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July 16 in history
- 622 – The beginning of the Islamic calendar.
- 997 – Battle of Spercheios: Bulgarian forces of Tsar Samuel are defeated by a Byzantine army under general Nikephoros Ouranos at the Spercheios River in Greece.
- 1054 – Three Roman legates break relations between Western and Eastern Christian Churches through the act of placing an invalidly-issued Papal bull of Excommunication on the altar of Hagia Sophia during Saturday afternoon divine liturgy. Historians frequently describe the event as the start of the East–West Schism.
- 1212 – Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa: After Pope Innocent III calls European knights to a crusade, forces of Kings Alfonso VIII of Castile, Sancho VII of Navarre, Peter II of Aragon and Afonso II of Portugal defeat those of the Berber Muslim leader Almohad, thus marking a significant turning point in the Reconquista and in the medieval history of Spain.
- 1232 – The Spanish town of Arjona declares independence and names its native Muhammad ibn Yusuf as ruler. This marks Muhammad’s first rise to prominence; he would later establish the Nasrid Emirate of Granada, the last independent Muslim state in Spain.
- 1251 – Celebrated by the Carmelite Order – but doubted by modern historians – as the day when Saint Simon Stock had a vision of the Virgin Mary
- 1377 – King Richard II of England is crowned.
- 1661 – The first banknotes in Europe are issued by the Swedish bank Stockholms Banco.
- 1683 – Manchu Qing dynasty naval forces under traitorous commander Shi Lang defeat the Kingdom of Tungning in the Battle of Penghu near the Pescadores Islands.
- 1769 – Father Junípero Serra founds California’s first mission, Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Over the following decades, it evolves into the city of San Diego, California.
- 1779 – American Revolutionary War: Light infantry of the Continental Army seize a fortified British Army position in a midnight bayonet attack at the Battle of Stony Point.
- 1790 – The District of Columbia is established as the capital of the United States after signature of the Residence Act.
- 1809 – The city of La Paz, in what is today Bolivia, declares its independence from the Spanish Crown during the La Paz revolution and forms the Junta Tuitiva, the first independent government in Spanish America, led by Pedro Domingo Murillo.
- 1849 – Antonio María Claret y Clará founds the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, popularly known as the Claretians in Vic, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
- 1861 – American Civil War: At the order of President Abraham Lincoln, Union troops begin a 25-mile march into Virginia for what will become the First Battle of Bull Run, the first major land battle of the war.
- 1862 – American Civil War: David Farragut is promoted to rear admiral, becoming the first officer in United States Navy to hold an admiral rank.
- 1909 – Persian Constitutional Revolution: Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar is forced out as Shah of Persia and is replaced by his son Ahmad Shah Qajar.
- 1910 – John Robertson Duigan makes the first flight of the Duigan pusher biplane, the first aircraft built in Australia.
- 1915 – Henry James becomes a British citizen to highlight his commitment to Britain during the first World War.
- 1915 – At Treasure Island on the Delaware River in the United States, the First Order of the Arrow ceremony takes place and the Order of the Arrow is founded to honor American Boy Scouts who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law.
- 1927 – Augusto César Sandino leads a raid on U.S. Marines and Nicaraguan Guardia Nacional that had been sent to apprehend him in the village of Ocotal, but is repulsed by one of the first dive-bombing attacks in history.
- 1931 – Emperor Haile Selassie signs the first constitution of Ethiopia.
- 1935 – The world’s first parking meter is installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- 1941 – Joe DiMaggio hits safely for the 56th consecutive game, a streak that still stands as an MLB record.
- 1942 – Holocaust: Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup (Rafle du Vel’ d’Hiv): The government of Vichy France orders the mass arrest of 13,152 Jews who are held at the Vélodrome d’Hiver in Paris before deportation to Auschwitz.
- 1945 – World War II: The heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis leaves San Francisco with parts for the atomic bomb “Little Boy” bound for Tinian Island.
- 1945 – Manhattan Project: The Atomic Age begins when the United States successfully detonates a plutonium-based test nuclear weapon near Alamogordo, New Mexico.
- 1948 – Following token resistance, the city of Nazareth, revered by Christians as the hometown of Jesus, capitulates to Israeli troops during Operation Dekel in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
- 1948 – The storming of the cockpit of the Miss Macao passenger seaplane, operated by a subsidiary of the Cathay Pacific Airways, marks the first aircraft hijacking of a commercial plane.
- 1950 – Chaplain–Medic massacre: American POWs are massacred by North Korean Army.
- 1951 – King Leopold III of Belgium abdicates in favor of his son, Baudouin I of Belgium.
- 1956 – Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus closes its last “Big Tent” show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; due to changing economics, all subsequent circus shows will be held in arenas.
- 1965 – The Mont Blanc Tunnel linking France and Italy opens.
- 1965 – South Vietnamese Colonel Phạm Ngọc Thảo, a formerly undetected communist spy and double agent, is hunted down and killed by unknown individuals after being sentenced to death in absentia for a February 1965 coup attempt against Nguyễn Khánh.
- 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 11, the first mission to land astronauts on the Moon, is launched from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Kennedy, Florida.
- 1979 – Iraqi President Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr resigns and is replaced by Saddam Hussein.
- 1983 – Sikorsky S-61 disaster: A helicopter crashes off the Isles of Scilly, causing 20 fatalities.
- 1990 – The Luzon earthquake strikes the Philippines with an intensity of 7.7, affecting Benguet, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, La Union, Aurora, Bataan, Zambales and Tarlac.
- 1990 – The Parliament of the Ukrainian SSR declares state sovereignty over the territory of the Ukrainian SSR.
- 1999 – John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when the Piper Saratoga PA-32R aircraft he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.
- 2004 – Millennium Park, considered Chicago’s first and most ambitious early 21st-century architectural project, is opened to the public by Mayor Richard M. Daley.
- 2007 – An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 and 6.6 aftershock occurs off the Niigata coast of Japan killing eight people, injuring at least 800 and damaging a nuclear power plant.
- 2013 – As many as 27 children die and 25 others are hospitalized after eating lunch served at their school in eastern India.
- 2015 – Four U.S. Marines and one gunman die in a shooting spree targeting military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
- 2019 – 100 years old building in Mumbai, India, collapsed, killing at least 10 people and many remaining trapped.
Births on July 16
- 1194 – Clare of Assisi, an Italian nun and saint (d. 1253)
- 1486 – Andrea del Sarto, Italian painter (d. 1530)
- 1517 – Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, English duchess (d. 1559)
- 1529 – Petrus Peckius the Elder, Dutch jurist, writer on international maritime law (d. 1589)
- 1611 – Cecilia Renata of Austria (d. 1644)
- 1661 – Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville, Canadian captain, explorer, and politician (d. 1706)
- 1714 – Marc René, marquis de Montalembert, French engineer and author (d. 1800)
- 1722 – Joseph Wilton, English sculptor and academic (d. 1803)
- 1723 – Joshua Reynolds, English painter and academic (d. 1792)
- 1731 – Samuel Huntington, American jurist and politician, 18th Governor of Connecticut (d. 1796)
- 1749 – Cyrus Griffin, American lawyer, judge, and politician, 16th President of the Continental Congress (d. 1810)
- 1796 – Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, French painter and etcher (d. 1875)
- 1821 – Mary Baker Eddy, American religious leader and author, founded Christian Science (d. 1910)
- 1841 – Nikolai von Glehn, Estonian-German architect and activist (d. 1923)
- 1858 – Eugène Ysaÿe, Belgian violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1931)
- 1862 – Ida B. Wells, American journalist and activist (d. 1931)
- 1863 – Anderson Dawson, Australian politician, 14th Premier of Queensland (d. 1910)
- 1870 – Lambert McKenna, Irish priest, lexicographer, and scholar (d. 1956)
- 1871 – John Maxwell, American golfer (d. 1906)
- 1872 – Roald Amundsen, Norwegian pilot and explorer (d. 1928)
- 1872 – Frank Cooper, Australian politician, 25th Premier of Queensland (d. 1949)
- 1880 – Kathleen Norris, American journalist and author (d. 1966)
- 1882 – Violette Neatley Anderson, American judge (d. 1937)
- 1883 – Charles Sheeler, American photographer and painter (d. 1965)
- 1884 – Anna Vyrubova, Russian author (d. 1964)
- 1887 – Shoeless Joe Jackson, American baseball player and manager (d. 1951)
- 1888 – Percy Kilbride, American actor (d. 1964)
- 1888 – Frits Zernike, Dutch physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1966)
- 1889 – Arthur Bowie Chrisman, American author (d. 1953)
- 1895 – Wilfrid Hamel, Canadian businessman and politician, 35th Mayor of Quebec City (d. 1968)
- 1896 – Otmar Freiherr von Verschuer, German biologist and eugenicist (d. 1969)
- 1896 – Trygve Lie, Norwegian trade union leader and politician, 1st Secretary-General of the United Nations (d. 1968)
- 1902 – Alexander Luria, Russian psychologist and physician (d. 1977)
- 1902 – Mary Philbin, American actress (d. 1993)
- 1903 – Fritz Bauer, German lawyer and judge (d. 1968)
- 1903 – Carmen Lombardo, Canadian singer-songwriter (d. 1971)
- 1903 – Irmgard Flügge-Lotz, German mathematician and engineer (d. 1974)
- 1904 – Goffredo Petrassi, Italian composer and conductor (d. 2003)
- 1906 – Vincent Sherman, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2006)
- 1907 – Frances Horwich, American educator and television host (d. 2001)
- 1907 – Orville Redenbacher, American farmer and businessman, founded Orville Redenbacher’s (d. 1995)
- 1907 – Barbara Stanwyck, American actress (d. 1990)
- 1910 – Stan McCabe, Australian cricketer (d. 1968)
- 1910 – Gordon Prange, American historian, author, and academic (d. 1980)
- 1911 – Ginger Rogers, American actress, singer, and dancer (d. 1995)
- 1911 – Sonny Tufts, American actor (d. 1970)
- 1912 – Milt Bocek, American baseball player (d. 2007)
- 1912 – Amy Patterson, Argentine composer, singer, poet, and teacher (d. 2019)
- 1915 – Barnard Hughes, American actor (d. 2006)
- 1915 – Elaine Barrie, American actress (d. 2003)
- 1918 – Denis Edward Arnold, English soldier (d. 2015)
- 1918 – Paul Farnes, famed World War II Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot and one of “The Few” surviving pilots of the Battle of Britain (d. 2020)
- 1918 – Samuel Victor Perry, English biochemist and rugby player (d. 2009)
- 1919 – Hermine Braunsteiner, Austrian SS officer (d. 1999)
- 1919 – Choi Kyu-hah, South Korean politician, 4th President of South Korea (d. 2006)
- 1920 – Anatole Broyard, American critic and editor (d. 1990)
- 1923 – Chris Argyris, American psychologist, theorist, and academic (d. 2013)
- 1923 – Bola Sete, Brazilian guitarist (d. 1987)
- 1924 – James L. Greenfield, American journalist and politician
- 1924 – Bess Myerson, American model, actress, game show panelist, and politician, Miss America 1945 (d. 2014)
- 1924 – Rupert Deese, Northern Mariana Islander ceramic artist (d. 2010)
- 1925 – Frank Jobe, American sergeant and surgeon (d. 2014)
- 1925 – Rosita Quintana, Argentine actress
- 1925 – Cal Tjader, American jazz musician (d. 1982)
- 1926 – Ivica Horvat, Croatian footballer and manager (d. 2012)
- 1926 – Irwin Rose, American biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2015)
- 1927 – Pierre F. Côté, Canadian lawyer and civil servant (d. 2013)
- 1927 – Shirley Hughes, English author and illustrator
- 1927 – Derek Hawksworth, English footballer
- 1928 – Anita Brookner, English novelist and art historian (d. 2016)
- 1928 – Bella Davidovich, Soviet-American pianist
- 1928 – Robert Sheckley, American author and screenwriter (d. 2005)
- 1928 – Jim Rathmann, American race car driver (d. 2011)
- 1928 – Dave Treen, American lawyer and politician, 51st Governor of Louisiana (d. 2009)
- 1928 – Andrzej Zawada, Polish mountaineer and author (d. 2000)
- 1929 – Charles Ray Hatcher, American serial killer (d. 1984)
- 1929 – Sheri S. Tepper, American author and poet (d. 2016)
- 1929 – Gaby Tanguy, French swimmer
- 1930 – Guy Béart, Egyptian-French singer-songwriter (d. 2015)
- 1930 – Michael Bilirakis, American lawyer and politician
- 1930 – Bert Rechichar, American football defensive back and kicker (d. 2019)
- 1931 – Fergus Gordon Kerr, Scottish Roman Catholic priest of the English Dominican Province
- 1931 – Norm Sherry, American former catcher, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball
- 1932 – John Chilton, English trumpet player and composer (d. 2016)
- 1932 – Max McGee, American football player and sportscaster (d. 2007)
- 1932 – Dick Thornburgh, American lawyer and politician, 76th United States Attorney General
- 1933 – Julian A. Brodsky, American businessman
- 1934 – Tomás Eloy Martínez, Argentine journalist (d. 2010)
- 1934 – Katherine D. Ortega, 38th Treasurer of the United States
- 1934 – Donald M. Payne, American educator and politician (d. 2012)
- 1935 – Carl Epting Mundy Jr., American general (d. 2014)
- 1935 – Lynn Wyatt, American socialite and philanthropist
- 1936 – Yasuo Fukuda, Japanese politician, 91st Prime Minister of Japan
- 1936 – Buddy Merrill, American guitarist
- 1936 – Jerry Norman, American sinologist and linguist (d. 2012)
- 1936 – Venkataraman Subramanya, Indian-Australian cricketer
- 1937 – Richard Bryan, American lawyer and politician, 25th Governor of Nevada
- 1937 – John Daly, English director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2008)
- 1938 – Cynthia Enloe, American author and academic
- 1938 – Tony Jackson, English singer and bass player (d. 2003)
- 1939 – William Bell, American singer-songwriter
- 1939 – Lido Vieri, Italian football manager and football player
- 1939 – Denise LaSalle, American singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2018)
- 1939 – Ruth Perry, president of Liberia (d. 2017)
- 1939 – Shringar Nagaraj, Indian actor and producer (d. 2013)
- 1939 – Corin Redgrave, English actor and activist (d. 2010)
- 1939 – Mariele Ventre, Italian singer and conductor (d. 1995)
- 1941 – Desmond Dekker, Jamaican singer-songwriter (d. 2006)
- 1941 – Dag Solstad, Norwegian author and playwright
- 1941 – Hans Wiegel, Dutch journalist and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
- 1941 – Sir George Young, 6th Baronet, English banker and politician, Secretary of State for Transport
- 1942 – Margaret Court, Australian tennis player and minister
- 1943 – Reinaldo Arenas, Cuban-American author, poet, and playwright (d. 1990)
- 1943 – Vernon Bogdanor, English political scientist and academic
- 1943 – Jimmy Johnson, American football player and coach
- 1944 – Angharad Rees, English-Welsh actress and jewellery designer (d. 2012)
- 1946 – Louise Fréchette, Canadian civil servant and diplomat, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
- 1946 – Barbara Lee, American politician
- 1946 – Ron Yary, American football player
- 1947 – Don Burke, Australian television host and producer
- 1947 – Alexis Herman, American businesswoman and politician, 23rd United States Secretary of Labor
- 1947 – Assata Shakur, American-Cuban criminal and activist
- 1948 – Rubén Blades, Panamanian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
- 1948 – Lars Lagerbäck, Swedish footballer and manager
- 1948 – Kevin McKenzie, South African cricketer
- 1948 – Pinchas Zukerman, Israeli violinist and conductor
- 1949 – Alan Fitzgerald, American guitarist and keyboardist
- 1950 – Pierre Paradis, Canadian lawyer and politician
- 1950 – Dennis Priestley, English darts player
- 1950 – Frances Spalding, English historian and academic
- 1950 – Tom Terrell, American journalist and photographer (d. 2007)
- 1951 – Jean-Luc Mongrain, Canadian journalist
- 1951 – Che Rosli, Malaysian politician
- 1952 – Stewart Copeland, American drummer and songwriter
- 1952 – Richard Egielski, American author and illustrator
- 1952 – Marc Esposito, French director and screenwriter
- 1952 – Ken McEwan, South African cricketer
- 1953 – Douglas J. Feith, American lawyer and politician, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
- 1954 – Jeanette Mott Oxford, American politician
- 1955 – Susan Wheeler, American poet and academic
- 1955 – Saw Swee Leong, Malaysian badminton player
- 1956 – Tony Kushner, American playwright and screenwriter
- 1957 – Faye Grant, American actress
- 1957 – Alexandra Marinina, Ukrainian-Russian colonel and author
- 1958 – Mick Cornett, American politician, and former mayor of Oklahoma City.
- 1958 – Michael Flatley, American-Irish dancer and choreographer
- 1958 – Mike Rogers, American politician
- 1959 – Gary Anderson, South African-American football player
- 1959 – James MacMillan, Scottish composer and conductor
- 1959 – Zoran Jolevski, Macedonian economist, politician, and diplomat, Macedonian Ambassador to the United States
- 1959 – Jürgen Ligi, Estonian economist and politician, 25th Estonian Minister of Defence
- 1960 – Terry Pendleton, American baseball player and coach
- 1962 – Grigory Leps, Russian singer-songwriter
- 1963 – Phoebe Cates, American actress
- 1963 – Srečko Katanec, Slovenian footballer and coach
- 1963 – Mikael Pernfors, Swedish tennis player
- 1964 – Phil Hellmuth, American poker player
- 1964 – Miguel Induráin, Spanish cyclist
- 1965 – Michel Desjoyeaux, French sailor
- 1965 – Claude Lemieux, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1965 – Sherri Stoner, American actress, producer, and screenwriter
- 1966 – Jyrki Lumme, Finnish ice hockey player
- 1967 – Will Ferrell, American actor, comedian, and producer
- 1968 – Dhanraj Pillay, Indian field hockey player and manager
- 1968 – Barry Sanders, American football player
- 1968 – Larry Sanger, American philosopher and businessman, co-founded Wikipedia and Citizendium
- 1968 – Michael Searle, Australian rugby league player and businessman
- 1968 – Robert Sherman, American songwriter and businessman
- 1968 – Olga Souza, Brazilian singer and dancer
- 1969 – Jules De Martino, English singer-songwriter and bass player
- 1969 – Kathryn Harby-Williams, Australian netball player and sportscaster
- 1970 – Raimonds Miglinieks, Latvian basketball player and coach
- 1970 – Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thai director, producer, and screenwriter
- 1971 – Corey Feldman, American actor
- 1971 – Ed Kowalczyk, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Live)
- 1972 – Ben Cahoon, American-Canadian football player and coach
- 1972 – François Drolet, Canadian speed skater
- 1973 – Shaun Pollock, South African cricketer
- 1973 – Graham Robertson, American director and producer
- 1973 – Tim Ryan, American politician
- 1974 – Jeremy Enigk, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1974 – Maret Maripuu, Estonian politician, Estonian Minister of Social Affairs
- 1974 – Ryan McCombs, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1974 – Wendell Sailor, Australian rugby player
- 1975 – Bas Leinders, Belgian race car driver
- 1976 – Tomasz Kuchar, Polish race car driver
- 1976 – Carlos Humberto Paredes, Paraguayan footballer
- 1976 – Anna Smashnova, Belarusian-Israeli tennis player
- 1977 – Bryan Budd, Northern Ireland-born English soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 2006)
- 1979 – Chris Mihm, American basketball player
- 1979 – Mai Nakamura, Japanese swimmer
- 1979 – Kim Rhode, American sport shooter
- 1979 – Nathan Rogers, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1979 – Konstantin Skrylnikov, Russian footballer
- 1980 – Adam Scott, Australian golfer
- 1981 – Giuseppe Di Masi, Italian footballer
- 1981 – Robert Kranjec, Slovenian ski jumper
- 1981 – Zach Randolph, American basketball player
- 1981 – Vicente Rodríguez, Spanish footballer
- 1982 – André Greipel, German cyclist
- 1982 – Carli Lloyd, American soccer player
- 1982 – Michael Umaña, Costa Rican footballer
- 1983 – Duncan Keith, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1984 – Hayanari Shimoda, Japanese race car driver
- 1984 – Attila Szabó, Hungarian decathlete
- 1985 – Mārtiņš Kravčenko, Latvian basketball player
- 1986 – Dustin Boyd, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1986 – Misako Uno, Japanese actress, singer, and fashion designer
- 1987 – Mousa Dembélé, Belgian footballer
- 1987 – AnnaLynne McCord, American actress and producer
- 1987 – Knowshon Moreno, American football player
- 1988 – Sergio Busquets, Spanish footballer
- 1989 – Gareth Bale, Welsh footballer
- 1990 – Bureta Faraimo, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1990 – Wizkid, Nigerian singer and songwriter
- 1990 – Johann Zarco, French motorcycle racer
- 1991 – Nate Schmidt, American ice hockey player
- 1991 – Andros Townsend, English footballer
- 1996 – Daniel Pearson, English actor and presenter
Deaths on July 16
- 784 – Fulrad, Frankish diplomat and saint (b. 710)
- 866 – Irmgard, Frankish abbess
- 1212 – William de Brus, 3rd Lord of Annandale
- 1216 – Pope Innocent III (b. 1160)
- 1324 – Emperor Go-Uda of Japan (b. 1267)
- 1342 – Charles I of Hungary (b. 1288)
- 1344 – An-Nasir Ahmad, Sultan of Egypt (b. 1316)
- 1509 – João da Nova, Portuguese explorer (b. 1460)
- 1546 – Anne Askew, English author and poet (b. 1520)
- 1557 – Anne of Cleves (b. 1515)
- 1576 – Isabella de’ Medici, Italian noble (b. 1542)
- 1647 – Masaniello, Italian rebel (b. 1622)
- 1664 – Andreas Gryphius, German poet and playwright (b. 1616)
- 1686 – John Pearson, English bishop and scholar (b. 1612)
- 1691 – François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois, French politician, French Secretary of State for War (b. 1641)
- 1729 – Johann David Heinichen, German composer and theorist (b. 1683)
- 1747 – Giuseppe Crespi, Italian painter (b. 1665)
- 1770 – Francis Cotes, English painter and academic (b. 1726)
- 1796 – George Howard, English field marshal and politician (b. 1718)
- 1831 – Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron, French-Russian general (b. 1763)
- 1849 – Sarah Allen, African-American missionary for the African Methodist Episcopal Church (b. 1764)
- 1868 – Dmitry Pisarev, Russian author and critic (b. 1840)
- 1879 – Edward Deas Thomson, Scottish-Australian politician, 3rd Chief Secretary of New South Wales (b. 1800)
- 1882 – Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States 1861-1865 (b. 1818)
- 1886 – Ned Buntline, American journalist and author (b. 1823)
- 1896 – Edmond de Goncourt, French critic and publisher, founded Académie Goncourt (b. 1822)
- 1915 – Ellen G. White, American theologian and author (b. 1827)
- 1917 – Philipp Scharwenka, German composer and educator (b. 1847)
- 1939 – Bartholomeus Roodenburch, Dutch swimmer (b. 1866)
- 1949 – Vyacheslav Ivanov, Russian poet and playwright (b. 1866)
- 1953 – Hilaire Belloc, French-born British writer and historian (b. 1870)
- 1954 – Herms Niel, German soldier, trombonist, and composer (b. 1888)
- 1960 – Albert Kesselring, German field marshal (b. 1881)
- 1960 – John P. Marquand, American author (b. 1893)
- 1964 – Rauf Orbay, Turkish colonel and politician, Prime Minister of Turkey (b. 1881)
- 1965 – Boris Artzybasheff, Ukrainian-American illustrator (b.1899)
- 1969 – James Scott Douglas, English-born Scottish race car driver and 6th Baronet Douglas (b. 1930)
- 1981 – Harry Chapin, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1942)
- 1982 – Charles Robberts Swart, South African lawyer and politician, 1st State President of South Africa (b. 1894)
- 1985 – Heinrich Böll, German novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1917)
- 1985 – Wayne King, American saxophonist, songwriter, and bandleader (b. 1901)
- 1989 – Herbert von Karajan, Austrian conductor and manager (b. 1908)
- 1990 – Robert Blackburn, Irish educator (b. 1927)
- 1990 – Miguel Muñoz, Spanish footballer and manager (b. 1922)
- 1991 – Meindert DeJong, Dutch-American soldier and author (b. 1906)
- 1991 – Robert Motherwell, American painter and academic (b. 1915)
- 1991 – Frank Rizzo, American police officer and politician, 93rd Mayor of Philadelphia (b. 1920)
- 1992 – Buck Buchanan, American football player and coach (b. 1940)
- 1994 – Julian Schwinger, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1918)
- 1995 – May Sarton, American playwright and novelist (b. 1912)
- 1995 – Stephen Spender, English author and poet (b. 1909)
- 1996 – Adolf von Thadden, German lieutenant and politician (b. 1921)
- 1998 – John Henrik Clarke, American historian and scholar (b. 1915)
- 1999 – John F. Kennedy Jr., American lawyer and publisher (b. 1960)
- 1999 – Alan Macnaughton, Canadian lawyer and politician, Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons (b. 1903)
- 2001 – Morris, Belgian cartoonist (b. 1923)
- 2002 – John Cocke, American computer scientist and engineer (b. 1925)
- 2003 – Celia Cruz, Cuban-American singer and actress (b. 1925)
- 2003 – Carol Shields, American-Canadian novelist and short story writer (b. 1935)
- 2004 – George Busbee, American lawyer and politician, 77th Governor of Georgia (b. 1927)
- 2004 – Charles Sweeney, American general and pilot (b. 1919)
- 2005 – Pietro Consagra, Italian sculptor (b. 1920)
- 2005 – Camillo Felgen, Luxembourgian singer-songwriter and radio host (b. 1920)
- 2006 – Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, American businessman and politician, 13th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas (b. 1948)
- 2007 – Caterina Bueno, Italian singer and historian (b. 1943)
- 2008 – Jo Stafford, American singer (b. 1917)
- 2008 – Lindsay Thompson, Australian politician, 40th Premier of Victoria (b. 1923)
- 2011 – Forrest Blue, American football player (b. 1944)
- 2012 – William Asher, American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1921)
- 2012 – Stephen Covey, American businessman and author (b. 1932)
- 2012 – Gilbert Esau, American businessman and politician (b. 1919)
- 2012 – Ed Lincoln, Brazilian bassist, pianist, and composer (b. 1932)
- 2012 – Masaharu Matsushita, Japanese businessman (b. 1913)
- 2012 – Kitty Wells, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1919)
- 2013 – Alex Colville, Canadian painter and academic (b. 1920)
- 2013 – Marv Rotblatt, American baseball player (1927)
- 2014 – Karl Albrecht, German businessman, co-founded Aldi (b. 1920)
- 2014 – Mary Ellen Otremba, American educator and politician (b. 1950)
- 2014 – Johnny Winter, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1944)
- 2014 – Heinz Zemanek, Austrian computer scientist and academic (b. 1920)
- 2015 – Denis Avey, English soldier, engineer, and author (b. 1919)
- 2015 – Evelyn Ebsworth, English chemist and academic (b. 1933)
- 2015 – Alcides Ghiggia, Uruguayan footballer and manager (b. 1926)
- 2015 – Jack Goody, English anthropologist, author, and academic (b. 1919)
- 2017 – George Romero, American filmmaker (b. 1940)
Holidays and observances on July 16
- Christian feast day:
- Gondulphus of Tongeren
- Helier
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- Fiesta de La Tirana (Tarapacá Region, Chile)
- Reineldis
- July 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Engineer’s Day (Honduras)
- Holocaust Memorial Day (France)
-
July 11 in History
- 472 – After being besieged in Rome by his own generals, Western Roman Emperor Anthemius is captured in St. Peter’s Basilica and put to death.
- 813 – Byzantine emperor Michael I, under threat by conspiracies, abdicates in favor of his general Leo the Armenian, and becomes a monk (under the name Athanasius).
- 911 – Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy.
- 1174 – Baldwin IV, 13, becomes King of Jerusalem, with Raymond III, Count of Tripoli as regent and William of Tyre as chancellor.
- 1302 – Battle of the Golden Spurs (Guldensporenslag in Dutch): A coalition around the Flemish cities defeats the king of France’s royal army.
- 1346 – Charles IV, Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia, is elected King of the Romans.
- 1405 – Ming admiral Zheng He sets sail to explore the world for the first time.
- 1476 – Giuliano della Rovere is appointed bishop of Coutances.
- 1576 – Martin Frobisher sights Greenland.
- 1616 – Samuel de Champlain returns to Quebec.
- 1735 – Mathematical calculations suggest that it is on this day that dwarf planet Pluto moved inside the orbit of Neptune for the last time before 1979.
- 1789 – Jacques Necker is dismissed as France’s Finance Minister sparking the Storming of the Bastille.
- 1796 – The United States takes possession of Detroit from Great Britain under terms of the Jay Treaty.
- 1798 – The United States Marine Corps is re-established; they had been disbanded after the American Revolutionary War.
- 1801 – French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons makes his first comet discovery. In the next 27 years he discovers another 36 comets, more than any other person in history.
- 1804 – A duel occurs in which the Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton.
- 1833 – Noongar Australian aboriginal warrior Yagan, wanted for the murder of white colonists in Western Australia, is killed.
- 1848 – Waterloo railway station in London opens.
- 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Fort Stevens; Confederate forces attempt to invade Washington, D.C.
- 1882 – The British Mediterranean Fleet begins the Bombardment of Alexandria in Egypt as part of the Anglo-Egyptian War.
- 1889 – Tijuana, Mexico, is founded.
- 1893 – The first cultured pearl is obtained by Kōkichi Mikimoto.
- 1893 – A revolution led by the liberal general and politician José Santos Zelaya takes over state power in Nicaragua.
- 1895 – Brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière demonstrate movie film technology to scientists.
- 1897 – Salomon August Andrée leaves Spitsbergen to attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon. He later crashes and dies.
- 1899 – Fiat founded by Giovanni Agnelli in Turin, Italy.
- 1906 – Murder of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette in the United States, inspiration for Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy.
- 1914 – Babe Ruth makes his debut in Major League Baseball.
- 1914 – USS Nevada (BB-36) is launched.
- 1919 – The eight-hour day and free Sunday become law for workers in the Netherlands.
- 1920 – In the East Prussian plebiscite the local populace decides to remain with Weimar Germany.
- 1921 – A truce in the Irish War of Independence comes into effect.
- 1921 – The Red Army captures Mongolia from the White Army and establishes the Mongolian People’s Republic.
- 1921 – Former president of the United States William Howard Taft is sworn in as 10th chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, becoming the only person ever to hold both offices.
- 1922 – The Hollywood Bowl opens.
- 1924 – Eric Liddell won the gold medal in 400m at the 1924 Paris Olympics, after refusing to run in the heats for 100m, his favoured distance, on the Sunday.
- 1934 – Engelbert Zaschka of Germany flies his large human-powered aircraft, the Zaschka Human-Power Aircraft, about 20 meters at Berlin Tempelhof Airport without assisted take-off.
- 1936 – The Triborough Bridge in New York City is opened to traffic.
- 1940 – World War II: Vichy France regime is formally established. Philippe Pétain becomes Chief of the French State.
- 1941 – The Northern Rhodesian Labour Party holds its first congress in Nkana.
- 1943 – Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army within the Reichskommissariat Ukraine (Volhynia) peak.
- 1943 – World War II: Allied invasion of Sicily: German and Italian troops launch a counter-attack on Allied forces in Sicily.
- 1947 – The Exodus 1947 heads to Palestine from France.
- 1950 – Pakistan joins the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank.
- 1957 – Prince Karim Husseini Aga Khan IV inherits the office of Imamat as the 49th Imam of Shia Imami Ismai’li worldwide, after the death of Sir Sultan Mahommed Shah Aga Khan III.
- 1960 – France legislates for the independence of Dahomey (later Benin), Upper Volta (later Burkina) and Niger.
- 1960 – Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- 1960 – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is first published, in the United States.
- 1962 – First transatlantic satellite television transmission.
- 1962 – Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth.
- 1971 – Copper mines in Chile are nationalized.
- 1972 – The first game of the World Chess Championship 1972 between challenger Bobby Fischer and defending champion Boris Spassky starts.
- 1973 – Varig Flight 820 crashes near Paris, France on approach to Orly Airport, killing 123 of the 134 on board. In response, the FAA bans smoking in airplane lavatories.
- 1977 – Martin Luther King, Jr. is posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- 1978 – Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists.
- 1979 – America’s first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.
- 1983 – A TAME airline Boeing 737-200 crashes near Cuenca, Ecuador, killing all 119 passengers and crew on board.
- 1990 – Oka Crisis: First Nations land dispute in Quebec, Canada begins.
- 1991 – Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia killing all 261 passengers and crew on board.
- 1995 – Yugoslav Wars: Srebrenica massacre begins; lasts until 22 July.
- 2006 – Mumbai train bombings: Two hundred nine people are killed in a series of bomb attacks in Mumbai, India.
- 2010 – The Islamist militia group Al-Shabaab carried out multiple suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, killing 74 people and injuring 85 others.
- 2011 – Ninety-eight containers of explosives self-detonate killing 13 people in Zygi, Cyprus.
Births on July 11
- 154 – Bardaisan, Syrian astrologer, scholar, and philosopher (d. 222)
- 1274 – Robert the Bruce, Scottish king (d. 1329)
- 1406 – William, Margrave of Hachberg-Sausenberg (d. 1482)
- 1459 – Kaspar, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken, German nobleman (d. 1527)
- 1558 – Robert Greene, English author and playwright (d. 1592)
- 1561 – Luis de Góngora, Spanish cleric and poet (d. 1627)
- 1603 – Kenelm Digby, English astrologer, courtier, and diplomat (d. 1665)
- 1628 – Tokugawa Mitsukuni, Japanese daimyō (d. 1701)
- 1653 – Sarah Good, American woman accused of witchcraft (d. 1692)
- 1657 – Frederick I of Prussia (d. 1713)
- 1662 – Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria (d. 1726)
- 1709 – Johan Gottschalk Wallerius, Swedish chemist and mineralogist (d. 1785)
- 1723 – Jean-François Marmontel, French historian and author (d. 1799)
- 1751 – Caroline Matilda, British princess, queen consort of Denmark (d. 1775)
- 1754 – Thomas Bowdler, English physician and philanthropist (d. 1825)
- 1760 – Peggy Shippen, American wife of Benedict Arnold and American Revolutionary War spy (d. 1804)
- 1767 – John Quincy Adams, American lawyer and politician, 6th President of the United States (d. 1848)
- 1826 – Alexander Afanasyev, Russian ethnographer and author (d. 1871)
- 1832 – Charilaos Trikoupis, Greek lawyer and politician, 55th Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1896)
- 1834 – James Abbott McNeill Whistler, American-English painter and illustrator (d. 1903)
- 1836 – Antônio Carlos Gomes, Brazilian composer (d. 1896)
- 1846 – Léon Bloy, French author and poet (d. 1917)
- 1849 – N. E. Brown, English plant taxonomist and authority on succulents (d. 1934)
- 1850 – Annie Armstrong, American missionary (d. 1938)
- 1866 – Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine (d. 1953)
- 1875 – H. M. Brock, British painter and illustrator (d. 1960)
- 1880 – Friedrich Lahrs, German architect and academic (d. 1964)
- 1881 – Isabel Martin Lewis, American astronomer and author (d. 1966)
- 1882 – James Larkin White, American miner, explorer, and park ranger (d. 1946)
- 1886 – Boris Grigoriev, Russian painter and illustrator (d. 1939)
- 1888 – Carl Schmitt, German philosopher and jurist (d. 1985)
- 1892 – Thomas Mitchell, American actor, singer, and screenwriter (d. 1962)
- 1894 – Erna Mohr, German zoologist (d. 1968)
- 1895 – Dorothy Wilde, English author and poet (d. 1941)
- 1897 – Bull Connor, American police officer (d. 1973)
- 1899 – Wilfrid Israel, German businessman and philanthropist (d. 1943)
- 1899 – E. B. White, American essayist and journalist (d. 1985)
- 1901 – Gwendolyn Lizarraga, Belizean businesswoman, activist, and politician (d. 1975)
- 1903 – Rudolf Abel, English-Russian colonel (d. 1971)
- 1903 – Sidney Franklin, American bullfighter (d. 1976)
- 1904 – Niño Ricardo, Spanish guitarist and composer (d. 1972)
- 1905 – Betty Allan, Australian statistician and biometrician (d. 1952)
- 1906 – Harry von Zell, American actor and announcer (d. 1981)
- 1906 – Herbert Wehner, German politician, Minister of Intra-German Relations (d. 1990)
- 1909 – Irene Hervey, American actress (d. 1998)
- 1909 – Jacques Clemens, Dutch catholic priest (d. 2018)
- 1910 – Sally Blane, American actress (d. 1997)
- 1911 – Erna Flegel, German Third Reich nurse (d. 2006)
- 1912 – Sergiu Celibidache, Romanian conductor and composer (d. 1996)
- 1912 – Peta Taylor, English cricketer (d. 1989)
- 1912 – William F. Walsh, American captain and politician, 48th Mayor of Syracuse (d. 2011)
- 1913 – Paul Gibb, English cricketer (d. 1977)
- 1913 – Cordwainer Smith, American sinologist, author, and academic (d. 1966)
- 1916 – Mortimer Caplin, American tax attorney, educator, and IRS Commissioner (d. 2019)
- 1916 – Hans Maier, Dutch water polo player (d. 2018)
- 1916 – Alexander Prokhorov, Australian-Russian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2002)
- 1916 – Reg Varney, English actor and screenwriter (d. 2008)
- 1916 – Gough Whitlam, Australian lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 21st Prime Minister of Australia (d. 2014)
- 1918 – Venetia Burney, English educator, who named Pluto (d. 2009)
- 1920 – Yul Brynner, Russian actor and dancer (d. 1985)
- 1920 – Zecharia Sitchin, Russian-American author (d. 2010)
- 1922 – Gene Evans, American actor (d. 1998)
- 1922 – Fritz Riess, German-Swiss racing driver (d. 1991)
- 1923 – Richard Pipes, Polish-American historian and academic (d. 2018)
- 1923 – Tun Tun, Indian actress and comedian (d. 2003)
- 1924 – César Lattes, Brazilian physicist and academic (d. 2005)
- 1924 – Brett Somers, Canadian-American actress and singer (d. 2007)
- 1924 – Charlie Tully, Northern Irish footballer and manager (d. 1971)
- 1924 – Oscar Wyatt, American businessman
- 1925 – Charles Chaynes, French composer (d. 2016)
- 1925 – Nicolai Gedda, Swedish operatic tenor (d. 2017)
- 1925 – Peter Kyros, American lawyer and politician (d. 2012)
- 1925 – Sid Smith, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 2004)
- 1926 – Frederick Buechner, American minister, theologian, and author
- 1927 – Theodore Maiman, American-Canadian physicist and engineer (d. 2007)
- 1927 – Chris Leonard, English footballer
- 1928 – Greville Janner, Baron Janner of Braunstone, Welsh-English lawyer and politician (d. 2015)
- 1928 – Bobo Olson, American boxer (d. 2002)
- 1928 – Andrea Veneracion, Filipina choirmaster (d. 2014)
- 1929 – Danny Flores, American singer-songwriter and saxophonist (d. 2006)
- 1929 – David Kelly, Irish actor (d. 2012)
- 1930 – Jack Alabaster, New Zealand cricketer
- 1930 – Harold Bloom, American literary critic (d. 2019)
- 1930 – Trevor Storer, English businessman, founded Pukka Pies (d. 2013)
- 1931 – Dick Gray, American baseball player (d. 2013)
- 1931 – Thurston Harris, American doo-wop singer (d. 1990)
- 1931 – Tab Hunter, American actor and singer (d. 2018)
- 1931 – Tullio Regge, Italian physicist and academic (d. 2014)
- 1932 – Alex Hassilev, French-born American folk singer and musician
- 1932 – Jean-Guy Talbot, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
- 1933 – Jim Carlen, American football player and coach (d. 2012)
- 1933 – Frank Kelso, American admiral and politician, United States Secretary of the Navy (d. 2013)
- 1934 – Giorgio Armani, Italian fashion designer, founded the Armani Company
- 1935 – Frederick Hemke, American saxophonist and educator
- 1935 – Oliver Napier, Northern Irish lawyer and politician (d. 2011)
- 1937 – Pai Hsien-yung, Chinese-Taiwanese author
- 1941 – Bill Boggs, American journalist and producer
- 1941 – Henry Lowther, English trumpet player
- 1943 – Richard Carleton, Australian journalist (d. 2006)
- 1943 – Howard Gardner, American psychologist and academic
- 1943 – Tom Holland, American actor, director, and screenwriter
- 1943 – Peter Jensen, Australian metropolitan
- 1943 – Robert Malval, Haitian businessman and politician, 5th Prime Minister of Haiti
- 1943 – Rolf Stommelen, German racing driver (d. 1983)
- 1944 – Lou Hudson, American basketball player and coach (d. 2014)
- 1944 – Michael Levy, Baron Levy, English philanthropist
- 1944 – Patricia Polacco, American author and illustrator
- 1946 – Martin Wong, American painter (d. 1999)
- 1947 – Jeff Hanna, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and drummer
- 1947 – Norman Lebrecht, English author and critic
- 1947 – Bo Lundgren, Swedish politician
- 1950 – Pervez Hoodbhoy, Pakistani physicist and academic
- 1950 – J. R. Morgan, Welsh author and academic
- 1950 – Bonnie Pointer, American singer (d. 2020)
- 1951 – Ed Ott, American baseball player and coach
- 1952 – Bill Barber, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
- 1952 – Stephen Lang, American actor and playwright
- 1953 – Piyasvasti Amranand, Thai businessman and politician, Thai Minister of Energy
- 1953 – Angélica Aragón, Mexican film, television, and stage actress and singer
- 1953 – Peter Brown, American singer-songwriter and producer
- 1953 – Suresh Prabhu, Indian accountant and politician, Indian Minister of Railways
- 1953 – Patricia Reyes Spíndola, Mexican actress, director, and producer
- 1953 – Leon Spinks, American boxer
- 1953 – Mindy Sterling, American actress
- 1953 – Ivan Toms, South African physician and activist (d. 2008)
- 1953 – Bramwell Tovey, English-Canadian conductor and composer
- 1953 – Paul Weiland, English director, producer, and screenwriter
- 1954 – Julia King, English engineer and academic
- 1955 – Balaji Sadasivan, Singaporean neurosurgeon and politician, Singaporean Minister of Health (d. 2010)
- 1956 – Amitav Ghosh, Indian-American author and academic
- 1956 – Robin Renucci, French actor and director
- 1956 – Sela Ward, American actress
- 1957 – Johann Lamont, Scottish educator and politician
- 1957 – Peter Murphy, English singer-songwriter
- 1957 – Michael Rose, Jamaican singer-songwriter
- 1958 – Mark Lester, English actor
- 1958 – Hugo Sánchez, Mexican footballer, coach, and manager
- 1959 – Richie Sambora, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
- 1959 – Suzanne Vega, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
- 1960 – David Baerwald, American singer-songwriter, composer, and musician
- 1960 – Caroline Quentin, English actress
- 1961 – Antony Jenkins, English banker and businessman
- 1962 – Gaétan Duchesne, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2007)
- 1962 – Pauline McLynn, Irish actress and author
- 1962 – Fumiya Fujii, Japanese music artist
- 1963 – Al MacInnis, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
- 1963 – Dean Richards, English rugby player and coach
- 1963 – Lisa Rinna, American actress and talk show host
- 1965 – Tony Cottee, English footballer, manager, and sportscaster
- 1965 – Ernesto Hoost, Dutch kick-boxer and sportscaster
- 1965 – Scott Shriner, American singer-songwriter and bass player
- 1966 – Nadeem Aslam, Pakistani-English author
- 1966 – Kentaro Miura, Japanese author and illustrator
- 1966 – Rod Strickland, American basketball player and coach
- 1966 – Ricky Warwick, Northern Irish musician
- 1967 – Andy Ashby, American baseball player and sportscaster
- 1967 – Jhumpa Lahiri, Indian American novelist and short story writer
- 1968 – Michael Geist, Canadian journalist and academic
- 1968 – Daniel MacMaster, Canadian singer-songwriter (d. 2008)
- 1968 – Esera Tuaolo, American football player
- 1969 – Ned Boulting, British sports journalist and television presenter
- 1970 – Justin Chambers, American actor
- 1970 – Sajjad Karim, English lawyer and politician
- 1970 – Eric Owens, American opera singer
- 1971 – Leisha Hailey, Japanese-American singer-songwriter and actress
- 1972 – Cormac Battle, English-Irish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
- 1973 – Konstantinos Kenteris, Greek runner
- 1974 – Alanas Chošnau, Lithuanian singer-songwriter
- 1974 – Hermann Hreiðarsson, Icelandic footballer and manager
- 1974 – André Ooijer, Dutch footballer and coach
- 1975 – Willie Anderson, American football player
- 1975 – Rubén Baraja, Spanish footballer and manager
- 1975 – Lil’ Kim, American rapper and producer
- 1976 – Eduardo Nájera, Mexican-American basketball player and coach
- 1977 – Brandon Short, American football player and sportscaster
- 1978 – Kathleen Edwards, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1978 – Massimiliano Rosolino, Italian swimmer
- 1979 – Raio Piiroja, Estonian footballer
- 1980 – Tyson Kidd, Canadian wrestler
- 1980 – Kevin Powers, American soldier and author
- 1981 – Andre Johnson, American football player
- 1982 – Chris Cooley, American football player
- 1983 – Engin Baytar, German-Turkish footballer
- 1983 – Peter Cincotti, American singer-songwriter and pianist
- 1983 – Marie Serneholt, Swedish singer and dancer
- 1984 – Yorman Bazardo, Venezuelan baseball player
- 1984 – Tanith Belbin, Canadian-American ice dancer
- 1984 – Jacoby Jones, American football player
- 1984 – Joe Pavelski, American ice hockey player
- 1984 – Morné Steyn, South African rugby player
- 1985 – Robert Adamson, American actor, director, and producer
- 1985 – Orestis Karnezis, Greek footballer
- 1986 – Raúl García, Spanish footballer
- 1986 – Yoann Gourcuff, French footballer
- 1986 – Ryan Jarvis, English footballer
- 1987 – Shigeaki Kato, Japanese singer
- 1988 – Étienne Capoue, French footballer
- 1988 – Natalie La Rose, Dutch singer, songwriter and dancer
- 1989 – Tobias Sana, Swedish footballer
- 1989 – Travis Waddell, Australian rugby league player
- 1990 – Mona Barthel, German tennis player
- 1990 – Connor Paolo, American actor
- 1990 – Adam Jezierski, Polish-Spanish actor and singer
- 1990 – Patrick Peterson, American football player
- 1990 – Caroline Wozniacki, Danish tennis player
- 1993 – Rebecca Bross, American gymnast
- 1993 – Heini Salonen, Finnish tennis player
- 1994 – Bartłomiej Kalinkowski, Polish footballer
- 1994 – Anthony Milford, Australian rugby league player
- 1994 – Nina Nesbitt, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1994 – Lucas Ocampos, Argentinian footballer
- 1995 – Joey Bosa, American football player
- 1995 – Tyler Medeiros, Canadian singer-songwriter and dancer
- 1996 – Alessia Cara, Canadian singer-songwriter
Deaths on July 11
- 472 – Anthemius, Roman emperor (b. 420)
- 937 – Rudolph II of Burgundy (b. 880)
- 969 – Olga of Kiev (b. 890)
- 1174 – Amalric I of Jerusalem (b. 1136)
- 1183 – Otto I Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria (b. 1117)
- 1302 – Robert II, Count of Artois (b. 1250)
- 1302 – Pierre Flotte, French politician and lawyer
- 1344 – Ulrich III, Count of Württemberg (b. c. 1286)
- 1362 – Anna von Schweidnitz, empress of Charles IV (b. 1339)
- 1382 – Nicole Oresme, French philosopher (b. 1325)
- 1451 – Barbara of Cilli, Slovenian noblewoman
- 1484 – Mino da Fiesole, Italian sculptor (b. c. 1429)
- 1535 – Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg (b. 1484)
- 1581 – Peder Skram, Danish admiral and politician (b. 1503)
- 1593 – Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Italian painter (b. 1527)
- 1599 – Chōsokabe Motochika, Japanese daimyō (b.1539)
- 1688 – Narai, Thai king (b. 1629)
- 1774 – Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet, Irish-English general (b. 1715)
- 1775 – Simon Boerum, American farmer and politician (b. 1724)
- 1797 – Ienăchiță Văcărescu, Romanian historian and philologist (b. 1740)
- 1806 – James Smith, Irish-American lawyer and politician (b. 1719)
- 1825 – Thomas P. Grosvenor, American soldier and politician (b. 1744)
- 1844 – Yevgeny Baratynsky, Russian philosopher and poet (b. 1800)
- 1897 – Patrick Jennings, Irish-Australian politician, 11th Premier of New South Wales (b. 1831)
- 1905 – Muhammad Abduh, Egyptian jurist and scholar (b. 1849)
- 1908 – Friedrich Traun, German sprinter and tennis player (b. 1876)
- 1909 – Simon Newcomb, Canadian-American astronomer and mathematician (b. 1835)
- 1929 – Billy Mosforth, English footballer and engraver (b. 1857)
- 1937 – George Gershwin, American pianist, songwriter, and composer (b. 1898)
- 1959 – Charlie Parker, English cricketer, coach, and umpire (b. 1882)
- 1966 – Delmore Schwartz, American poet and short story writer (b. 1913)
- 1967 – Guy Favreau, Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician, 28th Canadian Minister of Justice (b. 1917)
- 1971 – John W. Campbell, American journalist and author (b. 1910)
- 1971 – Pedro Rodríguez, Mexican racing driver (b. 1940)
- 1974 – Pär Lagerkvist, Swedish novelist, playwright, and poet Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1891)
- 1976 – León de Greiff, Colombian poet and educator (b. 1895)
- 1979 – Claude Wagner, Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician (b. 1925)
- 1983 – Ross Macdonald, American-Canadian author (b. 1915)
- 1987 – Avi Ran, Israeli footballer (b. 1963)
- 1987 – Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman, American rabbi and scholar (b. 1901)
- 1989 – Laurence Olivier, English actor, director, and producer (b. 1907)
- 1991 – Mokhtar Dahari, Malaysian footballer and coach (b. 1953)
- 1994 – Gary Kildall, American computer scientist, founded Digital Research (b. 1942)
- 1998 – Panagiotis Kondylis, Greek philosopher and author (b. 1943)
- 1999 – Helen Forrest, American singer (b. 1917)
- 1999 – Jan Sloot, Dutch computer scientist and electronics technician (b. 1945)
- 2000 – Pedro Mir, Dominican lawyer, author, and poet (b. 1913)
- 2000 – Robert Runcie, English archbishop (b. 1921)
- 2001 – Herman Brood, Dutch musician and painter (b. 1946)
- 2003 – Zahra Kazemi, Iranian-Canadian freelance photographer (b. 1948)
- 2004 – Laurance Rockefeller, American financier and philanthropist (b. 1910)
- 2004 – Renée Saint-Cyr, French actress and producer (b. 1904)
- 2005 – Gretchen Franklin, English actress and dancer (b. 1911)
- 2005 – Jesús Iglesias, Argentinian racing driver (b. 1922)
- 2005 – Frances Langford, American actress and singer (b. 1913)
- 2006 – Barnard Hughes, American actor (b. 1915)
- 2006 – Bronwyn Oliver, Australian sculptor (b. 1959)
- 2006 – John Spencer, English snooker player and sportscaster (b. 1935)
- 2007 – Glenda Adams, Australian author and academic (b. 1939)
- 2007 – Lady Bird Johnson, American beautification activist; 43rd First Lady of the United States (b. 1912)
- 2007 – Alfonso López Michelsen, Colombian lawyer and politician, 32nd President of Colombia (b. 1913)
- 2007 – Ed Mirvish, American-Canadian businessman and philanthropist, founded Honest Ed’s (b. 1914)
- 2008 – Michael E. DeBakey, American surgeon and educator (b. 1908)
- 2009 – Reg Fleming, Canadian-American ice hockey player (b. 1936)
- 2009 – Arturo Gatti, Italian-Canadian boxer (b. 1972)
- 2009 – Ji Xianlin, Chinese linguist and paleographer (b. 1911)
- 2010 – Walter Hawkins, American singer-songwriter, pianist, producer, and pastor (b. 1949)
- 2011 – Rob Grill, American singer-songwriter and bass player (b. 1943)
- 2012 – Art Ceccarelli, American baseball player and coach (b. 1930)
- 2012 – Marion Cunningham, American author (b. 1922)
- 2012 – Richard Scudder, American journalist and publisher, co-founded MediaNews Group (b. 1913)
- 2012 – Donald J. Sobol, American soldier and author (b. 1924)
- 2012 – Marvin Traub, American businessman and author (b. 1925)
- 2013 – Emik Avakian, Iranian-American inventor (b. 1923)
- 2013 – Egbert Brieskorn, German mathematician and academic (b. 1936)
- 2013 – Eugene P. Wilkinson, American admiral (b. 1918)
- 2014 – Charlie Haden, American bassist and composer (b. 1937)
- 2014 – Carin Mannheimer, Swedish author and screenwriter (b. 1934)
- 2014 – Bill McGill, American basketball player (b. 1939)
- 2014 – Tommy Ramone, Hungarian-American drummer and producer (b. 1949)
- 2014 – John Seigenthaler, American journalist and academic (b. 1927)
- 2014 – Randall Stout, American architect, designed the Taubman Museum of Art (b. 1958)
- 2015 – Giacomo Biffi, Italian cardinal (b. 1928)
- 2015 – James U. Cross, American general (b. 1925)
- 2015 – Satoru Iwata, Japanese game programmer and businessman (b. 1959)
- 2015 – Lawrence K. Karlton, American lawyer and judge (b. 1935)
- 2015 – André Leysen, Belgian businessman (b. 1927)
Holidays and observances on July 11
- Christian Feast Day:
- Benedict of Nursia
- Olga of Kiev
- Pope Pius I
- July 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- China National Maritime Day (China)
- Day of the Bandoneón (Argentina)
- Day of the Flemish Community (Flemish Community of Belgium)
- Eleventh Night (Northern Ireland)
- Free Slurpee Day (Participating stores of the 7-Eleven chain in North America)
- National Day of Remembrance of Victims of Genocide by Ukrainian Nationalists on Citizens of the Second Republic of Poland (Poland)
- Gospel Day (Kiribati)
- Imamat Day (Isma’ilism)
- National Day of Commemoration, held on the nearest Sunday to this date (Ireland)
- The first day of Naadam (July 11–15) (Mongolia)
- World Population Day (International)
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June 29 in History
- 226 – Cao Rui succeeds his father as emperor of the Kingdom of Wei.
- 1149 – Raymond of Poitiers is defeated and killed at the Battle of Inab by Nur ad-Din Zangi.
- 1194 – Sverre is crowned King of Norway, leading to his excommunication by the Catholic Church and civil war.
- 1444 – Skanderbeg defeats an Ottoman invasion force at Torvioll.
- 1534 – Jacques Cartier is the first European to reach Prince Edward Island.
- 1613 – The Globe Theatre in London, built by William Shakespeare‘s playing company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, burns to the ground.
- 1644 – Charles I of England defeats a Parliamentarian detachment at the Battle of Cropredy Bridge.
- 1659 – At the Battle of Konotop the Ukrainian armies of Ivan Vyhovsky defeat the Russians led by Prince Trubetskoy.
- 1786 – Alexander Macdonell and over five hundred Roman Catholic highlanders leave Scotland to settle in Glengarry County, Ontario.
- 1807 – Russo-Turkish War: Admiral Dmitry Senyavin destroys the Ottoman fleet in the Battle of Athos.
- 1850 – Autocephaly officially granted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to the Church of Greece.
- 1864 – At least 99 people, mostly German and Polish immigrants, are killed in Canada’s worst railway disaster after a train fails to stop for an open drawbridge and plunges into the Rivière Richelieu near St-Hilaire, Quebec.
- 1874 – Greek politician Charilaos Trikoupis publishes a manifesto in the Athens daily Kairoi entitled “Who’s to Blame?” leveling complaints against King George. Trikoupis is elected Prime Minister of Greece the next year.
- 1880 – France annexes Tahiti, renaming the independent Kingdom of Tahiti as “Etablissements de français de l’Océanie”.
- 1881 – In Sudan, Muhammad Ahmad declares himself to be the Mahdi, the messianic redeemer of Islam.
- 1888 – George Edward Gouraud records Handel’s Israel in Egypt onto a phonograph cylinder, thought for many years to be the oldest known recording of music.
- 1889 – Hyde Park and several other Illinois townships vote to be annexed by Chicago, forming the largest United States city in area and second largest in population at the time.
- 1915 – The North Saskatchewan River flood of 1915 is the worst flood in Edmonton history.
- 1916 – British diplomat turned Irish nationalist Roger Casement is sentenced to death for his part in the Easter Rising.
- 1922 – France grants 1 km2 at Vimy Ridge “freely, and for all time, to the Government of Canada, the free use of the land exempt from all taxes”.
- 1927 – The Bird of Paradise, a U.S. Army Air Corps Fokker tri-motor, completes the first transpacific flight, from the mainland United States to Hawaii.
- 1945 – The Soviet Union annexes the Czechoslovak province of Carpathian Ruthenia.
- 1950 – Korean War: U.S. President Harry S. Truman authorizes a sea blockade of Korea.
- 1956 – The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 is signed by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, officially creating the United States Interstate Highway System.
- 1972 – The United States Supreme Court rules in the case Furman v. Georgia that arbitrary and inconsistent imposition of the death penalty violates the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.
- 1974 – Vice President Isabel Perón assumes powers and duties as Acting President of Argentina, while her husband President Juan Peron is terminally ill.
- 1974 – Mikhail Baryshnikov defects from the Soviet Union to Canada while on tour with the Kirov Ballet.
- 1975 – Steve Wozniak tested his first prototype of Apple I computer.
- 1976 – The Seychelles become independent from the United Kingdom.
- 1976 – The Conference of Communist and Workers Parties of Europe convenes in East Berlin.
- 1987 – Vincent Van Gogh’s painting, the Le Pont de Trinquetaille, was bought for $20.4 million at an auction in London, England.
- 1995 – Space Shuttle program: STS-71 Mission (Atlantis) docks with the Russian space station Mir for the first time.
- 1995 – The Sampoong Department Store collapses in the Seocho District of Seoul, South Korea, killing 501 and injuring 937.
- 2002 – Naval clashes between South Korea and North Korea lead to the death of six South Korean sailors and sinking of a North Korean vessel.
- 2006 – Hamdan v. Rumsfeld: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that President George W. Bush’s plan to try Guantanamo Bay detainees in military tribunals violates U.S. and international law.
- 2007 – Apple Inc. releases its first mobile phone, the iPhone.
- 2012 – A derecho sweeps across the eastern United States, leaving at least 22 people dead and millions without power.
- 2014 – The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant self-declared its caliphate in Syria and northern Iraq.
Births on June 29
- 1136 – Petronilla of Aragon (d. 1173)
- 1326 – Murad I, Ottoman Sultan (d. 1389)
- 1398 – John II of Aragon and Navarre (d. 1479)
- 1443 – Anthony Browne, English knight (d. 1506)
- 1482 – Maria of Aragon, Queen of Portugal (d. 1517)
- 1488 – Pedro Pacheco de Villena, Catholic cardinal (d. 1560)
- 1517 – Rembert Dodoens, Flemish physician and botanist (d. 1585)
- 1525 – Peter Agricola, German humanist, theologian, diplomat and statesman (d. 1585)
- 1528 – Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d. 1589)
- 1543 – Christine of Hesse, Duchess consort of Holstein-Gottorp (d. 1604)
- 1596 – Emperor Go-Mizunoo of Japan (d. 1680)
- 1621 – Willem van der Zaan, Dutch Admiral (d. 1669)
- 1686 – Pietro Paolo Troisi, Maltese artist (d. 1743)
- 1746 – Joachim Heinrich Campe, German linguist, author, and educator (d. 1818)
- 1768 – Vincenzo Dimech, Maltese sculptor (d. 1831)
- 1787 – Lavinia Stoddard, American poet, school founder (d. 1820)
- 1793 – Josef Ressel, Czech-Austrian inventor, invented the propeller (d. 1857)
- 1798 – Willibald Alexis, German author and poet (d. 1871)
- 1798 – Giacomo Leopardi, Italian poet and philosopher (d. 1837)
- 1801 – Frédéric Bastiat, French economist and theorist (d. 1850)
- 1803 – John Newton Brown, American minister and author (d. 1868)
- 1818 – Angelo Secchi, Italian astronomer and academic (d. 1878)
- 1819 – Thomas Dunn English, American poet, playwright, and politician (d. 1902)
- 1833 – Peter Waage, Norwegian chemist and academic (d. 1900)
- 1835 – Celia Thaxter, American poet and story writer (d. 1894)
- 1844 – Peter I of Serbia (d. 1921)
- 1849 – Pedro Montt, Chilean lawyer and politician, 15th President of Chile (d. 1910)
- 1849 – Sergei Witte, Russian politician, 1st Chairmen of Council of Ministers of the Russian Empire (d. 1915)
- 1849 – John Hunn, American businessman and politician, 51st Governor of Delaware (d. 1926)
- 1858 – George Washington Goethals, American general and engineer, co-designed the Panama Canal (d. 1928)
- 1858 – Julia Lathrop, American activist and politician (d. 1932)
- 1861 – William James Mayo, American physician and surgeon, co-founded the Mayo Clinic (d. 1939)
- 1863 – Wilbert Robinson, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 1934)
- 1866 – Bartholomeus Roodenburch, Dutch swimmer (d. 1939)
- 1868 – George Ellery Hale, American astronomer and journalist (d. 1938)
- 1870 – Joseph Carl Breil, American tenor, composer, and director (d. 1926)
- 1873 – Leo Frobenius, German ethnologist and archaeologist (d. 1938)
- 1879 – Benedetto Aloisi Masella, Italian cardinal (d. 1970)
- 1880 – Ludwig Beck, German general (d. 1944)
- 1881 – Harry Frazee, American director, producer, and agent (d. 1929)
- 1881 – Curt Sachs, German-American composer and musicologist (d. 1959)
- 1882 – Henry Hawtrey, English runner (d. 1961)
- 1882 – Franz Seldte, German captain and politician, Reich Minister for Labour (d. 1947)
- 1886 – Robert Schuman, Luxembourgian-French lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of France (d. 1963)
- 1888 – Squizzy Taylor, Australian gangster (d. 1927)
- 1889 – Willie Macfarlane, Scottish-American golfer (d. 1961)
- 1890 – Robert Laurent, American sculptor and academic (d. 1970)
- 1890 – Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper, Dutch supercentenarian (d. 2005)
- 1893 – Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, Indian economist and statistician (d. 1972)
- 1893 – Aarre Merikanto, Finnish composer and educator (d. 1958)
- 1897 – Fulgence Charpentier, Canadian journalist and publisher (d. 2001)
- 1898 – Yvonne Lefébure, French pianist and educator (d. 1986)
- 1900 – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, French poet and pilot (d. 1944)
- 1901 – Nelson Eddy, American singer and actor (d. 1967)
- 1903 – Alan Blumlein, English engineer, developed the H2S radar (d. 1942)
- 1904 – Witold Hurewicz, Polish mathematician (d. 1956)
- 1906 – Ivan Chernyakhovsky, Ukrainian general (d. 1945)
- 1906 – Heinz Harmel, German general (d. 2000)
- 1908 – Leroy Anderson, American composer and conductor (d. 1975)
- 1908 – Erik Lundqvist, Swedish javelin thrower (d. 1963)
- 1910 – Frank Loesser, American composer and conductor (d. 1969)
- 1910 – Burgess Whitehead, American baseball player (d. 1993)
- 1911 – Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld (d. 2004)
- 1911 – Katherine DeMille, Canadian-American actress (d. 1995)
- 1911 – Bernard Herrmann, American composer and conductor (d. 1975)
- 1912 – José Pablo Moncayo, Mexican pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1958)
- 1912 – Émile Peynaud, French oenologist and academic (d. 2004)
- 1912 – John Toland, American historian and author (d. 2004)
- 1913 – Earle Meadows, American pole vaulter (d. 1992)
- 1914 – Rafael Kubelík, Czech-American conductor and composer (d. 1996)
- 1914 – Christos Papakyriakopoulos, Greek-American mathematician and academic (d. 1976)
- 1916 – Ruth Warrick, American actress and activist (d. 2005)
- 1917 – Ling Yun, Chinese politician (d. 2018)
- 1918 – Heini Lohrer, Swiss ice hockey player (d. 2011)
- 1918 – Gene La Rocque, U.S admiral (d. 2016)
- 1918 – Francis W. Nye, United States Air Force major general (d. 2019)
- 1919 – Ernesto Corripio y Ahumada, Mexican cardinal (d. 2008)
- 1919 – Walter Babington Thomas, Commander of British Far East Land Forces (d. 2017)
- 1919 – Slim Pickens, American actor and rodeo performer (d. 1983)
- 1920 – César Rodríguez Álvarez, Spanish footballer and manager (d. 1995)
- 1920 – Ray Harryhausen, American animator and producer (d. 2013)
- 1920 – Nicole Russell, Duchess of Bedford (d. 2012)
- 1921 – Frédéric Dard, French author and screenwriter (d. 2000)
- 1921 – Jean Kent, English actress (d. 2013)
- 1921 – Reinhard Mohn, German businessman (d. 2009)
- 1921 – Harry Schell, French-American race car driver (d. 1960)
- 1922 – Ralph Burns, American songwriter, bandleader, composer, conductor, arranger and pianist (d. 2001)
- 1922 – Vasko Popa, Serbian poet and academic (d. 1991)
- 1922 – John William Vessey, Jr., American general (d. 2016)
- 1923 – Chou Wen-chung, Chinese-American composer and educator (d. 2019)
- 1924 – Ezra Laderman, American composer and educator (d. 2015)
- 1924 – Roy Walford, American pathologist and gerontologist (d. 2004)
- 1924 – Philip H. Hoff, American politician (d. 2018)
- 1925 – Francis S. Currey, American World War II Medal of Honor recipient (d. 2019)
- 1925 – Giorgio Napolitano, Italian journalist and politician, 11th President of Italy
- 1925 – Chan Parker, American dancer and author (d. 1999)
- 1925 – Jackie Lynn Taylor, American actress (d. 2014)
- 1925 – Cara Williams, American actress
- 1926 – Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Kuwaiti ruler, 3rd Emir of Kuwait (d. 2006)
- 1926 – Julius W. Becton, Jr., U.S lieutenant general
- 1926 – Roger Stuart Bacon, Nova Scotia politician
- 1926 – Bobby Morgan, American professional baseball player
- 1927 – Pierre Perrault, Canadian director and screenwriter (d. 1999)
- 1927 – Marie Thérèse Killens, Canadian politician
- 1928 – Ian Bannen, Scottish actor (d. 1999)
- 1928 – Jean-Louis Pesch, French author and illustrator
- 1928 – Radius Prawiro, Indonesian economist and politician (d. 2005)
- 1929 – Pat Crawford Brown, American actress
- 1929 – Pete George, American weightlifter
- 1929 – Oriana Fallaci, Italian journalist and author (d. 2006)
- 1930 – Ernst Albrecht, German economist and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Lower Saxony (d. 2014)
- 1930 – Robert Evans, American actor and producer (d. 2019)
- 1930 – Viola Léger, American-Canadian actress and politician
- 1930 – Sławomir Mrożek, Polish-French author and playwright (d. 2013)
- 1931 – Sevim Burak, Turkish author (d. 1983)
- 1932 – Brian Hutton, Baron Hutton, British jurist; Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
- 1933 – Bob Shaw, American baseball player and manager (d. 2010)
- 1933 – John Bradshaw, American theologian and author (d. 2016)
- 1934 – Corey Allen, American actor, director, and producer (d. 2010)
- 1935 – Vassilis C. Constantakopoulos, Greek captain and businessman (d. 2011)
- 1935 – Katsuya Nomura, Japanese baseball player and manager
- 1936 – Harmon Killebrew, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 2011)
- 1939 – Alan Connolly, Australian cricketer
- 1939 – Amarildo Tavares da Silveira, Brazilian footballer and coach
- 1940 – Vyacheslav Artyomov, Russian composer
- 1940 – John Dawes, Welsh rugby player and coach
- 1941 – John Boccabella, American baseball player
- 1941 – Stokely Carmichael, Trinidadian-American activist (d. 1998)
- 1942 – Charlotte Bingham, English author and screenwriter
- 1942 – Mike Willesee, Australian journalist and producer (d. 2019)
- 1943 – Little Eva, American singer (d. 2003)
- 1943 – Louis Nicollin, French entrepreneur and chairman of Montpellier HSC (d. 2017)
- 1944 – Gary Busey, American actor
- 1944 – Andreu Mas-Colell, Spanish economist, academic, and politician
- 1944 – Seán Patrick O’Malley, American cardinal
- 1945 – Chandrika Kumaratunga, Sri Lankan journalist and politician, 5th President of Sri Lanka
- 1946 – Ernesto Pérez Balladares, Panamanian politician, 33rd President of Panama
- 1946 – Egon von Fürstenberg, Swiss fashion designer (d. 2004)
- 1947 – Richard Lewis, American actor and screenwriter
- 1948 – Sean Bergin, South African-Dutch saxophonist and flute player (d. 2012)
- 1948 – Fred Grandy, American actor and politician
- 1948 – Ian Paice, English drummer, songwriter, and producer
- 1948 – Usha Prashar, Baroness Prashar, Kenyan-English politician
- 1949 – Dan Dierdorf, American football player and sportscaster
- 1949 – Joan Clos, Spanish anesthesiologist and politician, 116th Mayor of Barcelona
- 1949 – Ann Veneman, American lawyer and politician, 27th United States Secretary of Agriculture
- 1950 – Bobby London, American illustrator
- 1951 – Craig Sager, American sportscaster (d. 2016)
- 1953 – Don Dokken, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1953 – Colin Hay, Scottish-Australian singer and guitarist
- 1954 – Rick Honeycutt, American baseball player and coach
- 1954 – Leovegildo Lins da Gama Júnior, Brazilian footballer, coach, and manager
- 1955 – Charles J. Precourt, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut
- 1956 – Nick Fry, English economist and businessman
- 1956 – David Burroughs Mattingly, American illustrator and painter
- 1956 – Pedro Guerrero, Dominican-American baseball player and manager
- 1956 – Pedro Santana Lopes, Portuguese lawyer and politician, 118th Prime Minister of Portugal
- 1956 – Pyotr Vasilevsky, Belarusian footballer and manager (d. 2012)
- 1957 – Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Turkmen dentist and politician, 2nd President of Turkmenistan
- 1957 – María Conchita Alonso, Cuban-Venezuelan singer and actress
- 1957 – Robert Forster, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1957 – Michael Nutter, American politician, 98th Mayor of Philadelphia
- 1957 – Terry Wyatt, English physicist and academic
- 1958 – Dieter Althaus, German politician
- 1958 – Rosa Mota, Portuguese runner
- 1961 – Sharon Lawrence, American actress, singer, and dancer
- 1962 – Amanda Donohoe, English actress
- 1962 – Joan Laporta, Spanish lawyer and politician
- 1962 – George D. Zamka, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut
- 1963 – Anne-Sophie Mutter, German violinist
- 1964 – Stedman Pearson, English singer-songwriter and dancer
- 1965 – Tripp Eisen, American guitarist
- 1965 – Paul Jarvis, English cricketer
- 1966 – Yoko Kamio, Japanese author and comic artist
- 1967 – Jeff Burton, American race car driver
- 1967 – Melora Hardin, American actress and singer
- 1967 – Seamus McGarvey, Northern Irish cinematographer
- 1968 – Brian d’Arcy James, American actor and musician
- 1968 – Theoren Fleury, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1968 – Judith Hoag, American actress and educator
- 1969 – Claude Béchard, Canadian politician (d. 2010)
- 1969 – Pavlos Dermitzakis, Greek footballer and manager
- 1969 – Tōru Hashimoto, Japanese lawyer and politician
- 1970 – Melanie Paschke, German sprinter
- 1970 – Emily Skinner, American actress and singer
- 1971 – Matthew Good, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1973 – George Hincapie, American cyclist
- 1976 – Daniel Carlsson, Swedish race car driver
- 1976 – Bret McKenzie, New Zealand comedian, actor, musician, songwriter, and producer
- 1977 – Sotiris Liberopoulos, Greek footballer
- 1977 – Zuleikha Robinson, English actress
- 1978 – Nicole Scherzinger, American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress
- 1979 – Matthew Bode, Australian footballer
- 1979 – Andy O’Brien, English footballer
- 1979 – Marleen Veldhuis, Dutch swimmer
- 1980 – Katherine Jenkins, Welsh soprano and actress
- 1981 – Luke Branighan, Australian rugby league player
- 1981 – Joe Johnson, American basketball player
- 1981 – Nicolás Vuyovich, Argentinian race car driver (d. 2005)
- 1981 – Shmuly Yanklowitz, American rabbi, author, and educator
- 1982 – Dusty Hughes, American baseball player
- 1982 – Lily Rabe, American actress
- 1983 – Aundrea Fimbres, American singer-songwriter and dancer
- 1983 – Jeremy Powers, American cyclist
- 1984 – Aleksandr Shustov, Russian high jumper
- 1985 – Quintin Demps, American football player
- 1986 – José Manuel Jurado, Spanish footballer
- 1986 – Edward Maya, Romanian singer-songwriter and producer
- 1988 – Éver Banega, Argentinian footballer
- 1990 – Kim Little, Scottish footballer
- 1990 – Yann M’Vila, French footballer
- 1991 – Suk Hyun-jun, South Korean footballer
- 1991 – Kawhi Leonard, American basketball player
- 1991 – Addison Timlin, American actress
- 1993 – Harrison Gilbertson, Australian actor
- 1994 – Camila Mendes, American actress and model
- 1996 – Joseph Manu, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1998 – Michael Porter Jr., American basketball player
- 2006 – Sam Lavagnino, American child voice actor
Deaths on June 29
- 226 – Cao Pi, Chinese emperor (b. 187)
- 884 – Yang Shili, general of the Tang Dynasty
- 976 – Gero, archbishop of Cologne
- 1059 – Bernard II, Duke of Saxony (b. 995)
- 1149 – Raymond of Poitiers, Prince of Antioch (b. 1115)
- 1153 – Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles
- 1252 – Abel, King of Denmark (b. 1218)
- 1293 – Henry of Ghent, philosopher (b. c.1217)
- 1315 – Ramon Llull, Spanish philosopher (b. 1235)
- 1344 – Joan of Savoy, duchess consort of Brittany, throne claimant of Savoy (b. 1310)
- 1374 – Jan Milíč of Kroměříž, Czech priest and reformer
- 1432 – Janus of Cyprus (b. 1375)
- 1509 – Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby (b. 1443)
- 1520 – Moctezuma II, Aztec ruler (b. 1466)
- 1575 – Baba Nobuharu, Japanese samurai (b. 1515)
- 1594 – Niels Kaas, Danish politician, Chancellor of Denmark (b. 1535)
- 1626 – Scipione Cobelluzzi, Italian cardinal and archivist (b. 1564)
- 1646 – Laughlin Ó Cellaigh, Gaelic-Irish Lord
- 1725 – Arai Hakuseki, Japanese philosopher, academic, and politician (b. 1657)
- 1729 – Edward Taylor, American-English poet, pastor, and physician (b. circa 1642)
- 1744 – André Campra, French composer and conductor (b. 1660)
- 1764 – Ralph Allen, English businessman and philanthropist (b. 1693)
- 1779 – Anton Raphael Mengs, German painter (b. 1728)
- 1831 – Heinrich Friedrich Karl vom und zum Stein, Prussian minister and politician (b. 1757)
- 1840 – Lucien Bonaparte, French prince (b. 1775)
- 1852 – Henry Clay, American lawyer and politician, 9th United States Secretary of State (b. 1777)
- 1853 – Adrien-Henri de Jussieu, French botanist and academic (b. 1797)
- 1855 – John Gorrie, American physician and humanitarian (b. 1803)
- 1860 – Thomas Addison, English physician and endocrinologist (b. 1793)
- 1861 – Elizabeth Barrett Browning, English poet and translator (b. 1806)
- 1873 – Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Indian poet and playwright (b. 1824)
- 1875 – Ferdinand I of Austria (b. 1793)
- 1895 – Thomas Henry Huxley, English biologist (b. 1825)
- 1900 – Ivan Mikheevich Pervushin, Russian mathematician and academic (b. 1827)
- 1907 – Konstantinos Volanakis, Greek painter and academic (b. 1837)
- 1919 – José Gregorio Hernández Venezuelan physician and educator (b. 1864)
- 1931 – Nérée Beauchemin, Canadian poet and physician (b. 1850)
- 1933 – Roscoe Arbuckle, American actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1887)
- 1935 – Jack O’Neill, Irish-American baseball player and manager (b. 1873)
- 1936 – János Szlepecz, Slovene priest and missionary (b. 1872)
- 1940 – Paul Klee, Swiss painter and illustrator (b. 1879)
- 1941 – Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Polish pianist, composer, and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Poland (b. 1860)
- 1942 – Paul Troje, German politician, Mayor of Marburg (b. 1864)
- 1949 – Themistoklis Sofoulis, Greek politician, 115th Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1860)
- 1955 – Max Pechstein, German painter and academic (b. 1881)
- 1960 – Frank Patrick, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1885)
- 1962 – Charles Lyon Chandler, American historian (b. 1883)
- 1964 – Eric Dolphy, American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader (b. 1928)
- 1967 – Primo Carnera, Italian boxer and actor (b. 1906)
- 1967 – Jayne Mansfield, American actress (b. 1933)
- 1969 – Moise Tshombe, Congolese accountant and politician, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (b. 1919)
- 1971 – Nestor Mesta Chayres, Mexican operatic tenor and bolero vocalist (b. 1908)
- 1975 – Tim Buckley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1947)
- 1978 – Bob Crane, American actor (b. 1928)
- 1979 – Lowell George, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1945)
- 1980 – Jorge Basadre, Peruvian historian (b. 1903)
- 1981 – Russell Drysdale, English-Australian painter (b. 1912)
- 1982 – Pierre Balmain, French fashion designer, founded Balmain (b. 1914)
- 1982 – Henry King, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1886)
- 1986 – Frank Wise, Australian politician, 16th Premier of Western Australia (b. 1897)
- 1990 – Irving Wallace, American author and screenwriter (b. 1916)
- 1992 – Mohamed Boudiaf, Algerian soldier and politician, President of Algeria (b. 1919)
- 1993 – Héctor Lavoe, Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter (b. 1946)
- 1994 – Kurt Eichhorn, German conductor and educator (b. 1908)
- 1995 – Lana Turner, American actress (b. 1921)
- 1997 – William Hickey, American actor (b. 1927)
- 1998 – Horst Jankowski, German pianist and composer (b. 1936)
- 1999 – Karekin I, Syrian-Armenian patriarch (b. 1950)
- 1999 – Allan Carr, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1937)
- 2000 – Vittorio Gassman, Italian actor and director (b. 1922)
- 2002 – Rosemary Clooney, American singer and actress (b. 1928)
- 2003 – Katharine Hepburn, American actress (b. 1907)
- 2004 – Bernard Babior, American physician and biochemist (b. 1935)
- 2004 – Alvin Hamilton, Canadian lieutenant and politician, 18th Canadian Minister of Agriculture (b. 1912)
- 2006 – Fabián Bielinsky, Argentinian director and screenwriter (b. 1959)
- 2006 – Randy Walker, American football player and coach (b. 1954)
- 2007 – Fred Saberhagen, American soldier and author (b. 1930)
- 2007 – Joel Siegel, American journalist and critic (b. 1943)
- 2009 – Joe Bowman, American, target shooter and boot-maker (b. 1925)
- 2011 – K. D. Sethna, Indian poet, scholar, writer, philosopher, and cultural critic (b. 1904)
- 2012 – Yong Nyuk Lin, Singaporean politician, Singaporean Minister of Health (b. 1918)
- 2012 – Vincent Ostrom, American political scientist and academic (b. 1919)
- 2012 – Juan Reccius, Chilean triple jumper (b. 1911)
- 2012 – Floyd Temple, American baseball player, coach, and manager (b. 1926)
- 2013 – Peter Fitzgerald, Irish footballer and manager (b. 1937)
- 2013 – Jack Gotta, American-Canadian football player, coach, and manager (b. 1929)
- 2013 – Margherita Hack, Italian astrophysicist and author (b. 1922)
- 2013 – Gilma Jiménez, Colombian politician (b. 1956)
- 2014 – Damian D’Oliveira, South African cricketer (b. 1960)
- 2014 – Dermot Healy, Irish author, poet, and playwright (b. 1947)
- 2015 – Hisham Barakat, Egyptian lawyer and judge (b. 1950)
- 2015 – Josef Masopust, Czech footballer and coach (b. 1931)
- 2015 – Charles Pasqua, French businessman and politician, French Minister of the Interior (b. 1927)
- 2016 – Jan Hettema, Springbok cyclist and five times South African National Rally Champion (b. 1933)
- 2017 – Louis Nicollin, French entrepreneur and chairman of Montpellier HSC from 1974 to his death (b. 1943)
- 2017 – Dave Semenko, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1957)
- 2018 – Steve Ditko, American comic writer and illustrator (b. 1927)
- 2020 – Carl Reiner, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1922)
Holidays and observances on June 29
- Christian feast day:
- Cassius of Narni
- Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (Western Christianity), and its related observances:
- Haro Wine Festival (Haro, La Rioja)
- l-Imnarja (Malta)
- June 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Engineer’s Day (Ecuador)
- Independence Day (Seychelles), celebrates the independence of Seychelles from the United Kingdom in 1976.
- Veterans’ Day (Netherlands)
-
April 17 in History
- 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 26 in History
- 590 – Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
- 1027 – Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor.
- 1169 – Saladin becomes the emir of Egypt.
- 1344 – The Siege of Algeciras, one of the first European military engagements where gunpowder was used, comes to an end.
- 1351 – Combat of the Thirty: Thirty Breton knights call out and defeat thirty English knights.
- 1484 – William Caxton prints his translation of Aesop’s Fables.
- 1552 – Guru Amar Das becomes the Third Sikh guru.
- 1636 – Utrecht University is founded in the Netherlands.
- 1697 – Safavid government troops take control of Basra
- 1812 – An earthquake devastates Caracas, Venezuela.
- 1812 – A political cartoon in the Boston Gazette coins the term “gerrymander” to describe oddly shaped electoral districts designed to help incumbents win reelection.
- 1830 – The Book of Mormon is published in Palmyra, New York.
- 1839 – The first Henley Royal Regatta is held.
- 1871 – The elections of Commune council of the Paris Commune are held.
- 1885 – The Métis people of the District of Saskatchewan under Louis Riel begin the North-West Rebellion against Canada.
- 1913 – First Balkan War: Bulgarian forces capture Adrianople.
- 1915 – The Vancouver Millionaires win the 1915 Stanley Cup Finals, the first championship played between the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the National Hockey Association.
- 1917 – World War I: First Battle of Gaza: British troops are halted after 17,000 Turks block their advance.
- 1922 – The German Social Democratic Party is founded in Poland.
- 1931 – Swissair is founded as the national airline of Switzerland.
- 1931 – Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union is founded in Vietnam.
- 1934 – The United Kingdom driving test is introduced.
- 1939 – Spanish Civil War: Nationalists begin their final offensive of the war.
- 1942 – World War II: The first female prisoners arrive at Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.
- 1945 – World War II: The Battle of Iwo Jima ends as the island is officially secured by American forces.
- 1954 – Nuclear weapons testing: The Romeo shot of Operation Castle is detonated at Bikini Atoll. Yield: 11 megatons.
- 1958 – The United States Army launches Explorer 3.
- 1958 – The African Regroupment Party is launched at a meeting in Paris.
- 1967 – Ten thousand people gather for one of many Central Park be-ins in New York City.
- 1970 – South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu implements a land reform program to solve the problem of land tenancy.
- 1971 – East Pakistan declares its independence from Pakistan to form Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Liberation War begins.
- 1975 – The Biological Weapons Convention comes into force.
- 1979 – Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin and Jimmy Carter sign the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty in Washington, D.C.
- 1981 – Social Democratic Party (UK) is founded as a party.
- 1982 – A groundbreaking ceremony for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is held in Washington, D.C.
- 1991 – Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay sign the Treaty of Asunción, establishing Mercosur, the South Common Market.
- 1997 – Thirty-nine bodies are found in the Heaven’s Gate mass suicides.
- 1998 – During the Algerian Civil War, the Oued Bouaicha massacre sees fifty-two people, mostly infants, killed with axes and knives.
- 2005 – Around 200,000 to 300,000 Taiwanese demonstrate in Taipei in opposition to the Anti-Secession Law of China.
- 2010 – The South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan is torpedoed, killing 46 sailors. After an international investigation, the President of the United Nations Security Council blames North Korea.
- 2017 – Russia-wide anti-corruption protests in 99 cities. The Levada Center survey showed that 38% of surveyed Russians supported protests and that 67 percent held Putin personally responsible for high-level corruption.
Births on March 26
- 1031 – Malcolm III, king of Scotland (d. 1093)
- 1516 – Conrad Gessner, Swiss botanist and zoologist (d. 1565)
- 1554 – Charles of Lorraine, duke of Mayenne (d. 1611)
- 1584 – John II, duke of Zweibrücken (d. 1635)
- 1633 – Mary Beale, British artist (d. 1699)
- 1634 – Domenico Freschi, Italian priest and composer (d. 1710)
- 1656 – Nicolaas Hartsoeker, Dutch mathematician and physicist (d. 1725)
- 1687 – Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, queen consort of Prussia (d. 1757)
- 1698 – Prokop Diviš, Czech priest, scientist and inventor (d. 1765)
- 1749 – William Blount, American politician (d. 1800)
- 1753 – Benjamin Thompson, American-French physicist and politician, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (d. 1814)
- 1773 – Nathaniel Bowditch, American mathematician and navigator (d. 1838)
- 1794 – Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, German painter (d. 1872)
- 1804 – David Humphreys Storer, American physician and academic (d. 1891)
- 1824 – Julie-Victoire Daubié, French journalist (d. 1874)
- 1829 – Théodore Aubanel, French poet (d. 1886)
- 1842 – Alexandre Saint-Yves d’Alveydre, French occultist (d. 1909)
- 1850 – Edward Bellamy, American author, socialist, and utopian visionary (d. 1898)
- 1852 – Élémir Bourges, French author (d. 1925)
- 1854 – Maurice Lecoq, French target shooter (d. 1925)
- 1856 – William Massey, Irish-New Zealand farmer and politician, 19th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1925)
- 1857 – Théodore Tuffier, French surgeon (d. 1929)
- 1859 – A. E. Housman, English poet and scholar (d. 1936)
- 1859 – Adolf Hurwitz, Jewish German-Swiss mathematician and academic (d. 1919)
- 1860 – André Prévost, French tennis player (d. 1919)
- 1866 – Fred Karno, English producer and manager (d. 1941)
- 1868 – King Fuad I of Egypt (d. 1936)
- 1873 – Dorothea Bleek, South African-German anthropologist and philologist (d. 1948)
- 1874 – Robert Frost, American poet and playwright (d. 1963)
- 1875 – Max Abraham, Polish-German physicist and academic (d. 1922)
- 1875 – Syngman Rhee, South Korean journalist and politician, 1st President of South Korea (d. 1965)
- 1876 – William of Wied, prince of Albania (d. 1945)
- 1876 – Kate Richards O’Hare, American Socialist Party activist and editor (d. 1948)
- 1879 – Othmar Ammann, Swiss-American engineer, designed the George Washington Bridge and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (d. 1965)
- 1879 – Waldemar Tietgens, German rower (d. 1917)
- 1881 – Guccio Gucci, Italian fashion designer, founded Gucci (d. 1953)
- 1882 – Hermann Obrecht, Swiss politician (d. 1940)
- 1884 – Wilhelm Backhaus, German pianist and educator (d. 1969)
- 1884 – Georges Imbert, French chemical engineer and inventor (d. 1950)
- 1886 – Hugh Mulzac, Vincentian-American soldier and politician (d. 1971)
- 1888 – Elsa Brändström, Swedish nurse and philanthropist (d. 1948)
- 1893 – James Bryant Conant, American chemist, academic, and diplomat, 1st United States Ambassador to West Germany (d. 1978)
- 1893 – Palmiro Togliatti, Italian journalist and politician, Italian Minister of Justice (d. 1964)
- 1894 – Viorica Ursuleac, Ukrainian-Romanian soprano and actress (d. 1985)
- 1895 – Vilho Tuulos, Finnish triple jumper (d. 1967)
- 1898 – Rudolf Dassler, German businessman, founded Puma SE (d. 1974)
- 1898 – Charles Shadwell, English conductor and bandleader (d. 1979)
- 1900 – Angela Maria Autsch, German nun, died in Auschwitz helping Jewish prisoners (d. 1941)
- 1904 – Joseph Campbell, American mythologist and author (d. 1987)
- 1904 – Emilio Fernández, Mexican actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1986)
- 1904 – Attilio Ferraris, Italian footballer (d. 1947)
- 1905 – Monty Berman, English cinematographer and producer (d. 2006)
- 1905 – André Cluytens, Belgian-French conductor and director (d. 1967)
- 1905 – Viktor Frankl, Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist (d. 1997)
- 1906 – Rafael Méndez, Mexican trumpet player and composer (d. 1981)
- 1907 – Azellus Denis, Canadian lawyer and politician, Postmaster General of Canada (d. 1991)
- 1907 – Mahadevi Varma, Indian poet and activist (d. 1987)
- 1908 – Franz Stangl, Austrian-German SS officer (d. 1971)
- 1909 – Chips Rafferty, Australian actor (d. 1971)
- 1910 – K. W. Devanayagam, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, 10th Sri Lankan Minister of Justice (d. 2002)
- 1911 – Lennart Atterwall, Swedish javelin thrower (d. 2001)
- 1911 – J. L. Austin, English philosopher and academic (d. 1960)
- 1911 – Bernard Katz, German-English biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2003)
- 1911 – Tennessee Williams, American playwright, and poet (d. 1983)
- 1913 – Jacqueline de Romilly, Jewish Franco-Greek philologist, author, and scholar (d. 2010)
- 1913 – Paul Erdős, Hungarian-Polish mathematician and academic (d. 1996)
- 1914 – Toru Kumon, Japanese mathematician and academic (d. 1995)
- 1914 – William Westmoreland, American general (d. 2005)
- 1915 – Lennart Strandberg, Swedish sprinter (d. 1989)
- 1915 – Hwang Sun-won, North Korean author and poet (d. 2000)
- 1916 – Christian B. Anfinsen, American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1995)
- 1916 – Bill Edrich, English cricketer and footballer (d. 1986)
- 1916 – Sterling Hayden, American actor and author (d. 1986)
- 1917 – Rufus Thomas, American R&B singer-songwriter (d. 2001)
- 1919 – Strother Martin, American actor (d. 1980)
- 1919 – Roger Leger, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1965)
- 1920 – Sergio Livingstone, Chilean footballer and journalist (d. 2012)
- 1922 – William Milliken, American politician, 44th Governor of Michigan (d. 2019)
- 1922 – Oscar Sala, Italian-Brazilian physicist and academic (d. 2010)
- 1922 – Guido Stampacchia, Italian mathematician and academic (d. 1978)
- 1923 – Gert Bastian, German general and politician (d. 1992)
- 1923 – Bob Elliott, American comedian, actor, and screenwriter (d. 2016)
- 1925 – Maqsood Ahmed, Pakistani cricketer (d. 1999)
- 1925 – Pierre Boulez, French pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 2016)
- 1925 – Vesta Roy, American politician, Governor of New Hampshire (d. 2002)
- 1925 – Edward Graham, Baron Graham of Edmonton, English soldier and politician (d. 2020)
- 1925 – Ben Mondor, Canadian-American businessman (d. 2010)
- 1925 – James Moody, American saxophonist and composer (d. 2010)
- 1927 – Harold Chapman, English photographer
- 1929 – Edward Sorel, American illustrator and caricaturist
- 1929 – Edwin Turney, American businessman, co-founded Advanced Micro Devices (d. 2008)
- 1930 – Sandra Day O’Connor, American lawyer and jurist
- 1930 – Gregory Corso, American poet (d. 2001)
- 1931 – Leonard Nimoy, American actor (d. 2015)
- 1932 – Leroy Griffith, American businessman
- 1932 – James Andrew Harris, American chemist and academic (d. 2000)
- 1933 – Tinto Brass, Italian director and screenwriter
- 1934 – Alan Arkin, American actor
- 1934 – Edvaldo Alves de Santa Rosa, Brazilian footballer (d. 2002)
- 1937 – Wayne Embry, American basketball player and manager
- 1937 – Barbara Jones, American sprinter
- 1937 – James Lee, Canadian businessman and politician, 26th Premier of Prince Edward Island
- 1938 – Norman Ackroyd, English painter and illustrator
- 1938 – Anthony James Leggett, English-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1940 – James Caan, American actor and singer
- 1940 – Nancy Pelosi, American lawyer and politician, 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
- 1941 – Richard Dawkins, Kenyan-English ethologist, biologist, and academic
- 1941 – Lella Lombardi, Italian racing driver (d. 1992)
- 1942 – Erica Jong, American novelist and poet
- 1943 – Mustafa Kalemli, Turkish physician and politician, Turkish Minister of the Interior
- 1943 – Bob Woodward, American journalist and author
- 1944 – Diana Ross, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
- 1945 – Paul Bérenger, Mauritian politician, Prime Minister of Mauritius
- 1945 – Mikhail Voronin, Russian gymnast and coach (d. 2004)
- 1946 – Johnny Crawford, American actor and singer
- 1946 – Alain Madelin, French politician, French Minister of Finance
- 1947 – Subhash Kak, Indian-American professor and author
- 1947 – John Rowles, New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter
- 1948 – Kyung-wha Chung, South Korean violinist and educator
- 1948 – Richard Tandy, English pianist and keyboard player (Electric Light Orchestra)
- 1948 – Steven Tyler, American singer-songwriter and actor
- 1949 – Jon English, English-Australian singer-songwriter and actor (d. 2016)
- 1949 – Rudi Koertzen, South African cricketer and umpire
- 1949 – Vicki Lawrence, American actress, comedian, talk show host, and singer
- 1949 – Fran Sheehan, American bass player
- 1949 – Patrick Süskind, German author and screenwriter
- 1949 – Ernest Lee Thomas, American actor
- 1950 – Teddy Pendergrass, American singer-songwriter (d. 2010)
- 1950 – Graham Barlow, English cricketer
- 1950 – Martin Short, Canadian-American actor, screenwriter, and producer
- 1950 – Alan Silvestri, American composer and conductor
- 1951 – Željko Pavličević, Croatian professional basketball coach and former professional player
- 1951 – Carl Wieman, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1952 – Didier Pironi, French racing driver (d. 1987)
- 1953 – Lincoln Chafee, American academic and politician, 74th Governor of Rhode Island
- 1953 – Elaine Chao, Taiwanese-American banker and politician, 24th United States Secretary of Labor
- 1953 – Tatyana Providokhina, Russian runner
- 1954 – Clive Palmer, Australian businessman and politician
- 1954 – Curtis Sliwa, American talk show host and activist, founded Guardian Angels
- 1954 – Dorothy Porter, Australian poet and playwright (d. 2008)
- 1956 – Charly McClain, American country singer
- 1956 – Park Won-soon, South Korean lawyer and politician, 35th Mayor of Seoul
- 1957 – Fiona Bruce, Scottish lawyer and politician
- 1957 – Leeza Gibbons, American talk show host and television personality
- 1957 – Paul Morley, English journalist, producer, and author
- 1957 – Shirin Neshat, Iranian visual artist
- 1958 – Elio de Angelis, Italian racing driver (d. 1986)
- 1960 – Marcus Allen, American football player and sportscaster
- 1960 – Jennifer Grey, American actress and dancer
- 1960 – Graeme Rutjes, Australian-Dutch footballer
- 1961 – William Hague, English historian and politician, First Secretary of State
- 1962 – Richard Coles, English pianist, saxophonist, and priest
- 1962 – Kevin Seitzer, American baseball player and coach
- 1962 – Yuri Gidzenko, Russian pilot and cosmonaut
- 1962 – John Stockton, American basketball player and coach
- 1962 – Eric Allan Kramer, American-Canadian actor
- 1963 – Natsuhiko Kyogoku, Japanese author
- 1964 – Martin Bella, Australian rugby league player
- 1964 – Martin Donnelly, Irish racing driver
- 1964 – Maria Miller, English businessman and politician, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
- 1964 – Ulf Samuelsson, Swedish-American ice hockey player and coach
- 1965 – Trey Azagthoth, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
- 1965 – Violeta Szekely, Romanian runner
- 1966 – Michael Imperioli, American actor and screenwriter
- 1967 – Jason Chaffetz, American politician
- 1968 – Laurent Brochard, French cyclist
- 1968 – Kenny Chesney, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1968 – James Iha, American guitarist and songwriter
- 1969 – Alessandro Moscardi, Italian rugby player
- 1970 – Paul Bosvelt, Dutch footballer
- 1970 – Jelle Goes, Dutch footballer and coach
- 1970 – Thomas Kyparissis, Greek footballer
- 1970 – Martin McDonagh, English-born Irish playwright, screenwriter, and director
- 1971 – Behzad Ghorbani, Iranian zoologist
- 1971 – Martyn Day, Scottish politician
- 1971 – Erick Morillo, Colombian-American DJ and producer
- 1971 – Rennae Stubbs, Australian tennis player and sportscaster
- 1971 – Paul Williams, English footballer and manager
- 1972 – Leslie Mann, American actress
- 1972 – Jason Maxwell, American baseball player
- 1973 – Larry Page, American computer scientist and businessman, co-founder of Google
- 1973 – T. R. Knight, American actor
- 1973 – Matt Burke, Australian rugby player and sportscaster
- 1974 – Irina Spîrlea, Romanian tennis player
- 1974 – Vadimas Petrenko, Lithuanian footballer
- 1974 – Michael Peca, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
- 1976 – Amy Smart, American actress and former model
- 1976 – Alex Varas, Chilean footballer
- 1976 – Eirik Verås Larsen, Norwegian sprint kayaker
- 1977 – Kevin Davies, English footballer
- 1977 – Bianca Kajlich, American actress
- 1977 – Sylvain Grenier, Canadian wrestler
- 1978 – Anastasia Kostaki, Greek basketball player
- 1979 – Nacho Novo, Spanish footballer
- 1979 – Ben Blair, New Zealand rugby union footballer
- 1979 – Hiromi Uehara, Japanese pianist and composer
- 1979 – Pierre Womé, Cameroonian footballer
- 1979 – Juliana Paes, Brazilian actress
- 1980 – Margaret Brennan, American journalist
- 1980 – Son Ho-young, South Korean singer
- 1980 – Richie Wellens, English footballer
- 1981 – Sébastien Centomo, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1981 – Baruch Dego, Ethiopian-Israeli footballer
- 1981 – Massimo Donati, Italian footballer
- 1981 – Josh Wilson, American baseball player
- 1982 – Mikel Arteta, Spanish footballer
- 1982 – Brendan Ryan, American baseball player
- 1982 – Nate Kaeding, American football player
- 1983 – Andreas Hinkel, German footballer
- 1983 – Floriana Lima, American actress
- 1983 – Roman Bednář, Czech footballer
- 1983 – Mike Mondo, American wrestler
- 1984 – Jimmy Howard, American ice hockey player
- 1984 – Drew Mitchell, Australian rugby player
- 1984 – Felix Neureuther, German skier
- 1984 – Marco Stier, German footballer
- 1984 – Gregory Strydom, Zimbabwean cricketer
- 1984 – Sara Jean Underwood, American model, television host, and actress
- 1985 – Keira Knightley, English actress
- 1985 – Matt Grevers, American swimmer
- 1985 – Jonathan Groff, American actor and singer
- 1985 – Prosper Utseya, Zimbabwean cricketer
- 1986 – Maxime Biset, Belgian footballer
- 1986 – Rob Kearney, Irish rugby player
- 1986 – Emma Laine, Finnish tennis player
- 1987 – Kim Dong-suk, South Korean footballer
- 1987 – Jermichael Finley, American football player
- 1987 – Steven Fletcher, Scottish footballer
- 1989 – Simon Kjær, Danish footballer
- 1990 – Choi Woo-shik, South Korean actor
- 1990 – Patrick Ekeng, Cameroonian footballer (d. 2016)
- 1990 – Yuya Takaki, Japanese idol, singer, dancer, model and actor
- 1990 – Xiumin, South Korean singer and actor, member of South Korean boy band EXO
- 1991 – Matt Davidson, American baseball player
- 1992 – Nina Agdal, Danish model
- 1992 – Stoffel Vandoorne, Belgian racing driver
- 1994 – Jed Wallace, English footballer
- 1996 – Zane Musgrove, New Zealand rugby league player
- 1996 – Kathryn Bernardo, Filipino actress
- 1998 – Satoko Miyahara, Japanese figure skater
- 2003 – Bhad Bhabie, American rapper and social media personality
Deaths on March 26
- 752 – Pope-elect Stephen
- 809 – Ludger, Frisian missionary
- 903 – Sugawara no Michizane, Japanese poet
- 908 – Ai, emperor of the Tang Dynasty (b. 892)
- 922 – Mansur Al-Hallaj, Persian mystic and poet (b. 858)
- 929 – Wang Du, Chinese warlord and governor (jiedushi)
- 973 – Guntram (“the Rich”), Frankish nobleman
- 983 – ‘Adud al-Dawla, Iranian ruler (b. 936)
- 1091 – Wallada bint al-Mustakfi, Andalusian poet
- 1130 – Sigurd the Crusader, Norwegian king (b. 1090)
- 1132 – Geoffrey of Vendôme, French cardinal and theologian (b. 1065)
- 1212 – Sancho I of Portugal (b. 1154)
- 1242 – William de Forz, 3rd Earl of Albemarle
- 1324 – Marie de Luxembourg, Queen of France (b. 1304)
- 1326 – Alessandra Giliani, anatomist (b. c. 1307)
- 1402 – David Stewart, Duke of Rothesay, heir to the throne of Scotland (b. 1378)
- 1437 – Walter Stewart, Earl of Atholl, Scottish nobleman and regicide
- 1517 – Heinrich Isaac, Flemish composer (b. 1450)
- 1535 – Georg Tannstetter, Austrian mathematician, astronomer, and cartographer (b. 1482)
- 1546 – Thomas Elyot, English scholar and diplomat (b. 1490)
- 1566 – Antonio de Cabezón, Spanish organist and composer (b. 1510)
- 1625 – Giambattista Marini, Italian poet (b. 1569)
- 1649 – John Winthrop, English lawyer and politician, 2nd Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony
- 1679 – Johannes Schefferus, Swedish historian and author (b. 1621)
- 1697 – Godfrey McCulloch, Scottish politician (b. 1640)
- 1726 – John Vanbrugh, English playwright and architect, designed Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard (b. 1664)
- 1772 – Charles Pinot Duclos, French author and politician (b. 1704)
- 1776 – Samuel Ward, American jurist and politician, 31st Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island (b. 1725)
- 1780 – Charles I, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (b. 1713)
- 1793 – John Mudge, English physician and engineer (b. 1721)
- 1797 – James Hutton, Scottish geologist and physician (b. 1726)
- 1814 – Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, French physician and politician (b. 1738)
- 1827 – Ludwig van Beethoven, German pianist and composer (b. 1770)
- 1858 – John Addison Thomas, American lieutenant, engineer, and politician, 3rd United States Assistant Secretary of State (b. 1811)
- 1862 – Uriah P. Levy, American commander (b. 1792)
- 1881 – Roman Sanguszko, Polish general and activist (b. 1800)
- 1885 – Anson Stager, American general and businessman, co-founded Western Union (b. 1825)
- 1888 – Barghash bin Said of Zanzibar (b. 1837)
- 1892 – Walt Whitman, American poet, essayist, and journalist (b. 1819)
- 1902 – Cecil Rhodes, English-South African colonialist, businessman and politician, 6th Prime Minister of the Cape Colony (b. 1853)
- 1905 – Maurice Barrymore, American actor (b. 1849)
- 1910 – Auguste Charlois, French astronomer (b. 1864)
- 1920 – William Chester Minor, American surgeon and lexicographer (b. 1834)
- 1923 – Sarah Bernhardt, French actress and screenwriter (b. 1844)
- 1926 – Constantin Fehrenbach, German lawyer and politician, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1852)
- 1932 – Henry M. Leland, American machinist, inventor, engineer, automotive entrepreneur and founded of Cadillac and Lincoln (b. 1843)
- 1934 – John Biller, American jumper and discus thrower (b. 1877)
- 1940 – Wilhelm Anderson, German-Estonian astrophysicist (b. 1880)
- 1940 – Spyridon Louis, Greek runner (b. 1873)
- 1942 – Jimmy Burke, American baseball player and manager (b. 1874)
- 1942 – Carolyn Wells, American novelist and poet (b. 1862)
- 1945 – David Lloyd George, English-Welsh lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1863)
- 1951 – James F. Hinkle, American banker and politician, 6th Governor of New Mexico (b. 1864)
- 1954 – Charles Perrin, French rower (b. 1875)
- 1957 – Édouard Herriot, French politician, Prime Minister of France (b. 1872)
- 1958 – Phil Mead, English cricketer and footballer (b. 1887)
- 1959 – Raymond Chandler, American crime novelist and screenwriter (b. 1888)
- 1966 – Victor Hochepied, French swimmer (b. 1883)
- 1969 – John Kennedy Toole, American novelist (b. 1937)
- 1973 – Noël Coward, English playwright, actor, and composer (b. 1899)
- 1973 – Johnny Drake, American football player (b. 1916)
- 1979 – Beauford Delaney, American-French painter (b. 1901)
- 1979 – Jean Stafford, American author and academic (b. 1915)
- 1980 – Roland Barthes, French linguist and critic (b. 1915)
- 1983 – Anthony Blunt, English historian and spy (b. 1907)
- 1984 – Ahmed Sékou Touré, Guinean politician, 1st President of Guinea (b. 1922)
- 1987 – Eugen Jochum, German conductor (b. 1902)
- 1987 – Walter Abel, American actor (b. 1898)
- 1990 – Halston, American fashion designer (b. 1932)
- 1992 – Barbara Frum, American-Canadian journalist and radio host (b. 1937)
- 1993 – Louis Falco, American dancer and choreographer (b. 1942)
- 1995 – Eazy-E, American rapper and producer (b. 1964)
- 1996 – Edmund Muskie, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 58th United States Secretary of State (b. 1914)
- 1996 – David Packard, American engineer and businessman, co-founded Hewlett-Packard (b. 1912)
- 2000 – Alex Comfort, English physician and author (b. 1920)
- 2002 – Randy Castillo, American drummer and songwriter (b. 1950)
- 2003 – Daniel Patrick Moynihan, American sociologist and politician, 12th United States Ambassador to the United Nations (b. 1927)
- 2004 – Jan Sterling, American actress (b. 1921)
- 2005 – James Callaghan, English lieutenant and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1912)
- 2005 – Frederick Rotimi Williams, Nigerian lawyer and politician (b. 1920)
- 2006 – Anil Biswas, Indian journalist and politician (b. 1944)
- 2006 – Paul Dana, American racing driver (b. 1975)
- 2006 – Nikki Sudden, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1956)
- 2008 – Robert Fagles, American poet and academic (b. 1933)
- 2008 – Manuel Marulanda, Colombian rebel leader (b. 1930)
- 2009 – Shane McConkey, Canadian skier and BASE jumper (b. 1969)
- 2009 – Arne Bendiksen, Norwegian singer and composer (b. 1926)
- 2010 – Charles Ryskamp, American art collector and curator (b. 1928)
- 2011 – Roger Abbott, English-Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1946)
- 2011 – Geraldine Ferraro, American lawyer and politician (b. 1935)
- 2011 – Diana Wynne Jones, English author (b. 1934)
- 2012 – Sisto Averno, American football player (b. 1925)
- 2012 – Michael Begley, Irish carpenter and politician (b. 1932)
- 2012 – Thomas M. Cover, American theorist and academic (b. 1938)
- 2012 – David Craighead, American organist and educator (b. 1924)
- 2012 – Manik Godghate, Indian poet and educator (b. 1937)
- 2012 – Helmer Ringgren, Swedish theologian and academic (b. 1917)
- 2013 – Tom Boerwinkle, American basketball player and sportscaster (b. 1945)
- 2013 – Krzysztof Kozłowski, Polish journalist and politician, Polish Minister of Interior (b. 1931)
- 2013 – Dave Leggett, American baseball player (b. 1933)
- 2013 – Don Payne, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1964)
- 2014 – Roger Birkman, American psychologist and author (b. 1919)
- 2014 – Dick Guidry, American businessman and politician (b. 1929)
- 2014 – Marcus Kimball, Baron Kimball, English politician (b. 1928)
- 2015 – Dinkha IV, Iraqi patriarch (b. 1935)
- 2015 – Friedrich L. Bauer, German mathematician, computer scientist, and academic (b. 1924)
- 2015 – Tomas Tranströmer, Swedish poet, translator, and psychologist Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1931)
- 2016 – Jim Harrison, American novelist, essayist, and poet (b. 1937)
- 2018 – Fabrizio Frizzi, Italian television presenter (b. 1958)
Holidays and observances on March 26
- Christian feast days:
- Castulus
- Emmanuel and companions
- Felicitas
- Harriet Monsell (Church of England)
- Larissa
- Ludger
- Richard Allen (Episcopal Church (USA))
- March 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Independence Day and National Day (Bangladesh), celebrates the declaration of independence from Pakistan in 1971.
- Martyr’s Day or Day of Democracy (Mali)
- Prince Kūhiō Day (Hawaii, United States)
- Purple Day (Canada and United States)
- Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel (Eastern Christianity)
-
February 9 in History
- 474 – Zeno is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
- 1003 – Boleslaus III is restored to authority with armed support from Bolesław I the Brave of Poland.
- 1555 – Bishop of Gloucester John Hooper is burned at the stake.
- 1621 – Gregory XV becomes Pope, the last Pope elected by acclamation.
- 1654 – The Capture of Fort Rocher takes place during the Anglo-Spanish War.
- 1775 – American Revolutionary War: The British Parliament declares Massachusetts in rebellion.
- 1778 – Rhode Island becomes the fourth US state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.
- 1788 – The Habsburg Empire joins the Russo-Turkish War in the Russian camp.
- 1825 – After no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes in the US presidential election of 1824, the United States House of Representatives elects John Quincy Adams as President of the United States.
- 1849 – The new Roman Republic is declared.
- 1861 – American Civil War: Jefferson Davis is elected the Provisional President of the Confederate States of America by the Confederate convention at Montgomery, Alabama.
- 1870 – US president Ulysses S. Grant signs a joint resolution of Congress establishing the U.S. Weather Bureau.
- 1889 – US president Grover Cleveland signs a bill elevating the United States Department of Agriculture to a Cabinet-level agency.
- 1895 – William G. Morgan creates a game called Mintonette, which soon comes to be referred to as volleyball.
- 1900 – The Davis Cup competition is established.
- 1904 – Russo-Japanese War: Battle of Port Arthur concludes.
- 1907 – The Mud March is the first large procession organised by the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS).
- 1913 – A group of meteors is visible across much of the eastern seaboard of North and South America, leading astronomers to conclude the source had been a small, short-lived natural satellite of the Earth.
- 1920 – Under the terms of the Svalbard Treaty, international diplomacy recognizes Norwegian sovereignty over Arctic archipelago Svalbard, and designates it as demilitarized.
- 1922 – Brazil becomes a member of the Berne Convention copyright treaty.
- 1934 – The Balkan Entente is formed.
- 1941 – World War II: The Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Genoa, Italy, is struck by a bomb which fails to detonate.
- 1942 – World War II: Top United States military leaders hold their first formal meeting to discuss American military strategy in the war.
- 1942 – Year-round Daylight saving time (aka War Time) is re-instated in the United States as a wartime measure to help conserve energy resources.
- 1943 – World War II: Allied authorities declare Guadalcanal secure after Imperial Japan evacuates its remaining forces from the island, ending the Battle of Guadalcanal.
- 1945 – World War II: Battle of the Atlantic: HMS Venturer sinks U-864 off the coast of Fedje, Norway, in a rare instance of submarine-to-submarine combat.
- 1945 – World War II: A force of Allied aircraft unsuccessfully attacked a German destroyer in Førdefjorden, Norway.
- 1950 – Second Red Scare: US Senator Joseph McCarthy accuses the United States Department of State of being filled with Communists.
- 1951 – Korean War: The two-day Geochang massacre begins as a battalion of the 11th Division of the South Korean Army kills 719 unarmed citizens in Geochang, in the South Gyeongsang district of South Korea
- 1959 – The R-7 Semyorka, the first intercontinental ballistic missile, becomes operational at Plesetsk, USSR.
- 1964 – The Beatles make their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing before a “record-busting” audience of 73 million viewers across the USA.
- 1965 – The United States Marine Corps sends a MIM-23 Hawk missile battalion to South Vietnam, the first American troops in-country without an official advisory or training mission.
- 1971 – The 6.5–6.7 Mw Sylmar earthquake hits the Greater Los Angeles Area with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing 64 and injuring 2,000.
- 1971 – Satchel Paige becomes the first Negro League player to be voted into the USA’s Baseball Hall of Fame.
- 1971 – Apollo program: Apollo 14 returns to Earth after the third manned Moon landing.
- 1975 – The Soyuz 17 Soviet spacecraft returns to Earth.
- 1976 – Aeroflot Flight 3739, a Tupolev Tu-104, crashes during takeoff from Irkutsk Airport, killing 24.
- 1978 – The Budd Company unveils its first SPV-2000 self-propelled railcar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1986 – Halley’s Comet last appeared in the inner Solar System.
- 1991 – Voters in Lithuania vote for independence.
- 1996 – The Provisional Irish Republican Army declares the end to its 18-month ceasefire and explodes a large bomb in London’s Canary Wharf, killing two people.
- 1996 – Copernicium is discovered, by Sigurd Hofmann, Victor Ninov et al.
- 2016 – Two passenger trains collided in the German town of Bad Aibling in the state of Bavaria. Twelve people died, and 85 others were injured.
- 2018 – Winter Olympics: Opening ceremony is performed in Pyeongchang County in South Korea.
Births on February 9
- 1060 – Honorius II, pope of the Catholic Church (d. 1130)
- 1274 – Louis of Toulouse, French bishop (d. 1297)
- 1313 – Maria of Portugal, Queen of Castile, Portuguese infanta (d. 1357)
- 1344 – Meinhard III, count of Tyrol (d. 1363)
- 1441 – Ali-Shir Nava’i, Turkic poet, linguist, and painter (d. 1501)
- 1533 – Shimazu Yoshihisa, Japanese daimyō (d. 1611)
- 1579 – Johannes Meursius, Dutch classical scholar (d. 1639)
- 1651 – Procopio Cutò, French entrepreneur (d. 1727)
- 1666 – George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney, Scottish field marshal (d. 1737)
- 1711 – Luis Vicente de Velasco e Isla, Spanish sailor and commander (d. 1762)
- 1737 – Thomas Paine, English-American philosopher, author, and activist (d. 1809)
- 1741 – Henri-Joseph Rigel, German-French composer (d. 1799)
- 1748 – Sir John Duckworth, 1st Baronet, English admiral and politician, Commodore Governor of Newfoundland (d. 1817)
- 1763 – Louis I, Grand Duke of Baden (d. 1830)
- 1769 – George W. Campbell, Scottish-American lawyer and politician, 5th United States Secretary of the Treasury (d. 1848)
- 1773 – William Henry Harrison, American general and politician, 9th President of the United States (d. 1841)
- 1775 – Farkas Bolyai, Hungarian mathematician and academic (d. 1856)
- 1781 – Johann Baptist von Spix, German biologist and explorer (d. 1826)
- 1783 – Vasily Zhukovsky, Russian poet and translator (d. 1852)
- 1789 – Franz Xaver Gabelsberger, German engineer, invented Gabelsberger shorthand (d. 1849)
- 1800 – Hyrum Smith, American religious leader (d. 1844)
- 1814 – Samuel J. Tilden, American lawyer and politician, 28th Governor of New York (d. 1886)
- 1815 – Federico de Madrazo, Spanish painter (d.1894)
- 1834 – Felix Dahn, German lawyer, historian, and author (d. 1912)
- 1826 – Keʻelikōlani, Hawaiian royal and governor (d. 1883)
- 1837 – José Burgos, Filipino priest and revolutionary (d. 1872)
- 1839 – Silas Adams, American colonel, lawyer, and politician (d. 1896)
- 1846 – Wilhelm Maybach, German engineer and businessman, founded Maybach (d. 1929)
- 1846 – Whitaker Wright, English businessman and financier (d. 1904)
- 1847 – Hugh Price Hughes, Welsh-English clergyman and theologian (d. 1902)
- 1854 – Aletta Jacobs, Dutch physician and suffrage activist (d. 1929)
- 1856 – Hara Takashi, Japanese politician, 10th Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1921)
- 1859 – Akiyama Yoshifuru, Japanese general (d. 1930)
- 1863 – Anthony Hope, English author and playwright (d. 1933)
- 1864 – Miina Härma, Estonian organist, composer, and conductor (d. 1941)
- 1865 – Mrs. Patrick Campbell, English-French actress (d. 1940)
- 1865 – Erich von Drygalski, German geographer and geophysicist (d. 1949)
- 1867 – Natsume Sōseki, Japanese author and poet (d. 1916)
- 1871 – Howard Taylor Ricketts, American pathologist and physician (d. 1910)
- 1874 – Amy Lowell, American poet, critic, and educator (d. 1925)
- 1876 – Arthur Edward Moore, New Zealand-Australian politician, 23rd Premier of Queensland (d. 1963)
- 1878 – Jack Kirwan, Irish international footballer (d. 1959)
- 1880 – Lipót Fejér, Hungarian mathematician and academic (d. 1959)
- 1883 – Jules Berry, French actor and director (d. 1951)
- 1885 – Alban Berg, Austrian composer and educator (d. 1935)
- 1885 – Clarence H. Haring, American historian and author (d. 1960)
- 1889 – Larry Semon, American actor, producer, director and screenwriter (d. 1928)
- 1891 – Ronald Colman, English-American actor (d. 1958)
- 1892 – Peggy Wood, American actress (d. 1978)
- 1893 – Georgios Athanasiadis-Novas, Greek lawyer and politician, 163rd Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1987)
- 1895 – Hermann Brill, German lawyer and politician, 8th Minister-President of Thuringia (d. 1959)
- 1896 – Alberto Vargas, Peruvian-American painter and illustrator (d. 1982)
- 1897 – Charles Kingsford Smith, Australian captain and pilot (d. 1935)
- 1898 – Jūkichi Yagi, Japanese poet and educator (d. 1927)
- 1901 – Brian Donlevy, American actor (d. 1972)
- 1901 – James Murray, American actor (d. 1936)
- 1905 – David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter, English hurdler and politician (d. 1981)
- 1906 – André Kostolany, Hungarian-French economist and journalist (d. 1999)
- 1907 – Trường Chinh, Vietnamese politician, 4th President of Vietnam (d. 1988)
- 1907 – Harold Scott MacDonald Coxeter, English-Canadian mathematician and academic (d. 2003)
- 1909 – Heather Angel, English-American actress (d. 1986)
- 1909 – Carmen Miranda, Portuguese-Brazilian actress, singer, and dancer (d. 1955)
- 1909 – Dean Rusk, American colonel and politician, 54th United States Secretary of State (d. 1994)
- 1910 – Jacques Monod, French biochemist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1976)
- 1911 – William Orlando Darby, American general (d. 1945)
- 1912 – Futabayama Sadaji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 35th Yokozuna (d. 1968)
- 1912 – Ginette Leclerc, French actress (d. 1992)
- 1914 – Ernest Tubb, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1984)
- 1916 – Tex Hughson, American baseball player (d. 1993)
- 1918 – Lloyd Noel Ferguson, African American chemist (d. 2011)
- 1920 – Fred Allen, New Zealand rugby player and coach (d. 2012)
- 1922 – Kathryn Grayson, American actress and soprano (d. 2010)
- 1922 – Jim Laker, English cricketer and sportscaster (d. 1986)
- 1922 – C. P. Krishnan Nair, Indian businessman, founded The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts (d. 2014)
- 1922 – Robert E. Ogren, American zoologist (d. 2005)
- 1923 – Brendan Behan, Irish rebel, poet, and playwright (d. 1964)
- 1923 – Tonie Nathan, American radio host, producer, and politician (d. 2014)
- 1925 – John B. Cobb, American philosopher and theologian
- 1925 – Burkhard Heim, German physicist and academic (d. 2001)
- 1926 – Garret FitzGerald, Irish lawyer and politician, 7th Taoiseach of Ireland (d. 2011)
- 1927 – Richard A. Long, American historian and author (d. 2013)
- 1928 – Frank Frazetta, American painter and illustrator (d. 2010)
- 1928 – Rinus Michels, Dutch footballer and coach (d. 2005)
- 1928 – Roger Mudd, American journalist
- 1929 – A. R. Antulay, Indian social worker and politician, 8th Chief Minister of Maharashtra (d. 2014)
- 1929 – Clement Meadmore, Australian-American sculptor (d. 2005)
- 1930 – Garner Ted Armstrong, American evangelist and author (d. 2003)
- 1931 – Thomas Bernhard, Austrian author, poet, and playwright (d. 1989)
- 1931 – Josef Masopust, Czech footballer and coach (d. 2015)
- 1931 – Robert Morris, American sculptor and painter (d. 2018)
- 1932 – Tatsuro Hirooka, Japanese baseball player and manager
- 1932 – Gerhard Richter, German painter and photographer
- 1935 – Lionel Fanthorpe, English-Welsh priest, journalist, and author
- 1936 – Clive Swift, English actor and singer-songwriter (d. 2019)
- 1937 – Clete Boyer, American baseball player and manager (d. 2007)
- 1938 – Ron Logan, Disney theatrical producer and professor
- 1939 – Mahala Andrews, British vertebrae palaeontologist (d. 1997)
- 1939 – Barry Mann, American pianist, songwriter, and producer
- 1939 – Janet Suzman, South African-British actress and director
- 1940 – Brian Bennett, English drummer and songwriter
- 1940 – J. M. Coetzee, South African-Australian novelist, essayist, and linguist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1941 – Kermit Gosnell, American abortionist and serial killer
- 1941 – Sheila Kuehl, American actress, lawyer, gay rights activist, and politician
- 1942 – Carole King, American singer-songwriter and pianist
- 1943 – Barbara Lewis, American soul/R&B singer-songwriter
- 1943 – Joe Pesci, American actor
- 1943 – Joseph Stiglitz, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1944 – Derryn Hinch, New Zealand-Australian radio and television host and politician
- 1944 – Alice Walker, American novelist, short story writer, and poet
- 1945 – Mia Farrow, American actress, activist, and former fashion model
- 1945 – Yoshinori Ohsumi, Japanese cell biologist, 2016 Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine
- 1945 – Carol Wood, American mathematician and academic
- 1946 – Bob Eastwood, American golfer
- 1946 – Vince Papale, American football player and sportscaster
- 1946 – Jim Webb, American captain and politician, 18th United States Secretary of the Navy
- 1947 – Carla Del Ponte, Swiss lawyer and diplomat
- 1947 – Joe Ely, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1947 – Major Harris, American R&B singer (d. 2012)
- 1947 – Alexis Smirnoff, Canadian-American wrestler and actor (d. 2019)
- 1948 – Guy Standing, English economist and academic
- 1949 – Bernard Gallacher, Scottish golfer and journalist
- 1949 – Judith Light, American actress
- 1950 – Richard F. Colburn, American sergeant and politician
- 1951 – David Pomeranz, American singer, musician, and composer
- 1952 – Danny White, American football player and sportscaster
- 1953 – Ciarán Hinds, Irish actor
- 1953 – Ezechiele Ramin, Italian missionary, priest, and martyr (d. 1985)
- 1953 – Gabriel Rotello, American journalist and author, founded OutWeek
- 1954 – Jo Duffy, American author
- 1954 – Chris Gardner, American businessman and philanthropist
- 1954 – Kevin Warwick, English cybernetics scientist
- 1955 – Jerry Beck, American historian and author
- 1955 – Jimmy Pursey, English singer-songwriter and producer
- 1955 – Charles Shaughnessy, English actor
- 1956 – Mookie Wilson, American baseball player and coach
- 1957 – Terry McAuliffe, American businessman and politician, 72nd Governor of Virginia
- 1957 – Gordon Strachan, Scottish footballer and manager
- 1958 – Sandy Lyle, Scottish golfer
- 1958 – Chris Nilan, American ice hockey player, coach, and radio host
- 1960 – Holly Johnson, English singer-songwriter and bass player
- 1960 – David Simon, American journalist, author, screenwriter, and television producer
- 1960 – Peggy Whitson, American biochemist and astronaut
- 1961 – John Kruk, American baseball player and sportscaster
- 1962 – Anik Bissonnette, Canadian ballerina
- 1963 – Brian Greene, American physicist
- 1963 – Peter Rowsthorn, Australian comedian and actor
- 1963 – Travis Tritt, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
- 1964 – Debrah Miceli, Italian-American wrestler and manager
- 1964 – Dewi Morris, English rugby player
- 1964 – Ernesto Valverde, Spanish footballer and manager
- 1964 – Alejandro Ávila, Mexican telenovela actor
- 1964 – Ernesto Valverde, Spanish footballer and manager
- 1965 – Dieter Baumann, German runner
- 1966 – Harald Eia, Norwegian comedian, actor, and screenwriter
- 1967 – Todd Pratt, American baseball player and coach
- 1967 – Dan Shulman, Canadian sportscaster
- 1967 – Gaston Browne, Antiguan and Barbudan Prime Minister
- 1968 – Alejandra Guzmán, Mexican singer-songwriter and actress
- 1968 – Derek Strong, American basketball player and race car driver
- 1968 – Gloria Trevi, Mexican singer and actress
- 1969 – Jimmy Smith, American football player
- 1970 – Glenn McGrath, Australian cricketer and sportscaster
- 1971 – Matt Gogel, American golfer
- 1971 – Johan Mjällby, Swedish footballer and manager
- 1972 – Darren Ferguson, Scottish footballer and manager
- 1973 – Svetlana Boginskaya, Belarusian gymnast
- 1973 – Colin Egglesfield, American actor
- 1973 – Makoto Shinkai, Japanese animator, director, and screenwriter
- 1974 – Jordi Cruyff, Dutch footballer and manager
- 1974 – Brad Maynard, American football player
- 1974 – Amber Valletta, American model
- 1974 – John Wallace, American basketball player and coach
- 1975 – Kurt Asle Arvesen, Norwegian cyclist and coach
- 1975 – Clinton Grybas, Australian journalist and sportscaster (d. 2008)
- 1975 – Vladimir Guerrero, Dominican-American baseball player
- 1976 – Charlie Day, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
- 1978 – A. J. Buckley, Irish-Canadian actor, director, and screenwriter
- 1979 – Akinori Iwamura, Japanese baseball player
- 1979 – Irina Slutskaya, Russian figure skater
- 1980 – Angelos Charisteas, Greek footballer
- 1980 – Margarita Levieva, Russian-American actress
- 1980 – Manu Raju, American journalist
- 1981 – Tom Hiddleston, English actor, producer, and musical performer
- 1981 – Daisuke Sekimoto, Japanese wrestler
- 1982 – Domingo Cisma, Spanish footballer
- 1982 – Jameer Nelson, American basketball player
- 1982 – Ami Suzuki, Japanese singer-songwriter and actress
- 1982 – Chris Weale, English footballer and manager
- 1983 – Mikel Arruabarrena, Spanish footballer
- 1984 – Maurice Ager, American basketball player, singer, and producer
- 1984 – Shōhōzan Yūya, Japanese sumo wrestler
- 1985 – David Gallagher, American actor
- 1987 – Sam Coulson, English guitarist
- 1987 – Michael B. Jordan, American actor
- 1987 – Davide Lanzafame, Italian footballer
- 1987 – Magdalena Neuner, German biathlete
- 1988 – Lotte Friis, Danish swimmer
- 1989 – Maxime Dufour-Lapointe, Canadian skier
- 1990 – Tariq Sims, Australian-Fijian rugby league player
- 1991 – Logan Ryan, American football player
- 1992 – Kyle Feldt, Australian rugby league player
- 1992 – Mitchell Frei, Australian rugby league player
- 1992 – Avan Jogia, Canadian actor
- 1993 – Niclas Füllkrug, German footballer
- 1995 – André Burakovsky, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1995 – Mario Pašalić, Croatian footballer
- 1997 – Saquon Barkley, American football player
Deaths on February 9
- 966 – Ono no Michikaze, Japanese calligrapher (b. 894)
- 967 – Sayf al-Dawla, emir of Aleppo (b. 916)
- 978 – Luitgarde, duchess consort of Normandy
- 1011 – Bernard I, Duke of Saxony
- 1014 – Yang Yanzhao, Chinese general
- 1135 – Tai Zong, Chinese emperor (b. 1075)
- 1199 – Minamoto no Yoritomo, Japanese shōgun (b. 1147)
- 1251 – Matthias II, duke of Lorraine
- 1407 – William I, margrave of Meissen (b. 1343)
- 1450 – Agnès Sorel, French mistress of Charles VII of France (b. 1421)
- 1555 – John Hooper, English bishop and martyr (b. 1495)
- 1555 – Rowland Taylor, English priest and martyr (b. 1510)
- 1588 – Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz, Spanish admiral (b. 1526)
- 1600 – John Frederick, Duke of Pomerania (b. 1542)
- 1619 – Lucilio Vanini, Italian physician and philosopher (b. 1585)
- 1640 – Murad IV, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1612)
- 1670 – Frederick III of Denmark (b. 1609)
- 1675 – Gerrit Dou, Dutch painter (b. 1613)
- 1709 – François Louis, Prince of Conti (b. 1664)
- 1777 – Seth Pomeroy, American general and gunsmith (b. 1706)
- 1803 – Jean François de Saint-Lambert, French soldier, poet, and philosopher (b. 1716)
- 1857 – Dionysios Solomos, Greek poet and translator (b. 1798)
- 1874 – Jules Michelet, French historian, philosopher, and academic (b. 1798)
- 1881 – Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, and philosopher (b. 1821)
- 1891 – Johan Jongkind, Dutch painter (b. 1819)
- 1903 – Charles Gavan Duffy, Irish-Australian politician, 8th Premier of Victoria (b. 1816)
- 1906 – Paul Laurence Dunbar, American author, poet, and playwright (b. 1872)
- 1928 – William Gillies, Australian politician, 21st Premier of Queensland (b. 1868)
- 1930 – Richard With, Norwegian captain and businessman, founded Hurtigruten (b. 1846)
- 1932 – Junnosuke Inoue, Japanese businessman and banker (b. 1869)
- 1932 – A.K. Golam Jilani, Bangladeshi soldier and activist (b. 1904)
- 1945 – Ella D. Barrier, American educator (b. 1852)
- 1950 – Ted Theodore, Australian politician, 20th Premier of Queensland (b. 1884)
- 1951 – Eddy Duchin, American pianist, bandleader, and actor (b. 1910)
- 1957 – Miklós Horthy, Hungarian admiral and politician, Regent of Hungary (b. 1868)
- 1960 – Alexandre Benois, Russian painter and critic (b. 1870)
- 1960 – Ernő Dohnányi, Hungarian pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1877)
- 1965 – Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah, Bangladeshi theologian and educator (b. 1874)
- 1966 – Sophie Tucker, Russian-born American singer (b. 1884)
- 1969 – George “Gabby” Hayes, American actor and singer (b. 1885)
- 1976 – Percy Faith, Canadian composer and conductor (b. 1908)
- 1977 – Sergey Ilyushin, Russian engineer and businessman, founded the Ilyushin Design Company (b. 1894)
- 1978 – Costante Girardengo, Italian cyclist and coach (b. 1893)
- 1979 – Allen Tate, American poet and academic (b. 1899)
- 1980 – Tom Macdonald, Welsh journalist and author (b. 1900)
- 1981 – M. C. Chagla, Indian jurist and politician, Indian Minister of External Affairs (b. 1900)
- 1981 – Bill Haley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1925)
- 1984 – Yuri Andropov, Russian lawyer and politician (b. 1914)
- 1989 – Osamu Tezuka, Japanese illustrator, animator, and producer (b. 1928)
- 1994 – Howard Martin Temin, American geneticist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1934)
- 1995 – J. William Fulbright, American lawyer and politician (b. 1905)
- 1995 – David Wayne, American actor (b. 1914)
- 1998 – Maurice Schumann, French journalist and politician, French Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1911)
- 2001 – Herbert A. Simon, American political scientist, economist, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1916)
- 2002 – Isabelle Holland, Swiss-American author (b. 1920)
- 2002 – Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (b. 1930)
- 2003 – Masatoshi Gündüz Ikeda, Japanese-Turkish mathematician and academic (b. 1926)
- 2004 – Claude Ryan, Canadian journalist and politician (b. 1925)
- 2005 – Robert Kearns, American engineer, invented the windscreen wiper (b. 1927)
- 2006 – Freddie Laker, English pilot and businessman, founded Laker Airways (b. 1922)
- 2007 – Hank Bauer, American baseball player and manager (b. 1922)
- 2007 – Ian Richardson, Scottish actor (b. 1934)
- 2008 – Christopher Hyatt, American occultist and author (b. 1943)
- 2008 – Jazeh Tabatabai, Iranian painter, poet, and sculptor (b. 1931)
- 2009 – Orlando “Cachaíto” López, Cuban bassist and composer (b. 1933)
- 2010 – Walter Frederick Morrison, American businessman, invented the Frisbee (b. 1920)
- 2011 – Miltiadis Evert, Greek lawyer and politician, 69th Mayor of Athens (b. 1939)
- 2012 – O. P. Dutta, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1922)
- 2012 – John Hick, English philosopher and academic (b. 1922)
- 2012 – Joe Moretti, Scottish-South African guitarist and songwriter (b. 1938)
- 2013 – Richard Artschwager, American painter, illustrator, and sculptor (b. 1923)
- 2013 – Keiko Fukuda, Japanese-American martial artist and trainer (b. 1913)
- 2013 – Jimmy Smyth, Irish hurler (b. 1931)
- 2014 – Gabriel Axel, Danish actor, director, and producer (b. 1918)
- 2014 – Hal Herring, American football player and coach (b. 1924)
- 2014 – Logan Scott-Bowden, English general (b. 1920)
- 2015 – Liu Han, Chinese businessman and philanthropist (b. 1965)
- 2015 – Ed Sabol, American film producer, co-founded NFL Films (b. 1916)
- 2016 – Sushil Koirala, Nepalese politician, 37th Prime Minister of Nepal (b. 1939)
- 2016 – Zdravko Tolimir, Bosnian Serb military commander (b. 1948)
- 2017 – André Salvat, French Army colonel (b. 1920)
- 2018 – Reg E. Cathey, American actor of stage, film, and television (b. 1958)
- 2018 – Nebojša Glogovac, Serbian actor (b. 1969)
- 2018 – Jóhann Jóhannsson, Icelandic composer (b. 1969)
- 2018 – John Gavin, American actor and United States ambassador to Mexico (b. 1931)
- 2020 – Sergiy Vilkomir, Ukrainian-born computer scientist (b. 1956)
Holidays and observances on February 9
- Christian feast day:
- Alto of Altomünster
- Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich
- Ansbert of Rouen
- Apollonia
- Bracchio
- Blessed Leopold of Alpandeire
- Maron (Maronite Church)
- Miguel Febres Cordero
- Nebridius
- Sabinus of Canosa
- Teilo (Wales)
- February 9 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Earliest day on which Clean Monday can fall, while March 15 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday of Great Lent. (Eastern Christianity)
- Earliest day on which People’s Sunday can fall, while March 15 is the latest; celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent. (Malta)
- St. Maroun’s Day (public holiday in Lebanon)
-
January 30 in History
- 1018 – Poland and the Holy Roman Empire conclude the Peace of Bautzen.
- 1287 – King Wareru founds the Hanthawaddy Kingdom, and proclaims independence from the Pagan Kingdom.
- 1607 – An estimated 200 square miles (51,800 ha) along the coasts of the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary in England are destroyed by massive flooding, resulting in an estimated 2,000 deaths.
- 1648 – Eighty Years’ War: The Treaty of Münster and Osnabrück is signed, ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain.
- 1661 – Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, is ritually executed more than two years after his death, on the 12th anniversary of the execution of the monarch he himself deposed.
- 1703 – The Forty-seven rōnin, under the command of Ōishi Kuranosuke, avenge the death of their master, by killing Kira Yoshinaka.
- 1789 – Tây Sơn forces emerge victorious against Qing armies and liberate the capital Thăng Long.
- 1806 – The original Lower Trenton Bridge (also called the Trenton Makes the World Takes Bridge), which spans the Delaware River between Morrisville, Pennsylvania and Trenton, New Jersey, is opened.
- 1820 – Edward Bransfield sights the Trinity Peninsula and claims the discovery of Antarctica.
- 1826 – The Menai Suspension Bridge, considered the world’s first modern suspension bridge, connecting the Isle of Anglesey to the north West coast of Wales, is opened.
- 1835 – In the first assassination attempt against a President of the United States, Richard Lawrence attempts to shoot president Andrew Jackson, but fails and is subdued by a crowd, including several congressmen as well as Jackson himself.
- 1847 – Yerba Buena, California is renamed San Francisco, California.
- 1858 – The first Hallé concert is given in Manchester, England, marking the official founding of The Hallé orchestra as a full-time, professional orchestra.
- 1862 – The first American ironclad warship, the USS Monitor is launched.
- 1889 – Archduke Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian crown, is found dead with his mistress Baroness Mary Vetsera in the Mayerling.
- 1902 – The first Anglo-Japanese Alliance is signed in London.
- 1908 – Indian pacifist and leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is released from prison by Jan C. Smuts after being tried and sentenced to two months in jail earlier in the month.
- 1911 – The destroyer USS Terry makes the first airplane rescue at sea saving the life of Douglas McCurdy ten miles from Havana, Cuba.
- 1925 – The Government of Turkey expels Patriarch Constantine VI from Istanbul.
- 1930 – The Politburo of the Soviet Union orders the extermination of the Kulaks.
- 1933 – Adolf Hitler is sworn in as Chancellor of Germany.
- 1942 – World War II: Battle of Ambon. Japanese forces invade the island of Ambon in the Dutch East Indies. Some 300 captured Allied troops are massacred at Laha airfield. Three-fourths of remaining POWs will not have survived by the end of the war, including 250 men who will be shipped to Hainan Island in South China Sea and never returned.
- 1944 – World War II: The Battle of Cisterna, part of Operation Shingle, begins in central Italy.
- 1945 – World War II: The Wilhelm Gustloff, overfilled with German refugees, sinks in the Baltic Sea after being torpedoed by a Soviet submarine, killing approximately 9,500 people.
- 1945 – World War II: Raid at Cabanatuan: One hundred twenty-six American Rangers and Filipino resistance fighters liberate over 500 Allied prisoners from the Japanese-controlled Cabanatuan POW camp.
- 1948 – British South American Airways’ Tudor IV Star Tiger disappears over the Bermuda Triangle.
- 1956 – African-American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.’s home is bombed in retaliation for the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
- 1959 – The forces of the Sultanate of Muscat occupy the last strongholds of the Imamate of Oman, Saiq and Shuraijah, marking the end of Jebel Akhdar War in Oman.
- 1959 – MS Hans Hedtoft, said to be the safest ship afloat and “unsinkable” like the RMS Titanic, strikes an iceberg on her maiden voyage and sinks, killing all 95 aboard.
- 1960 – The African National Party is founded in Chad, through the merger of traditionalist parties.
- 1964 – In a bloodless coup, General Nguyễn Khánh overthrows General Dương Văn Minh’s military junta in South Vietnam.
- 1968 – Vietnam War: Tet Offensive launch by forces of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army against South Vietnam, the United States, and their allies.
- 1969 – The Beatles’ last public performance, on the roof of Apple Records in London. The impromptu concert is broken up by the police.
- 1972 – The Troubles: Bloody Sunday: British paratroopers open fire on anti-internment marchers in Derry, Northern Ireland, killing 13 people; another person later dies of injuries sustained.
- 1972 – Pakistan leaves the Commonwealth of Nations in protest of its recognition of breakaway Bangladesh.
- 1975 – The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is established as the first United States National Marine Sanctuary.
- 1979 – A Varig Boeing 707-323C freighter, flown by the same commander as Flight 820, disappears over the Pacific Ocean 30 minutes after taking off from Tokyo.
- 1982 – Richard Skrenta writes the first PC virus code, which is 400 lines long and disguised as an Apple boot program called “Elk Cloner”.
- 1989 – The American embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan is closed.
- 1995 – Workers from the National Institutes of Health announce the success of clinical trials testing the first preventive treatment for sickle-cell disease.
- 2000 – Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ivory Coast, killing 169.
- 2013 – Naro-1 becomes the first carrier rocket launched by South Korea.
Births on January 30
- 58 BC – Livia, Roman wife of Augustus (d. 29)
- 133 – Didius Julianus, Roman emperor (probable; d. 193)
- 1410 – William Calthorpe, English knight (d. 1494)
- 1520 – William More, English courtier (d. 1600)
- 1563 – Franciscus Gomarus, Dutch theologian and academic (d. 1641)
- 1573 – Georg Friedrich, Margrave of Baden-Durlach (d. 1638)
- 1580 – Gundakar, Prince of Liechtenstein, court official in Vienna (d. 1658)
- 1590 – Lady Anne Clifford, 14th Baroness de Clifford (d. 1676)
- 1628 – George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, English statesman (d. 1687)
- 1661 – Charles Rollin, French historian and educator (d. 1741)
- 1697 – Johann Joachim Quantz, German flute player and composer (d. 1773)
- 1703 – François Bigot, French politician (d. 1778)
- 1720 – Charles De Geer, Swedish entomologist and archaeologist (d. 1778)
- 1754 – John Lansing, Jr., American lawyer and politician (d. 1829)
- 1775 – Walter Savage Landor, English poet and author (d. 1864)
- 1781 – Adelbert von Chamisso, German botanist and poet (d. 1838)
- 1816 – Nathaniel P. Banks, American general and politician, 24th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1894)
- 1822 – Franz Ritter von Hauer, Austrian geologist and curator (d. 1899)
- 1841 – Félix Faure, French politician, 7th President of France (d. 1899)
- 1844 – Richard Theodore Greener, American lawyer, academic, and diplomat (d. 1922)
- 1846 – Angela of the Cross, Spanish nun and saint (d. 1932)
- 1859 – Tony Mullane, Irish-American baseball player and manager (d. 1944)
- 1861 – Charles Martin Loeffler, German-American violinist and composer (d. 1935)
- 1862 – Walter Damrosch, German-American conductor and composer (d. 1950)
- 1866 – Gelett Burgess, American author, poet, and critic (d. 1951)
- 1878 – Anton Hansen Tammsaare, Estonian author (d. 1940)
- 1882 – Franklin D. Roosevelt, American lawyer and politician, 32nd President of the United States (d. 1945)
- 1889 – Jaishankar Prasad, Indian poet and playwright (d. 1937)
- 1899 – Max Theiler, South African-American virologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1972)
- 1900 – Martita Hunt, Argentine-born British actress (d. 1969)
- 1901 – Rudolf Caracciola, German race car driver (d. 1959)
- 1902 – Nikolaus Pevsner, German-English historian and scholar (d. 1983)
- 1910 – Chidambaram Subramaniam, Indian lawyer and politician, Indian Minister of Defence (d. 2000)
- 1911 – Roy Eldridge, American jazz trumpet player (d. 1989)
- 1912 – Werner Hartmann, German physicist and academic (d. 1988)
- 1912 – Francis Schaeffer, American pastor and theologian (d. 1984)
- 1912 – Barbara W. Tuchman, American historian and author (d. 1989)
- 1914 – Luc-Marie Bayle, French commander and painter (d. 2000)
- 1914 – John Ireland, Canadian-American actor and director (d. 1992)
- 1914 – David Wayne, American actor (d. 1995)
- 1915 – Joachim Peiper, German SS officer (d. 1976)
- 1915 – John Profumo, English soldier and politician, Secretary of State for War (d. 2006)
- 1917 – Paul Frère, Belgian race car driver and journalist (d. 2008)
- 1918 – David Opatoshu, American actor and screenwriter (d. 1996)
- 1919 – Fred Korematsu, American activist (d. 2005)
- 1920 – Michael Anderson, English director and producer (d. 2018)
- 1920 – Patrick Heron, British painter (d. 1999)
- 1920 – Delbert Mann, American director and producer (d. 2007)
- 1922 – Dick Martin, American comedian, actor, and director (d. 2008)
- 1923 – Marianne Ferber, Czech-American economist and author (d. 2013)
- 1924 – S. N. Goenka, Burmese-Indian author and educator (d. 2013)
- 1924 – Lloyd Alexander, American soldier and author (d. 2007)
- 1925 – Douglas Engelbart, American computer scientist, invented the computer mouse (d. 2013)
- 1927 – Olof Palme, Swedish statesman, 26th Prime Minister of Sweden (d. 1986)
- 1928 – Harold Prince, American director and producer (d. 2019)
- 1929 – Lois Hole, Canadian businesswoman and politician, 15th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta (d. 2005)
- 1929 – Hugh Tayfield, South African cricketer (d. 1994)
- 1929 – Lucille Teasdale-Corti, Canadian-Italian physician and humanitarian (d. 1996)
- 1930 – Gene Hackman, American actor and author
- 1930 – Magnus Malan, South African general and politician, South African Minister of Defence (d. 2011)
- 1931 – John Crosbie, Canadian lawyer and politician, 34th Canadian Minister of Justice (d. 2020)
- 1931 – Shirley Hazzard, Australian-American novelist, short story writer, and essayist (d. 2016)
- 1932 – Knock Yokoyama, Japanese comedian and politician (d. 2007)
- 1934 – Tammy Grimes, American actress and singer (d. 2016)
- 1935 – Richard Brautigan, American novelist, poet, and short story writer (d. 1984)
- 1935 – Tubby Hayes, English saxophonist and composer (d. 1973)
- 1936 – Horst Jankowski, German pianist and composer (d. 1998)
- 1937 – Vanessa Redgrave, English actress
- 1937 – Boris Spassky, Russian chess player and theoretician
- 1938 – Islam Karimov, Uzbek politician, 1st President of Uzbekistan (d. 2016)
- 1941 – Gregory Benford, American astrophysicist and author
- 1941 – Dick Cheney, American businessman and politician, 46th Vice President of the United States, 17th US Secretary of Defense
- 1941 – Tineke Lagerberg, Dutch swimmer
- 1942 – Marty Balin, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2018)
- 1943 – Davey Johnson, American baseball player and manager
- 1944 – Lynn Harrell, American cellist and academic
- 1944 – Colin Rimer, English lawyer and judge
- 1945 – Meir Dagan, Israeli military officer and intelligence official, Director of Mossad (2002–11) (d. 2016)
- 1945 – Michael Dorris, American author and scholar (d. 1997)
- 1946 – John Bird, Baron Bird, English publisher, founded The Big Issue
- 1947 – Les Barker, English poet and author
- 1947 – Steve Marriott, English singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1991)
- 1948 – Nick Broomfield, English director and producer
- 1948 – Miles Reid, English mathematician and academic
- 1949 – Peter Agre, American physician and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1950 – Jack Newton, Australian golfer
- 1951 – Phil Collins, English drummer, singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
- 1951 – Charles S. Dutton, American actor and director
- 1951 – Bobby Stokes, English footballer (d. 1995)
- 1952 – Doug Falconer, Canadian football player and producer
- 1953 – Fred Hembeck, American author and illustrator
- 1955 – John Baldacci, American politician, 73rd Governor of Maine
- 1955 – Tom Izzo, American basketball player and coach
- 1955 – Curtis Strange, American golfer and sportscaster
- 1957 – Payne Stewart, American golfer (d. 1999)
- 1958 – Derek White, Scottish rugby player
- 1959 – Cynthia Carter, Welsh journalist, author, and academic
- 1959 – Steve Folkes, Australian rugby league player and coach (d. 2018)
- 1959 – Jody Watley, American entertainer
- 1962 – Abdullah II of Jordan
- 1964 – Otis Smith, American basketball player, coach, and manager
- 1965 – Kevin Moore, Australian rugby league player and coach
- 1966 – Danielle Goyette, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
- 1968 – Felipe VI of Spain
- 1969 – Justin Skinner, English footballer, midfielder and manager
- 1971 – Kimo von Oelhoffen, American football player
- 1972 – Jill McGill, American golfer
- 1972 – Chris Simon, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1973 – Jalen Rose, American basketball player and sportscaster
- 1974 – Christian Bale, Welsh actor
- 1974 – Olivia Colman, English actress
- 1975 – Juninho Pernambucano, Brazilian footballer
- 1975 – Yumi Yoshimura, Japanese musician and singer
- 1976 – Andy Milonakis, American entertainer
- 1977 – Dan Hinote, American ice hockey player and coach
- 1978 – Carmen Küng, Swiss curler
- 1978 – John Patterson, American baseball player
- 1979 – Trevor Gillies, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1980 – João Soares de Almeida Neto, Brazilian footballer
- 1980 – Georgios Vakouftsis, Greek footballer
- 1980 – Wilmer Valderrama, American actor and producer
- 1981 – Jonathan Bender, American basketball player
- 1981 – Dimitar Berbatov, Bulgarian footballer
- 1981 – Afonso Alves, Brazilian footballer
- 1981 – Peter Crouch, English footballer
- 1981 – Mathias Lauda, Austrian race car driver
- 1982 – Jorge Cantú, Mexican baseball player
- 1984 – Kotoshōgiku Kazuhiro, Japanese sumo wrestler
- 1984 – Arthur Chu, Asian-American columnist and former Jeopardy! contestant
- 1984 – Kid Cudi, American entertainer
- 1985 – Gisela Dulko, Argentinian tennis player
- 1985 – Torrey Mitchell, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1985 – Trae Williams, American football player
- 1986 – Nick Evans, American baseball player
- 1987 – Ben Cutting, Australian cricketer
- 1987 – Lance Franklin, Australian footballer
- 1987 – Phil Lester, English Internet celebrity
- 1987 – Becky Lynch, Irish wrestler
- 1987 – Renato Santos, Brazilian footballer
- 1987 – Arda Turan, Turkish footballer
- 1988 – Rob Pinkston, American actor and director
- 1989 – Tomás Mejías, Spanish footballer
- 1989 – Girish Kumar, Indian film actor
- 1990 – Yoon Bo-ra, South Korean singer
- 1990 – Joe Colborne, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1990 – Andrew McCullough, Australian rugby league player
- 1990 – Nils Miatke, German footballer
- 1990 – Luca Sbisa, Swiss ice hockey player
- 1990 – Mitchell Starc, Australian cricketer
- 1990 – Phillip Supernaw, American football player
- 1991 – Stefan Elliott, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1993 – Katy Marchant, English track cyclist
- 1995 – Jack Laugher, English diver
- 1995 – Víctor Sánchez, Venezuelan baseball player (d. 2015)
Deaths on January 30
- 680 – Balthild, Frankish queen (b. 626)
- 970 – Peter I of Bulgaria
- 1030 – William V, Duke of Aquitaine (b. 969)
- 1181 – Emperor Takakura of Japan (b. 1161)
- 1240 – Pelagio Galvani, Leonese lawyer and cardinal (b. 1165)
- 1314 – Nicholas III of Saint Omer
- 1344 – William Montacute, 1st Earl of Salisbury (b. 1301)
- 1384 – Louis II, Count of Flanders (b. 1330)
- 1497 – Lê Thánh Tông, King of Vietnam (b. 1442)
- 1574 – Damião de Góis, Portuguese historian and philosopher (b. 1502)
- 1606 – Everard Digby, English criminal (b. 1578)
- 1606 – John Grant, English conspirator (b. 1570)
- 1606 – Robert Wintour, English conspirator (b. 1565)
- 1649 – Charles I of England (b. 1600)
- 1664 – Cornelis de Graeff, Dutch mayor (b. 1599)
- 1730 – Peter II of Russia (b. 1715)
- 1770 – Giovanni Pietro Francesco Agius de Soldanis, Maltese linguist, historian and cleric (b. 1712)
- 1836 – Betsy Ross, American seamstress, said to have designed the American Flag (b. 1752)
- 1838 – Osceola, American tribal leader (b. 1804)
- 1858 – Coenraad Jacob Temminck, Dutch zoologist and ornithologist (b. 1778)
- 1867 – Emperor Kōmei of Japan (b. 1831)
- 1869 – William Carleton, Irish author (b. 1794)
- 1881 – Arthur O’Shaughnessy, English poet and herpetologist (b. 1844)
- 1889 – Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, heir apparent to the throne of Austria-Hungary (b. 1858)
- 1926 – Barbara La Marr, American actress (b. 1896)
- 1928 – Johannes Fibiger, Danish physician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1867)
- 1929 – La Goulue, French model and dancer (b. 1866)
- 1934 – Frank Nelson Doubleday, American publisher, founded the Doubleday Publishing Company (b. 1862)
- 1947 – Frederick Blackman, English botanist and physiologist (b. 1866)
- 1948 – Arthur Coningham, Australian air marshal (b. 1895)
- 1948 – Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule (b. 1869)
- 1948 – Orville Wright, American pilot and engineer, co-founded the Wright Company (b. 1871)
- 1951 – Ferdinand Porsche, Austrian-German engineer and businessman, founded Porsche (b. 1875)
- 1958 – Jean Crotti, Swiss painter (b. 1878)
- 1958 – Ernst Heinkel, German engineer and businessman; founded the Heinkel Aircraft Company (b. 1888)
- 1962 – Manuel de Abreu, Brazilian physician and engineer (b. 1894)
- 1963 – Francis Poulenc, French pianist and composer (b. 1899)
- 1966 – Jaan Hargel, Estonian flute player, conductor, and educator (b. 1912)
- 1968 – Makhanlal Chaturvedi, Indian poet, playwright, and journalist (b. 1889)
- 1969 – Dominique Pire, Belgian friar, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1910)
- 1973 – Elizabeth Baker, American economist and academic (b. 1885)
- 1974 – Olav Roots, Estonian pianist and composer (b. 1910)
- 1977 – Paul Marais de Beauchamp, French zoologist (b. 1883)
- 1980 – Professor Longhair, American singer-songwriter and pianist (b. 1918)
- 1982 – Lightnin’ Hopkins, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1912)
- 1991 – John Bardeen, American physicist and engineer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1908)
- 1991 – Clifton C. Edom, American photographer and educator (b. 1907)
- 1994 – Pierre Boulle, French soldier and author (b. 1912)
- 1999 – Huntz Hall, American actor (b. 1919)
- 1999 – Ed Herlihy, American journalist (b. 1909)
- 2001 – Jean-Pierre Aumont, French soldier and actor (b. 1911)
- 2001 – Johnnie Johnson, English air marshal and pilot (b. 1915)
- 2001 – Joseph Ransohoff, American surgeon and educator (b. 1915)
- 2005 – Martyn Bennett, Canadian-Scottish violinist (b. 1971)
- 2006 – Coretta Scott King, American author and activist (b. 1927)
- 2006 – Wendy Wasserstein, American playwright and academic (b. 1950)
- 2007 – Sidney Sheldon, American author and screenwriter (b. 1917)
- 2008 – Marcial Maciel, Mexican-American priest, founded the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi (b. 1920)
- 2009 – H. Guy Hunt, American soldier, pastor, and politician, 49th Governor of Alabama (b. 1933)
- 2010 – Fadil Ferati, Kosovar accountant and politician (b. 1960)
- 2011 – John Barry, English composer and conductor (b. 1933)
- 2012 – Frank Aschenbrenner, American football player and soldier (b. 1925)
- 2012 – Doeschka Meijsing, Dutch author (b. 1947)
- 2013 – Gamal al-Banna, Egyptian author and scholar (b. 1920)
- 2013 – Patty Andrews, American singer (b. 1918)
- 2013 – George Witt, American baseball player and coach (b. 1931)
- 2014 – Stefan Bałuk, Polish general and photographer (b. 1914)
- 2014 – The Mighty Hannibal, American singer-songwriter and producer (b. 1939)
- 2014 – William Motzing, American composer and conductor (b. 1937)
- 2014 – Arthur Rankin, Jr., American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1924)
- 2015 – Carl Djerassi, Austrian-American chemist, author, and playwright (b. 1923)
- 2015 – Ülo Kaevats, Estonian academic, philosopher, and politician (b. 1947)
- 2015 – Geraldine McEwan, English actress (b. 1932)
- 2015 – Gerrit Voorting, Dutch cyclist (b. 1923)
- 2015 – Zhelyu Zhelev, Bulgarian philosopher and politician, 2nd President of Bulgaria (b. 1935)
- 2016 – Frank Finlay, English actor (b. 1926)
- 2016 – Francisco Flores Pérez, Salvadorian politician, President of El Salvador (b. 1959)
- 2016 – Georgia Davis Powers, American activist and politician (b. 1923)
- 2018 – Mark Salling, American actor and musician (b. 1982)
- 2019 – Dick Miller, American actor (b. 1928)
Holidays and observances on January 30
- Christian Feast Day:
- Adelelmus of Burgos
- Aldegonde
- Anthony the Great (Coptic Church)
- Armentarius of Pavia
- Balthild
- Charles, King and Martyr (various provinces of the Anglican Communion)
- Hippolytus of Rome
- Hyacintha Mariscotti
- Martina
- Matthias of Jerusalem
- Mutien-Marie Wiaux
- Savina
- Three Holy Hierarchs (Eastern Orthodox), and its related observances:
- January 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Day of Azerbaijani customs (Azerbaijan)
- Day of Saudade (Brazil)
- Fred Korematsu Day (California, Florida, Hawaii, Virginia)
- Martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi, and its related observances:
- Martyrs’ Day (India)
- School Day of Non-violence and Peace (Spain)
- Start of the Season for Nonviolence January 30 – April 4
-
January 13 in History
- 532 – The Nika riots break out, during the racing season at the Hippodrome in Constantinople, as a result of discontent with the rule of the Emperor Justinian I.
- 1435 – Sicut Dudum, forbidding the enslavement of the Guanche natives in Canary Islands by the Spanish, is promulgated by Pope Eugene IV.
- 1547 – Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, is sentenced to death for treason, on the grounds of having quartered his arms to make them similar to those of the King, Henry VIII of England.
- 1793 – Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville, representative of Revolutionary France, lynched by a mob in Rome
- 1797 – French Revolutionary Wars: A naval battle between a French ship of the line and two British frigates off the coast of Brittany ends with the French vessel running aground, resulting in over 900 deaths.
- 1815 – War of 1812: British troops capture Fort Peter in St. Marys, Georgia, the only battle of the war to take place in the state.
- 1822 – The design of the Greek flag is adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus.
- 1833 – United States President Andrew Jackson writes to Vice President Martin Van Buren expressing his opposition to South Carolina’s defiance of federal authority in the Nullification Crisis.
- 1840 – The steamship Lexington burns and sinks four miles off the coast of Long Island with the loss of 139 lives.
- 1842 – Dr. William Brydon, an assistant surgeon in the British East India Company Army during the First Anglo-Afghan War, becomes famous for being the sole survivor of an army of 4,500 men and 12,000 camp followers when he reaches the safety of a garrison in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
- 1847 – The Treaty of Cahuenga ends the Mexican–American War in California.
- 1849 – Establishment of the Colony of Vancouver Island.
- 1849 – Second Anglo-Sikh War – Battle of Chillianwala: British forces retreat from the Sikhs.
- 1879 – In Mozart Gardens Brooklyn Ada Anderson completed a great feat of pedestrianism – 2700 quarter miles in 2700 quarter hours, earning her $8000.
- 1888 – The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C.
- 1893 – The Independent Labour Party of the United Kingdom holds its first meeting.
- 1893 – U.S. Marines land in Honolulu, Hawaii from the USS Boston to prevent the queen from abrogating the Bayonet Constitution.
- 1895 – First Italo-Ethiopian War: the war’s opening battle, the Battle of Coatit, occurs; it is an Italian victory.
- 1898 – Émile Zola’s J’accuse…! exposes the Dreyfus affair.
- 1908 – The Rhoads Opera House fire in Boyertown, Pennsylvania kills 171 people.
- 1910 – The first public radio broadcast takes place; a live performance of the operas Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci are sent out over the airwaves from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
- 1915 – The 6.7 Mw Avezzano earthquake shakes the Province of L’Aquila in Italy with a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme), killing between 29,978–32,610.
- 1920 – The Reichstag Bloodbath of January 13, 1920, the bloodiest demonstration in German history.
- 1935 – A plebiscite in Saarland shows that 90.3% of those voting wish to join Nazi Germany.
- 1939 – The Black Friday bushfires burn 20,000 square kilometers of land in Australia, claiming the lives of 71 people.
- 1942 – Henry Ford patents a plastic automobile, which is 30% lighter than a regular car.
- 1942 – World War II: First use of an aircraft ejection seat by a German test pilot in a Heinkel He 280 jet fighter.
- 1950 – British submarine HMS Truculent collides with an oil tanker in the Thames Estuary, killing 64 men.
- 1950 – Finland forms diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
- 1951 – First Indochina War: The Battle of Vĩnh Yên begins.
- 1953 – An article appears in Pravda accusing some of the most prestigious and prominent doctors, mostly Jews, in the Soviet Union of taking part in a vast plot to poison members of the top Soviet political and military leadership.
- 1958 – The Moroccan Army of Liberation ambushes a Spanish patrol in the Battle of Edchera.
- 1963 – Coup d’état in Togo results in the assassination of president Sylvanus Olympio.
- 1964 – Anti-Muslim riots break out in Calcutta, resulting in 100 deaths.
- 1964 – In Manchester, New Hampshire, fourteen-year-old Pamela Mason is murdered. Edward Coolidge is tried and convicted of the crime, but the conviction is set aside by the landmark Fourth Amendment case Coolidge v. New Hampshire (1971).
- 1966 – Robert C. Weaver becomes the first African American Cabinet member when he is appointed United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
- 1968 – Johnny Cash performs live at Folsom State Prison.
- 1972 – Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia and President Edward Akufo-Addo of Ghana are ousted in a bloodless military coup by Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
- 1978 – United States Food and Drug Administration requires all blood donations to be labeled “paid” or “volunteer” donors.
- 1982 – Shortly after takeoff, Air Florida Flight 90, a Boeing 737 jet, crashes into Washington, D.C.’s 14th Street Bridge and falls into the Potomac River, killing 78 including four motorists.
- 1985 – A passenger train plunges into a ravine in Ethiopia, killing 428 in the worst railroad disaster in Africa.
- 1986 – A month-long violent struggle begins in Aden, South Yemen between supporters of Ali Nasir Muhammad and Abdul Fattah Ismail, resulting in thousands of casualties.
- 1988 – Lee Teng-hui becomes the first native Taiwanese President of the Republic of China.
- 1990 – Douglas Wilder becomes the first elected African American governor as he takes office as Governor of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia.
- 1991 – Soviet Union troops attack Lithuanian independence supporters in Vilnius, killing 14 people and wounding around 1000 others.
- 1993 – Space Shuttle program: Endeavour heads for space for the third time as STS-54 launches from the Kennedy Space Center.
- 1993 – The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is signed.
- 1998 – Alfredo Ormando sets himself on fire in St. Peter’s Square, protesting against homophobia.
- 2001 – An earthquake hits El Salvador, killing more than 800.
- 2012 – The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia sinks off the coast of Italy due to the captain Francesco Schettino’s negligence and irresponsibility. There are 32 confirmed deaths.
- 2018 – A false emergency alert warning of an impending missile strike in Hawaii caused widespread panic in the state.
- 2020 – Taal Volcano in the Philippines spews lava fountains while erupting in the crater.
Births on January 13
- 5 BC – Guangwu of Han, Chinese emperor (d. 57)
- 101 – Lucius Aelius, Roman adopted son of Hadrian (d. 138)
- 915 – Al-Hakam II, Umayyad caliph (d. 976)
- 1334 – Henry II, king of Castile and León (d. 1379)
- 1338 – Jeong Mong-ju, Korean civil minister, diplomat and scholar (d. 1392)
- 1400 – Infante John, Constable of Portugal (d. 1442)
- 1477 – Henry Percy, 5th Earl of Northumberland (d. 1527)
- 1505 – Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg (d. 1571)
- 1562 – Mark Alexander Boyd, Scottish poet and soldier (d. 1601)
- 1596 – Jan van Goyen, Dutch painter and illustrator (d. 1656)
- 1610 – Maria Anna of Bavaria, archduchess of Austria (d. 1665)
- 1616 – Antoinette Bourignon, French-Flemish mystic and author (d. 1680)
- 1651 – Henry Booth, 1st Earl of Warrington, English soldier and politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (d. 1694)
- 1683 – Christoph Graupner, German harpsichord player and composer (d. 1760)
- 1720 – Richard Hurd, English bishop (d. 1808)
- 1749 – Maler Müller, German poet, painter, and playwright (d. 1825)
- 1787 – John Davis, American lawyer and politician, 14th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1854)
- 1804 – Paul Gavarni, French illustrator (d. 1866)
- 1805 – Thomas Dyer, American lawyer and politician, 18th Mayor of Chicago (d. 1862)
- 1808 – Salmon P. Chase, American jurist and politician, 6th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1873)
- 1810 – Ernestine Rose, American suffragist, abolitionist, and freethinker (d. 1892)
- 1812 – Victor de Laprade, French poet and critic (d. 1883)
- 1832 – Horatio Alger, Jr., American novelist and journalist (d. 1899)
- 1845 – Félix Tisserand, French astronomer and academic (d. 1896)
- 1858 – Oskar Minkowski, Lithuanian-German biologist and academic (d. 1931)
- 1859 – Kostis Palamas, Greek poet and playwright (d. 1943)
- 1861 – Max Nonne, German neurologist and academic (d. 1959)
- 1864 – Wilhelm Wien, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1928)
- 1865 – Princess Marie of Orléans (d. 1908)
- 1866 – Vasily Kalinnikov, Russian bassoon player and composer (d. 1901)
- 1866 – George Gurdjieff, Russian-French mystic and philosopher (d. 1949)
- 1869 – Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Aosta (d. 1931)
- 1870 – Ross Granville Harrison, American biologist and anatomist (d. 1959)
- 1878 – Lionel Groulx, Canadian priest and historian (d. 1967)
- 1881 – Essington Lewis, Australian engineer and businessman (d. 1961)
- 1883 – Nathaniel Cartmell, American runner and coach (d. 1967)
- 1885 – Alfred Fuller, Canadian-American businessman, founded the Fuller Brush Company (d. 1973)
- 1886 – Art Ross, Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach (d. 1964)
- 1887 – Sophie Tucker, Russian-born American singer and actress (d. 1966)
- 1890 – Jüri Uluots, Estonian journalist, lawyer, and politician, 7th Prime Minister of Estonia (d. 1945)
- 1892 – Ermanno Aebi, Italian-Swiss footballer (d. 1976)
- 1893 – Charles Arnison, English lieutenant and pilot (d. 1974)
- 1893 – Roy Cazaly, Australian footballer and coach (d. 1963)
- 1893 – Clark Ashton Smith, American poet, sculptor, painter, and author (d. 1961)
- 1893 – Chaim Soutine, Belarusian-French painter (d. 1943)
- 1900 – Shimizugawa Motokichi, Japanese sumo wrestler (d. 1967)
- 1900 – Gertrude Mary Cox, American mathematician (d. 1978)
- 1901 – A. B. Guthrie, Jr., American novelist, screenwriter, historian (d. 1991)
- 1901 – Mieczysław Żywczyński, Polish priest and historian (d. 1978)
- 1902 – Karl Menger, Austrian-American mathematician from the Vienna Circle (d. 1985)
- 1904 – Richard Addinsell, English composer (d. 1977)
- 1904 – Nathan Milstein, Ukrainian-American violinist and composer (d. 1992)
- 1904 – Dick Rowley, Irish footballer, centre forward (d. 1984)
- 1905 – Kay Francis, American actress (d. 1968)
- 1905 – Jack London, English sprinter and pianist (d. 1966)
- 1906 – Zhou Youguang, Chinese linguist, sinologist, and academic (d. 2017)
- 1909 – Helm Glöckler, German race car driver (d. 1993)
- 1910 – Yannis Tsarouchis, Greek painter and illustrator (d. 1989)
- 1911 – Joh Bjelke-Petersen, New Zealand-Australian farmer and politician, 31st Premier of Queensland (d. 2005)
- 1914 – Osa Massen, Danish-American actress (d. 2006)
- 1914 – Ted Willis, Baron Willis, English author, playwright, and screenwriter (d. 1992)
- 1919 – Robert Stack, American actor (d. 2003)
- 1921 – Necati Cumalı, Greek-Turkish author and poet (d. 2001)
- 1921 – Dachine Rainer, American-English author and poet (d. 2000)
- 1921 – Arthur Stevens, English footballer, outside right (d. 2007}
- 1922 – Albert Lamorisse, French director and producer (d. 1970)
- 1923 – Daniil Shafran, Russian cellist (d. 1997)
- 1923 – Willem Slijkhuis, Dutch runner (d. 2003)
- 1924 – Paul Feyerabend, Austrian-Swiss philosopher and academic (d. 1994)
- 1924 – Roland Petit, French dancer and choreographer (d. 2011)
- 1925 – Rosemary Murphy, American actress (d. 2014)
- 1925 – Vanita Smythe, American singer and actress (d. 1994)
- 1925 – Ron Tauranac, Australian engineer and businessman
- 1925 – Gwen Verdon, American actress and dancer (d. 2000)
- 1926 – Michael Bond, English soldier and author, created Paddington Bear (d. 2017)
- 1926 – Carolyn Gold Heilbrun, American author and academic (d. 2003)
- 1926 – Melba Liston, American trombonist and composer (d. 1999)
- 1927 – Brock Adams, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 5th United States Secretary of Transportation (d. 2004)
- 1927 – Liz Anderson, American singer-songwriter (d. 2011)
- 1927 – Sydney Brenner, South African biologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2019)
- 1929 – Joe Pass, American guitarist and composer (d. 1994)
- 1930 – Frances Sternhagen, American actress
- 1931 – Ian Hendry, English actor (d. 1984)
- 1931 – Charles Nelson Reilly, American actor, comedian, director, game show panelist, and television personality (d. 2007)
- 1932 – Barry Bishop, American mountaineer, photographer, and scholar (d. 1994)
- 1933 – Tom Gola, American basketball player, coach, and politician (d. 2014)
- 1935 – Rip Taylor, American actor and comedian (d. 2019)
- 1936 – Renato Bruson, Italian opera singer
- 1937 – Guy Dodson, New Zealand-English biochemist and academic (d. 2012)
- 1938 – Cabu, French cartoonist (d. 2015)
- 1938 – Daevid Allen, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2015)
- 1938 – Richard Anthony, Egyptian-French singer-songwriter (d. 2015)
- 1938 – Dave Edwards, American captain and politician (d. 2013)
- 1938 – Tord Grip, Swedish footballer and manager
- 1938 – Anna Home, English screenwriter and producer
- 1939 – Edgardo Cozarinsky, Argentinian author, screenwriter, and director
- 1939 – Jacek Gmoch, Polish footballer and coach
- 1939 – Cesare Maniago, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1940 – Edmund White, American novelist, memoirist, and essayist
- 1941 – Pasqual Maragall, Spanish academic and politician, 127th President of the Generalitat de Catalunya
- 1941 – Meinhard Nehmer, German bobsledder
- 1943 – William Duckworth, American composer and author (d. 2012)
- 1943 – Richard Moll, American actor
- 1945 – Gordon McVie, English oncologist and author
- 1945 – Peter Simpson, English footballer
- 1946 – Ordal Demokan, Turkish physicist and academic (d. 2004)
- 1946 – Eero Koivistoinen, Finnish saxophonist, composer, and conductor
- 1947 – John Lees, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1947 – Jacek Majchrowski, Polish historian, lawyer, and politician
- 1947 – Carles Rexach, Spanish footballer and coach
- 1948 – Gaj Singh, Indian lawyer and politician
- 1949 – Rakesh Sharma, Indian commander, pilot, and astronaut
- 1949 – Brandon Tartikoff, American screenwriter and producer (d. 1997)
- 1950 – Clive Betts, English economist and politician
- 1950 – Bob Forsch, American baseball player (d. 2011)
- 1950 – Gholam Hossein Mazloumi, Iranian footballer and manager (d. 2014)
- 1952 – Stephen Glover, English journalist, co-founded The Independent
- 1953 – Silvana Gallardo, American actress and producer (d. 2012)
- 1954 – Richard Blackford, English composer
- 1954 – Trevor Rabin, South African-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
- 1955 – Paul Kelly, Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
- 1955 – Jay McInerney, American novelist and critic
- 1955 – Anne Pringle, English diplomat, British Ambassador to Russia
- 1957 – Claudia Emerson, American poet and academic (d. 2014)
- 1957 – Mary Glindon, English lawyer and politician
- 1957 – Mark O’Meara, American golfer
- 1957 – Lorrie Moore, American short story writer
- 1958 – Francisco Buyo, Spanish footballer and manager
- 1958 – Juan Pedro de Miguel, Spanish handball player (d. 2016)
- 1959 – Winnie Byanyima, Ugandan engineer, politician, and diplomat
- 1960 – Eric Betzig, American physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1960 – Matthew Bourne, English choreographer and director
- 1961 – Wayne Coyne, American singer-songwriter and musician
- 1961 – Kelly Hrudey, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
- 1961 – Julia Louis-Dreyfus, American actress, comedian, and producer
- 1962 – Trace Adkins, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1962 – Paul Higgins, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1964 – Penelope Ann Miller, American actress
- 1966 – Patrick Dempsey, American actor and race car driver
- 1966 – Leo Visser, Dutch speed skater and pilot
- 1968 – Mike Whitlow, English footballer and coach
- 1969 – Stefania Belmondo, Italian skier
- 1969 – Stephen Hendry, Scottish snooker player and journalist
- 1970 – Frank Kooiman, Dutch footballer
- 1970 – Marco Pantani, Italian cyclist (d. 2004)
- 1970 – Shonda Rhimes, American actress, director, producer, and screenwriter
- 1972 – Mark Bosnich, Australian footballer and sportscaster
- 1972 – Nicole Eggert, American actress
- 1972 – Vitaly Scherbo, Belarusian gymnast
- 1973 – Nikolai Khabibulin, Russian ice hockey player
- 1973 – Gigi Galli, Italian race driver
- 1974 – Sergei Brylin, Russian ice hockey player and coach
- 1975 – Rune Eriksen, Norwegian guitarist and composer
- 1975 – Mailis Reps, Estonian academic and politician, 31st Estonian Minister of Education and Research
- 1975 – Andrew Yang, American entrepreneur, founder of Venture for America, and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate
- 1976 – Mario Yepes, Colombian footballer
- 1977 – Orlando Bloom, English actor and producer
- 1977 – Mi-Hyun Kim, South Korean golfer
- 1977 – Elliot Mason, English trombonist and keyboard player
- 1977 – James Posey, American basketball player and coach
- 1978 – Nate Silver, American journalist and statistician, developed PECOTA
- 1979 – Katy Brand, English actress and screenwriter
- 1980 – Krzysztof Czerwiński, Polish organist and conductor
- 1980 – Nils-Eric Johansson, Swedish footballer
- 1980 – Akira Kaji, Japanese footballer
- 1980 – Wolfgang Loitzl, Austrian ski jumper
- 1980 – Mirko Soltau, German footballer
- 1981 – Reggie Brown, American football player
- 1981 – Darrell Rasner, American baseball player
- 1981 – Yujiro Takahashi, Japanese wrestler
- 1982 – Kamran Akmal, Pakistan cricketer
- 1982 – Guillermo Coria, Argentinian tennis player
- 1982 – Constantinos Makrides, Cypriot footballer
- 1982 – Ruth Wilson, English actress
- 1983 – Ender Arslan, Turkish basketball player
- 1983 – Sebastian Kneißl, German footballer
- 1983 – Mauricio Martín Romero, Argentinian footballer
- 1984 – Matteo Cavagna, Italian footballer
- 1984 – Kamghe Gaba, German sprinter
- 1984 – Nick Mangold, American football player
- 1985 – Luke Robinson, American wrestler
- 1986 – Joannie Rochette, Canadian figure skater
- 1987 – Stefano Del Sante, Italian footballer
- 1987 – Jack Johnson, American ice hockey player
- 1987 – Florica Leonida, Romanian gymnast
- 1987 – Steven Michaels, Australian rugby league player
- 1987 – Daniel Oss, Italian cyclist
- 1987 – Marc Staal, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1987 – Sven Wetzel, German rugby player
- 1988 – Josh Freeman, American football player
- 1989 – Morgan Burnett, American football player
- 1989 – Doug Martin, American football player
- 1990 – Vincenzo Fiorillo, Italian footballer
- 1990 – Liam Hemsworth, Australian actor
- 1991 – Rob Kiernan, English-Irish footballer
- 1992 – Adam Matthews, Welsh footballer
- 1992 – Dinah Pfizenmaier, German tennis player
- 1993 – Max Whitlock, English artistic gymnast
- 1997 – Micah Hart, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1997 – Connor McDavid, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1997 – Ivan Provorov, Russian ice hockey player
Deaths on January 13
- 86 BC – Gaius Marius, Roman general and politician (b. 157 BC)
- 533 – Remigius, French bishop and saint (b. 437)
- 614 – Mungo, English-Scottish bishop and saint
- 703 – Jitō, Japanese emperor (b. 645)
- 858 – Æthelwulf, king of Wessex
- 888 – Charles the Fat, Frankish king and emperor (b. 839)
- 927 – Berno of Cluny, Frankish monk and abbot
- 1001 – Fujiwara no Teishi, Japanese empress (b. 977)
- 1147 – Robert de Craon, Grand Master of the Knights Templar
- 1151 – Suger, French historian and politician (b. 1081)
- 1177 – Henry II, count palatine and duke of Austria (b. 1107)
- 1321 – Bonacossa Borri, Italian noblewoman (b. 1254)
- 1330 – Frederick I, duke and king of Germany
- 1363 – Meinhard III, German nobleman (b. 1344)
- 1400 – Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester, English politician (b. 1373)
- 1599 – Edmund Spenser, English poet, Chief Secretary for Ireland (b. 1552)
- 1612 – Jane Dormer, English lady-in-waiting (b. 1538)
- 1625 – Jan Brueghel the Elder, Flemish painter (b. 1568)
- 1684 – Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk, English nobleman (b. 1628)
- 1691 – George Fox, English religious leader, founded the Religious Society of Friends (b. 1624)
- 1717 – Maria Sibylla Merian, German entomologist and illustrator (b. 1647)
- 1775 – Johann Georg Walch, German theologian and author (b. 1693)
- 1790 – Luc Urbain de Bouëxic, French admiral (b. 1712)
- 1796 – John Anderson, Scottish philosopher and educator (b. 1726)
- 1832 – Thomas Lord, English cricketer, founded Lord’s Cricket Ground (b. 1755)
- 1838 – Ferdinand Ries, German pianist and composer (b. 1784)
- 1860 – William Mason, American surgeon and politician (b. 1786)
- 1864 – Stephen Foster, American composer and songwriter (b. 1826)
- 1872 – William Scamp, English architect and engineer (b. 1801)
- 1882 – Wilhelm Mauser, German engineer and businessman, co-founded the Mauser Company (b. 1834)
- 1885 – Schuyler Colfax, American journalist and politician, 17th Vice President of the United States (b. 1823)
- 1889 – Solomon Bundy, American lawyer and politician (b. 1823)
- 1905 – George Thorn, Australian farmer and politician, 6th Premier of Queensland (b. 1838)
- 1906 – Alexander Stepanovich Popov, Russian physicist and academic (b. 1859)
- 1907 – Jakob Hurt, Estonian theologist and linguist (b. 1839)
- 1915 – Mary Slessor, Scottish-Nigerian missionary (b. 1848)
- 1916 – Victoriano Huerta, Mexican military officer and president, 1913–1914 (b. 1850)
- 1923 – Alexandre Ribot, French academic and politician, Prime Minister of France (b. 1842)
- 1924 – Georg Hermann Quincke, German physicist and academic (b. 1834)
- 1929 – Wyatt Earp, American police officer (b. 1848)
- 1929 – H. B. Higgins, Irish-Australian judge and politician, 3rd Attorney-General for Australia (b. 1851)
- 1934 – Paul Ulrich Villard, French physicist and chemist (b. 1860)
- 1941 – James Joyce, Irish novelist, short story writer, and poet (b. 1882)
- 1943 – Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Swiss painter and sculptor (b. 1889)
- 1956 – Lyonel Feininger, German-American painter and illustrator (b. 1871)
- 1957 – A. E. Coppard English poet and short story writer (b. 1878)
- 1958 – Jesse L. Lasky, American film producer, co-founded Paramount Pictures (b. 1880)
- 1962 – Ernie Kovacs, American actor and game show host (b. 1919)
- 1963 – Sylvanus Olympio, Togolese businessman and politician, President of Togo (b. 1902)
- 1967 – Anatole de Grunwald, Russian-English screenwriter and producer (b. 1910)
- 1971 – Robert Still, English composer and educator (b. 1910)
- 1973 – Sabahattin Eyüboğlu, Turkish screenwriter and producer (b. 1908)
- 1974 – Raoul Jobin, Canadian tenor and educator (b. 1906)
- 1974 – Salvador Novo, Mexican playwright and poet (b. 1904)
- 1976 – Margaret Leighton, English actress (b. 1922)
- 1977 – Henri Langlois, Turkish-French historian, co-founded the Cinémathèque Française (b. 1914)
- 1978 – Hubert Humphrey, American pharmacist, academic, and politician, 38th Vice President of the United States (b. 1911)
- 1978 – Joe McCarthy, American baseball player and manager (b. 1887)
- 1979 – Donny Hathaway, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (b. 1945)
- 1979 – Marjorie Lawrence, Australian-American soprano (b. 1907)
- 1980 – Andre Kostelanetz, Russian-American conductor (b. 1901)
- 1982 – Marcel Camus, French director and screenwriter (b. 1912)
- 1983 – René Bonnet, French race car driver and engineer (b. 1904)
- 1986 – Abdul Fattah Ismail, Yemeni educator and politician, 4th President of South Yemen (b. 1939)
- 1986 – Kevin Longbottom, Australian rugby league player (b. 1940)
- 1988 – Chiang Ching-kuo, Chinese politician, President of the Republic of China (b. 1910)
- 1993 – Camargo Guarnieri, Brazilian composer and conductor (b. 1907)
- 1995 – Max Harris, Australian journalist, poet, and author (b. 1921)
- 2002 – Frank Shuster, Canadian actor, comedian, and screenwriter (b. 1916)
- 2003 – Norman Panama, American director and screenwriter (b. 1914)
- 2004 – Arne Næss, Jr., Norwegian businessman and mountaineer (b. 1937)
- 2005 – Earl Cameron, Canadian journalist (b. 1915)
- 2005 – Nell Rankin, American soprano and actress (b. 1924)
- 2006 – Frank Fixaris, American journalist and sportscaster (b. 1934)
- 2006 – Marc Potvin, Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach (b. 1967)
- 2007 – Michael Brecker, American saxophonist and composer (b. 1949)
- 2007 – Danny Oakes, American race car driver (b. 1911)
- 2008 – Johnny Podres, American baseball player and coach (b. 1932)
- 2009 – Dai Llewellyn, Welsh humanitarian activist and politician (b. 1946)
- 2009 – Patrick McGoohan, Irish-American actor, director, and producer (b. 1928)
- 2009 – Mansour Rahbani, Lebanese poet, composer, and producer (b. 1925)
- 2009 – W. D. Snodgrass, American poet (b. 1926)
- 2009 – Nancy Bird Walton, Australian pilot (b. 1915)
- 2010 – Teddy Pendergrass, American singer-songwriter (b. 1950)
- 2011 – Albert Heijn, Dutch businessman (b. 1927)
- 2012 – Rauf Denktaş, Turkish-Cypriot lawyer and politician, 1st President of Northern Cyprus (b. 1924)
- 2012 – Guido Dessauer, German physicist and engineer (b. 1915)
- 2012 – Miljan Miljanić, Serbian footballer and manager (b. 1930)
- 2013 – Diogenes Allen, American philosopher and theologian (b. 1932)
- 2013 – Rodney Mims Cook, Sr., American lieutenant and politician (b. 1924)
- 2013 – Chia-Chiao Lin, Chinese-American mathematician and academic (b. 1916)
- 2014 – Bobby Collins, Scottish footballer and manager (b. 1931)
- 2014 – Randal Tye Thomas, American journalist and politician (b. 1978)
- 2014 – Waldemar von Gazen, German general and lawyer (b. 1917)
- 2015 – Mark Juddery, Australian journalist and author (b. 1971)
- 2015 – Robert White, American soldier and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Paraguay (b. 1926)
- 2016 – Brian Bedford, English-American actor and director (b. 1935)
- 2016 – Giorgio Gomelsky, Georgian-American director, producer, songwriter, and manager (b. 1934)
- 2016 – Lawrence Phillips, American football player (b. 1975)
- 2017 – Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, English photographer and sometime member of the British royal family (b. 1930)
- 2017 – Dick Gautier, American actor (b. 1931)
- 2017 – Magic Alex, Greek electronics engineer (b. 1942)
- 2019 – Phil Masinga, South African footballer (b. 1969)
Holidays and observances on January 13
- Christian feast day:
- Blessed Veronica of Milan
- Elian
- Hilary of Poitiers
- Mungo
- St. Knut’s Day or Tjugondag Knut, the last day of Christmas. (Sweden and Finland)
- January 13 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- Constitution Day (Mongolia)
- Democracy Day (Cape Verde)
- Korean-American Day (Korean-American community, United States)
- Liberation Day (Togo)
- Old New Year’s Eve (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Serbia, Montenegro, Republic of Srpska, North Macedonia), and its related observances:
- Malanka (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus)
- Sidereal winter solstice’s eve celebrations in South and Southeast Asian cultures; the last day of the six-month Dakshinayana period (see January 14):
- Bhogi (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu)
- Lohri (Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh)
- Uruka (Assam)
- Stephen Foster Memorial Day (United States)
- Yennayer (Berbers)
-
January 11 in History
- 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)
-
January 4 in History
- 46 BC – Julius Caesar fights Titus Labienus in the Battle of Ruspina.
- 871 – Battle of Reading: Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred are defeated by a Danish invasion army.
- 1649 – English Civil War: The Rump Parliament votes to put Charles I on trial.
- 1717 – The Netherlands, Great Britain, and France sign the Triple Alliance in an attempt to maintain the Treaty of Utrecht; Britain having signed a preliminary alliance with France on November 28 (November 17, 1716).
- 1762 – Great Britain declares war on Spain, thus entering the Seven Years’ War.
- 1798 – Constantine Hangerli arrives in Bucharest, Wallachia, as its new Prince, invested by the Ottoman Empire.
- 1853 – After having been kidnapped and sold into slavery in the American South, Solomon Northup regains his freedom; his memoir Twelve Years a Slave later becomes a national bestseller.
- 1854 – The McDonald Islands are discovered by Captain William McDonald aboard the Samarang.
- 1863 – The New Apostolic Church, a Christian and chiliastic church, is established in Hamburg, Germany.
- 1878 – Russo-Turkish War (1877–78): Sofia is liberated from Ottoman rule and designated the capital of Liberated Bulgaria.
- 1884 – The Fabian Society is founded in London, United Kingdom.
- 1885 – Sino-French War: French troops under General Oscar de Négrier defeat a numerically superior Qing force at Núi Bop in northern Vietnam.
- 1896 – Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state.
- 1903 – Topsy, an elephant, is electrocuted by the owners of Luna Park, Coney Island. The Edison film company records the film Electrocuting an Elephant of Topsy’s death.
- 1912 – The Scout Association is incorporated throughout the British Empire by the royal charter.
- 1918 – The Finnish Declaration of Independence is recognized by Russia, Sweden, Germany and France.
- 1944 – World War II: Operation Carpetbagger, involving the dropping of arms and supplies to resistance fighters in Europe, begins.
- 1948 – Burma gains its independence from the United Kingdom becoming an independent republic, named the Union of Burma, with Sao Shwe Thaik as its first President and U Nu its first Prime Minister.
- 1951 – Korean War: Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul.
- 1956 – The Greek National Radical Union is formed by Konstantinos Karamanlis.
- 1958 – Sputnik 1, the first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, falls to Earth from orbit.
- 1959 – Luna 1 becomes the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon.
- 1972 – Rose Heilbron becomes the first female judge to sit at the Old Bailey in London, UK.
- 1976 – The Troubles: The Ulster Volunteer Force shoots dead six Irish Catholic civilians in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The next day, gunmen would shoot dead ten Protestant civilians nearby in retaliation.
- 1987 – The Maryland train collision: An Amtrak train en route to Boston from Washington, D.C., collides with Conrail engines in Chase, Maryland, United States, killing 16 people.
- 1989 – Second Gulf of Sidra incident: A pair of Libyan MiG-23 “Floggers” are shot down by a pair of US Navy F-14 Tomcats during an air-to-air confrontation.
- 1990 – In Pakistan’s deadliest train accident an overloaded passenger train collides with an empty freight train, resulting in 307 deaths and 700 injuries.
- 1998 – A massive ice storm hits eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, continuing through January 10 and causing widespread destruction.
- 1999 – Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura is sworn in as governor of Minnesota, United States.
- 2004 – Spirit, a NASA Mars rover, lands successfully on Mars at 04:35 UTC.
- 2004 – Mikheil Saakashvili is elected President of Georgia following the November 2003 Rose Revolution.
- 2006 – Ehud Olmert becomes acting Prime Minister of Israel after the incumbent, Ariel Sharon, suffers a second, apparently more serious stroke.
- 2007 – The 110th United States Congress convenes, electing Nancy Pelosi as the first female Speaker of the House in U.S. history.
- 2010 – The Burj Khalifa, the current tallest building in the world, officially opens in Dubai.
- 2013 – A gunman kills eight people in a house-to-house rampage in Kawit, Cavite, Philippines.
- 2018 – Hennenman–Kroonstad train crash: A passenger train operated by Shosholoza Meyl collides with a truck on a level crossing at Geneva Station between Hennenman and Kroonstad, Free State, South Africa. Twenty people are killed and 260 injured.
Births on January 4
- 659 – Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (d.680)
- 1077 – Emperor Zhezong of China (d. 1100)
- 1334 – Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy (d. 1383)
- 1467 – Bodo VIII, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode (d. 1538)
- 1581 – James Ussher, Irish archbishop and historian (d. 1656)
- 1643 – Isaac Newton, English mathematician and physicist (d. 1727)
- 1654 – Lars Roberg, Swedish physician and academic (d. 1742)
- 1672 – Hugh Boulter, English-Irish archbishop (d. 1742)
- 1710 – Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Italian composer, violinist, and organist (d. 1736)
- 1720 – Johann Friedrich Agricola, German organist and composer (d. 1774)
- 1785 – Jacob Grimm, German philologist and mythologist (d. 1863)
- 1809 – Louis Braille, French educator, invented Braille (d. 1852)
- 1813 – Isaac Pitman, English linguist and educator (d. 1897)
- 1832 – George Tryon, English admiral (d. 1893)
- 1838 – General Tom Thumb, American circus performer (d. 1883)
- 1839 – Carl Humann, German archaeologist, architect, and engineer (d. 1896)
- 1848 – Katsura Tarō, Japanese general and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1913)
- 1858 – Carter Glass, American publisher and politician, 47th United States Secretary of the Treasury (d. 1946)
- 1864 – Clara Emilia Smitt, Swedish doctor and author (d. 1928)
- 1869 – Tommy Corcoran, American baseball player and umpire (d. 1960)
- 1874 – Josef Suk, Czech violinist and composer (d. 1935)
- 1877 – Marsden Hartley, American painter and poet (d. 1943)
- 1878 – A. E. Coppard, English poet and short story writer (d. 1957)
- 1878 – Augustus John, Welsh painter and illustrator (d. 1961)
- 1881 – Wilhelm Lehmbruck, German sculptor (d. 1919)
- 1883 – Max Eastman, American author and poet (d. 1969)
- 1883 – Johanna Westerdijk, Dutch pathologist and academic (d. 1961)
- 1884 – Guy Pène du Bois, American painter, critic, and educator (d. 1958)
- 1889 – M. Patanjali Sastri, Indian lawyer and jurist, 2nd Chief Justice of India (d. 1963)
- 1891 – Edward Brooker, English-Australian sergeant and politician, 31st Premier of Tasmania (d. 1948)
- 1895 – Leroy Grumman, American engineer and businessman, co-founded Grumman Aeronautical Engineering Co. (d. 1982)
- 1896 – Everett Dirksen, American politician (d. 1969)
- 1896 – André Masson, French painter and illustrator (d. 1987)
- 1897 – Chen Cheng, Chinese politician, Vice President of the Republic of China (d. 1965)
- 1900 – James Bond, American ornithologist and zoologist (d. 1989)
- 1901 – C. L. R. James, Trinidadian journalist and theorist (d. 1989)
- 1902 – John A. McCone, American businessman and politician, 6th Director of Central Intelligence (d. 1991)
- 1905 – Sterling Holloway, American actor (d. 1992)
- 1913 – Malietoa Tanumafili II, Samoan ruler (d. 2007)
- 1916 – Lionel Newman, American pianist and composer (d. 1989)
- 1916 – Robert Parrish, American actor and director (d. 1995)
- 1920 – William Colby, American intelligence officer, 10th Director of Central Intelligence (d. 1996)
- 1924 – Marianne Werner, German shot putter
- 1925 – Veikko Hakulinen, Finnish skier and technician (d. 2003)
- 1927 – Paul Desmarais, Canadian businessman and philanthropist (d. 2013)
- 1927 – Barbara Rush, American actress
- 1929 – Günter Schabowski, German journalist and politician (d. 2015)
- 1930 – Sorrell Booke, American actor and director (d. 1994)
- 1930 – Don Shula, American football player and coach (d. 2020)
- 1931 – William Deane, Australian judge and politician, 22nd Governor-General of Australia
- 1931 – Nora Iuga, Romanian poet, writer and translator
- 1931 – Coşkun Özarı, Turkish footballer and coach (d. 2011)
- 1932 – Clint Hill, American secret service agent and author
- 1932 – Carlos Saura, Spanish director and screenwriter
- 1934 – Rudolf Schuster, Slovak politician, 2nd President of Slovakia
- 1935 – Floyd Patterson, American boxer (d. 2006)
- 1937 – Grace Bumbry, American operatic soprano
- 1937 – Dyan Cannon, American actress, director, producer, and screenwriter
- 1940 – Gao Xingjian, Chinese novelist, playwright, and critic, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1940 – Brian Josephson, Welsh physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1941 – George P. Cosmatos, Italian-Canadian director and screenwriter (d. 2005)
- 1941 – Kalpnath Rai, Indian politician (d. 1999)
- 1942 – Bolaji Akinyemi, Nigerian political scientist, academic, and politician
- 1942 – John McLaughlin, English guitarist and songwriter
- 1943 – Doris Kearns Goodwin, American historian and author
- 1943 – Hwang Sok-yong, South Korean author and educator
- 1945 – Richard R. Schrock, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1946 – Arthur Conley, American singer-songwriter (d. 2003)
- 1947 – Marie-Thérèse Letablier, French sociologist and academic
- 1948 – Kostas Davourlis, Greek footballer (d. 1992)
- 1948 – Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé, Malian civil servant and politician, Prime Minister of Mali
- 1950 – Khondakar Ashraf Hossain, Bangladesh poet and academic (d. 2013)
- 1953 – Norberto Alonso, Argentinian footballer
- 1954 – Tina Knowles, American fashion designer, founded House of Deréon
- 1956 – Ann Magnuson, American actress and performance artist
- 1956 – Zehava Gal-On, Israeli politician
- 1956 – Bernard Sumner, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
- 1957 – Patty Loveless, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1958 – Matt Frewer, American-Canadian actor
- 1960 – Michael Stipe, American singer-songwriter and producer
- 1963 – Dave Foley, Canadian comedian, actor, director, and producer
- 1963 – Martina Proeber, German diver
- 1964 – Susan Devoy, New Zealand squash player
- 1965 – Guy Forget, French tennis player
- 1965 – Craig Revel Horwood, Australian-English dancer, choreographer, and director
- 1965 – Julia Ormond, English actress and producer
- 1966 – Deana Carter, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1967 – David Toms, American golfer and philanthropist
- 1975 – Paul Watson, English footballer and physiotherapist
- 1978 – Dominik Hrbatý, Slovak tennis player
- 1980 – Miguel Monteiro, Portuguese footballer
- 1985 – Kari Aalvik Grimsbø, Norwegian handball player
- 1985 – Gökhan Gönül, Turkish footballer
- 1985 – Al Jefferson, American basketball player
- 1986 – James Milner, English footballer
- 1986 – Younès Kaboul, French footballer
- 1989 – Graham Rahal, American race car driver
- 1990 – Toni Kroos, German footballer
- 1992 – Kris Bryant, American baseball player
- 1994 – Derrick Henry, American football player
- 1997 – Ante Žižić, Croatian basketball player
- 1998 – Liza Soberano, Filipina actress
Deaths on January 4
- 871 – Æthelwulf, Saxon ealdorman
- 874 – Hasan al-Askari, eleventh of the Twelve Imams (probable; b. 846)
- 1248 – Sancho II of Portugal (b. 1209)
- 1344 – Robert de Lisle, 1st Baron Lisle, English peer (b. 1288)
- 1399 – Nicholas Eymerich, Catalan theologian and inquisitor
- 1424 – Muzio Sforza, Italian condottiero
- 1428 – Frederick I, Elector of Saxony (b. 1370)
- 1584 – Tobias Stimmer, Swiss painter and illustrator (b. 1539)
- 1604 – Ferenc Nádasdy, Hungarian noble (b. 1555)
- 1695 – François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg, French general (b. 1628)
- 1752 – Gabriel Cramer, Swiss mathematician and physicist (b. 1704)
- 1761 – Stephen Hales, English clergyman and physiologist (b. 1677)
- 1782 – Ange-Jacques Gabriel, French architect, designed École Militaire (b. 1698)
- 1786 – Moses Mendelssohn, German philosopher, and theologian (b. 1729)
- 1804 – Charlotte Lennox, English author and poet (b. 1730)
- 1821 – Elizabeth Ann Seton, American nun and saint (b. 1774)
- 1825 – Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (b. 1751)
- 1863 – Roger Hanson, American general (b. 1827)
- 1874 – Thomas Gregson, English-Australian lawyer and politician, 2nd Premier of Tasmania (b. 1798)
- 1877 – Cornelius Vanderbilt, American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1794)
- 1880 – Anselm Feuerbach, German painter and educator (b. 1829)
- 1880 – Edward William Cooke, English painter and illustrator (b. 1811)
- 1882 – John William Draper, English-American physician, chemist, and photographer (b. 1811)
- 1883 – Antoine Chanzy, French general (b. 1823)
- 1891 – Antoine Labelle, Canadian priest (b. 1833)
- 1896 – Joseph Hubert Reinkens, German bishop and academic (b. 1821)
- 1900 – Stanisław Mieroszewski, Polish-born politician, writer, historian and member of the Imperial Council of Austria (b. 1827)
- 1901 – Nikolaos Gyzis, Greek painter and academic (b. 1842)
- 1904 – Anna Winlock, American astronomer and academic (b. 1857)
- 1910 – Léon Delagrange, French pilot and sculptor (b. 1873)
- 1912 – Clarence Dutton, American geologist and soldier (b. 1841)
- 1919 – Georg von Hertling, German academic and politician, 7th Chancellor of the German Empire (b. 1843)
- 1920 – Benito Pérez Galdós, Spanish author and playwright (b. 1843)
- 1924 – Alfred Grünfeld, Austrian pianist and composer (b. 1852)
- 1925 – Nellie Cashman, American nurse, restaurateur, entrepreneur, and gold prospector (b. 1845)
- 1927 – Süleyman Nazif, Turkish poet and civil servant (b. 1870)
- 1931 – Art Acord, American actor and stuntman (b. 1890)
- 1931 – Louise, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom (b. 1867)
- 1931 – Mohammad Ali Jouhar, Indian journalist, activist, and scholar (b. 1878)
- 1940 – Flora Finch, English-American actress and producer (b. 1867)
- 1941 – Henri Bergson, French philosopher and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1859)
- 1943 – Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz, Greek-Polish swimmer and water polo player (b. 1911)
- 1944 – Kaj Munk, Danish playwright and pastor (b. 1898)
- 1960 – Albert Camus, French novelist, philosopher, and journalist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1913)
- 1961 – Erwin Schrödinger, Austrian physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1887)
- 1962 – Hans Lammers, German jurist and politician (b. 1879)
- 1965 – T. S. Eliot, American-English poet, playwright, and critic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1888)
- 1967 – Donald Campbell, English racing driver and world speed record holder (b. 1921)
- 1969 – Paul Chambers, American bassist and composer (b. 1935)
- 1975 – Carlo Levi, Italian painter, author, and activist (b. 1902)
- 1985 – Brian Horrocks, Indian-English general (b. 1895)
- 1986 – Christopher Isherwood, English-American author and academic (b. 1904)
- 1986 – Phil Lynott, Irish singer-songwriter, bass player, and producer (b. 1949)
- 1988 – Lily Laskine, French harp player (b. 1893)
- 1990 – Harold Eugene Edgerton, American engineer and academic (b. 1903)
- 1990 – Henry Bolte, Australian sergeant and politician, 38th Premier of Victoria (b. 1908)
- 1994 – R. D. Burman, Indian film composer and music director (b. 1939
- 1995 – Eduardo Mata, Mexican conductor and composer (b. 1942)
- 1995 – Sol Tax, American anthropologist and academic (b. 1907)
- 1997 – Harry Helmsley, American businessman (b. 1909)
- 1998 – Mae Questel, American actress (b. 1908)
- 1999 – Iron Eyes Cody, American actor and stuntman (b. 1904)
- 2000 – Spyros Markezinis, Greek lawyer and politician, 170th Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1909)
- 2000 – Tom Fears, Mexican-American football player and coach (b. 1922)
- 2001 – Les Brown, American bandleader and composer (b. 1912)
- 2004 – Brian Gibson, English director and screenwriter (b. 1944)
- 2004 – Joan Aiken, English author (b. 1924)
- 2004 – John Toland, American historian and author (b. 1912)
- 2005 – Bud Poile, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager (b. 1924)
- 2005 – Frank Harary, American mathematician and academic (b. 1921)
- 2005 – Humphrey Carpenter, English radio host and author (b. 1946)
- 2005 – Robert Heilbroner, American economist and historian (b. 1919)
- 2006 – Irving Layton, Romanian-Canadian poet and academic (b. 1912)
- 2006 – Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emirati politician, 1st Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (b. 1946)
- 2006 – Milton Himmelfarb, American sociographer, author, and academic (b. 1918)
- 2007 – Helen Hill, American director and producer (b. 1970)
- 2007 – Steve Krantz, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1923)
- 2007 – Marais Viljoen, South African politician, 5th State President of South Africa (b. 1915)
- 2008 – Xavier Chamorro Cardenal, Nicaraguan journalist (b. 1932)
- 2009 – Gert Jonke, Austrian poet, playwright, and author (b. 1946)
- 2010 – Johan Ferrier, Surinamese educator and politician, 1st President of Suriname (b. 1910)
- 2010 – Tsutomu Yamaguchi, Japanese engineer (b. 1916)
- 2011 – Coen Moulijn, Dutch footballer (b. 1937)
- 2011 – Gerry Rafferty, Scottish singer-songwriter (b. 1947)
- 2011 – Salmaan Taseer, Pakistani businessman and politician, 26th Governor of Punjab, Pakistan (b. 1944)
- 2012 – Eve Arnold, American photographer and journalist (b. 1912)
- 2012 – Rod Robbie, English-Canadian architect, designed the Canadian Pavilion and Rogers Centre (b. 1928)
- 2013 – Anwar Shamim, Pakistani general (b. 1931)
- 2013 – Zoran Žižić, Montenegrin politician, 4th Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (b. 1951)
- 2015 – Pino Daniele, Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1955)
- 2016 – S. H. Kapadia, Indian lawyer, judge, and politician, 38th Chief Justice of India (b. 1947)
- 2016 – Stephen W. Bosworth, American academic and diplomat, United States Ambassador to South Korea (b. 1939)
- 2017 – Milt Schmidt, Canadian ice hockey player, coach and general manager (b. 1918)
- 2017 – Georges Prêtre, French orchestral and opera conductor (b. 1924)
- 2019 – Harold Brown, 14th United States Secretary of Defense (b. 1927)
- 2020 – Tom Long, Australian actor (b. 1968)
Holidays and observances on January 4
- Christian feast day:
- Angela of Foligno
- Elizabeth Ann Seton
- Ferréol of Uzès
- Mavilus
- Pharaildis of Ghent
- Rigobert
- January 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
- The eleventh of the Twelve Days of Christmas. (Western Christianity)
- Independence Day (Myanmar), celebrates the independence of Myanmar from the United Kingdom in 1948.
- Colonial Martyrs Repression Day (Angola)
- Day of the Martyrs (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Ogoni Day (Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People)
- Tokyo Dome Show: The annual Wrestle Kingdom event run by New Japan Pro Wrestling
- World Braille Day