Events

• 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks.
• 1407 - the lama Deshin Shekpa visits the Ming Dynasty capital at Nanjing. He is awarded with the title Great Treasure Prince of Dharma.
• 1500 - Ludovico Sforza is captured by the Swiss troops at Novara and is handed over to the French.
• 1606 - The Charter of 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 first law regulating copyright is issued in Great Britain.
• 1741 - War of the Austrian Succession: Prussia defeats Austria in the Battle of Mollwitz.
• 1815 - The Mount Tambora volcano begins its peak eruption period that lasts until July 15.
• 1816 - The United States Government approves the creation of the Second Bank of the United States.
• 1821 - Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople is hanged by the Turks from the main gate of the Patriarchate and his body is thrown into the Bosphorus.
• 1826 - The 10,500 inhabitants of the Greek town Messolonghi start leaving the town after a year's siege by Turkish forces. Very few of them survive.
• 1856 - The Theta Chi Fraternity is founded at Norwich University.
• 1857 - The Sepoy Mutiny popularly known as the "Revolt of 1857" broke out in Meerut, India as part of the Indian independence movement.
• 1858 - The original Big Ben, a 14.5 tonne bell for the Tower of London is cast in Stockton-on-Tees by Warner's of Cripplegate. This however cracked during testing and was recasted into the 13.76 tonne bell by Whitechapel Bell Foundry and is still in use to date.
• 1864 - Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg is elected emperor of 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 Theodore. While 700 Ethiopians are killed and many more injured, only two die from the British/Indian troops.
• 1869 - José Martí founds the Cuban Revolutionary Party.
• 1874 - The first Arbor Day is celebrated in Nebraska.
• 1887 - On Easter Sunday, Pope Leo XIII authorizes the establishment of The Catholic University of America.
• 1912 - The RMS Titanic leaves port in Southampton, England for her first 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.
• 1933 - New Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps is created.
• 1941 - World War II: The Axis Powers in Europe establish the Independent State of Croatia from occupied Yugoslavia with Ante Pavelić's Ustase fascist insurgents in power.
• 1944 - Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler escape from the Birkenau death camp.
• 1957 - The Suez Canal is reopened for all shipping after being closed for three months.
• 1959 - Akihito, future Emperor of Japan, weds Michiko.
• 1963 - 129 people die when the submarine USS Thresher sinks at sea.
• 1968 - Shipwreck of the New Zealand inter-island ferry TEV Wahine outside Wellington harbour.
• 1971 - Ping Pong Diplomacy: In an attempt to thaw relations with the United States, the People's Republic of China hosts the U.S. table tennis team for a weeklong visit.
• 1972 - 20 days after he was kidnapped in Buenos Aires, Oberdan Sallustro is executed by communist guerrillas.
• 1972 - Vietnam War: For the first time since November 1967, American B-52 bombers reportedly begin bombing North Vietnam.
• 1973 - A British Vanguard turboprop crashes during a snowstorm at Basel, Switzerland killing 104.
• 1979 - Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak: A tornado lands in Wichita Falls, Texas killing 42 people.
• 1991 - Italian ferry Moby Prince collides with an oil tanker in dense fog off Livorno, Italy killing 140.
• 1991 - A rare tropical storm develops in the Southern Hemisphere near Angola; the first to be documented by satellites.
• 1998 - The Belfast Agreement is signed.

Births

• 1389 - Cosimo de' Medici, ruler of Florence (d. 1464)
• 1583 - Hugo Grotius, Dutch philosopher and writer (d. 1645)
• 1651 - Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, German mathematician (d. 1708)
• 1656 - René Lepage de Ste-Claire, lord-founder of the town of Rimouski, in New France (d. 1718)
• 1704 - Benjamin Heath, English classical scholar (d. 1766)
• 1713 - John Whitehurst, English clockmaker and scientist (d. 1788)
• 1735 - Button Gwinnett, Signer of the US Declaration of Independence (d. 1777)
• 1755 - Samuel Hahnemann, German physician (d. 1843)
• 1762 - Giovanni Aldini, Italian physicist (d. 1834)
• 1778 - William Hazlitt, English writer (d. 1830)
• 1794 - Matthew C. Perry, American commodore (d. 1858)
• 1796 - James Bowie, American pioneer and soldier (d. 1836)
• 1829 - William Booth, English founder of the Salvation Army (d. 1912)
• 1837 - Forceythe Willson, American poet (d. 1867)
• 1847 - Joseph Pulitzer, American journalist and publisher (d. 1911)
• 1864 - Eugen d'Albert, German composer (d. 1932)
• 1865 - Jack Miner, Canadian conservationist (d. 1944)
• 1867 - George William Russell, Irish nationalist (d. 1935)
• 1868 - George Arliss, English actor (d. 1946)
• 1880 - Montague Summers, English writer (d. 1948)
• 1880 - Mohammed Nadir Shah, Afghan king (d. 1933)
• 1882 - Frances Perkins, American politician (d. 1965)
• 1887 - Bernardo Houssay, Argentine physiologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1971)
• 1894 - Shri Ghanshyam Das Birla, Indian industrialist (d. 1983)
• 1897 - Ross Youngs, American baseball player (d. 1927)
• 1903 - Claire Boothe Luce, American activist, (d. 1987)
• 1910 - Paul Sweezy, American economist and editor (d. 2004)
• 1911 - Martin Denny, American musician (d. 2005)
• 1913 - Stefan Heym, German author (d. 2001)
• 1915 - Harry Morgan, American actor
• 1917 - Robert Burns Woodward, American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1979)
• 1918 - Lee Bergere, American actor (d. 2007)
• 1921 - Chuck Connors, American actor (d. 1992)
• 1921 - Sheb Wooley, American actor and singer (d. 2003)
• 1923 - Roger Gaillard, Haitian historian and novelist (d. 2000)
• 1924 - Kenneth Noland, American painter
• 1926 - Junior Samples, American musician (d. 1983)
• 1927 - Marshall Warren Nirenberg, American scientist, Nobel laureate
• 1929 - Mike Hawthorn, English race car driver (d. 1959)
• 1929 - Max von Sydow, Swedish actor
• 1930 - Claude Bolling, French jazz composer/pianist
• 1930 - Dolores Huerta, American labor activist
• 1930 - Norma Candal, Puerto Rican actor/comedian (d. 2006)
• 1930 - Spede Pasanen, Finnish comedian (d. 2001)
• 1932 - Omar Sharif, Egyptian actor
• 1933 - Rokusuke Ei, Japanese lyricist and author
• 1934 - David Halberstam, American journalist and author (d. 2007)
• 1934 - Vladimir Posner, Russian journalist
• 1935 - John A. Bennett, American convicted rapist (d. 1961)
• 1936 - John Madden, American football coach and broadcaster
• 1937 - Bella Akhmadulina, Russian poet
• 1938 - Don Meredith, American football player and broadcaster
• 1940 - Gloria Hunniford, Northern Irish TV and radio presenter
• 1941 - Paul Theroux, American author
• 1942 - Ian Callaghan, English footballer
• 1942 - Nick Auf der Maur, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 1998)
• 1943 - Andrzej Badeński, Polish athlete
• 1946 - David Angell, American television producer (d. 2001)
• 1947 - Bunny Wailer, Jamaican musician
• 1950 - Ken Griffey, Sr., American baseball player
• 1950 - Barry M. Riemer, American author
• 1950 - Eddie Hazel, American guitarist (P-Funk and The Temptations) (d. 1992)
• 1950 - Akiko Wada, Japanese singer and television performer
• 1951 - David Helvarg, American journalist and environmental activist
• 1951 - Steven Seagal, American actor
• 1954 - Peter MacNicol, American actor
• 1955 - Lesley Garrett, British soprano
• 1957 - John M. Ford, American science fiction author and poet (d. 2006)
• 1957 - Steve Gustafson, American musician
• 1958 - Bob Bell, British engineer
• 1958 - Yefim Bronfman, Russian-born pianist
• 1958 - Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, American music producer
• 1959 - Yvan Loubier, Quebec politician
• 1959 - Brian Setzer, American musician (Stray Cats)
• 1960 - Steve Bisciotti, American owner of the Baltimore Ravens
• 1960 - Katrina Leskanich, American musician
• 1961 - Joe Cole (roadie), American roadie (d. 1991)
• 1962 - Steve Tasker, American football player
• 1963 - Warren DeMartini, American musician
• 1963 - Doris Leuthard, member of the Swiss Federal Council
• 1965 - Tim Alexander, American musician
• 1967 - Donald Dufresne, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1968 - Orlando Jones, American actor and comedian
• 1969 - Billy Jayne, American actor
• 1969 - Ekaterini Koffa, Greek sprinter
• 1970 - Matt Barlow, American musician
• 1970 - Enrico Ciccone, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1970 - Leonard Dorin, Canadian boxer
• 1970 - Kenny Lattimore, American singer
• 1970 - Mike Mushok, American musician
• 1970 - Q-Tip, American musician
• 1971 - Al Reyes, Dominican baseball player
• 1973 - Guillaume Canet, French actor and film director
• 1973 - Roberto Carlos, Brazilian footballer
• 1973 - Aidan Moffat, Scottish musician
• 1973 - Christopher Simmons, American designer
• 1974 - Eric Greitens, American former military officer
• 1974 - Petros Passalis, Greek footballer
• 1975 - Chris Carrabba, American singer
• 1976 - Sara Renner, Canadian cross country skier
• 1979 - Shemekia Copeland, American singer
• 1979 - Rachel Corrie, American activist (d. 2003)
• 1979 - Tsuyoshi Domoto, Japanese artist
• 1979 - Sophie Ellis-Bextor, English singer
• 1979 - Peter Kopteff, Finnish footballer
• 1980 - Sean Avery, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1980 - Charlie Hunnam, British actor
• 1980 - Kasey Kahne, American race-car driver
• 1980 - Bryce Soderberg, American musician
• 1981 - Laura Bell Bundy, American actor
• 1981 - Liz McClarnon, British singer
• 1981 - Michael Pitt, American actor
• 1981 - Alexei Semenov, Russian ice hockey player
• 1982 - Damián Lanza, Ecuadorian footballer
• 1982 - Chyler Leigh, American actress
• 1982 - Andre Ethier, American baseball player
• 1983 - Ryan Merriman, American actor
• 1984 - Mandy Moore, American singer/actor
• 1985 - Carlos Tevez, Argentine footballer
• 1985 - Dion Phaneuf, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1986 - Olivia Borlée, Belgian athlete
• 1986 - Vincent Kompany, Belgian footballer
• 1986 - Ayesha Takia, Indian actress
• 1987 - Hayley Westenra, New Zealand soprano
• 1988 - Haley Joel Osment, American actor
• 1990 - Lulinha, Brazilian footballer
• 1990 - Alex Pettyfer, English actor
• 1991 - Amanda Michalka, American actress/singer
• 2007 - Princess Ariane of the Netherlands, Dutch Princess

Deaths

• 879 - Louis the Stammerer, King of the West Franks (b. 846)
• 948 - King Hugh of Italy
• 1533 - King Frederick I of Denmark (b. 1471)
• 1545 - Costanzo Festa, Italian composer
• 1585 - Pope Gregory XIII (b. 1502)
• 1599 - Gabrielle d'Estrée, mistress of King Henry IV of France (b. 1571)
• 1601 - Mark Alexander Boyd, Scottish poet (b. 1562)
• 1619 - Thomas Jones, Archbishop of Dublin (b. c1550)
• 1640 - Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer (b. 1578)
• 1646 - Santino Solari, Swiss architect and sculptor (b. 1576)
• 1704 - William Egon of Fürstenberg, Bishop of Strassburg (b. 1629)
• 1706 - Arthur Chichester, 3rd Earl of Donegall, Irish soldier (b. 1666)
• 1756 - Giacomo Antonio Perti, Italian composer (d. 1661)
• 1760 - Jean Lebeuf, French historian (b. 1687)
• 1786 - John Byron, British naval officer (b. 1723)
• 1813 - Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Italian-born mathematician (b. 1736)
• 1823 - Karl Leonhard Reinhold, Austrian philosopher (b. 1757)
• 1862 - W.H.L. Wallace, American Union general (b. 1821)
• 1882 - Dante Gabriel Rossetti, English poet and painter (b. 1828)
• 1904 - Queen Isabella II of Spain (b. 1830)
• 1909 - Algernon Charles Swinburne, English poet and critic (b. 1837)
• 1919 - Emiliano Zapata, Mexican revolutionary (b. 1879)
• 1920 - Moritz Cantor, German mathematician (b. 1829)
• 1931 - Khalil Gibran, Lebanese poet and painter (b. 1883)
• 1938 - Joe "King" Oliver, American musician (b. 1885)
• 1945 - Charles Nordhoff, English-born writer (b. 1887)
• 1945 - H.N. Werkman, Dutch artist and printer (b. 1882)
• 1954 - Auguste Lumière, French film pioneer (b. 1862)
• 1954 - Oscar Mathisen, Norwegian speed skater (b. 1888)
• 1955 - Teilhard de Chardin, French paleontologist and theologian (b. 1881)
• 1958 - Chuck Willis, American singer and songwriter (b. 1928)
• 1962 - Michael Curtiz, Hungarian-born director (b. 1886)
• 1962 - Stuart Sutcliffe, English musician (The Beatles) (b. 1940)
• 1965 - Lloyd Casner, American race car driver and owner (b. 1928)
• 1965 - Linda Darnell, American actress (b. 1923)
• 1966 - Evelyn Waugh, English writer (b. 1903)
• 1968 - Gustavs Celmins, Latvian politician (b. 1899)
• 1969 - Harley J. Earl, American automobile designer (b. 1893)
• 1975 - Marjorie Main, American actress (b. 1890)
• 1979 - Nino Rota, Italian composer (b. 1911)
• 1980 - Kay Medford, American actress (b. 1914)
• 1986 - Linda Creed, American songwriter (b. 1948)
• 1991 - Kevin Peter Hall, American actor (b. 1955)
• 1991 - Natalie Schafer, American actress (b. 1900)
• 1992 - Sam Kinison, American comedian (b. 1953)
• 1993 - Chris Hani, South African activist (b. 1942)
• 1994 - Sam B. Hall, American politician (b. 1924)
• 1995 - Morarji Desai, Indian activist (b. 1896)
• 1997 - Michael Dorris, American author (b. 1945)
• 1999 - Heinz Fraenkel-Conrat, German-born biochemist (b. 1910)
• 1999 - Jean Vander Pyl, American voice actress (b. 1919)
• 2000 - Peter Jones, English actor (b. 1920)
• 2000 - Larry Linville, American actor (b. 1939)
• 2000 - Kirsten Rolffes, Danish actress (b. 1928)
• 2003 - Little Eva, American singer (b. 1943)
• 2005 - Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist (b. 1923)
• 2005 - Iakovos, Archbishop of America (b. 1911)
• 2005 - Al Lucas, American football player (b. 1978)
• 2005 - Scott Gottlieb, American Drummer (Bleed the Dream) (b. 1970)
• 2007 - Dakota Staton, American singer (b. 1930)

Holidays and observances

• Saint Fulbert of Chartres
• James, Azadanus and Abdicius
• Saint Paternus

External links

• BBC: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada