1349)
    • 1470 – Pietro Bembo, Italian cardinal, poet, and scholar (d. 1547)
    • 1505 – Levinus Lemnius, Dutch writer (d. 1568)
    • 1531 – Thado Minsaw of Ava, Viceroy of Ava (d. 1584)
    • 1537 – Hieronymus Fabricius, Italian anatomist (d. 1619)
    • 1575 – Robert Heath, English judge and politician (d. 1649)
    • 1664 – Andreas Schlüter, German sculptor and architect (d. 1714)
    • 1726 – Francis Cotes, English painter and academic (d. 1770)
    • 1743 – Toussaint Louverture, Haitian revolutionary, general, and president (d. 1803)
    • 1759 – William Thornton, Virgin Islander-American architect, designed the United States Capitol (d. 1828)
    • 1769 – Andreas Vokos Miaoulis, Greek admiral and politician (d. 1835)
    • 1772 – Sir William Congreve, 2nd Baronet, English inventor and politician, developed Congreve rockets (d. 1828)
    • 1776 – Simon Fraser, American-Canadian fur trader and explorer (d. 1862)
    • 1795 – Pedro María de Anaya, Mexican soldier. President (1847-1848) (d. 1854)
    • 1799 – Honoré de Balzac, French novelist and playwright (d. 1850)
    • 1806 – John Stuart Mill, English economist, civil servant, and philosopher (d. 1873)
    • 1811 – Alfred Domett, English-New Zealand poet and politician, 4th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1887)
    • 1818 – William Fargo, American businessman and politician, co-founded Wells Fargo and American Express (d. 1881)
    • 1822 – Frédéric Passy, French economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1912)
    • 1824 – Cadmus M. Wilcox, Confederate States Army general (d. 1890)
    • 1825 – Antoinette Brown Blackwell, the first woman to be ordained as a mainstream Protestant minister in the U.S. (d. 1921)
    • 1830 – Hector Malot, French author (d. 1907)
    • 1838 – Jules Méline, French lawyer and politician, 65th Prime Minister of France (d. 1925)
    • 1851 – Emile Berliner, German-American inventor, invented the Gramophone record (d. 1929)
    • 1854 – George Prendergast, Australian politician, 28th Premier of Victoria (d. 1937)
    • 1856 – Henri-Edmond Cross, French Neo-Impressionist painter (d. 1910)
    • 1860 – Eduard Buchner, German chemist, zymologist, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1917)
    • 1875 – Hendrik Offerhaus, Dutch rower (d. 1953)
    • 1877 – Pat Leahy, Irish-American jumper (d. 1927)
    • 1879 – Hans Meerwein, German chemist (d. 1965)
    • 1882 – Sigrid Undset, Danish-Norwegian novelist, essayist, and translator, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1949)
    • 1883 – Faisal I of Iraq (d. 1933)
    • 1886 – Ali Sami Yen, Turkish footballer and manager, founded the Galatasaray Sports Club (d. 1951)
    • 1894 – Chandrashekarendra Saraswati, Indian guru and scholar (d. 1994)
    • 1895 – R. J. Mitchell, English engineer, designed the Supermarine Spitfire and Supermarine S.6B (d. 1937)
    • 1897 – Diego Abad de Santillán, Spanish economist and author (d. 1983)
    • 1897 – Malcolm Nokes, English hammer and discus thrower (d. 1986)
    • 1898 – Eduard Ole, Estonian painter (d. 1995)
    • 1899 – Aleksandr Deyneka, Russian painter and sculptor (d. 1969)
    • 1899 – John Marshall Harlan II, American lawyer and jurist (d. 1971)
    • 1900 – Sumitranandan Pant, Indian poet and author (d. 1977)
    • 1901 – Max Euwe, Dutch chess player, mathematician, and author (d. 1981)
    • 1901 – Doris Fleeson, American journalist (d. 1970)
    • 1904 – Margery Allingham, English author of detective fiction (d. 1966)
    • 1906 – Giuseppe Siri, Italian cardinal (d. 1989)
    • 1907 – Carl Mydans, American photographer and journalist (d. 2004)
    • 1908 – Henry Bolte, Australian politician, 38th Premier of Victoria (d. 1990)
    • 1908 – Louis Daquin, French actor and director (d. 1980)
    • 1908 – Francis Raymond Fosberg, American botanist and author (d. 1993)
    • 1908 – James Stewart, American actor (d. 1997)
    • 1911 – Gardner Fox, American author (d. 1986)
    • 1911 – Annie M. G. Schmidt, Dutch author and playwright (d. 1995)
    • 1913 – Teodoro Fernández, Peruvian footballer (d. 1996)
    • 1913 – William Redington Hewlett, American engineer, co-founded Hewlett-Packard (d. 2001)
    • 1915 – Peter Copley, English actor (d. 2008)
    • 1915 – Moshe Dayan, Israeli general and politician, 5th Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 1981)
    • 1915 – Joff Ellen, Australian comedian and actor (d. 1999)
    • 1916 – Owen Chadwick, English rugby player, historian, and academic (d. 2015)
    • 1916 – Alexey Maresyev, Russian soldier and pilot (d. 2001)
    • 1916 – Ondina Valla, Italian sprinter and hurdler (d. 2006)
    • 1917 – Tony Cliff, Israeli-English author and activist (d. 2000)
    • 1917 – Guy Favreau, Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician, 28th Canadian Minister of Justice (d. 1967)
    • 1918 – Alexandra Boyko, Russian tank commander (d. 1996)
    • 1918 – Edward B. Lewis, American biologist, geneticist, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2004)
    • 1919 – George Gobel, American comedian (d. 1991)
    • 1920 – John Cruickshank, Scottish lieutenant and banker, Victoria Cross recipient
    • 1921 – Wolfgang Borchert, German author and playwright (d. 1947)
    • 1921 – Hal Newhouser, American baseball player and scout (d. 1998)
    • 1921 – Hao Wang, Chinese-American logician, philosopher, and mathematician (d. 1995)
    • 1922 – Ted Hinton, Northern Irish international footballer (d. 1988)
    • 1923 – Edith Fellows, American actress (d. 2011)
    • 1923 – Sam Selvon, Trinidad-born writer (d. 1994)
    • 1924 – David Chavchavadze, English-American CIA officer and author (d. 2014)
    • 1924 – Zelmar Michelini, Uruguayan journalist and politician (d. 1976)
    • 1925 – Alexei Tupolev, Russian engineer, designed the Tupolev Tu-144 (d. 2001)
    • 1926 – Bob Sweikert, American race car driver (d. 1956)
    • 1927 – Bud Grant, American football player and coach
    • 1927 – David Hedison, American actor (d. 2019)
    • 1927 – Franciszek Macharski, Polish cardinal (d. 2016)
    • 1929 – Gilles Loiselle, Canadian politician and diplomat, 33rd Canadian Minister of Finance
    • 1930 – Sam Etcheverry, American football player and coach (d. 2009)
    • 1931 – Ken Boyer, American baseball player and manager (d. 1982)
    • 1931 – Louis Smith, American trumpeter (d. 2016)
    • 1933 – Constance Towers, American actress and singer
    • 1935 – José Mujica, Uruguayan guerrilla leader and politician, 40th President of Uruguay
    • 1936 – Anthony Zerbe, American actor
    • 1937 – Dave Hill, American golfer (d. 2011)
    • 1937 – Derek Lampe, English footballer
    • 1939 – Balu Mahendra, Sri Lankan-Indian director, cinematographer, and screenwriter (d. 2014)
    • 1940 – Shorty Long, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 1969)
    • 1940 – Stan Mikita, Slovak-Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster (d. 2018)
    • 1940 – Sadaharu Oh, Japanese-Taiwanese baseball player and manager
    • 1941 – Goh Chok Tong, Singaporean politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Singapore
    • 1941 – John Strasberg, American actor and teacher
    • 1942 – Raymond Chrétien, Canadian lawyer and diplomat, Canadian Ambassador to the United States
    • 1942 – Lynn Davies, Welsh sprinter and long jumper
    • 1942 – Carlos Hathcock, American sergeant and sniper (d. 1999)
    • 1942 – Frew McMillan, South African tennis player
    • 1943 – Albano Carrisi, Italian singer, actor, and winemaker
    • 1943 – Deryck Murray, Trinidadian cricketer
    • 1944 – Joe Cocker, English singer-songwriter (d. 2014)
    • 1944 – Boudewijn de Groot, Indonesian-Dutch singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1944 – Keith Fletcher, English cricketer and manager
    • 1944 – Dietrich Mateschitz, Austrian businessman, co-founded Red Bull GmbH
    • 1945 – Vladimiro Montesinos, Peruvian intelligence officer
    • 1946 – Cher, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
    • 1946 – Bobby Murcer, American baseball player, coach, manager, and sportscaster (d. 2008)
    • 1947 – Steve Currie, English bass player (d. 1981)
    • 1947 – Greg Dyke, English journalist and academic
    • 1949 – Robert Morin, Canadian director, cinematographer, and screenwriter
    • 1949 – Michèle Roberts, English author and poet
    • 1949 – Dave Thomas, Canadian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1950 – Andy Johns, English-American engineer and producer (d. 2013)
    • 1950 – Reinaldo Merlo, Argentinian footballer and coach
    • 1951 – Thomas Akers, American colonel, engineer, and astronaut
    • 1951 – Christie Blatchford, Canadian newspaper columnist, journalist and broadcaster (d. 2020)
    • 1951 – Mike Crapo, American lawyer and politician
    • 1952 – Roger Milla, Cameroonian footballer and manager
    • 1952 – Michael Wills, English politician, British Minister of Justice
    • 1953 – Robert Doyle, Australian educator and politician, 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne
    • 1954 – David Paterson, American lawyer and politician, 55th Governor of New York
    • 1954 – Colin Sutherland, Lord Carloway, Scottish lawyer and judge
    • 1955 – Steve George, American keyboard player and songwriter
    • 1955 – Zbigniew Preisner, Polish composer and producer
    • 1956 – Ingvar Ambjørnsen, Norwegian-German author and critic
    • 1956 – Gerry Peyton, English born Irish international footballer and coach
    • 1956 – Douglas Preston, American journalist and author
    • 1957 – Yoshihiko Noda, Japanese lawyer and politician, 62nd Prime Minister of Japan
    • 1958 – Ron Reagan, American journalist and radio host
    • 1958 – Jane Wiedlin, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress
    • 1959 – Susan Cowsill, American singer-songwriter
    • 1960 – Tony Goldwyn, American actor and director
    • 1961 – Clive Allen, English international footballer and manager
    • 1961 – Nick Heyward, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1963 – David Wells, American baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1964 – Kōichirō Genba, Japanese politician, 80th Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs
    • 1964 – Edin Osmanović, Slovenian footballer, coach, and manager
    • 1964 – Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, English journalist and author
    • 1965 – Ted Allen, American television host and author
    • 1965 – Stu Grimson, Canadian ice hockey player, sportscaster, and lawyer
    • 1966 – Dan Abrams, American journalist and author
    • 1967 – Graham Brady, English politician
    • 1967 – Gabriele Muccino, Italian director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1968 – Timothy Olyphant, American actor and producer
    • 1969 – Road Dogg, American wrestler, producer, and soldier
    • 1970 – Terrell Brandon, American basketball player
    • 1970 – Louis Theroux, Singaporean-English journalist and producer
    • 1971 – Šárka Kašpárková, Czech triple jumper and coach
    • 1971 – Tony Stewart, American race car driver
    • 1972 – Michael Diamond, Australian shooter
    • 1972 – Christophe Dominici, French rugby player
    • 1972 – Busta Rhymes, American rapper, producer, and actor
    • 1973 – Nathan Long, Australian rugby league player
    • 1974 – Allison Amend, American novelist and short story writer
    • 1974 – Shiboprosad Mukherjee, Indian film director, writer and actor
    • 1975 – Juan Minujín, Argentinian actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1976 – Ramón Hernández, Venezuelan-American baseball player
    • 1976 – Tomoya Satozaki, Japanese baseball player
    • 1977 – Matt Czuchry, American actor
    • 1977 – Leo Franco, Argentinian footballer
    • 1977 – Angela Goethals, American actress
    • 1977 – Stirling Mortlock, Australian rugby player
    • 1977 – Vesa Toskala, Finnish ice hockey player
    • 1978 – Hristos Banikas, Greek chess player
    • 1978 – Pavla Hamáčková-Rybová, Czech pole vaulter
    • 1978 – Nils Schumann, German runner
    • 1979 – Andrew Scheer, Canadian politician, 28th Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
    • 1979 – Jayson Werth, American baseball player
    • 1980 – Austin Kearns, American baseball player
    • 1980 – Kassim Osgood, American football player
    • 1981 – Iker Casillas, Spanish footballer
    • 1981 – Rachel Platten, American singer and songwriter
    • 1981 – Lindsay Taylor, American basketball player
    • 1981 – Mark Winterbottom, Australian race car driver
    • 1982 – Petr Čech, Czech footballer
    • 1982 – Imran Farhat, Pakistani cricketer
    • 1982 – Jessica Raine, English actress
    • 1982 – Daniel Ribeiro, Brazilian director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1983 – Óscar Cardozo, Paraguayan footballer
    • 1983 – Matt Langridge, English rower
    • 1984 – Mauro Rafael da Silva, Brazilian footballer
    • 1984 – Patrick Ewing, Jr., American basketball player
    • 1984 – Keith Grennan, American football player
    • 1985 – Chris Froome, Kenyan-English cyclist
    • 1985 – Brendon Goddard, Australian footballer
    • 1986 – Dexter Blackstock, English footballer
    • 1986 – Stéphane Mbia, Cameroonian footballer
    • 1986 – Jiřina Svobodová, Czech pole vaulter
    • 1987 – Mike Havenaar, Japanese footballer
    • 1987 – Julian Wright, American basketball player
    • 1988 – Joel Moon, Australian rugby league player
    • 1989 – Siosia Vave, Australian-Tongan rugby league player
    • 1991 – Bastian Baker, Swiss singer, songwriter, and performer
    • 1991 – Emre Colak, Turkish footballer
    • 1992 – Cate Campbell, Malawian-Australian swimmer
    • 1992 – Jack Gleeson, Irish actor
    • 1992 – Enes Kanter, Turkish basketball player
    • 1993 – Caroline Zhang, American figure skater
    • 1996 – Brian Kelly, Australian rugby league player
    • 1998 – Jamie Chadwick, English race car driver
    • 1998 – Nam Nguyen, Canadian figure skater

    Deaths on May 20

    • 685 – Ecgfrith of Northumbria (b. 645)
    • 794 – Æthelberht II, king of East Anglia
    • 965 – Gero the Great, Saxon ruler (b.c. 900)
    • 1062 – Bao Zheng, Chinese magistrate and mayor of Kaifeng (b. 999)
    • 1277 – Pope John XXI (b. 1215)
    • 1285 – John II of Jerusalem (b. 1259)
    • 1291 – Sufi Saint Sayyid Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari
    • 1366 – Maria of Calabria, Empress of Constantinople (b. 1329)
    • 1444 – Bernardino of Siena, Italian-Spanish missionary and saint (b. 1380)
    • 1449 – Álvaro Vaz de Almada, 1st Count of Avranches
    • 1449 – Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra (b. 1392)
    • 1501 – Columba of Rieti, Italian Dominican tertiary Religious Sister (b. 1467)
    • 1503 – Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici, Italian banker and politician (b. 1463)
    • 1506 – Christopher Columbus, Italian explorer, discovered the Americas (b. 1451)
    • 1550 – Ashikaga Yoshiharu, Japanese shōgun (b. 1510)
    • 1579 – Isabella Markham, English courtier (b. 1527)
    • 1622 – Osman II, Ottoman sultan (b. 1604)
    • 1645 – Shi Kefa, Chinese general and calligrapher (b. 1601)
    • 1648 – Władysław IV Vasa, Polish son of Sigismund III Vasa (b. 1595)
    • 1677 – George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol, Spanish-English politician, English Secretary of State (b. 1612)
    • 1713 – Thomas Sprat, English bishop (b. 1635)
    • 1717 – John Trevor, Welsh lawyer and politician, 102nd Speaker of the House of Commons (b. 1637)
    • 1722 – Sébastien Vaillant, French botanist and mycologist (b. 1669)
    • 1732 – Thomas Boston, Scottish author and educator (b. 1676)
    • 1782 – William Emerson, English mathematician and academic (b. 1701)
    • 1793 – Charles Bonnet, Swiss botanist and biologist (b. 1720)
    • 1812 – Count Hieronymus von Colloredo, Austrian archbishop (b. 1732)
    • 1834 – Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, French general (b. 1757)
    • 1841 – Joseph Blanco White, Spanish poet and theologian (b. 1775)
    • 1864 – John Clare, English poet (b. 1793)
    • 1873 – George-Étienne Cartier, Canadian soldier, lawyer, and politician, 9th Premier of East Canada (b. 1814)
    • 1880 – Ana Néri, Brazilian nurse and philanthropist (b. 1814)
    • 1896 – Clara Schumann, German pianist and composer (b. 1819)
    • 1909 – Ernest Hogan, American actor and composer (b. 1859)
    • 1917 – Valentine Fleming, Scottish soldier and politician (b. 1887)
    • 1917 – Philipp von Ferrary, Italian stamp collector (b. 1850)
    • 1924 – Bogd Khan, Mongolian ruler (c. 1869)
    • 1925 – Joseph Howard, Maltese politician, 1st Prime Minister of Malta (b. 1862)
    • 1931 – Ernest Noel, Scottish businessman and politician (b. 1831)
    • 1940 – Verner von Heidenstam, Swedish author and poet, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1859)
    • 1942 – Hector Guimard, French Architect (b. 1867)
    • 1946 – Jacob Ellehammer, Danish pilot and engineer (b. 1871)
    • 1947 – Philipp Lenard, Slovak-German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1862)
    • 1947 – Georgios Siantos, Greek sergeant and politician (b. 1890)
    • 1949 – Damaskinos of Athens, Greek archbishop and politician, 137th Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1891)
    • 1956 – Max Beerbohm, English essayist, parodist, and caricaturist (b. 1872)
    • 1956 – Zoltán Halmay, Hungarian swimmer and trainer (b. 1881)
    • 1961 – Josef Priller, German colonel and pilot (b. 1915)
    • 1964 – Rudy Lewis, American singer (b. 1936)
    • 1971 – Waldo Williams, Welsh poet and academic (b. 1904)
    • 1973 – Renzo Pasolini, Italian motorcycle racer (b. 1938)
    • 1973 – Jarno Saarinen, Finnish motorcycle racer (b. 1945)
    • 1975 – Barbara Hepworth, English sculptor and lithographer (b. 1903)
    • 1976 – Syd Howe, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1911)
    • 1976 – Zelmar Michelini, Uruguayan journalist and politician (b. 1924)
    • 1976 – Héctor Gutiérrez Ruiz, Uruguayan politician (b. 1934)
    • 1989 – John Hicks, English economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1904)
    • 1989 – Gilda Radner, American actress and comedian (b. 1946)
    • 1995 – Les Cowie, Australian rugby league player (b. 1925)
    • 1996 – Jon Pertwee, English actor, portrayed the Third Doctor (b. 1919)
    • 1998 – Robert Normann, Norwegian guitarist (b. 1916)
    • 2000 – Jean-Pierre Rampal, French flute player (b. 1922)
    • 2000 – Malik Sealy, American basketball player and actor (b. 1970)
    • 2000 – Yevgeny Khrunov, Russian colonel, engineer, and astronaut (b. 1933)
    • 2001 – Renato Carosone, Italian singer-songwriter and pianist (b. 1920)
    • 2002 – Stephen Jay Gould, American paleontologist, biologist, and academic (b. 1941)
    • 2005 – Paul Ricœur, French philosopher and academic (b. 1913)
    • 2005 – William Seawell, American general (b. 1918)
    • 2007 – Norman Von Nida, Australian golfer (b. 1914)
    • 2008 – Hamilton Jordan, American politician, 8th White House Chief of Staff (b. 1944)
    • 2009 – Arthur Erickson, Canadian architect and urban planner, designed Roy Thomson Hall (b. 1924)
    • 2009 – Lucy Gordon, American actress and model (b. 1980)
    • 2009 – Pierre Gamarra, French author, poet, and critic (b. 1919)
    • 2011 – Randy Savage, American wrestler and actor (b. 1952)
    • 2012 – Leela Dube, Indian anthropologist and scholar (b. 1923)
    • 2012 – Robin Gibb, Manx-English singer-songwriter and producer (b. 1949)
    • 2012 – David Littman, English-Swiss historian, author, and academic (b. 1933)
    • 2012 – Ken Lyons, American bass guitarist (b. 1953)
    • 2012 – Eugene Polley, American engineer, invented the remote control (b. 1915)
    • 2012 – Andrew B. Steinberg, American lawyer (b. 1958)
    • 2013 – Flavio Costantini, Italian painter and illustrator (b. 1926)
    • 2013 – Billie Dawe, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (b. 1924)
    • 2013 – Anders Eliasson, Swedish composer (b. 1947)
    • 2013 – Miloslav Kříž, Czech basketball player and coach (b. 1924)
    • 2013 – Ray Manzarek, American singer-songwriter, keyboard player, and producer (b. 1939)
    • 2013 – Denys Roberts, English judge and politician (b. 1923)
    • 2013 – Zach Sobiech, American singer-songwriter (b. 1995)
    • 2014 – Sandra Bem, American psychologist and academic (b. 1944)
    • 2014 – Ross Brown, New Zealand rugby player (b. 1934)
    • 2014 – Robyn Denny, English-French painter (b. 1930)
    • 2014 – Arthur Gelb, American journalist, author, and critic (b. 1924)
    • 2014 – Prince Rupert Loewenstein, Spanish-English businessman (b. 1933)
    • 2014 – Barbara Murray, English actress (b. 1929)
    • 2015 – Bob Belden, American saxophonist, composer, and producer (b. 1956)
    • 2015 – Femi Robinson, Nigerian actor and playwright (b. 1940)

    Holidays and observances on May 20

    • Christian feast day:
      • Abercius and Helena
      • Alcuin of York
      • Aurea of Ostia
      • Austregisilus
      • Baudilus
      • Bernardino of Siena
      • Ivo of Chartres
      • Lucifer of Cagliari
      • Sanctan
      • May 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Day of Remembrance (Cambodia)
    • Emancipation Day (Florida)
    • European Maritime Day (European Council)
    • Independence Restoration Day, celebrates the independence of East Timor from Indonesia in 2002.
    • Josephine Baker Day (NAACP)
    • National Awakening Day (Indonesia), and its related observances:
      • Indonesian Doctor Day (Indonesia)
    • National Day (Cameroon)
    • World Bee Day
    • World Metrology Day

  • April 17 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 1080 – Harald III of Denmark dies and is succeeded by Canute IV, who would later be the first Dane to be canonized.
    • 1349 – The rule of the Bavand dynasty in Mazandaran is brought to an end by the murder of Hasan II.
    • 1362 – Kaunas Castle falls to the Teutonic Order after a month-long siege.
    • 1492 – Spain and Christopher Columbus sign the Capitulations of Santa Fe for his voyage to Asia to acquire spices.
    • 1521 – Trial of Martin Luther over his teachings begins during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. Initially intimidated, he asks for time to reflect before answering and is given a stay of one day.
    • 1524 – Giovanni da Verrazzano reaches New York harbor.
    • 1797 – Sir Ralph Abercromby attacks San Juan, Puerto Rico, in what would be one of the largest invasions of the Spanish territories in the Americas.
    • 1797 – Citizens of Verona begin an unsuccessful eight-day rebellion against the French occupying forces.
    • 1861 – The state of Virginia’s secession convention votes to secede from the United States, later becoming the eighth state to join the Confederate States of America.
    • 1863 – American Civil War: Grierson’s Raid begins: Troops under Union Army Colonel Benjamin Grierson attack central Mississippi.
    • 1864 – American Civil War: The Battle of Plymouth begins: Confederate forces attack Plymouth, North Carolina.
    • 1869 – Morelos is admitted as the 27th state of Mexico.
    • 1876 – Catalpa rescue: The rescue of six Fenian prisoners from Fremantle Prison in Western Australia.
    • 1895 – The Treaty of Shimonoseki between China and Japan is signed. This marks the end of the First Sino-Japanese War, and the defeated Qing Empire is forced to renounce its claims on Korea and to concede the southern portion of the Fengtien province, Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands to Japan.
    • 1905 – The Supreme Court of the United States decides Lochner v. New York, which holds that the “right to free contract” is implicit in the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
    • 1907 – The Ellis Island immigration center processes 11,747 people, more than on any other day.
    • 1912 – Russian troops open fire on striking goldfield workers in northeast Siberia, killing at least 150.
    • 1941 – World War II: The Kingdom of Yugoslavia surrenders to Germany.
    • 1942 – French prisoner of war General Henri Giraud escapes from his castle prison in Königstein Fortress.
    • 1944 – Forces of the Communist-controlled Greek People’s Liberation Army attack the smaller National and Social Liberation resistance group, which surrenders. Its leader Dimitrios Psarros is murdered.
    • 1945 – World War II: Montese, Italy, is liberated from Nazi forces.
    • 1946 – The last French troops are withdrawn from Syria.
    • 1951 – The Peak District becomes the United Kingdom’s first National Park.
    • 1961 – Bay of Pigs Invasion: A group of Cuban exiles financed and trained by the CIA lands at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba with the aim of ousting Fidel Castro.
    • 1969 – Sirhan Sirhan is convicted of assassinating Robert F. Kennedy.
    • 1969 – Communist Party of Czechoslovakia chairman Alexander Dubček is deposed.
    • 1970 – Apollo program: The ill-fated Apollo 13 spacecraft returns to Earth safely.
    • 1971 – The Provisional Government of Bangladesh is formed.
    • 1975 – The Cambodian Civil War ends. The Khmer Rouge captures the capital Phnom Penh and Cambodian government forces surrender.
    • 1978 – Mir Akbar Khyber is assassinated, provoking a communist coup d’état in Afghanistan.
    • 1982 – Constitution Act, 1982 Patriation of the Canadian constitution in Ottawa by Proclamation of Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada.
    • 1992 – The Katina P is deliberately run aground off of Maputo, Mozambique and 60,000 tons of crude oil spill into the ocean.
    • 2006 – A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates an explosive device in a Tel Aviv restaurant, killing 11 people and injuring 70.
    • 2013 – An explosion at a fertilizer plant in the city of West, Texas, kills 15 people and injures 160 others.
    • 2014 – NASA’s Kepler space telescope confirms the discovery of the first Earth-size planet in the habitable zone of another star.

    Births on April 17

    • 44 – Pope Evaristus (d. 107)
    • 1277 – Michael IX Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (d. 1320)
    • 1455 – Andrea Gritti, Doge of Venice (d. 1538)
    • 1497 – Pedro de Valdivia, Spanish conquistador, conquered northern Chile (d. 1553)
    • 1573 – Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria (d. 1651)
    • 1586 – John Ford, English poet and playwright (d. 1639)
    • 1598 – Giovanni Battista Riccioli, Italian priest and astronomer (d. 1671)
    • 1620 – Marguerite Bourgeoys, French-Canadian nun and saint, founded the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal (d. 1700)
    • 1635 – Edward Stillingfleet, British theologian and scholar (d. 1699)
    • 1676 – Frederick I of Sweden (d. 1751)
    • 1683 – Johann David Heinichen, German composer and theorist (d. 1729)
    • 1710 – Henry Erskine, 10th Earl of Buchan, Scottish politician (d. 1767)
    • 1734 – Taksin, King of Thailand (d. 1782)
    • 1741 – Samuel Chase, American lawyer and jurist (d. 1811)
    • 1750 – François de Neufchâteau, French academic and politician, French Minister of the Interior (d. 1828)
    • 1756 – Dheeran Chinnamalai, Indian commander (d. 1805)
    • 1766 – Collin McKinney, American surveyor, merchant, and politician (d. 1861)
    • 1794 – Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, German botanist and explorer (d. 1868)
    • 1798 – Étienne Bobillier, French mathematician and academic (d. 1840)
    • 1814 – Josif Pančić, Serbian botanist and academic (d. 1888)
    • 1816 – Thomas Hazlehurst, English architect and philanthropist (d. 1876)
    • 1820 – Alexander Cartwright, American firefighter and inventor of baseball (d. 1892)
    • 1833 – Jean-Baptiste Accolay, Belgian violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1900)
    • 1837 – J. P. Morgan, American banker and financier, founded J.P. Morgan & Co. (d. 1913)
    • 1842 – Maurice Rouvier, French businessman and politician, 53rd Prime Minister of France (d. 1911)
    • 1849 – William R. Day, American jurist and politician, 36th United States Secretary of State (d. 1923)
    • 1852 – Cap Anson, American baseball player and manager (d. 1922)
    • 1863 – Augustus Edward Hough Love, English mathematician and theorist (d. 1940)
    • 1865 – Ursula Ledóchowska, Polish-Austrian nun and saint, founded the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus (d. 1939)
    • 1866 – Ernest Starling, English physiologist and academic (d. 1927)
    • 1875 – Aleksander Tõnisson, Estonian general and politician, 5th Estonian Minister of War (d. 1941)
    • 1877 – Matsudaira Tsuneo, Japanese diplomat (d. 1949)
    • 1878 – Emil Fuchs, German-American lawyer and businessman (d. 1961)
    • 1878 – Demetrios Petrokokkinos, Greek tennis player (d. 1942)
    • 1879 – Henri Tauzin, French hurdler (d. 1918)
    • 1882 – Artur Schnabel, Jewish-Polish pianist and composer (d. 1951)
    • 1888 – Herms Niel, German soldier, trombonist, and composer (d. 1954)
    • 1891 – George Adamski, Polish-American ufologist and author (d. 1965)
    • 1895 – Robert Dean Frisbie, American soldier and author (d. 1948)
    • 1896 – Señor Wences, Spanish-American ventriloquist (d. 1999)
    • 1897 – Nisargadatta Maharaj, Indian philosopher and educator (d. 1981)
    • 1897 – Thornton Wilder, American novelist and playwright (d. 1975)
    • 1897 – Edouard Wyss-Dunant, Swiss physician and mountaineer (d. 1983)
    • 1899 – Aleksander Klumberg, Estonian decathlete and coach (d. 1958)
    • 1903 – Nicolas Nabokov, Russian-American composer and educator (d. 1978)
    • 1903 – Gregor Piatigorsky, Ukrainian-American cellist and educator (d. 1976)
    • 1903 – Morgan Taylor, American hurdler and coach (d. 1975)
    • 1905 – Louis Jean Heydt, American journalist and actor (d. 1960)
    • 1905 – Arthur Lake, American actor (d. 1987)
    • 1906 – Sidney Garfield, American physician, co-founded Kaiser Permanente (d. 1984)
    • 1909 – Alain Poher, French politician, President of France (d. 1996)
    • 1910 – Evangelos Averoff, Greek historian and politician, Greek Minister of Defence (d. 1990)
    • 1910 – Ivan Goff, Australian screenwriter and producer (d. 1999)
    • 1910 – Helenio Herrera, French footballer and manager (d. 1997)
    • 1911 – Hervé Bazin, French author and poet (d. 1996)
    • 1911 – Lester Rodney, American soldier and journalist (d. 2009)
    • 1912 – Marta Eggerth, Jewish-Hungarian-American actress and singer (d. 2013)
    • 1914 – George Davis, American art director (d. 1984)
    • 1914 – Mac Raboy, American illustrator (d. 1967)
    • 1915 – Martin Clemens, Scottish soldier (d. 2009)
    • 1915 – Joe Foss, American general and politician, 20th Governor of South Dakota (d. 2003)
    • 1915 – Regina Ghazaryan, Armenian painter (d. 1999)
    • 1916 – Win Maung, 3rd President of Union of Myanmar (d. 1989)
    • 1916 – A. Thiagarajah, Sri Lankan educator and politician (d. 1981)
    • 1916 – Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, world’s first female prime minister (d. 2000)
    • 1918 – William Holden, American actor (d. 1981)
    • 1919 – Gilles Lamontagne, Canadian lieutenant and politician, 24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (d. 2016)
    • 1919 – Chavela Vargas, Costa Rican-Mexican singer-songwriter and actress (d. 2012)
    • 1920 – Edmonde Charles-Roux, French journalist and author (d. 2016)
    • 1923 – Lindsay Anderson, English actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1994)
    • 1923 – Solly Hemus, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 2017)
    • 1923 – Neville McNamara, Australian air marshal (d. 2014)
    • 1923 – Gianni Raimondi, Italian lyric tenor (d. 2008)
    • 1923 – Harry Reasoner, American soldier and journalist (d. 1991)
    • 1924 – Kenneth Norman Jones, Australian public servant
    • 1924 – Donald Richie, American-Japanese author and critic (d. 2013)
    • 1925 – René Moawad, Lebanese lawyer and politician, 13th President of Lebanon (d. 1989)
    • 1926 – Joan Lorring, British actress (d. 2014)
    • 1926 – Gerry McNeil, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (d. 2004)
    • 1927 – Margot Honecker, East German politician and First Lady (d. 2016)
    • 1928 – Victor Lownes, American businessman (d. 2017)
    • 1928 – Cynthia Ozick, American short story writer, novelist, and essayist
    • 1928 – Heinz Putzl, Austrian fencer
    • 1928 – Fabien Roy, Canadian accountant and politician
    • 1929 – James Last, German-American bassist, composer, and bandleader (d. 2015)
    • 1930 – Chris Barber, English trombonist and bandleader
    • 1931 – John Barrett, English tennis player and sportscaster
    • 1931 – Malcolm Browne, American journalist and photographer (d. 2012)
    • 1934 – Don Kirshner, American songwriter and producer (d. 2011)
    • 1934 – Peter Morris, Australian-English surgeon and academic
    • 1935 – Bud Paxson, American broadcaster, founded Home Shopping Network and Pax TV (d. 2015)
    • 1937 – Ronald Hamowy, Canadian historian and academic (d. 2012)
    • 1937 – Ferdinand Piëch, Austrian-German engineer and businessman (d. 2019)
    • 1938 – Ben Barnes, American businessman and politician, 36th Lieutenant Governor of Texas
    • 1938 – Doug Lewis, Canadian lawyer and politician, 41st Canadian Minister of Justice
    • 1938 – Ronald H. Miller, American theologian, author, and academic (d. 2011)
    • 1938 – Kerry Wendell Thornley, American theorist and author (d. 1988)
    • 1939 – Robert Miller, American art dealer (d. 2011)
    • 1940 – Eric Dancer, English businessman and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Devon
    • 1940 – Billy Fury, English singer-songwriter (d. 1983)
    • 1940 – John McCririck, English journalist (d. 2019)
    • 1940 – Chuck Menville, American animator and screenwriter (d. 1992)
    • 1940 – Anja Silja, German soprano and actress
    • 1940 – Agostino Vallini, Italian cardinal and vicar general of Rome
    • 1941 – Lagle Parek, Estonian architect and politician, Estonian Minister of the Interior
    • 1942 – Buster Williams, American jazz bassist
    • 1943 – Richard Allen Epstein, American lawyer, author, and academic
    • 1946 – Clare Francis, English sailor and author
    • 1947 – Nigel Emslie, Lord Emslie, Scottish lawyer and judge
    • 1947 – Richard Field, English lawyer and judge
    • 1947 – Sherrie Levine, American photographer
    • 1947 – Tsutomu Wakamatsu, Japanese baseball player, coach, and manager
    • 1948 – Jan Hammer, Czech pianist, composer, and producer
    • 1948 – Alice Harden, American educator and politician (d. 2012)
    • 1948 – Pekka Vasala, Finnish runner
    • 1951 – Olivia Hussey, Argentinian-English actress
    • 1951 – Börje Salming, Swedish ice hockey player and businessman
    • 1952 – Joe Alaskey, American voice actor (d. 2016)
    • 1952 – Pierre Guité, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1952 – John McColl, English general and politician, Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
    • 1952 – Željko Ražnatović, Serbian commander (d. 2000)
    • 1952 – John Robertson, Scottish businessman and politician
    • 1954 – Riccardo Patrese, Italian race car driver
    • 1954 – Roddy Piper, Canadian professional wrestler and actor (d. 2015)
    • 1954 – Michael Sembello, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1955 – Todd Lickliter, American basketball player and coach
    • 1955 – Pete Shelley, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2018)
    • 1955 – Mike Stroud, English physician and explorer
    • 1956 – Colin Tyre, Lord Tyre, Scottish lawyer and judge
    • 1957 – Teri Austin, Canadian actress
    • 1957 – Afrika Bambaataa, American disc jockey
    • 1957 – Nick Hornby, English novelist, essayist, lyricist, and screenwriter
    • 1957 – Julia Macur, English lawyer and judge
    • 1957 – Frank McDonough, British historian
    • 1958 – Laslo Babits, Canadian javelin thrower (d. 2013)
    • 1959 – Sean Bean, English actor
    • 1959 – Jimmy Mann, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1959 – Li Meisu, Chinese shot putter
    • 1960 – Vladimir Polyakov, Russian pole vaulter
    • 1961 – Frank J. Christensen, American labor union leader
    • 1961 – Norman Cowans, Jamaican-English cricketer
    • 1961 – Boomer Esiason, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1961 – Bella Freud, English fashion designer
    • 1962 – Paul Nicholls, English jockey and trainer
    • 1964 – Ken Daneyko, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
    • 1964 – Maynard James Keenan, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1964 – Rachel Notley, Canadian politician
    • 1964 – Lela Rochon, American actress
    • 1966 – Vikram, Indian actor and singer
    • 1967 – Kimberly Elise, American actress
    • 1967 – Marquis Grissom, American baseball player and coach
    • 1967 – Ian Jones, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1967 – Barnaby Joyce, Australian politician, 17th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
    • 1967 – Liz Phair, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1968 – Julie Fagerholt, Danish fashion designer
    • 1968 – Phil Henderson, American basketball player and coach (d. 2013)
    • 1968 – Eric Lamaze, Canadian jockey
    • 1968 – Roger Twose, New Zealand cricketer
    • 1968 – Richie Woodhall, English boxer and trainer
    • 1970 – Redman, American rapper, producer, and actor
    • 1971 – Claire Sweeney, English actress
    • 1972 – Gary Bennett, American baseball player
    • 1972 – Tony Boselli, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1972 – Jennifer Garner, American actress
    • 1972 – Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lankan cricketer
    • 1972 – Yuichi Nishimura, Japanese footballer and referee
    • 1972 – Terran Sandwith, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1973 – Katrin Koov, Estonian architect
    • 1973 – Brett Maher, Australian basketball player and sportscaster
    • 1973 – Theo Ratliff, American basketball player
    • 1974 – Mikael Åkerfeldt, Swedish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
    • 1974 – Victoria Beckham, English singer and fashion designer
    • 1975 – Heidi Alexander, English politician
    • 1975 – Travis Roy, American ice hockey player
    • 1976 – Maurice Wignall, Jamaican hurdler and long jumper
    • 1977 – Chad Hedrick, American speed skater
    • 1977 – Frederik Magle, Danish composer, organist, and pianist
    • 1978 – Monika Bergmann-Schmuderer, German skier
    • 1978 – Lindsay Hartley, American actress
    • 1978 – Jason White, Scottish rugby player
    • 1979 – Eric Brewer, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1979 – Marija Šestak, Serbian-Slovenian triple jumper
    • 1980 – Fabián Vargas, Colombian footballer
    • 1980 – Curtis Woodhouse, English footballer, boxer, and manager
    • 1981 – Jenny Meadows, English runner
    • 1981 – Hanna Pakarinen, Finnish singer-songwriter
    • 1981 – Ryan Raburn, American baseball player
    • 1981 – Chris Thompson, English runner
    • 1981 – Zhang Yaokun, Chinese footballer
    • 1982 – Brad Boyes, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1982 – Chuck Kobasew, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1983 – Stanislav Chistov, Russian ice hockey player
    • 1983 – Roberto Jiménez, Peruvian footballer
    • 1983 – Andrea Marcato, Italian rugby player
    • 1984 – Pablo Sebastián Álvarez, Argentinian footballer
    • 1984 – Jed Lowrie, American baseball player
    • 1984 – Raffaele Palladino, Italian footballer
    • 1985 – Rooney Mara, American actress
    • 1985 – Luke Mitchell, Australian actor and model
    • 1985 – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, French tennis player
    • 1986 – Romain Grosjean, French race car driver
    • 1988 – Takahiro Moriuchi, Japanese singer-songwriter
    • 1989 – Paraskevi Papachristou, Greek triple jumper
    • 1989 – Avi Kaplan, singer and songwriter
    • 1990 – Jonathan Brown, Welsh footballer
    • 1992 – Lachlan Maranta, Australian rugby league footballer
    • 1994 – Alanna Goldie, Canadian fencer
    • 1996 – Lorna Fitzgerald, British actress

    Deaths on April 17

    • 485 – Proclus, Greek mathematician and philosopher (b. 412)
    • 617 – Donnán of Eigg, Irish priest and saint
    • 648 – Xiao, empress of the Sui Dynasty
    • 744 – Al-Walid II, Umayyad caliph (b. 706)
    • 818 – Bernard of Italy, Frankish king (b. 797)
    • 858 – Benedict III, pope of the Catholic Church
    • 1071 – Manuel Komnenos, Byzantine military commander (b. c. 1045)
    • 1080 – Harald III of Denmark (b. 1041)
    • 1111 – Robert of Molesme, Christian saint and abbot (b. 1027)
    • 1298 – Árni Þorláksson, Icelandic bishop (b. 1237)
    • 1321 – Infanta Branca of Portugal, daughter of King Afonso III of Portugal (b. 1259)
    • 1331 – Robert de Vere, 6th Earl of Oxford, English nobleman (b. 1257)
    • 1344 – Constantine II, King of Armenia
    • 1355 – Marin Falier, Doge of Venice (b. 1285)
    • 1427 – John IV, Duke of Brabant (b. 1403)
    • 1539 – George, Duke of Saxony (b. 1471)
    • 1574 – Joachim Camerarius, German scholar and translator (b. 1500)
    • 1669 – Antonio Bertali, Italian violinist and composer (b. 1605)
    • 1680 – Kateri Tekakwitha, Mohawk-born Native American saint (b. 1656)
    • 1695 – Juana Inés de la Cruz, Mexican poet and scholar (b. 1651)
    • 1696 – Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné, French author (b. 1626)
    • 1711 – Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1678)
    • 1713 – David Hollatz, Polish pastor and theologian (b. 1648)
    • 1764 – Johann Mattheson, German lexicographer and composer (b. 1681)
    • 1790 – Benjamin Franklin, American inventor, publisher, and politician, 6th President of Pennsylvania (b. 1706)
    • 1799 – Richard Jupp, English surveyor and architect (b. 1728)
    • 1840 – Hannah Webster Foster, American journalist and author (b. 1758)
    • 1843 – Samuel Morey, American engineer (b. 1762)
    • 1882 – George Jennings, English engineer and plumber, invented the Flush toilet (b. 1810)
    • 1888 – E. G. Squier, American archaeologist and journalist (b. 1821)
    • 1892 – Alexander Mackenzie, Scottish-Canadian journalist and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Canada (b. 1822)
    • 1921 – Manwel Dimech, Maltese journalist, author, and philosopher (b. 1860)
    • 1923 – Laurence Ginnell, Irish lawyer and politician (b. 1852)
    • 1930 – Alexander Golovin, Russian painter and stage designer (b. 1863)
    • 1933 – Kote Marjanishvili, Georgian director and playwright (b. 1872)
    • 1936 – Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck, Dutch lawyer and politician, 28th Prime Minister of the Netherlands (b. 1873)
    • 1942 – Jean Baptiste Perrin, French-American physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1870)
    • 1944 – J. T. Hearne, English cricketer and coach (b. 1867)
    • 1944 – Dimitrios Psarros, Greek lieutenant, founded the National and Social Liberation (b. 1893)
    • 1946 – Juan Bautista Sacasa, Nicaraguan medical doctor, politician and 20th President of Nicaragua (b. 1874)
    • 1948 – Suzuki Kantarō, Japanese admiral and politician, 42nd Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1868)
    • 1954 – Lucrețiu Pătrășcanu, Romanian lawyer and politician, Romanian Minister of Justice (b. 1900)
    • 1960 – Eddie Cochran, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1938)
    • 1961 – Elda Anderson, American physicist and health researcher (b. 1899)
    • 1967 – Red Allen, American singer and trumpet player (b. 1908)
    • 1975 – Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Indian philosopher and politician, 2nd President of India (b. 1888)
    • 1976 – Henrik Dam, Danish biochemist and physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1895)
    • 1977 – William Conway, Irish cardinal (b. 1913)
    • 1983 – Felix Pappalardi, American singer-songwriter, bass player, and producer (b. 1939)
    • 1984 – Claude Provost, Canadian-American ice hockey player (b. 1933)
    • 1987 – Cecil Harmsworth King, English publisher (b. 1901)
    • 1987 – Dick Shawn, American actor (b. 1923)
    • 1988 – Louise Nevelson, Ukrainian-American sculptor and educator (b. 1900)
    • 1990 – Ralph Abernathy, American minister and activist (b. 1936)
    • 1993 – Turgut Özal, Turkish engineer and politician, 8th president of Turkey (b. 1927)
    • 1994 – Roger Wolcott Sperry, American psychologist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1913)
    • 1995 – Frank E. Resnik, American sergeant and businessman (b. 1928)
    • 1996 – Piet Hein, Danish poet and mathematician (b. 1905)
    • 1997 – Chaim Herzog, Israeli general, lawyer, and politician, 6th President of Israel (b. 1918)
    • 1998 – Linda McCartney, American photographer, activist, and musician (b. 1941)
    • 2003 – Robert Atkins, American physician and cardiologist, created the Atkins diet (b. 1930)
    • 2003 – H. B. Bailey, American race car driver (b. 1936)
    • 2003 – John Paul Getty, Jr., American-English philanthropist (b. 1932)
    • 2003 – Earl King, American blues singer, guitarist and songwriter (b. 1934)
    • 2003 – Yiannis Latsis, Greek businessman (b. 1910)
    • 2004 – Edmond Pidoux, Swiss author and poet (b. 1908)
    • 2006 – Jean Bernard, French physician and haematologist (b. 1907)
    • 2006 – Scott Brazil, American director and producer (b. 1955)
    • 2006 – Henderson Forsythe, American actor (b. 1917)
    • 2007 – Kitty Carlisle, American actress, singer, socialite and game show panelist (b. 1910)
    • 2008 – Aimé Césaire, Caribbean-French poet and politician (b. 1913)
    • 2008 – Danny Federici, American organist and accordion player (b. 1950)
    • 2011 – Eric Gross, Austrian-Australian pianist and composer (b. 1926)
    • 2011 – Michael Sarrazin, Canadian actor (b. 1940)
    • 2011 – Robert Vickrey, American artist and author (b. 1926)
    • 2012 – Leila Berg, English journalist and author (b. 1917)
    • 2012 – J. Quinn Brisben, American educator and politician (b. 1934)
    • 2012 – Dimitris Mitropanos, Greek singer (b. 1948)
    • 2012 – Nityananda Mohapatra, Indian journalist, poet, and politician (b. 1912)
    • 2012 – Jonathan V. Plaut, American rabbi and author (b. 1942)
    • 2012 – Stanley Rogers Resor, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 9th United States Secretary of the Army (b. 1917)
    • 2013 – Carlos Graça, São Toméan politician, Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe (b. 1931)
    • 2013 – Bi Kidude, Tanzanian Taarab singer (b. ≈1910)
    • 2013 – Yngve Moe, Norwegian bass player and songwriter (b. 1957)
    • 2013 – V. S. Ramadevi, Indian politician, 13th Governor of Karnataka (b. 1934)
    • 2014 – Gabriel García Márquez, Colombian journalist and author, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1927)
    • 2014 – Bernat Klein, Serbian-Scottish fashion designer and painter (b. 1922)
    • 2014 – Wojciech Leśnikowski, Polish–American architect and academic (b. 1938)
    • 2014 – Karpal Singh, Malaysian lawyer and politician (b. 1940)
    • 2015 – Robert P. Griffin, American soldier, lawyer, and politician (b. 1923)
    • 2015 – Scotty Probasco, American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1928)
    • 2015 – Jeremiah J. Rodell, American general (b. 1921)
    • 2015 – A. Alfred Taubman, American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1924)
    • 2016 – Chyna, American wrestler (b. 1969)
    • 2016 – Doris Roberts, American actress (b. 1925)
    • 2018 – Barbara Bush, former First Lady of the United States (b. 1925)
    • 2018 – Carl Kasell, American radio personality (b. 1934)
    • 2019 – Alan García, Peruvian lawyer and politician, 61st and 64th President of Peru (b. 1949)

    Holidays and observances on April 17

    • Christian feast day:
      • Kateri Tekakwitha (Canada)
      • Stephen Harding
      • April 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Earliest day on which Store Bededag or General Prayer Day can fall, while May 13 is the latest; observed on the 4th Friday after Easter. (Denmark)
    • Evacuation Day (Syria), celebrates the recognition of the independence of Syria from France in 1946.
    • FAO Day (Iraq)
    • Flag Day (American Samoa)
    • Malbec World Day
    • Women’s Day (Gabon)
    • World Hemophilia Day

  • March 25 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 708 – Pope Constantine succeeds Pope Sisinnius as the 88th pope.
    • 717 – Theodosius III resigns the throne to the Byzantine Empire to enter the clergy.
    • 919 – Romanos Lekapenos seizes the Boukoleon Palace in Constantinople and becomes regent of the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII.
    • 1000 – Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah assassinates the eunuch chief minister Barjawan and assumes control of the government.
    • 1306 – Robert the Bruce becomes King of Scots (Scotland).
    • 1409 – The Council of Pisa opens.
    • 1555 – The city of Valencia is founded in present-day Venezuela.
    • 1576 – Jerome Savage takes out a sub-lease to start the Newington Butts Theatre outside London.
    • 1584 – Sir Walter Raleigh is granted a patent to colonize Virginia.
    • 1655 – Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christiaan Huygens.
    • 1802 – The Treaty of Amiens is signed as a “Definitive Treaty of Peace” between France and the United Kingdom.
    • 1807 – The Slave Trade Act becomes law, abolishing the slave trade in the British Empire.
    • 1807 – The Swansea and Mumbles Railway, then known as the Oystermouth Railway, becomes the first passenger-carrying railway in the world.
    • 1811 – Percy Bysshe Shelley is expelled from the University of Oxford for publishing the pamphlet The Necessity of Atheism.
    • 1821 – Traditional date of the start of the Greek War of Independence. The war had actually begun on 23 February 1821 (Julian calendar).
    • 1845 – New Zealand Legislative Council pass the first Militia Act constituting the New Zealand Army.
    • 1865 – American Civil War: In Virginia, Confederate forces temporarily capture Fort Stedman from the Union.
    • 1894 – Coxey’s Army, the first significant American protest march, departs Massillon, Ohio for Washington, D.C.
    • 1911 – In New York City, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 garment workers.
    • 1917 – The Georgian Orthodox Church restores its autocephaly abolished by Imperial Russia in 1811.
    • 1918 – The Belarusian People’s Republic is established.
    • 1924 – On the anniversary of Greek Independence, Alexandros Papanastasiou proclaims the Second Hellenic Republic.
    • 1931 – The Scottsboro Boys are arrested in Alabama and charged with rape.
    • 1941 – The Kingdom of Yugoslavia joins the Axis powers with the signing of the Tripartite Pact.
    • 1947 – An explosion in a coal mine in Centralia, Illinois kills 111.
    • 1948 – The first successful tornado forecast predicts that a tornado will strike Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
    • 1949 – More than 92,000 kulaks are suddenly deported from the Baltic states to Siberia.
    • 1957 – United States Customs seizes copies of Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Howl” on obscenity grounds.
    • 1957 – The European Economic Community is established with West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg as the first members.
    • 1965 – Civil rights activists led by Martin Luther King Jr. successfully complete their 4-day 50-mile march from Selma to the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama.
    • 1969 – During their honeymoon, John Lennon and Yoko Ono hold their first Bed-In for Peace at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel (until March 31).
    • 1971 – The Army of the Republic of Vietnam abandon an attempt to cut off the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos.
    • 1975 – Faisal of Saudi Arabia is shot and killed by a mentally ill nephew.
    • 1979 – The first fully functional Space Shuttle orbiter, Columbia, is delivered to the John F. Kennedy Space Center to be prepared for its first launch.
    • 1988 – The Candle demonstration in Bratislava is the first mass demonstration of the 1980s against the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.
    • 1995 – WikiWikiWeb, the world’s first wiki, and part of the Portland Pattern Repository, is made public by Ward Cunningham.
    • 1996 – The European Union’s Veterinarian Committee bans the export of British beef and its by-products as a result of mad cow disease (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy).
    • 2006 – Capitol Hill massacre: A gunman kills six people before taking his own life at a party in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.
    • 2006 – Protesters demanding a new election in Belarus, following the rigged 2006 Belarusian presidential election, clash with riot police. Opposition leader Aleksander Kozulin is among several protesters arrested.

    Births on March 25

    • 1252 – Conradin, Duke of Swabia (d. 1268)
    • 1259 – Andronikos II Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (d. 1332)
    • 1297 – Andronikos III Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (d. 1341)
    • 1297 – Arnošt of Pardubice, Polish archbishop (d. 1364)
    • 1345 – Blanche of Lancaster (d. 1369)
    • 1347 – Catherine of Siena, Italian philosopher, theologian, and saint (d. 1380)
    • 1404 – John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, English military leader (d. 1444)
    • 1414 – Thomas Clifford, 8th Baron de Clifford, English noble (d. 1455)
    • 1434 – Eustochia Smeralda Calafato, Italian saint (d. 1485)
    • 1453 – Giuliano de’ Medici (d. 1478)
    • 1479 – Vasili III of Russia (d. 1533)
    • 1491 – Marie d’Albret, Countess of Rethel (d. 1549)
    • 1510 – Guillaume Postel, French linguist (d. 1581)
    • 1538 – Christopher Clavius, German mathematician and astronomer (d. 1612)
    • 1541 – Francesco I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (d. 1587)
    • 1545 – John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg (d. 1622)
    • 1546 – Giacomo Castelvetro, Italian writer (d. 1616)
    • 1593 – Jean de Brébeuf, French-Canadian missionary and saint (d. 1649)
    • 1611 – Evliya Çelebi, Ottoman Turk traveller and writer (d. 1682)
    • 1636 – Henric Piccardt, Dutch lawyer (d. 1712)
    • 1643 – Louis Moréri, French priest and scholar (d. 1680)
    • 1661 – Paul de Rapin, French soldier and historian (d. 1725)
    • 1699 – Johann Adolph Hasse, German singer and composer (d. 1783)
    • 1741 – Jean-Antoine Houdon, French sculptor and educator (d. 1828)
    • 1745 – John Barry, American naval officer and father of the American navy (d. 1803)
    • 1767 – Joachim Murat, French general (d. 1815)
    • 1782 – Caroline Bonaparte, French daughter of Carlo Buonaparte (d. 1839)
    • 1800 – Ernst Heinrich Karl von Dechen, German geologist and academic (d. 1889)
    • 1808 – José de Espronceda, Spanish poet and author (d. 1842)
    • 1824 – Clinton L. Merriam, American banker and politician (d. 1900)
    • 1840 – Myles Keogh, Irish-American colonel (d. 1876)
    • 1863 – Simon Flexner, American physician and academic (d. 1946)
    • 1867 – Gutzon Borglum, American sculptor, designed Mount Rushmore (d. 1941)
    • 1867 – Arturo Toscanini, Italian-American cellist and conductor (d. 1957)
    • 1868 – Bill Lockwood, English cricketer (d. 1932)
    • 1871 – Louis Perrée, French fencer (d. 1924)
    • 1872 – Horatio Nelson Jackson, American race car driver and physician (d. 1955)
    • 1873 – Rudolf Rocker, German-American author and activist (d. 1958)
    • 1874 – Selim Sırrı Tarcan, Turkish educator and politician (d. 1957)
    • 1876 – Irving Baxter, American jumper and pole vaulter (d. 1957)
    • 1877 – Walter Little, Canadian politician (d. 1961)
    • 1878 – František Janda-Suk, Czech discus thrower and shot putter (d. 1955)
    • 1879 – Amedee Reyburn, American swimmer and water polo player (d. 1920)
    • 1881 – Béla Bartók, Hungarian pianist and composer (d. 1945)
    • 1881 – Patrick Henry Bruce, American painter and educator (d. 1936)
    • 1881 – Mary Webb, English author and poet (d. 1927)
    • 1893 – Johannes Villemson, Estonian runner (d. 1971)
    • 1895 – Siegfried Handloser, German general and physician (d. 1954)
    • 1885 – Jimmy Seed, English international footballer, inside forward and manager (d. 1966)
    • 1897 – Leslie Averill, New Zealand doctor and soldier (d. 1981)
    • 1899 – François Rozet, French-Canadian actor (d. 1994)
    • 1901 – Ed Begley, American actor (d. 1970)
    • 1903 – Binnie Barnes, English-American actress (d. 1998)
    • 1903 – Frankie Carle, American pianist and bandleader (d. 2001)
    • 1903 – Nahum Norbert Glatzer, Ukrainian-American theologian and scholar (d. 1990)
    • 1904 – Pete Johnson, American boogie-woogie and jazz pianist (d. 1967)
    • 1905 – Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim, German colonel (d. 1944)
    • 1906 – Jean Sablon, French singer and actor (d. 1994)
    • 1906 – A. J. P. Taylor, English historian and academic (d. 1990)
    • 1908 – David Lean, English director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1991)
    • 1910 – Magda Olivero, Italian soprano (d. 2014)
    • 1910 – Benzion Netanyahu, Polish-Israeli historian and academic (d. 2012)
    • 1912 – Melita Norwood, English civil servant and spy (d. 2005)
    • 1912 – Jean Vilar, French actor and director (d. 1971)
    • 1913 – Reo Stakis, Cypriot-Scottish businessman, founded Stakis Hotels (d. 2001)
    • 1914 – Norman Borlaug, American agronomist and humanitarian, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2009)
    • 1915 – Dorothy Squires, Welsh singer (d. 1998)
    • 1916 – S. M. Pandit, Indian painter and educator (d. 1993)
    • 1918 – Howard Cosell, American soldier, journalist, and author (d. 1995)
    • 1920 – Paul Scott, English author, poet, and playwright (d. 1978)
    • 1920 – Patrick Troughton, English actor (d. 1987)
    • 1920 – Usha Mehta, Gandhian and freedom fighter of India (d. 2000)
    • 1921 – Nancy Kelly, American actress (d. 1995)
    • 1921 – Simone Signoret, French actress (d. 1985)
    • 1922 – Eileen Ford, American businesswoman, co-founded Ford Models (d. 2014)
    • 1923 – Bonnie Guitar, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2019)
    • 1923 – Wim van Est, Dutch cyclist (d. 2003)
    • 1924 – Roberts Blossom, American actor (d. 2011)
    • 1924 – Machiko Kyō, Japanese actress (d. 2019)
    • 1925 – Flannery O’Connor, American short story writer and novelist (d. 1964)
    • 1925 – Anthony Quinton, Baron Quinton, English physician and philosopher (d. 2010)
    • 1925 – Kishori Sinha, Indian politician, social activist and advocate (d. 2016)
    • 1926 – Riz Ortolani, Italian composer and conductor (d. 2014)
    • 1926 – László Papp, Hungarian boxer (d. 2003)
    • 1926 – Jaime Sabines, Mexican poet and politician (d. 1999)
    • 1926 – Gene Shalit, American journalist and critic
    • 1927 – P. Shanmugam, Indian politician, 13th Chief Minister of Puducherry (d. 2013)
    • 1928 – Jim Lovell, American captain, pilot, and astronaut
    • 1928 – Gunnar Nielsen, Danish runner and typographer (d. 1985)
    • 1928 – Hans Steinbrenner, German sculptor (d. 2008)
    • 1929 – Cecil Taylor, American pianist and composer (d. 2018)
    • 1930 – David Burge, American pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 2013)
    • 1930 – Carlo Mauri, Italian mountaineer and explorer (d. 1982)
    • 1930 – Rudy Minarcin, American baseball player and coach (d. 2013)
    • 1931 – Humphrey Burton, English radio and television host
    • 1932 – Penelope Gilliatt, English novelist, short story writer, and critic (d. 1993)
    • 1932 – Wes Santee, American runner (d. 2010)
    • 1934 – Johnny Burnette, American singer-songwriter (d. 1964)
    • 1934 – Bernard King, Australian actor and chef (d. 2002)
    • 1934 – Karlheinz Schreiber, German-Canadian businessman
    • 1934 – Gloria Steinem, American feminist activist, co-founded the Women’s Media Center
    • 1935 – Gabriel Elorde, Filipino boxer (d. 1985)
    • 1936 – Carl Kaufmann, American-German sprinter (d. 2008)
    • 1937 – Tom Monaghan, American businessman, founded Domino’s Pizza
    • 1938 – Hoyt Axton, American singer-songwriter and actor (d. 1999)
    • 1938 – Daniel Buren, French sculptor and painter
    • 1938 – Fritz d’Orey, Brazilian race car driver
    • 1939 – Toni Cade Bambara, American author, academic, and activist (d. 1995)
    • 1939 – D. C. Fontana, American screenwriter and producer (d. 2019)
    • 1941 – Gudmund Hernes, Norwegian sociologist and politician, Norwegian Minister of Education and Research
    • 1942 – Aretha Franklin, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2018)
    • 1942 – Richard O’Brien, English actor and screenwriter
    • 1942 – Kim Woodburn, English television host
    • 1943 – Paul Michael Glaser, American actor and director
    • 1945 – Leila Diniz, Brazilian actress (d. 1972)
    • 1946 – Cliff Balsom, English footballer
    • 1946 – Daniel Bensaïd, French philosopher and author (d. 2010)
    • 1946 – Stephen Hunter, American author and critic
    • 1946 – Maurice Krafft, French volcanologist (d. 1991)
    • 1947 – Richard Cork, English historian and critic
    • 1947 – Elton John, English singer-songwriter, pianist, producer, and actor
    • 1948 – Bonnie Bedelia, American actress
    • 1948 – Michael Stanley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1949 – Ronnie Flanagan, Northern Irish Chief Constable (Royal Irish Constabulary, Police Service of Northern Ireland)
    • 1949 – Sue Klebold, American activist
    • 1950 – Chuck Greenberg, American saxophonist, songwriter, and producer (d. 1995)
    • 1950 – Ronnie McDowell, American singer-songwriter
    • 1950 – David Paquette, American-New Zealander pianist
    • 1951 – Jumbo Tsuruta, Japanese wrestler (d. 2000)
    • 1952 – Stephen Dorrell, English soldier and politician, Secretary of State for Health
    • 1952 – Antanas Mockus, Colombian mathematician, philosopher, and politician, Mayor of Bogotá
    • 1953 – Robert Fox, English producer and manager
    • 1953 – Vesna Pusić, Croatian sociologist and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia
    • 1953 – Haroon Rasheed, Pakistani cricketer and coach
    • 1954 – Thom Loverro, American journalist and author
    • 1955 – Daniel Boulud, French chef and author
    • 1955 – Lee Mazzilli, American baseball player, coach, and manager
    • 1957 – Christina Boxer, English runner and journalist
    • 1957 – Jonathan Michie, English economist and academic
    • 1957 – Aleksandr Puchkov, Russian hurdler
    • 1957 – Jim Uhls, American screenwriter and producer
    • 1958 – Lorna Brown, Canadian artist, curator, and writer
    • 1958 – Susie Bright, American journalist, author, and critic
    • 1958 – Sisy Chen, Taiwanese journalist and politician
    • 1958 – María Caridad Colón, Cuban javelin thrower and shot putter
    • 1958 – John Ensign, American physician and politician
    • 1958 – Ray Tanner, American baseball player and coach
    • 1958 – Åsa Torstensson, Swedish politician, 3rd Swedish Minister for Infrastructure
    • 1960 – Steve Norman, English saxophonist, songwriter, and producer
    • 1960 – Peter O’Brien, Australian actor
    • 1960 – Brenda Strong, American actress
    • 1961 – Mark Brooks, American golfer
    • 1962 – Marcia Cross, American actress
    • 1962 – David Nuttall, English lawyer and politician
    • 1963 – Karen Bruce, English dancer and choreographer
    • 1963 – Velle Kadalipp, Estonian architect
    • 1963 – Andrew O’Connor, British actor, comedian, magician, television presenter and executive producer
    • 1964 – René Meulensteen, Dutch footballer and coach
    • 1964 – Ken Wregget, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1964 – Norm Duke, American bowler
    • 1965 – Avery Johnson, American basketball player and coach
    • 1965 – Stefka Kostadinova, Bulgarian high jumper
    • 1965 – Sarah Jessica Parker, American actress, producer, and designer
    • 1966 – Tom Glavine, American baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1966 – Humberto Gonzalez, Mexican boxer
    • 1966 – Jeff Healey, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2008)
    • 1966 – Anton Rogan, Northern Irish footballer
    • 1967 – Matthew Barney, American sculptor and photographer
    • 1967 – Doug Stanhope, American comedian and actor
    • 1967 – Debi Thomas, American figure skater and physician
    • 1969 – George Chlitsios, Greek conductor and composer
    • 1969 – Dale Davis, American basketball player
    • 1969 – Cathy Dennis, English singer-songwriter, record producer and actress
    • 1969 – Jeffrey Walker, English singer-songwriter and bass player
    • 1970 – Magnus Larsson, Swedish golfer
    • 1971 – Stacy Dragila, American pole vaulter and coach
    • 1971 – Cammi Granato, American ice hockey player and sportscaster
    • 1971 – Sheryl Swoopes, American basketball player and coach
    • 1972 – Giniel de Villiers, South African race car driver
    • 1972 – Phil O’Donnell, Scottish footballer (d. 2007)
    • 1973 – Michaela Dorfmeister, Austrian skier
    • 1973 – Anders Fridén, Swedish singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1973 – Bob Sura, American basketball player
    • 1974 – Serge Betsen, Cameroonian-French rugby player
    • 1974 – Lark Voorhies, American actress and singer
    • 1975 – Ladislav Benýšek, Czech ice hockey player
    • 1975 – Melanie Blatt, English singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1975 – Erika Heynatz, Papua New Guinean-Australian model and actress
    • 1976 – Francie Bellew, Irish footballer
    • 1976 – Lars Figura, German sprinter
    • 1976 – Wladimir Klitschko, Ukrainian boxer
    • 1976 – Rima Wakarua, New Zealand-Italian rugby player
    • 1977 – Natalie Clein, English cellist and educator
    • 1977 – Andrew Lindsay, Scottish rower
    • 1978 – Gennaro Delvecchio, Italian footballer
    • 1979 – Muriel Hurtis-Houairi, French sprinter
    • 1980 – Kathrine Sørland, Norwegian fashion model and television presenter
    • 1982 – Danica Patrick, American race car driver
    • 1982 – Álvaro Saborío, Costa Rican footballer
    • 1982 – Jenny Slate, American comedian, actress and author
    • 1983 – Mickaël Hanany, French high jumper
    • 1984 – Katharine McPhee, American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1984 – Liam Messam, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1985 – Carmen Rasmusen, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1985 – Diana Rennik, Estonian figure skater
    • 1986 – Marco Belinelli, Italian basketball player
    • 1986 – Megan Gibson, American softball player
    • 1986 – Kyle Lowry, American basketball player
    • 1986 – Mickey Paea, Australian rugby league player
    • 1987 – Jacob Bagersted, Danish handball player
    • 1987 – Victor Obinna, Nigerian footballer
    • 1987 – Nobunari Oda, Japanese figure skater
    • 1988 – Big Sean, American rapper, singer and songwriter
    • 1988 – Mitchell Watt, Australian long jumper
    • 1988 – Arthur Zeiler, German rugby player
    • 1989 – Aly Michalka, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1989 – Scott Sinclair, English footballer
    • 1990 – Mehmet Ekici, Turkish footballer
    • 1990 – Alexander Esswein, German footballer
    • 1991 – Scott Malone, English footballer, left-back
    • 1993 – Jacob Gagan, Australian rugby league player
    • 1993 – Sam Johnstone, English footballer
    • 1994 – Justine Dufour-Lapointe, Canadian skier

    Deaths on March 25

    • 908 – Li Kening, Chinese general
    • 940 – Taira no Masakado, Japanese samurai
    • 990 – Nicodemus of Mammola, Italian monk and saint
    • 1005 – Kenneth III, king of Scotland
    • 1051 – Hugh IV, French nobleman
    • 1189 – Frederick, duke of Bohemia
    • 1223 – Alfonso II, king of Portugal (b. 1185)
    • 1351 – Kō no Moronao, Japanese samurai
    • 1351 – Kō no Moroyasu, Japanese samurai
    • 1392 – Hosokawa Yoriyuki, Japanese samurai
    • 1458 – Íñigo López de Mendoza, 1st Marquis of Santillana, Spanish poet and politician (b. 1398)
    • 1558 – Marcos de Niza, French friar and explorer (b. 1495)
    • 1603 – Ikoma Chikamasa, Japanese daimyō (b. 1526)
    • 1609 – Olaus Martini, Swedish archbishop (b. 1557)
    • 1609 – Isabelle de Limeuil, French noble (b. 1535)
    • 1620 – Johannes Nucius, German composer and theorist (b. 1556)
    • 1625 – Giambattista Marino, Italian poet and author (b. 1569)
    • 1658 – Herman IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Rotenburg, German nobleman (b. 1607)
    • 1677 – Wenceslaus Hollar, Czech-English painter and etcher (b. 1607)
    • 1701 – Jean Regnault de Segrais, French poet and novelist (b. 1624)
    • 1712 – Nehemiah Grew, English anatomist and physiologist (b. 1641)
    • 1732 – Lucy Filippini, Italian teacher and saint (b. 1672)
    • 1736 – Nicholas Hawksmoor, English architect, designed Easton Neston and Christ Church (b. 1661)
    • 1738 – Turlough O’Carolan, Irish harp player and composer (b. 1670)
    • 1801 – Novalis, German poet and author (b. 1772)
    • 1818 – Caspar Wessel, Norwegian-Danish mathematician and cartographer (b. 1745)
    • 1857 – William Colgate, English-American businessman and philanthropist, founded Colgate-Palmolive (b. 1783)
    • 1860 – James Braid, Scottish-English surgeon (b. 1795)
    • 1869 – Edward Bates, American politician and lawyer (b. 1793)
    • 1873 – Wilhelm Marstrand, Danish painter and illustrator (b. 1810)
    • 1907 – Ernst von Bergmann, Latvian-German surgeon and academic (b. 1836)
    • 1908 – Durham Stevens, American diplomat (b. 1851)
    • 1914 – Frédéric Mistral, French lexicographer and poet, 1904 Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1830)
    • 1917 – Elizabeth Storrs Mead, American academic (b. 1832)
    • 1918 – Claude Debussy, French composer (b. 1862)
    • 1918 – Peter Martin, Australian footballer and soldier (b. 1875)
    • 1927 – Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas, Palestinian Roman Catholic nun; later canonized (b. 1843)
    • 1931 – Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, Indian journalist and politician (b. 1890)
    • 1931 – Ida B. Wells, American journalist and activist (b. 1862)
    • 1932 – Harriet Backer, Norwegian painter (b.1845)
    • 1942 – William Carr, American rower (b. 1876)
    • 1951 – Eddie Collins, American baseball player and manager (b. 1887)
    • 1956 – Lou Moore, American race car driver (b. 1904)
    • 1956 – Robert Newton, English actor (b. 1905)
    • 1957 – Max Ophüls, German-American director and screenwriter (b. 1902)
    • 1958 – Tom Brown, American trombonist (b. 1888)
    • 1964 – Charles Benjamin Howard, Canadian businessman and politician (b. 1885)
    • 1965 – Viola Liuzzo, American civil rights activist (b. 1925)
    • 1969 – Billy Cotton, English singer, drummer, and bandleader (b. 1899)
    • 1969 – Max Eastman, American poet and activist (b. 1883)
    • 1973 – Jakob Sildnik, Estonian photographer and director (b. 1883)
    • 1973 – Edward Steichen, Luxembourgian-American photographer, painter, and curator (b. 1879)
    • 1975 – Juan Gaudino, Argentinian race car driver (b. 1893)
    • 1975 – Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabian king (b. 1906)
    • 1975 – Deiva Zivarattinam, Indian lawyer and politician (b. 1894)
    • 1976 – Josef Albers, German-American painter and educator (b. 1888)
    • 1976 – Benjamin Miessner, American radio engineer and inventor (b. 1890)
    • 1979 – Robert Madgwick, Australian colonel and academic (b. 1905)
    • 1979 – Akinoumi Setsuo, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 37th Yokozuna (b. 1914)
    • 1980 – Milton H. Erickson, American psychiatrist and psychologist (b. 1901)
    • 1980 – Walter Susskind, Czech-English conductor and educator (b. 1913)
    • 1982 – Goodman Ace, American comedian and writer (b. 1899)
    • 1983 – Bob Waterfield, American football player and coach (b. 1920)
    • 1986 – Gloria Blondell, American actress (b. 1910)
    • 1987 – A. W. Mailvaganam, Sri Lankan physicist and academic (b. 1906)
    • 1988 – Robert Joffrey, American dancer, choreographer, and director, co-founded the Joffrey Ballet (b. 1930)
    • 1991 – Marcel Lefebvre, French-Swiss archbishop (b. 1905)
    • 1992 – Nancy Walker, American actress, singer, and director (b. 1922)
    • 1994 – Angelines Fernández, Spanish-Mexican actress (b. 1922)
    • 1994 – Bernard Kangro, Estonian poet and journalist (b. 1910)
    • 1994 – Max Petitpierre, Swiss jurist and politician (b. 1899)
    • 1995 – James Samuel Coleman, American sociologist and academic (b. 1926)
    • 1995 – John Hugenholtz, Dutch engineer (b. 1914)
    • 1996 – John Snagge, English journalist (b. 1904)
    • 1998 – Max Green, Australian lawyer (b. 1952)
    • 1998 – Steven Schiff, American lawyer and politician (b. 1947)
    • 1999 – Cal Ripken, Sr., American baseball player, coach, and manager (b. 1936)
    • 2000 – Helen Martin, American actress (b. 1909)
    • 2001 – Brian Trubshaw, English cricketer and pilot (b. 1924)
    • 2002 – Kenneth Wolstenholme, English journalist and sportscaster (b. 1920)
    • 2005 – Paul Henning, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1911)
    • 2006 – Bob Carlos Clarke, Irish photographer (b. 1950)
    • 2006 – Rocío Dúrcal, Spanish singer and actress (b. 1944)
    • 2006 – Richard Fleischer, American film director (b. 1916)
    • 2006 – Buck Owens, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1929)
    • 2007 – Andranik Margaryan, Armenian engineer and politician, 10th Prime Minister of Armenia (b. 1951)
    • 2008 – Ben Carnevale, American basketball player and coach (b. 1915)
    • 2008 – Thierry Gilardi, French journalist and sportscaster (b. 1958)
    • 2008 – Abby Mann, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1927)
    • 2008 – Herb Peterson, American businessman, created the McMuffin (b. 1919)
    • 2009 – Johnny Blanchard, American baseball player (b. 1933)
    • 2009 – Kosuke Koyama, Japanese-American theologian and academic (b. 1929)
    • 2009 – Dan Seals, American musician (b. 1948)
    • 2009 – Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, Turkish politician and member of the Parliament of Turkey (b. 1954)
    • 2012 – Priscilla Buckley, American journalist and author (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – Hal E. Chester, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1921)
    • 2012 – John Crosfield, English businessman, founded Crosfield Electronics (b. 1915)
    • 2012 – Edd Gould, English animator and voice actor, founded Eddsworld (b. 1988)
    • 2012 – Antonio Tabucchi, Italian author and academic (b. 1943)
    • 2013 – Léonce Bernard, Canadian politician, 26th Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island (b. 1943)
    • 2013 – Ben Goldfaden, American basketball player and educator (b. 1913)
    • 2013 – Anthony Lewis, American journalist and academic (b. 1927)
    • 2013 – Jean Pickering, English runner and long jumper (b. 1929)
    • 2013 – Jean-Marc Roberts, French author and screenwriter (b. 1954)
    • 2013 – John F. Wiley, American lieutenant, football player, and coach (b. 1920)
    • 2014 – Lorna Arnold, English historian and author (b. 1915)
    • 2014 – Hank Lauricella, American football player and politician (b. 1930)
    • 2014 – Jon Lord, Canadian businessman and politician (b. 1956)
    • 2014 – Sonny Ruberto, American baseball player, coach, and manager (b. 1946)
    • 2014 – Jonathan Schell, American journalist and author (b. 1943)
    • 2014 – Ralph Wilson, American businessman, founded the Buffalo Bills (b. 1918)
    • 2015 – George Fischbeck, American journalist and educator (b. 1922)
    • 2016 – Shannon Bolin, American actress and singer (b. 1917)
    • 2017 – Cuthbert Sebastian, St. Kitts and Nevis politician (b. 1921)
    • 2018 – Zell Miller, American author and politician (b. 1932)
    • 2019 – Scott Walker, American-born British singer-songwriter (b. 1943)[9]

    Holidays and observances on March 25

    • Anniversary of the Arengo and the Feast of the Militants (San Marino)
    • Christian feast days:
      • Ælfwold II of Sherborne
      • Barontius and Desiderius
      • Blessed Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas
      • Omelyan Kovch (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
      • Dismas, the “Good Thief”
      • Humbert of Maroilles
      • Quirinus of Tegernsee
      • March 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Cultural Workers Day (Russia)
    • Earliest day on which Seward’s Day can fall, while March 31 is the latest; celebrated on the last Monday in March. (Alaska)
    • Empress Menen’s Birthday (Rastafari)
    • EU Talent Day (European Union)
    • Feast of the Annunciation (Christianity), and its related observances (if March 25 falls in Holy Week or Easter Week the feast is moved to the Monday after the 2nd Sunday of Easter):
      • Historic start of the new year (Lady Day) in England, Wales, Ireland, and the future United States until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1752. (The year 1751 began on 25 March; the year 1752 began on 1 January.) It is one of the four Quarter days in Ireland and England.
      • International Day of the Unborn Child (international)
      • Mother’s Day (Slovenia)
      • Vårfrudagen or Våffeldagen, “Waffle Day” (Sweden, Norway & Denmark)
    • Freedom Day (Belarus)
    • International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (international)
    • International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members (United Nations General Assembly)
    • Maryland Day (Maryland, United States)
    • Medal of Honor Day (United States)
    • Independence Day, celebrates the start of Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire, in 1821. (Greece)
    • NZ Army Day
    • Struggle for Human Rights Day (Slovakia)
    • Tolkien Reading Day

  • February 25 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 138 – Roman emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius as his son, effectively making him his successor
    • 628 – Khosrow II, the last great Shah of the Sasanian Empire (iran), is overthrown by his son Kavadh II
    • 1336 – Four thousand defenders of Pilenai commit mass suicide rather than be taken captive by the Teutonic Knights.
    • 1797 – Colonel William Tate and his force of 1000–1500 soldiers surrender after the Last invasion of Britain.
    • 1831 – Battle of Olszynka Grochowska, part of Polish November Uprising against Russian Empire.
    • 1836 – Samuel Colt is granted a United States patent for the Colt revolver.
    • 1843 – Lord George Paulet occupies the Kingdom of Hawaii in the name of Great Britain in the Paulet Affair (1843).
    • 1848 – Provisional government in revolutionary France, by Louis Blanc’s motion, guarantees workers’ rights.
    • 1856 – A Peace conference opens in Paris after the Crimean War.
    • 1866 – Miners in Calaveras County, California, discover what is now called the Calaveras Skull – human remains that supposedly indicated that man, mastodons, and elephants had co-existed.
    • 1870 – Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, is sworn into the United States Senate, becoming the first African American ever to sit in the U.S. Congress.
    • 1875 – Guangxu Emperor of Qing dynasty China begins his reign, under Empress Dowager Cixi’s regency.
    • 1901 – J. P. Morgan incorporates the United States Steel Corporation.
    • 1912 – Marie-Adélaïde, the eldest of six daughters of Guillaume IV, becomes the first reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.
    • 1916 – World War I: The Germans capture Fort Douaumont during the Battle of Verdun.
    • 1918 – German occupation of Estonia during World War I: Pernau, Reval, and Pskov are captured.
    • 1919 – Oregon places a one cent per U.S. gallon tax on gasoline, becoming the first U.S. state to levy a gasoline tax.
    • 1921 – Tbilisi, capital of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, is occupied by Bolshevist Russia.
    • 1928 – Charles Jenkins Laboratories of Washington, D.C. becomes the first holder of a broadcast license for television from the Federal Radio Commission.
    • 1932 – Adolf Hitler obtains German citizenship by naturalization, which allows him to run in the 1932 election for Reichspräsident.
    • 1933 – The USS Ranger is launched. It is the first US Navy ship to be designed from the start of construction as an aircraft carrier.
    • 1939 – The first of 2​1⁄2 million Anderson air raid shelters appeared in North London.
    • 1941 – February strike: In the occupied Amsterdam, a general strike is declared in response to increasing anti-Jewish measures instituted by the Nazis.
    • 1947 – The formal abolition of Prussia is proclaimed by the Allied Control Council. The Prussian government had already been abolished by the Preußenschlag of 1932.
    • 1948 – Cold War: The Communist Party takes control of government in Czechoslovakia and the period of the Third Republic ends.
    • 1951 – The first Pan American Games were officially opened in Buenos Aires, Argentina by President Juan Perón.
    • 1954 – Gamal Abdel Nasser is made premier of Egypt.
    • 1956 – Cold War: In his speech On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences, Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union denounces the cult of personality of Joseph Stalin.
    • 1964 – North Korean Prime Minister Kim Il-sung calls for the removal of feudalistic land ownership aimed at turning all cooperative farms into state-run ones.
    • 1968 – Vietnam War: One hundred thirty-five unarmed citizens of Hà My village in South Vietnam’s Qu?ng Nam Province are killed and buried en masse by South Korean troops in what would come to be known as the Hà My massacre.
    • 1980 – The government of Suriname is overthrown by a military coup led by Dési Bouterse.
    • 1986 – People Power Revolution: President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos flees the nation after 20 years of rule; Corazon Aquino becomes the Philippines’ first woman president.
    • 1987 – Southern Methodist University’s football program is the first college football program to be banned from competition by the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions.
    • 1991 – Gulf War: An Iraqi scud missile hits an American military barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia killing 28 U.S. Army Reservists from Pennsylvania.
    • 1991 – Cold War: The Warsaw Pact is abolished.
    • 1992 – Khojaly massacre: About 613 civilians are killed by Armenian armed forces during the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
    • 1994 – Mosque of Abraham massacre: In the Cave of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron, Baruch Goldstein opens fire with an automatic rifle, killing 29 Palestinian worshippers and injuring 125 more before being subdued and beaten to death by survivors.
    • 1997 – Yi Han-yong, a North Korean defector, was murdered by unidentified assailants in Bundang, South Korea.
    • 2009 – Soldiers of the Bangladesh Rifles mutiny at their headquarters in Pilkhana, Dhaka, Bangladesh, resulting in 74 deaths, including 57 army officials.
    • 2009 – Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 crashed during landing at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Netherlands, primarily due to a faulty radio altimeter, resulting in the death of nine passengers and crew including all three pilots.
    • 2015 – At least 310 people are killed in avalanches in northeastern Afghanistan.
    • 2016 – Three people are killed and fourteen others injured in a series of shootings in the small Kansas cities of Newton and Hesston.

    Births on February 25

    • 1259 – Infanta Branca of Portugal, daughter of King Afonso III of Portugal and Urraca of Castile (d. 1321)
    • 1337 – Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg (d. 1383)
    • 1475 – Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick, last male member of the House of York (d. 1499)
    • 1540 – Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton, English aristocrat and courtier (d. 1614)
    • 1543 – Sharaf Khan Bidlisi, Emir of Bitlis (d. 1603)
    • 1591 – Friedrich Spee, German poet and author (d. 1635)
    • 1643 – Ahmed II, Ottoman sultan (d. 1695)
    • 1663 – Peter Anthony Motteux, French-English author, playwright and translator (d. 1718)
    • 1670 – Maria Margarethe Kirch, German astronomer and mathematician (d. 1720)
    • 1682 – Giovanni Battista Morgagni, Italian anatomist and pathologist (d. 1771)
    • 1707 – Carlo Goldoni, Italian playwright and composer (d. 1793)
    • 1714 – René Nicolas Charles Augustin de Maupeou, French lawyer and politician, Lord Chancellor of France (d. 1792)
    • 1728 – John Wood, the Younger, English architect, designed the Royal Crescent (d. 1782)
    • 1752 – John Graves Simcoe, English-Canadian general and politician, 1st Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada (d. 1806)
    • 1755 – François René Mallarmé, French lawyer and politician (d. 1835)
    • 1778 – José de San Martín, Argentinian general and politician, 1st President of Peru (d. 1850)
    • 1806 – Emma Catherine Embury, American author and poet (d. 1863)
    • 1809 – John Hart, English-Australian politician, 10th Premier of South Australia (d. 1873)
    • 1812 – Carl Christian Hall, Danish lawyer and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Denmark (d. 1888)
    • 1816 – Giovanni Morelli, Italian historian and critic (d. 1891)
    • 1833 – John St. John, American lawyer and politician, 8th Governor of Kansas (d. 1916)
    • 1841 – Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French painter and sculptor (d. 1919)
    • 1842 – Karl May, German author, poet, and playwright (d. 1912)
    • 1845 – George Reid, Scottish-Australian lawyer and politician, 4th Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1918)
    • 1855 – Cesário Verde, Portuguese poet and author (d. 1886)
    • 1856 – Karl Gotthard Lamprecht, German historian and academic (d. 1915)
    • 1856 – Mathias Zdarsky, Czech-Austrian skier, painter, and sculptor (d. 1940)
    • 1857 – Robert Bond, Canadian politician; first Prime Minister of Newfoundland (d. 1927)
    • 1860 – William Ashley, English historian and academic (d. 1927)
    • 1865 – Andranik, Armenian general (d. 1927)
    • 1866 – Benedetto Croce, Italian philosopher and politician (d. 1952)
    • 1869 – Phoebus Levene, Russian-American biochemist and physician (d. 1940)
    • 1873 – Enrico Caruso, Italian-American tenor; the most popular operatic tenor of the early 20th century and the first great recording star. (d. 1921)
    • 1877 – Erich von Hornbostel, Austrian musicologist and scholar (d. 1935)
    • 1881 – William Z. Foster, American union leader and politician (d. 1961)
    • 1881 – Alexei Rykov, Russian politician, Premier of Russia (d. 1938)
    • 1883 – Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (d. 1981)
    • 1885 – Princess Alice of Battenberg, mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (d. 1969)
    • 1888 – John Foster Dulles, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 52nd United States Secretary of State (d. 1959)
    • 1890 – Myra Hess, English pianist and educator (d. 1965)
    • 1894 – Meher Baba, Indian spiritual master (d. 1969)
    • 1898 – William Astbury, physicist and molecular biologist (d. 1961)
    • 1901 – Vince Gair, Australian politician, 27th Premier of Queensland (d. 1980)
    • 1901 – Zeppo Marx, American comedian (the youngest of the Marx Brothers) and theatrical agent (d. 1979)
    • 1903 – King Clancy, Canadian ice hockey player, referee, and coach; rated one of the 100 greatest NHL players (d. 1986)
    • 1905 – Perry Miller, American historian, author, and academic (d. 1963)
    • 1906 – Mary Coyle Chase, American journalist and playwright; author of Harvey (d. 1981)
    • 1907 – Sabahattin Ali, Turkish journalist, author, and poet (d. 1948)
    • 1908 – Mary Locke Petermann, cellular biochemist (d. 1975)
    • 1908 – Frank G. Slaughter, American physician and author (d. 2001)
    • 1910 – Millicent Fenwick, American journalist and politician (d. 1992)
    • 1913 – Jim Backus, American actor and screenwriter; the voice of Mr. Magoo (d. 1989)
    • 1913 – Gert Fröbe, German actor; title role in Goldfinger (d. 1988)
    • 1917 – Anthony Burgess, English author, playwright, and critic (d. 1993)
    • 1918 – Bobby Riggs, American tennis player; winner of three major titles, 1939–1941 (d. 1995)
    • 1919 – Monte Irvin, American baseball player and executive (d. 2016)
    • 1920 – Philip Habib, American academic and diplomat, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (d. 1992)
    • 1921 – Pierre Laporte, Canadian journalist, lawyer, and politician, Deputy Premier of Quebec (d. 1970)
    • 1921 – Andy Pafko, American baseball player and manager (d. 2013)
    • 1922 – Molly Reilly, Canadian aviator (d. 1980)
    • 1924 – Hugh Huxley, English-American biologist and academic (d. 2013)
    • 1925 – Shehu Shagari, former President of Nigeria (d. 2018)
    • 1925 – Lisa Kirk, American actress and singer (d. 1990)
    • 1926 – Masatoshi Gündüz Ikeda, Japanese-Turkish mathematician and academic; noted for contributions to algebraic number theory (d. 2003)
    • 1927 – Ralph Stanley, American bluegrass singer and banjo player; member of International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame (d. 2016)
    • 1928 – Paul Elvstrøm, Danish yachtsman; winner of four Olympic gold medals, 1948–1960 (d. 2016)
    • 1928 – A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., prominent African-American civil rights advocate, author, and federal court judge (d. 1998)
    • 1928 – Larry Gelbart, American author and screenwriter; creator and producer of M*A*S*H TV series (d. 2009)
    • 1928 – Richard G. Stern, American author and academic (d. 2013)
    • 1932 – Tony Brooks, English racing driver; six Formula One victories, second in 1959 World Championship
    • 1932 – Faron Young, American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist; member of Country Music Hall of Fame (d. 1996)
    • 1934 – Tony Lema, American golfer; winner of the 1964 Open Championship (d. 1966)
    • 1935 – Oktay Sinanoglu, Turkish physical chemist and molecular biophysicist; two-time nominee for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (d. 2015)
    • 1937 – Tom Courtenay, award-winning English actor
    • 1937 – Bob Schieffer, American political author, journalist and TV interviewer
    • 1938 – Herb Elliott, Australian 1500 metres runner; 1960 Olympic champion and world record holder
    • 1938 – Farokh Engineer, Indian international cricketer; successful as batsman and wicketkeeper
    • 1940 – Ron Santo, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 2010)
    • 1941 – David Puttnam, English film producer and academic
    • 1943 – George Harrison, English singer-songwriter, guitarist and film producer; lead guitarist of The Beatles (d. 2001)
    • 1944 – François Cevert, French racing driver (d. 1973)
    • 1946 – Jean Todt, French racing driver and team manager; FIA President, 2009–2021
    • 1947 – Lee Evans, American sprinter and athletics coach; two gold medals and world 400m record at 1968 Olympics
    • 1949 – Amin Maalouf, Lebanese-French journalist and author
    • 1950 – Francisco Fernández Ochoa, Spanish skier; 1972 Olympic slalom champion (d. 2006)
    • 1950 – Neil Jordan, Irish film director, screenwriter and author
    • 1950 – Néstor Kirchner, Argentinian politician; 51st President of Argentina, 2003–2007 (d. 2010)
    • 1951 – Don Quarrie, Jamaican sprinter and coach; four Olympic medals and two world records
    • 1952 – Joey Dunlop, Northern Irish motorcycle road racing champion; holds record for most wins (26) at the Isle of Man TT (d. 2000)
    • 1953 – José María Aznar, Spanish politician; Prime Minister of Spain, 1996–2004
    • 1958 – Kurt Rambis, American basketball player and coach; four-time NBA Finals champion
    • 1962 – Birgit Fischer, German kayaker; winner of eight Olympic gold medals
    • 1963 – Paul O’Neill, American baseball player and sportscaster; five-time World Series champion
    • 1967 – Ed Balls, British politician; Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
    • 1968 – Oumou Sangaré, Grammy Award-winning Malian Wassoulou musician
    • 1971 – Sean Astin, American actor, director and producer
    • 1974 – Dominic Raab, British politician; First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
    • 1981 – Park Ji-sung, South Korean footballer; the most successful Asian player with 19 career trophies
    • 1982 – Flavia Pennetta, Italian tennis player; winner of the 2015 US Open
    • 1988 – Tom Marshall, British photo colouriser and artist
    • 1999 – Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italian international footballer; youngest goalkeeper to play for Italy

    Deaths on February 25

    • 806 – Tarasios, patriarch of Constantinople
    • 891 – Fujiwara no Mototsune, Japanese regent (b. 836)
    • 944 – Lin Ding, Chinese official and chancellor
    • 1246 – Dafydd ap Llywelyn, Welsh king (b. 1212)
    • 1321 – Beatrice d’Avesnes, consort of Henry VI, Count of Luxembourg
    • 1495 – Sultan Cem, Ottoman politician (b. 1459)
    • 1522 – William Lily, English scholar and educator (b. 1468)
    • 1536 – Berchtold Haller, German-Swiss theologian and reformer (b. 1492)
    • 1536 – Jacob Hutter, founder of the Hutterites
    • 1547 – Vittoria Colonna, marchioness of Pescara (b. 1490)
    • 1558 – Eleanor of Austria (b. 1498)
    • 1600 – Sebastian de Aparicio, Spanish colonial industrialist and saint (b. 1502)
    • 1601 – Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (b. 1566)
    • 1634 – Albrecht von Wallenstein, Austrian general and politician (b. 1583)
    • 1655 – Daniel Heinsius, Flemish poet and scholar (b. 1580)
    • 1682 – Alessandro Stradella, Italian composer (b. 1639)
    • 1710 – Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, French soldier and explorer (b. 1639)
    • 1713 – Frederick I of Prussia (b. 1657)
    • 1723 – Christopher Wren, English architect, designed St Paul’s Cathedral (b. 1632)
    • 1756 – Eliza Haywood, English actress and poet (b. 1693)
    • 1796 – Samuel Seabury, American bishop (b. 1729)
    • 1798 – Louis Jules Mancini Mazarini, French poet and diplomat (b. 1716)
    • 1805 – Thomas Pownall, English politician, Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (b. 1722)
    • 1819 – Francisco Manoel de Nascimento, Portuguese-French poet and educator (b. 1734)
    • 1822 – William Pinkney, American politician and diplomat, 7th United States Attorney General (b. 1764)
    • 1831 – Friedrich Maximilian Klinger, German author and playwright (b. 1752)
    • 1841 – Philip Pendleton Barbour, American lawyer, judge, and politician, 12th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (b. 1783)
    • 1850 – Daoguang Emperor of China (b. 1782)
    • 1852 – Thomas Moore, Irish poet and lyricist (b. 1779)
    • 1865 – Otto Ludwig, German author, playwright, and critic (b. 1813)
    • 1870 – Henrik Hertz, Danish poet and playwright (b. 1797)
    • 1875 – Thomas Reynolds, English-Australian politician, 5th Premier of South Australia (b. 1818)
    • 1877 – Jung Bahadur Rana, Nepalese ruler (b. 1816)
    • 1878 – Townsend Harris, American merchant, politician, and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Japan (b. 1804)
    • 1888 – Josif Pancic, Serbian botanist and academic (b. 1814)
    • 1899 – Paul Reuter, German-English journalist and businessman, founded Reuters (b. 1816)
    • 1906 – Anton Arensky, Russian pianist and composer (b. 1861)
    • 1910 – Worthington Whittredge, American painter and educator (b. 1820)
    • 1911 – Friedrich Spielhagen, German author, theorist, and translator (b. 1829)
    • 1912 – William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (b. 1852)
    • 1914 – John Tenniel, English illustrator (b. 1820)
    • 1915 – Charles Edwin Bessey, American botanist, author, and academic (b. 1845)
    • 1916 – David Bowman, Australian politician (b. 1860)
    • 1920 – Marcel-Auguste Dieulafoy, French archaeologist and engineer (b. 1844)
    • 1922 – Henri Désiré Landru, French serial killer (b. 1869)
    • 1928 – William O’Brien, Irish journalist and politician (b. 1852)
    • 1934 – Elizabeth Gertrude Britton, American botanist and academic (b. 1857)
    • 1934 – John McGraw, American baseball player and manager (b. 1873)
    • 1945 – Mário de Andrade, Brazilian author, poet, and photographer (b. 1893)
    • 1950 – George Minot, American physician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1885)
    • 1953 – Sergei Winogradsky, Ukrainian-Russian microbiologist and ecologist (b. 1856)
    • 1957 – Mark Aldanov, Russian author and critic (b. 1888)
    • 1957 – Bugs Moran, American mob boss (b. 1893)
    • 1963 – Melville J. Herskovits, American anthropologist and academic (b. 1895)
    • 1964 – Alexander Archipenko, Ukrainian sculptor and illustrator (b. 1887)
    • 1964 – Hinrich Lohse, German politician (b. 1896)
    • 1964 – Grace Metalious, American author (b. 1924)
    • 1970 – Mark Rothko, Latvian-American painter and academic (b. 1903)
    • 1971 – Theodor Svedberg, Swedish chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1884)
    • 1972 – Gottfried Fuchs, German-Canadian Olympic soccer player (b. 1889)
    • 1975 – Elijah Muhammad, American religious leader (b. 1897)
    • 1978 – Daniel James, Jr., American general and pilot (b. 1920)
    • 1980 – Robert Hayden, American poet and academic (b. 1913)
    • 1983 – Tennessee Williams, American playwright, and poet (b. 1911)
    • 1996 – Haing S. Ngor, Cambodian-American physician and author (b. 1940)
    • 1997 – Andrei Sinyavsky, Russian journalist and publisher (b. 1925)
    • 1998 – W. O. Mitchell, Canadian author and playwright (b. 1914)
    • 1999 – Glenn T. Seaborg, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1912)
    • 2001 – A. R. Ammons, American poet and critic (b. 1926)
    • 2001 – Donald Bradman, Australian international cricketer; holder of world record batting average (b. 1908)
    • 2005 – Peter Benenson, English lawyer, founded Amnesty International (b. 1921)
    • 2010 – Ihsan Dogramaci, Turkish pediatrician and academic (b. 1915)
    • 2012 – Louisiana Red, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1932)
    • 2015 – Harve Bennett, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1930)
    • 2015 – Eugenie Clark, American biologist and academic; noted ichthyologist (b. 1922)
    • 2020 – Dmitry Yazov, last Marshal of the Soviet Union (b. 1924)

    Holidays and observance on February 25

    Christian feast day

    Further information: February 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Æthelberht of Kent
    • Blessed Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervás
    • Gerland of Agrigento
    • John Roberts, writer and missionary
    • Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani
    • Saint Walpurga (she was canonised on 1 May and Walpurgis Night is celebrated 30 April)

  • February 13 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    February 13 in History

    • 951 – Guo Wei, a court official, leads a military coup and declares himself emperor of the new Later Zhou.
    • 962 – Emperor Otto I and Pope John XII co-sign the Diploma Ottonianum, recognizing John as ruler of Rome.
    • 1322 – The central tower of Ely Cathedral falls on the night of 12th–13th.
    • 1462 – The Treaty of Westminster is finalised between Edward IV of England and the Scottish Lord of the Isles.
    • 1503 – Challenge of Barletta: Tournament between 13 Italian and 13 French knights near Barletta.
    • 1542 – Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII of England, is executed for adultery.
    • 1633 – Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome for his trial before the Inquisition.
    • 1660 – With the accession of young Charles XI of Sweden, his regents begin negotiations to end the Second Northern War.
    • 1689 – William and Mary are proclaimed co-rulers of England.
    • 1692 – Massacre of Glencoe: Almost 80 Macdonalds at Glen Coe, Scotland are killed early in the morning for not promptly pledging allegiance to the new king, William of Orange.
    • 1726 – Parliament of Negrete between Mapuche and Spanish authorities in Chile bring an end to the Mapuche uprising of 1723–26.
    • 1755 – Treaty of Giyanti signed by VOC, Pakubuwono III and Prince Mangkubumi. The treaty divides the Javanese kingdom of Mataram into 2: Sunanate of Surakarta and Sultanate of Yogyakarta.
    • 1849 – The delegation headed by Metropolitan bishop Andrei Șaguna hands out to the Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria the General Petition of Romanian leaders in Transylvania, Banat and Bukovina, which demands that the Romanian nation be recognized.
    • 1861 – Italian unification: The Siege of Gaeta ends with the capitulation of the defending fortress, effectively bringing an end of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
    • 1867 – Work begins on the covering of the Senne, burying Brussels’s primary river and creating the modern central boulevards.
    • 1880 – Thomas Edison observes Thermionic emission.
    • 1913 – The 13th Dalai Lama proclaims Tibetan independence following a period of domination by Manchu Qing dynasty and initiated a period of almost four decades of independence.
    • 1914 – Copyright: In New York City the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is established to protect the copyrighted musical compositions of its members.
    • 1920 – The Negro National League is formed.
    • 1931 – The British Raj completes its transfer from Calcutta to New Delhi.
    • 1935 – A jury in Flemington, New Jersey finds Bruno Hauptmann guilty of the 1932 kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby, the son of Charles Lindbergh.
    • 1945 – World War II: The siege of Budapest concludes with the unconditional surrender of German and Hungarian forces to the Red Army.
    • 1945 – World War II: Royal Air Force bombers are dispatched to Dresden, Germany to attack the city with a massive aerial bombardment.
    • 1951 – Korean War: Battle of Chipyong-ni, which represented the “high-water mark” of the Chinese incursion into South Korea, commences.
    • 1954 – Frank Selvy becomes the only NCAA Division I basketball player ever to score 100 points in a single game.
    • 1955 – Israel obtains four of the seven Dead Sea Scrolls.
    • 1960 – With the success of a nuclear test codenamed “Gerboise Bleue”, France becomes the fourth country to possess nuclear weapons.
    • 1960 – Black college students stage the first of the Nashville sit-ins at three lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee.
    • 1961 – An allegedly 500,000-year-old rock is discovered near Olancha, California, US, that appears to anachronistically encase a spark plug.
    • 1967 – American researchers discover the Madrid Codices by Leonardo da Vinci in the National Library of Spain.
    • 1975 – Fire at One World Trade Center (North Tower) of the World Trade Center in New York.
    • 1978 – Hilton bombing: a bomb explodes in a refuse truck outside the Hilton Hotel in Sydney, Australia, killing two refuse collectors and a policeman.
    • 1979 – An intense windstorm strikes western Washington and sinks a ​1⁄2-mile-long section of the Hood Canal Bridge.
    • 1981 – A series of sewer explosions destroys more than two miles of streets in Louisville, Kentucky.
    • 1983 – A cinema fire in Turin, Italy, kills 64 people.
    • 1984 – Konstantin Chernenko succeeds the late Yuri Andropov as general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
    • 1990 – German reunification: An agreement is reached on a two-stage plan to reunite Germany.
    • 1991 – Gulf War: Two laser-guided “smart bombs” destroy the Amiriyah shelter in Baghdad. Allied forces said the bunker was being used as a military communications outpost, but over 400 Iraqi civilians inside were killed.
    • 1996 – The Nepalese Civil War is initiated in the Kingdom of Nepal by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre).
    • 1999 – The last hockey game is played in Maple Leaf Gardens: the Toronto Maple Leafs lose 6–2 to the Chicago Blackhawks.
    • 2001 – An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter magnitude scale hits El Salvador, killing at least 944.
    • 2004 – The Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics announces the discovery of the universe’s largest known diamond, white dwarf star BPM 37093. Astronomers named this star “Lucy” after The Beatles’ song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”.
    • 2007 – Taiwan opposition leader Ma Ying-jeou resigns as the chairman of the Kuomintang party after being indicted on charges of embezzlement during his tenure as the mayor of Taipei; Ma also announces his candidacy for the 2008 presidential election.
    • 2008 – Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd makes a historic apology to the Indigenous Australians and the Stolen Generations.
    • 2010 – A bomb explodes in the city of Pune, Maharashtra, India, killing 17 and injuring 60 more.
    • 2011 – For the first time in more than 100 years the Umatilla, an American Indian tribe, are able to hunt and harvest a bison just outside Yellowstone National Park, restoring a centuries-old tradition guaranteed by a treaty signed in 1855.
    • 2012 – The European Space Agency (ESA) conducted the first launch of the European Vega rocket from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
    • 2017 – Kim Jong-nam, brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, is assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

    Births on February 13

    • 1440 – Hartmann Schedel, German physician (d. 1514)
    • 1457 – Mary of Burgundy, Sovereign Duchess regnant of Burgundy, married to Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1482)
    • 1469 – Elia Levita, Renaissance Hebrew grammarian (d. 1549)
    • 1480 – Girolamo Aleandro, Italian cardinal (d. 1542)
    • 1523 – Valentin Naboth, German astronomer and mathematician (d. 1593)
    • 1539 – Elisabeth of Hesse, Electress Palatine (d. 1582)
    • 1569 – Johann Reinhard I, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg (d. 1625)
    • 1599 – Pope Alexander VII (d. 1667)
    • 1602 – William V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (d. 1637)
    • 1672 – Étienne François Geoffroy, French physician and chemist (d. 1731)
    • 1683 – Giovanni Battista Piazzetta, Italian painter (d. 1754)
    • 1719 – George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney, English admiral and politician (d. 1792)
    • 1721 – John Reid, Scottish general (d. 1807)
    • 1728 – John Hunter, Scottish surgeon and anatomist (d. 1793)
    • 1766 – Thomas Robert Malthus, English economist and scholar (d. 1834)
    • 1768 – Édouard Adolphe Casimir Joseph Mortier, French general and politician, 15th Prime Minister of France (d. 1835)
    • 1769 – Ivan Krylov, Russian author, poet, and playwright (d. 1844)
    • 1805 – Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet, German mathematician and academic (d. 1859)
    • 1811 – François Achille Bazaine, French general (d. 1888)
    • 1815 – Rufus Wilmot Griswold, American anthologist, editor, poet and critic (d. 1857)
    • 1831 – John Aaron Rawlins, American general and politician, 29th United States Secretary of War (d. 1869)
    • 1834 – Heinrich Caro, Sephardic Jewish Polish-German chemist and academic (d. 1910)
    • 1835 – Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Indian religious leader (d. 1908)
    • 1849 – Lord Randolph Churchill, English lawyer and politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (d. 1895)
    • 1855 – Paul Deschanel, Belgian-French politician, 11th President of France (d. 1922)
    • 1863 – Hugo Becker, German cellist and composer (d. 1941)
    • 1867 – Harold Mahony, Scottish-Irish tennis player (d. 1905)
    • 1870 – Leopold Godowsky, Polish-American pianist and composer (d. 1938)
    • 1873 – Feodor Chaliapin, Russian opera singer (d. 1938)
    • 1876 – Fritz Buelow, German-American baseball player and umpire (d. 1933)
    • 1879 – Sarojini Naidu, Indian poet and activist (d. 1949)
    • 1880 – Dimitrie Gusti, Romanian sociologist, ethnologist, historian, and philosopher (d. 1955)
    • 1881 – Eleanor Farjeon, Jewish-English author, poet, and playwright (d. 1965)
    • 1883 – Hal Chase, American baseball player and manager (d. 1947)
    • 1883 – Yevgeny Vakhtangov, Russian-Armenian actor and director (d. 1922)
    • 1884 – Alfred Carlton Gilbert, American pole vaulter and businessman, founded the A. C. Gilbert Company (d. 1961)
    • 1885 – Bess Truman, American wife of Harry S. Truman, 35th First Lady of the United States (d. 1982)
    • 1887 – Géza Csáth, Hungarian playwright and critic (d. 1919)
    • 1888 – Georgios Papandreou, Greek lawyer, economist, and politician, 162nd Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1968)
    • 1889 – Leontine Sagan, Austrian actress and director (d. 1974)
    • 1891 – Kate Roberts, Welsh author and activist (d. 1985)
    • 1891 – Grant Wood, American painter and academic (d. 1942)
    • 1892 – Robert H. Jackson, American lawyer, judge, and politician, 57th United States Attorney General (d. 1954)
    • 1898 – Hubert Ashton, English cricketer and politician (d. 1979)
    • 1900 – Barbara von Annenkoff, Russian-born German film and stage actress (d. 1979)
    • 1901 – Paul Lazarsfeld, Austrian-American sociologist and academic (d. 1976)
    • 1902 – Harold Lasswell, American political scientist and theorist (d. 1978)
    • 1903 – Georgy Beriev, Georgian-Russian engineer, founded the Beriev Aircraft Company (d. 1979)
    • 1903 – Georges Simenon, Belgian-Swiss author (d. 1989)
    • 1906 – Agostinho da Silva, Portuguese philosopher and author (d. 1994)
    • 1907 – Katy de la Cruz, Filipino-American singer and actress (d. 2004)
    • 1910 – William Shockley, English-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1989)
    • 1911 – Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Indian-Pakistani poet and journalist (d. 1984)
    • 1911 – Jean Muir, American actress and educator (d. 1996)
    • 1912 – Harald Riipalu, Russian-Estonian commander (d. 1961)
    • 1912 – Margaretta Scott, English actress (d. 2005)
    • 1913 – Khalid of Saudi Arabia (d. 1982)
    • 1915 – Lyle Bettger, American actor (d. 2003)
    • 1915 – Aung San, Burmese general and politician, 5th Premier of British Crown Colony of Burma (d. 1947)
    • 1916 – Dorothy Bliss, American invertebrate zoologist (d. 1987)
    • 1919 – Tennessee Ernie Ford, American singer and actor (d. 1991)
    • 1919 – Eddie Robinson, American football player and coach (d. 2007)
    • 1920 – Boudleaux Bryant, American songwriter (d. 1987)
    • 1920 – Eileen Farrell, American soprano and educator (d. 2002)
    • 1921 – Jeanne Demessieux, French pianist and composer (d. 1968)
    • 1921 – Aung Khin, Burmese painter (d. 1996)
    • 1922 – Francis Pym, Baron Pym, Welsh soldier and politician, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (d. 2008)
    • 1922 – Gordon Tullock, American economist and academic (d. 2014)
    • 1923 – Michael Anthony Bilandic, American soldier, judge, and politician, 49th Mayor of Chicago (d. 2002)
    • 1923 – Chuck Yeager, American general and pilot; first test pilot to break the sound barrier
    • 1924 – Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, French journalist and politician (d. 2006)
    • 1926 – Fay Ajzenberg-Selove, American nuclear physicist (d. 2012)
    • 1928 – Gerald Regan, Canadian lawyer and politician, 19th Premier of Nova Scotia (d. 2019)
    • 1929 – Omar Torrijos, Panamanian commander and politician, Military Leader of Panama (d. 1981)
    • 1930 – Ernst Fuchs, Austrian painter, sculptor, and illustrator (d. 2015)
    • 1930 – Israel Kirzner, English-American economist, author, and academic
    • 1932 – Susan Oliver, American actress (d. 1990)
    • 1933 – Paul Biya, Cameroon politician, 2nd President of Cameroon
    • 1933 – Kim Novak, American actress
    • 1933 – Emanuel Ungaro, French fashion designer (d. 2019)
    • 1934 – George Segal, American actor
    • 1937 – Ali El-Maak, Sudanese author and academic (d. 1992)
    • 1937 – Angelo Mosca, American-Canadian football player and wrestler
    • 1938 – Oliver Reed, English actor (d. 1999)
    • 1940 – Bram Peper, Dutch sociologist and politician, Mayor of Rotterdam
    • 1941 – Sigmar Polke, German painter and photographer (d. 2010)
    • 1941 – Bo Svenson, Swedish-American actor, director, and producer
    • 1942 – Carol Lynley, American model and actress (d. 2019)
    • 1942 – Peter Tork, American singer-songwriter, bass player, and actor (d. 2019)
    • 1942 – Donald E. Williams, American captain, pilot, and astronaut (d. 2016)
    • 1943 – Elaine Pagels, American theologian and academic
    • 1944 – Stockard Channing, American actress
    • 1944 – Jerry Springer, English-American television host, actor, and politician, 56th Mayor of Cincinnati
    • 1945 – Marian Dawkins, English biologist and academic
    • 1945 – King Floyd, American singer-songwriter (d. 2006)
    • 1945 – Simon Schama, English historian and author
    • 1945 – William Sleator, American author and composer (d. 2011)
    • 1946 – Richard Blumenthal, American sergeant and politician, 23rd Attorney General of Connecticut
    • 1946 – Janet Finch, English sociologist and academic
    • 1946 – Colin Matthews, English composer and educator
    • 1947 – Stephen Hadley, American soldier and diplomat, 21st United States National Security Advisor
    • 1947 – Mike Krzyzewski, American basketball player and coach
    • 1947 – Bogdan Tanjević, Montenegrin-Bosnian professional basketball coach
    • 1947 – Kevin Bloody Wilson, Australian comedian, singer-songwriter, and guitarist
    • 1949 – Peter Kern, Austrian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2015)
    • 1950 – Vera Baird, English lawyer and politician
    • 1950 – Peter Gabriel, English singer-songwriter and musician
    • 1952 – Ed Gagliardi, American bass player (d. 2014)
    • 1953 – Akio Sato, Japanese wrestler and manager
    • 1954 – Donnie Moore, American baseball player (d. 1989)
    • 1955 – Joe Birkett, American lawyer, judge, and politician
    • 1956 – Peter Hook, English singer, songwriter, bass player, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer
    • 1957 – Denise Austin, American fitness trainer and author
    • 1958 – Pernilla August, Swedish actress
    • 1958 – Marc Emery, Canadian publisher and activist
    • 1958 – Jean-François Lisée, Canadian journalist and politician
    • 1958 – Derek Riggs, English painter and illustrator
    • 1958 – Øivind Elgenes, Norwegian vocalist, guitarist and composer
    • 1959 – Gaston Gingras, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1960 – Pierluigi Collina, Italian footballer and referee
    • 1960 – John Healey, English journalist and politician
    • 1960 – Gary Patterson, American football player and coach
    • 1960 – Artur Yusupov, Russian-German chess player and author
    • 1961 – Marc Crawford, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1961 – cEvin Key, Canadian singer-songwriter, drummer, keyboard player, and producer
    • 1961 – Henry Rollins, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
    • 1962 – Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, Puerto Rican lawyer and politician
    • 1962 – Baby Doll, American wrestler and manager
    • 1962 – Michele Greene, American actress
    • 1964 – Stephen Bowen, American engineer, captain, and astronaut
    • 1964 – Ylva Johansson, Swedish educator and politician, Swedish Minister of Employment
    • 1965 – Peter O’Neill, Papua New Guinean accountant and politician, 7th Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
    • 1966 – Neal McDonough, American actor and producer
    • 1966 – Jeff Waters, Canadian guitarist, songwriter, and producer
    • 1966 – Freedom Williams, American rapper and singer
    • 1967 – Stanimir Stoilov, Bulgarian footballer and coach
    • 1968 – Kelly Hu, American actress
    • 1969 – Joyce DiDonato, American soprano and actress
    • 1970 – Karoline Krüger, Norwegian singer-songwriter and pianist
    • 1971 – Sonia Evans, English singer-songwriter
    • 1971 – Mats Sundin, Swedish ice hockey player
    • 1971 – Todd Williams, American baseball player
    • 1972 – Virgilijus Alekna, Lithuanian discus thrower
    • 1972 – Charlie Garner, American football player
    • 1974 – Fonzworth Bentley, American rapper and actor
    • 1974 – Robbie Williams, English singer-songwriter
    • 1975 – Ben Collins, English race car driver
    • 1975 – Katie Hopkins, English media personality and columnist
    • 1976 – Jörg Bergmeister, German race car driver
    • 1976 – Shannon Nevin, Australian rugby league player
    • 1977 – Randy Moss, American football player and coach
    • 1978 – Niklas Bäckström, Finnish ice hockey player
    • 1978 – Philippe Jaroussky, French countertenor
    • 1979 – Anders Behring Breivik, Norwegian murderer
    • 1979 – Rafael Márquez, Mexican footballer
    • 1979 – Rachel Reeves, English economist and politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
    • 1979 – Mena Suvari, American actress and fashion designer
    • 1980 – Carlos Cotto, Puerto Rican-American wrestler and boxer
    • 1981 – Luisão, Brazilian footballer
    • 1982 – Even Helte Hermansen, Norwegian guitarist and composer
    • 1982 – Michael Turner, American football player
    • 1983 – Mike Nickeas, Canadian baseball player
    • 1983 – Anna Watkins, English rower
    • 1984 – Hinkelien Schreuder, Dutch swimmer
    • 1985 – Kwak Ji-min, South Korean actress
    • 1986 – Luke Moore, English footballer
    • 1986 – Aqib Talib, American football player
    • 1987 – Eljero Elia, Dutch footballer
    • 1988 – Ryan Goins, American baseball player
    • 1988 – Eddy Pettybourne, New Zealand-Samoan rugby league player
    • 1989 – Rodrigo Possebon, Brazilian footballer
    • 1991 – Eliaquim Mangala, French footballer
    • 1991 – Junior Roqica, Australian-Fijian rugby league player
    • 1991 – Vianney, French singer
    • 1994 – Memphis Depay, Dutch footballer

    Deaths on February 13

    • 106 – Emperor He of Han (Han Hedi) of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty (b. AD 79)
    • 721 – Chilperic II, Frankish king (b. 672)
    • 858 – Kenneth MacAlpin, Scottish king (probable; b. 810)
    • 921 – Vratislaus I, duke of Bohemia
    • 936 – Xiao Wen, empress of the Liao Dynasty
    • 942 – Muhammad ibn Ra’iq, Abbasid emir and regent
    • 988 – Adalbert Atto, Lombard nobleman
    • 1021 – Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, Fatimid caliph (b. 985)
    • 1130 – Honorius II, pope of the Catholic Church (b. 1060
    • 1141 – Béla II, king of Hungary and Croatia (b. 1110)
    • 1199 – Stefan Nemanja, Serbian grand prince (b. 1113)
    • 1219 – Minamoto no Sanetomo, Japanese shōgun (b. 1192)
    • 1332 – Andronikos II Palaiologos, Byzantine emperor (b. 1259)
    • 1351 – Kō no Morofuyu, Japanese general
    • 1539 – Isabella d’Este, Italian noblewoman (b. 1474)
    • 1542 – Catherine Howard, English wife of Henry VIII of England (executed;b. 1521)
    • 1571 – Benvenuto Cellini, Italian painter and sculptor (b. 1500)
    • 1585 – Alfonso Salmeron, Spanish priest and scholar (b. 1515)
    • 1602 – Alexander Nowell, English clergyman and theologian (b. 1507)
    • 1660 – Charles X Gustav, king of Sweden (b. 1622)
    • 1662 – Elizabeth Stuart, queen of Bohemia (b. 1596)
    • 1693 – Johann Caspar Kerll, German organist and composer (b. 1627)
    • 1727 – William Wotton, English linguist and scholar (b. 1666)
    • 1728 – Cotton Mather, American minister and author (b. 1663)
    • 1732 – Charles-René d’Hozier, French historian and author (b. 1640)
    • 1741 – Johann Joseph Fux, Austrian composer and theorist (b. 1660)
    • 1787 – Roger Joseph Boscovich, Croatian physicist, astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher (b. 1711)
    • 1787 – Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes, French lawyer and politician, Foreign Minister of France (b. 1717)
    • 1813 – Samuel Ashe, American lawyer and politician, 9th Governor of North Carolina (b. 1725)
    • 1818 – George Rogers Clark, American general (b. 1752)
    • 1826 – Peter Ludwig von der Pahlen, Russian general and politician, Governor-General of Baltic provinces (b. 1745)
    • 1831 – Edward Berry, English admiral (b. 1768)
    • 1837 – Mariano José de Larra, Spanish journalist and author (b. 1809)
    • 1845 – Henrik Steffens, Norwegian-German philosopher and poet (b. 1773)
    • 1877 – Costache Caragiale, Romanian actor and manager (b. 1815)
    • 1883 – Richard Wagner, German composer (b. 1813)
    • 1888 – Jean-Baptiste Lamy, French-American archbishop (b. 1814)
    • 1892 – Provo Wallis, Canadian-English admiral (b. 1791)
    • 1893 – Ignacio Manuel Altamirano, Mexican intellectual and journalist (b. 1834)
    • 1905 – Konstantin Savitsky, Russian painter (b. 1844)
    • 1906 – Albert Gottschalk, Danish painter (b. 1866)
    • 1934 – József Pusztai, Slovene-Hungarian poet and journalist (b. 1864)
    • 1942 – Otakar Batlička, Czech journalist (b. 1895)
    • 1942 – Epitácio Pessoa, Brazilian lawyer, judge, and politician, 11th President of Brazil (b. 1865)
    • 1950 – Rafael Sabatini, Italian-English novelist and short story writer (b. 1875)
    • 1951 – Lloyd C. Douglas, American minister and author (b. 1877)
    • 1952 – Josephine Tey, Scottish author and playwright (b. 1896)
    • 1954 – Agnes Macphail, Canadian educator and politician (b. 1890)
    • 1956 – Jan Łukasiewicz, Polish mathematician and philosopher (b. 1878)
    • 1958 – Christabel Pankhurst, English activist, co-founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (b. 1880)
    • 1958 – Georges Rouault, French painter and illustrator (b. 1871)
    • 1964 – Paulino Alcántara, Filipino-Spanish footballer and manager (b. 1896)
    • 1964 – Werner Heyde, German psychiatrist and academic (b. 1902)
    • 1967 – Yoshisuke Aikawa, entrepreneur, businessman, and politician, founded Nissan Motor Company (b. 1880)
    • 1967 – Abelardo L. Rodríguez, substitute president of Mexico (1932-1934) (b. 1889)
    • 1968 – Mae Marsh, American actress (b. 1895)
    • 1968 – Portia White, Canadian opera singer (b. 1911)
    • 1973 – Marinus Jan Granpré Molière, Dutch architect and educator (b. 1883)
    • 1975 – André Beaufre, French general (b. 1902)
    • 1976 – Murtala Mohammed, Nigerian general and politician, 4th President of Nigeria (b. 1938)
    • 1976 – Lily Pons, French-American soprano and actress (b. 1904)
    • 1980 – David Janssen, American actor (b. 1931)
    • 1984 – Cheong Eak Chong, Singaporean entrepreneur (b. 1888)
    • 1986 – Yuri Ivask, Russian-American poet and critic (b. 1907)
    • 1989 – Wayne Hays, American lieutenant and politician (b. 1911)
    • 1991 – Arno Breker, German sculptor and illustrator (b. 1900)
    • 1992 – Nikolay Bogolyubov, Ukrainian-Russian mathematician and physicist (b. 1909)
    • 1996 – Martin Balsam, American actor (b. 1919)
    • 1997 – Robert Klark Graham, American eugenicist and businessman (b. 1906)
    • 1997 – Mark Krasnosel’skii, Russian-Ukrainian mathematician and academic (b. 1920)
    • 2000 – Anders Aalborg, Canadian educator and politician (b. 1914)
    • 2000 – James Cooke Brown, American sociologist and author (b. 1921)
    • 2000 – John Leake, English soldier (b. 1949)
    • 2002 – Waylon Jennings, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1937)
    • 2003 – Kid Gavilán, Cuban-American boxer (b. 1926)
    • 2003 – Walt Whitman Rostow, American economist; 7th United States National Security Advisor (b. 1916)
    • 2004 – François Tavenas, Canadian engineer and academic (b. 1942)
    • 2004 – Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, Chechen politician, 2nd President of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria (b. 1952)
    • 2005 – Nelson Briles, American baseball player and sportscaster (b. 1943)
    • 2005 – Lúcia Santos, Portuguese nun (b. 1907)
    • 2006 – P. F. Strawson, English philosopher and author (b. 1919)
    • 2007 – Elizabeth Jolley, English-Australian author and academic (b. 1923)
    • 2007 – Charlie Norwood, American captain and politician (b. 1941)
    • 2007 – Richard Gordon Wakeford, English air marshal (b. 1922)
    • 2008 – Kon Ichikawa, Japanese director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1915)
    • 2009 – Edward Upward, English author and educator (b. 1903)
    • 2010 – Lucille Clifton, American poet and academic (b. 1936)
    • 2010 – Dale Hawkins, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1936)
    • 2012 – Russell Arms, American actor and singer (b. 1920)
    • 2012 – Louise Cochrane, American-English screenwriter and producer (b. 1918)
    • 2012 – Daniel C. Gerould, American playwright and academic (b. 1928)
    • 2013 – Gerry Day, American journalist and screenwriter (b. 1922)
    • 2013 – Miles J. Jones, American pathologist and physician (b. 1952)
    • 2013 – Pieter Kooijmans, Dutch judge and politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs for The Netherlands (b. 1933)
    • 2013 – Andrée Malebranche, Haitian artist (b. 1916)
    • 2013 – Yuko Tojo, Japanese activist and politician (b. 1939)
    • 2014 – Balu Mahendra, Sri Lankan-Indian director, cinematographer, and screenwriter (b. 1939)
    • 2014 – Richard Møller Nielsen, Danish footballer and manager (b. 1937)
    • 2014 – Ralph Waite, American actor and activist (b. 1928)
    • 2015 – Faith Bandler, Australian activist and author (b. 1918)
    • 2015 – Stan Chambers, American journalist and actor (b. 1923)
    • 2016 – O. N. V. Kurup, Indian poet and academic (b. 1931)
    • 2016 – Antonin Scalia, American lawyer and judge, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (b. 1936)
    • 2017 – Ricardo Arias Calderón, Panamanian politician, Vice President (1990–1992) (b. 1933)
    • 2017 – Aileen Hernandez, American union organizer and activist (b. 1926)
    • 2017 – Seijun Suzuki, Japanese filmmaker (b. 1923)
    • 2017 – Kim Jong-nam, North Korean politician (b. 1971)
    • 2017 – E-Dubble, American rapper (b. 1982)
    • 2018 – Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark, French-born Danish royal (b. 1934)

    Holidays and observances on February 13

    • Children’s Day (Myanmar)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Absalom Jones (Episcopal Church (USA))
      • Beatrice of Ornacieux
      • Castor of Karden
      • Catherine of Ricci
      • Ermenilda of Ely
      • Fulcran
      • Jordan of Saxony
      • Polyeuctus (Roman Catholic Church)
      • February 13 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • World Radio Day

  • February 7 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    February 7 in History

    • 457 – Leo I the Thracian becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
    • 987 – Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II.
    • 1301 – Edward of Caernarvon (later king Edward II of England) becomes the first English Prince of Wales.
    • 1313 – King Thihathu founds the Pinya Kingdom as the de jure successor state of the Pagan Kingdom
    • 1497 – In Florence, Italy, supporters of Girolamo Savonarola burn cosmetics, art, and books, in a “Bonfire of the vanities”.
    • 1783 – American Revolutionary War: French and Spanish forces lift the Great Siege of Gibraltar.
    • 1795 – The 11th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified.
    • 1807 – Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon finds Bennigsen’s Russian forces taking a stand at Eylau. After bitter fighting, the French take the town, but the Russians resume the battle the next day.
    • 1812 – The strongest in a series of earthquakes strikes New Madrid, Missouri.
    • 1813 – In the action of 7 February 1813 near the Îles de Los, the frigates Aréthuse and Amelia batter each other, but neither can gain the upper hand.
    • 1819 – Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles leaves Singapore after just taking it over, leaving it in the hands of William Farquhar.
    • 1842 – Battle of Debre Tabor: Ras Ali Alula, Regent of the Emperor of Ethiopia defeats warlord Wube Haile Maryam of Semien.
    • 1854 – A law is approved to found the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Lectures started October 16, 1855.
    • 1863 – HMS Orpheus sinks off the coast of Auckland, New Zealand, killing 189.
    • 1894 – The Cripple Creek miner’s strike, led by the Western Federation of Miners, begins in Cripple Creek, Colorado, United States.
    • 1898 – Dreyfus affair: Émile Zola is brought to trial for libel for publishing J’Accuse…!.
    • 1900 – Second Boer War: British troops fail in their third attempt to lift the Siege of Ladysmith.
    • 1900 – A Chinese immigrant in San Francisco falls ill to bubonic plague in the first plague epidemic in the continental United States.
    • 1904 – A fire begins in Baltimore, Maryland; it destroys over 1,500 buildings in 30 hours.
    • 1940 – The second full-length animated Walt Disney film, Pinocchio, premieres.
    • 1943 – World War II: Imperial Japanese Navy forces complete the evacuation of Imperial Japanese Army troops from Guadalcanal during Operation Ke, ending Japanese attempts to retake the island from Allied forces in the Guadalcanal Campaign.
    • 1944 – World War II: In Anzio, Italy, German forces launch a counteroffensive during the Allied Operation Shingle.
    • 1951 – Korean War: More than 700 suspected communist sympathizers are massacred by South Korean forces.
    • 1962 – The United States bans all Cuban imports and exports.
    • 1974 – Grenada gains independence from the United Kingdom.
    • 1979 – Pluto moves inside Neptune’s orbit for the first time since either was discovered.
    • 1984 – Space Shuttle program: STS-41-B Mission: Astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart make the first untethered space walk using the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU).
    • 1986 – Twenty-eight years of one-family rule end in Haiti, when President Jean-Claude Duvalier flees the Caribbean nation.
    • 1990 – Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party agrees to give up its monopoly on power.
    • 1991 – Haiti’s first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, is sworn in.
    • 1991 – The Troubles: The Provisional IRA launched a mortar attack on 10 Downing Street in London, the headquarters of the British government.
    • 1992 – The Maastricht Treaty is signed, leading to the creation of the European Union.
    • 1995 – Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, is arrested in Islamabad, Pakistan.
    • 1997 – NeXT merges with Apple Computer, starting the path to Mac OS X.
    • 1999 – Crown Prince Abdullah becomes the King of Jordan on the death of his father, King Hussein.
    • 2009 – Bushfires in Victoria leave 173 dead in the worst natural disaster in Australia’s history.
    • 2012 – President Mohamed Nasheed of the Republic of Maldives resigns, after 23 days of anti-governmental protests calling for the release of Chief Judge unlawfully arrested by the military.
    • 2013 – The U.S. state of Mississippi officially certifies the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last state to approve the abolition of slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment was formally ratified by Mississippi in 1995.
    • 2014 – Scientists announce that the Happisburgh footprints in Norfolk, England, date back to more than 800,000 years ago, making them the oldest known hominid footprints outside Africa.
    • 2016 – North Korea launches Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4 into outer space violating multiple UN treaties and prompting condemnation from around the world.

    Births on February 7

    • 574 – Prince Shōtoku of Japan (d. 622)
    • 1102 – Empress Matilda, Holy Roman Empress, and claimant to the English throne (probable; d. 1167)
    • 1478 – Thomas More, English lawyer and politician, Lord Chancellor of England (d. 1535)
    • 1487 – Queen Dangyeong, Korean royal consort (d. 1557)
    • 1500 – João de Castro, viceroy of Portuguese India (d. 1548)
    • 1612 – Thomas Killigrew, English playwright and manager (d. 1683)
    • 1622 – Vittoria della Rovere, Italian noble (d. 1694)
    • 1693 – Empress Anna of Russia (d. 1740)
    • 1722 – Azar Bigdeli, Iranian anthologist and poet (d. 1781)
    • 1726 – Margaret Fownes-Luttrell, English painter (d. 1766)
    • 1741 – Henry Fuseli, Swiss-English painter and academic (d. 1825)
    • 1758 – Benedikt Schack, Czech tenor and composer (d. 1826)
    • 1796 – Thomas Gregson, English-Australian lawyer and politician, 2nd Premier of Tasmania (baptism date; d. 1874)
    • 1802 – Louisa Jane Hall, American poet, essayist, and literary critic (d. 1892)
    • 1804 – John Deere, American blacksmith and businessman, founded Deere & Company (d. 1886)
    • 1812 – Charles Dickens, English novelist and critic (d. 1870)
    • 1825 – Karl Möbius, German zoologist and ecologist (d. 1908)
    • 1834 – Alfred-Philibert Aldrophe, French architect (d. 1895)
    • 1837 – James Murray, Scottish lexicographer and philologist (d. 1915)
    • 1864 – Arthur Collins, American baritone singer (d. 1933)
    • 1867 – Laura Ingalls Wilder, American author (d. 1957)
    • 1870 – Alfred Adler, Austrian-Scottish psychologist and therapist (d. 1937)
    • 1871 – Wilhelm Stenhammar, Swedish pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1927)
    • 1873 – Thomas Andrews, Irish shipbuilder and businessman, designed the RMS Titanic (d. 1912)
    • 1877 – G. H. Hardy, English mathematician and geneticist (d. 1947)
    • 1878 – Ossip Gabrilowitsch, Russian-American pianist and conductor (d. 1936)
    • 1885 – Sinclair Lewis, American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1951)
    • 1885 – Hugo Sperrle, German field marshal (d. 1953)
    • 1887 – Eubie Blake, American pianist and composer (d. 1983)
    • 1889 – Harry Nyquist, Swedish-American engineer and theorist (d. 1976)
    • 1893 – Joseph Algernon Pearce, Canadian astrophysicist and astronomer (d. 1988)
    • 1893 – Nicanor Abelardo, Filipino pianist, composer and teacher (d. 1934)
    • 1895 – Anita Stewart, American actress (d. 1961)
    • 1901 – Arnold Nordmeyer, New Zealand minister and politician, 30th New Zealand Minister of Finance (d. 1989)
    • 1904 – Ernest E. Debs, American politician, California State Assembly member, Los Angeles city councilman, and a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (d. 2002)
    • 1905 – Paul Nizan, French philosopher and author (d. 1940)
    • 1905 – Ulf von Euler, Swedish physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1983)
    • 1906 – Puyi, Chinese emperor (d. 1967)
    • 1906 – Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov, Russian engineer, founded the Antonov Aircraft Company (d. 1984)
    • 1908 – Buster Crabbe, American swimmer and actor (d. 1983)
    • 1908 – Manmath Nath Gupta, Indian journalist and author (d. 2000)
    • 1909 – Hélder Câmara, Brazilian archbishop (d. 1999)
    • 1909 – Amedeo Guillet, Italian soldier (d. 2010)
    • 1912 – Russell Drysdale, English-Australian painter (d. 1981)
    • 1915 – Teoctist Arăpașu, Romanian patriarch (d. 2007)
    • 1915 – Eddie Bracken, American actor and singer (d. 2002)
    • 1916 – Frank Hyde, Australian rugby player, coach, and sportscaster (d. 2007)
    • 1919 – Jock Mahoney, American actor and stuntman (d. 1989)
    • 1919 – Desmond Doss, American army corporal and combat medic, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 2006)
    • 1920 – Oscar Brand, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and author (d. 2016)
    • 1920 – An Wang, Chinese-American engineer and businessman, founded Wang Laboratories (d. 1990)
    • 1921 – Athol Rowan, South African cricketer (d. 1998)
    • 1922 – Hattie Jacques, English actress (d. 1980)
    • 1923 – Dora Bryan, English actress and restaurateur (d. 2014)
    • 1925 – Hans Schmidt, Canadian wrestler (d. 2012)
    • 1926 – Konstantin Feoktistov, Russian engineer and astronaut (d. 2009)
    • 1926 – Bill Hoest, American cartoonist (d. 1988)
    • 1927 – Juliette Gréco, French singer and actress
    • 1927 – Vladimir Kuts, Ukrainian-Russian runner and coach (d. 1975)
    • 1927 – Lalo Ríos, Mexican actor (d. 1973)
    • 1928 – Lincoln D. Faurer, American general (d. 2014)
    • 1929 – Jim Langley, English international footballer, full back and manager (d. 2007)
    • 1932 – Gay Talese, American journalist and memoirist
    • 1932 – Alfred Worden, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut (d. 2020)
    • 1933 – K. N. Choksy, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, Sri Lankan Minister of Finance (d. 2015)
    • 1934 – Eddie Fenech Adami, Maltese lawyer and politician, 7th President of Malta
    • 1934 – King Curtis, American saxophonist and producer (d. 1971)
    • 1934 – Earl King, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 2003)
    • 1935 – Cliff Jones, Welsh international footballer, winger
    • 1935 – Herb Kohl, American businessman and politician
    • 1935 – Jörg Schneider, Swiss actor and author (d. 2015)
    • 1936 – Jas Gawronski, Italian journalist and politician
    • 1937 – Peter Jay, English economist, journalist, and diplomat, British Ambassador to the United States
    • 1937 – Juan Pizarro, Puerto Rican baseball player
    • 1940 – Tony Tan, Singaporean academic and politician, 7th President of Singapore
    • 1941 – Kevin Crossley-Holland, English author and poet
    • 1943 – Eric Foner, American historian, author, and academic
    • 1943 – Gareth Hunt, English actor (d. 2007)
    • 1945 – Gerald Davies, Welsh rugby player and journalist
    • 1946 – Héctor Babenco, Argentinian-Brazilian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2016)
    • 1946 – Sammy Johns, American country music singer-songwriter (d. 2013)
    • 1946 – Pete Postlethwaite, English actor (d. 2011)
    • 1946 – Gérard Jean-Juste, Haitian priest and activist (d. 2009)
    • 1949 – Jacques Duchesneau, Canadian police officer and politician
    • 1949 – Joe English, American drummer and songwriter
    • 1950 – Karen Joy Fowler, American author
    • 1953 – Dan Quisenberry, American baseball player and poet (d. 1998)
    • 1954 – Dieter Bohlen, German singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1955 – Rolf Benirschke, American football player and game show host
    • 1955 – Miguel Ferrer, American actor and director (d. 2017)
    • 1956 – John Nielsen, Danish racing driver
    • 1956 – Mark St. John, American guitarist (d. 2007)
    • 1957 – Carney Lansford, American baseball player and coach
    • 1958 – Giuseppe Baresi, Italian footballer and manager
    • 1958 – Terry Marsh, English boxer and politician
    • 1958 – Matt Ridley, English journalist, author, and politician
    • 1959 – Mick McCarthy, English footballer, manager, and sportscaster
    • 1960 – Robert Smigel, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1960 – James Spader, American actor and producer
    • 1962 – Garth Brooks, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1962 – David Bryan, American keyboard player and songwriter
    • 1962 – Eddie Izzard, English comedian, actor, and producer
    • 1963 – Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, American Naval officer and astronaut
    • 1964 – Ashok Banker, Indian journalist, author, and screenwriter
    • 1965 – Chris Rock, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1966 – Kristin Otto, German swimmer
    • 1968 – Peter Bondra, Ukrainian-Slovak ice hockey player and manager
    • 1968 – Sully Erna, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1968 – Mark Tewksbury, Canadian swimmer and sportscaster
    • 1969 – Andrew Micallef, Maltese painter and musician
    • 1971 – Anita Tsoy, Russian singer-songwriter
    • 1972 – Robyn Lively, American actress
    • 1973 – Juwan Howard, American basketball player and coach
    • 1974 – J Dilla, American rapper and producer (d. 2006)
    • 1974 – Nujabes, Japanese record producer, DJ, composer and arranger (d. 2010)
    • 1974 – Steve Nash, South African-Canadian basketball player
    • 1975 – Wes Borland, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1975 – Alexandre Daigle, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1975 – Rémi Gaillard, French comedian and actor
    • 1976 – Chito Miranda, Filipino singer-songwriter
    • 1977 – Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, Japanese footballer
    • 1978 – David Aebischer, Swiss ice hockey player
    • 1978 – Endy Chávez, Venezuelan baseball player
    • 1978 – Ashton Kutcher, American model, actor, producer, and entrepreneur
    • 1978 – Daniel Van Buyten, Belgian football player
    • 1979 – Daniel Bierofka, German footballer and coach
    • 1979 – Tawakkol Karman, Yemeni journalist and activist, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1979 – Sam J. Miller, American author
    • 1981 – Darcy Dolce Neto, Brazilian footballer
    • 1981 – Lee Ok-sung, South Korean boxer
    • 1982 – Osamu Mukai, Japanese actor
    • 1982 – Mickaël Piétrus, French basketball player
    • 1983 – Sho Kamogawa, Japanese footballer
    • 1983 – Christian Klien, Austrian race car driver
    • 1983 – Federico Marchetti, Italian footballer
    • 1984 – Trey Hardee, American decathlete
    • 1985 – Tina Majorino, American actress
    • 1988 – Ai Kago, Japanese singer and actress
    • 1989 – Nick Calathes, Greek basketball player
    • 1989 – Elia Viviani, Italian cyclist
    • 1989 – Isaiah Thomas, American basketball player
    • 1990 – Gianluca Lapadula, Italian footballer
    • 1990 – Dalilah Muhammad, American hurdler
    • 1990 – Steven Stamkos, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1991 – Ryan O’Reilly, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1992 – Sergi Roberto, Spanish footballer
    • 1992 – Ksenia Stolbova, Russian figure skater
    • 1992 – Maimi Yajima, Japanese singer and actress
    • 1993 – Chris Mears, English diver
    • 1994 – Riley Barber, American ice hockey player
    • 1995 – Roberto Osuna, Mexican baseball player
    • 1996 – Pierre Gasly, French racing driver
    • 1997 – Nicolò Barella, Italian footballer

    Deaths on February 7

    • 199 – Lü Bu, Chinese warlord
    • 318 – Jin Mindi, emperor of the Jin Dynasty (b. 300)
    • 999 – Boleslaus II the Pious, Duke of Bohemia (b. 932)
    • 1045 – Emperor Go-Suzaku of Japan (b. 1009)
    • 1065 – Siegfried I, Count of Sponheim (b. c. 1010)
    • 1127 – Ava, German poet (b. 1060)
    • 1165 – Marshal Stephen of Armenia
    • 1259 – Thomas, Count of Flanders
    • 1317 – Robert, Count of Clermont (b. 1256)
    • 1320 – Jan Muskata, Bishop of Kraków (b. 1250)
    • 1333 – Nikko, Japanese priest, founder of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism (b. 1246)
    • 1520 – Alfonsina de’ Medici, Regent of Florence (b. 1472)
    • 1560 – Bartolommeo Bandinelli, Florentine sculptor (b. 1493)
    • 1603 – Bartholomäus Sastrow, German politician (b. 1520)
    • 1626 – William V, Duke of Bavaria (b. 1548)
    • 1642 – William Bedell, English bishop and academic (b. 1571)
    • 1693 – Paul Pellisson, French lawyer and author (b. 1624)
    • 1736 – Stephen Gray, English astronomer and physicist (b. 1666)
    • 1779 – William Boyce, English organist and composer (b. 1711)
    • 1799 – Qianlong Emperor of China (b. 1711)
    • 1801 – Daniel Chodowiecki, Polish-German painter and academic (b. 1726)
    • 1819 – August Wilhelm Hupel, German-Estonian linguist and author (b. 1737)
    • 1823 – Ann Radcliffe, English author (b. 1764)
    • 1837 – Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden (b. 1778)
    • 1849 – Mariano Paredes, Mexican general and 16th president (1845-1846) (b. 1797)
    • 1862 – Francisco de Paula Martínez de la Rosa y Berdejo, Spanish playwright and politician, Prime Minister of Spain (b. 1787)
    • 1864 – Vuk Karadžić, Serbian philologist and linguist (b. 1787)
    • 1871 – Henry E. Steinway, German-American businessman, founded Steinway & Sons (b. 1797)
    • 1873 – Sheridan Le Fanu, Irish author (b. 1814)
    • 1878 – Pope Pius IX (b. 1792)
    • 1891 – Marie Louise Andrews, American story writer and journalist (b. 1849)
    • 1897 – Galileo Ferraris, Italian physicist and engineer (b. 1847)
    • 1919 – William Halford, English-American lieutenant, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1841)
    • 1920 – Alexander Kolchak, Russian admiral and explorer (b. 1874)
    • 1920 – Charles Langelier, Canadian journalist, judge, and politician (b. 1850)
    • 1921 – John J. Gardner, American politician (b. 1845)
    • 1937 – Elihu Root, American lawyer and politician, 38th United States Secretary of State, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1845)
    • 1938 – Harvey Samuel Firestone, American businessman, founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company (b. 1868)
    • 1939 – Boris Grigoriev, Russian painter and illustrator (b. 1886)
    • 1942 – Ivan Bilibin, Russian illustrator and stage designer (b. 1876)
    • 1944 – Lina Cavalieri, Italian soprano and actress (b. 1874)
    • 1959 – Nap Lajoie, American baseball player and manager (b. 1874)
    • 1959 – Daniel François Malan, South African minister and politician, 5th Prime Minister of South Africa (b. 1874)
    • 1959 – Guitar Slim, American singer and guitarist (b. 1926)
    • 1960 – Igor Kurchatov, Russian physicist and academic (b. 1903)
    • 1963 – Learco Guerra, Italian cyclist and manager (b. 1902)
    • 1964 – Sofoklis Venizelos, Greek captain and politician, 133rd Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1894)
    • 1968 – Nick Adams, American actor and screenwriter (b. 1931)
    • 1972 – Walter Lang, American director and screenwriter (b. 1896)
    • 1979 – Josef Mengele, German SS officer and physician (b. 1911)
    • 1986 – Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegalese historian, anthropologist, and physicist (b. 1923)
    • 1990 – Alan Perlis, American computer scientist and academic (b. 1922)
    • 1990 – Alfredo M. Santos, Filipino general (b. 1905)
    • 1991 – Amos Yarkoni, Israeli colonel (b. 1920)
    • 1994 – Witold Lutosławski, Polish composer and conductor (b. 1913)
    • 1996 – Phillip Davidson, American general (b. 1915)
    • 1999 – King Hussein of Jordan (b. 1935)
    • 1999 – Bobby Troup, American actor, pianist, and composer (b. 1918)
    • 2000 – Doug Henning, Canadian magician and politician (b. 1947)
    • 2001 – Dale Evans, American singer-songwriter and actress (b. 1912)
    • 2001 – Anne Morrow Lindbergh, American author and pilot (b. 1906)
    • 2003 – Augusto Monterroso, Guatemalan author (b. 1921)
    • 2005 – Atli Dam, Faroese engineer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands (b. 1932)
    • 2006 – Princess Durru Shehvar of the Ottoman Empire (b. 1914)
    • 2009 – Blossom Dearie, American singer and pianist (b. 1924)
    • 2010 – Franco Ballerini, Italian cyclist and coach (b. 1964)
    • 2012 – Harry Keough, American soccer player and coach (b. 1927)
    • 2013 – Krsto Papić, Croatian director and screenwriter (b. 1933)
    • 2014 – Doug Mohns, Canadian-American ice hockey player (b. 1933)
    • 2015 – Billy Casper, American golfer and architect (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – Marshall Rosenberg, American psychologist and author (b. 1934)
    • 2015 – Dean Smith, American basketball player and coach (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – John C. Whitehead, American banker and politician, 9th United States Deputy Secretary of State (b. 1922)
    • 2017 – Richard Hatch, American actor (b. 1945)
    • 2017 – Hans Rosling, Swedish academic (b. 1948)
    • 2017 – Tzvetan Todorov, Bulgarian philosopher (b. 1939)
    • 2019 – John Dingell, American politician (b. 1926)
    • 2019 – Albert Finney, English actor (b. 1936)
    • 2019 – Jan Olszewski, Polish politician, 3rd Prime Minister (b. 1930)
    • 2019 – Frank Robinson, American baseball player, coach, and manager (b. 1935)

    Holidays and observances on February 7

    • Christian feast day:
      • Richard the Pilgrim
      • Blessed Eugénie Smet
      • Blessed Pope Pius IX
      • Chrysolius
      • Egidio Maria of Saint Joseph
      • Colette of Corbie
      • February 7 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
      • New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Orthodox Church Typically observed on the Sunday closest to January 25 (O.S.)/February 7 (N.S.)
    • Independence Day (Grenada), celebrates the independence of Grenada from the United Kingdom in 1974.
    • National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (United States)

  • January 11 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople: A quarrel between supporters of different chariot teams—the Blues and the Greens—in the Hippodrome escalates into violence.
    • 630 – Conquest of Mecca: The prophet Muhammad and his followers conquer the city, Quraysh surrender.
    • 947 – Emperor Tai Zong of the Khitan-led Liao Dynasty invades the Later Jin, resulting in the destruction of the Later Jin.
    • 1055 – Theodora is crowned empress of the Byzantine Empire.
    • 1158 – Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia becomes King of Bohemia.
    • 1569 – First recorded lottery in England.
    • 1571 – Austrian nobility is granted freedom of religion.
    • 1654 – Arauco War: A Spanish army is defeated by local Mapuche-Huilliches as it tries to cross Bueno River in Southern Chile.
    • 1693 – A powerful earthquake destroys parts of Sicily and Malta.
    • 1759 – The first American life insurance company, the Corporation for Relief of Poor and Distressed Presbyterian Ministers and of the Poor and Distressed Widows and Children of the Presbyterian Ministers (now part of Unum Group), is incorporated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    • 1779 – Ching-Thang Khomba is crowned King of Manipur.
    • 1787 – William Herschel discovers Titania and Oberon, two moons of Uranus.
    • 1805 – The Michigan Territory is created.
    • 1861 – American Civil War: Alabama secedes from the United States.
    • 1863 – American Civil War: Battle of Arkansas Post: General John McClernand and Admiral David Dixon Porter capture the Arkansas River for the Union.
    • 1863 – American Civil War: CSS Alabama encounters and sinks the USS Hatteras off Galveston Lighthouse in Texas.
    • 1879 – The Anglo-Zulu War begins.
    • 1908 – Grand Canyon National Monument is created.
    • 1912 – Immigrant textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, go on strike when wages are reduced in response to a mandated shortening of the work week.
    • 1917 – The Kingsland munitions factory explosion occurs as a result of sabotage.
    • 1922 – First use of insulin to treat diabetes in a human patient.
    • 1923 – Occupation of the Ruhr: Troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area to force Germany to make its World War I reparation payments.
    • 1927 – Louis B. Mayer, head of film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), announces the creation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, at a banquet in Los Angeles, California.
    • 1935 – Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
    • 1942 – World War II: Japanese forces capture Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the Federated Malay States.
    • 1942 – World War II: Japanese forces attack Tarakan in Borneo, Netherlands Indies (Battle of Tarakan)
    • 1943 – The Republic of China agrees to the Sino-British New Equal Treaty and the Sino-American New Equal Treaty.
    • 1943 – Italian-American anarchist Carlo Tresca is assassinated in New York City.
    • 1946 – Enver Hoxha, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Albania, declares the People’s Republic of Albania with himself as head of state.
    • 1949 – The first “networked” television broadcasts took place as KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania goes on the air connecting the east coast and mid-west programming.
    • 1957 – The African Convention is founded in Dakar, Senegal.
    • 1961 – Throgs Neck Bridge over the East River, linking New York City’s boroughs of The Bronx and Queens, opens to road traffic.
    • 1962 – Cold War: While tied to its pier in Polyarny, the Soviet submarine B-37 is destroyed when fire breaks out in its torpedo compartment.
    • 1962 – An avalanche on Huascarán in Peru causes around 4,000 deaths.
    • 1964 – Surgeon General of the United States Dr. Luther Terry, M.D., publishes the landmark report Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the United States saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking national and worldwide anti-smoking efforts.
    • 1972 – East Pakistan renames itself Bangladesh.
    • 1973 – Major League Baseball owners vote in approval of the American League adopting the designated hitter position.
    • 1986 – The Gateway Bridge, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia is officially opened.
    • 1994 – The Irish Government announces the end of a 15-year broadcasting ban on the IRA and its political arm Sinn Féin.
    • 1996 – Space Shuttle program: STS-72 launches from the Kennedy Space Center marking the start of the 74th Space Shuttle mission and the 10th flight of Endeavour.
    • 1998 – Over 100 people are killed in the Sidi-Hamed massacre in Algeria.
    • 2003 – Illinois Governor George Ryan commutes the death sentences of 167 prisoners on Illinois’s death row based on the Jon Burge scandal.
    • 2013 – One French soldier and 17 militants are killed in a failed attempt to free a French hostage in Bulo Marer, Somalia.

    Births on January 11

    • 347 – Theodosius I, Roman emperor (d. 395)
    • 889 – Abd-ar-Rahman III, first Caliph of Córdoba (d. 961)
    • 1113 – Wang Chongyang, Chinese religious leader and poet (d. 1170)
    • 1209 – Möngke Khan, Mongolian emperor (d. 1259)
    • 1322 – Emperor Kōmyō of Japan (d. 1380)
    • 1359 – Emperor Go-En’yū of Japan (d. 1393)
    • 1395 – Michele of Valois, daughter of Charles VI of France (d. 1422)
    • 1503 – Parmigianino, Italian artist (d. 1540)
    • 1589 – William Strode, English politician (d. 1666)
    • 1591 – Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire (d. 1646)
    • 1624 – Bastiaan Govertsz van der Leeuw, Dutch painter (d. 1680)
    • 1630 – John Rogers, English-American minister, physician, and academic (d. 1684)
    • 1638 – Nicolas Steno, Danish bishop and anatomist (d. 1686)
    • 1642 – Johann Friedrich Alberti, German organist and composer (d. 1710)
    • 1650 – Diana Glauber, Dutch-German painter (d. 1721)
    • 1671 – François-Marie, 1st duc de Broglie, French general and diplomat (d. 1745)
    • 1755 – Alexander Hamilton, Nevisian-American general, economist and politician, 1st United States Secretary of the Treasury (d. 1804)
    • 1757 – Samuel Bentham, English engineer and architect (d. 1831)
    • 1760 – Oliver Wolcott Jr., American lawyer and politician, 2nd United States Secretary of the Treasury, 24th Governor of Connecticut (d. 1833)
    • 1777 – Vincenzo Borg, Maltese merchant and rebel leader (d. 1837)
    • 1786 – Joseph Jackson Lister, English physicist (d. 1869)
    • 1788 – William Thomas Brande, English chemist and academic (d. 1866)
    • 1800 – Ányos Jedlik, Hungarian physicist and engineer (d. 1895)
    • 1807 – Ezra Cornell, American businessman and philanthropist, founded Western Union and Cornell University (d. 1874)
    • 1814 – James Paget, English surgeon and pathologist (d. 1899)
    • 1815 – John A. Macdonald, Scottish-Canadian lawyer and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1891)
    • 1825 – Bayard Taylor, American poet, author, and critic (d. 1878)
    • 1839 – Eugenio María de Hostos, Puerto Rican lawyer, philosopher, and sociologist (d. 1903)
    • 1842 – William James, American psychologist and philosopher (d. 1910)
    • 1843 – Adolf Eberle, German painter (d. 1914)
    • 1845 – Albert Victor Bäcklund, Swedish mathematician and physicist (d. 1912)
    • 1850 – Joseph Charles Arthur, American pathologist and mycologist (d. 1942)
    • 1852 – Constantin Fehrenbach, German lawyer and politician, 4th Chancellor of Weimar Germany (d. 1926)
    • 1853 – Georgios Jakobides, Greek painter and sculptor (d. 1932)
    • 1856 – Christian Sinding, Norwegian pianist and composer (d. 1941)
    • 1857 – Fred Archer, English jockey (d. 1886)
    • 1858 – Harry Gordon Selfridge, American-English businessman, founded Selfridges (d. 1947)
    • 1859 – George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, English politician, 35th Governor-General of India (d. 1925)
    • 1864 – Thomas Dixon, Jr., American minister, lawyer, and politician (d. 1946)
    • 1867 – Edward B. Titchener, English psychologist and academic (d. 1927)
    • 1868 – Cai Yuanpei, Chinese philosopher, academic, and politician (d. 1940)
    • 1870 – Alexander Stirling Calder, American sculptor and educator (d. 1945)
    • 1872 – G. W. Pierce, American physicist and academic (d. 1956)
    • 1873 – John Callan O’Laughlin, American soldier and journalist (d. 1949)
    • 1875 – Reinhold Glière, Russian composer and academic (d. 1956)
    • 1876 – Elmer Flick, American baseball player (d. 1971)
    • 1876 – Thomas Hicks, American runner (d. 1952)
    • 1878 – Theodoros Pangalos, Greek general and politician, President of Greece (d. 1952)
    • 1885 – Alice Paul, American activist and suffragist (d. 1977)
    • 1887 – Aldo Leopold, American ecologist and author (d. 1948)
    • 1888 – Joseph B. Keenan, American jurist and politician (d. 1954)
    • 1889 – Calvin Bridges, American geneticist and academic (d. 1938)
    • 1890 – Max Carey, American baseball player and manager (d. 1976)
    • 1890 – Oswald de Andrade, Brazilian poet and critic (d. 1954)
    • 1891 – Andrew Sockalexis, American runner (d. 1919)
    • 1893 – Ellinor Aiki, Estonian painter (d. 1969)
    • 1893 – Charles Fraser, Australian rugby league player and coach (d. 1981)
    • 1893 – Anthony M. Rud, American journalist and author (d. 1942)
    • 1895 – Laurens Hammond, American engineer and businessman, founded the Hammond Clock Company (d. 1973)
    • 1897 – Bernard DeVoto, American historian and author (d. 1955)
    • 1897 – August Heissmeyer, German SS officer (d. 1979)
    • 1899 – Eva Le Gallienne, English-American actress, director, and producer (d. 1991)
    • 1901 – Kwon Ki-ok, Korean pilot (d. 1988)
    • 1902 – Maurice Duruflé, French organist and composer (d. 1986)
    • 1903 – Alan Paton, South African author and activist (d. 1988)
    • 1905 – Clyde Kluckhohn, American anthropologist and theorist (d. 1960)
    • 1906 – Albert Hofmann, Swiss chemist and academic, discoverer of LSD (d. 2008)
    • 1907 – Pierre Mendès France, French lawyer and politician, 142nd Prime Minister of France (d. 1982)
    • 1907 – Abraham Joshua Heschel, Polish-American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher (d. 1972)
    • 1908 – Lionel Stander, American actor and activist (d. 1994)
    • 1910 – Arthur Lambourn, New Zealand rugby player (d. 1999)
    • 1910 – Shane Paltridge, Australian soldier and politician (d. 1966)
    • 1911 – Tommy Duncan, American singer-songwriter (d. 1967)
    • 1911 – Nora Heysen, Australian painter (d. 2003)
    • 1911 – Zenkō Suzuki, Japanese politician, 70th Prime Minister of Japan (d. 2004)
    • 1912 – Don “Red” Barry, American actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1980)
    • 1913 – Karl Stegger, Danish actor (d. 1980)
    • 1915 – Luise Krüger, German javelin thrower (d. 2001)
    • 1915 – Paddy Mayne, British colonel and lawyer (d. 1955)
    • 1916 – Bernard Blier, Argentinian-French actor (d. 1989)
    • 1917 – John Robarts, Canadian lawyer and politician, 17th Premier of Ontario (d. 1982)
    • 1918 – Robert C. O’Brien, American author and journalist (d. 1973)
    • 1920 – Mick McManus, English wrestler (d. 2013)
    • 1921 – Gory Guerrero, American wrestler and trainer (d. 1990)
    • 1921 – Juanita M. Kreps, American economist and politician, 24th United States Secretary of Commerce (d. 2010)
    • 1923 – Jerome Bixby, American author and screenwriter (d. 1998)
    • 1923 – Ernst Nolte, German historian and philosopher (d. 2016)
    • 1923 – Carroll Shelby, American race car driver, engineer, and businessman, founded Carroll Shelby International (d. 2012)
    • 1924 – Roger Guillemin, French-American physician and endocrinologist, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1924 – Sam B. Hall, Jr., American lawyer, judge, and politician (d. 1994)
    • 1924 – Slim Harpo, American blues singer-songwriter and musician (d. 1970)
    • 1925 – Grant Tinker, American television producer, co-founded MTM Enterprises (d. 2016)
    • 1926 – Lev Dyomin, Russian colonel, pilot, and astronaut (d. 1998)
    • 1928 – David L. Wolper, American director and producer (d. 2010)
    • 1929 – Dmitri Bruns, Estonian architect and theorist (d. 2020)
    • 1930 – Ron Mulock, Australian lawyer and politician, 10th Deputy Premier of New South Wales (d. 2014)
    • 1930 – Rod Taylor, Australian-American actor and screenwriter (d. 2015)
    • 1931 – Betty Churcher, Australian painter, historian, and curator (d. 2015)
    • 1931 – Mary Rodgers, American composer and author (d. 2014)
    • 1932 – Alfonso Arau, Mexican actor and director
    • 1933 – Goldie Hill, American country singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2005)
    • 1934 – Jean Chrétien, Canadian lawyer and politician, 20th Prime Minister of Canada
    • 1936 – Eva Hesse, German-American sculptor and educator (d. 1970)
    • 1938 – Arthur Scargill, English miner, activist, and politician
    • 1939 – Anne Heggtveit, Canadian alpine skier
    • 1940 – Andres Tarand, Estonian geographer and politician, 10th Prime Minister of Estonia
    • 1941 – Gérson, Brazilian footballer
    • 1942 – Bud Acton, American basketball player
    • 1942 – Clarence Clemons, American saxophonist and actor (d. 2011)
    • 1944 – Mohammed Abdul-Hayy, Sudanese poet and academic (d. 1989)
    • 1944 – Shibu Soren, Indian politician, 3rd Chief Minister of Jharkhand
    • 1945 – Christine Kaufmann, German actress, author, and businesswoman (d. 2017)
    • 1946 – Naomi Judd, American singer-songwriter and actress
    • 1946 – Tony Kaye, English progressive rock keyboard player and songwriter (Yes)
    • 1946 – John Piper, American theologian and author
    • 1947 – Hamish Macdonald, New Zealand rugby player
    • 1948 – Fritz Bohla, German footballer and manager
    • 1948 – Joe Harper, Scottish footballer and manager
    • 1948 – Madeline Manning, American runner and coach
    • 1948 – Wajima Hiroshi, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 54th Yokozuna
    • 1948 – Terry Williams, Welsh drummer
    • 1949 – Daryl Braithwaite, Australian singer-songwriter
    • 1949 – Mohammad Reza Rahimi, Iranian lawyer and politician, 2nd Vice President of Iran
    • 1951 – Charlie Huhn, American rock singer and guitarist
    • 1951 – Willie Maddren, English footballer and manager (d. 2000)
    • 1951 – Philip Tartaglia, Scottish archbishop
    • 1952 – Bille Brown, Australian actor and playwright (d. 2013)
    • 1952 – Ben Crenshaw, American golfer and architect
    • 1952 – Michael Forshaw, Australian lawyer and politician
    • 1952 – Diana Gabaldon, American author
    • 1952 – Lee Ritenour, American guitarist, composer, and producer
    • 1953 – Graham Allen, English politician, Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
    • 1953 – Kostas Skandalidis, Greek engineer and politician, Greek Minister of Agricultural Development and Food
    • 1954 – Jaak Aaviksoo, Estonian physicist and politician, 26th Estonian Minister of Defence
    • 1954 – Kailash Satyarthi, Indian engineer, academic, and activist, Nobel Prize laureate
    • 1956 – Big Bank Hank, American rapper (d. 2014)
    • 1957 – Darryl Dawkins, American basketball player and coach (d. 2015)
    • 1957 – Peter Moore, Australian rules footballer and coach
    • 1957 – Bryan Robson, English footballer and manager
    • 1958 – Vicki Peterson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1959 – Brett Bodine, American NASCAR driver
    • 1959 – Rob Ramage, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1961 – Lars-Erik Torph, Swedish racing driver (d. 1989)
    • 1962 – Chris Bryant, Welsh politician, Minister of State for Europe
    • 1962 – Susan Lindauer, American journalist and activist
    • 1962 – Brian Moore, English rugby player
    • 1963 – Tracy Caulkins, American-Australian swimmer
    • 1963 – Petra Schneider, German swimmer
    • 1964 – Ralph Recto, Filipino lawyer and politician
    • 1964 – Albert Dupontel, French actor and director
    • 1965 – Mascarita Sagrada, Mexican wrestler
    • 1965 – Aleksey Zhukov, Russian footballer and coach
    • 1966 – Marc Acito, American author and screenwriter
    • 1967 – Michael Healy-Rae, Irish politician
    • 1968 – Anders Borg, Swedish economist and politician, Swedish Minister for Finance
    • 1968 – Tom Dumont, American guitarist and producer
    • 1969 – Manny Acta, Dominican-American baseball player, coach, manager, and sportscaster
    • 1970 – Manfredi Beninati, Italian painter and sculptor
    • 1970 – Chris Jent, American basketball player and coach
    • 1970 – Malcolm D. Lee, American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor
    • 1970 – Ken Ueno, American composer
    • 1971 – Mary J. Blige, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
    • 1971 – Jeff Orford, Australian rugby league player
    • 1971 – Chris Willsher, English singer-songwriter, drummer, and actor
    • 1972 – Christian Jacobs, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
    • 1972 – Anthony Lledo, Danish composer
    • 1972 – Amanda Peet, American actress and playwright
    • 1973 – Rockmond Dunbar, American actor
    • 1973 – Rahul Dravid, Indian cricketer and captain
    • 1974 – Roman Görtz, German footballer
    • 1974 – Cody McKay, Canadian baseball player
    • 1974 – Jens Nowotny, German footballer
    • 1975 – Rory Fitzpatrick, American ice hockey player
    • 1975 – Dan Luger, English rugby player and coach
    • 1975 – Matteo Renzi, Italian politician, 56th Prime Minister of Italy
    • 1976 – Efthimios Rentzias, Greek basketball player
    • 1977 – Shamari Buchanan, American football player
    • 1977 – Anni Friesinger-Postma, German speed skater
    • 1977 – Olexiy Lukashevych, Ukrainian long jumper
    • 1978 – Vallo Allingu, Estonian basketball player
    • 1978 – Holly Brisley, Australian actress
    • 1978 – Michael Duff, Irish footballer
    • 1978 – Emile Heskey, English footballer
    • 1979 – Darren Lynn Bousman, American director and screenwriter
    • 1979 – Michael Lorenz, German footballer
    • 1979 – Henry Shefflin, Irish hurler
    • 1980 – Josh Hannay, Australian rugby league player
    • 1980 – Mike Williams, American football player
    • 1982 – Tony Allen, American basketball player
    • 1982 – Blake Heron, American actor (d. 2017)
    • 1982 – Son Ye-jin, South Korean actress
    • 1983 – Turner Battle, American basketball player
    • 1983 – André Myhrer, Swedish skier
    • 1983 – Ted Richards, Australian rules footballer
    • 1983 – Adrian Sutil, German racing driver
    • 1984 – Kevin Boss, American football player
    • 1984 – Dario Krešić, Croatian footballer
    • 1984 – Matt Mullenweg, American web developer and businessman, co-created WordPress
    • 1984 – Stijn Schaars, Dutch footballer
    • 1985 – Newton Faulkner, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1985 – Lucy Knisley, American author and illustrator
    • 1987 – Scotty Cranmer, American Professional BMX rider
    • 1987 – Danuta Kozák, Hungarian sprint canoer
    • 1987 – Daniel Semenzato, Italian footballer
    • 1987 – Jamie Vardy, English footballer
    • 1987 – Kim Young-kwang, South Korean actor and model
    • 1988 – Rodrigo José Pereira, Brazilian footballer
    • 1989 – Kane Linnett, Australian rugby league player
    • 1990 – Ryan Griffin, American football player
    • 1991 – Andrea Bertolacci, Italian footballer
    • 1992 – Dani Carvajal, Spanish footballer
    • 1992 – Lee Seung-hoon, South Korean rapper and dancer
    • 1993 – Michael Keane, English footballer
    • 1993 – Will Keane, English footballer
    • 1996 – Leroy Sané, German footballer
    • 1997 – Cody Simpson, Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor

    Deaths on January 11

    • 140 – Pope Hyginus, Bishop of Rome (b. 74)
    • 705 – Pope John VI (b. 655)
    • 782 – Emperor Kōnin of Japan (b. 709)
    • 812 – Staurakios, Byzantine emperor
    • 844 – Michael I Rangabe, Byzantine emperor (b. 770)
    • 887 – Boso of Provence, Frankish nobleman
    • 937 – Cao, empress of Later Tang
    • 937 – Li Chongmei, prince of Later Tang
    • 937 – Li Congke, emperor of Later Tang (b. 885)
    • 937 – Liu, empress of Later Tang
    • 1055 – Constantine IX Monomachos, Byzantine emperor (b. 1000)
    • 1068 – Egbert I, Margrave of Meissen
    • 1083 – Otto of Nordheim (b. 1020)
    • 1266 – Swietopelk II, Duke of Pomerania
    • 1344 – Thomas Charlton, Bishop of Hereford and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
    • 1372 – Eleanor of Lancaster, English noblewoman (b. 1318)
    • 1396 – Isidore Glabas, Metropolitan bishop of Thessalonica (b.c. 1341)
    • 1397 – Skirgaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania
    • 1494 – Domenico Ghirlandaio, Italian painter (b. 1449)
    • 1495 – Pedro González de Mendoza, Spanish cardinal (b. 1428)
    • 1546 – Gaudenzio Ferrari, Italian painter and sculptor (b. c. 1471)
    • 1547 – Pietro Bembo, Italian poet, scholar, and theorist (b. 1470)
    • 1554 – Min Bin, king of Arakan (b. 1493)
    • 1641 – Juan Martínez de Jáuregui y Aguilar, Spanish poet and painter (b. 1583)
    • 1696 – Charles Albanel, French priest, missionary, and explorer (b. 1616)
    • 1703 – Johann Georg Graevius, German scholar and critic (b. 1632)
    • 1713 – Pierre Jurieu, French priest and theologian (b. 1637)
    • 1735 – Danilo I, Metropolitan of Cetinje (b. 1670)
    • 1753 – Hans Sloane, Irish-English physician and academic (b. 1660)
    • 1757 – Louis Bertrand Castel, French mathematician and philosopher (b. 1688)
    • 1762 – Louis-François Roubiliac, French-English sculptor (b. 1695)
    • 1763 – Caspar Abel, German poet, historian, and theologian (b. 1676)
    • 1771 – Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d’Argens, French philosopher and author (b. 1704)
    • 1788 – François Joseph Paul de Grasse, French admiral (b. 1722)
    • 1791 – William Williams Pantycelyn, Welsh composer and poet (b. 1717)
    • 1798 – Heraclius II of Georgia (b. 1720)
    • 1801 – Domenico Cimarosa, Italian composer and educator (b. 1749)
    • 1824 – Thomas Mullins, 1st Baron Ventry, Anglo-Irish politician and peer (b. 1736)
    • 1836 – John Molson, Canadian businessman, founded the Molson Brewing Company (b. 1763)
    • 1843 – Francis Scott Key, American lawyer, author, and songwriter (b. 1779)
    • 1866 – Gustavus Vaughan Brooke, Irish actor (b. 1818)
    • 1866 – John Woolley, English minister and academic (b. 1816)
    • 1867 – Stuart Donaldson, English-Australian businessman and politician, 1st Premier of New South Wales (b. 1812)
    • 1882 – Theodor Schwann, German physiologist and biologist (b. 1810)
    • 1891 – Georges-Eugène Haussmann, French urban planner (b. 1809)
    • 1902 – Johnny Briggs, English cricketer and rugby player (b. 1862)
    • 1904 – William Sawyer, Canadian merchant and politician (b. 1815)
    • 1914 – Carl Jacobsen, Danish brewer and philanthropist (b. 1842)
    • 1920 – Steinar Schjøtt, Norwegian philologist and lexicographer (b. 1844)
    • 1923 – Constantine I of Greece (b. 1868)
    • 1928 – Thomas Hardy, English novelist and poet (b. 1840)
    • 1931 – James Milton Carroll, American pastor, historian, and author (b. 1852)
    • 1937 – Nuri Conker, Turkish colonel and politician (b. 1882)
    • 1941 – Emanuel Lasker, German mathematician, philosopher, and chess player (b. 1868)
    • 1944 – Galeazzo Ciano, Italian politician, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1903)
    • 1947 – Eva Tanguay, Canadian singer (b. 1879)
    • 1952 – Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, French general (b. 1889)
    • 1952 – Aureliano Pertile, Italian tenor and educator (b. 1885)
    • 1953 – Noe Zhordania, Georgian journalist and politician, Prime Minister of Georgia (b. 1868)
    • 1954 – Oscar Straus, Austrian composer (b. 1870)
    • 1957 – Robert Garran, Australian lawyer and politician, Solicitor-General of Australia (b. 1867)
    • 1958 – Alec Rowley, English organist and composer (b. 1892)
    • 1958 – Edna Purviance, American actress (b. 1895)
    • 1961 – Elena Gerhardt, German soprano and actress (b. 1883)
    • 1963 – Arthur Nock, English-American scholar, theologian, and academic (b. 1902)
    • 1965 – Wally Pipp, American baseball player (b. 1893)
    • 1966 – Alberto Giacometti, Swiss sculptor and painter (b. 1901)
    • 1966 – Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indian academic and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of India (b. 1904)
    • 1968 – Moshe Zvi Segal, Israeli linguist and scholar (b. 1876)
    • 1969 – Richmal Crompton, English author and educator (b. 1890)
    • 1972 – Padraic Colum, Irish poet and playwright (b. 1881)
    • 1975 – Max Lorenz, German tenor and actor (b. 1901)
    • 1980 – Barbara Pym, English author (b. 1913)
    • 1981 – Beulah Bondi, American actress (b. 1889)
    • 1982 – Paul Lynde, American Actor and comedian (b. 1926)
    • 1985 – Edward Buzzell, American actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1895)
    • 1985 – William McKell, Australian lawyer and politician, 12th Governor-General of Australia (b. 1891)
    • 1986 – Sid Chaplin, English author and screenwriter (b. 1916)
    • 1986 – Andrzej Czok, Polish mountaineer (b. 1948)
    • 1987 – Albert Ferber, Swiss-English pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1911)
    • 1988 – Pappy Boyington, American colonel and pilot, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1912)
    • 1988 – Isidor Isaac Rabi, Polish-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1898)
    • 1989 – Ray Moore, English radio host (b. 1942)
    • 1990 – Carolyn Haywood, American author and illustrator (b. 1898)
    • 1991 – Carl David Anderson, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1905)
    • 1994 – Helmut Poppendick, German physician (b. 1902)
    • 1995 – Josef Gingold, Belarusian-American violinist and educator (b. 1909)
    • 1995 – Onat Kutlar, Turkish author and poet (b. 1936)
    • 1995 – Lewis Nixon, U.S. Army captain (b. 1918)
    • 1995 – Theodor Wisch, German general (b. 1907)
    • 1996 – Roger Crozier, Canadian-American ice hockey player, coach, and manager (b. 1942)
    • 1999 – Fabrizio De André, Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1940)
    • 1999 – Naomi Mitchison, Scottish author and poet (b. 1897)
    • 1999 – Brian Moore, Irish-Canadian author and screenwriter (b. 1921)
    • 2000 – Ivan Combe, American businessman, invented Clearasil (b. 1911)
    • 2000 – Bob Lemon, American baseball player and manager (b. 1920)
    • 2001 – Denys Lasdun, English architect, co-designed the Royal National Theatre (b. 1914)
    • 2002 – Henri Verneuil, French-Armenian director and playwright (b. 1920)
    • 2003 – Jože Pučnik, Slovenian sociologist and politician (b. 1932)
    • 2007 – Solveig Dommartin, French-German actress (b. 1961)
    • 2007 – Robert Anton Wilson, American psychologist, author, poet, and playwright (b. 1932)
    • 2008 – Edmund Hillary, New Zealand mountaineer and explorer (b. 1919)
    • 2008 – Carl Karcher, American businessman, co-founded Carl’s Jr. (b. 1917)
    • 2010 – Miep Gies, Austrian-Dutch humanitarian (b. 1909)
    • 2010 – Éric Rohmer, French director, screenwriter, and critic (b. 1920)
    • 2011 – David Nelson, American actor, director, and producer (b. 1936)
    • 2012 – Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, Iranian physicist and academic (b. 1980)
    • 2012 – Gilles Jacquier, French journalist and photographer (b. 1968)
    • 2012 – Edgar Kaiser, Jr, American-Canadian businessman and philanthropist (b. 1942)
    • 2012 – Wally Osterkorn, American basketball player (b. 1928)
    • 2012 – Steven Rawlings, English astrophysicist, astronomer, and academic (b. 1961)
    • 2012 – David Whitaker, English composer and conductor (b. 1931)
    • 2013 – Aaron Swartz, American programmer (b. 1986)
    • 2013 – Guido Forti, Italian businessman, founded the Forti Racing Team (b. 1940)
    • 2013 – Nguyễn Khánh, Vietnamese general and politician, 3rd President of South Vietnam (b. 1927)
    • 2013 – Mariangela Melato, Italian actress (b. 1941)
    • 2013 – Tom Parry Jones, Welsh chemist, invented the breathalyzer (b. 1935)
    • 2013 – Alemayehu Shumye, Ethiopian runner (b. 1988)
    • 2014 – Keiko Awaji, Japanese actress (b. 1933)
    • 2014 – Muhammad Habibur Rahman, Indian-Bangladeshi jurist and politician, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (b. 1928)
    • 2014 – Chai Trong-rong, Taiwanese educator and politician (b. 1935)
    • 2014 – Ariel Sharon, Israeli general and politician, 11th Prime Minister of Israel (b. 1928)
    • 2015 – Jenő Buzánszky, Hungarian footballer and coach (b. 1925)
    • 2015 – Anita Ekberg, Swedish-Italian model and actress (b. 1931)
    • 2015 – Chashi Nazrul Islam, Bangladeshi director and producer (b. 1941)
    • 2015 – Vernon Benjamin Mountcastle, American neuroscientist and academic (b. 1918)
    • 2016 – Monte Irvin, American baseball player (b. 1919)
    • 2016 – David Margulies, American actor (b. 1937)
    • 2017 – Adenan Satem, Malaysian politician and Chief Minister of Sarawak, Malaysia (b. 1944)
    • 2018 – Edgar Ray Killen, American murderer (b.1925)
    • 2019 – Michael Atiyah, British-Lebanese mathematician (b.1929)

    Holidays and observances on January 11

    • Children’s Day (Tunisia)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Anastasius of Suppentonia (Roman Catholic)
      • Leucius of Brindisi (Roman Catholic)
      • Mary Slessor (Church of England)
      • Paulinus II of Aquileia
      • Pope Hyginus
      • Theodosius the Cenobiarch
      • Thomas of Cori
      • Vitalis of Gaza (Roman Catholic)
      • January 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Earliest day on which Triodion can fall, while February 14 is the latest; celebrated 70 days before Easter. (Eastern Orthodox)
    • Eugenio María de Hostos Day (Puerto Rico)
    • Independence Resistance Day (Morocco)
    • Kagami biraki (Japan)
    • National Human Trafficking Awareness Day (United States)
    • Republic Day (Albania)
    • Carmentalia (January 11th and January 15th), (Rome)