Events

• 1294 – Saint Celestine V resigns the papacy after only five months; Celestine hoped to return to his previous life as an ascetic hermit.

• 1545 – Council of Trent begins.

• 1577 – Sir Francis Drake sets out from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage.

• 1636 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the United States National Guard.

• 1642 – Abel Janszoon Tasman reaches New Zealand.

• 1643 – English Civil War: The Battle of Alton takes place in Hampshire.

• 1769 – Dartmouth College is founded by the Rev. Eleazar Wheelock, with a Royal Charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal Governor John Wentworth.

• 1862 – American Civil War: At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeats the Union Major General Ambrose E. Burnside.

• 1867 – Fenian bomb explodes in Clerkenwell, London, killing six.

• 1937 – Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanjing – Nanjing, defended by the National Revolutionary Army under the command of General Tang Shengzhi, falls to the Japanese.

• 1937 – Nanjing Massacre. Japanese troops begin carrying out several weeks of raping and killing of civilians and suspected Chinese resistance after the fall of Nanjing.

• 1938 – The Holocaust: The Neuengamme concentration camp opens in the Bergedorf district of Hamburg, Germany.

• 1939 – World War II: Battle of the River Plate – Captain Hans Langsdorff of the German Deutschland class cruiser (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee engages with Royal Navy cruisers HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles.

• 1941 – World War II: Hungary and Romania declare war on the United States.

• 1943 – World War II: The Massacre of Kalavryta by German occupying forces in Greece.

• 1949 – The Knesset votes to move the capital of Israel to Jerusalem.

• 1959 – Archbishop Makarios becomes the first President of Cyprus.

• 1962 – NASA "Relay 1" launch, first active repeater communications satellite in orbit.

• 1967 – Constantine II of Greece attempts an unsuccessful counter-coup against the Regime of the Colonels

• 1968 – Brazilian president Artur da Costa e Silva decrees the AI-5 (or the fifth Institutional Act), which lasts until 1978 and marks the beginning of the hard times of Brazilian military dictatorship.

• 1972 – Apollo program: Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt begin the third and final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) or "Moonwalk" of Apollo 17. This was the last manned mission to the moon of the 20th century.

• 1974 – Malta becomes a republic.

• 1977 – A DC-3 aircraft chartered from the Indianapolis-based National Jet crashes near Evansville Regional Airport, killing 29, including the University of Evansville basketball team, support staff and boosters of the team.

• 1979 – The Canadian Government of Prime Minister Joe Clark is defeated in the House of Commons, prompting the 1980 Canadian election.

• 1981 – General Wojciech Jaruzelski declares martial law in Poland to prevent dismantling of the communist system by Solidarity.

• 1989 – Attack on Derryard checkpoint: The Provisional Irish Republican Army launch an attack on a British Army permanent vehicle checkpoint near Rosslea, Northern Ireland. Two British soldiers are killed and one badly wounded.

• 1989 – The last issue of Gnistan (The Spark), the organ of the Solidaritetspartiet, is published in Sweden.

• 1996 – Kofi Annan is elected as Secretary-General of the United Nations.

• 2000 – The "Texas 7" escape from the John Connally Unit near Kenedy, Texas and go on a robbery spree, during which police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot and killed.

• 2000 – American Vice President Al Gore delivers his concession speech effectively ending his hopes of becoming the 43rd President of the United States.

• 2001 – the Indian Parliament Sansad is attacked by terrorists. 15 people are killed, including all the terrorists.

• 2002 – Enlargement of the European Union: The European Union announces that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia will become members from May 1, 2004.

• 2003 – Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit (see Operation Red Dawn).

• 2004 – Former Chilean dictator, General Augusto Pinochet is put under house arrest, after being sued under accusations over 9 kidnapping actions and manslaughter. The house arrest is lifted the same day on appeal.

• 2006 – The Baiji, or Chinese River Dolphin, announced as extinct.

Births

• 1521 – Pope Sixtus V (d. 1590)

• 1533 – King Eric XIV of Sweden (d. 1577)

• 1553 – King Henry IV of France (d. 1610)

• 1585 – William Drummond of Hawthornden, Scottish poet (d. 1649)

• 1640 – Robert Plot, English naturalist (d. 1696)

• 1662 – Francesco Bianchini, Italian philosopher and scientist (d. 1729)

• 1678 – Yongzheng Emperor of China (d. 1735)

• 1720 – Carlo Gozzi, Italian dramatist (d. 1804)

• 1724 – Franz Aepinus, German scientist (d. 1802)

• 1784 – Archduke Louis of Austria (d. 1864)

• 1797 – Heinrich Heine, German poet (d. 1856)

• 1804 – Joseph Howe, Canadian politician (d. 1873)

• 1816 – Ernst Werner von Siemens, German engineer, inventor, and industrialist (d. 1892)

• 1818 – Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States (d. 1882)

• 1836 – Franz von Lenbach, German painter (d. 1904)

• 1856 – Svetozar Boroević, Austro-Hungarian field marshal (d. 1920)

• 1860 – Lucien Guitry, French actor (d. 1925)

• 1864 – Emil Seidel, Mayor of Milwaukee (d. 1947)

• 1867 – Kristian Birkeland, Norwegian explorer and scientist (d. 1917)

• 1870 – Edward LeSaint, American actor and director (d. 1940)

• 1871 – Emily Carr, Canadian artist (d. 1945)

• 1874 – Josef Lhévinne, Russian-born pianist (d. 1944)

• 1883 – Belle da Costa Greene, American librarian, bibliographer and archivist (d. 1950)

• 1887 – George Polya, Hungarian-born mathematician (d. 1985)

• 1887 – Alvin York, American soldier & Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1964)

• 1897 – Drew Pearson, American journalist (d. 1969)

• 1902 – Talcott Parsons, American sociologist, (d. 1979)

• 1903 – Ella Baker, African-American activist (d. 1986)

• 1903 – Carlos Montoya, Spanish guitarist (d. 1993)

• 1906 – Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (d. 1968)

• 1906 – Sir Laurens van der Post, South African author (d. 1996)

• 1910 – Van Heflin, American actor (d. 1971)

• 1911 – Trygve Haavelmo, Norwegian economist and Bank of Sweden Prize winner (d. 1999)

• 1911 – Kenneth Patchen, American poet and painter (d. 1972)

• 1913 – Arnold Brown, the 11th General of The Salvation Army (d. 2002)

• 1913 – Archie Moore, American boxer (d. 1998)

• 1915 – Curd Jürgens, German-born Austrian actor (d. 1982)

• 1915 – Ross Macdonald, American-born author (d. 1983)

• 1915 – B. J. Vorster, Prime Minister of South Africa 1966-1978 (d. 1983)

• 1917 – John Hart, American actor

• 1919 – Hans-Joachim Marseille, German flying ace of World War II (d. 1942)

• 1920 – George Shultz, United States Secretary of State 1982-1989

• 1923 – Philip Warren Anderson, American physicist, Nobel laureate

• 1923 – Larry Doby, American baseball player (d. 2003)

• 1925 – Dick Van Dyke, American actor and comedian

• 1926 – George Rhoden, Jamaican athlete

• 1929 – Christopher Plummer, Canadian actor

• 1930 – Robert Prosky, American actor (d. 2008)

• 1934 – Richard D. Zanuck, American film producer

• 1935 – Joe Christopher, American baseball player

• 1935 – Ken Hall, American football player

• 1935 – Lindy McDaniel, American baseball player

• 1936 – His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan (Aga Khan IV), Imam (leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims

• 1936 – J. C. Martin, American baseball player

• 1937 – Ulf G. Lindén, Swedish entrepreneur (d. 2009)

• 1937 – Ron Taylor, Canadian baseball player

• 1938 – Alvin Curran, American composer

• 1938 – Heino, German folk singer.

• 1939 – Eric Flynn, British actor and singer (d. 2002)

• 1941 – John Davidson, American actor and game show host

• 1942 – Anna Eshoo, American politician

• 1943 – Ferguson Jenkins, Canadian baseball player

• 1943 – Gösta Winbergh, Swedish tenor (d. 2002)

• 1944 – Hwang Jang Lee, Korean martial artist and film actor

• 1945 – Kathy Garver, American actress

• 1945 – Brian McGuire, Australian racing driver (d. 1977)

• 1947 – Darlene Cates, American actress

• 1947 – Rex Hagon, Canadian actor and host

• 1947 – Dave Hamilton, American baseball player

• 1948 – Jeff Baxter, American guitarist (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers)

• 1948 – Ted Nugent, American guitarist

• 1948 – Brian Wilson, Scottish politician

• 1949 – Randy Owen, American country singer and guitarist (Alabama)

• 1949 – Tom Verlaine, American singer and guitarist (Television)

• 1949 – Robert Lindsay, English actor

• 1949 – Paula Wilcox, English actress

• 1950 – Wendie Malick, American actress

• 1950 – Tom Vilsack, Governor of Iowa

• 1952 – Sylvester Ritter (Junkyard Dog), American professional wrestler (d. 1998)

• 1953 – Ben Bernanke, American economist and current United States Chairman of the Federal Reserve

• 1953 – Bill Castro, Dominican baseball player

• 1953 – Jim Davidson, British comedian

• 1953 – Bob Gainey, Canadian ice hockey player

• 1954 – John Anderson, American country music singer-songwriter

• 1954 – Tamora Pierce, American author

• 1956 – Dale Berra, American baseball player

• 1956 – Phil Hubbard, American basketball player

• 1956 – Majida El Roumi, Lebanese singer

• 1957 – Steve Buscemi, American actor

• 1957 – Morris Day, American singer (The Time)

• 1957 – Jean-Marie Messier, French businessman

• 1958 – Lynn-Holly Johnson, American figure skater and actress

• 1959 – Jim Barrell, American professional wrestler

• 1959 – Johnny Whitaker, American actor

• 1960 – Daggubati Venkatesh, Indian actor

• 1961 – Harry Gregson-Williams, English composer

• 1961 – Irene Saez, Miss Universe 1981 and Venezuelan politician

• 1961 – Gary Zimmerman, American football player

• 1962 – Roger Ilegems, Belgian track cyclist and road bicycle racer

• 1962 – Kendra Slewenski, English netballer

• 1964 – hide, Japanese musician (X Japan) (d. 1998)

• 1965 – Marko Mäetamm, Estonian artist

• 1966 – Ross Burden, New Zealand celebrity chef

• 1966 – Don Roff, American writer and filmmaker

• 1967 – Jamie Foxx, American actor and singer

• 1967 – Bo Pelini, American football coach

• 1968 – Tony Curran, Scottish actor

• 1969 – Sergei Fedorov, Russian ice hockey player

• 1969 – Murat Nasyrov, Russian singer (d. 2007)

• 1972 – Niki Evans, English singer

• 1973 – Christie Clark, American actress

• 1974 – Sara Cox, English TV and radio presenter

• 1974 – Debbie Matenopoulos, American television personality and actress

• 1974 – Nicholas McCarthy, English guitarist (Franz Ferdinand)

• 1975 – Bates Battaglia, American ice hockey player

• 1975 – Tom DeLonge, American guitarist (blink-182, Angels & Airwaves)

• 1975 – Matthew LeCroy, American baseball player

• 1976 – Josh Fogg, American baseball player

• 1976 – Søren Friis, Danish footballer

• 1976 – Radosław Sobolewski, Polish footballer

• 1977 – Sascha Kindred, British Paralympic swimmer

• 1977 – Peter Stringer, Irish rugby union footballer

• 1978 – Ryo Kawakita, Japanese guitarist (Maximum the Hormone)

• 1978 – BJ Penn, American mixed martial artist

• 1980 – Satoshi Tsumabuki, Japanese actor

• 1980 – Ryan France, English footballer

• 1981 – Amy Lee, American singer/songwriter (Evanescence)

• 1982 – Anthony Callea, Australian singer/songwriter

• 1982 – Ricky Nolasco, American baseball player

• 1982 – Tuka Rocha, Brazilian racing driver

• 1982 – Freddie Weinke, American football player

• 1982 – Dominik Werling, German footballer

• 1983 – Matt Deis, American bassist

• 1983 – Otylia Jędrzejczak, Polish swimmer

• 1985 – Michael Bumpus, American football player

• 1985 – Laurence Leboeuf, Canadian actress

• 1988 – Rickie Fowler, American amateur golfer

• 1989 – Taylor Swift, American singer/songwriter

• 1991 – Jay Greenberg, American composer

• 2005 – Prince Aymeric of Belgium

• 2005 – Prince Nicolas of Belgium

Deaths

• 1048 – Al-Biruni, Persian mathematician (b. 973)

• 1124 – Pope Callixtus II

• 1126 – Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria

• 1204 – Maimonides, Spanish rabbi and philosopher (b. 1135)

• 1250 – Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1194)

• 1404 – Albert, Count of Holland (b. 1336)

• 1466 – Donatello, Florentine artist and sculptor (b. 1386)

• 1516 – Johannes Trithemius, German cryptographer (b. 1462)

• 1521 – Manuel I of Portugal (b. 1469)

• 1557 – Niccolo Fontana Tartaglia, Italian mathematician

• 1565 – Conrad Gessner, Swiss naturalist (b. 1516)

• 1603 – Franciscus Vieta, French mathematician (b. 1540)

• 1621 – Katarina Stenbock, Queen of Gustav I of Sweden (b. 1535)

• 1716 – Charles de La Fosse, French painter (b. 1640)

• 1721 – Alexander Selkirk, Scottish sailor and castaway (b. 1676)

• 1729 – Anthony Collins, English philosopher (b. 1676)

• 1754 – Mahmud I, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1696)

• 1769 – Christian Fürchtegott Gellert, German poet (b. 1715)

• 1783 – Pehr Wilhelm Wargentin, Swedish astronomer (b. 1717)

• 1784 – Samuel Johnson, English writer and lexicographer (b. 1709)

• 1814 – Charles Joseph, Prince de Ligne, Belgian-born Austrian field marshal (b. 1735)

• 1835 – John Storm, American Revolutionary soldier (b. 1760)

• 1837 – Herman of Alaska, Russian Orthodox hermit (b. 1756)

• 1863 – Christian Friedrich Hebbel, German writer (b. 1813)

• 1868 – Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, German botanist (b. 1794)

• 1881 – August Senoa, Croatian writer (b. 1838)

• 1883 – Victor de Laprade, French poet and critic (b. 1812)

• 1895 – Ányos Jedlik, Hungarian physicist (b. 1800)

• 1919 – Woldemar Voigt, German physicist (b. 1850)

• 1922 – Hannes Hafstein, Icelandic politician and poet (b. 1861)

• 1924 – Samuel Gompers, American labor and political leader, founder of AFL (b. 1850)

• 1930 – Fritz Pregl, Slovenian/Austrian chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1869)

• 1931 – Gustave le Bon, French psychologist (b. 1840)

• 1932 – Georgios Jakobides, Greek painter (b. 1853)

• 1934 – Thomas A. Watson, American assistant to Alexander Graham Bell (b. 1854)

• 1935 – Victor Grignard, French chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1871)

• 1940 – Jacques-Arsène d'Arsonval, French physicist (b. 1851)

• 1940 – George Regas, Greek actor (b. 1890)

• 1942 – Wlodimir Ledochowski, Polish-Austrian director of the Society of Jesus (b. 1866)

• 1944 – Wassily Kandinsky, Russian-born French artist (b. 1866)

• 1944 – Lupe Vélez, Mexican actress (b. 1908)

• 1945 – Irma Grese, Nazi war criminal (b. 1923)

• 1945 – Josef Kramer, commandant of Bergen Belsen concentration camp (b. 1906)

• 1945 – Elisabeth Volkenrath, supervisor at concentration camps (b. 1919)

• 1947 – Nicholas Roerich, Russian-born painter (b. 1874)

• 1950 – Abraham Wald, Hungarian mathematician (b. 1902)

• 1954 – John Raymond Hubbell, American writer (b. 1879)

• 1955 – Egas Moniz, Portuguese psychiatrist and neurosurgeon, Nobel laureate (b. 1874)

• 1958 – Tim Moore, American actor (b. 1887)

• 1960 – Dora Marsden, British editor, writer (b. 1882)

• 1961 – Grandma Moses, American painter (b. 1860)

• 1962 – Harry Barris, American popular singer (b. 1905)

• 1969 – Raymond A. Spruance, American admiral (b. 1886)

• 1969 – Spencer Williams, Jr., American actor (b. 1893)

• 1973 – Henry Green, English author (b. 1905)

• 1979 – Jon Hall, American actor (b. 1915)

• 1981 – Pigmeat Markham, American entertainer (b. 1904)

• 1983 – Alexander Schmemann, Orthodox Christian priest and theologian (b. 1921)

• 1983 – Nichita Stanescu, Romanian poet (b. 1933)

• 1992 – K.C. Irving, Canadian industrialist (b. 1899)

• 1992 – Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, American businessman and heir (b. 1899)

• 1993 – Vanessa Duriès, French novelist (b. 1972)

• 1994 – Norman Beaton, Guyanese actor (b. 1934)

• 2001 – Chuck Schuldiner, American musician (Death) (b. 1967)

• 2002 – Zal Yanovsky, Canadian musician (The Lovin' Spoonful) (b. 1945)

• 2003 – William V. Roth, Jr., U.S. Senator (b. 1921)

• 2004 – Andre Rodgers, Bahamian baseball player (b. 1934)

• 2004 – David Wheeler, English computer scientist (b. 1927)

• 2005 – Timothy Jordan II, American musician (The All American Rejects, Jonezetta) (b. 1981)

• 2005 – Stanley Tookie Williams, co-founder of the Crips and convicted murderer (b. 1953)

• 2006 – Lamar Hunt, American sports executive (b. 1932)

• 2007 – Floyd Red Crow Westerman, American actor (b. 1936)

• 2007 – Mark Partridge, Rhodesian politician (b. 1922)

• 2008 – John Drake, New Zealand rugby union footballer (b. 1959)

Holidays and observances

• Roman festivals – Tellus was worshipped in the district Carinae at the Esquiline Hill, and a lectisternium or table was spread for Ceres.

• R.C. Saints – memorial of Saint Lucy

• Saint Lucy's Day in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and some regions of Italy, mainly Sicily, Veneto and Trentino.

• In the Julian calendar before the Gregorian reform, this was the shortest day and longest night, and widely celebrated as such.

• Malta – Republic Day (since 1974)

• Saint Lucia – National Day