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1471

April 23 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 215 BC – A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasimene.
  • 599 – Maya king Uneh Chan of Calakmul attacks rival city-state Palenque in southern Mexico, defeating queen Yohl Ik’nal and sacking the city.
  • 711 – Dagobert III succeeds his father King Childebert III as King of the Franks.
  • 1014 – Battle of Clontarf: High King of Ireland Brian Boru defeats Viking invaders, but is killed in battle.
  • 1016 – Edmund Ironside succeeds his father Æthelred the Unready as King of England.
  • 1343 – St. George’s Night Uprising commences in the Duchy of Estonia.
  • 1348 – The founding of the Order of the Garter by King Edward III is announced on St. George’s Day.
  • 1516 – The Munich Reinheitsgebot (regarding the ingredients of beer) takes effect in all of Bavaria.
  • 1521 – Battle of Villalar: King Charles I of Spain defeats the Comuneros.
  • 1635 – The first public school in the United States, Boston Latin School, is founded in Boston.
  • 1655 – The Siege of Santo Domingo begins during the Anglo-Spanish War, and fails seven days later.
  • 1660 – Treaty of Oliva is established between Sweden and Poland.
  • 1661 – King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland is crowned in Westminster Abbey.
  • 1815 – The Second Serbian Uprising: A second phase of the national revolution of the Serbs against the Ottoman Empire, erupts shortly after the annexation of the country to the Ottoman Empire.
  • 1879 – Fire burns down the second main building and dome of the University of Notre Dame, which prompts the construction of the third, and current, Main Building with its golden dome.
  • 1914 – First baseball game at Wrigley Field, then known as Weeghman Park, in Chicago.
  • 1918 – World War I: The British Royal Navy makes a raid in an attempt to neutralise the Belgian port of Bruges-Zeebrugge.
  • 1920 – The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) is founded in Ankara. The assembly denounces the government of Sultan Mehmed VI and announces the preparation of a temporary constitution.
  • 1927 – Cardiff City defeat Arsenal in the FA Cup Final, the only time it has been won by a team not based in England.
  • 1935 – The Polish Constitution of 1935 is adopted.
  • 1940 – The Rhythm Club fire at a dance hall in Natchez, Mississippi, kills 198 people.
  • 1941 – World War II: The Greek government and King George II evacuate Athens before the invading Wehrmacht.
  • 1942 – World War II: Baedeker Blitz: German bombers hit Exeter, Bath and York in retaliation for the British raid on Lübeck.
  • 1945 – World War II: Adolf Hitler’s designated successor, Hermann Göring, sends him a telegram asking permission to take leadership of the Third Reich. Martin Bormann and Joseph Goebbels advise Hitler that the telegram is treasonous.
  • 1946 – Manuel Roxas is elected the last President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.
  • 1949 – Chinese Civil War: Establishment of the People’s Liberation Army Navy.
  • 1951 – Cold War: American journalist William N. Oatis is arrested for espionage by the Communist government of Czechoslovakia.
  • 1961 – Algiers putsch by French generals.
  • 1967 – Soviet space program: Soyuz 1 (Russian: Союз 1, Union 1) a manned spaceflight carrying cosmonaut Colonel Vladimir Komarov is launched into orbit.
  • 1968 – Vietnam War: Student protesters at Columbia University in New York City take over administration buildings and shut down the university.
  • 1971 – Bangladesh Liberation War: The Pakistan Army and Razakars massacre approximately 3,000 Hindu emigrants in the Jathibhanga area of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
  • 1985 – Coca-Cola changes its formula and releases New Coke. The response is overwhelmingly negative, and the original formula is back on the market in less than three months.
  • 1990 – Namibia becomes the 160th member of the United Nations and the 50th member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
  • 1993 – Eritreans vote overwhelmingly for independence from Ethiopia in a United Nations-monitored referendum.
  • 1993 – Sri Lankan politician Lalith Athulathmudali is assassinated while addressing a gathering, approximately four weeks ahead of the Provincial Council elections for the Western Province.
  • 1999 – NATO bombs the headquarters of Radio Television of Serbia, as part of their aerial campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
  • 2005 – The first ever YouTube video, titled “Me at the zoo”, was published by co-founder Jawed Karim.
  • 2013 – At least 28 people are killed and more than 70 are injured as violence breaks out in Hawija, Iraq.
  • 2018 – A vehicle-ramming attack kills 10 people and injures 16 in Toronto. A 25-year-old suspect, Alek Minassian, is arrested.
  • 2019 – The 2019 Hpakant jade mine collapse in Myanmar kills four miners and two rescuers.

Births on April 23

  • 1141 (probable) – Malcolm IV of Scotland (d. 1165)
  • 1185 – Afonso II of Portugal (d. 1223)
  • 1408 – John de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford (d. 1462)
  • 1420 – George of Poděbrady, King of Bohemia (d. 1471)
  • 1464 – Joan of France, Duchess of Berry (d. 1505)
  • 1464 – Robert Fayrfax, English Renaissance composer (d. 1521)
  • 1484 – Julius Caesar Scaliger, Italian physician and scholar (d. 1558)
  • 1500 – Alexander Ales, Scottish theologian and academic (d. 1565)
  • 1500 – Johann Stumpf, Swiss writer (d. 1576)
  • 1512 – Henry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel, Chancellor of the University of Oxford (d. 1580)
  • 1516 – Georg Fabricius, German poet, historian, and archaeologist (d. 1571)
  • 1598 – Maarten Tromp, Dutch admiral (d. 1653)
  • 1621 – William Penn, English admiral and politician (d. 1670)
  • 1628 – Johannes Hudde, Dutch mathematician and politician (d. 1704)
  • 1661 – Issachar Berend Lehmann, German-Jewish banker, merchant and diplomat (d. 1730)
  • 1715 – Johann Friedrich Doles, German composer and conductor (d. 1797)
  • 1720 – Vilna Gaon, Lithuanian rabbi and author (d. 1797)
  • 1744 – Princess Charlotte Amalie Wilhelmine of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön (d. 1770)
  • 1748 – Félix Vicq-d’Azyr, French physician and anatomist (d. 1794)
  • 1791 – James Buchanan, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 15th President of the United States (d. 1868)
  • 1792 – Thomas Romney Robinson, Irish astronomer and physicist (d. 1882)
  • 1794 – Wei Yuan, Chinese scholar and author (d. 1856)
  • 1805 – Johann Karl Friedrich Rosenkranz, German philosopher and academic (d. 1879)
  • 1812 – Frederick Whitaker, English-New Zealand lawyer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1891)
  • 1813 – Stephen A. Douglas, American educator and politician, 7th Illinois Secretary of State (d. 1861)
  • 1813 – Frédéric Ozanam, Italian-French historian and scholar (d. 1853)
  • 1818 – James Anthony Froude, English historian, novelist, biographer and editor (d. 1894)
  • 1819 – Edward Stafford, Scottish-New Zealand educator and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1901)
  • 1853 – Winthrop M. Crane, American businessman and politician, 40th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1920)
  • 1856 – Granville Woods, American inventor and engineer (d. 1910)
  • 1857 – Ruggero Leoncavallo, Italian composer (d. 1919)
  • 1858 – Max Planck, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1947)
  • 1860 – Justinian Oxenham, Australian public servant (d. 1932)
  • 1861 – Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, English field marshal and diplomat, British High Commissioner in Egypt (d. 1936)
  • 1861 – John Peltz, American baseball player and manager (d. 1906)
  • 1865 – Ali-Agha Shikhlinski, Russian-Azerbaijani general (d. 1943)
  • 1867 – Johannes Fibiger, Danish physician and pathologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1928)
  • 1876 – Arthur Moeller van den Bruck, German historian and author (d. 1925)
  • 1880 – Michel Fokine, Russian dancer and choreographer (d. 1942)
  • 1882 – Albert Coates, English composer and conductor (d. 1953)
  • 1888 – Georges Vanier, Canadian general and politician, 19th Governor General of Canada (d. 1967)
  • 1889 – Karel Doorman, Dutch admiral (d. 1942)
  • 1893 – Frank Borzage, American actor and director (d. 1952)
  • 1895 – Ngaio Marsh, New Zealand author and director (d. 1982)
  • 1897 – Folke Jansson, American general (d. 1965)
  • 1897 – Lester B. Pearson, Canadian historian and politician, 14th Prime Minister of Canada, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1972)
  • 1898 – Lucius D. Clay, American general (d. 1978)
  • 1899 – Bertil Ohlin, Swedish economist and politician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1979)
  • 1899 – Minoru Shirota, Japanese physician and microbiologist, invented Yakult (d. 1982)
  • 1900 – Jim Bottomley, American baseball player and sportscaster (d. 1959)
  • 1900 – Joseph Green, Polish-American actor and director (d. 1996)
  • 1901 – E. B. Ford, English biologist and geneticist (d. 1988)
  • 1902 – Halldór Laxness, Icelandic author and poet, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998)
  • 1903 – Guy Simonds, English-Canadian general (d. 1974)
  • 1904 – Clifford Bricker, Canadian long-distance runner (d. 1980)
  • 1904 – Louis Muhlstock, Polish-Canadian painter (d. 2001)
  • 1904 – Duncan Renaldo, American actor (d. 1985)
  • 1907 – Lee Miller, American model and photographer (d. 1977)
  • 1907 – Fritz Wotruba, Austrian sculptor, designed the Wotruba Church (d. 1975)
  • 1908 – Myron Waldman, American animator and director (d. 2006)
  • 1910 – Sheila Scott Macintyre, Scottish mathematician (d. 1960)
  • 1910 – Simone Simon, French actress (d. 2005)
  • 1911 – Ronald Neame, English-American director, cinematographer, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2010)
  • 1913 – Diosa Costello, Puerto Rican-American entertainer, producer and club owner (d. 2013)
  • 1915 – Arnold Alexander Hall, English engineer, academic, and businessman (d. 2000)
  • 1916 – Yiannis Moralis, Greek painter and educator (d. 2009)
  • 1916 – Sinah Estelle Kelley, American chemist (d. 1982)
  • 1917 – Dorian Leigh, American model (d. 2008)
  • 1917 – Tony Lupien, American baseball player and coach (d. 2004)
  • 1918 – Maurice Druon, French author and screenwriter (d. 2009)
  • 1919 – Oleg Penkovsky, Russian colonel (d. 1963)
  • 1920 – Eric Grant Yarrow, 3rd Baronet, English businessman (d. 2018)
  • 1921 – Judy Agnew, Second Lady of the United States (d. 2012)
  • 1921 – Cleto Bellucci, Italian archbishop (d. 2013)
  • 1921 – Janet Blair, American actress and singer (d. 2007)
  • 1921 – Warren Spahn, American baseball player and coach (d. 2003)
  • 1923 – Dolph Briscoe, American lieutenant and politician, 41st Governor of Texas (d. 2010)
  • 1923 – Avram Davidson, American soldier and author (d. 1993)
  • 1924 – Chuck Harmon, American baseball player and scout (d. 2019)
  • 1924 – Bobby Rosengarden, American drummer and bandleader (d. 2007)
  • 1926 – J.P. Donleavy, American-Irish novelist and playwright (d. 2017)
  • 1926 – Rifaat el-Mahgoub, Egyptian politician (d. 1990)
  • 1928 – Shirley Temple, American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat (d. 2014)
  • 1929 – George Steiner, French-American philosopher, author, and critic (d. 2020)
  • 1932 – Halston, American fashion designer (d. 1990)
  • 1932 – Jim Fixx, American runner and author (d. 1984)
  • 1933 – Annie Easley, American computer scientist, mathematician, and engineer (d. 2011)
  • 1934 – George Canseco, Filipino composer and producer (d. 2004)
  • 1936 – Roy Orbison, American singer-songwriter (d. 1988)
  • 1937 – Victoria Glendinning, English author and critic
  • 1937 – David Mills, English cricketer (d. 2013)
  • 1937 – Barry Shepherd, Australian cricketer (d. 2001)
  • 1939 – Jorge Fons, Mexican director and screenwriter
  • 1939 – Bill Hagerty, English journalist
  • 1939 – Lee Majors, American actor
  • 1939 – Ray Peterson, American pop singer (d. 2005)
  • 1940 – Michael Copps, American academic and politician
  • 1940 – Dale Houston, American singer-songwriter (d. 2007)
  • 1940 – Michael Kadosh, Israeli footballer and manager (d. 2014)
  • 1941 – Jacqueline Boyer, French singer and actress
  • 1941 – Arie den Hartog, Dutch road bicycle racer (d. 2018)
  • 1941 – Paavo Lipponen, Finnish journalist and politician, 38th Prime Minister of Finland
  • 1941 – Michael Lynne, American film producer, co-founded New Line Cinema
  • 1941 – Ed Stewart, English radio and television host (d. 2016)
  • 1941 – Ray Tomlinson, American computer programmer and engineer (d. 2016)
  • 1942 – Sandra Dee, American model and actress (d. 2005)
  • 1943 – Gail Goodrich, American basketball player and coach
  • 1943 – Tony Esposito, Canadian-American ice hockey player, coach, and manager
  • 1943 – Frans Koppelaar, Dutch painter
  • 1943 – Hervé Villechaize, French actor (d. 1993)
  • 1944 – Jean-François Stévenin, French actor and director
  • 1946 – Blair Brown, American actress
  • 1946 – Carlton Sherwood, American soldier and journalist (d. 2014)
  • 1947 – Robert Burgess, English sociologist and academic
  • 1947 – Glenn Cornick, English bass player (d. 2014)
  • 1947 – Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, Irish civil rights leader and politician
  • 1948 – Pascal Quignard, French author and screenwriter
  • 1948 – Serge Thériault, Canadian actor
  • 1949 – Paul Collier, English economist and academic
  • 1949 – David Cross, English violinist
  • 1949 – John Miles, British rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist
  • 1950 – Rowley Leigh, English chef and journalist
  • 1950 – Barbara McIlvaine Smith, Sac and Fox Nation Native American politician
  • 1951 – Martin Bayerle, American treasure hunter
  • 1952 – Narada Michael Walden, American singer-songwriter, drummer, and producer
  • 1953 – James Russo, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1954 – Stephen Dalton, English air marshal
  • 1954 – Michael Moore, American director, producer, and activist
  • 1955 – Judy Davis, Australian actress
  • 1955 – Tony Miles, English chess player (d. 2001)
  • 1955 – Urmas Ott, Estonian journalist and author (d. 2008)
  • 1957 – Neville Brody, English graphic designer, typographer, and art director
  • 1957 – Jan Hooks, American actress and comedian (d. 2014)
  • 1958 – Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Icelandic composer and producer
  • 1958 – Ryan Walter, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
  • 1959 – Unity Dow, Botswanan judge, author, and rights activist
  • 1960 – Valerie Bertinelli, American actress
  • 1960 – Steve Clark, English guitarist and songwriter (d. 1991)
  • 1960 – Barry Douglas, Irish pianist and conductor
  • 1960 – Léo Jaime, Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
  • 1960 – Claude Julien, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
  • 1961 – George Lopez, American comedian, actor, and talk show host
  • 1961 – Pierluigi Martini, Italian race car driver
  • 1962 – John Hannah, Scottish actor and producer
  • 1962 – Shaun Spiers, English businessman and politician
  • 1963 – Paul Belmondo, French race car driver
  • 1963 – Robby Naish, American windsurfer
  • 1964 – Gianandrea Noseda, Italian pianist and conductor
  • 1965 – Leni Robredo, Filipina human rights lawyer, 14th Vice President of the Philippines
  • 1966 – Jörg Deisinger, German bass player
  • 1966 – Matt Freeman, American bass player
  • 1966 – Lembit Oll, Estonian chess Grandmaster (d. 1999)
  • 1967 – Rheal Cormier, Canadian baseball player
  • 1967 – Melina Kanakaredes, American actress
  • 1968 – Bas Haring, Dutch philosopher, writer, television presenter and professor.
  • 1968 – Ken McRae, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
  • 1968 – Timothy McVeigh, American terrorist, Oklahoma City bombing co-perpetrator (d. 2001)
  • 1969 – Martín López-Zubero, American-Spanish swimmer and coach
  • 1969 – Yelena Shushunova, Russian gymnast
  • 1970 – Egemen Bağış, Turkish politician, 1st Minister of European Union Affairs
  • 1970 – Dennis Culp, American singer-songwriter and trombonist
  • 1970 – Andrew Gee, Australian rugby league player and manager
  • 1970 – Hans Välimäki, Finnish chef and author
  • 1970 – Tayfur Havutçu, Turkish international footballer and manager
  • 1971 – Uli Herzner, German-American fashion designer
  • 1972 – Pierre Labrie, Canadian poet and playwright
  • 1972 – Peter Dench, English photographer and journalist
  • 1972 – Amira Medunjanin, singer from Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • 1973 – Patrick Poulin, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1974 – Carlos Dengler, American bass player
  • 1974 – Michael Kerr, New Zealand-German rugby player
  • 1975 – Bobby Shaw, American football player
  • 1976 – Aaron Dessner, American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
  • 1977 – John Cena, American professional wrestler and actor
  • 1977 – David Kidwell, New Zealand rugby league player and coach
  • 1977 – Willie Mitchell, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1977 – John Oliver, English comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1977 – Kal Penn, Indian-American actor
  • 1977 – Bram Schmitz, Dutch cyclist
  • 1977 – Lee Young-pyo, South Korean international footballer
  • 1978 – Gezahegne Abera, Ethiopian runner
  • 1979 – Barry Hawkins, English snooker player
  • 1979 – Jaime King, American actress and model
  • 1979 – Joanna Krupa, Polish-American model and television personality
  • 1979 – Samppa Lajunen, Finnish skier
  • 1982 – Tony Sunshine, American singer-songwriter
  • 1983 – Leon Andreasen, Danish international footballer
  • 1983 – Daniela Hantuchová, Slovak tennis player
  • 1983 – Ian Henderson, English rugby league player
  • 1984 – Alexandra Kosteniuk, Russian chess player
  • 1984 – Jesse Lee Soffer, American actor
  • 1985 – Angel Locsin, Filipino actress, producer, and fashion designer
  • 1986 – Sven Kramer, Dutch speed skater
  • 1986 – Alysia Montaño, American runner
  • 1986 – Rafael Fernandes, Brazilian baseball player
  • 1987 – Michael Arroyo, Ecuadorian footballer
  • 1987 – John Boye, Ghanaian footballer
  • 1987 – Emily Fox, American basketball player
  • 1988 – Victor Anichebe, Nigerian footballer
  • 1988 – Alistair Brownlee, English triathlete
  • 1988 – Signe Ronka, Canadian figure skater
  • 1988 – Lenka Wienerová, Slovak tennis player
  • 1989 – Nicole Vaidišová, Czech tennis player
  • 1990 – Rui Fonte, Portuguese footballer, winger
  • 1990 – Dev Patel, English actor
  • 1991 – Nathan Baker, English footballer
  • 1991 – Caleb Johnson, American singer-songwriter
  • 1991 – Paul Vaughan, Australian-Italian rugby league player
  • 1994 – Patrick Olsen, Danish footballer
  • 1994 – Song Kang, South Korean actor
  • 1995 – Gigi Hadid, American fashion model and television personality
  • 1997 – Zach Apple, American swimmer

Deaths on April 23

  • 303 – Saint George, Roman soldier and martyr (b. 275)
  • 711 – Childebert III, Frankish king (b. 670)
  • 725 – Wihtred of Kent (b. 670)
  • 871 – Æthelred of Wessex (b. 837)
  • 915 – Yang Shihou, Chinese general
  • 944 – Wichmann the Elder, Saxon nobleman
  • 990 – Ekkehard II, Swiss monk and abbot
  • 997 – Adalbert of Prague, Czech bishop, missionary, and saint (b. 956)
  • 1014 – Brian Boru, Irish king (b. 941)
  • 1014 – Domnall mac Eimín, Mormaer of Mar
  • 1016 – Æthelred the Unready, English son of Edgar the Peaceful (b. 968)
  • 1124 – Alexander I of Scotland (b. 1078)
  • 1151 – Adeliza of Louvain (b. 1103)
  • 1170 – Minamoto no Tametomo, Japanese samurai (b. 1139)
  • 1196 – Béla III of Hungary (b. c.1148)
  • 1200 – Zhu Xi, Chinese philosopher (b. 1130)
  • 1217 – Inge II of Norway (b. 1185)
  • 1262 – Aegidius of Assisi, companion of Saint Francis of Assisi
  • 1307 – Joan of Acre (b. 1272)
  • 1400 – Aubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford, English politician and nobleman (b. c. 1338)
  • 1407 – Olivier de Clisson, French soldier (b. 1326)
  • 1501 – Domenico della Rovere, Catholic cardinal (b. 1442)
  • 1554 – Gaspara Stampa, Italian poet (b. 1523)
  • 1605 – Boris Godunov, Russian ruler (b. 1551)
  • 1616 – William Shakespeare, English playwright and poet (b. 1564)
  • 1625 – Maurice, Prince of Orange (b. 1567)
  • 1695 – Henry Vaughan, Welsh poet and author (b. 1621)
  • 1702 – Margaret Fell, English religious leader, founded the Religious Society of Friends (b. 1614)
  • 1781 – James Abercrombie, Scottish general and politician (b. 1706)
  • 1784 – Solomon I of Imereti (b. 1735)
  • 1792 – Karl Friedrich Bahrdt, German theologian and author (b. 1741)
  • 1794 – Guillaume-Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, French lawyer and politician (b. 1721)
  • 1827 – Georgios Karaiskakis, Greek general (b. 1780)
  • 1839 – Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin, French admiral and explorer (b. 1768)
  • 1850 – William Wordsworth, English poet and author (b. 1770)
  • 1889 – Jules Amédée Barbey d’Aurevilly, French author and critic (b. 1808)
  • 1895 – Carl Ludwig, German physician and physiologist (b. 1815)
  • 1905 – Gédéon Ouimet, Canadian politician, 2nd Premier of Quebec (b. 1823)
  • 1907 – Alferd Packer, American prospector (b. 1842)
  • 1915 – Rupert Brooke, English poet (b. 1887)
  • 1936 – Teresa de la Parra, French-Venezuelan author (b. 1889)
  • 1951 – Jules Berry, French actor and director (b. 1883)
  • 1951 – Charles G. Dawes, American banker and politician, 30th Vice President of the United States, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (b. 1865)
  • 1959 – Bak Jungyang, Korean politician
  • 1965 – George Adamski, Polish-American ufologist and author (b. 1891)
  • 1966 – George Ohsawa, Japanese founder of the Macrobiotic diet (b. 1893)
  • 1981 – Josep Pla, Catalan journalist and author (b. 1897)
  • 1983 – Buster Crabbe, American swimmer and actor (b. 1908)
  • 1984 – Red Garland, American pianist (b. 1923)
  • 1985 – Sam Ervin, American lawyer and politician (b. 1896)
  • 1985 – Frank Farrell, Australian rugby league player and policeman (b. 1916)
  • 1986 – Harold Arlen, American composer (b. 1905)
  • 1986 – Jim Laker, English cricketer and sportscaster (b. 1922)
  • 1986 – Otto Preminger, Ukrainian-American actor, director, and producer (b. 1906)
  • 1990 – Paulette Goddard, American actress (b. 1910)
  • 1991 – Johnny Thunders, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1952)
  • 1992 – Satyajit Ray, Indian director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1921)
  • 1992 – Tanka Prasad Acharya, Nepalese politician, 27th Prime Minister of Nepal (b. 1912)
  • 1993 – Cesar Chavez, American activist, co-founded the United Farm Workers (b. 1927)
  • 1995 – Douglas Lloyd Campbell, Canadian farmer and politician, 13th Premier of Manitoba (b. 1895)
  • 1995 – Howard Cosell, American lawyer and journalist (b. 1918)
  • 1995 – Riho Lahi, Estonian journalist (b. 1904)
  • 1995 – John C. Stennis, American lawyer and politician (b. 1904)
  • 1996 – Jean Victor Allard, Canadian general (b. 1913)
  • 1996 – P. L. Travers, Australian-English author and actress (b. 1899)
  • 1997 – Denis Compton, English cricketer and footballer (b. 1918)
  • 1998 – Konstantinos Karamanlis, Greek lawyer and politician, 172nd Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1907)
  • 1998 – James Earl Ray, American assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr. (b. 1928)
  • 1998 – Thanassis Skordalos, Greek singer-songwriter and lyra player (b. 1920)
  • 2003 – Fernand Fonssagrives, French-American photographer (b. 1910)
  • 2004 – Herman Veenstra, Dutch water polo player (b. 1911)
  • 2005 – Joh Bjelke-Petersen, New Zealand-Australian politician, 31st Premier of Queensland (b. 1911)
  • 2005 – Robert Farnon, Canadian-English trumpet player, composer and conductor (b. 1917)
  • 2005 – Al Grassby, Australian journalist and politician (b. 1928)
  • 2005 – John Mills, English actor (b. 1908)
  • 2005 – Romano Scarpa, Italian author and illustrator (b. 1927)
  • 2005 – Earl Wilson, American baseball player, coach and educator (b. 1934)
  • 2006 – Phil Walden, American record producer and manager, co-founder of Capricorn Records (b. 1940)
  • 2007 – Paul Erdman, Canadian-American economist and author (b. 1932)
  • 2007 – David Halberstam, American journalist, historian and author (b. 1934)
  • 2007 – Peter Randall, English sergeant (b. 1930)
  • 2007 – Boris Yeltsin, Russian politician, 1st President of Russia (b. 1931)
  • 2010 – Peter Porter, Australian-born British poet (b. 1929)
  • 2011 – James Casey, English comedian, radio scriptwriter and producer (b. 1922)
  • 2011 – Tom King, American guitarist and songwriter (b. 1943)
  • 2011 – Geoffrey Russell, 4th Baron Ampthill, English businessman and politician (b. 1921)
  • 2011 – Max van der Stoel, Dutch politician and Minister of State (b. 1924)
  • 2011 – John Sullivan, English screenwriter and producer (b. 1946)
  • 2012 – Lillemor Arvidsson, Swedish trade union leader and politician, 34th Governor of Gotland (b. 1943)
  • 2012 – Billy Bryans, Canadian drummer, songwriter and producer (b. 1947)
  • 2012 – Chris Ethridge, American bass player and songwriter (b. 1947)
  • 2012 – Raymond Thorsteinsson, Canadian geologist and paleontologist (b. 1921)
  • 2012 – LeRoy T. Walker, American football player and coach (b. 1918)
  • 2013 – Bob Brozman, American guitarist (b. 1954)
  • 2013 – Robert W. Edgar, American educator and politician (b. 1943)
  • 2013 – Tony Grealish, English footballer (b. 1956)
  • 2013 – Antonio Maccanico, Italian banker and politician (b. 1924)
  • 2013 – Frank W. J. Olver, English-American mathematician and academic (b. 1924)
  • 2013 – Kathryn Wasserman Davis, American philanthropist and scholar (b. 1907)
  • 2014 – Benjamín Brea, Spanish-Venezuelan saxophonist, clarinet player, and conductor (b. 1946)
  • 2014 – Michael Glawogger, Austrian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer (b. 1959)
  • 2014 – Jaap Havekotte, Dutch speed skater and producer of ice skates (b. 1912)
  • 2014 – Connie Marrero, Cuban baseball player and coach (b. 1911)
  • 2014 – F. Michael Rogers, American general (b. 1921)
  • 2014 – Mark Shand, English conservationist and author (b. 1951)
  • 2014 – Patric Standford, English composer and educator (b. 1939)
  • 2015 – Richard Corliss, American journalist and critic (b. 1944)
  • 2015 – Ray Jackson, Australian activist (b. 1941)
  • 2015 – Pierre Claude Nolin, Canadian lawyer and politician, Speaker of the Canadian Senate (b. 1950)
  • 2015 – Jim Steffen, American football player (b. 1936)
  • 2015 – Francis Tsai, American author and illustrator (b. 1967)
  • 2016 – Inge King, German-born Australian sculptor (b. 1915)
  • 2016 – Banharn Silpa-archa, Thai politician, Prime Minister from 1995–1996 (b. 1932)
  • 2019 – Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick, American soprano singer and presenter (b.1983)

Holidays and observances on April 23

  • Castile and León Day (Castile and León)
  • Christian feast day:
    • Adalbert of Prague
    • Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus
    • George
    • Blessed Giles of Assisi
    • Gerard of Toul
    • Ibar of Beggerin (Meath)
    • Toyohiko Kagawa (Episcopal and Lutheran Church)
    • April 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Earliest day on which the first day of Children’s Day can fall, while April 29 is the latest; celebrated on the last Saturday of April. (Colombia)
  • Independence Day (Conch Republic, Key West, Florida)
  • International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day
  • Khongjom Day (Manipur)
  • National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Turkey and Northern Cyprus)
  • Navy Day (China)
  • St George’s Day (England) and its related observances:
    • Canada Book Day (Canada)
    • La Diada de Sant Jordi (Catalonia, Spain)
    • World Book Day
  • UN English Language Day (United Nations)

April 23 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

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

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

Births on April 17

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

Deaths on April 17

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

Holidays and observances on April 17

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

April 17 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

April 14 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 43 BC – Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Caesar’s assassin Decimus Brutus in Mutina, defeats the forces of the consul Pansa, but is then immediately defeated by the army of the other consul, Aulus Hirtius.
  • AD 69 – Vitellius, commander of the Rhine armies, defeats Emperor Otho in the Battle of Bedriacum to take power over Rome.
  • AD 70 – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus, son of emperor Vespasian, surrounds the Jewish capital with four Roman legions.
  • 193 – Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans).
  • 966 – After his marriage to the Christian Doubravka of Bohemia, the pagan ruler of the Polans, Mieszko I, converts to Christianity, an event considered to be the founding of the Polish state.
  • 972 – Co-Emperor Otto II, a son of Otto I (the Great), marries the Byzantine princess Theophanu. She is crowned empress by Pope John XIII at Rome.
  • 1028 – Henry III, son of Conrad, is elected King of Germany.
  • 1205 – Battle of Adrianople between Bulgarians and Crusaders.
  • 1294 – Temür, grandson of Kublai, is elected Khagan of the Mongols and Emperor of the Yuan dynasty with the reigning titles Oljeitu and Chengzong.
  • 1341 – Sack of Saluzzo (Italy) by Italian-Angevine troops under Manfred V, Marquess of Saluzzo.
  • 1434 – The foundation stone of Nantes Cathedral, France is laid.
  • 1471 – In England, the Yorkists under Edward IV defeat the Lancastrians under the Earl of Warwick at the Battle of Barnet; the Earl is killed and Edward IV resumes the throne.
  • 1561 – A celestial phenomenon is reported over Nuremberg, described as an aerial battle.
  • 1639 – Imperial forces are defeated by the Swedes at the Battle of Chemnitz. The Swedish victory prolongs the Thirty Years’ War and allows them to advance into Bohemia.
  • 1699 – Khalsa: The Sikh religion was formalised as the Khalsa – the brotherhood of Warrior-Saints – by Guru Gobind Singh in northern India, in accordance with the Nanakshahi calendar.
  • 1775 – The first abolition society in North America is established. The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage is organized in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush.
  • 1816 – Bussa, a slave in British-ruled Barbados, leads a slave rebellion and is killed. For this, he is remembered as the first national hero of Barbados.
  • 1828 – Noah Webster copyrights the first edition of his dictionary.
  • 1849 – Hungary declares itself independent of Austria with Lajos Kossuth as its leader.
  • 1865 – U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is shot in Ford’s Theatre by John Wilkes Booth; Lincoln died the next day.
  • 1865 – U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward and his family are attacked at home by Lewis Powell.
  • 1881 – The Four Dead in Five Seconds Gunfight is fought in El Paso, Texas.
  • 1890 – The Pan-American Union is founded by the First International Conference of American States in Washington, D.C.
  • 1894 – The first ever commercial motion picture house opened in New York City using ten Kinetoscopes, a device for peep-show viewing of films.
  • 1900 – The Exposition Universelle begins.
  • 1902 – James Cash Penney opens his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming.
  • 1906 – The Azusa Street Revival opens and will launch Pentecostalism as a worldwide movement.
  • 1908 – Hauser Dam, a steel dam on the Missouri River in Montana, U.S., fails, sending a surge of water 25 to 30 feet (7.6 to 9.1 m) high downstream.
  • 1909 – A massacre is organized by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian population of Cilicia.
  • 1912 – The British passenger liner RMS Titanic hits an iceberg in the North Atlantic at 23:40 (sinks morning of April 15th).
  • 1927 – The first Volvo car premieres in Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • 1928 – The Bremen, a German Junkers W 33 type aircraft, reaches Greenly Island, Canada – the first successful transatlantic aeroplane flight from east to west.
  • 1931 – The Spanish Cortes deposes King Alfonso XIII and proclaims the Second Spanish Republic.
  • 1935 – The Black Sunday dust storm, considered one of the worst storms of the Dust Bowl, swept across the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles and neighboring areas.
  • 1939 – The Grapes of Wrath, by American author John Steinbeck is first published by the Viking Press.
  • 1940 – World War II: Royal Marines land in Namsos, Norway in preparation for a larger force to arrive two days later.
  • 1941 – World War II: German general Erwin Rommel attacks Tobruk.
  • 1944 – Bombay explosion: A massive explosion in Bombay harbor kills 300 and causes economic damage valued then at 20 million pounds.
  • 1945 – Razing of Friesoythe: The 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division deliberately destroyed the German town of Friesoythe on the orders of Major General Christopher Vokes.
  • 1958 – The Soviet satellite Sputnik 2 falls from orbit after a mission duration of 162 days. This was the first spacecraft to carry a living animal, a female dog named Laika, who likely lived only a few hours.
  • 1967 – Gnassingbé Eyadéma overthrows President of Togo Nicolas Grunitzky and installs himself as the new president, a title he would hold for the next 38 years.
  • 1978 – Tbilisi Demonstrations: Thousands of Georgians demonstrate against Soviet attempts to change the constitutional status of the Georgian language.
  • 1981 – STS-1: The first operational Space Shuttle, Columbia completes its first test flight.
  • 1986 – The heaviest hailstones ever recorded (1 kilogram (2.2 lb)) fall on the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh, killing 92.
  • 1988 – The USS Samuel B. Roberts strikes a mine in the Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will.
  • 1988 – In a United Nations ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland, the Soviet Union signs an agreement pledging to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.
  • 1991 – The Republic of Georgia introduces the post of President after its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.
  • 1994 – In a U.S. friendly fire incident during Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq, two United States Air Force aircraft mistakenly shoot-down two United States Army helicopters, killing 26 people.
  • 1999 – NATO mistakenly bombs a convoy of ethnic Albanian refugees. Yugoslav officials say 75 people were killed.
  • 1999 – A severe hailstorm strikes Sydney, Australia causing A$2.3 billion in insured damages, the most costly natural disaster in Australian history.
  • 2002 – Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez returns to office two days after being ousted and arrested by the country’s military.
  • 2003 – The Human Genome Project is completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to an accuracy of 99.99%.
  • 2003 – U.S. troops in Baghdad capture Abu Abbas, leader of the Palestinian group that killed an American on the hijacked cruise liner the MS Achille Lauro in 1985.
  • 2005 – The Oregon Supreme Court nullifies marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples a year earlier by Multnomah County.
  • 2006 – Twin blasts triggered by crude bombs during Asr prayer in Jama Masjid, Delhi injure 13 people.
  • 2010 – Nearly 2,700 are killed in a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
  • 2014 – Twin bomb blasts in Abuja, Nigeria, kill at least 75 people and injures 141 others.
  • 2014 – Two hundred seventy-six schoolgirls are abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria.
  • 2016 – In Japan, the foreshock of Kumamoto earthquakes occurs.

Births on April 14

  • 1126 – Averroes, Spanish physician and philosopher (d. 1198)
  • 1204 – Henry I, king of Castile (d. 1217)
  • 1331 – Jeanne-Marie de Maille, French Roman Catholic saint (d. 1414)
  • 1527 – Abraham Ortelius, Flemish cartographer and geographer (d. 1598)
  • 1572 – Adam Tanner, Austrian mathematician, philosopher, and academic (d. 1632)
  • 1578 – Philip III of Spain (d. 1621)
  • 1629 – Christiaan Huygens, Dutch mathematician, astronomer, and physicist (d. 1695)
  • 1668 – Magnus Julius De la Gardie, Swedish general and politician (d. 1741)
  • 1678 – Abraham Darby I, English iron master (d. 1717)
  • 1709 – Charles Collé, French playwright and songwriter (d. 1783)
  • 1714 – Adam Gib, Scottish minister and author (d. 1788)
  • 1738 – William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1809)
  • 1741 – Emperor Momozono of Japan (d. 1762)
  • 1769 – Barthélemy Catherine Joubert, French general (d. 1799)
  • 1773 – Jean-Baptiste de Villèle, French politician, 6th Prime Minister of France (d. 1854)
  • 1788 – David G. Burnet, American politician, 2nd Vice-President of Texas (d. 1870)
  • 1800 – John Appold, English engineer (d. 1865)
  • 1812 – George Grey, Portuguese-New Zealand soldier, explorer, and politician, 11th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1898)
  • 1814 – Dimitri Kipiani, Georgian publicist and author (d. 1887)
  • 1819 – Harriett Ellen Grannis Arey, American educator, author, editor, and publisher (d. 1901)
  • 1827 – Augustus Pitt Rivers, English general, ethnologist, and archaeologist (d. 1900)
  • 1852 – Alexander Greenlaw Hamilton, Australian biologist (d. 1941)
  • 1854 – Martin Lipp, Estonian pastor and poet (d. 1923)
  • 1857 – Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom (d. 1944)
  • 1865 – Alfred Hoare Powell, English architect, and designer and painter of pottery (d. 1960)
  • 1866 – Anne Sullivan, American educator (d. 1936)
  • 1868 – Peter Behrens, German architect, designed the AEG turbine factory (d. 1940)
  • 1870 – Victor Borisov-Musatov, Russian painter and educator (d. 1905)
  • 1870 – Syd Gregory, Australian cricketer and coach (d. 1929)
  • 1872 – Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Indian-English scholar and translator (d. 1953)
  • 1876 – Cecil Chubb, English barrister and one time owner of Stonehenge (d. 1934)
  • 1881 – Husain Salaahuddin, Maldivian poet and scholar (d. 1948)
  • 1882 – Moritz Schlick, German-Austrian physicist and philosopher (d. 1936)
  • 1886 – Ernst Robert Curtius, German philologist and scholar (d. 1956)
  • 1886 – Árpád Tóth, Hungarian poet and translator (d. 1928)
  • 1889 – Arnold J. Toynbee, English historian and academic (d. 1975)
  • 1891 – B. R. Ambedkar, Indian economist, jurist, and politician, 1st Indian Minister of Law and Justice (d. 1956)
  • 1891 – Otto Lasanen, Finnish wrestler (d. 1958)
  • 1892 – Juan Belmonte, Spanish bullfighter (d. 1962)
  • 1892 – V. Gordon Childe, Australian archaeologist and philologist (d. 1957)
  • 1892 – Claire Windsor, American actress (d. 1972)
  • 1902 – Sylvio Mantha, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and referee (d. 1974)
  • 1903 – Henry Corbin, French philosopher and academic (d. 1978)
  • 1903 – Ruth Svedberg, Swedish discus thrower and triathlete (d. 2002)
  • 1904 – John Gielgud, English actor, director, and producer (d. 2000)
  • 1905 – Elizabeth Huckaby, American author and educator (d. 1999)
  • 1905 – Georg Lammers, German sprinter (d. 1987)
  • 1905 – Jean Pierre-Bloch, French author and activist (d. 1999)
  • 1906 – Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabian king (d. 1975)
  • 1907 – François Duvalier, Haitian physician and politician, 40th President of Haiti (d. 1971)
  • 1912 – Robert Doisneau, French photographer and journalist (d. 1994)
  • 1912 – Georg Siimenson, Estonian footballer (d. 1978)
  • 1913 – Jean Fournet, French conductor (d. 2008)
  • 1916 – Don Willesee, Australian telegraphist and politician, 29th Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs (d. 2003)
  • 1917 – Valerie Hobson, English actress (d. 1998)
  • 1917 – Marvin Miller, American baseball executive (d. 2012)
  • 1918 – Mary Healy, American actress and singer (d. 2015)
  • 1919 – Shamshad Begum, Pakistani-Indian singer (d. 2013)
  • 1919 – K. Saraswathi Amma, Indian author and playwright (d. 1975)
  • 1920 – Ivor Forbes Guest, English lawyer, historian, and author (d. 2018)
  • 1921 – Thomas Schelling, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2016)
  • 1922 – Audrey Long, American actress (d. 2014)
  • 1923 – Roberto De Vicenzo, Argentinian golfer (d. 2017)
  • 1924 – Shorty Rogers, American trumpet player and composer (d. 1994)
  • 1924 – Joseph Ruskin, American actor and producer (d. 2013)
  • 1924 – Mary Warnock, Baroness Warnock, English philosopher, and academic (d. 2019)
  • 1925 – Abel Muzorewa, Zimbabwean minister and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia (d. 2010)
  • 1925 – Rod Steiger, American soldier and actor (d. 2002)
  • 1926 – Barbara Anderson, New Zealand author (d. 2013)
  • 1926 – Frank Daniel, Czech director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1996)
  • 1926 – Gloria Jean, American actress and singer (d. 2018)
  • 1926 – Liz Renay, American actress and author (d. 2007)
  • 1927 – Alan MacDiarmid, New Zealand chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2007)
  • 1927 – Dany Robin, French actress and singer (d. 1995)
  • 1929 – Gerry Anderson, English director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2012)
  • 1929 – Inez Andrews, African-American singer-songwriter (d. 2012)
  • 1930 – Martin Adolf Bormann, German priest and theologian (d. 2013)
  • 1930 – Arnold Burns, American lawyer and politician, 21st United States Deputy Attorney General (d. 2013)
  • 1930 – René Desmaison, French mountaineer (d. 2007)
  • 1930 – Bradford Dillman, American actor and author (d. 2018)
  • 1931 – Geoffrey Dalton, English admiral
  • 1931 – Paul Masnick, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1932 – Bill Bennett, Canadian lawyer and politician, 27th Premier of British Columbia (d. 2015)
  • 1932 – Atef Ebeid, Egyptian academic and politician, 47th Prime Minister of Egypt (d. 2014)
  • 1932 – Loretta Lynn, American singer-songwriter and musician
  • 1932 – Cameron Parker, Scottish businessman and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire
  • 1933 – Paddy Hopkirk, Northern Irish racing driver
  • 1933 – Boris Strugatsky, Russian author (d. 2012)
  • 1933 – Yuri Oganessian, Armenian-Russian nuclear physicist
  • 1934 – Fredric Jameson, American philosopher and theorist
  • 1935 – Susan Cunliffe-Lister, Baroness Masham of Ilton, English table tennis player, swimmer, and politician
  • 1935 – John Oliver, English bishop
  • 1935 – Erich von Däniken, Swiss historian and author
  • 1936 – Arlene Martel, American actress and singer (d. 2014)
  • 1936 – Bobby Nichols, American golfer
  • 1936 – Frank Serpico, American-Italian soldier, police officer and lecturer
  • 1937 – Efi Arazi, Israeli businessman, founded the Scailex Corporation (d. 2013)
  • 1937 – Sepp Mayerl, Austrian mountaineer (d. 2012)
  • 1938 – Mahmud Esad Coşan, Turkish author and academic (d. 2001)
  • 1940 – Julie Christie, English actress and activist
  • 1940 – David Hope, Baron Hope of Thornes, English archbishop and academic
  • 1940 – Richard Thompson, English physician and academic
  • 1941 – Pete Rose, American baseball player and manager
  • 1942 – Valeriy Brumel, Soviet high jumper (d. 2003)
  • 1942 – Valentin Lebedev, Russian engineer and astronaut
  • 1942 – Björn Rosengren, Swedish politician, Swedish Minister of Enterprise and Innovation
  • 1944 – John Sergeant, English journalist
  • 1945 – Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, Samoan economist and politician, 8th Prime Minister of Samoa
  • 1945 – Ritchie Blackmore, English guitarist and songwriter
  • 1945 – Roger Frappier, Canadian producer, director and screenwriter
  • 1946 – Mireille Guiliano, French-American author
  • 1946 – Michael Sarris, Cypriot economist and politician, Cypriot Minister of Finance
  • 1946 – Knut Kristiansen, Norwegian pianist and orchestra leader
  • 1947 – Dominique Baudis, French journalist and politician (d. 2014)
  • 1947 – Bob Massie, Australian cricketer
  • 1948 – Berry Berenson, American model, actress, and photographer (d. 2001)
  • 1948 – Anastasios Papaligouras, Greek lawyer and politician, Greek Minister of Justice
  • 1949 – Dave Gibbons, English author and illustrator
  • 1949 – DeAnne Julius, American-British economist and academic
  • 1949 – Chris Langham, English actor and screenwriter
  • 1949 – Chas Mortimer, English motorcycle racer
  • 1949 – John Shea, American actor and director
  • 1950 – Francis Collins, American physician and geneticist
  • 1950 – Péter Esterházy, Hungarian author (d. 2016)
  • 1951 – Milija Aleksic, English footballer (d. 2012)
  • 1951 – José Eduardo González Navas, Spanish politician
  • 1951 – Julian Lloyd Webber, English cellist, conductor, and educator
  • 1951 – Elizabeth Symons, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, English politician
  • 1952 – Kenny Aaronson, American bass player
  • 1952 – Mickey O’Sullivan, Irish footballer and manager
  • 1952 – David Urquhart, Scottish bishop
  • 1954 – Sue Hill, English pathologist and civil servant
  • 1954 – Katsuhiro Otomo, Japanese director, screenwriter, and illustrator
  • 1956 – Boris Šprem, Croatian lawyer and politician, 8th President of Croatian Parliament (d. 2012)
  • 1957 – Lothaire Bluteau, Canadian actor
  • 1957 – Mikhail Pletnev, Russian pianist, composer, and conductor
  • 1958 – Peter Capaldi, Scottish actor
  • 1959 – Steve Byrnes, American sportscaster and producer (d. 2015)
  • 1959 – Marie-Thérèse Fortin, Canadian actress
  • 1960 – Brad Garrett, American actor and comedian
  • 1960 – Myoma Myint Kywe, Burmese historian and journalist
  • 1960 – Osamu Sato, Japanese graphic artist, programmer, and composer
  • 1960 – Tina Rosenberg, American journalist and author
  • 1960 – Pat Symcox, South African cricketer
  • 1961 – Robert Carlyle, Scottish actor and director
  • 1961 – Daniel Clowes, American cartoonist and screenwriter
  • 1962 – Guillaume Leblanc, Canadian athlete
  • 1964 – Brian Adams, American wrestler (d. 2007)
  • 1964 – Jeff Andretti, American race car driver
  • 1964 – Greg Battle, American-Canadian football player
  • 1964 – Stuart Duncan, American bluegrass musician
  • 1964 – Jeff Hopkins, Welsh international footballer and manager
  • 1964 – Gina McKee, English actress
  • 1965 – Tom Dey, American director and producer
  • 1965 – Alexandre Jardin, French author
  • 1965 – Craig McDermott, Australian cricketer and coach
  • 1966 – André Boisclair, Canadian lawyer and politician
  • 1966 – Jan Boklöv, Swedish ski jumper
  • 1966 – David Justice, American baseball player and sportscaster
  • 1966 – Greg Maddux, American baseball player, coach, and manager
  • 1967 – Nicola Berti, Italian international footballer
  • 1967 – Steve Chiasson, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1999)
  • 1967 – Alain Côté, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1967 – Barrett Martin, American drummer, songwriter, and producer
  • 1967 – Julia Zemiro, French-Australian actress, comedian, singer and writer
  • 1968 – Anthony Michael Hall, American actor
  • 1969 – Brad Ausmus, American baseball player and manager
  • 1969 – Martyn LeNoble, Dutch-American bass player
  • 1969 – Vebjørn Selbekk, Norwegian journalist
  • 1970 – Steve Avery, American baseball player
  • 1970 – Shizuka Kudō, Japanese singer and actress
  • 1971 – Miguel Calero, Colombian footballer and manager (d. 2012)
  • 1971 – Carlos Pérez, Dominican-American baseball player
  • 1971 – Gregg Zaun, American baseball player and sportscaster
  • 1972 – Paul Devlin, English-Scottish footballer and manager
  • 1972 – Roberto Mejía, Dominican baseball player
  • 1972 – Dean Potter, American rock climber and BASE jumper (d. 2015)
  • 1973 – Roberto Ayala, Argentinian footballer
  • 1973 – Adrien Brody, American actor
  • 1973 – Hidetaka Suehiro, Japanese video game director and writer
  • 1973 – David Miller, American tenor
  • 1974 – Da Brat, American rapper
  • 1975 – Lita, American wrestler
  • 1975 – Luciano Almeida, Brazilian footballer
  • 1975 – Avner Dorman, Israeli-American composer and academic
  • 1975 – Anderson Silva, Brazilian mixed martial artist and boxer
  • 1976 – Christian Älvestam, Swedish singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1976 – Georgina Chapman, English model, actress, and fashion designer, co-founded Marchesa
  • 1976 – Anna DeForge, American basketball player
  • 1976 – Kyle Farnsworth, American baseball player
  • 1976 – Nadine Faustin-Parker, Hatian hurdler
  • 1976 – Jason Wiemer, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1977 – Nate Fox, American basketball player (d. 2014)
  • 1977 – Martin Kaalma, Estonian footballer
  • 1977 – Sarah Michelle Gellar, American actress and producer
  • 1977 – Rob McElhenney, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1978 – Roland Lessing, Estonian biathlete
  • 1979 – Iain Balshaw, English rugby player
  • 1979 – Rebecca DiPietro, American wrestler and model
  • 1979 – Marios Elia, Cypriot footballer
  • 1979 – Ross Filipo, New Zealand rugby player
  • 1979 – Noé Pamarot, French footballer
  • 1979 – Patrick Somerville, American novelist and short story writer
  • 1979 – Kerem Tunçeri, Turkish basketball player
  • 1980 – Win Butler, American-Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1980 – Jeremy Smith, New Zealand rugby league player
  • 1981 – Mustafa Güngör, German rugby player
  • 1981 – Amy Leach, English director and producer
  • 1982 – Uğur Boral, Turkish footballer
  • 1982 – Larissa França, Brazilian volleyball player
  • 1983 – Simona La Mantia, Italian triple jumper
  • 1983 – James McFadden, Scottish footballer
  • 1983 – William Obeng, Ghanaian-American football player
  • 1983 – Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Georgian basketball player
  • 1984 – Blake Costanzo, American football player
  • 1984 – Charles Hamelin, Canadian speed skater
  • 1984 – Harumafuji Kōhei, Mongolian sumo wrestler, the 70th Yokozuna
  • 1984 – Adán Sánchez, American-Mexican musician (d. 2004)
  • 1984 – Tyler Thigpen, American football player
  • 1985 – Grant Clitsome, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1986 – Matt Derbyshire, English footballer
  • 1986 – Goran Gogić, Serbian footballer (d. 2015)
  • 1987 – Michael Baze, American jockey (d. 2011)
  • 1987 – Erwin Hoffer, Austrian footballer
  • 1987 – Wilson Kiprop, Kenyan runner
  • 1987 – Korina Perkovic, German tennis player
  • 1988 – Roberto Bautista Agut, Spanish tennis player
  • 1988 – Eric Gryba, Canadian ice hockey defenseman
  • 1988 – Eliška Klučinová, Czech heptathlete
  • 1988 – Vasileios Pliatsikas, Greek footballer
  • 1988 – Brad Sinopoli, Canadian football player
  • 1989 – Joe Haden, American football player
  • 1990 – Markus Smarzoch, German footballer
  • 1992 – Frederik Sørensen, Danish footballer
  • 1996 – Abigail Breslin, American actress

Deaths on April 14

  • 911 – Pope Sergius III, pope of the Roman Catholic Church
  • 1070 – Gerard, Duke of Lorraine (b. c. 1030)
  • 1099 – Conrad, Bishop of Utrecht (b. before 1040)
  • 1132 – Mstislav I of Kiev (b. 1076)
  • 1279 – Bolesław the Pious, Duke of Greater Poland (b. 1224)
  • 1322 – Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere, English soldier and politician, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (b. 1275)
  • 1345 – Richard de Bury, English bishop and politician, Lord Chancellor of The United Kingdom (b. 1287)
  • 1424 – Lucia Visconti, English countess (b. 1372)
  • 1433 – Lidwina, Dutch saint (b. 1380)
  • 1471 – Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, English commander and politician (b. 1428)
  • 1471 – John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu (b. 1431)
  • 1480 – Thomas de Spens, Scottish statesman and prelate (b. c. 1415)
  • 1488 – Girolamo Riario, Lord of Imola and Forli (b. 1443)
  • 1574 – Louis of Nassau (b. 1538)
  • 1578 – James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, English husband of Mary, Queen of Scots (b. 1534)
  • 1587 – Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland (b. 1548)
  • 1599 – Henry Wallop, English politician (b. 1540)
  • 1609 – Gasparo da Salò, Italian violin maker (b. 1540)
  • 1662 – William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele, English politician (b. 1582)
  • 1682 – Avvakum, Russian priest and saint (b. 1620)
  • 1721 – Michel Chamillart, French politician, Controller-General of Finances (b. 1652)
  • 1740 – Lady Catherine Jones, English philanthropist (b.1672)
  • 1759 – George Frideric Handel, German-English organist and composer (b. 1685)
  • 1785 – William Whitehead, English poet and playwright (b. 1715)
  • 1792 – Maximilian Hell, Slovak-Hungarian astronomer and priest (b. 1720)
  • 1843 – Joseph Lanner, Austrian violinist and composer (b. 1801)
  • 1864 – Charles Lot Church, American-Canadian politician (b. 1777)
  • 1888 – Emil Czyrniański, Polish chemist (b. 1824)
  • 1910 – Mikhail Vrubel, Russian painter and sculptor (b. 1856)
  • 1911 – Addie Joss, American baseball player and journalist (b. 1880)
  • 1911 – Henri Elzéar Taschereau, Canadian lawyer and jurist, 4th Chief Justice of Canada (b. 1836)
  • 1912 – Henri Brisson, French politician, 50th Prime Minister of France (b. 1835)
  • 1914 – Hubert Bland, English activist, co-founded the Fabian Society (b. 1855)
  • 1916 – Gina Krog, Norwegian suffragist and women’s rights activist (b. 1847)
  • 1917 – L. L. Zamenhof, Polish physician and linguist, created Esperanto (b. 1859)
  • 1919 – Auguste-Réal Angers, Canadian judge and politician, 6th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (b. 1837)
  • 1925 – John Singer Sargent, American painter (b. 1856)
  • 1930 – Vladimir Mayakovsky, Georgian-Russian actor, playwright, and poet (b. 1893)
  • 1931 – Richard Armstedt, German philologist, historian, and educator (b. 1851)
  • 1935 – Emmy Noether, German-American mathematician and academic (b. 1882)
  • 1938 – Gillis Grafström, Swedish figure skater and architect (b. 1893)
  • 1943 – Yakov Dzhugashvili, Georgian-Russian lieutenant (b. 1907)
  • 1950 – Ramana Maharshi, Indian guru and philosopher (b. 1879)
  • 1951 – Al Christie, Canadian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1881)
  • 1962 – M. Visvesvaraya, Indian engineer and scholar (b. 1860)
  • 1963 – Rahul Sankrityayan, Indian monk and historian (b. 1893)
  • 1964 – Tatyana Afanasyeva, Russian-Dutch mathematician and theorist (b. 1876)
  • 1964 – Rachel Carson, American biologist and author (b. 1907)
  • 1968 – Al Benton, American baseball player (b. 1911)
  • 1969 – Matilde Muñoz Sampedro, Spanish actress (b. 1900)
  • 1975 – Günter Dyhrenfurth, German-Swiss mountaineer, geologist, and explorer (b. 1886)
  • 1975 – Fredric March, American actor (b. 1897)
  • 1976 – José Revueltas, Mexican author and activist (b. 1914)
  • 1978 – Joe Gordon, American baseball player and manager (b. 1915)
  • 1978 – F. R. Leavis, English educator and critic (b. 1895)
  • 1983 – Pete Farndon, English bassist (The Pretenders) (b. 1952)
  • 1983 – Gianni Rodari, Italian journalist and author (b. 1920)
  • 1986 – Simone de Beauvoir, French novelist and philosopher (b. 1908)
  • 1990 – Thurston Harris, American singer (b. 1931)
  • 1990 – Olabisi Onabanjo, Nigerian politician, 3rd Governor of Ogun State (b. 1927)
  • 1992 – Irene Greenwood, Australian radio broadcaster and feminist and peace activist (b. 1898)
  • 1994 – Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, Pakistani chemist and scholar (b. 1897)
  • 1995 – Burl Ives, American actor, folk singer, and writer (b. 1909)
  • 1999 – Ellen Corby, American actress and screenwriter (b. 1911)
  • 1999 – Anthony Newley, English singer-songwriter and actor (b. 1931)
  • 1999 – Bill Wendell, American television announcer (b. 1924)
  • 2000 – Phil Katz, American computer programmer, co-created the zip file format (b. 1962)
  • 2000 – August R. Lindt, Swiss lawyer and politician (b. 1905)
  • 2000 – Wilf Mannion, English footballer (b. 1918)
  • 2001 – Jim Baxter, Scottish footballer (b. 1939)
  • 2001 – Hiroshi Teshigahara, Japanese director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1927)
  • 2003 – Jyrki Otila, Finnish politician (b. 1941)
  • 2004 – Micheline Charest, English-Canadian television producer, co-founded the Cookie Jar Group (b. 1953)
  • 2006 – Mahmut Bakalli, Kosovo politician (b. 1936)
  • 2007 – June Callwood, Canadian journalist, author, and activist (b. 1924)
  • 2007 – Don Ho, American singer and ukulele player (b. 1930)
  • 2007 – René Rémond, French historian and economist (b. 1918)
  • 2008 – Tommy Holmes, American baseball player and manager (b. 1917)
  • 2008 – Ollie Johnston, American animator and voice actor (b. 1912)
  • 2009 – Maurice Druon, French author (b. 1918)
  • 2010 – Israr Ahmed, Pakistani theologian and scholar (b. 1932)
  • 2010 – Alice Miller, Polish-French psychologist and author (b. 1923)
  • 2010 – Peter Steele, American singer-songwriter and bass player (b. 1962)
  • 2011 – Jean Gratton, Canadian Roman Catholic bishop (b. 1924)
  • 2012 – Émile Bouchard, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (b. 1919)
  • 2012 – Jonathan Frid, Canadian actor (b. 1924)
  • 2012 – Piermario Morosini, Italian footballer (b. 1986)
  • 2013 – Efi Arazi, Israeli businessman, founded the Scailex Corporation (b. 1937)
  • 2013 – Colin Davis, English conductor and educator (b. 1927)
  • 2013 – R. P. Goenka, Indian businessman, founded RPG Group (b. 1930)
  • 2013 – George Jackson, American singer-songwriter (b. 1945)
  • 2013 – Armando Villanueva, Peruvian politician, 121st Prime Minister of Peru (b. 1915)
  • 2013 – Charlie Wilson, American politician (b. 1943)
  • 2014 – Nina Cassian, Romanian poet and critic (b. 1924)
  • 2014 – Crad Kilodney, American-Canadian author (b. 1948)
  • 2014 – Wally Olins, English businessman and academic (b. 1930)
  • 2014 – Mick Staton, American soldier and politician (b. 1940)
  • 2015 – Klaus Bednarz, German journalist and author (b. 1942)
  • 2015 – Mark Reeds, Canadian-American ice hockey player and coach (b. 1960)
  • 2015 – Percy Sledge, American singer (b. 1940)
  • 2015 – Roberto Tucci, Italian cardinal and theologian (b. 1921)
  • 2019 – Bibi Andersson, Swedish actress (b.1935)

Holidays and observances on April 14

  • Ambedkar Jayanti (India)
  • Black Day (South Korea)
  • Christian feast day:
    • Anthony, John, and Eustathius
    • Bénézet
    • Henry Beard Delany (Episcopal Church (USA))
    • Domnina of Terni
    • Lidwina
    • Peter González
    • Tiburtius, Valerian, and Maximus
    • April 14 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Commemoration of Anfal Genocide Against the Kurds (Iraqi Kurdistan)
  • Day of Mologa (Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia)
  • Day of the Georgian language (Georgia)
  • Dhivehi Language Day (Maldives)
  • N’Ko Alphabet Day (Mande speakers)
  • Pan American Day (several countries in The Americas)
  • South and Southeast Asian New Year, celebrated on the sidereal vernal equinox. (see April 13):
    • Assamese New Year, or Bohag Bihu (India’s Assam Valley)
    • Bengali New Year, or Pohela Boishakh (Bangladesh and India’s West Bengal state)
    • Burmese New Year, or Thingyan (Myanmar)
    • Hindu and Sikh New Year, or Vaisakhi (Punjab region)
    • Khmer New Year, or Chol Chnam Thmey (Cambodia)
    • Lao New Year, or Pi Mai Lao (Laos)
    • Mahl New Year, or Alathu Aharudhuvas (Maldives and India’s Lakshadweep and Kerala state)
    • Maithili New Year, or Jude Sheetal (Mithila region)
    • Malayali New Year, or Vishu (India’s Kerala state)
    • Nepali New Year, or Navabarsha / Vaishak Ek (Nepal)
    • Oriya/Odia New Year, or Pana Sankranti (India’s Odisha state)
    • Sinhalese New Year, or Aluth Avurudhu (Sri Lanka)
    • Tamil New Year, or Puthandu (India’s Tamil Nadu state)
    • Thai New Year, or Songkran, celebrated from 13 to 15 April (Thailand)
    • Tuluva New Year, or Bisu (India’s Karnataka state)
  • The first day of Takayama Spring Festival (Takayama, Gifu, Japan)
  • Youth Day (Angola)

April 14 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

April 10 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 428 – Nestorius becomes the Patriarch of Constantinople.
  • 837 – Halley’s Comet makes its closest approach to Earth at a distance equal to 0.0342 AU (5.1 million kilometres/3.2 million miles).
  • 1407 – Deshin Shekpa, 5th Karmapa Lama visits the Ming dynasty capital at Nanjing. He is awarded the title “Great Treasure Prince of Dharma”.
  • 1500 – Ludovico Sforza is captured by Swiss troops at Novara and is handed over to the French.
  • 1606 – The Virginia Company of London is established by royal charter by James I of England with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.
  • 1710 – The Statute of Anne, the first law regulating copyright, comes into force in Great Britain.
  • 1741 – War of the Austrian Succession: Prussia gains control of Silesia at the Battle of Mollwitz.
  • 1809 – Napoleonic Wars: The War of the Fifth Coalition begins when forces of the Austrian Empire invade Bavaria.
  • 1815 – The Mount Tambora volcano begins a three-month-long eruption, lasting until July 15. The eruption ultimately kills 71,000 people and affects Earth’s climate for the next two years.
  • 1816 – The Federal government of the United States approves the creation of the Second Bank of the United States.
  • 1821 – Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople is hanged by the Ottoman government from the main gate of the Patriarchate and his body is thrown into the Bosphorus.
  • 1826 – The 10,500 inhabitants of the Greek town of Missolonghi begin leaving the town after a year’s siege by Turkish forces. Very few of them survive.
  • 1858 – After the original Big Ben, a 14.5 tonnes (32,000 lb) bell for the Palace of Westminster, had cracked during testing, it is recast into the current 13.76 tonnes (30,300 lb) bell by Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
  • 1864 – Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg is proclaimed emperor of Mexico during the French intervention in Mexico.
  • 1865 – American Civil War: A day after his surrender to Union forces, Confederate General Robert E. Lee addresses his troops for the last time.
  • 1866 – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City by Henry Bergh.
  • 1868 – At Arogee in Abyssinia, British and Indian forces defeat an army of Emperor Tewodros II. While 700 Ethiopians are killed and many more injured, only two British/Indian troops die.
  • 1872 – The first Arbor Day is celebrated in Nebraska.
  • 1875 – India: Arya Samaj is founded in Mumbai by Swami Dayananda Saraswati to propagate his goal of social reform.
  • 1887 – On Easter Sunday, Pope Leo XIII authorizes the establishment of the Catholic University of America.
  • 1912 – RMS Titanic sets sail from Southampton, England on her maiden and only voyage.
  • 1916 – The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) is created in New York City.
  • 1919 – Mexican Revolution leader Emiliano Zapata is ambushed and shot dead by government forces in Morelos.
  • 1925 – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is first published in New York City, by Charles Scribner’s Sons.
  • 1938 – The 1938 German parliamentary election and referendum seeks approval for a single list of Nazi candidates and the recent annexation of Austria.
  • 1939 – Alcoholics Anonymous, A.A.’s “Big Book”, is first published.
  • 1941 – World War II: The Axis powers establish the Independent State of Croatia.
  • 1944 – Rudolf Vrba and Alfréd Wetzler escape from Birkenau death camp.
  • 1957 – The Suez Canal is reopened for all shipping after being closed for three months.
  • 1963 – One hundred twenty-nine American sailors die when the submarine USS Thresher sinks at sea.
  • 1968 – The TEV Wahine, a New Zealand ferry sinks in Wellington harbour due to a fierce storm – the strongest winds ever in Wellington. Out of the 734 people on board, fifty-three died.
  • 1970 – Paul McCartney announces that he is leaving The Beatles for personal and professional reasons.
  • 1971 – Ping-pong diplomacy: In an attempt to thaw relations with the United States, China hosts the U.S. table tennis team for a week-long visit.
  • 1972 – Tombs containing bamboo slips, among them Sun Tzu’s Art of War and Sun Bin’s lost military treatise, are accidentally discovered by construction workers in Shandong.
  • 1972 – Vietnam War: For the first time since November 1967, American B-52 bombers reportedly begin bombing North Vietnam.
  • 1973 – Invicta International Airlines Flight 435 crashes in a snowstorm on approach to Basel, Switzerland, killing 108 people.
  • 1979 – Red River Valley tornado outbreak: A tornado lands in Wichita Falls, Texas killing 42 people.
  • 1988 – The Ojhri Camp explosion kills or injures more than 1,000 people in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • 1991 – Italian ferry MS Moby Prince collides with an oil tanker in dense fog off Livorno, Italy, killing 140.
  • 1991 – A rare tropical storm develops in the South Atlantic Ocean near Angola; the first to be documented by satellites.
  • 1998 – The Good Friday Agreement is signed in Northern Ireland.
  • 2009 – President of Fiji Ratu Josefa Iloilo announces the abrogation of the constitution and assumes all governance in the country, creating a constitutional crisis.
  • 2010 – Polish Air Force Tu-154M crashes near Smolensk, Russia, killing 96 people, including Polish President Lech Kaczyński, his wife, and dozens of other senior officials and dignitaries.
  • 2016 – The Paravur temple accident in which a devastating fire caused by the explosion of firecrackers stored for Vishu, kills more than one hundred people out of the thousands gathered for seventh day of Bhadrakali worship.
  • 2016 – An earthquake of 6.6 magnitude strikes 39 km west-southwest of Ashkasham, shakes up India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Srinagar and Pakistan.
  • 2019 – Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope project announce the first ever image of a black hole, located in the centre of the M87 galaxy.

Births on April 10

  • 401 – Theodosius II, Roman emperor (d. 450)
  • 1018 – Nizam al-Mulk, Persian scholar and vizier (d. 1092)
  • 1472 – Margaret of York, English princess (d. 1472)
  • 1480 – Philibert II, duke of Savoy (d. 1504)
  • 1487 – William I, count of Nassau-Dillenburg (d. 1559)
  • 1512 – James V, king of Scotland (d. 1542)
  • 1579 – Augustus II, duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d. 1666)
  • 1583 – Hugo Grotius, Dutch philosopher and jurist (d. 1645)
  • 1603 – Christian, Prince-Elect of Denmark (d. 1647)
  • 1651 – Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, German mathematician, physicist, and physician (d. 1708)
  • 1656 – René Lepage de Sainte-Claire, French-Canadian settler, founded Rimouski (d. 1718)
  • 1704 – Benjamin Heath, English scholar and author (d. 1766)
  • 1707 – Michel Corrette, French organist, composer, and author (d. 1795)
  • 1713 – John Whitehurst, English geologist and clockmaker (d. 1788)
  • 1755 – Samuel Hahnemann, German-French physician and academic (d. 1843)
  • 1762 – Giovanni Aldini, Italian physicist and academic (d. 1834)
  • 1769 – Jean Lannes, French marshal (d. 1809)
  • 1778 – William Hazlitt, English essayist and critic (d. 1830)
  • 1794 – Matthew C. Perry, English-Scottish American commander (d. 1858)
  • 1806 – Juliette Drouet, French actress (d. 1883)
  • 1806 – Leonidas Polk, Scottish-American general and bishop (d. 1884)
  • 1827 – Lew Wallace, American general, lawyer, and politician, 11th Governor of New Mexico Territory (d. 1905)
  • 1829 – William Booth, English minister, founded The Salvation Army (d. 1912)
  • 1847 – Joseph Pulitzer, Hungarian-American journalist, publisher, and politician, founded Pulitzer, Inc. (d. 1911)
  • 1864 – Eugen d’Albert, Scottish-German pianist and composer (d. 1932)
  • 1865 – Jack Miner, American-Canadian farmer, hunter, and environmentalist (d. 1944)
  • 1867 – George William Russell, Irish author, poet, and painter (d. 1935)
  • 1868 – George Arliss, English actor and playwright (d. 1946)
  • 1868 – Asriel Günzig, Moravian rabbi (d. 1931)
  • 1873 – Kyösti Kallio, Finnish farmer, banker, and politician, 4th President of Finland (d. 1940)
  • 1875 – George Clawley, English footballer (d. 1920)
  • 1877 – Alfred Kubin, Austrian author and illustrator (d. 1959)
  • 1879 – Bernhard Gregory, Estonian-German chess player (d. 1939)
  • 1879 – Coenraad Hiebendaal, Dutch rower and physician (d. 1921)
  • 1880 – Frances Perkins, American sociologist, academic, and politician, 4th United States Secretary of Labor (d. 1965)
  • 1880 – Montague Summers, English clergyman and author (d. 1948)
  • 1886 – Johnny Hayes, American runner and trainer (d. 1965)
  • 1887 – Bernardo Houssay, Argentinian physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1971)
  • 1889 – Louis Rougier, French philosopher from the Vienna Circle (d. 1982)
  • 1891 – Frank Barson, English footballer and coach (d. 1968)
  • 1893 – Otto Steinböck, Austrian zoologist (d. 1969)
  • 1894 – Ben Nicholson, British painter (d. 1982)
  • 1897 – Prafulla Chandra Sen, Indian accountant and politician, 3rd Chief Minister of West Bengal (d. 1990)
  • 1900 – Arnold Orville Beckman, American chemist, inventor, and philanthropist (d. 2004)
  • 1901 – Dhananjay Ramchandra Gadgil, Indian economist (d. 1971)
  • 1903 – Clare Turlay Newberry, American author and illustrator (d. 1970)
  • 1906 – Steve Anderson, American hurdler (d. 1988)
  • 1910 – Margaret Clapp, American scholar and academic (d. 1974)
  • 1910 – Helenio Herrera, Argentinian footballer and manager (d. 1997)
  • 1910 – Paul Sweezy, American economist and publisher, founded the Monthly Review (d. 2004)
  • 1911 – Martin Denny, American pianist and composer (d. 2005)
  • 1911 – Maurice Schumann, French journalist and politician, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs for France (d. 1998)
  • 1912 – Boris Kidrič, Austrian-Slovenian politician, 1st Prime Minister of Slovenia (d. 1953)
  • 1913 – Stefan Heym, German-American soldier and author (d. 2001)
  • 1914 – Jack Badcock, Australian cricketer (d. 1982)
  • 1915 – Harry Morgan, American actor and director (d. 2011)
  • 1915 – Leo Vroman, Dutch-American hematologist, poet, and illustrator (d. 2014)
  • 1916 – Lee Jung-seob, Korean painter (d. 1956)
  • 1917 – Jagjit Singh Lyallpuri, Indian politician (d. 2013)
  • 1917 – Robert Burns Woodward, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1979)
  • 1919 – John Houbolt, American engineer and academic (d. 2014)
  • 1921 – Chuck Connors, American baseball player and actor (d. 1992)
  • 1921 – Jake Warren, Canadian soldier and diplomat, Canadian Ambassador to the United States (d. 2008)
  • 1921 – Sheb Wooley, American singer-songwriter and actor (d. 2003)
  • 1923 – Roger Gaillard, Haitian historian and author (d. 2000)
  • 1923 – Jane Kean, American actress and singer (d. 2013)
  • 1923 – Floyd Simmons, American decathlete and actor (d. 2008)
  • 1923 – Sid Tickridge, English footballer (d. 1997)
  • 1923 – John Watkins, South African cricketer
  • 1924 – Kenneth Noland, American soldier and painter (d. 2010)
  • 1925 – Linda Goodman, American astrologer and author (d. 1995)
  • 1925 – Angelo Poffo, American wrestler and promoter (d. 2010)
  • 1926 – Jacques Castérède, French pianist and composer (d. 2014)
  • 1926 – Junior Samples, American comedian (d. 1983)
  • 1927 – Norma Candal, Puerto Rican-American actress (d. 2006)
  • 1927 – Marshall Warren Nirenberg, American biochemist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2010)
  • 1929 – Mike Hawthorn, English race car driver (d. 1959)
  • 1929 – Liz Sheridan, American actress
  • 1929 – Max von Sydow, Swedish-French actor (d. 2020)
  • 1930 – Claude Bolling, French pianist, composer, and actor
  • 1930 – Dolores Huerta, American activist, co-founded the United Farm Workers
  • 1931 – Kishori Amonkar, Indian classical vocalist (d. 2017)
  • 1932 – Delphine Seyrig, Swiss/Alsatian French actress (d. 1990)
  • 1932 – Omar Sharif, Egyptian actor and screenwriter (d. 2015)
  • 1933 – Rokusuke Ei, Japanese composer and author (d. 2016)
  • 1933 – Helen McElhone, Scottish politician (d. 2013)
  • 1934 – David Halberstam, American journalist and author (d. 2007)
  • 1935 – John A. Bennett, American soldier (d. 1961)
  • 1935 – Patrick Garland, English actor and director (d. 2013)
  • 1935 – Peter Hollingworth, Australian bishop, 23rd Governor General of Australia
  • 1936 – John Howell, English long jumper
  • 1936 – John Madden, American football player, coach, and sportscaster
  • 1936 – Bobby Smith, American singer (d. 2013)
  • 1937 – Bella Akhmadulina, Soviet and Russian poet, short story writer, and translator (d. 2010)
  • 1938 – Don Meredith, American football player and sportscaster (d. 2010)
  • 1939 – Claudio Magris, Italian scholar, author, and translator
  • 1940 – Gloria Hunniford, British radio and television host
  • 1941 – Harold Long, Canadian politician (d. 2013)
  • 1941 – Paul Theroux, American novelist, short story writer, and travel writer
  • 1942 – Nick Auf der Maur, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 1998)
  • 1942 – Ian Callaghan, English footballer
  • 1942 – Stuart Dybek, American novelist, short story writer, and poet
  • 1943 – Andrzej Badeński, Polish-German sprinter (d. 2008)
  • 1943 – Margaret Pemberton, English author
  • 1945 – Kevin Berry, Australian swimmer (d. 2006)
  • 1946 – David Angell, American screenwriter and producer (d. 2001)
  • 1946 – Bob Watson, American baseball player and manager
  • 1946 – Adolf Winkelmann, German director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1947 – David A. Adler, American author and educator
  • 1947 – Bunny Wailer, Jamaican singer-songwriter and drummer
  • 1948 – Mel Blount, American football player
  • 1949 – Daniel Mangeas, French banker and sportscaster
  • 1949 – Eric Troyer, American singer-songwriter, keyboardist and guitarist
  • 1950 – Ken Griffey, Sr., American baseball player and manager
  • 1950 – Eddie Hazel, American guitarist (d. 1992)
  • 1951 – David Helvarg, American journalist and activist
  • 1952 – Narayan Rane, Indian politician, 16th Chief Minister of Maharashtra
  • 1952 – Masashi Sada, Japanese singer, lyricist, composer, novelist, actor, and producer
  • 1952 – Steven Seagal, American actor, producer, and martial artist
  • 1953 – David Moorcroft, English runner and businessman
  • 1953 – Pamela Wallin, Swedish-Canadian journalist, academic, and politician
  • 1954 – Paul Bearer, American wrestler and manager (d. 2013)
  • 1954 – Anne Lamott, American author and educator
  • 1954 – Peter MacNicol, American actor
  • 1954 – Juan Williams, Panamanian-American journalist and author
  • 1955 – Lesley Garrett, English soprano and actress
  • 1956 – Carol V. Robinson, English chemist and academic
  • 1957 – Aliko Dangote, Nigerian businessman, founded Dangote Group
  • 1957 – John M. Ford, American author and poet (d. 2006)
  • 1957 – Steve Gustafson, Spanish-American bass player
  • 1957 – Rosemary Hill, English historian and author
  • 1958 – Bob Bell, Northern Irish engineer
  • 1958 – Yefim Bronfman, Uzbek-American pianist
  • 1958 – Brigitte Holzapfel, German high jumper
  • 1959 – Babyface, American singer-songwriter and producer
  • 1959 – Yvan Loubier, Canadian economist and politician
  • 1959 – Brian Setzer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1960 – Steve Bisciotti, American businessman, co-founded Allegis Group
  • 1960 – Katrina Leskanich, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1960 – Terry Teagle, American basketball player
  • 1961 – Nicky Campbell, Scottish broadcaster and journalist
  • 1961 – Joe Cole, American roadie and author (d. 1991)
  • 1961 – Carole Goble, English computer scientist and academic
  • 1961 – Mark Jones, American basketball player
  • 1962 – Steve Tasker, American football player and sportscaster
  • 1963 – Warren DeMartini, American guitarist and songwriter
  • 1963 – Jeff Gray, American baseball player and coach
  • 1963 – Doris Leuthard, Swiss lawyer and politician, 162nd President of the Swiss Confederation
  • 1965 – Tim Alexander, American drummer and songwriter
  • 1966 – Steve Claridge, English footballer, manager, and sportscaster
  • 1967 – Donald Dufresne, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
  • 1967 – David Rovics, American singer-songwriter
  • 1968 – Metin Göktepe, Turkish photographer and journalist (d. 1996)
  • 1968 – Orlando Jones, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1969 – Steve Glasson, Australian lawn bowler
  • 1969 – Ekaterini Koffa, Greek sprinter
  • 1970 – Enrico Ciccone, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1970 – Leonard Doroftei, Romanian-Canadian boxer
  • 1970 – Kenny Lattimore, American singer-songwriter
  • 1970 – Q-Tip, American rapper, producer, and actor
  • 1971 – Brad William Henke, American football player and actor
  • 1971 – Indro Olumets, Estonian footballer and coach
  • 1971 – Al Reyes, Dominican-American baseball player
  • 1972 – Ian Harvey, Australian cricketer
  • 1972 – Priit Kasesalu, Estonian computer programmer, co-created Skype
  • 1972 – Gordon Buchanan, Scottish film maker
  • 1973 – Guillaume Canet, French actor and director
  • 1973 – Roberto Carlos, Brazilian footballer and manager
  • 1973 – Aidan Moffat, Scottish singer-songwriter
  • 1973 – Christopher Simmons, Canadian-American graphic designer, author, and academic
  • 1974 – Eric Greitens, American soldier, author and politician
  • 1974 – Petros Passalis, Greek footballer
  • 1975 – Chris Carrabba, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1975 – Terrence Lewis, Indian dancer and choreographer
  • 1975 – David Harbour, American actor
  • 1976 – Clare Buckfield, English actress
  • 1976 – Yoshino Kimura, Japanese actress and singer
  • 1976 – Sara Renner, Canadian skier
  • 1977 – Stephanie Sheh, Taiwanese-American voice actress, director, and producer
  • 1978 – Sir Christus, Finnish guitarist
  • 1979 – Iván Alonso, Uruguayan footballer
  • 1979 – Kenyon Coleman, American football player
  • 1979 – Rachel Corrie, American author and activist (d. 2003)
  • 1979 – Tsuyoshi Domoto, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor
  • 1979 – Sophie Ellis-Bextor, English singer-songwriter
  • 1979 – Peter Kopteff, Finnish footballer
  • 1980 – Sean Avery, Canadian ice hockey player and model
  • 1980 – Charlie Hunnam, English actor
  • 1980 – Shao Jiayi, Chinese footballer
  • 1980 – Kasey Kahne, American race car driver
  • 1980 – Bryce Soderberg, American singer-songwriter and bass player
  • 1981 – Laura Bell Bundy, American actress and singer
  • 1981 – Liz McClarnon, English singer and dancer
  • 1981 – Michael Pitt, American actor, model and musician
  • 1981 – Alexei Semenov, Russian ice hockey player
  • 1982 – Andre Ethier, American baseball player
  • 1982 – Chyler Leigh, American actress and singer
  • 1983 – Jamie Chung, American actress
  • 1983 – Andrew Dost, American guitarist and songwriter
  • 1983 – Ryan Merriman, American actor
  • 1983 – Hannes Sigurðsson, Icelandic footballer
  • 1984 – Faustina Agolley, Australian television host
  • 1984 – Jeremy Barrett, American figure skater
  • 1984 – Mandy Moore, American singer-songwriter and actress
  • 1984 – David Obua, Ugandan footballer
  • 1984 – Damien Perquis, French-Polish footballer
  • 1984 – Gonzalo Javier Rodríguez, Argentinian footballer
  • 1985 – Barkhad Abdi, Somali-American actor and director
  • 1985 – Willo Flood, Irish footballer
  • 1985 – Jesús Gámez, Spanish footballer
  • 1985 – Dion Phaneuf, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1986 – Olivia Borlée, Belgian sprinter
  • 1986 – Fernando Gago, Argentine footballer
  • 1986 – Corey Kluber, American baseball pitcher
  • 1986 – Vincent Kompany, Belgian footballer
  • 1986 – Tore Reginiussen, Norwegian footballer
  • 1987 – Shay Mitchell, Canadian actress and model
  • 1987 – Hayley Westenra, New Zealand soprano
  • 1988 – Chris Heston, American baseball pitcher
  • 1988 – Kareem Jackson, American football player
  • 1988 – Haley Joel Osment, American actor
  • 1990 – Ben Amos, English footballer
  • 1990 – Andile Jali, South African footballer
  • 1990 – Ricky Leutele, Australian-Samoan rugby league player
  • 1990 – Maren Morris, American singer
  • 1990 – Alex Pettyfer, English actor
  • 1991 – AJ Michalka, American actress and singer
  • 1992 – Jack Buchanan, Australian rugby league player
  • 1992 – Sadio Mané, Senegalese footballer
  • 1992 – Daisy Ridley, English actress
  • 1993 – Sofia Carson, American singer and actress
  • 1994 – Siobhan Hunter, Scottish footballer
  • 1995 – Ian Nelson, American actor
  • 1996 – Thanasi Kokkinakis, Australian tennis player
  • 1996 – Audrey Whitby, American actress
  • 1998 – Anna Pogorilaya, Russian figure skater
  • 2001 – Ky Baldwin, Australian singer and actor
  • 2001 – Noa Kirel, Israeli singer

Deaths on April 10

  • 879 – Louis the Stammerer, king of West Francia (b. 846)
  • 943 – Landulf I, prince of Benevento and Capua
  • 948 – Hugh of Arles, king of Italy
  • 1008 – Notker of Liège, French bishop (b. 940)
  • 1216 – Eric X, king of Sweden (b. 1180)
  • 1282 – Ahmad Fanakati, chief minister under Kublai Khan
  • 1309 – Elisabeth von Rapperswil, Swiss countess (b. 1261)
  • 1362 – Maud, English noblewoman (b. 1339)
  • 1500 – Michael Tarchaniota Marullus, Greek scholar and poet
  • 1533 – Frederick I, king of Denmark and Norway (b. 1471)
  • 1545 – Costanzo Festa, Italian composer
  • 1585 – Gregory XIII, Pope of the Catholic Church (b. 1502)
  • 1598 – Jacopo Mazzoni, Italian philosopher (b. 1548)
  • 1599 – Gabrielle d’Estrées, French mistress of Henry IV of France (b. 1571)
  • 1601 – Mark Alexander Boyd, Scottish soldier and poet (b. 1562)
  • 1619 – Thomas Jones, English-Irish archbishop and politician, Lord Chancellor of Ireland (b. 1550)
  • 1640 – Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer and theorist (b. 1578)
  • 1644 – William Brewster, English official and pilgrim leader (b. 1566)
  • 1646 – Santino Solari, Swiss architect and sculptor (b. 1576)
  • 1667 – Jan Marek Marci, Czech physician and author (b. 1595)
  • 1704 – William Egon of Fürstenberg, German cardinal (b. 1629)
  • 1756 – Giacomo Antonio Perti, Italian composer (b. 1661)
  • 1760 – Jean Lebeuf, French historian and author (b. 1687)
  • 1786 – John Byron, English admiral and politician, 24th Commodore Governor of Newfoundland (b. 1723)
  • 1806 – Horatio Gates, English-American general (b. 1727)
  • 1813 – Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Italian mathematician and astronomer (b. 1736)
  • 1823 – Karl Leonhard Reinhold, Austrian philosopher and academic (b. 1757)
  • 1871 – Lucio Norberto Mansilla, Argentinian general and politician (b. 1789)
  • 1904 – Isabella II, Spanish queen (b. 1830)
  • 1909 – Algernon Charles Swinburne, English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic (b. 1837)
  • 1919 – Emiliano Zapata, Mexican general (b. 1879)
  • 1920 – Moritz Cantor, German mathematician and historian (b. 1829)
  • 1931 – Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese-American poet, painter, and philosopher (b. 1883)
  • 1935 – Rosa Campbell Praed, Australian novelist (b. 1851)
  • 1938 – King Oliver, American cornet player and bandleader (b. 1885)
  • 1942 – Carl Schenstrøm, Danish actor and director (b. 1881)
  • 1943 – Andreas Faehlmann, Estonian-German sailor and engineer (b. 1898)
  • 1945 – Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman, Dutch printer and typographer (b. 1882)
  • 1947 – Charles Nordhoff, English-American lieutenant and author (b. 1887)
  • 1950 – Fevzi Çakmak, Turkish field marshal and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Turkey (b. 1876)
  • 1954 – Auguste Lumière, French director and producer (b. 1862)
  • 1954 – Oscar Mathisen, Norwegian speed skater (b. 1888)
  • 1955 – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French priest, theologian, and philosopher (b. 1881)
  • 1958 – Chuck Willis, American singer-songwriter (b. 1928)
  • 1960 – André Berthomieu, French director and screenwriter (b. 1903)
  • 1962 – Michael Curtiz, Hungarian-American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1886)
  • 1962 – Stuart Sutcliffe, Scottish artist and musician (b. 1940)
  • 1965 – Lloyd Casner, American race car driver, founded Casner Motor Racing Division (b. 1928)
  • 1965 – Linda Darnell, American actress (b. 1923)
  • 1966 – Evelyn Waugh, English soldier, novelist, journalist and critic (b. 1903)
  • 1968 – Gustavs Celmiņš, Latvian lieutenant and politician (b. 1899)
  • 1969 – Harley Earl, American businessman (b. 1893)
  • 1975 – Walker Evans, American photographer (b. 1903)
  • 1975 – Marjorie Main, American actress (b. 1890)
  • 1978 – Hjalmar Mäe, Estonian politician (b. 1901)
  • 1979 – Nino Rota, Italian pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1911)
  • 1980 – Kay Medford, American actress and singer (b. 1919)
  • 1981 – Howard Thurman, American author, philosopher and civil rights activist (b. 1899)
  • 1983 – Issam Sartawi, Palestinian activist (b. 1935)
  • 1985 – Zisis Verros, Greek chieftain of the Macedonian Struggle (b. 1880)
  • 1986 – Linda Creed, American singer-songwriter (b. 1948)
  • 1991 – Kevin Peter Hall, American actor (b. 1955)
  • 1991 – Martin Hannett, English guitarist and producer (b. 1948)
  • 1991 – Natalie Schafer, American actress (b. 1900)
  • 1992 – Sam Kinison, American comedian and actor (b. 1953)
  • 1993 – Chris Hani, South African activist and politician (b. 1942)
  • 1994 – Sam B. Hall, Jr., American lawyer, judge, and politician (b. 1924)
  • 1995 – Morarji Desai, Indian politician, 4th Prime Minister of India (b. 1896)
  • 1997 – Michael Dorris, American author and academic (b. 1945)
  • 1998 – Seraphim of Athens, Greek archbishop (b. 1913)
  • 1999 – Heinz Fraenkel-Conrat, German-American biochemist and physician (b. 1910)
  • 1999 – Jean Vander Pyl, American actress and voice artist (b. 1919)
  • 2000 – Peter Jones, English actor and screenwriter (b. 1920)
  • 2000 – Larry Linville, American actor (b. 1939)
  • 2003 – Little Eva, American singer (b. 1943)
  • 2004 – Jacek Kaczmarski, Polish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and poet (b. 1957)
  • 2004 – Sakıp Sabancı, Turkish businessman and philanthropist, founded Sabancı Holding (b. 1933)
  • 2005 – Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist (b. 1923)
  • 2005 – Scott Gottlieb, American drummer (b. 1970)
  • 2005 – Archbishop Iakovos of America (b. 1911)
  • 2005 – Al Lucas, American football player (b. 1978)
  • 2005 – Wally Tax, Dutch singer-songwriter (b. 1948)
  • 2007 – Charles Philippe Leblond, French-Canadian biologist and academic (b. 1910)
  • 2007 – Dakota Staton, American singer (b. 1930)
  • 2009 – Deborah Digges, American poet and educator (b. 1950)
  • 2010 – Casualties in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash included:
    • Ryszard Kaczorowski, Polish soldier and politician, 6th President of the Republic of Poland (b. 1919)
    • Maria Kaczyńska, Polish economist, First Lady of Poland (b. 1942)
    • Lech Kaczyński, Polish lawyer and politician, 4th President of Poland (b. 1949)
    • Anna Walentynowicz, Ukrainian-Polish journalist and activist (b. 1929)
  • 2010 – Dixie Carter, American actress and singer (b. 1939)
  • 2012 – Raymond Aubrac, French engineer and activist (b. 1914)
  • 2012 – Barbara Buchholz, German theremin player and composer (b. 1959)
  • 2012 – Lili Chookasian, Armenian-American operatic singer (b. 1921)
  • 2012 – Luis Aponte Martínez, Puerto Rican cardinal (b. 1922)
  • 2012 – Akin Omoboriowo, Nigerian lawyer and politician (b. 1932)
  • 2013 – Lorenzo Antonetti, Italian cardinal (b. 1922)
  • 2013 – Raymond Boudon, French sociologist and academic (b. 1934)
  • 2013 – Binod Bihari Chowdhury, Bangladeshi activist (b. 1911)
  • 2013 – Robert Edwards, English physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1925)
  • 2013 – Olive Lewin, Jamaican anthropologist, musicologist, and author (b. 1927)
  • 2013 – Gordon Thomas, English cyclist (b. 1921)
  • 2013 – Angela Voigt, German long jumper (b. 1951)
  • 2014 – Dominique Baudis, French journalist and politician (b. 1947)
  • 2014 – Jim Flaherty, Canadian lawyer and politician, 37th Canadian Minister of Finance (b. 1949)
  • 2014 – Richard Hoggart, English author and academic (b. 1918)
  • 2014 – Sue Townsend, English author and playwright (b. 1946)
  • 2015 – Richie Benaud, Australian cricketer and sportscaster (b. 1930)
  • 2015 – Raúl Héctor Castro, Mexican-American politician and diplomat, 14th Governor of Arizona (b. 1916)
  • 2015 – Judith Malina, German-American actress and director, co-founded The Living Theatre (b. 1926)
  • 2015 – Rose Francine Rogombé, Gabonese lawyer and politician, President of Gabon (b. 1942)
  • 2015 – Peter Walsh, Australian farmer and politician, 6th Australian Minister for Finance (b. 1935)
  • 2016 – Howard Marks, Welsh cannabis smuggler, writer, and legalisation campaigner (b. 1945)

Holidays and observances on April 10

  • Christian feast day:
    • Fulbert of Chartres
    • James, Azadanus and Abdicius
    • Mikael Agricola (Lutheran)
    • Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (Episcopal Church)
    • William of Ockham (Anglicanism)
    • William Law (Anglicanism)
    • April 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Day of the Builder (Azerbaijan)
  • Feast of the Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law (Thelema)
  • Siblings Day (International observance)
  • World Homeopathy Day

April 10 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

April 6 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 46 BC – Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Younger) at the Battle of Thapsus.
  • 402 – Stilicho defeats the Visigoths under Alaric in the Battle of Pollentia.
  • 1250 – Seventh Crusade: Ayyubids of Egypt capture King Louis IX of France in the Battle of Fariskur.
  • 1320 – The Scots reaffirm their independence by signing the Declaration of Arbroath.
  • 1327 – The poet Petrarch first sees his idealized love, Laura, in the church of Saint Clare in Avignon.
  • 1385 – John, Master of the Order of Aviz, an illegitimate son of Peter I of Portugal, is made king John I of Portugal.
  • 1453 – Mehmed II begins his siege of Constantinople (Istanbul), which falls on May 29.
  • 1580 – One of the largest earthquakes recorded in the history of England, Flanders, or Northern France, takes place.
  • 1652 – At the Cape of Good Hope, Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck establishes a resupply camp that eventually becomes Cape Town.
  • 1712 – The New York Slave Revolt of 1712 begins near Broadway.
  • 1776 – American Revolutionary War: Ships of the Continental Navy fail in their attempt to capture a Royal Navy dispatch boat.
  • 1782 – King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) of Siam (modern day Thailand) establishes the Chakri dynasty.
  • 1793 – During the French Revolution, the Committee of Public Safety becomes the executive organ of the republic.
  • 1808 – John Jacob Astor incorporates the American Fur Company, that would eventually make him America’s first millionaire.
  • 1812 – British forces under the command of the Duke of Wellington assault the fortress of Badajoz. This would be the turning point in the Peninsular War against Napoleon-led France.
  • 1814 – Nominal beginning of the Bourbon Restoration; anniversary date that Napoleon abdicates and is exiled to Elba.
  • 1830 – Church of Christ, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement, is organized by Joseph Smith and others at either Fayette or Manchester, New York.
  • 1841 – U.S. President John Tyler is sworn in, two days after having become President upon William Henry Harrison’s death.
  • 1860 – The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, later renamed Community of Christ, is organized by Joseph Smith III and others at Amboy, Illinois.
  • 1861 – First performance of Arthur Sullivan’s debut success, his suite of incidental music for The Tempest, leading to a career that included the famous Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
  • 1862 – American Civil War: The Battle of Shiloh begins: In Tennessee, forces under Union General Ulysses S. Grant meet Confederate troops led by General Albert Sidney Johnston.
  • 1865 – American Civil War: The Battle of Sailor’s Creek: Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia fights and loses its last major battle while in retreat from Richmond, Virginia during the Appomattox Campaign.
  • 1866 – The Grand Army of the Republic, an American patriotic organization composed of Union veterans of the American Civil War, is founded. It lasts until 1956.
  • 1869 – Celluloid is patented.
  • 1888 – Thomas Green Clemson dies, bequeathing his estate to the State of South Carolina to establish Clemson Agricultural College.
  • 1893 – Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is dedicated by Wilford Woodruff.
  • 1895 – Oscar Wilde is arrested in the Cadogan Hotel, London, after losing a libel case against the Marquess of Queensberry.
  • 1896 – In Athens, the opening of the first modern Olympic Games is celebrated, 1,500 years after the original games are banned by Roman emperor Theodosius I.
  • 1909 – Robert Peary and Matthew Henson become the first people to reach the North Pole; Peary’s claim has been disputed because of failings in his navigational ability.
  • 1911 – During the Battle of Deçiq, Dedë Gjon Luli Dedvukaj, leader of the Malësori Albanians, raises the Albanian flag in the town of Tuzi, Montenegro, for the first time after George Kastrioti (Skanderbeg).
  • 1917 – World War I: The United States declares war on Germany (see President Woodrow Wilson’s address to Congress).
  • 1926 – Varney Airlines makes its first commercial flight (Varney is the root company of United Airlines).
  • 1929 – Huey P. Long, Governor of Louisiana, is impeached by the Louisiana House of Representatives.
  • 1930 – At the end of the Salt March, Gandhi raises a lump of mud and salt and declares, “With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire.”
  • 1936 – Tupelo–Gainesville tornado outbreak: Another tornado from the same storm system as the Tupelo tornado hits Gainesville, Georgia, killing 203.
  • 1941 – World War II: Nazi Germany launches Operation 25 (the invasion of Kingdom of Yugoslavia) and Operation Marita (the invasion of Greece).
  • 1945 – World War II: Sarajevo is liberated from German and Croatian forces by the Yugoslav Partisans.
  • 1945 – World War II: The Battle of Slater’s Knoll on Bougainville comes to an end.
  • 1947 – The first Tony Awards are presented for theatrical achievement.
  • 1957 – Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis buys the Hellenic National Airlines (TAE) and founds Olympic Airlines.
  • 1965 – Launch of Early Bird, the first commercial communications satellite to be placed in geosynchronous orbit.
  • 1968 – In Richmond, Indiana’s downtown district, a double explosion kills 41 and injures 150.
  • 1968 – Pierre Elliott Trudeau wins the Liberal Leadership Election, and becomes Prime Minister of Canada soon after.
  • 1970 – Newhall massacre: Four California Highway Patrol officers are killed in a shootout.
  • 1972 – Vietnam War: Easter Offensive: American forces begin sustained air strikes and naval bombardments.
  • 1973 – Launch of Pioneer 11 spacecraft.
  • 1973 – The American League of Major League Baseball begins using the designated hitter.
  • 1974 – The Swedish pop band ABBA wins the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Waterloo”, launching their international career.
  • 1979 – Student protests break out in Nepal.
  • 1984 – Members of Cameroon’s Republican Guard unsuccessfully attempt to overthrow the government headed by Paul Biya.
  • 1992 – The Bosnian War begins.
  • 1994 – The Rwandan genocide begins when the aircraft carrying Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundian president Cyprien Ntaryamira is shot down.
  • 1997 – In Greene County, Tennessee, the Lillelid murders occurs when a group of young people abduct and kidnap a religious family before shooting them dead on a rural suburban road.
  • 1998 – Nuclear weapons testing: Pakistan tests medium-range missiles capable of reaching India.
  • 1998 – Travelers Group announces an agreement to undertake the $76 billion merger between Travelers and Citicorp, and the merger is completed on October 8, of that year, forming Citibank.
  • 2004 – Rolandas Paksas becomes the first president of Lithuania to be peacefully removed from office by impeachment.
  • 2005 – Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani becomes Iraqi president; Shiite Arab Ibrahim al-Jaafari is named premier the next day.
  • 2008 – The 2008 Egyptian general strike starts led by Egyptian workers later to be adopted by April 6 Youth Movement and Egyptian activists.
  • 2009 – A 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes near L’Aquila, Italy, killing 307.
  • 2010 – Maoist rebels kill 76 CRPF officers in Dantewada district, India.
  • 2011 – In San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico, over 193 victims of Los Zetas were exhumed from several mass graves.
  • 2012 – Azawad declares itself independent from the Republic of Mali.
  • 2017 – U.S. military launches 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at an airbase in Syria. Russia describes the strikes as an “aggression”, adding they significantly damage US-Russia ties.
  • 2018 – A bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior ice hockey team collides with a semi-truck in Saskatchewan, Canada, killing 16 people and injuring 13 others.

Births on April 6

  • 1135 – Maimonides, Jewish philosopher, Torah scholar, physician and astronomer (March 30 also proposed, d. 1204)
  • 1342 – Infanta Maria, Marchioness of Tortosa
  • 1483 – Raphael, Italian painter and architect (d. 1520)
  • 1573 – Margaret of Brunswick-Lüneburg, German noble (d. 1643)
  • 1632 – Maria Leopoldine of Austria (d. 1649)
  • 1651 – André Dacier, French scholar and academic (d. 1722)
  • 1660 – Johann Kuhnau, German organist and composer (d. 1722)
  • 1664 – Arvid Horn, Swedish general and politician, Governor of Västerbotten County (d. 1742)
  • 1671 – Jean-Baptiste Rousseau, French poet and playwright (d. 1741)
  • 1672 – André Cardinal Destouches, French composer (d. 1749)
  • 1706 – Louis de Cahusac, French playwright and composer (d. 1759)
  • 1708 – Johann Georg Reutter, Austrian organist and composer (d. 1772)
  • 1725 – Pasquale Paoli, French soldier and politician (d. 1807)
  • 1726 – Gerard Majella, Italian saint (d. 1755)
  • 1741 – Nicolas Chamfort, French author and playwright (d. 1794)
  • 1766 – Wilhelm von Kobell, German painter and educator (d. 1853)
  • 1773 – James Mill, Scottish historian, economist, and philosopher (d. 1836)
  • 1787 – Celestina Cordero, Puerto Rican educator (d. 1862)
  • 1810 – Philip Henry Gosse, English biologist and academic (d. 1888)
  • 1812 – Alexander Herzen, Russian philosopher and author (d. 1870)
  • 1815 – Robert Volkmann, German organist, composer, and conductor (d. 1883)
  • 1818 – Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, Norwegian journalist and poet (d. 1870)
  • 1820 – Nadar, French photographer, journalist, and author (d. 1910)
  • 1823 – Joseph Medill, Canadian-American publisher and politician, 26th Mayor of Chicago (d. 1899)
  • 1824 – George Waterhouse, English-New Zealand politician, 7th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1906)
  • 1826 – Gustave Moreau, French painter and academic (d. 1898)
  • 1844 – William Lyne, Australian politician, 13th Premier of New South Wales (d. 1913)
  • 1851 – Guillaume Bigourdan, French astronomer and academic (d. 1932)
  • 1852 – Will Crooks, English trade unionist and politician (d. 1921)
  • 1855 – Charles Huot, Canadian painter and illustrator (d. 1930)
  • 1857 – Arthur Wesley Dow, American painter and photographer (d. 1922)
  • 1860 – René Lalique, French sculptor and jewellery designer (d. 1945)
  • 1861 – Stanislas de Guaita, French poet and author (d. 1897)
  • 1864 – William Bate Hardy, English biologist and academic (d. 1934)
  • 1866 – Felix-Raymond-Marie Rouleau, Canadian cardinal (d. 1931)
  • 1869 – Levon Shant, Armenian author, poet, and playwright (d. 1951)
  • 1878 – Erich Mühsam, German author, poet, and playwright (d. 1934)
  • 1881 – Karl Staaf, Swedish pole vaulter and hammer thrower (d. 1953)
  • 1884 – J. G. Parry-Thomas, Welsh race car driver and engineer (d. 1927)
  • 1886 – Athenagoras I of Constantinople (d. 1972)
  • 1886 – Walter Dandy, American physician and neurosurgeon (d. 1946)
  • 1886 – Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII, Indian ruler (d. 1967)
  • 1888 – Hans Richter, Swiss painter, illustrator, and director (d. 1976)
  • 1888 – Gerhard Ritter, German historian and academic (d. 1967)
  • 1890 – Anthony Fokker, Dutch engineer and businessman, founded Fokker Aircraft Manufacturer (d. 1939)
  • 1892 – Donald Wills Douglas, Sr., American businessman, founded the Douglas Aircraft Company (d. 1981)
  • 1892 – Lowell Thomas, American journalist and author (d. 1981)
  • 1895 – Dudley Nichols, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1960)
  • 1898 – Jeanne Hébuterne, French painter and author (d. 1920)
  • 1900 – Leo Robin, American composer and songwriter (d. 1984)
  • 1901 – Pier Giorgio Frassati, Italian activist (d. 1925)
  • 1902 – Julien Torma, French author, poet, and playwright (d. 1933)
  • 1903 – Mickey Cochrane, American baseball player and manager (d. 1962)
  • 1903 – Harold Eugene Edgerton, American engineer and academic (d. 1990)
  • 1904 – Kurt Georg Kiesinger, German lawyer, politician and Chancellor of Germany (d. 1988)
  • 1904 – Erwin Komenda, Austrian car designer and engineer (d. 1966)
  • 1908 – Marcel-Marie Desmarais, Canadian preacher, missionary, and author (d. 1994)
  • 1909 – William M. Branham, American minister and theologian (d. 1965)
  • 1909 – Hermann Lang, German race car driver (d. 1987)
  • 1910 – Barys Kit, Belarusian-American rocket scientist (d. 2018)
  • 1911 – Feodor Felix Konrad Lynen, German biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1979)
  • 1913 – Shannon Boyd-Bailey McCune, American geographer and academic (d. 1993)
  • 1915 – Tadeusz Kantor, Polish director, painter, and set designer (d. 1990)
  • 1916 – Phil Leeds, American actor (d. 1998)
  • 1916 – Vincent Ellis McKelvey, American geologist and author (d. 1987)
  • 1917 – Leonora Carrington, English-Mexican painter and author (d. 2011)
  • 1918 – Alfredo Ovando Candía, Bolivian general and politician, 56th President of Bolivia (d. 1982)
  • 1919 – Georgios Mylonas, Greek politician, 11th Greek Minister of Culture (d. 1998)
  • 1920 – Jack Cover, American pilot and physicist, invented the Taser gun (d. 2009)
  • 1920 – Edmond H. Fischer, Swiss-American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1921 – Wilbur Thompson, American shot putter (d. 2013)
  • 1922 – Gordon Chater, English-Australian comedian and actor (d. 1999)
  • 1923 – Herb Thomas, American race car driver (d. 2000)
  • 1926 – Sergio Franchi, Italian-American singer and actor (d. 1990)
  • 1926 – Gil Kane, Latvian-American author and illustrator (d. 2000)
  • 1926 – Ian Paisley, Northern Irish evangelical minister and politician, 2nd First Minister of Northern Ireland (d. 2014)
  • 1926 – Randy Weston, American jazz pianist and composer (d. 2018)
  • 1927 – Gerry Mulligan, American saxophonist, clarinet player, and composer (d. 1996)
  • 1928 – James Watson, American biologist, geneticist, and zoologist, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1929 – Willis Hall, English playwright and author (d. 2005)
  • 1929 – Joi Lansing, American model, actress and nightclub singer (d. 1972)
  • 1929 – André Previn, American pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 2019)
  • 1931 – Ram Dass, American author and educator (d. 2019)
  • 1931 – Ivan Dixon, American actor, director, and producer (d. 2008)
  • 1932 – Connie Broden, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2013)
  • 1932 – Helmut Griem, German actor and director (d. 2004)
  • 1933 – Roy Goode, English lawyer and academic
  • 1933 – Tom C. Korologos, American journalist and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Belgium
  • 1933 – Eduardo Malapit, American lawyer and politician, Mayor of Kauai (d. 2007)
  • 1934 – Enrique Álvarez Félix, Mexican actor (d. 1996)
  • 1934 – Anton Geesink, Dutch martial artist and wrestler (d. 2010)
  • 1934 – Guy Peellaert, Belgian painter, illustrator, and photographer (d. 2008)
  • 1935 – Douglas Hill, Canadian author and critic (d. 2007)
  • 1936 – Helen Berman, Dutch-Israeli painter and illustrator
  • 1936 – Jean-Pierre Changeux, French neuroscientist, biologist, and academic
  • 1937 – Merle Haggard, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2016)
  • 1937 – Tom Veivers, Australian cricketer and politician
  • 1937 – Billy Dee Williams, American actor, singer, and writer
  • 1938 – Paul Daniels, English magician and television host (d. 2016)
  • 1938 – Roy Thinnes, American television and film actor
  • 1939 – André Ouellet, Canadian lawyer and politician, 1st Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs
  • 1939 – John Sculley, American businessman, co-founded Zeta Interactive
  • 1940 – Homero Aridjis, Mexican journalist, author, and poet
  • 1940 – Pedro Armendáriz, Jr., Mexican-American actor and producer (d. 2011)
  • 1941 – Christopher Allsopp, English economist and academic
  • 1941 – Phil Austin, American comedian, actor, and screenwriter (d. 2015)
  • 1941 – Hans W. Geißendörfer, German director and producer
  • 1941 – Don Prudhomme, American race car driver and manager
  • 1941 – Gheorghe Zamfir, Romanian flute player and composer
  • 1942 – Barry Levinson, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1942 – Anita Pallenberg, Italian-English model, actress, and fashion designer (d. 2017)
  • 1943 – Max Clifford, English journalist and publicist (d. 2017)
  • 1943 – Roger Cook, New Zealand-English journalist and academic
  • 1943 – Ian MacRae, New Zealand rugby player
  • 1943 – Mitchell Melton, American lawyer and politician (d. 2013)
  • 1944 – Felicity Palmer, English operatic soprano
  • 1945 – Rodney Bickerstaffe, English trade union leader (d. 2017)
  • 1945 – Peter Hill, English journalist
  • 1946 – Paul Beresford, New Zealand-English dentist and politician
  • 1947 – John Ratzenberger, American actor and director
  • 1947 – André Weinfeld, French-American director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1947 – Mike Worboys, English mathematician and computer scientist
  • 1949 – Alyson Bailes, English academic and diplomat (d. 2016)
  • 1949 – Patrick Hernandez, French singer-songwriter
  • 1949 – Ng Ser Miang, Singaporean athlete, entrepreneur and diplomat
  • 1949 – Horst Ludwig Störmer, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1950 – Claire Morissette, Canadian cycling activist (d. 2007)
  • 1950 – Cleo Odzer, American anthropologist and author (d. 2001)
  • 1951 – Bert Blyleven, Dutch-American baseball player and sportscaster
  • 1951 – Jean-Marc Boivin, French skier, mountaineer, and pilot (d. 1990)
  • 1951 – Pascal Rogé, French pianist
  • 1951 – Phil Schaap, American jazz disc jockey and historian
  • 1952 – Udo Dirkschneider, German singer-songwriter
  • 1952 – Marilu Henner, Greek-Polish American actress and author
  • 1952 – Michel Larocque, Canadian ice hockey player and manager (d. 1992)
  • 1953 – Patrick Doyle, Scottish actor and composer
  • 1953 – Christopher Franke, German-American drummer and songwriter
  • 1955 – Rob Epstein, American director and producer
  • 1955 – Michael Rooker, American actor, director, and producer
  • 1955 – Cathy Jones, Canadian actress, comedian, and writer
  • 1956 – Michele Bachmann, American lawyer and politician
  • 1956 – Normand Corbeil, Canadian composer (d. 2013)
  • 1956 – Mudassar Nazar, Pakistani cricketer
  • 1956 – Lee Scott, English politician
  • 1956 – Sebastian Spreng, Argentinian-American painter and journalist
  • 1956 – Dilip Vengsarkar, Indian cricketer and coach
  • 1957 – Giorgio Damilano, Italian race walker and coach
  • 1957 – Maurizio Damilano, Italian race walker and coach
  • 1957 – Jaroslava Maxová, Czech soprano and educator
  • 1957 – Paolo Nespoli, Italian soldier, engineer, and astronaut
  • 1958 – Graeme Base, Australian author and illustrator
  • 1959 – Gail Shea, Canadian politician
  • 1960 – Warren Haynes, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1960 – Richard Loe, New Zealand rugby player
  • 1960 – John Pizzarelli, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1961 – Rory Bremner, Scottish actor and screenwriter
  • 1961 – Peter Jackson, English footballer and manager
  • 1962 – Iris Häussler, German sculptor and academic
  • 1962 – Marco Schällibaum, Swiss footballer, coach, and manager
  • 1963 – Rafael Correa, Ecuadorian economist and politician, 54th President of Ecuador
  • 1965 – Black Francis, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1965 – Sterling Sharpe, American football player and sportscaster
  • 1966 – Vince Flynn, American author (d. 2013)
  • 1966 – Young Man Kang, South Korean-American director and producer
  • 1967 – Julian Anderson, English composer and educator
  • 1967 – Kathleen Barr, Canadian voice actress and singer
  • 1967 – Tanya Byron, English psychologist and academic
  • 1967 – Jonathan Firth, English actor
  • 1968 – Archon Fung, American political scientist, author, and academic
  • 1968 – Affonso Giaffone, Brazilian race car driver
  • 1969 – Bret Boone, American baseball player and manager
  • 1969 – Bison Dele, American basketball player (d. 2002)
  • 1969 – Philipp Peter, Austrian race car driver
  • 1969 – Paul Rudd, American actor
  • 1969 – Spencer Wells, American geneticist and anthropologist
  • 1970 – Olaf Kölzig, South African-German ice hockey player and coach
  • 1970 – Roy Mayorga, American drummer, songwriter, and producer
  • 1970 – Huang Xiaomin, Chinese swimmer
  • 1972 – Anders Thomas Jensen, Danish director and screenwriter
  • 1972 – Dickey Simpkins, American basketball player and sportscaster
  • 1973 – Donnie Edwards, American football player
  • 1973 – Randall Godfrey, American football player
  • 1973 – Rie Miyazawa, Japanese model and actress
  • 1973 – Sun Wen, Chinese footballer
  • 1975 – Zach Braff, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1975 – Hal Gill, American ice hockey player
  • 1976 – Candace Cameron Bure, American actress and talk show panelist
  • 1976 – James Fox, Welsh singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
  • 1976 – Chris Hoke, American football player
  • 1976 – Georg Hólm, Icelandic bass player
  • 1976 – Hirotada Ototake, Japanese author and educator
  • 1977 – Ville Nieminen, Finnish ice hockey player
  • 1977 – Andy Phillips, American baseball player and coach
  • 1978 – Imani Coppola, American singer-songwriter and violinist
  • 1978 – Robert Glasper, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer
  • 1978 – Tim Hasselbeck, American football player and sportscaster
  • 1978 – Myleene Klass, Austrian/Filipino-English singer, pianist, and model
  • 1978 – Martín Méndez, Uruguayan bass player and songwriter
  • 1978 – Blaine Neal, American baseball player
  • 1978 – Igor Semshov, Russian footballer
  • 1979 – Lord Frederick Windsor, English journalist and financier
  • 1979 – Clay Travis, American sports journalist, blogger, and broadcaster
  • 1980 – Tommi Evilä, Finnish long jumper
  • 1980 – Tanja Poutiainen, Finnish skier
  • 1980 – Antonio Thomas, American wrestler
  • 1981 – Robert Earnshaw, Welsh footballer
  • 1981 – Jeff Faine, American football player
  • 1981 – Alex Suarez, American bass player
  • 1982 – Travis Moen, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1982 – Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Spanish actor
  • 1983 – Mehdi Ballouchy, Moroccan footballer
  • 1983 – Jerome Kaino, New Zealand rugby player
  • 1983 – Mitsuru Nagata, Japanese footballer
  • 1983 – Remi Nicole, English singer-songwriter and actress
  • 1983 – James Wade, English darts player
  • 1983 – Katie Weatherston, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1984 – Max Bemis, American singer-songwriter
  • 1984 – Michaël Ciani, French footballer
  • 1984 – Siboniso Gaxa, South African footballer
  • 1984 – Diana Matheson, Canadian soccer player
  • 1985 – Clarke MacArthur, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1985 – Frank Ongfiang, Cameroonian footballer
  • 1985 – Sinqua Walls, American basketball player and actor
  • 1986 – Nikolas Asprogenis, Cypriot footballer
  • 1986 – Aaron Curry, American football player
  • 1986 – Goeido Gotaro, Japanese sumo wrestler
  • 1986 – Ryota Moriwaki, Japanese footballer
  • 1987 – Benjamin Corgnet, French footballer
  • 1987 – Heidi Mount, American model
  • 1987 – Juan Adriel Ochoa, Mexican footballer
  • 1987 – Levi Porter, English footballer
  • 1987 – Hilary Rhoda, American model
  • 1988 – Jucilei, Brazilian footballer
  • 1988 – Leigh Adams, Australian footballer
  • 1988 – Daniele Gasparetto, Italian footballer
  • 1988 – Carlton Mitchell, American football player
  • 1988 – Fabrice Muamba, Congolese-English footballer
  • 1988 – Ivonne Orsini, Puerto Rican-American model and television host, Miss World Puerto Rico 2008
  • 1990 – Lachlan Coote, Australian rugby league player
  • 1990 – Charlie McDermott, American actor
  • 1990 – Andrei Veis, Estonian footballer
  • 1992 – Ken, South Korean singer
  • 1992 – Julie Ertz, American soccer player
  • 1994 – Adrián Alonso, Mexican actor
  • 1995 – Darya Lebesheva, Belarusian tennis player
  • 1998 – Peyton List, American actress and model

Deaths on April 6

  • 861 – Prudentius, bishop of Troyes
  • 885 – Saint Methodius, Byzantine missionary and saint (b. 815)
  • 887 – Pei Che, chancellor of the Tang Dynasty
  • 943 – Liu Churang, Chinese general and chief of staff (b. 881)
  • 943 – Nasr II, ruler (amir) of the Samanid Empire (b. 906)
  • 1147 – Frederick II, duke of Swabia (b. 1090)
  • 1199 – Richard I, king of England (b. 1157)
  • 1231 – William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
  • 1250 – Guillaume de Sonnac, Grand Master of the Knights Templar
  • 1252 – Peter of Verona, Italian priest and saint (b. 1206)
  • 1340 – Basil, emperor of Trebizond (Turkey)
  • 1362 – James I, count of La Marche (b. 1319)
  • 1376 – Preczlaw of Pogarell, Cardinal and Bishop of Wrocław (b. 1310)
  • 1490 – Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary and Croatia from 1458 to 1490 (b. 1443)
  • 1520 – Raphael, Italian painter and architect (b. 1483)
  • 1523 – Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, English nobleman (b. 1479)
  • 1528 – Albrecht Dürer, German painter, engraver, and mathematician (b. 1471)
  • 1551 – Joachim Vadian, Swiss scholar and politician (b. 1484)
  • 1571 – John Hamilton, Scottish archbishop and academic (b. 1512)
  • 1590 – Francis Walsingham, English politician and diplomat, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (b. 1532)
  • 1593 – Henry Barrowe, English Puritan and separatist (b. 1550)
  • 1605 – John Stow, English historian and author (b. 1525)
  • 1621 – Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford (b. 1539)
  • 1641 – Domenico Zampieri (Domenichino), Italian painter (b. 1581)
  • 1655 – David Blondel, French minister, historian, and scholar (b. 1591)
  • 1676 – John Winthrop the Younger, English politician, 1st Governor of Connecticut (b. 1606)
  • 1686 – Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey, Irish-English politician (b. 1614)
  • 1707 – Willem van de Velde the Younger, Dutch-English painter (b. 1633)
  • 1755 – Richard Rawlinson, English minister and historian (b. 1690)
  • 1790 – Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (b. 1719)
  • 1825 – Vladimir Borovikovsky, Ukrainian-Russian painter and educator (b. 1757)
  • 1829 – Niels Henrik Abel, Norwegian mathematician and theorist (b. 1802)
  • 1833 – Adamantios Korais, Greek philosopher and scholar (b. 1748)
  • 1838 – José Bonifácio de Andrada, Brazilian poet, academic, and politician (b. 1763)
  • 1860 – James Kirke Paulding, American author and politician, 11th United States Secretary of the Navy (b. 1778)
  • 1862 – Albert Sidney Johnston, American general (b. 1803)
  • 1883 – Benjamin Wright Raymond, American merchant and politician, 3rd Mayor of Chicago (b. 1801)
  • 1886 – William Edward Forster, English businessman, philanthropist, and politician, Chief Secretary for Ireland (b. 1818)
  • 1899 – Alvan Wentworth Chapman, American physician and botanist (b. 1809)
  • 1906 – Alexander Kielland, Norwegian author, playwright, and politician, 6th County Governor of Møre og Romsdal (b. 1849)
  • 1913 – Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore (b. 1835)
  • 1923 – Kabalega, King of Bunyoro (b.1853)
  • 1927 – Florence Earle Coates, American poet (b. 1850)
  • 1935 – Edwin Arlington Robinson, American poet and playwright (b. 1869)
  • 1944 – Rose O’Neill, American cartoonist, illustrator, artist, and writer (b. 1874)
  • 1947 – Herbert Backe, German agronomist and politician (b. 1896)
  • 1950 – Louis Wilkins, American pole vaulter (b. 1882)
  • 1953 – Idris Davies, Welsh poet and author (b. 1905)
  • 1959 – Leo Aryeh Mayer, Polish-Israeli scholar and academic (b. 1895)
  • 1961 – Jules Bordet, Belgian microbiologist and immunologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1870)
  • 1963 – Otto Struve, Ukrainian-American astronomer and academic (b. 1897)
  • 1970 – Maurice Stokes, American basketball player (b. 1933)
  • 1971 – Igor Stravinsky, Russian-American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1882)
  • 1974 – Willem Marinus Dudok, Dutch architect (b. 1884)
  • 1974 – Hudson Fysh, Australian pilot and businessman, co-founded Qantas Airways Limited (b. 1895)
  • 1977 – Kōichi Kido, Japanese politician, 13th Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan (b. 1889)
  • 1979 – Ivan Vasilyov, Bulgarian architect, designed the SS. Cyril and Methodius National Library (b. 1893)
  • 1983 – Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri, Indian General who served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 1962 to 1966 and the Military Governor of Hyderabad State from 1948 to 1949. (b. 1908)
  • 1992 – Isaac Asimov, American science fiction writer (b. 1920)
  • 1994 – Juvénal Habyarimana, Rwandan banker and politician, 3rd President of Rwanda (b. 1937)
  • 1994 – Cyprien Ntaryamira, Burundian politician, 5th President of Burundi (b. 1955)
  • 1995 – Ioannis Alevras, Greek banker and politician, President of Greece (b. 1912)
  • 1996 – Greer Garson, English-American actress (b. 1904)
  • 1998 – Norbert Schmitz, German footballer (b. 1958)
  • 1998 – Tammy Wynette, American singer-songwriter (b. 1942)
  • 1999 – Red Norvo, American vibraphone player and composer (b. 1908)
  • 2000 – Habib Bourguiba, Tunisian politician, 1st President of Tunisia (b. 1903)
  • 2001 – Charles Pettigrew, American singer-songwriter (b. 1963)
  • 2003 – David Bloom, American journalist (b. 1963)
  • 2003 – Anita Borg, American computer scientist and educator; founded Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (b. 1949)
  • 2003 – Gerald Emmett Carter, Canadian cardinal (b. 1912)
  • 2003 – Babatunde Olatunji, Nigerian drummer, educator, and activist (b. 1927)
  • 2004 – Lou Berberet, American baseball player (b. 1929)
  • 2004 – Larisa Bogoraz, Russian linguist and activist (b. 1929)
  • 2005 – Rainier III, Prince of Monaco (b. 1923)
  • 2006 – Maggie Dixon, American basketball player and coach (b. 1977)
  • 2006 – Francis L. Kellogg, American soldier and diplomat (b. 1917)
  • 2006 – Stefanos Stratigos, Greek actor and director (b. 1926)
  • 2007 – Luigi Comencini, Italian director and producer (b. 1916)
  • 2009 – J. M. S. Careless, Canadian historian and academic (b. 1919)
  • 2009 – Shawn Mackay, Australian rugby player and coach (b. 1982)
  • 2010 – Wilma Mankiller, American tribal leader (b. 1945)
  • 2010 – Corin Redgrave, English actor (b. 1939)
  • 2011 – Gerald Finnerman, American director and cinematographer (b. 1931)
  • 2012 – Roland Guilbault, American admiral (b. 1934)
  • 2012 – Thomas Kinkade, American painter and illustrator (b. 1958)
  • 2012 – Fang Lizhi, Chinese astrophysicist and academic (b. 1936)
  • 2012 – Sheila Scotter, Australian fashion designer and journalist (b. 1920)
  • 2012 – Reed Whittemore, American poet and critic (b. 1919)
  • 2013 – Hilda Bynoe, Grenadian physician and politician, 2nd Governor of Grenada (b. 1921)
  • 2013 – Bill Guttridge, English footballer and manager (b. 1931)
  • 2013 – Bigas Luna, Spanish director and screenwriter (b. 1946)
  • 2013 – Ottmar Schreiner, German lawyer and politician (b. 1946)
  • 2014 – Mary Anderson, American actress (b. 1918)
  • 2014 – Jacques Castérède, French pianist and composer (b. 1926)
  • 2014 – Liv Dommersnes, Norwegian actress (b. 1922)
  • 2014 – Mickey Rooney, American soldier, actor, and dancer (b. 1920)
  • 2014 – Chuck Stone, American soldier, journalist, and academic (b. 1924)
  • 2014 – Massimo Tamburini, Italian motorcycle designer, co-founded Bimota (b. 1943)
  • 2015 – Giovanni Berlinguer, Italian lawyer and politician (b. 1924)
  • 2015 – James Best, American actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1926)
  • 2015 – Ray Charles, American singer-songwriter and conductor (b. 1918)
  • 2015 – Dollard St. Laurent, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1929)
  • 2016 – Merle Haggard, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1937)
  • 2017 – Don Rickles, American actor and comedian (b. 1926)
  • 2019 – Michael O’Donnell, British physician, journalist, author and broadcaster (b. 1928)

Holidays and observances on April 6

  • Chakri Day, commemorating the establishment of the Chakri dynasty. (Thailand)
  • Christian feast day:
    • Albrecht Dürer and Lucas Cranach (Lutheran Church).
    • Brychan
    • Eutychius of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox Church)
    • Marcellinus of Carthage
    • Pope Celestine I (Catholic Church)
    • Pope Sixtus I
    • April 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
  • National Fisherman Day (Indonesia)
  • New Beer’s Eve (United States)
  • Tartan Day (United States & Canada)

April 6 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

March 30 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 598 – Balkan Campaign: The Avars lift the siege at the Byzantine stronghold of Tomis. Their leader Bayan I retreats north of the Danube River after the Avaro-Slavic hordes are decimated by the plague.
  • 1282 – The people of Sicily rebel against the Angevin king Charles I, in what becomes known as the Sicilian Vespers.
  • 1296 – Edward I sacks Berwick-upon-Tweed, during armed conflict between Scotland and England.
  • 1699 – Guru Gobind Singh establishes the Khalsa in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.
  • 1815 – Joachim Murat issues the Rimini Proclamation which would later inspire Italian unification.
  • 1818 – Physicist Augustin Fresnel reads a memoir on optical rotation to the French Academy of Sciences, reporting that when polarized light is “depolarized” by a Fresnel rhomb, its properties are preserved in any subsequent passage through an optically-rotating crystal or liquid.
  • 1822 – The Florida Territory is created in the United States.
  • 1841 – The National Bank of Greece is founded in Athens.
  • 1842 – Ether anesthesia is used for the first time, in an operation by the American surgeon Dr. Crawford Long.
  • 1844 – One of the most important battles of the Dominican War of Independence from Haiti takes place near the city of Santiago de los Caballeros.
  • 1855 – Origins of the American Civil War: “Border Ruffians” from Missouri invade Kansas and force election of a pro-slavery legislature.
  • 1856 – The Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Crimean War.
  • 1861 – Discovery of the chemical elements: Sir William Crookes announces his discovery of thallium.
  • 1863 – Danish prince Wilhelm Georg is chosen as King George of Greece.
  • 1867 – Alaska is purchased from Russia for $7.2 million, about 2-cent/acre ($4.19/km²), by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward.
  • 1870 – Texas is readmitted to the United States Congress following Reconstruction.
  • 1885 – The Battle for Kushka triggers the Panjdeh Incident which nearly gives rise to war between the Russian and British Empire.
  • 1899 – German Society of Chemistry issues an invitation to other national scientific organizations to appoint delegates to the International Committee on Atomic Weights.
  • 1912 – Sultan Abd al-Hafid signs the Treaty of Fez, making Morocco a French protectorate.
  • 1918 – Outburst of bloody March Events in Baku and other locations of Baku Governorate.
  • 1939 – The Heinkel He 100 fighter sets a world airspeed record of 463 mph (745 km/h).
  • 1940 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Japan declares Nanking capital of a new Chinese puppet government, nominally controlled by Wang Jingwei.
  • 1944 – World War II: Allied bombers conduct their most severe bombing run on Sofia, Bulgaria.
  • 1944 – Out of 795 Lancasters, Halifaxes and Mosquitos sent to attack Nuremberg, 95 bombers do not return, making it the largest RAF Bomber Command loss of the war.
  • 1945 – World War II: Soviet forces invade Austria and capture Vienna; Polish and Soviet forces liberate Danzig.
  • 1949 – Cold War: A riot breaks out in Austurvöllur square in Reykjavík, when Iceland joins NATO.
  • 1959 – Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, flees Tibet for India.
  • 1961 – The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is signed in New York City.
  • 1965 – Vietnam War: A car bomb explodes in front of the United States Embassy, Saigon, killing 22 and wounding 183 others.
  • 1972 – Vietnam War: The Easter Offensive begins after North Vietnamese forces cross into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) of South Vietnam.
  • 1976 – Israeli-Palestinian conflict: in the first organized response against Israeli policies by a Palestinian collective since 1948, Palestinians create the first Land Day.
  • 1979 – Airey Neave, a British Member of Parliament, is killed by a car bomb as he exits the Palace of Westminster. The Irish National Liberation Army claims responsibility.
  • 1981 – U.S. President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John Hinckley, Jr.; three others are wounded in the same incident.
  • 1982 – Space Shuttle program: STS-3 mission is completed with the landing of Columbia at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
  • 2002 – 2002 Lyon car attack takes place.
  • 2009 – Twelve gunmen attack the Manawan Police Academy in Lahore, Pakistan.
  • 2017 – SpaceX conducts the world’s first reflight of an orbital class rocket.

Births on March 30

  • 892 – Shi Jingtang, founder of the Later Jin Dynasty (d. 942)
  • 1135 – Maimonides, Spanish rabbi and philosopher (April 6 also proposed, d. 1204)
  • 1326 – Ivan II of Moscow (d. 1359)
  • 1432 – Mehmed the Conqueror, Ottoman sultan (d. 1481)
  • 1510 – Antonio de Cabezón, Spanish composer and organist (d. 1566)
  • 1551 – Salomon Schweigger, German theologian (d. 1622)
  • 1606 – Vincentio Reinieri, Italian mathematician and astronomer (d. 1647)
  • 1632 – John Proctor, farmer hanged for witchcraft in the Salem witch trials (d. 1692)
  • 1640 – John Trenchard, English politician, Secretary of State for the Northern Department (d. 1695)
  • 1727 – Tommaso Traetta, Italian composer and educator (d. 1779)
  • 1746 – Francisco Goya, Spanish-French painter and sculptor (d. 1828)
  • 1750 – John Stafford Smith, English organist and composer (d. 1836)
  • 1793 – Juan Manuel de Rosas, Argentinian soldier and politician, 13th Governor of Buenos Aires Province (d. 1877)
  • 1805 – Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann, German-Swedish linguist and botanist (d. 1887)
  • 1811 – Robert Bunsen, German chemist and academic (d. 1899)
  • 1820 – Anna Sewell, English author (d. 1878)
  • 1820 – James Whyte, Scottish-Australian politician, 6th Premier of Tasmania (d. 1882)
  • 1844 – Paul Verlaine, French poet (d. 1896)
  • 1853 – Vincent van Gogh, Dutch-French painter and illustrator (d. 1890)
  • 1853 – Arnoldo Sartorio, German composer, pianist, and teacher (d. 1936)
  • 1857 – Léon Charles Thévenin, French engineer (d. 1926)
  • 1858 – Siegfried Alkan, German composer (d. 1941)
  • 1863 – Mary Calkins, American philosopher and psychologist (d. 1930)
  • 1864 – Franz Oppenheimer, German-American sociologist and economist (d. 1943)
  • 1874 – Charles Lightoller, English 2nd officer on the RMS Titanic (d. 1952)
  • 1874 – Josiah McCracken, American hammer thrower, shot putter, and football player (d. 1962)
  • 1874 – Nicolae Rădescu, Romanian general and politician, Prime Minister of Romania (d. 1953)
  • 1875 – Thomas Xenakis, Greek-American gymnast (d. 1942)
  • 1879 – Coen de Koning, Dutch speed skater (d. 1954)
  • 1880 – Seán O’Casey, Irish dramatist, playwright, and memoirist (d. 1964)
  • 1882 – Melanie Klein, Jewish Austrian-English psychologist and author (d. 1960)
  • 1888 – J. R. Williams, Canadian-born cartoonist (d. 1957)
  • 1891 – Chunseong, Korean monk, writer and philosopher (d. 1977)
  • 1892 – Stefan Banach, Polish mathematician and academic (d. 1945)
  • 1892 – Fortunato Depero, Italian painter and sculptor (d. 1960)
  • 1892 – Erhard Milch, German field marshal (d. 1972)
  • 1892 – Johannes Pääsuke, Estonian photographer and director (d. 1918)
  • 1892 – Erwin Panofsky, German historian and academic (d. 1968)
  • 1894 – Tommy Green, English race walker (d. 1975)
  • 1894 – Sergey Ilyushin, Russian engineer, founded Ilyushin Aircraft Company (d. 1977)
  • 1895 – Jean Giono, French author and poet (d. 1970)
  • 1895 – Carl Lutz, Swiss vice-consul to Hungary during WWII, credited with saving over 62,000 Jews (d. 1975)
  • 1895 – Charlie Wilson, English footballer (d. 1971)
  • 1899 – Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, Indian author, playwright, and screenwriter (d. 1970)
  • 1902 – Brooke Astor, American socialite and philanthropist (d. 2007)
  • 1902 – Ted Heath, English trombonist and composer (d. 1969)
  • 1903 – Joy Ridderhof, American missionary (d. 1984)
  • 1904 – Ripper Collins, American baseball player and coach (d. 1970)
  • 1905 – Archie Birkin, English motorcycle racer (d. 1927)
  • 1905 – Mikio Oda, Japanese triple jumper and academic (d. 1998)
  • 1905 – Albert Pierrepoint, English hangman (d. 1992)
  • 1907 – Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte, German general (d. 1994)
  • 1910 – Józef Marcinkiewicz, Polish soldier, mathematician, and academic (d. 1940)
  • 1911 – Ekrem Akurgal, Turkish archaeologist and academic (d. 2002)
  • 1912 – Jack Cowie, New Zealand cricketer (d. 1994)
  • 1912 – Alvin Hamilton, Canadian lieutenant and politician, 18th Canadian Minister of Agriculture (d. 2004)
  • 1913 – Marc Davis, American animator (d. 2000)
  • 1913 – Richard Helms, American soldier and diplomat, 8th Director of Central Intelligence (d. 2002)
  • 1913 – Frankie Laine, American singer-songwriter (d. 2007)
  • 1913 – Ċensu Tabone, Maltese general, physician, and politician, 4th President of Malta (d. 2012)
  • 1914 – Sonny Boy Williamson I, American singer-songwriter and harmonica player (d. 1948)
  • 1915 – Pietro Ingrao, Italian journalist and politician (d. 2015)
  • 1917 – Els Aarne, Ukrainian-Estonian pianist, composer, and educator (d. 1995)
  • 1919 – McGeorge Bundy, American intelligence officer and diplomat, 6th United States National Security Advisor (d. 1996)
  • 1919 – Robin M. Williams, New Zealand mathematician and academic (d. 2013)
  • 1921 – André Fontaine, French historian and journalist (d. 2013)
  • 1922 – Turhan Bey, American actor (d. 2012)
  • 1922 – Arthur Wightman, American physicist and academic (d. 2013)
  • 1923 – Milton Acorn, Canadian poet and playwright (d. 1986)
  • 1926 – Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish businessman, founded IKEA (d. 2018)
  • 1927 – Wally Grout, Australian cricketer (d. 1968)
  • 1928 – Robert Badinter, French lawyer and politician, French Minister of Justice
  • 1928 – Colin Egar, Australian cricket umpire (d. 2008)
  • 1928 – Tom Sharpe, English-Spanish author and educator (d. 2013)
  • 1929 – Richard Dysart, American actor (d. 2015)
  • 1929 – Ray Musto, American soldier and politician (d. 2014)
  • 1929 – István Rózsavölgyi, Hungarian runner (d. 2012)
  • 1930 – John Astin, American actor
  • 1930 – Rolf Harris, Australian singer-songwriter
  • 1933 – Jean-Claude Brialy, French actor and director (d. 2007)
  • 1934 – Paul Crouch, American broadcaster, co-founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network (d. 2013)
  • 1934 – Hans Hollein, Austrian architect and academic, designed Haas House (d. 2014)
  • 1935 – Karl Berger, German pianist and composer
  • 1935 – Willie Galimore, American football player (d. 1964)
  • 1935 – Gordon Mumma, American composer
  • 1937 – Warren Beatty, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1937 – Ian MacLaurin, Baron MacLaurin of Knebworth, English businessman
  • 1938 – John Barnhill, American basketball player and coach (d. 2013)
  • 1938 – Klaus Schwab, German economist and engineer, founded the World Economic Forum
  • 1940 – Norman Gifford, English cricketer
  • 1940 – Jerry Lucas, American basketball player and educator
  • 1940 – Hans Ragnemalm, Swedish lawyer and judge (d. 2016)
  • 1941 – Graeme Edge, English singer-songwriter and drummer
  • 1941 – Ron Johnston, English geographer and academic
  • 1941 – Wasim Sajjad, Pakistani lawyer and politician, President of Pakistan
  • 1941 – Bob Smith, American soldier and politician
  • 1942 – Ruben Kun, Nauruan lawyer and politician, 14th President of Nauru (d. 2014)
  • 1942 – Tane Norton, New Zealand rugby player
  • 1942 – Kenneth Welsh, Canadian actor
  • 1943 – Jay Traynor, American pop and doo-wop singer (d. 2014)
  • 1944 – Mark Wylea Erwin, American businessman and diplomat
  • 1944 – Brian Wilshire, Australian radio host
  • 1945 – Eric Clapton, English guitarist and singer-songwriter
  • 1947 – Dick Roche, Irish politician, Minister of State for European Affairs
  • 1947 – Terje Venaas, Norwegian bassist
  • 1948 – Nigel Jones, Baron Jones of Cheltenham, English computer programmer and politician
  • 1948 – Eddie Jordan, Irish racing driver and team owner, founded Jordan Grand Prix
  • 1948 – Mervyn King, English economist and academic
  • 1948 – Jim “Dandy” Mangrum, American rock singer
  • 1949 – Liza Frulla, Canadian talk show host and politician, 3rd Minister of Canadian Heritage
  • 1949 – Dana Gillespie, English singer-songwriter and actress
  • 1949 – Naomi Sims, American model and author (d. 2009)
  • 1950 – Janet Browne, English-American historian and academic
  • 1950 – Robbie Coltrane, Scottish actor
  • 1950 – Grady Little, American baseball player, coach, and manager
  • 1950 – Warren Snowdon, Australian educator and politician, 39th Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
  • 1951 – Paul Da Vinci, English singer-songwriter
  • 1952 – Stuart Dryburgh, English-New Zealand cinematographer
  • 1952 – Peter Knights, Australian footballer and coach
  • 1955 – Randy VanWarmer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2004)
  • 1956 – Bill Butler, Scottish educator and politician
  • 1956 – Juanito Oiarzabal, Spanish mountaineer
  • 1956 – Shahla Sherkat, Iranian journalist and author
  • 1957 – Marie-Christine Koundja, Chadian author and diplomat
  • 1957 – Paul Reiser, American actor and comedian
  • 1958 – Maurice LaMarche, Canadian voice actor and stand-up comedian
  • 1958 – Joey Sindelar, American golfer
  • 1959 – Martina Cole, English television host and author
  • 1960 – Laurie Graham, Canadian skier
  • 1960 – Bill Johnson, American skier (d. 2016)
  • 1961 – Mike Thackwell, New Zealand racing driver
  • 1961 – Doug Wickenheiser, Canadian-American ice hockey player (d. 1999)
  • 1962 – Mark Begich, American politician
  • 1962 – MC Hammer, American rapper and actor
  • 1962 – Gary Stevens, English international footballer, defender and manager
  • 1963 – Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, Mongolian journalist and politician, 4th President of Mongolia
  • 1963 – Eli-Eri Moura, Brazilian composer and conductor
  • 1963 – Panagiotis Tsalouchidis, Greek footballer
  • 1964 – Vlado Bozinovski, Macedonian-Australian footballer and manager
  • 1964 – Tracy Chapman, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1965 – Piers Morgan, English journalist and talk show host
  • 1966 – Efstratios Grivas, Greek chess player and author
  • 1966 – Dmitry Volkov, Russian swimmer
  • 1966 – Leonid Voloshin, Russian triple jumper
  • 1967 – Christopher Bowman, American figure skater and coach (d. 2008)
  • 1967 – Richard Hutten, Dutch furniture designer
  • 1967 – Julie Richardson, New Zealand tennis player
  • 1968 – Celine Dion, Canadian singer-songwriter
  • 1969 – Troy Bayliss, Australian motorcycle racer
  • 1970 – Tobias Hill, English poet and author
  • 1970 – Sylvain Charlebois, Canadian food/agriculture researcher and author
  • 1971 – Mari Holden, American cyclist
  • 1971 – Mark Consuelos, American actor and television personality
  • 1972 – Mili Avital, Israeli-American actress
  • 1972 – Emerson Thome, Brazilian footballer and scout
  • 1972 – Karel Poborský, Czech footballer
  • 1973 – Adam Goldstein, American keyboard player, DJ, and producer (d. 2009)
  • 1973 – Jan Koller, Czech footballer
  • 1973 – Kareem Streete-Thompson, Caymanian-American long jumper
  • 1974 – Martin Love, Australian cricketer
  • 1975 – Paul Griffen, New Zealand-Italian rugby player
  • 1976 – Ty Conklin, American ice hockey player
  • 1976 – Obadele Thompson, Barbadian sprinter
  • 1976 – Troels Lund Poulsen, Danish politician, Minister for Education of Denmark
  • 1977 – Abhishek Chaubey, Indian director and screenwriter
  • 1978 – Paweł Czapiewski, Polish runner
  • 1978 – Chris Paterson, Scottish rugby player and coach
  • 1978 – Bok van Blerk, South African singer-songwriter and actor
  • 1979 – Norah Jones, American singer-songwriter and pianist
  • 1979 – Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, Ukrainian footballer
  • 1980 – Ricardo Osorio, Mexican footballer
  • 1981 – Jammal Brown, American football player
  • 1981 – Andrea Masi, Italian rugby player
  • 1982 – Mark Hudson, English footballer
  • 1982 – Philippe Mexès, French footballer
  • 1982 – Javier Portillo, Spanish footballer
  • 1982 – Jason Dohring, American actor
  • 1983 – Jérémie Aliadière, French footballer
  • 1984 – Mario Ančić, Croatian tennis player
  • 1984 – Samantha Stosur, Australian tennis player
  • 1985 – Giacomo Ricci, Italian racing driver
  • 1986 – Sergio Ramos, Spanish footballer
  • 1987 – Trent Barreta, American wrestler
  • 1987 – Calum Elliot, Scottish footballer
  • 1987 – Kwok Kin Pong, Hong Kong footballer
  • 1987 – Marc-Édouard Vlasic, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1988 – Will Matthews, Australian rugby league player
  • 1988 – Thanasis Papazoglou, Greek footballer
  • 1988 – Richard Sherman, American football player
  • 1988 – Larisa Yurkiw, Canadian alpine skier
  • 1989 – Chris Sale, American baseball player
  • 1989 – João Sousa, Portuguese tennis player
  • 1990 – Thomas Rhett, American country music singer and songwriter
  • 1990 – Michal Březina, Czech figure skater
  • 1992 – Palak Muchhal, Indian playback singer
  • 1993 – Anitta, Brazilian singer and entertainer
  • 1994 – Jetro Willems, Dutch footballer
  • 1997 – Cha Eun-woo, South Korean singer and actor, A member of the South Korean boy band, Astro
  • 1998 – Kalyn Ponga, Australian rugby league player
  • 2000 – Colton Herta, American race car driver

Deaths on March 30

  • 116 – Quirinus of Neuss, Roman martyr and saint
  • 365 – Ai of Jin, emperor of the Jin Dynasty (b. 341)
  • 943 – Li Bian, emperor of Southern Tang (b. 889)
  • 987 – Arnulf II, Count of Flanders (b. 960)
  • 1180 – Al-Mustadi, Caliph (b. 1142)
  • 1202 – Joachim of Fiore, Italian mystic and theologian (b. 1135)
  • 1465 – Isabella of Clermont, queen consort of Naples (b. c. 1424)
  • 1472 – Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy (b. 1435)
  • 1486 – Thomas Bourchier, English cardinal (b. 1404)
  • 1526 – Konrad Mutian, German humanist (b. 1471)
  • 1540 – Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg, German cardinal (b. 1469)
  • 1559 – Adam Ries, German mathematician and academic (b. 1492)
  • 1587 – Ralph Sadler, English politician, Secretary of State for England (b. 1507)
  • 1662 – François le Métel de Boisrobert, French poet and playwright (b. 1592)
  • 1689 – Kazimierz Łyszczyński, Polish atheist and philosopher (b. 1634)
  • 1707 – Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, French general and engineer (b. 1633)
  • 1764 – Pietro Locatelli, Italian violinist and composer (b. 1695)
  • 1783 – William Hunter, Scottish anatomist and physician (b. 1718)
  • 1804 – Victor-François, 2nd duc de Broglie, French general and politician, French Secretary of State for War (b. 1718)
  • 1806 – Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (b. 1757)
  • 1830 – Louis I, Grand Duke of Baden (b. 1763)
  • 1840 – Beau Brummell, English-French fashion designer (b. 1778)
  • 1842 – Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, French painter (b. 1755)
  • 1864 – Louis Schindelmeisser, German clarinet player, composer, and conductor (b. 1811)
  • 1873 – Bénédict Morel, Austrian-French psychiatrist and physician (b. 1809)
  • 1879 – Thomas Couture, French painter and educator (b. 1815)
  • 1886 – Joseph-Alfred Mousseau, Canadian judge and politician, 6th Premier of Quebec (b. 1838)
  • 1896 – Charilaos Trikoupis, Greek politician, 55th Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1832)
  • 1912 – Karl May, German author (b. 1842)
  • 1925 – Rudolf Steiner, Austrian philosopher and author (b. 1861)
  • 1935 – Romanos Melikian, Armenian composer (b. 1883)
  • 1936 – Conchita Supervía, Spanish soprano and actress (b. 1895)
  • 1940 – Sir John Gilmour, 2nd Baronet Scottish soldier and politician, Secretary of State for Scotland (b. 1876)
  • 1943 – Jan Bytnar, Polish lieutenant; WWII resistance fighter (b. 1921)
  • 1943 – Maciej Aleksy Dawidowski, Polish sergeant; WWII resistance fighter (b. 1920)
  • 1945 – Béla Balogh, Hungarian actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1885)
  • 1949 – Friedrich Bergius, German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1884)
  • 1949 – Dattaram Hindlekar, Indian cricketer (b. 1909)
  • 1950 – Léon Blum, French lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of France (b. 1872)
  • 1952 – Jigme Wangchuck, Bhutanese king (b. 1905)
  • 1955 – Harl McDonald, American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1899)
  • 1956 – Edmund Clerihew Bentley, English author and poet (b. 1875)
  • 1959 – Daniil Andreyev, Russian mystic and poet (b. 1906)
  • 1959 – John Auden, English solicitor, deputy coroner and a territorial soldier (b. 1894)
  • 1959 – Riccardo Zanella, Italian politician (b. 1875)
  • 1960 – Joseph Haas, German composer and educator (b. 1879)
  • 1961 – Philibert Jacques Melotte, English astronomer (b. 1880)
  • 1963 – Aleksandr Gauk, Russian conductor and composer (b. 1893)
  • 1964 – Nella Larsen, American nurse and author (b. 1891)
  • 1965 – Philip Showalter Hench, American physician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1896)
  • 1966 – Newbold Morris, American lawyer and politician (b. 1902)
  • 1966 – Maxfield Parrish, American painter and illustrator (b. 1870)
  • 1966 – Erwin Piscator, German director and producer (b. 1893)
  • 1967 – Frank Thorpe, Australian public servant (b. 1885)
  • 1967 – Jean Toomer, American poet and novelist (b. 1894)
  • 1969 – Lucien Bianchi, Belgian racing driver (b. 1934)
  • 1970 – Heinrich Brüning, German economist and politician, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1885)
  • 1972 – Mahir Çayan, Turkish politician (b. 1946)
  • 1972 – Gabriel Heatter, American radio commentator (b. 1890)
  • 1973 – Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, Scottish pilot and politician (b. 1903)
  • 1973 – Yves Giraud-Cabantous, French racing driver (b. 1904)
  • 1975 – Peter Bamm, German journalist and author (b. 1897)
  • 1977 – Levko Revutsky, Ukrainian composer and educator (b. 1889)
  • 1978 – George Paine, English cricketer and coach (b. 1908)
  • 1978 – Memduh Tağmaç, Turkish general (b. 1904)
  • 1979 – Airey Neave, English colonel, lawyer, and politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (b. 1916)
  • 1979 – Ray Ventura, French pianist and bandleader (b. 1908)
  • 1981 – DeWitt Wallace, American publisher, co-founded Reader’s Digest (b. 1889)
  • 1984 – Karl Rahner, German-Austrian priest and theologian (b. 1904)
  • 1985 – Harold Peary, American actor and singer (b. 1908)
  • 1986 – James Cagney, American actor and dancer (b. 1899)
  • 1986 – John Ciardi, American poet and etymologist (b. 1916)
  • 1988 – Edgar Faure, French historian and politician, Prime Minister of France (b. 1908)
  • 1990 – Harry Bridges, Australian-born American activist and trade union leader (b. 1901)
  • 1992 – Manolis Andronikos, Greek archaeologist and academic (b. 1919)
  • 1993 – S. M. Pandit, Indian painter (b. 1916)
  • 1993 – Richard Diebenkorn, American painter (b. 1922)
  • 1995 – Rozelle Claxton, American pianist (b. 1913)
  • 1995 – Tony Lock, English-Australian cricketer and coach (b. 1929)
  • 1995 – Paul A. Rothchild, American record producer (b. 1935)
  • 1996 – Hugh Falkus, English pilot and author (b. 1917)
  • 1996 – Ryoei Saito, Japanese businessman (b. 1916)
  • 2000 – Rudolf Kirchschläger, Austrian judge and politician, 8th President of Austria (b. 1915)
  • 2002 – Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother of the United Kingdom (b. 1900)
  • 2002 – Anand Bakshi, Indian poet and lyricist (b. 1930)
  • 2003 – Michael Jeter, American actor (b. 1952)
  • 2003 – Valentin Pavlov, Russian banker and politician, 11th Prime Minister of the Soviet Union (b. 1937)
  • 2004 – Alistair Cooke, English-American journalist and author (b. 1908)
  • 2004 – Hubert Gregg, English actor and director (b. 1914)
  • 2004 – Michael King, New Zealand historian and author (b. 1945)
  • 2004 – Timi Yuro, American singer and songwriter (b. 1940)
  • 2005 – Robert Creeley, American novelist, essayist, and poet (b. 1926)
  • 2005 – Milton Green, American hurdler and soldier (b. 1913)
  • 2005 – Fred Korematsu, American political activist (b. 1919)
  • 2005 – O. V. Vijayan, Indian author and illustrator (b. 1930)
  • 2005 – Mitch Hedberg, American stand-up comedian (b. 1968)
  • 2006 – Red Hickey, American football player and coach (b. 1917)
  • 2006 – John McGahern, Irish author and educator (b. 1934)
  • 2007 – John Roberts, Canadian political scientist, academic, and politician, 46th Secretary of State for Canada (b. 1933)
  • 2008 – Roland Fraïssé, French mathematical logician (b. 1920)
  • 2008 – David Leslie, Scottish racing driver (b. 1953)
  • 2008 – Richard Lloyd, English racing driver (b. 1945)
  • 2008 – Dith Pran, Cambodian-American photographer and journalist (b. 1942)
  • 2010 – Jaime Escalante, Bolivian-American educator (b. 1930)
  • 2010 – Morris R. Jeppson, American lieutenant and physicist (b. 1922)
  • 2010 – Martin Sandberger, German SS officer (b. 1911)
  • 2012 – Janet Anderson Perkin, Canadian baseball player and curler (b. 1921)
  • 2012 – Aquila Berlas Kiani, Indian-Canadian sociologist and academic (b. 1921)
  • 2012 – Francesco Mancini, Italian footballer and coach (b. 1968)
  • 2012 – Granville Semmes, American businessman, founded 1-800-Flowers (b. 1928)
  • 2012 – Leonid Shebarshin, Russian KGB officer (b. 1935)
  • 2013 – Daniel Hoffman, American poet and academic (b. 1923)
  • 2013 – Bobby Parks, American basketball player and coach (b. 1962)
  • 2013 – Phil Ramone, South African-American songwriter and producer, co-founded A & R Recording (b. 1934)
  • 2013 – Edith Schaeffer, Chinese-Swiss religious leader and author, co-founded L’Abri (b. 1914)
  • 2013 – Bob Turley, American baseball player and coach (b. 1930)
  • 2014 – Ray Hutchison, American lawyer and politician (b. 1932)
  • 2014 – Kate O’Mara, English actress (b. 1939)
  • 2015 – Helmut Dietl, German director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1944)
  • 2015 – Roger Slifer, American author, illustrator, screenwriter, and producer (b. 1954)
  • 2015 – Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld, Dutch astronomer and academic (b. 1921)
  • 2018 – Bill Maynard, English actor (b. 1928)
  • 2020 – Bill Withers, American musician (b. 1938)

Holidays and observances on March 30

  • Christian feast day:
    • Blessed Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy
    • Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka
    • John Climacus
    • Mamertinus of Auxerre
    • Quirinus of Neuss
    • Thomas Son Chasuhn, Marie-Nicolas-Antoine Daveluy (part of The Korean Martyrs)
    • Tola of Clonard
    • March 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Earliest day on which the first day of Hocktide can fall, while April 3 is the latest; observed on the second Monday after Easter. (Hungerford, England; popular in medieval England)
  • Land Day (Palestine)
  • National Doctors’ Day (United States)
  • Spiritual Baptist/Shouter Liberation Day (Trinidad and Tobago)
  • School Day of Non-violence and Peace (Spain)

March 30 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

March 22 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 106 – Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea.
  • 238 – Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperors.
  • 871 – Æthelred of Wessex is defeated by a Danish invasion army at the Battle of Marton.
  • 1508 – Ferdinand II of Aragon commissions Amerigo Vespucci chief navigator of the Spanish Empire.
  • 1621 – The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony sign a peace treaty with Massasoit of the Wampanoags.
  • 1622 – Jamestown massacre: Algonquians kill 347 English settlers around Jamestown, Virginia, a third of the colony’s population, during the Second Anglo-Powhatan War.
  • 1630 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony outlaws the possession of cards, dice, and gaming tables.
  • 1638 – Anne Hutchinson is expelled from Massachusetts Bay Colony for religious dissent.
  • 1713 – The Tuscarora War comes to an end with the fall of Fort Neoheroka, effectively opening up the interior of North Carolina to European colonization.
  • 1739 – Nader Shah occupies Delhi in India and sacks the city, stealing the jewels of the Peacock Throne.
  • 1765 – The British Parliament passes the Stamp Act that introduces a tax to be levied directly on its American colonies.
  • 1784 – The Emerald Buddha is moved with great ceremony to its current location in Wat Phra Kaew, Thailand.
  • 1829 – In the London Protocol, the three protecting powers (United Kingdom, France and Russia) establish the borders of Greece.
  • 1849 – The Austrians defeat the Piedmontese at the Battle of Novara.
  • 1871 – In North Carolina, William Woods Holden becomes the first governor of a U.S. state to be removed from office by impeachment.
  • 1872 – Illinois becomes the first state to require gender equality in employment.
  • 1873 – The Spanish National Assembly abolishes slavery in Puerto Rico.
  • 1894 – The first playoff game for the Stanley Cup starts.
  • 1906 – The first England vs France rugby union match is played at Parc des Princes in Paris
  • 1920 – Azeri and Turkish army soldiers with participation of Kurdish gangs attacked the Armenian inhabitants of Shushi (Nagorno Karabakh).
  • 1933 – Cullen–Harrison Act: President Franklin Roosevelt signs an amendment to the Volstead Act, legalizing the manufacture and sale of “3.2 beer” (3.2% alcohol by weight, approximately 4% alcohol by volume) and light wines.
  • 1939 – Germany takes Memel from Lithuania.
  • 1942 – World War II: In the Mediterranean Sea, the Royal Navy confronts Italy’s Regia Marina in the Second Battle of Sirte.
  • 1943 – World War II: The entire village of Khatyn (in what is the present-day Republic of Belarus) is burnt alive by Schutzmannschaft Battalion 118.
  • 1945 – World War II: The city of Hildesheim, Germany heavily damaged in a British air raid, though it had little military significance and Germany was on the verge of final defeat.
  • 1945 – The Arab League is founded when a charter is adopted in Cairo, Egypt.
  • 1960 – Arthur Leonard Schawlow and Charles Hard Townes receive the first patent for a laser.
  • 1972 – The United States Congress sends the Equal Rights Amendment to the states for ratification.
  • 1972 – In Eisenstadt v. Baird, the United States Supreme Court decides that unmarried persons have the right to possess contraceptives.
  • 1975 – A fire at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant in Decatur, Alabama causes a dangerous reduction in cooling water levels.
  • 1978 – Karl Wallenda of The Flying Wallendas dies after falling off a tight-rope suspended between two hotels in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
  • 1982 – NASA’s Space Shuttle Columbia is launched from the Kennedy Space Center on its third mission, STS-3.
  • 1992 – USAir Flight 405 crashes shortly after takeoff from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport, leading to a number of studies into the effect that ice has on aircraft.
  • 1992 – Fall of communism in Albania: The Democratic Party of Albania wins a decisive majority in the parliamentary election.
  • 1993 – The Intel Corporation ships the first Pentium chips (80586), featuring a 60 MHz clock speed, 100+ MIPS, and a 64 bit data path.
  • 1995 – Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov returns to earth after setting a record of 438 days in space.
  • 1997 – Tara Lipinski, aged 14 years and nine months, becomes the youngest women’s World Figure Skating Champion.
  • 2004 – Ahmed Yassin, co-founder and leader of the Palestinian Sunni Islamist group Hamas, two bodyguards, and nine civilian bystanders are killed in the Gaza Strip when hit by Israeli Air Force Hellfire missiles.
  • 2006 – Three Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) hostages are freed by British forces in Baghdad after 118 days of captivity and the murder of their colleague from the U.S., Tom Fox.
  • 2013 – At least 37 people are killed and 200 are injured after a fire destroys a camp containing Burmese refugees near Ban Mae, Thailand.
  • 2016 – Three suicide bombers kill 32 people and injure 316 in the 2016 Brussels bombings at the airport and at the Maelbeek/Maalbeek metro station.
  • 2017 – A terrorist attack in London near the Houses of Parliament leaves four people dead and at least 20 injured.
  • 2019 – Robert S. Mueller III delivers his report on the Russian government’s influence on the election of Donald Trump in the 2016 United States presidential election.
  • 2019 – Two buses crashes in Kitampo, a town north of Ghana’s capital Accra, killing at least 50 people.
  • 2020 – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces the country’s largest ever self-imposed curfew, in an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Births on March 22

  • 841 – Bernard Plantapilosa, Frankish son of Bernard of Septimania (d. 885)
  • 875 – William I, Duke of Aquitaine (d. 918)
  • 1212 – Emperor Go-Horikawa of Japan (d. 1235)
  • 1367 – Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk, English politician, Earl Marshal of the United Kingdom (probable; d. 1399)
  • 1394 – Ulugh Beg, Persian astronomer and mathematician (d. 1449)
  • 1459 – Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1519)
  • 1499 – Johann Carion, German astrologer and chronicler (d. 1537)
  • 1503 – Antonio Francesco Grazzini, Italian author and educator (d. 1583)
  • 1517 – Gioseffo Zarlino, Italian composer (d. 1590)
  • 1519 – Catherine Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk, English noblewoman (d. 1580)
  • 1582 – John Williams, Archbishop of York (d. 1650)
  • 1599 – Anthony van Dyck, Flemish-English painter and etcher (d. 1641)
  • 1609 – John II Casimir Vasa, Polish king (d. 1672)
  • 1615 – Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh, British scientist (d. 1691)
  • 1663 – August Hermann Francke, German clergyman, philanthropist, and scholar (d. 1727)
  • 1684 – William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, English politician, Secretary at War (d. 1764)
  • 1712 – Edward Moore, English poet and playwright (d. 1757)
  • 1720 – Nicolas-Henri Jardin, French architect, designed the Yellow Palace and Bernstorff Palace (d. 1799)
  • 1723 – Charles Carroll, American lawyer and politician (d. 1783)
  • 1728 – Anton Raphael Mengs, German painter and theorist (d. 1779)
  • 1785 – Adam Sedgwick, English scientist (d. 1873)
  • 1797 – William I, German Emperor (d. 1888)
  • 1808 – Caroline Norton, English feminist, social reformer, and author (d. 1877)
  • 1808 – David Swinson Maynard, American physician and lawyer (d. 1873)
  • 1812 – Stephen Pearl Andrews, American author and activist (d. 1886)
  • 1814 – Thomas Crawford, American sculptor, designed the Statue of Freedom (d. 1857)
  • 1817 – Braxton Bragg, American general (d. 1876)
  • 1818 – John Ainsworth Horrocks, English-Australian explorer, founded Penwortham (d. 1846)
  • 1822 – Ahmed Cevdet Pasha, Ottoman sociologist, historian, scholar, statesman and jurist (d. 1895)
  • 1842 – Mykola Lysenko, Ukrainian pianist, composer, and conductor (d. 1912)
  • 1846 – Randolph Caldecott, English illustrator and painter (d. 1886)
  • 1846 – James Timberlake, American lieutenant, police officer, and farmer (d. 1891)
  • 1852 – Otakar Ševčík, Czech violinist and educator (d. 1934)
  • 1852 – Hector Sévin, French cardinal (d. 1916)
  • 1855 – Dorothy Tennant, British painter (d. 1926)
  • 1857 – Paul Doumer, French mathematician, journalist, and politician, 14th President of France (d. 1932)
  • 1866 – Jack Boyle, American baseball player and umpire (d. 1913)
  • 1868 – Robert Andrews Millikan, American colonel and physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1953)
  • 1869 – Tom McInnes, Scottish-English footballer (d. 1939)
  • 1873 – Ernest Lawson, Canadian-American painter (d. 1939)
  • 1880 – Ernest C. Quigley, Canadian-American football player and coach (d. 1960)
  • 1884 – Arthur H. Vandenberg, American journalist and politician (d. 1951)
  • 1884 – Lyda Borelli, Italian actress (d. 1959)
  • 1885 – Aryeh Levin, Polish-Lithuanian rabbi and educator (d. 1969)
  • 1886 – August Rei, Estonian lawyer and politician, Head of State of Estonia (d. 1963)
  • 1887 – Chico Marx, American actor (d. 1961)
  • 1890 – George Clark, American race car driver (d. 1978)
  • 1892 – Charlie Poole, American country banjo player (d. 1931)
  • 1892 – Johannes Semper, Estonian poet and scholar (d. 1970)
  • 1896 – He Long, Chinese general and politician, 1st Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China (d. 1969)
  • 1896 – Joseph Schildkraut, Austrian-American actor (d. 1964)
  • 1899 – Ruth Page, American ballerina and choreographer (d. 1991)
  • 1901 – Greta Kempton, Austrian-American painter (d. 1991)
  • 1902 – Johannes Brinkman, Dutch architect, designed the Van Nelle Factory (d. 1949)
  • 1902 – Madeleine Milhaud, French actress and composer (d. 2008)
  • 1903 – Bill Holman, American cartoonist (d. 1987)
  • 1907 – James M. Gavin, American general and diplomat, United States Ambassador to France (d. 1990)
  • 1908 – Jack Crawford, Australian tennis player (d. 1991)
  • 1908 – Louis L’Amour, American novelist and short story writer (d. 1988)
  • 1909 – Gabrielle Roy, Canadian author and educator (d. 1983)
  • 1910 – Nicholas Monsarrat, English sailor and author (d. 1979)
  • 1912 – Wilfrid Brambell, Irish actor and performer (d. 1985)
  • 1912 – Karl Malden, American actor (d. 2009)
  • 1912 – Agnes Martin, Canadian-American painter and educator (d. 2004)
  • 1912 – Leslie Johnson, English race car driver (d. 1959)
  • 1913 – Tom McCall, American journalist and politician, 30th Governor of Oregon (d. 1983)
  • 1913 – Lew Wasserman, American businessman and talent agent (d. 2002)
  • 1913 – James Westerfield, American actor (d. 1971)
  • 1914 – John Stanley, American author and illustrator (d. 1993)
  • 1914 – Donald Stokes, Baron Stokes, English businessman (d. 2008)
  • 1917 – Virginia Grey, American actress (d. 2004)
  • 1917 – Irving Kaplansky, Canadian-American mathematician and academic (d. 2006)
  • 1917 – Paul Rogers, English actor (d. 2013)
  • 1918 – Cheddi Jagan, Guyanese politician, 4th President of Guyana (d. 1997)
  • 1919 – Bernard Krigstein, American illustrator (d. 1990)
  • 1920 – James Brown, American actor and singer (d. 1992)
  • 1920 – Werner Klemperer, German-American actor (d. 2000)
  • 1920 – Lloyd MacPhail, Canadian businessman and politician, 23rd Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island (d. 1995)
  • 1920 – Fanny Waterman, English pianist and educator, founded the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition
  • 1920 – Katsuko Saruhashi, Japanese geochemist (d. 2007)
  • 1920 – Ross Martin, American actor (d. 1981)
  • 1921 – Nino Manfredi, Italian actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2004)
  • 1922 – John J. Gilligan, American lieutenant and politician, 62nd Governor of Ohio (d. 2013)
  • 1922 – Stewart Stern, American screenwriter (d. 2015)
  • 1923 – Marcel Marceau, French mime and actor (d. 2007)
  • 1924 – Al Neuharth, American journalist and author, founded USA Today (d. 2013)
  • 1924 – Yevgeny Ostashev, Russian test pilot, participant in the launch of the first artificial Earth satellite (d. 1960)
  • 1924 – Osman F. Seden, Turkish director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1998)
  • 1924 – Bill Wendell, American television announcer (d. 1999)
  • 1927 – Marty Blake, American basketball player and manager (d. 2013)
  • 1927 – Nicolas Tikhomiroff, Russian photographer (d. 2016)
  • 1928 – Carrie Donovan, American journalist (d. 2001)
  • 1928 – E. D. Hirsch, American author, critic, and academic
  • 1928 – Ed Macauley, American basketball player, coach, and priest (d. 2011)
  • 1929 – Yayoi Kusama, Japanese artist
  • 1929 – P. Ramlee, Malaysian actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. (d. 1973)
  • 1930 – Derek Bok, American lawyer and academic
  • 1930 – Pat Robertson, American minister and broadcaster, founded the Christian Broadcasting Network
  • 1930 – Stephen Sondheim, American composer and songwriter
  • 1931 – Burton Richter, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2018)
  • 1931 – William Shatner, Canadian actor
  • 1931 – Leslie Thomas, Welsh journalist and author (d. 2014)
  • 1932 – Els Borst, Dutch physician and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 2014)
  • 1932 – Larry Evans, American chess player and journalist (d. 2010)
  • 1933 – Abolhassan Banisadr, Iranian economist and politician, 1st President of Iran
  • 1934 – May Britt, Swedish actress
  • 1934 – Sheila Cameron, English lawyer and judge
  • 1934 – Orrin Hatch, American lawyer and politician
  • 1935 – Lea Pericoli, Italian tennis player and journalist
  • 1935 – Frank Pulli, American baseball player and umpire (d. 2013)
  • 1935 – M. Emmet Walsh, American actor
  • 1936 – Ron Carey, American trade union leader (d. 2008)
  • 1936 – Roger Whittaker, Kenyan-English singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1936 – Erol Büyükburç, Turkish singer-songwriter, pop music composer, and actor (d. 2015)
  • 1937 – Angelo Badalamenti, American pianist and composer
  • 1937 – Armin Hary, German sprinter
  • 1937 – Jon Hassell, American trumpet player and composer
  • 1938 – Rein Etruk, Estonian chess player (d. 2012)
  • 1940 – Dave Keon, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1940 – Haing S. Ngor, Cambodian-American physician and author (d. 1996)
  • 1940 – George Edward Alcorn, Jr. American physicist and inventor
  • 1941 – Billy Collins, American poet
  • 1941 – Jeremy Clyde, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1941 – Bruno Ganz, Swiss actor (d. 2019)
  • 1941 – Cassam Uteem, Mauritian politician, 2nd President of Mauritius
  • 1942 – Jorge Ben Jor, Brazilian singer-songwriter
  • 1942 – Dick Pound, Canadian lawyer and academic
  • 1943 – George Benson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1943 – Nazem Ganjapour, Iranian footballer and manager (d. 2013)
  • 1943 – Keith Relf, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 1976)
  • 1945 – Eric Roth, American screenwriter and producer
  • 1946 – Don Chaney, American basketball player and coach
  • 1946 – Rivka Golani, Israeli viola player and composer
  • 1946 – Rudy Rucker, American mathematician, computer scientist, and author
  • 1946 – Harry Vanda, Dutch-Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
  • 1947 – George Ferguson, English architect and politician, 1st Mayor of Bristol
  • 1947 – James Patterson, American author and producer
  • 1947 – Maarten van Gent, Dutch basketball player and coach
  • 1948 – Andrew Lloyd Webber, English composer and director
  • 1949 – Fanny Ardant, French actress, director, and screenwriter
  • 1949 – Brian Hanrahan, English journalist (d. 2010)
  • 1952 – Des Browne, Scottish lawyer and politician, Secretary of State for Scotland
  • 1953 – Kenneth Rogoff, American economist and chess grandmaster
  • 1955 – Lena Olin, Swedish actress
  • 1955 – Pete Sessions, American politician
  • 1955 – Valdis Zatlers, Latvian physician and politician, 7th President of Latvia
  • 1956 – Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (born María Teresa Mestre y Batista)
  • 1957 – Jürgen Bucher, German footballer
  • 1957 – Stephanie Mills, American actress and singer
  • 1959 – Matthew Modine, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1960 – Tarmo Laht, Estonian architect
  • 1960 – Lauri Vahtre, Estonian historian and politician
  • 1961 – Simon Furman, British comic book writer
  • 1963 – Deborah Bull, English ballerina
  • 1963 – Susan Ann Sulley, English pop singer (The Human League)
  • 1963 – Martin Vizcarra, Peruvian engineer and politician, 67th President of Peru
  • 1964 – David Gillespie, Australian rugby league player
  • 1966 – Pia Cayetano, Filipino lawyer and politician
  • 1966 – Todd Ewen, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 2015)
  • 1966 – Artis Pabriks, Latvian academic and politician, 11th Minister for Defence of Latvia
  • 1966 – António Pinto, Portuguese runner
  • 1966 – Brian Shaw, American basketball player and coach
  • 1967 – Mario Cipollini, Italian cyclist
  • 1967 – Bernie Gallacher, Scottish-English footballer (d. 2011)
  • 1970 – Andreas Johnson, Swedish singer-songwriter
  • 1970 – Leontien van Moorsel, Dutch cyclist
  • 1970 – Hwang Young-cho, South Korean runner
  • 1971 – Keegan-Michael Key, American actor, comedian, and writer
  • 1972 – Shawn Bradley, German-American basketball player, coach, and actor
  • 1972 – Cory Lidle, American baseball player (d. 2006)
  • 1972 – Elvis Stojko, Canadian figure skater and sportscaster
  • 1973 – Beverley Knight, English singer-songwriter and producer
  • 1974 – Marcus Camby, American basketball player
  • 1974 – Philippe Clement, Belgian footballer
  • 1974 – Geo Meneses, Mexican producer and singer
  • 1975 – Cole Hauser, American actor and producer
  • 1975 – Jiří Novák, Czech-Monegasque tennis player
  • 1976 – Teun de Nooijer, Dutch field hockey player
  • 1976 – Kathryn Jean Lopez, American journalist
  • 1976 – Asako Toki, Japanese singer-songwriter
  • 1976 – Kellie Shanygne Williams, American actress
  • 1976 – Reese Witherspoon, American actress and producer
  • 1977 – Joey Porter, American football player and coach
  • 1977 – Tom Poti, American ice hockey player
  • 1979 – Aaron North, American guitarist
  • 1979 – Juan Uribe, Dominican baseball player
  • 1981 – Arne Gabius, German runner
  • 1982 – Piá, Brazilian footballer
  • 1982 – Enrico Gasparotto, Italian cyclist
  • 1982 – Michael Janyk, Canadian skier
  • 1984 – Piotr Trochowski, German footballer
  • 1985 – Mayola Biboko, Belgian footballer
  • 1985 – Jakob Fuglsang, Danish cyclist
  • 1985 – Mike Jenkins, American football player
  • 1985 – Justin Masterson, American baseball player
  • 1985 – Kelli Waite, Australian swimmer
  • 1986 – David Choi, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
  • 1986 – Dexter Fowler, American baseball player
  • 1987 – Ike Davis, American baseball player
  • 1987 – Jairo Mora Sandoval, Costa Rican environmentalist (d. 2013)
  • 1987 – Liam Doran, British rally cross driver
  • 1989 – Ruben Popa, Romanian footballer
  • 1989 – J. J. Watt, American football player
  • 1989 – Tyler Oakley, American internet celebrity

Deaths on March 22

  • 880 – Carloman of Bavaria, Frankish king
  • 1144 – William of Norwich, child murder victim
  • 1322 – Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, English politician, Lord High Steward of England (b. 1278)
  • 1418 – Dietrich of Nieheim, German bishop and historian (b. 1345)
  • 1421 – Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, English soldier and politician, Lord High Steward of England (b. 1388)
  • 1454 – John Kemp, Archbishop of Canterbury
  • 1471 – George of Poděbrady (b. 1420)
  • 1544 – Johannes Magnus, Swedish archbishop and theologian (b. 1488)
  • 1602 – Agostino Carracci, Italian painter and educator (b. 1557)
  • 1685 – Emperor Go-Sai of Japan (b. 1638)
  • 1687 – Jean-Baptiste Lully, Italian-French composer and conductor (b. 1632)
  • 1758 – Jonathan Edwards, English minister, theologian, and philosopher (b. 1703)
  • 1772 – John Canton, English physicist and academic (b. 1718)
  • 1820 – Stephen Decatur, American commander (b. 1779)
  • 1832 – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German novelist, poet, playwright, and diplomat (b. 1749)
  • 1840 – Étienne Bobillier, French mathematician and academic (b. 1798)
  • 1864 – Konstanty Kalinowski, writer, journalist, lawyer and revolutionary (b. 1838)
  • 1881 – Samuel Courtauld, English businessman (b. 1793)
  • 1896 – Thomas Hughes, English lawyer and politician (b. 1822)
  • 1913 – Song Jiaoren, Chinese educator and politician (b. 1882)
  • 1913 – Ruggero Oddi, Italian physiologist and anatomist (b.1864)
  • 1924 – William Macewen, Scottish surgeon and neuroscientist (b. 1848)
  • 1931 – James Campbell, 1st Baron Glenavy, Irish lawyer and politician (b. 1851)
  • 1942 – Frederick Cuming, English cricketer (b. 1875)
  • 1942 – William Donne, English captain and cricketer (b. 1875)
  • 1945 – John Hessin Clarke, American lawyer and judge (b. 1857)
  • 1952 – D. S. Senanayake, 1st Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (b. 1883)
  • 1955 – Ivan Šubašić, Croatian lawyer and politician, 23rd Prime Minister of Yugoslavia (b. 1892)
  • 1958 – Mike Todd, American film producer (b. 1909)
  • 1960 – José Antonio Aguirre, Spanish lawyer and politician, 1st President of the Basque Country (b. 1904)
  • 1966 – John Harlin, American mountaineer and pilot (b. 1935)
  • 1971 – Johannes Villemson, Estonian-American runner (b. 1893)
  • 1971 – Nella Walker, American actress and vaudevillian (b. 1886)
  • 1974 – Peter Revson, American race car driver (b. 1939)
  • 1974 – Orazio Satta Puliga, Italian automobile designer (b. 1910)
  • 1976 – John Dwyer McLaughlin, American painter (b. 1898)
  • 1977 – A. K. Gopalan, Indian educator and politician (b. 1904)
  • 1978 – Karl Wallenda, German-American acrobat and tightrope walker, founded The Flying Wallendas (b. 1905)
  • 1979 – Ben Lyon, American actor and studio executive (b. 1901)
  • 1981 – James Elliott, American runner and coach (b. 1915)
  • 1981 – Gil Puyat, Filipino businessman and politician, 13th President of the Senate of the Philippines (b. 1907)
  • 1986 – Olive Deering, American actress (b. 1918)
  • 1986 – Mark Dinning, American singer (b. 1933)
  • 1987 – Odysseas Angelis, Greek general and politician (b. 1912)
  • 1989 – Peta Taylor, English cricketer (b. 1912)
  • 1990 – Gerald Bull, Canadian engineer and academic (b. 1928)
  • 1991 – Léon Balcer, Canadian lawyer and politician, 19th Solicitor General of Canada (b. 1917)
  • 1991 – Paul Engle, American novelist, poet, playwright, and critic (b. 1908)
  • 1991 – Dave Guard, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1934)
  • 1991 – Gloria Holden, English-American actress (b. 1908)
  • 1993 – Steve Olin, American baseball player (b. 1965)
  • 1994 – Dan Hartman, American singer-songwriter, and producer (b. 1950)
  • 1994 – Walter Lantz, American animator, director, and producer (b. 1899)
  • 1996 – Don Murray, American drummer (b. 1945)
  • 1996 – Robert F. Overmyer, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut (b. 1936)
  • 1996 – Billy Williamson, American guitarist (b. 1925)
  • 1999 – Max Beloff, Baron Beloff, English historian and academic (b. 1913)
  • 1999 – David Strickland, American actor (b. 1969)
  • 2000 – Carlo Parola, Italian footballer and manager (b. 1921)
  • 2001 – Stepas Butautas, Lithuanian basketball player and coach (b. 1925)
  • 2001 – Sabiha Gökçen, Turkish soldier and pilot (b. 1913)
  • 2001 – William Hanna, American animator, director, producer, and voice actor, co-founded Hanna-Barbera (b. 1910)
  • 2001 – Robert Fletcher Shaw, Canadian businessman, academic, and civil servant (b. 1910)
  • 2002 – Rudolf Baumgartner, Swiss violinist and conductor (b. 1917)
  • 2003 – Terry Lloyd, English journalist (b. 1952)
  • 2004 – Janet Akyüz Mattei, Turkish-American astronomer and academic (b. 1943)
  • 2004 – Ahmed Yassin, Co-founded Hamas (b. 1937)
  • 2004 – V. M. Tarkunde, Indian lawyer and civil rights activist (b. 1909)
  • 2005 – Rod Price, English guitarist and songwriter (b. 1947)
  • 2005 – Gemini Ganesan, Indian film actor (b. 1920)
  • 2005 – Kenzō Tange, Japanese architect, designed the Yoyogi National Gymnasium and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (b. 1913)
  • 2006 – Pierre Clostermann, French soldier, pilot, and politician (b. 1921)
  • 2006 – Pío Leyva, Cuban singer and author (b. 1917)
  • 2006 – Kurt von Trojan, Austrian-Australian journalist and author (b. 1937)
  • 2007 – U. G. Krishnamurti, Indian-Italian philosopher and educator (b. 1918)
  • 2008 – Cachao López, Cuban-American bassist and composer (b. 1918)
  • 2010 – James Black, Scottish biologist and pharmacologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1924)
  • 2010 – Özhan Canaydın, Turkish basketball player and businessman (b. 1943)
  • 2011 – Artur Agostinho, Portuguese journalist (b. 1920)
  • 2011 – Victor Bouchard, Canadian pianist and composer (b. 1926)
  • 2012 – Joe Blanchard, American football player and wrestler (b. 1928)
  • 2012 – John Payton, American lawyer and activist (b. 1946)
  • 2012 – Matthew White Ridley, 4th Viscount Ridley, English academic and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland (b. 1925)
  • 2012 – Mickey Sullivan, American baseball player and coach (b. 1932)
  • 2012 – David Waltz, American computer scientist and academic (b. 1943)
  • 2012 – Neil L. Whitehead, English anthropologist and author (b. 1956)
  • 2013 – Vladimír Čech, Czech actor and politician (b. 1951)
  • 2013 – James Nabrit, American lawyer and academic (b. 1932)
  • 2013 – Bebo Valdés, Cuban-Swedish pianist and composer (b. 1918)
  • 2013 – Derek Watkins, English trumpet player and composer (b. 1945)
  • 2013 – Ray Williams, American basketball player and coach (b. 1954)
  • 2014 – Yashwant Vithoba Chittal, Indian author (b. 1928)
  • 2014 – Mickey Duff, Polish-English boxer and manager (b. 1929)
  • 2014 – Thor Listau, Norwegian soldier and politician (b. 1938)
  • 2014 – Tasos Mitsopoulos, Cypriot politician, Cypriot Minister of Defence (b. 1965)
  • 2015 – Arkady Arkanov, Ukrainian-Russian actor and playwright (b. 1933)
  • 2015 – Horst Buhtz, German footballer and manager (b. 1923)
  • 2015 – George Neel, Jr., American businessman (b. 1930)
  • 2015 – Norman Scribner, American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1936)
  • 2016 – Phife Dawg, American rapper (b. 1970)
  • 2016 – Rob Ford, Canadian businessman and politician, 64th Mayor of Toronto (b. 1969)
  • 2016 – Rita Gam, American actress (b. 1927)
  • 2018 – Johan van Hulst, Dutch politician, academic and author, Yad Vashem recipient (b. 1911)

Holidays and observances on March 22

  • Bihar Day (Bihar, India)
  • Christian feast day:
    • Basil of Ancyra
    • Blessed Clemens August Graf von Galen
    • Darerca of Ireland
    • Epaphroditus
    • Jonathan Edwards (Lutheranism)
    • Lea of Rome
    • Nicholas Owen
    • Paul of Narbonne
    • March 22 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Earliest day on which Easter Sunday can fall (last in 1818, will not happen again until 2285), while April 25 is the latest. (Christianity)
  • Emancipation Day or Día de la Abolición de la Esclavitud (Puerto Rico)
  • World Water Day (International)

March 22 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

March 10 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 241 BC – First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates: The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing the First Punic War to an end.
  • 298 – Roman Emperor Maximian concludes his campaign in North Africa and makes a triumphal entry into Carthage.
  • 947 – The Later Han is founded by Liu Zhiyuan. He declares himself emperor.
  • 1607 – Susenyos I defeats the combined armies of Yaqob and Abuna Petros II at the Battle of Gol in Gojjam, making him Emperor of Ethiopia.
  • 1629 – Charles I dissolves the Parliament of England, beginning the eleven-year period known as the Personal Rule.
  • 1735 – An agreement between Nader Shah and Russia is signed near Ganja, Azerbaijan and Russian troops are withdrawn from occupied territories.
  • 1762 – French Huguenot Jean Calas, who had been wrongly convicted of killing his son, dies after being tortured by authorities; the event inspired Voltaire to begin a campaign for religious tolerance and legal reform.
  • 1814 – Emperor Napoleon I is defeated at the Battle of Laon in France.
  • 1830 – The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army is created.
  • 1848 – The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is ratified by the United States Senate, ending the Mexican–American War.
  • 1861 – El Hadj Umar Tall seizes the city of Ségou, destroying the Bamana Empire of Mali.
  • 1873 – The first Azerbaijani play “The Adventures of the Vizier of the Khan of Lenkaran” prepared by Akhundov was performed by Hassan-bey Zardabi and dramatist and Najaf-bey Vezirov.
  • 1876 – The first successful test of a telephone is made by Alexander Graham Bell.
  • 1891 – Almon Strowger patents the Strowger switch, a device which led to the automation of telephone circuit switching.
  • 1906 – The Courrières mine disaster, Europe’s worst ever, kills 1099 miners in northern France.
  • 1909 – By signing the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, Thailand relinquishes its sovereignty over the Malay states of Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu, which become British protectorates.
  • 1922 – Mahatma Gandhi is arrested in India, tried for sedition, and sentenced to six years in prison, only to be released after nearly two years for an appendicitis operation.
  • 1933 – The Long Beach earthquake affects the Greater Los Angeles Area leaving around 108 people dead.
  • 1944 – Greek Civil War: The Political Committee of National Liberation is established in Greece by the National Liberation Front.
  • 1945 – World War II: The U.S. Army Air Force firebombs Tokyo, and the resulting conflagration kills more than 100,000 people, mostly civilians.
  • 1949 – Mildred Gillars (“Axis Sally”) is convicted of treason.
  • 1952 – Fulgencio Batista leads a successful coup in Cuba.
  • 1959 – Tibetan uprising: Fearing an abduction attempt by China, thousands of Tibetans surround the Dalai Lama’s palace to prevent his removal.
  • 1966 – Military Prime Minister of South Vietnam Nguyễn Cao Kỳ sacked rival General Nguyễn Chánh Thi, precipitating large-scale civil and military dissension in parts of the nation.
  • 1969 – In Memphis, Tennessee, James Earl Ray pleads guilty to assassinating Martin Luther King, Jr. He later unsuccessfully attempts to recant.
  • 1970 – Vietnam War: Captain Ernest Medina is charged by the U.S. military with My Lai war crimes.
  • 1975 – Vietnam War: Ho Chi Minh Campaign: North Vietnamese troops attack Ban Mê Thuột in the South on their way to capturing Saigon in the final push for victory over South Vietnam.
  • 1977 – Astronomers discover the rings of Uranus.
  • 1990 – In Haiti, Prosper Avril is ousted 18 months after seizing power in a coup.
  • 2006 – The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrives at Mars.
  • 2017 – The impeachment of President Park Geun-hye of South Korea in response to a major political scandal is unanimously upheld by the country’s Constitutional Court, ending her presidency.
  • 2019 – Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 MAX, crashes, leading to all 737 MAX aircraft being grounded worldwide.

Births on March 10

  • 1452 – Ferdinand II, king of Castile and León (d. 1516)
  • 1503 – Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1564)
  • 1536 – Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, English politician, Earl Marshal of the United Kingdom (d. 1572)
  • 1604 – Johann Rudolf Glauber, German-Dutch alchemist and chemist (d. 1670)
  • 1628 – François Girardon, French sculptor (d. 1715)
  • 1628 – Marcello Malpighi, Italian physician and biologist (d. 1694)
  • 1656 – Giacomo Serpotta, Italian Rococo sculptor (d. 1732)
  • 1653 – John Benbow, Royal Navy admiral (d. 1702)
  • 1709 – Georg Wilhelm Steller, German botanist, zoologist, physician, and explorer (d. 1746)
  • 1749 – Lorenzo Da Ponte, Italian-American priest and poet (d. 1838)
  • 1769 – Joseph Williamson, English businessman and philanthropist (d. 1840)
  • 1772 – Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel, German poet and critic (d. 1829)
  • 1777 – Louis Hersent, French painter (d. 1860)
  • 1787 – Francisco de Paula Martínez de la Rosa y Berdejo, Spanish playwright and politician, Prime Minister of Spain (d. 1862)
  • 1787 – William Etty, English painter and academic (d. 1849)
  • 1788 – Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff, German author, poet, playwright, and critic (d. 1857)
  • 1788 – Edward Hodges Baily, English sculptor (d. 1867)
  • 1789 – Manuel de la Peña y Peña, Mexican lawyer and 20th President (1847) (d. 1850)
  • 1795 – Joseph Légaré, Canadian painter and glazier, artist, seigneur and political figure (d. 1855)
  • 1810 – Samuel Ferguson, Irish poet and lawyer (d. 1886)
  • 1844 – Pablo de Sarasate, Spanish violinist and composer (d. 1908)
  • 1844 – Marie Euphrosyne Spartali, British Pre-Raphaelite painter (d. 1927)
  • 1845 – Alexander III of Russia (d. 1894)
  • 1846 – Edward Baker Lincoln, American son of Abraham Lincoln (d. 1850)
  • 1849 – Hallie Quinn Brown, African-American educator, writer and activist (d. 1949)
  • 1850 – Spencer Gore, English tennis player and cricketer (d. 1906)
  • 1853 – Thomas Mackenzie, Scottish-New Zealand cartographer and politician, 18th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1930)
  • 1867 – Hector Guimard, French-American architect (d. 1942)
  • 1867 – Lillian Wald, American nurse, humanitarian, and author, founded the Henry Street Settlement (d. 1940)
  • 1870 – David Riazanov, Russian theorist and politician (d. 1938)
  • 1873 – Jakob Wassermann, German-Austrian soldier and author (d. 1934)
  • 1876 – Anna Hyatt Huntington, American sculptor (d. 1973)
  • 1877 – Pascual Ortiz Rubio, Mexican diplomat and president (1930-1932) (d. 1963)
  • 1881 – Jessie Boswell, English painter (d. 1956)
  • 1888 – Barry Fitzgerald, Irish actor (d. 1961)
  • 1890 – Albert Ogilvie, Australian politician, 28th Premier of Tasmania (d. 1939)
  • 1892 – Arthur Honegger, French composer and educator (d. 1955)
  • 1892 – Gregory La Cava, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1952)
  • 1896 – Frederick Coulton Waugh, British cartoonist, painter, teacher and author (d. 1973)
  • 1900 – Violet Brown, Jamaican supercentenarian, oldest Jamaican ever (d. 2017)
  • 1900 – Pandelis Pouliopoulos, Greek lawyer and politician (d. 1943)
  • 1901 – Michel Seuphor, Belgian painter (d. 1999)
  • 1903 – Bix Beiderbecke, American cornet player, pianist, and composer (d. 1931)
  • 1903 – Clare Boothe Luce, American playwright, journalist, and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Italy (d. 1987)
  • 1903 – Edward Bawden, British artist and illustrator (d. 1989)
  • 1914 – Chandler Harper, American golfer (d. 2004)
  • 1914 – K. P. Ratnam, Sri Lankan academic and politician (d. 2010)
  • 1915 – Harry Bertoia, Italian-American sculptor and furniture designer (d. 1978)
  • 1915 – Joža Horvat, Croatian writer (d. 2012)
  • 1916 – Davie Fulton, Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician (d. 2000)
  • 1917 – David Hare, American Surrealist artist, sculptor, photographer and painter (d. 1992)
  • 1918 – Günther Rall, German general and pilot (d. 2009)
  • 1919 – Marion Hutton, American singer and actress (d. 1987)
  • 1920 – Alfred Peet, Dutch-American businessman, founded Peet’s Coffee & Tea (d. 2007)
  • 1920 – Boris Vian, French author and playwright (d. 1959)
  • 1922 – Kiyoshi Yamashita, Japanese painter (d. 1971)
  • 1923 – Val Logsdon Fitch, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2015)
  • 1924 – Judith Jones, American literary and cookbook editor (d. 2017)
  • 1925 – Bob Lanier, American lawyer, banker, and politician, 58th Mayor of Houston (d. 2014)
  • 1926 – Marques Haynes, American basketball player (d. 2015)
  • 1927 – Claude Laydu, Belgian-French actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2011)
  • 1927 – Paul Wunderlich, German painter, sculptor and graphic artist (d. 2010)
  • 1928 – Sara Montiel, Spanish actress (d. 2013)
  • 1928 – James Earl Ray, American criminal; assassin of Martin Luther King Jr. (d. 1998)
  • 1929 – Sam Steiger, American journalist and politician (d. 2012)
  • 1930 – Sándor Iharos, Hungarian runner (d. 1996)
  • 1931 – Georges Dor, Canadian author, playwright, and composer (d. 2001)
  • 1932 – Marcia Falkender, Baroness Falkender, English politician (d. 2019)
  • 1932 – Udupi Ramachandra Rao, Indian physicist and engineer (d. 2017)
  • 1933 – Perunchithiranar, Tamil poet (d. 1995)
  • 1933 – Elizabeth Azcona Cranwell, Argentinian poet and translator (d. 2004)
  • 1934 – Gergely Kulcsár, Hungarian javelin thrower and coach
  • 1935 – Graham Farmer, Australian footballer and coach (d. 2019)
  • 1936 – Sepp Blatter, Swiss businessman
  • 1936 – Alfredo Zitarrosa, Uruguayan singer-songwriter and journalist (d. 1989)
  • 1938 – Norman Blake, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1938 – Ieronymos II of Athens, Greek archbishop
  • 1939 – Asghar Ali Engineer, Indian activist and author (d. 2013)
  • 1939 – Hugh Johnson, English author and critic
  • 1939 – Irina Press, Ukrainian-Russian hurdler and pentathlete (d. 2004)
  • 1940 – Chuck Norris, American actor, producer, and martial artist
  • 1940 – David Rabe, American playwright and screenwriter
  • 1943 – Peter Berresford Ellis, English historian and author
  • 1944 – Gail North-Saunders, Bahamian historian, archivist, and author who established the Bahamian National Archives
  • 1945 – Katharine Houghton, American actress and playwright
  • 1945 – Madhavrao Scindia, Indian politician, Indian Minister of Railways (d. 2001)
  • 1946 – Gérard Garouste, French contemporary artist
  • 1946 – Mike Hollands, Australian animator and director, founded Act3animation
  • 1946 – Jim Valvano, American basketball player and coach (d. 1993)
  • 1947 – Kim Campbell, Canadian lawyer and politician, 19th Prime Minister of Canada
  • 1947 – Tom Scholz, American rock musician (Boston), songwriter, inventor, and engineer
  • 1948 – Austin Carr, American basketball player and sportscaster
  • 1949 – Bill Buxton, Canadian computer scientist and academic
  • 1949 – Barbara Corcoran, American businesswoman and television personality
  • 1950 – Catherine Pugh, American politician, 50th mayor of Baltimore
  • 1952 – Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwean politician, 2nd Prime Minister of Zimbabwe (d. 2018)
  • 1953 – Paul Haggis, Canadian director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1954 – Didier Barbelivien, French singer-songwriter
  • 1955 – Toshio Suzuki, Japanese race car driver
  • 1956 – Robert Llewellyn, English actor, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1956 – Larry Myricks, American long jumper and sprinter
  • 1957 – Osama bin Laden, Saudi Arabian terrorist, founded al-Qaeda (d. 2011)
  • 1958 – Garth Crooks, English footballer forward and sportscaster
  • 1958 – Steve Howe, American baseball player (d. 2006)
  • 1958 – Sharon Stone, American actress and producer
  • 1961 – Laurel Clark, American captain, physician, and astronaut (d. 2003)
  • 1961 – Bobby Petrino, American football player and coach
  • 1962 – Jasmine Guy, American actress, singer, and director
  • 1962 – Seiko Matsuda, Japanese singer-songwriter and actress
  • 1963 – Jeff Ament, American bass player and songwriter
  • 1963 – Felipe Ramos, Mexican footballer and referee
  • 1963 – Rick Rubin, American record producer, founded Def Jam Recordings
  • 1964 – Neneh Cherry, Swedish singer-songwriter
  • 1964 – Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
  • 1964 – Jojo Lastimosa, Filipino basketball player and coach
  • 1964 – Nikola Mladenov, Macedonian journalist (d. 2013)
  • 1964 – Toni Polster, Austrian footballer and manager
  • 1965 – Jillian Richardson, Canadian sprinter
  • 1965 – Rod Woodson, American football player, coach, and sportscaster
  • 1966 – Edie Brickell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1966 – Mike Timlin, American baseball player
  • 1968 – Thio Li-ann, Singaporean lawyer and academic
  • 1968 – Pavel Srníček, Czech footballer and coach (d. 2015)
  • 1971 – Jon Hamm, American actor and director
  • 1972 – Timbaland, American rapper and producer
  • 1973 – Jason Croker, Australian rugby league player and coach
  • 1973 – Chris Sutton, English footballer
  • 1973 – Mauricio Taricco, Argentinian footballer, full back and assistant manager
  • 1976 – Barbara Schett, Austrian tennis player
  • 1978 – Camille, French singer-songwriter and actress
  • 1978 – Benjamin Burnley, American musician
  • 1981 – Samuel Eto’o, Cameroonian footballer
  • 1981 – Steven Reid, English-Irish footballer
  • 1982 – Kwame Brown, American basketball player
  • 1983 – Étienne Boulay, Canadian football player
  • 1983 – Rafe Spall, English actor
  • 1983 – Janet Mock, American journalist, author, and activist
  • 1983 – Carrie Underwood, American singer-songwriter and actress
  • 1984 – Ben May, English footballer
  • 1987 – Martellus Bennett, American football player
  • 1987 – Greg Eastwood, New Zealand rugby league player
  • 1987 – Māris Štrombergs, Latvian BMX racer
  • 1988 – Josh Hoffman, Australian-New Zealand rugby league player
  • 1988 – Ivan Rakitić, Croatian football player
  • 1992 – Neeskens Kebano, French-born Congolese international footballer
  • 1993 – Jack Butland, English footballer
  • 1995 – DaeSean Hamilton, American football player
  • 1995 – Zach LaVine, American basketball player
  • 1995 – Sergey Mozgov, Russian ice dancer
  • 1997 – Belinda Bencic, Swiss tennis player

Deaths on March 10

  • 483 – Pope Simplicius
  • 933 – Li Renfu, Chinese warlord and governor
  • 948 – Liu Zhiyuan, Shatuo founder of the Later Han dynasty (b. 895)
  • 1039 – Eudes, Duke of Gascony
  • 1222 – Johan Sverkersson, king of Sweden since 1216 (b. 1201)
  • 1289 – Maud de Lacy, Countess of Hertford and Gloucester, English noble (b. 1223)
  • 1291 – Arghun, Mongol ruler in Persia
  • 1315 – Agnes Blannbekin, Austrian mystic (b. c.1244)
  • 1391 – Tvrtko I of Bosnia (b. 1338)
  • 1476 – Richard West, 7th Baron De La Warr (b. 1430)
  • 1510 – Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg, Swiss priest and theologian (b. 1445)
  • 1513 – John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford, English commander and politician, Lord High Constable of England (b. 1443)
  • 1527 – Nam Gon, Korean writer and prime minister (b. 1471)
  • 1528 – Balthasar Hübmaier, influential German/Moravian Anabaptist leader (b. 1480)
  • 1572 – William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester (b. c. 1483)
  • 1585 – Rembert Dodoens, Flemish physician and botanist (b. 1517)
  • 1588 – Theodor Zwinger, Swiss physician and scholar (b. 1533)
  • 1670 – Johann Rudolf Glauber, German-Dutch chemist and engineer (b. 1604)
  • 1682 – Jacob van Ruisdael, Dutch painter and etcher (b. 1628)
  • 1724 – Urban Hjärne, Swedish chemist, geologist, and physician (b. 1641)
  • 1776 – Élie Catherine Fréron, French author and critic (b. 1719)
  • 1792 – John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, Scottish politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1713)
  • 1823 – George Elphinstone, 1st Viscount Keith, Scottish admiral and politician (b. 1746)
  • 1826 – John Pinkerton, Scottish antiquarian, cartographer, author, numismatist and historian (b. 1758)
  • 1832 – Muzio Clementi, Italian pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1752)
  • 1861 – Taras Shevchenko, Ukrainian poet, playwright, and ethnographer (b. 1814)
  • 1872 – Giuseppe Mazzini, Italian journalist and politician (b. 1805)
  • 1898 – Marie-Eugénie de Jésus, French nun and saint, founded the Religious of the Assumption (b. 1817)
  • 1895 – Charles Frederick Worth, English-French fashion designer, founded the House of Worth (b. 1826)
  • 1897 – Savitribai Phule, Indian poet and activist (b. 1831)
  • 1910 – Karl Lueger, Austrian lawyer and politician Mayor of Vienna (b. 1844)
  • 1910 – Carl Reinecke, German pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1824)
  • 1913 – Harriet Tubman, American nurse and activist (b. c.1820)
  • 1925 – Myer Prinstein, Polish-American jumper and lawyer (b. 1878)
  • 1930 – Misuzu Kaneko, Japanese poet and songwriter (b. 1903)
  • 1937 – Yevgeny Zamyatin, Russian journalist and author (b. 1884)
  • 1940 – Mikhail Bulgakov, Russian novelist and playwright (b. 1891)
  • 1942 – Wilbur Scoville, American pharmacist and chemist (b. 1865)
  • 1948 – Zelda Fitzgerald, American author, poet, and dancer (b. 1900)
  • 1948 – Jan Masaryk, Czech soldier and politician (b. 1886)
  • 1951 – Kijūrō Shidehara, Japanese lawyer and politician, 44th Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1872)
  • 1965 – Archibald Frazer-Nash, English engineer, founded Frazer Nash (b. 1889)
  • 1966 – Frits Zernike, Dutch physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1888)
  • 1966 – Frank O’Connor, Irish short story writer, novelist, and poet (b. 1903)
  • 1977 – E. Power Biggs, English-American organist and composer (b. 1906)
  • 1982 – Minoru Shirota, Japanese physician and microbiologist, invented Yakult (b. 1899)
  • 1985 – Konstantin Chernenko, Russian soldier and politician, 8th Head of State of The Soviet Union (b. 1911)
  • 1985 – Bob Nieman, American baseball player and scout (b. 1927)
  • 1986 – Ray Milland, Welsh-American actor and director (b. 1905)
  • 1988 – Andy Gibb, Manx-Australian singer-songwriter and actor (b. 1958)
  • 1989 – Kermit Beahan, American colonel and pilot (b. 1918)
  • 1990 – Pat McDonald, Australian actress (b. 1921)
  • 1992 – Giorgos Zampetas, Greek bouzouki player and composer (b. 1925)
  • 1995 – Agepê, Brazilian singer/composer (b. 1942)
  • 1996 – Ross Hunter, American film producer (b. 1926)
  • 1997 – LaVern Baker, American singer and actress (b. 1929)
  • 1998 – Lloyd Bridges, American actor and director (b. 1913)
  • 1999 – Oswaldo Guayasamín, Ecuadorian painter and sculptor (b. 1919)
  • 2001 – Massimo Morsello, Italian singer-songwriter (b. 1958)
  • 2004 – Renos Apostolidis, Greek philologist, author, and critic (b. 1924)
  • 2005 – Dave Allen, Irish-English comedian, actor, and screenwriter (b. 1936)
  • 2006 – Anna Moffo, American soprano (b. 1932)
  • 2007 – Ernie Ladd, American football player and wrestler (b. 1938)
  • 2010 – Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy, Egyptian scholar and academic (b. 1928)
  • 2010 – Corey Haim, Canadian actor (b. 1971)
  • 2011 – Bill Blackbeard, American author and illustrator (b. 1926)
  • 2012 – Bert R. Bulkin, American engineer (b. 1929)
  • 2012 – Jean Giraud, French author and illustrator (b. 1938)
  • 2012 – Mykola Plaviuk, Ukrainian politician, President Ukrainian People’s Republic in Exile (b. 1925)
  • 2012 – Frank Sherwood Rowland, American chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1927)
  • 2012 – Tan Boon Teik, Malaysian-Singaporean lawyer and politician, Attorney-General of Singapore (b. 1929)
  • 2015 – Richard Glatzer, American director, producer, and screenwriter (b. 1952)
  • 2016 – Ken Adam, German-English production designer and art director (b. 1921)
  • 2016 – Roberto Perfumo, Argentinian footballer and sportscaster (b. 1942)
  • 2016 – Jovito Salonga, Filipino lawyer and politician, 14th President of the Senate of the Philippines (b. 1920)
  • 2016 – Anita Brookner, English novelist and art historian (b. 1928)

Holidays and observances  on March 10

  • Christian feast day
    • Attala
    • Harriet Tubman (Lutheran)
    • John Ogilvie
    • Macarius of Jerusalem
    • Marie-Eugénie de Jésus
    • Pope Simplicius
    • Sojourner Truth (Lutheran)
    • March 10 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Harriet Tubman Day (United States of America)
  • Holocaust Remembrance Day (Bulgaria)
  • National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (United States)
  • Tibetan Uprising Day (Tibetan independence movement)

March 10 – History, Events, Births, Deaths Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

February 23 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 303 – Roman emperor Diocletian orders the destruction of the Christian church in Nicomedia, beginning eight years of Diocletianic Persecution.
  • 532 – Byzantine emperor Justinian I orders the building of a new Orthodox Christian basilica in Constantinople – the Hagia Sophia.
  • 1455 – Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed with movable type.
  • 1554 – Mapuche forces, under the leadership of Lautaro, score a victory over the Spanish at the Battle of Marihueñu in Chile.
  • 1653 – The Ballet Royal de la Nuit is first performed at the Salle du Petit-Bourbon in Paris
  • 1739 – At York Castle, the outlaw Dick Turpin is identified by his former schoolteacher. Turpin had been using the name Richard Palmer.
  • 1778 – American Revolutionary War: Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania to help to train the Continental Army.
  • 1820 – Cato Street Conspiracy: A plot to murder all the British cabinet ministers is exposed.
  • 1836 – Texas Revolution: The Siege of the Alamo (prelude to the Battle of the Alamo) begins in San Antonio, Texas.
  • 1847 – Mexican–American War: Battle of Buena Vista: In Mexico, American troops under future president General Zachary Taylor defeat Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
  • 1854 – The official independence of the Orange Free State is declared.
  • 1861 – President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington, D.C., after the thwarting of an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland.
  • 1870 – Reconstruction Era: Post-U.S. Civil War military control of Mississippi ends and it is readmitted to the Union.
  • 1883 – Alabama becomes the first U.S. state to enact an anti-trust law.
  • 1885 – Sino-French War: French Army gains an important victory in the Battle of Đồng Đăng in the Tonkin region of Vietnam.
  • 1886 – Charles Martin Hall produced the first samples of aluminium from the electrolysis of aluminium oxide, after several years of intensive work. He was assisted in this project by his older sister, Julia Brainerd Hall.
  • 1887 – The French Riviera is hit by a large earthquake, killing around 2,000.
  • 1898 – Émile Zola is imprisoned in France after writing J’Accuse…!, a letter accusing the French government of antisemitism and wrongfully imprisoning Captain Alfred Dreyfus.
  • 1900 – Second Boer War: During the Battle of the Tugela Heights, the first British attempt to take Hart’s Hill fails.
  • 1903 – Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States “in perpetuity”.
  • 1905 – Chicago attorney Paul Harris and three other businessmen meet for lunch to form the Rotary Club, the world’s first service club.
  • 1909 – The AEA Silver Dart makes the first powered flight in Canada and the British Empire.
  • 1917 – First demonstrations in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The beginning of the February Revolution (March 8 in the Gregorian calendar).
  • 1927 – U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signs a bill by Congress establishing the Federal Radio Commission (later replaced by the Federal Communications Commission) which was to regulate the use of radio frequencies in the United States.
  • 1927 – German theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg writes a letter to fellow physicist Wolfgang Pauli, in which he describes his uncertainty principle for the first time.
  • 1934 – Leopold III becomes King of Belgium.
  • 1941 – Plutonium is first produced and isolated by Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg.
  • 1942 – World War II: Japanese submarines fire artillery shells at the coastline near Santa Barbara, California.
  • 1943 – A fire breaks out at Saint Joseph’s Orphanage, County Cavan, Ireland, killing 35 children and one adult.
  • 1943 – Greek Resistance: The United Panhellenic Organization of Youth is founded in Greece.
  • 1944 – The Soviet Union begins the forced deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people from the North Caucasus to Central Asia.
  • 1945 – World War II: During the Battle of Iwo Jima, a group of United States Marines reach the top of Mount Suribachi on the island and are photographed raising the American flag.
  • 1945 – World War II: The 11th Airborne Division, with Filipino guerrillas, free all 2,147 captives of the Los Baños internment camp, in what General Colin Powell later would refer to as “the textbook airborne operation for all ages and all armies.”
  • 1945 – World War II: The capital of the Philippines, Manila, is liberated by combined Filipino and American forces.
  • 1945 – World War II: Capitulation of German garrison in Poznań. The city is liberated by Soviet and Polish forces.
  • 1945 – World War II: The German town of Pforzheim is annihilated in a raid by 379 British bombers.
  • 1947 – International Organization for Standardization is founded.
  • 1954 – The first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine begins in Pittsburgh.
  • 1966 – In Syria, Ba’ath Party member Salah Jadid leads an intra-party military coup that replaces the previous government of General Amin al-Hafiz, also a Baathist.
  • 1974 – The Symbionese Liberation Army demands $4 million more to release kidnap victim Patty Hearst.
  • 1980 – Iran hostage crisis: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini states that Iran’s parliament will decide the fate of the American embassy hostages.
  • 1981 – In Spain, Antonio Tejero attempts a coup d’état by capturing the Spanish Congress of Deputies.
  • 1983 – The United States Environmental Protection Agency announces its intent to buy out and evacuate the dioxin-contaminated community of Times Beach, Missouri.
  • 1987 – Supernova 1987a is seen in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
  • 1991 – In Thailand, General Sunthorn Kongsompong leads a bloodless coup d’état, deposing Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan.
  • 1998 – In the United States, tornadoes in central Florida destroy or damage 2,600 structures and kill 42 people.
  • 1999 – Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Öcalan is charged with treason in Ankara, Turkey.
  • 2007 – A train derails on an evening express service near Grayrigg, Cumbria, England, killing one person and injuring 88. This results in hundreds of points being checked over the UK after a few similar accidents.
  • 2008 – A United States Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber crashes on Guam, marking the first operational loss of a B-2.
  • 2010 – Unknown criminals pour more than 2​12 million liters of diesel oil and other hydrocarbons into the river Lambro, in northern Italy, sparking an environmental disaster.
  • 2012 – A series of attacks across Iraq leave at least 83 killed and more than 250 injured.
  • 2017 – The Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army captures Al-Bab from ISIL.
  • 2019 – Atlas Air Flight 3591, a Boeing 767 freighter, crashes into Trinity Bay near Anahuac, Texas, killing all three people on board.

Births on February 23

  • 1417 – Pope Paul II (d. 1471)
  • 1417 – Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria (d. 1479)
  • 1443 – Matthias Corvinus, Hungarian king (d. 1490)
  • 1529 – Onofrio Panvinio, Italian historian (d. 1568)
  • 1539 – Henry XI of Legnica, thrice Duke of Legnica (d. 1588)
  • 1539 – Salima Sultan Begum, Empress of the Mughal Empire (d. 1612)
  • 1583 – Jean-Baptiste Morin, French mathematician, astrologer, and astronomer (d. 1656)
  • 1592 – Balthazar Gerbier, Dutch painter (d. 1663)
  • 1633 – Samuel Pepys, English diarist and politician (d. 1703)
  • 1646 – Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, Japanese shōgun (d. 1709)
  • 1680 – Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, Canadian politician, 2nd Colonial Governor of Louisiana (d. 1767)
  • 1685 – George Frideric Handel, German-English organist and composer (d. 1759)
  • 1723 – Richard Price, Welsh-English minister and philosopher (d. 1791)
  • 1744 – Mayer Amschel Rothschild, German banker and businessman (d. 1812)
  • 1792 – José Joaquín de Herrera, Mexican politician and general. President three times (1844–1854) (d. 1854)
  • 1831 – Hendrik Willem Mesdag, Dutch painter (d. 1915)
  • 1840 – Carl Menger, Austrian economist and educator (d. 1921)
  • 1842 – Karl Robert Eduard von Hartmann, German philosopher and author (d. 1906)
  • 1850 – César Ritz, Swiss businessman, founded The Ritz Hotel, London and Hôtel Ritz Paris (d. 1918)
  • 1868 – W. E. B. Du Bois, American sociologist, historian, and activist (d. 1963)
  • 1868 – Anna Hofman-Uddgren, Swedish actress, singer, and director (d. 1947)
  • 1873 – Liang Qichao, Chinese journalist, philosopher, and scholar (d. 1929)
  • 1874 – Konstantin Päts, Estonian lawyer and politician, 1st President of Estonia (d. 1956)
  • 1878 – Kazimir Malevich, Ukrainian painter and theorist (d. 1935)
  • 1883 – Karl Jaspers, German-Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher (d. 1969)
  • 1883 – Guy C. Wiggins, American painter (d. 1962)
  • 1889 – Musidora, French actress and director (d. 1957)
  • 1889 – Cyril Delevanti, English-American actor (d. 1975)
  • 1889 – Victor Fleming, American director, cinematographer, and producer (d. 1949)
  • 1889 – John Gilbert Winant, American captain, pilot, and politician, 60th Governor of New Hampshire (d. 1947)
  • 1892 – Kathleen Harrison, English actress (d. 1995)
  • 1892 – Agnes Smedley, American journalist and writer (d. 1950)
  • 1894 – Harold Horder, Australian rugby league player and coach (d. 1978)
  • 1899 – Erich Kästner, German author and poet (d. 1974)
  • 1899 – Norman Taurog, American director and screenwriter (d. 1981)
  • 1904 – Terence Fisher, English director and screenwriter (d. 1980)
  • 1904 – William L. Shirer, American journalist and historian (d. 1993)
  • 1908 – William McMahon, Australian lawyer and politician, 20th Prime Minister of Australia (d. 1988)
  • 1915 – Jon Hall, American actor and director (d. 1979)
  • 1915 – Paul Tibbets, American general and pilot (d. 2007)
  • 1919 – Johnny Carey, Irish footballer and manager (d. 1995)
  • 1920 – Paul Gérin-Lajoie, Canadian lawyer and politician (d. 2018)
  • 1923 – Rafael Addiego Bruno, Uruguayan jurist and politician, President of Uruguay (d. 2014)
  • 1923 – Harry Clarke, English international footballer, defender (d. 2000)
  • 1923 – Ioannis Grivas, Greek judge and politician, 176th Prime Minister of Greece (d. 2016)
  • 1923 – Dante Lavelli, American football player (d. 2009)
  • 1923 – Clarence D. Lester, African-American fighter pilot (d.1986)
  • 1923 – Mary Francis Shura, American author (d. 1991)
  • 1924 – Allan McLeod Cormack, South-African-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1998)
  • 1925 – Louis Stokes, American lawyer and politician (d. 2015)
  • 1927 – Régine Crespin, French soprano and actress (d. 2007)
  • 1928 – Hans Herrmann, German race car driver
  • 1928 – Vasily Lazarev, Russian colonel, physician, and astronaut (d. 1990)
  • 1929 – Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow (d. 2008)
  • 1929 – Elston Howard, American baseball player and coach (d. 1980)
  • 1930 – Paul West, English-American author, poet, and academic (d. 2015)
  • 1931 – Tom Wesselmann, American painter and sculptor (d. 2004)
  • 1932 – Majel Barrett, American actress and producer (d. 2008)
  • 1937 – Tom Osborne, American football player, coach, and politician
  • 1938 – Sylvia Chase, American broadcast journalist (d. 2019)
  • 1938 – Paul Morrissey, American director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1938 – Diane Varsi, American actress (d. 1992)
  • 1940 – Peter Fonda, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2019)
  • 1940 – Jackie Smith, American football player
  • 1941 – Ron Hunt, American baseball player
  • 1943 – Fred Biletnikoff, American football player and coach
  • 1943 – Bobby Mitchell, American golfer (d. 2018)
  • 1944 – Bernard Cornwell, English author and educator
  • 1944 – Florian Fricke, German keyboard player and composer (d. 2001)
  • 1944 – Johnny Winter, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 2014)
  • 1945 – Allan Boesak, South African cleric and politician
  • 1946 – Rusty Young, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1947 – Pia Kjærsgaard, Danish politician, Speaker of the Danish Parliament
  • 1947 – Anton Mosimann, Swiss chef and author
  • 1948 – Bill Alexander, English director and producer
  • 1948 – Trevor Cherry, English footballer (d. 2020)
  • 1948 – Steve Priest, English singer-songwriter and bass player
  • 1949 – César Aira, Argentinian author and translator
  • 1949 – Marc Garneau, Canadian engineer, astronaut, and politician
  • 1950 – Rebecca Goldstein, American philosopher and author
  • 1951 – Eddie Dibbs, American tennis player
  • 1951 – Debbie Friedman, American singer-songwriter of Jewish melodies (d. 2011)
  • 1951 – Ed “Too Tall” Jones, American football player and boxer
  • 1951 – Patricia Richardson, American actress
  • 1952 – Brad Whitford, American guitarist and songwriter
  • 1953 – Kenny Bee, Hong Kong singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
  • 1953 – Satoru Nakajima, Japanese race car driver
  • 1954 – Rajini Thiranagama, Sri Lankan physician and academic (d. 1989)
  • 1954 – Viktor Yushchenko, Ukrainian captain and politician, 3rd President of Ukraine
  • 1955 – Howard Jones, English singer-songwriter
  • 1955 – Flip Saunders, American basketball player and coach (d. 2015)
  • 1956 – Sandra Osborne, Scottish politician
  • 1958 – David Sylvian, English singer-songwriter
  • 1959 – Clayton Anderson, American engineer and astronaut
  • 1959 – Nick de Bois, English politician
  • 1959 – Ian Liddell-Grainger, Scottish soldier and politician
  • 1959 – Linda Nolan, Irish singer and actress
  • 1960 – Naruhito, Emperor of Japan
  • 1962 – Michael Wilton, American guitarist
  • 1963 – Bobby Bonilla, American baseball player
  • 1963 – Radosław Sikorski, Polish journalist and politician, 11th Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland
  • 1964 – John Norum, Norwegian guitarist and songwriter
  • 1965 – Michael Dell, American businessman
  • 1965 – Helena Suková, Czech-Monacan tennis player
  • 1967 – Steve Stricker, American golfer
  • 1967 – Chris Vrenna, American drummer, songwriter, and producer
  • 1969 – Michael Campbell, New Zealand golfer
  • 1969 – Martine Croxall, English journalist and television news presenter
  • 1969 – Daymond John, American fashion designer and businessman, founded FUBU
  • 1970 – Niecy Nash, American actress and producer
  • 1971 – Carin Koch, Swedish golfer
  • 1971 – Melinda Messenger, English model and television host
  • 1971 – Joe-Max Moore, American soccer player
  • 1972 – Alessandro Sturba, Italian footballer
  • 1972 – Rondell White, American baseball player
  • 1973 – Jeff Nordgaard, American-Polish basketball player
  • 1974 – Herschelle Gibbs, South African cricketer
  • 1974 – Robbi Kempson, South African rugby player
  • 1975 – Michael Cornacchia, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1975 – Ryan McCourt, Canadian artist
  • 1976 – Scott Elarton, American baseball player and coach
  • 1976 – Kelly Macdonald, Scottish actress
  • 1976 – Jeff O’Neill, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
  • 1977 – Kristina Šmigun-Vähi, Estonian skier
  • 1978 – Residente, Puerto Rican-American singer-songwriter
  • 1978 – Dan Snyder, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2003)
  • 1979 – S. E. Cupp, American journalist and author
  • 1981 – Gareth Barry, English footballer
  • 1981 – Josh Gad, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1981 – Charles Tillman, American football player
  • 1982 – Adam Hann-Byrd, American actor and screenwriter
  • 1983 – Mido, Egyptian footballer, striker, manager and sportscaster
  • 1983 – Aziz Ansari, American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1983 – Emily Blunt, English actress
  • 1986 – Emerson Conceição, Brazilian footballer
  • 1986 – Skylar Grey, American singer-songwriter
  • 1986 – Kazuya Kamenashi, Japanese singer-songwriter and actor
  • 1986 – Jerod Mayo, American football player
  • 1986 – Ola Svensson, Swedish singer-songwriter
  • 1987 – Ab-Soul, American rapper
  • 1987 – Theophilus London, Trinidadian-American singer-songwriter and producer
  • 1987 – Zak Kirkup, Member of the Parliament of Western Australia
  • 1988 – Nicolás Gaitán, Argentinian footballer
  • 1989 – Evan Bates, American ice dancer
  • 1989 – Jérémy Pied, French footballer
  • 1990 – Kevin Connauton, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1990 – Terry Hawkridge, English footballer
  • 1990 – Marco Scandella, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1992 – Casemiro, Brazilian footballer
  • 1992 – Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Greek footballer
  • 1993 – Chris Grevsmuhl, Australian rugby league player
  • 1994 – Dakota Fanning, American actress
  • 1995 – Andrew Wiggins, Canadian basketball player
  • 1996 – D’Angelo Russell, American basketball player
  • 1997 – Jamal Murray, Canadian basketball player

Deaths on February 23

  • 715 – Al-Walid I, Umayyad caliph (b. 668)
  • 908 – Li Keyong, Shatuo military governor during the Tang Dynasty in China (b. 856)
  • 943 – Herbert II, Count of Vermandois, (b. 884)
  • 943 – David I, prince of Tao-Klarjeti (Georgia)
  • 1011 – Willigis, German archbishop (b. 940)
  • 1100 – Emperor Zhezong of Song (b. 1076)
  • 1270 – Isabel of France (b. 1225)
  • 1447 – Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (b. 1390)
  • 1447 – Pope Eugene IV (b. 1383)
  • 1464 – Emperor Yingzong of Ming (b. 1427)
  • 1473 – Arnold, Duke of Gelderland (b. 1410)
  • 1526 – Diego Colón, Spanish Viceroy of the Indies (b. c. 1479)
  • 1554 – Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, English politician, Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire (b. 1515)
  • 1603 – Andrea Cesalpino, Italian philosopher, physician, and botanist (b. 1519)
  • 1603 – Franciscus Vieta, French mathematician (b. 1540)
  • 1620 – Nicholas Fuller, English politician (b. 1543)
  • 1704 – Georg Muffat, French organist and composer (b. 1653)
  • 1766 – Stanisław Leszczyński, Polish king (b. 1677)
  • 1781 – George Taylor, Irish-American blacksmith and politician (b. 1716)
  • 1792 – Joshua Reynolds, English painter and academic (b. 1723)
  • 1821 – John Keats, English poet (b. 1795)
  • 1848 – John Quincy Adams, American politician, 6th President of the United States (b. 1767)
  • 1855 – Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician, astronomer, and physicist (b. 1777)
  • 1859 – Zygmunt Krasiński, Polish poet and playwright (b. 1812)
  • 1879 – Albrecht von Roon, Prussian soldier and politician, 10th Minister President of Prussia (b. 1803)
  • 1897 – Woldemar Bargiel, German composer and educator (b. 1828)
  • 1900 – Ernest Dowson, English poet, novelist, and short story writer (b. 1867)
  • 1908 – Friedrich von Esmarch, German surgeon and academic (b. 1823)
  • 1918 – Adolphus Frederick VI, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (b. 1882)
  • 1930 – Horst Wessel, German SA officer (b. 1907)
  • 1931 – Nellie Melba, Australian soprano and actress (b. 1861)
  • 1934 – Edward Elgar, English composer and academic (b. 1857)
  • 1944 – Leo Baekeland, Belgian-American chemist and engineer (b. 1863)
  • 1946 – Tomoyuki Yamashita, Japanese general (b. 1885)
  • 1948 – John Robert Gregg, Irish-American publisher and educator (b. 1866)
  • 1955 – Paul Claudel, French poet and playwright (b. 1868)
  • 1965 – Stan Laurel, English actor and comedian (b. 1890)
  • 1969 – Madhubala, Indian actress and producer (b. 1933)
  • 1969 – Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 2nd King of Saudi Arabia (b. 1902)
  • 1973 – Dickinson W. Richards, American physician and physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1895)
  • 1974 – Harry Ruby, American composer and screenwriter (b. 1895)
  • 1976 – L. S. Lowry, English painter (b. 1887)
  • 1979 – W. A. C. Bennett, Canadian businessman and politician, 25th Premier of British Columbia (b. 1900)
  • 1983 – Herbert Howells, English organist and composer (b. 1892)
  • 1990 – José Napoleón Duarte, Salvadoran engineer and politician, President of El Salvador (b. 1925)
  • 1995 – James Herriot, English veterinarian and author (b. 1916)
  • 1997 – Tony Williams, American drummer, composer, and producer (b. 1945)
  • 1998 – Philip Abbott, American actor and director (b. 1924)
  • 1999 – The Renegade, American wrestler (b. 1965)
  • 2000 – Ofra Haza, Israeli singer-songwriter and actress (b. 1957)
  • 2000 – Stanley Matthews, English footballer and manager (b. 1915)
  • 2003 – Howie Epstein, American bass player, songwriter, and producer (b. 1955)
  • 2003 – Robert K. Merton, American sociologist and academic (b. 1910)
  • 2004 – Vijay Anand, Indian director, producer, screenwriter, and actor (b. 1934)
  • 2004 – Sikander Bakht, Indian politician, Indian Minister of External Affairs (b. 1918)
  • 2006 – Telmo Zarra, Spanish footballer (b. 1921)
  • 2007 – John Ritchie, English footballer (b. 1941)
  • 2008 – Janez Drnovšek, Slovenian economist and politician, 2nd President of Slovenia (b. 1950)
  • 2008 – Paul Frère, Belgian race car driver and journalist (b. 1917)
  • 2010 – Orlando Zapata, Cuban plumber and activist (b. 1967)
  • 2011 – Nirmala Srivastava, Indian religious leader, founded Sahaja Yoga (b. 1923)
  • 2012 – William Raggio, American lawyer and politician (b. 1926)
  • 2012 – David Sayre, American physicist and mathematician (b. 1924)
  • 2012 – Kazimierz Żygulski, Polish sociologist and activist (b. 1919)
  • 2013 – Eugene Bookhammer, American soldier and politician, 18th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware (b. 1918)
  • 2013 – Joseph Friedenson, Holocaust survivor, Holocaust historian, Yiddish writer, lecturer and editor (b. 1922)
  • 2013 – Julien Ries, Belgian cardinal (b. 1920)
  • 2013 – Lotika Sarkar, Indian lawyer and academic (b. 1945)
  • 2014 – Alice Herz-Sommer, Czech-English Holocaust survivor, pianist and educator (b. 1903)
  • 2014 – Roger Hilsman, American soldier, academic, and politician (b. 1919)
  • 2015 – James Aldridge, Australian-English journalist and author (b. 1918)
  • 2015 – Rana Bhagwandas, Pakistani lawyer and judge, Chief Justice of Pakistan (b. 1942)
  • 2015 – W. E. “Bill” Dykes, American soldier and politician (b. 1925)
  • 2016 – Peter Lustig, German television host and author (b. 1937)
  • 2016 – Jacqueline Mattson, American baseball player (b. 1928)
  • 2019 – Katherine Helmond, American actress (b. 1929)

Holidays and observances on February 23

  • Christian feast day:
    • Polycarp of Smyrna
    • Serenus the Gardener
    • February 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • The Emperor’s Birthday, birthday of Naruhito, the current Emperor of Japan (Japan)
  • Mashramani-Republic Day (Guyana)
  • Meteņi (Latvia)
  • National Day (Brunei)
  • Red Army Day or Day of Soviet Army and Navy in the former Soviet Union, also held in various former Soviet republics:
    • Defender of the Fatherland Day (Russia)
    • Defender of the Fatherland and Armed Forces day (Belarus)
    • Armed Forces Day (Tajikistan) (Tajikistan)

February 23 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

February 21 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

  • 1245 – Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland, is granted resignation after confessing to torture and forgery.
  • 1440 – The Prussian Confederation is formed.
  • 1613 – Mikhail I is unanimously elected Tsar by a national assembly, beginning the Romanov dynasty of Imperial Russia.
  • 1797 – A force of 1,400 French soldiers invaded Britain at Fishguard in support of the Society of United Irishmen. They were defeated by 500 British reservists.
  • 1804 – The first self-propelling steam locomotive makes its outing at the Pen-y-Darren Ironworks in Wales.
  • 1808 – Without a previous declaration of war, Russian troops cross the border to Sweden at Abborfors in eastern Finland, thus beginning the Finnish War, in which Sweden will lose the eastern half of the country (i.e. Finland) to Russia.
  • 1828 – Initial issue of the Cherokee Phoenix is the first periodical to use the Cherokee syllabary invented by Sequoyah.
  • 1842 – John Greenough is granted the first U.S. patent for the sewing machine.
  • 1848 – Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish The Communist Manifesto.
  • 1862 – American Civil War: Battle of Valverde is fought near Fort Craig in New Mexico Territory.
  • 1866 – Lucy Hobbs Taylor becomes the first American woman to graduate from dental school.
  • 1874 – The Oakland Daily Tribune publishes its first edition.
  • 1878 – The first telephone directory is issued in New Haven, Connecticut.
  • 1885 – The newly completed Washington Monument is dedicated.
  • 1896 – An Englishman raised in Australia, Bob Fitzsimmons, fought an Irishman, Peter Maher, in an American promoted event which technically took place in Mexico, winning the 1896 World Heavyweight Championship in boxing.
  • 1913 – Ioannina is incorporated into the Greek state after the Balkan Wars.
  • 1916 – World War I: In France, the Battle of Verdun begins.
  • 1918 – The last Carolina parakeet dies in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo.
  • 1919 – German socialist Kurt Eisner is assassinated. His death results in the establishment of the Bavarian Soviet Republic and parliament and government fleeing Munich, Germany.
  • 1921 – Constituent Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Georgia adopts the country’s first constitution.
  • 1921 – Rezā Shāh takes control of Tehran during a successful coup.
  • 1925 – The New Yorker publishes its first issue.
  • 1929 – In the first battle of the Warlord Rebellion in northeastern Shandong against the Nationalist government of China, a 24,000-strong rebel force led by Zhang Zongchang was defeated at Zhifu by 7,000 NRA troops.1934 – Augusto Sandino is executed.
  • 1937 – The League of Nations bans foreign national “volunteers” in the Spanish Civil War.
  • 1945 – World War II: During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Japanese kamikaze planes sink the escort carrier USS Bismarck Sea and damage the USS Saratoga.
  • 1945 – World War II: the Brazilian Expeditionary Force defeat the German forces in the Battle of Monte Castello on the Italian front.
  • 1947 – In New York City, Edwin Land demonstrates the first “instant camera”, the Polaroid Land Camera, to a meeting of the Optical Society of America.
  • 1948 – NASCAR is incorporated.
  • 1952 – The British government, under Winston Churchill, abolishes identity cards in the UK to “set the people free”.
  • 1952 – The Bengali Language Movement protests occur at the University of Dhaka in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
  • 1958 – The CND symbol, aka peace symbol, commissioned by the Direct Action Committee in protest against the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, is designed and completed by Gerald Holtom.
  • 1965 – Malcolm X is assassinated while giving a talk at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem.
  • 1971 – The Convention on Psychotropic Substances is signed at Vienna.
  • 1972 – United States President Richard Nixon visits the People’s Republic of China to normalize Sino-American relations.
  • 1972 – The Soviet unmanned spaceship Luna 20 lands on the Moon.
  • 1973 – Over the Sinai Desert, Israeli fighter aircraft shoot down Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 jet killing 108 people.
  • 1974 – The last Israeli soldiers leave the west bank of the Suez Canal pursuant to a truce with Egypt.
  • 1975 – Watergate scandal: Former United States Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman are sentenced to prison.
  • 1995 – Steve Fossett lands in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada becoming the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon.
  • 2013 – At least 17 people are killed and 119 injured following several bombings in the Indian city of Hyderabad.

Births on February 21

  • 921 – Abe no Seimei, Japanese astrologer (d. 1005)
  • 1397 – Isabella of Portugal (d. 1471)
  • 1462 – Joanna la Beltraneja, princess of Castile (d. 1530)
  • 1484 – Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg (d. 1535)
  • 1498 – Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland, English Earl (d. 1549)
  • 1541 – Philipp V, Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg (d. 1599)
  • 1556 – Sethus Calvisius, German astronomer, composer, and theorist (d. 1615)
  • 1559 – Nurhaci, Manchu emperor (d. 1626)
  • 1609 – Raimondo Montecuccoli, Italian military commander (d. 1680)
  • 1621 – Rebecca Nurse, Massachusetts colonist, executed as a witch (d. 1692)
  • 1705 – Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke, English admiral and politician (d. 1781)
  • 1728 – Peter III of Russia (d. 1762)
  • 1783 – Catharina of Württemberg (d. 1835)
  • 1788 – Francis Ronalds, British scientist, inventor and engineer who was knighted for developing the first working electric telegraph (d. 1873)
  • 1791 – Carl Czerny, Austrian pianist and composer (d. 1857)
  • 1794 – Antonio López de Santa Anna, Mexican general and politician, 8th President of Mexico (d. 1876)
  • 1801 – John Henry Newman, English cardinal (d. 1890)
  • 1817 – José Zorrilla, Spanish poet and playwright (d. 1893)
  • 1821 – Charles Scribner I, American publisher, founded Charles Scribner’s Sons (d. 1871)
  • 1836 – Léo Delibes, French pianist and composer (d. 1891)
  • 1844 – Charles-Marie Widor, French organist and composer (d. 1937)
  • 1860 – Goscombe John, Welsh-English sculptor and academic (d. 1952)
  • 1865 – John Haden Badley, English author and educator, founded the Bedales School (d. 1967)
  • 1867 – Otto Hermann Kahn, German banker and philanthropist (d. 1934)
  • 1875 – Jeanne Calment, French super-centenarian, oldest verified person ever (d. 1997)
  • 1878 – Mirra Alfassa, French-Indian spiritual leader (d. 1973)
  • 1881 – Kenneth J. Alford, English soldier, bandmaster, and composer (d. 1945)
  • 1885 – Sacha Guitry, Russian-French actor, director, and playwright (d. 1957)
  • 1887 – Korechika Anami, Japanese general and politician, 54th Japanese Minister of War (d. 1945)
  • 1888 – Clemence Dane, English author and playwright (d. 1965)
  • 1892 – Harry Stack Sullivan, American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst (d. 1949)
  • 1893 – Celia Lovsky, Austrian-American actress (d. 1979)
  • 1893 – Andrés Segovia, Spanish guitarist (d. 1987)
  • 1894 – Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar, Indian chemist and academic (d. 1955)
  • 1895 – Henrik Dam, Danish biochemist and physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1976)
  • 1896 – Nirala, Indian poet and author (d. 1961)
  • 1900 – Jeanne Aubert, French singer and actress (d. 1988)
  • 1902 – Arthur Nock, English theologian and academic (d. 1963)
  • 1903 – Anaïs Nin, French-American essayist and memoirist (d. 1977)
  • 1903 – Raymond Queneau, French poet and author (d. 1976)
  • 1907 – W. H. Auden, English-American poet, playwright, and composer (d. 1973)
  • 1909 – Hans Erni, Swiss painter, sculptor, and illustrator (d. 2015)
  • 1910 – Douglas Bader, English captain and pilot (d. 1982)
  • 1912 – Arline Judge, American actress and singer (d. 1974)
  • 1914 – Ilmari Juutilainen, Finnish soldier and pilot (d. 1999)
  • 1914 – Zachary Scott, American actor (d. 1965)
  • 1914 – Jean Tatlock, American psychiatrist and physician (d. 1944)
  • 1915 – Claudia Jones, Trinidad-British journalist and activist (d. 1964)
  • 1915 – Ann Sheridan, American actress and singer (d. 1967)
  • 1915 – Anton Vratuša, Prime Minister of Slovenia (1978–1980) (d. 2017)
  • 1917 – Lucille Bremer, American actress and dancer (d. 1996)
  • 1917 – Tadd Dameron, American pianist and composer (d. 1965)
  • 1921 – John Rawls, American philosopher and academic (d. 2002)
  • 1921 – Richard T. Whitcomb, American aeronautical engineer (d. 2009)
  • 1924 – Thelma Estrin, American computer scientist and engineer (d. 2014)
  • 1924 – Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwean educator and politician, 2nd President of Zimbabwe (d. 2019)
  • 1924 – Dorothy Blum, American computer scientist and cryptanalyst (d. 1980)
  • 1925 – Sam Peckinpah, American director and screenwriter (d. 1984)
  • 1925 – Jack Ramsay, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster (d. 2014)
  • 1927 – Erma Bombeck, American journalist and author (d. 1996)
  • 1929 – Chespirito, Mexican actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 2014)
  • 1933 – Nina Simone, American singer-songwriter and pianist (d. 2003)
  • 1934 – Rue McClanahan, American actress (d. 2010)
  • 1935 – Richard A. Lupoff, American author
  • 1936 – Barbara Jordan, American lawyer and politician (d. 1996)
  • 1937 – Ron Clarke, Australian runner and politician, Mayor of the Gold Coast (d. 2015)
  • 1937 – Harald V of Norway
  • 1938 – Bobby Charles, American singer-songwriter (d. 2010)
  • 1938 – Kel Tremain, New Zealand rugby player (d. 1992)
  • 1940 – Peter Gethin, English race car driver (d. 2011)
  • 1940 – John Lewis, American activist and politician
  • 1942 – Tony Martin, Trinidadian-American historian and academic (d. 2013)
  • 1942 – Margarethe von Trotta, German actress, director, and screenwriter
  • 1943 – David Geffen, American businessman, co-founded DreamWorks and Geffen Records
  • 1945 – Maurice Bembridge, English golfer
  • 1946 – Tyne Daly, American actress and singer
  • 1946 – Anthony Daniels, English actor and producer
  • 1946 – Alan Rickman, English actor and director (d. 2016)
  • 1946 – Bob Ryan, American journalist and author
  • 1947 – Johnny Echols, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1947 – Olympia Snowe, American politician
  • 1948 – Bill Slayback, American baseball player and singer (d. 2015)
  • 1949 – Frank Brunner, American illustrator
  • 1949 – Jerry Harrison, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
  • 1949 – Ronnie Hellström, Swedish footballer
  • 1950 – Larry Drake, American actor (d. 2016)
  • 1951 – Vince Welnick, American keyboard player (d. 2006)
  • 1952 – Jean-Jacques Burnel, English bass player, songwriter, and producer
  • 1952 – Vitaly Churkin, Russian diplomat, former Ambassador of Russia to the United Nations (d. 2017)
  • 1953 – Christine Ebersole, American actress and singer
  • 1953 – William Petersen, American actor and producer
  • 1954 – Christina Rees, British politician
  • 1955 – Kelsey Grammer, American actor, singer, and producer
  • 1958 – Jake Burns, Northern Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1958 – Mary Chapin Carpenter, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1958 – Kim Coates, Canadian actor
  • 1958 – Alan Trammell, American baseball player, coach, and manager
  • 1959 – José María Cano, Spanish singer-songwriter and painter
  • 1960 – Plamen Oresharski, Bulgarian economist and politician, 52nd Prime Minister of Bulgaria
  • 1960 – Steve Wynn, American singer-songwriter
  • 1961 – Christopher Atkins, American actor and businessman
  • 1962 – Chuck Palahniuk, American novelist and journalist
  • 1962 – David Foster Wallace, American novelist, short story writer, and essayist (d. 2008)
  • 1963 – William Baldwin, American actor
  • 1963 – Ranking Roger, English singer-songwriter and musician (d. 2019)
  • 1963 – Greg Turner, New Zealand golfer
  • 1964 – Mark Kelly, American captain, pilot, and astronaut
  • 1964 – Scott Kelly, American captain, pilot, and astronaut
  • 1965 – Mark Ferguson, Australian journalist
  • 1967 – Leroy Burrell, American runner and coach
  • 1967 – Sari Essayah, Finnish athlete and politician
  • 1969 – James Dean Bradfield, Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist (Manic Street Preachers)
  • 1969 – Aunjanue Ellis, American actress and producer
  • 1969 – Petra Kronberger, Austrian skier
  • 1969 – Tony Meola, American soccer player and manager
  • 1969 – Cathy Richardson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1970 – Michael Slater, Australian cricketer and sportscaster
  • 1970 – Eric Wilson, American bass player and drummer
  • 1971 – Pierre Fulke, Swedish golfer
  • 1972 – Seo Taiji, South Korean singer-songwriter
  • 1973 – Heri Joensen, Faroese singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1973 – Brian Rolston, American ice hockey player and coach
  • 1974 – Iván Campo, Spanish footballer
  • 1975 – Scott Miller, Australian swimmer
  • 1976 – Ryan Smyth, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1976 – Michael McIntyre, English comedian, actor and television presenter
  • 1977 – Jonathan Safran Foer, American novelist
  • 1977 – Steve Francis, American basketball player
  • 1977 – Owen King, American author
  • 1977 – Kevin Rose, American businessman and television host, founded Digg
  • 1978 – Kumail Nanjiani, Pakistani-American stand-up comedian, actor, writer and podcast host
  • 1979 – Pascal Chimbonda, Guadeloupean-French footballer, defender
  • 1979 – Shane Gibson, American guitarist (stOrk and Jonathan Davis and the SFA) (d. 2014)
  • 1979 – Jennifer Love Hewitt, American actress and producer
  • 1979 – Carly Colón, Puerto Rican professional wrestler
  • 1979 – Jordan Peele, American actor, producer, and screenwriter
  • 1980 – Brad Fast, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1980 – Tiziano Ferro, Italian singer-songwriter and producer
  • 1980 – Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 5th King of Bhutan
  • 1980 – Justin Roiland, American animator, writer and voice actor
  • 1981 – Floor Jansen, Dutch singer, songwriter, and vocal coach
  • 1982 – Andre Barrett, American basketball player
  • 1982 – Chantal Claret, American singer-songwriter
  • 1982 – Tebogo Jacko Magubane, South African DJ and producer
  • 1983 – Braylon Edwards, American football player
  • 1983 – Franklin Gutiérrez, Venezuelan baseball player
  • 1983 – Mélanie Laurent, French actress
  • 1984 – Andrew Ellis, New Zealand rugby player
  • 1984 – David Odonkor, German footballer
  • 1984 – Marco Paoloni, Italian footballer
  • 1984 – James Wisniewski, American ice hockey player
  • 1985 – Georgios Samaras, Greek footballer
  • 1985 – Jamaal Westerman, American football player
  • 1986 – Charlotte Church, Welsh singer-songwriter and actress
  • 1987 – Ellen Page, Canadian actress
  • 1989 – Corbin Bleu, American actor, model, dancer, film producer and singer-songwriter
  • 1990 – Mattias Tedenby, Swedish ice hockey player
  • 1991 – Joe Alwyn, English actor
  • 1991 – Riyad Mahrez, Algerian footballer
  • 1991 – Ji So-yun, South Korean footballer
  • 1991 – Devon Travis, American baseball player
  • 1991 – Suppasit Jongcheveevat, Thai actor
  • 1993 – Steve Leo Beleck, Cameroonian footballer
  • 1993 – Davy Klaassen, Dutch footballer
  • 1993 – Masaki Suda, Japanese actor
  • 1994 – Tang Haochen, Chinese tennis player
  • 1994 – Charalampos Mavrias, Greek footballer
  • 1996 – Sophie Turner, English actress

Deaths on February 21

  • 4 AD – Gaius Caesar, Roman consul and grandson of Augustus (b. 20 BC)
  • 675 – Randoald of Grandval, prior of the Benedictine monastery of Grandval
  • 1184 – Minamoto no Yoshinaka, Japanese shōgun (b. 1154)
  • 1267 – Baldwin of Ibelin, Seneschal of Cyprus
  • 1437 – James I of Scotland (b. 1394; assassinated)
  • 1471 – Jan Rokycana, Czech bishop and theologian (b. 1396)
  • 1513 – Pope Julius II (b. 1443)
  • 1543 – Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, Somalian general (b. 1507)
  • 1554 – Hieronymus Bock, German botanist and physician (b. 1498)
  • 1572 – Cho Shik, Korean poet and scholar (d. 1501)
  • 1590 – Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, English nobleman and general (b. 1528)
  • 1595 – Robert Southwell, English priest and poet (b. 1561)
  • 1677 – Baruch Spinoza, Dutch philosopher and scholar (b. 1632)
  • 1715 – Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, English politician (b. 1637)
  • 1730 – Pope Benedict XIII (b. 1649)
  • 1821 – Georg Friedrich von Martens, German jurist and diplomat (b. 1756)
  • 1824 – Eugène de Beauharnais, French general (b. 1781)
  • 1829 – Kittur Chennamma, Indian queen and freedom fighter (b. 1778)
  • 1846 – Emperor Ninkō of Japan (b. 1800)
  • 1862 – Justinus Kerner, German poet and physician (b. 1786)
  • 1888 – William Weston, English-Australian politician, 3rd Premier of Tasmania (b. 1804)
  • 1891 – James Timberlake, American lieutenant and police officer (b. 1846)
  • 1919 – Kurt Eisner, German journalist and politician, Minister-President of Bavaria (b. 1867)
  • 1926 – Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, Dutch physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1853)
  • 1934 – Augusto César Sandino, Nicaraguan rebel leader (b. 1895)
  • 1938 – George Ellery Hale, American astronomer and academic (b. 1868)
  • 1941 – Frederick Banting, Canadian physician and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1891)
  • 1944 – Ferenc Szisz, Hungarian-French race car driver (b. 1873)
  • 1945 – Eric Liddell, Scottish rugby player and runner (b. 1902)
  • 1946 – José Streel, Belgian journalist (b. 1911)
  • 1958 – Duncan Edwards, English footballer (b. 1936)
  • 1965 – Malcolm X, American minister and activist (b. 1925; assassinated)
  • 1967 – Charles Beaumont, American author and screenwriter (b. 1929)
  • 1968 – Howard Florey, Australian pathologist and pharmacologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1898)
  • 1972 – Zhang Guohua, Chinese general and politician (b. 1914)
  • 1972 – Bronislava Nijinska, Russian-American dancer and choreographer (b. 1891)
  • 1972 – Eugène Tisserant, French cardinal (b. 1884)
  • 1974 – Tim Horton, Canadian ice hockey player and businessman, co-founded Tim Hortons (b. 1930)
  • 1980 – Alfred Andersch, German-Swiss author (b. 1914)
  • 1982 – Gershom Scholem, German-Israeli historian and philosopher (b. 1897)
  • 1984 – Mikhail Sholokhov, Russian novelist and short story writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1905)
  • 1985 – Louis Hayward, South African-American actor (b. 1909)
  • 1986 – Helen Hooven Santmyer, American novelist (b. 1895)
  • 1991 – Dorothy Auchterlonie Green, Australian poet, critic, and academic (b. 1915)
  • 1993 – Inge Lehmann, Danish seismologist and geophysicist (b. 1888)
  • 1994 – Johannes Steinhoff, German general and pilot (b. 1913)
  • 1996 – Morton Gould, American pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1913)
  • 1999 – Gertrude B. Elion, American biochemist and pharmacologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1918)
  • 1999 – Ilmari Juutilainen, Finnish soldier and pilot (b. 1914)
  • 1999 – Wilmer Mizell, American baseball player and politician (b. 1930)
  • 2002 – John Thaw, English actor and producer (b. 1942)
  • 2004 – John Charles, Welsh footballer and manager (b. 1931)
  • 2005 – Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Cuban author, screenwriter, and critic (b. 1929)
  • 2005 – Zdzisław Beksiński, Polish painter, photographer, and sculptor (b. 1929)
  • 2008 – Ben Chapman, American actor (b. 1928)
  • 2011 – Dwayne McDuffie, American author and screenwriter, co-founded Milestone Media (b. 1962)
  • 2011 – Bernard Nathanson, American physician and activist (b. 1926)
  • 2012 – H. M. Darmstandler, American general (b. 1922)
  • 2013 – Hasse Jeppson, Swedish footballer (b. 1925)
  • 2014 – Héctor Maestri, Cuban-American baseball player (b. 1935)
  • 2014 – Matthew Robinson, Australian snowboarder (b. 1985)
  • 2014 – Cornelius Schnauber, German–American historian, playwright, and academic (b. 1939)
  • 2015 – Aleksei Gubarev, Russian general, pilot, and astronaut (b. 1931)
  • 2015 – Sadeq Tabatabaei, Iranian journalist and politician (b. 1943)
  • 2015 – Clark Terry, American trumpet player, composer, and educator (b. 1920)
  • 2016 – Eric Brown, Scottish-English captain and pilot (b. 1919)
  • 2017 – Jeanne Martin Cissé, Guinean teacher and politician (b. 1926)
  • 2018 – Billy Graham, American evangelist (b. 1918)
  • 2019 – Stanley Donen, American film director (b. 1924)
  • 2019 – Peter Tork, American musician and actor (b. 1942)

Holidays and observances on February 21

  • Armed Forces Day (South Africa)
  • Birthday of King Harald V (Norway)
  • Christian feast day:
    • Felix of Hadrumetum
    • Pepin of Landen
    • Peter Damian
    • Randoald of Grandval
    • February 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Father Lini Day (Vanuatu)
  • Language Movement Day (Bangladesh)
    • International Mother Language Day (UNESCO)
  • The first day of the Birth Anniversary of Fifth Druk Gyalpo, celebrated until February 23. (Bhutan)
  • The first day of the Musikahan Festival, celebrated until February 27. (Tagum City, Philippines)
  • Feralia (Ancient Rome)

February 21 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day