Events

• 537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed.
• 1512 - The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the conduct of settlers with regards to native Indians in the New World.
• 1657 - The Flushing Remonstrance is signed.
• 1703 - Portugal and England sign the Methuen Treaty which gives preference to Portuguese imported wines into England.
• 1814 - Destruction of schooner Carolina, the last of Commodore Daniel Patterson's make-shift fleet that fought a series of delaying actions that contributed to Andrew Jackson's victory at the Battle of New Orleans.
• 1831 - Charles Darwin embarks on his journey aboard the HMS Beagle, during which he will begin to formulate the theory of evolution.
• 1836 - The worst ever avalanche in England occurs at Lewes, Sussex, killing 8 people.
• 1845 - Ether anesthetic is used for childbirth for the first time by Dr. Crawford Williamson Long in Jefferson, Georgia.
• 1918 - The Great Poland Uprising against the Germans begins.
• 1923 - Namba Daisuke, a Japanese student, tries to assassinate the Prince Regent Hirohito.
• 1939 - Erzincan, Turkey was hit by an earthquake.
• 1942 - The Union of Pioneers of Yugoslavia is founded.
• 1945 - The World Bank was created with the signing of an agreement by 28 nations.
• 1949 - Indonesian National Revolution: The Netherlands officially recognizes Indonesian independence.
• 1968 - Apollo Program: Apollo 8 splashes down in the Pacific Ocean, ending the first orbital manned mission to the Moon.
• 1978 - Spain becomes a democracy after 40 years of dictatorship.
• 1979 - The Soviet Union seizes control of Afghanistan and Babrak Karmal replaces overthrown and executed President Hafizullah Amin.
• 1985 - Palestinian guerrillas kill eighteen people inside Rome and Vienna airports.
• 1996 - Taliban forces retake the strategic Bagram air base which solidifies their buffer zone around Kabul.
• 1997 - Protestant paramilitary leader Billy Wright is assassinated in Northern Ireland.
• 2001 - The People's Republic of China is granted permanent normal trade relations with the United States.
• 2002 - Two truck bombs kill 72 and wound 200 at the pro-Moscow headquarters of the Chechen government in Grozny, Chechnya.
• 2004 - Radiation from an explosion on the magnetar SGR 1806-20 reaches Earth. It is the brightest extrasolar event known to have been witnessed on the planet.
• 2007 - Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is assassinated by a suicide bomber.

Births

• 1390 - Anne de Mortimer, claimant to the English throne (d. 1411)
• 1571 - Johannes Kepler, German astronomer (d. 1630)
• 1654 - Jacob Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician (d. 1705)
• 1683 - Conyers Middleton, English minister (d. 1750)
• 1715 - Philippe de Noailles, duc de Mouchy, French soldier (d. 1794)
• 1717 - Pope Pius VI (d. 1799)
• 1721 - François Hemsterhuis, Dutch philosopher (d. 1790)
• 1761 - Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly, Russian military commander (d. 1818)
• 1773 - George Cayley, English scientist, inventor, and politician (d. 1857)
• 1776 - Nikolay Kamensky, Russian general (d. 1811)
• 1796 - Mirza Ghalib, Indian poet (d. 1869)
• 1803 - François-Marie-Thomas Chevalier de Lorimier, French Canadian Patriote (d. 1839)
• 1822 - Louis Pasteur, French scientist (d. 1895)
• 1823 - Sir Mackenzie Bowell, fifth Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1896)
• 1832 - Pavel Tretyakov, Russian businessman and patron of art (d. 1897)
• 1864 - René Georges Hermann-Paul, French artist (d. 1940)
• 1879 - Sydney Greenstreet, English actor (d. 1954)
• 1883 - Cyrus S. Eaton, Canadian-American financier, industrialist and philanthropist (d. 1979)
• 1888 - Thea von Harbou, German author and actress (d. 1954)
• 1892 - Alfred Edwin McKay, Canadian World War One flying ace (d. 1917)
• 1896 - Carl Zuckmayer, German author and dramatist (d. 1977)
• 1896 - Louis Bromfield, American writer (d. 1956)
• 1896 - Maurice De Waele, Belgian cyclist (d. 1952)
• 1900 - Hans Stuck, German race car driver (d. 1978)
• 1901 - Marlene Dietrich, German actress and singer (d. 1992)
• 1901 - Irene Handl, English actress (d. 1987)
• 1906 - Oscar Levant, American pianist, composer, and actor (d. 1972)
• 1907 - Sebastian Haffner, German journalist and writer (d. 1999)
• 1907 - Conrad L. Raiford, Goodwill Ambassador (d. 2002)
• 1907 - Willem van Otterloo, Dutch conductor and composer (d. 1978)
• 1910 - Charles Olson, American poet (d. 1970)
• 1915 - Mary Kornman, American actress (d. 1973)
• 1915 - William Masters, American gynecologist (d. 2001)
• 1915 - Gyula Zsengellér, Hungarian footballer (d. 1999)
• 1916 - Werner Baumbach, German bomber pilot (d. 1953)
• 1917 - Onni Palaste, Finnish writer
• 1918 - John Celardo, American comic strip artist
• 1920 - Bruce Hobbs, American jockey (d. 2005)
• 1925 - Michel Piccoli, French actor
• 1926 - Jerome Courtland, American actor, director and producer
• 1927 - Antony Gardner, British politician
• 1927 - Agnes Nixon, American television producer, director, and writer
• 1930 - Wilfrid Sheed, English-born American writer
• 1931 - Scotty Moore, American guitarist
• 1934 - Larissa Latynina, Russian gymnast
• 1939 - John Amos, American actor
• 1941 - Michael Pinder, British musician (Moody Blues)
• 1941 - Nolan Richardson, American basketball coach
• 1942 - Byron Browne, baseball player
• 1942 - Charmian Carr, American actress
• 1943 - Cokie Roberts, American journalist
• 1943 - Joan Manuel Serrat, Spanish musician
• 1943 - Peter Sinfield, British lyricist and producer
• 1944 - Barry Elliot British actor
• 1944 - Mick Jones, British musician (Foreigner)
• 1946 - Lenny Kaye, American guitarist
• 1946 - Janet Street-Porter, British journalist, producer and presenter
• 1947 - Bill Eadie, professional wrestler known as "Ax" of Demolition
• 1947 - Tracy Nelson, American blues singer
• 1947 - Mickey Redmond, National Hockey League player
• 1947 - Janet Perry, American soprano
• 1947 - Willy Polleunis, Belgian athlete
• 1948 - Gérard Depardieu, French actor
• 1950 - Roberto Bettega, Italian footballer
• 1950 - Terry Bozzio, American drummer (Missing Persons)
• 1951 - Ernesto Zedillo, President of Mexico
• 1952 - Karla Bonoff, American singer and songwriter
• 1952 - Tovah Feldshuh, American actress
• 1952 - Jay Hill, Canadian politician
• 1952 - David Knopfler, British musician (Dire Straits)
• 1955 - Barbara Olson, American political commentator (d. 2001)
• 1955 - Brad Murphey, Australian racing driver
• 1959 - Gerina Dunwich, American author
• 1959 - Andre Tippett, American football player
• 1960 - Maryam d'Abo, British actress
• 1960 - Victoria Paige Meyerink, American actress and producer
• 1960 - Donald Nally, American choral conductor
• 1962 - Barbara Crampton, American actress
• 1962 - Mark Few, American basketball coach
• 1962 - Bill Self, American basketball coach
• 1962 - Sherri Steinhauer, American golfer
• 1963 - Gaspar Noé, Argentinian-born director
• 1964 - Ian Gomez, American actor
• 1964 - Theresa Randle, American actress
• 1965 - Salman Khan, Indian actor
• 1965 - Chris Mainwaring, Australian rules footballer (d. 2007)
• 1966 - Wendy Coakley-Thompson, American writer
• 1966 - Eva LaRue, American actress
• 1966 - Bill Goldberg, American football player and professional wrestler
• 1966 - Fabian Núñez, American politician
• 1969 - Jean-Christophe Boullion, French race car driver
• 1969 - Chyna, American professional wrestler
• 1969 - Sarah Vowell, American author and journalist
• 1970 - Brendon Cook, Australian racing driver
• 1970 - Lorenzo Neal, American football player
• 1971 - Duncan Ferguson, Scottish footballer
• 1971 - Bryan Smolinski, American ice hockey player
• 1972 - Thomas Wilson Brown, American actor
• 1972 - Colin Charvis, Welsh rugby union player
• 1972 - Matt Slocum, American musician (Sixpence None the Richer)
• 1973 - Kristoffer Zegers, Dutch composer
• 1973 - Wilson Cruz, Puerto Rican actor
• 1973 - Dee Ferris, British painter
• 1974 - Masi Oka, Japanese-American actor
• 1974 - Jay Pandolfo, American ice hockey player
• 1975 - Heather O'Rourke, American actress (d. 1988)
• 1976 - Fernando Pisani, Canadian/Italian ice hockey player
• 1976 - Aaron Stanford, American actor
• 1977 - Jacqueline Pillon, Canadian actress
• 1979 - David Dunn, English footballer
• 1979 - Carson Palmer, American football player
• 1980 - Claudio Castagnoli, Swiss wrestler
• 1980 - Cas Haley, American singer and guitarist
• 1981 - Emilie de Ravin, Australian actress
• 1981 - Javine, British singer
• 1982 - James Mead, American guitarist (Kutless)
• 1982 - Terji Skibenæs, Faroese guitarist, (Týr)
• 1983 - Cole Hamels, American baseball player
• 1984 - Gilles Simon, French tennis player
• 1984 - Pleasure P,American R&B Singer. Former member of Pretty Ricky (band)
• 1985 - Logan Bailly, Belgian football goalkeeper
• 1985 - Paul Stastny, Canadian-American ice hockey player
• 1986 - Tristan Mathews, Porn Star,Model
• 1988 - Rick Porcello, American baseball player
• 1990 - Luis Trujillo, Peruvian Football Player

Deaths

• 418 - Zosimus, Greek pope
• 1076 - Prince Svyatoslav II of Kiev (b. 1027)
• 1381 - Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March, English politician
• 1548 - Francesco Spiera, Italian Protestant jurist (b. 1502)
• 1603 - Thomas Cartwright, English Puritan clergyman
• 1707 - Jean Mabillon, French palaeograopher and diplomat (b. 1632)
• 1737 - William Bowyer, English printer (b. 1663)
• 1743 - Hyacinthe Rigaud, French painter (b. 1659)
• 1771 - Henri Pitot, French engineer (b. 1695)
• 1782 - Henry Home, Lord Kames, Scottish philosopher (b. 1697)
• 1800 - Hugh Blair, Scottish preacher and man of letters (b. 1718)
• 1812 - Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Lithuanian rabbi and founder of Chabad Hasidism (b. 1745)
• 1812 - Joanna Southcott, an English self-described religious prophetess.
• 1834 - Charles Lamb, English essayist (b. 1775)
• 1836 - Stephen F. Austin, American pioneer (b. 1793)
• 1858 - Alexandre Pierre François Boëly, French composer (b. 1785)
• 1896 - John Brown, British manufacturer (b. 1816)
• 1900 - William George Armstrong, English inventor, industrialist, and engineer (b. 1810)
• 1914 - Charles Martin Hall, American chemist and inventor (b. 1863)
• 1923 - Gustave Eiffel, French engineer and architect (b. 1832)
• 1925 - Sergei Yesenin, Russian poet (b. 1895)
• 1938 - Calvin Bridges, American geneticist (b. 1889)
• 1938 - Osip Mandelstam, Russian poet (b. 1891)
• 1950 - Max Beckmann, German painter (b. 1884)
• 1952 - Patrick Joseph Hartigan, Australian Roman Catholic priest (b. 1878)
• 1953 - Julian Tuwim, Polish poet (b. 1894)
• 1955 - Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter, English soldier (b. 1881)
• 1956 - Lambert McKenna, Irish editor and lexicographer. (b. 1870)
• 1965 - Edgar Ende, German painter (b. 1901)
• 1966 - Guillermo Stábile, Argentine footballer (b. 1906)
• 1972 - Lester B. Pearson, fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada, recipient of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1897)
• 1974 - Vladimir Aleksandrovich Fock, Russian physicist (b. 1898)
• 1978 - Bob Luman, American country and rockabilly singer (b. 1937)
• 1978 - Houari Boumédienne, President of Algeria (b. 1932)
• 1979 - Hafizullah Amin, second President of Afghanistan (b. 1929)
• 1981 - Hoagy Carmichael, American composer and singer (b. 1899)
• 1982 - John Swigert, American astronaut (b. 1931)
• 1987 - Geoffrey D Lloyd, Chairman of the guild of British Newspaper editors (b. 1933)
• 1988 - Hal Ashby, American film director (b. 1929)
• 1992 - Kay Boyle, American writer (b. 1902)
• 1993 - André Pilette, Belgian racing driver (b. 1918)
• 1994 - Fanny Cradock, English food writer and broadcaster (b. 1909)
• 1994 - J. B. L. Reyes, Filipino jurist (b. 1902)
• 1995 - Shura Cherkassky, Ukrainian classical pianist (b. 1909)
• 1997 - Brendan Gill, American columnist and humorist (b. 1914)
• 1997 - Billy Wright, Irish Protestant paramilitary leader (b. 1960)
• 2002 - George Roy Hill, American film director (b. 1922)
• 2003 - Alan Bates, English actor (b. 1934)
• 2003 - Iván Calderón, Puerto Rican baseball player (b. 1962)
• 2004 - Hank Garland, American musician (b. 1930)
• 2005 - William Doody, Canadian politician (b. 1931)
• 2007 - Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan (assassinated) (b. 1953)
• 2007 - Jerzy Kawalerowicz, Polish film director (b. 1922)
• 2007 - Jaan Kross, Estonian writer (b. 1920)

Holidays and observances

• R.C. Saints - John the Apostle and Evangelist; Nicarete, an early Byzantine female physician.
• St. Stephen's Day among Orthodox Churches; a public holiday in Romania.
• Boxing Day in the Commonwealth of Nations but only when 26 December is a Sunday and by Royal Proclamation.

External links

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