On This Day /

Important events in history
on December 4 th

Events

  1. 2021

    1. Semeru on the Indonesian island of Java erupts, killing at least 68 people.

      1. Stratovolcano in Indonesia

        Semeru

        The Semeru, or Mount Semeru (Javanese: ꦒꦸꦤꦸꦁ​ꦱꦼꦩꦺꦫꦸ, is an active volcano located in East Java, Indonesia. It is located in a subduction zone, where the Indo-Australian plate subducts under the Eurasia plate. It is the highest mountain on the island of Java. The name "Semeru" is derived from Meru, the central world mountain in Hinduism, or Sumeru, the abode of gods. This stratovolcano is also known as Mahameru, meaning "The Great Mountain" in Sanskrit. It is one of the more popular hiking destinations in Indonesia.

      2. Volcanic eruption in Indonesia

        2021 Semeru eruption

        An eruption of Mount Semeru, a volcano in the East Java province of the Indonesian island of Java, began on 4 December 2021. The eruption began after heavy precipitation caused the collapse of the lava dome at the summit. Pyroclastic flows and lahars damaged at least 5,205 homes and several public buildings. At least 69 people died, 104 more were injured, while more than five remain missing.

  2. 2017

    1. The Thomas Fire starts near Santa Paula in California. It eventually became the largest wildfire in modern California history to date after burning 440 square miles (1,140 km2) in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

      1. 2017 wildfire in Ventura County, California

        Thomas Fire

        The Thomas Fire was a massive wildfire that affected Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, and one of multiple wildfires that ignited in southern California in December 2017. It burned approximately 281,893 acres before being fully contained on January 12, 2018, making it the largest wildfire in modern California history at the time. It was surpassed by the Ranch Fire, part of the Mendocino Complex, in August 2018. The fire is currently the seventh-largest wildfire in modern California history, as of 2021. The fire was officially declared out on June 1, 2018, after more than two months in which no hotspots were detected. The Thomas Fire destroyed at least 1,063 structures, while damaging 280 others; and the fire caused over $2.2 billion in damages, including $230 million in suppression costs, becoming the seventh-most destructive wildfire in state history at the time. As of August 2020, the Thomas Fire is California's tenth-most destructive wildfire. Ventura's agriculture industry suffered at least $171 million in losses due to the Thomas Fire.

      2. City in the state of California, United States

        Santa Paula, California

        Santa Paula is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. Situated amid the orchards of the Santa Clara River Valley, the city advertises itself to tourists as the "Citrus Capital of the World". Santa Paula was one of the early centers of California's petroleum industry. The Union Oil Company Building, the founding headquarters of the Union Oil Company of California in 1890, now houses the California Oil Museum. The population was 30,657 at the 2020 census, up from 29,321 at the 2010 census.

      3. U.S. state

        California

        California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2 million residents across a total area of approximately 163,696 square miles (423,970 km2), it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the most populated subnational entity in North America and the 34th most populous in the world. The Greater Los Angeles area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation's second and fifth most populous urban regions respectively, with the former having more than 18.7 million residents and the latter having over 9.6 million. Sacramento is the state's capital, while Los Angeles is the most populous city in the state and the second most populous city in the country. San Francisco is the second most densely populated major city in the country. Los Angeles County is the country's most populous, while San Bernardino County is the largest county by area in the country. California borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, the Mexican state of Baja California to the south; and has a coastline along the Pacific Ocean to the west.

      4. List of California wildfires

        This is a partial and incomplete list of California wildfires. California has dry, windy, and often hot weather conditions from spring through late autumn that can produce moderate to severe wildfires. Pre-1800, when the area was much more forested and the ecology much more resilient, 4.4 million acres of forest and shrubland burned annually. California land area totals 99,813,760 or roughly 100 million acres, so since 2000, the area that burned annually has ranged between 90,000 acres, or 0.09%, and 1,590,000 acres, or 1.59% of the total land of California. During the 2020 wildfire season alone, over 8,100 fires contributed to the burning of nearly 4.5 million acres of land.

      5. County in California, United States

        Ventura County, California

        Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 843,843. The largest city is Oxnard, and the county seat is the city of Ventura.

      6. County in California, United States

        Santa Barbara County, California

        Santa Barbara County, California, officially the County of Santa Barbara, is located in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 448,229. The county seat is Santa Barbara, and the largest city is Santa Maria.

  3. 2015

    1. A firebomb is thrown into a restaurant in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, killing 17 people.

      1. 2015 fire in Agouza, Egypt

        2015 Cairo restaurant fire

        On December 4, 2015, a molotov cocktail was thrown into the El Sayad restaurant in Cairo, Egypt. The resultant fire killed 17 people, and wounded six. The restaurant was also a nightclub and was located in the Agouza district of the city.

      2. Capital city of Egypt

        Cairo

        Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East. The Greater Cairo metropolitan area, with a population of 21.9 million, is the 12th-largest in the world by population. Cairo is associated with ancient Egypt, as the Giza pyramid complex and the ancient cities of Memphis and Heliopolis are located in its geographical area. Located near the Nile Delta, the city first developed as Fustat, a settlement founded after the Muslim conquest of Egypt in 640 next to an existing ancient Roman fortress, Babylon. Under the Fatimid dynasty a new city, al-Qāhirah, was founded nearby in 969. It later superseded Fustat as the main urban centre during the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods. Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life, and is titled "the city of a thousand minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture. Cairo's historic center was awarded World Heritage Site-status in 1979. Cairo is considered a World City with a "Beta +" classification according to GaWC.

  4. 2014

    1. Islamic insurgents kill three state police at a traffic circle before taking an empty school and a "press house" in Grozny. Ten state forces die with 28 injured in gun battles ending with ten insurgents killed.

      1. Former terrorist Jihadist organisation

        Caucasus Emirate

        The Caucasus Emirate, also known as the Caucasian Emirate, Emirate of Caucasus, or Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus, was a Jihadist organisation active in rebel-held parts of Syria and previously in the North Caucasus region of Russia. Its intention was to expel the Russian presence from the North Caucasus and to establish an independent Islamic emirate in the region. The Caucasus Emirate also referred to the state that the group sought to establish. The creation of Caucasus Emirate was announced on 7 October 2007, by Chechen warlord Dokka Umarov, who became its first self-declared "emir".

      2. 2014 attack by Islamist militants in Grozny, Chechnya, Russia

        2014 Grozny clashes

        On 4 December 2014, a group of armed militants of the jihadist organization Caucasus Emirate attacked a traffic police checkpoint outside the city of Grozny, Chechnya, Russia. The militants then entered the city and occupied the "Press House" building in the city center and a nearby school.

      3. Law enforcement in Russia

        In the Russian Federation, law enforcement is the responsibility of a variety of different agencies. The Russian police are the primary law enforcement agency, with the Investigative Committee of Russia as the main investigative agency, and the Federal Security Service (FSB) as the main domestic security agency.

      4. Capital city of Chechnya

        Grozny

        Grozny, also spelled Groznyy, is the capital city of Chechnya, Russia.

  5. 2012

    1. "Il Canto degli Italiani" officially became the national anthem of Italy, 66 years after it was provisionally chosen following the birth of the Italian Republic.

      1. National anthem of Italy

        Il Canto degli Italiani

        "Il Canto degli Italiani" is a canto written by Goffredo Mameli set to music by Michele Novaro in 1847, and is the current national anthem of Italy. It is best known among Italians as the "Inno di Mameli", after the author of the lyrics, or "Fratelli d'Italia", from its opening line. The piece, in a time signature of 4/4 and the key of B-flat major, consists of six strophes, and a refrain sung at the end of each strophe. The sixth group of verses, which is almost never performed, recalls the text of the first strophe.

      2. Song that represents a country or sovereign state

        National anthem

        A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European nations tend towards more ornate and operatic pieces, while those in the Middle East, Oceania, Africa, and the Caribbean use a more simplistic fanfare. Some countries that are devolved into multiple constituent states have their own official musical compositions for them ; their constituencies' songs are sometimes referred to as national anthems even though they are not sovereign states.

      3. 1946 Italian institutional referendum

        An institutional referendum was held in Italy on 2 June 1946, a key event of Italian contemporary history.

  6. 2006

    1. Six black teenagers assaulted a white student in Jena, Louisiana; the subsequent court cases became a cause célèbre for perceived racial injustice in the United States.

      1. Six black teenagers in Louisiana, convicted in a 2006 beating

        Jena Six

        The Jena Six were six black teenagers in Jena, Louisiana, convicted in the 2006 beating of Justin Barker, a white student at the local Jena High School, which they also attended. Barker was injured on December 4, 2006, by the members of the Jena Six, and received treatment at an emergency room. While the case was pending, it was often cited by some media commentators as an example of racial injustice in the United States. Some commentators believed that the defendants had been charged initially with too-serious offenses and had been treated unfairly.

      2. Town in Louisiana, United States

        Jena, Louisiana

        Jena is a town in and the parish seat of La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,398 at the 2010 census.

      3. Issue or incident which incites widespread controversy and public debate

        Cause célèbre

        A cause célèbre is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning, and heated public debate. The term continues in the media in all senses. It is sometimes used positively for celebrated legal cases for their precedent value and more often negatively for infamous ones, whether for scale, outrage, scandal, or conspiracy theories. The term is a French phrase in common usage in English. Since it has been fully adopted into English and is included unitalicized in English dictionaries, it is not normally italicized despite its French origin.

    2. Six black youths assault a white teenager in Jena, Louisiana.

      1. Six black teenagers in Louisiana, convicted in a 2006 beating

        Jena Six

        The Jena Six were six black teenagers in Jena, Louisiana, convicted in the 2006 beating of Justin Barker, a white student at the local Jena High School, which they also attended. Barker was injured on December 4, 2006, by the members of the Jena Six, and received treatment at an emergency room. While the case was pending, it was often cited by some media commentators as an example of racial injustice in the United States. Some commentators believed that the defendants had been charged initially with too-serious offenses and had been treated unfairly.

      2. Town in Louisiana, United States

        Jena, Louisiana

        Jena is a town in and the parish seat of La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,398 at the 2010 census.

  7. 2005

    1. Tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong protest for democracy and call on the government to allow universal and equal suffrage.

      1. Part of the Hong Kong electoral reform

        December 2005 protest for democracy in Hong Kong

        On 4 December 2005, tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong protested for democracy and called on the Government to allow universal and equal suffrage. The protesters demanded the right to directly elect the Chief Executive and all the seats of the Legislative Council. They also urged the government to abolish the appointed seats of the district councils, in response to the limitations of the government's reform proposal.

      2. Executive authorities of Hong Kong SAR

        Government of Hong Kong

        The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, commonly known as the Hong Kong Government or HKSAR Government, refers to the executive authorities of Hong Kong SAR. It was formed on 1 July 1997 in accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1983, an international treaty lodged at the United Nations. This government replaced the former British Hong Kong Government (1842–1997). The Chief Executive and the principal officials, nominated by the chief executive, are appointed by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. The Government Secretariat is headed by the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong, who is the most senior principal official of the Government. The Chief Secretary and the other secretaries jointly oversee the administration of Hong Kong, give advice to the Chief Executive as members of the Executive Council, and are accountable for their actions and policies to the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council.

      3. Political concept, the right to vote to all adult citizens

        Universal suffrage

        Universal suffrage gives the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political stance, subject only to certain exceptions as in the case of children, felons, and for a time, women. In its original 19th-century usage by reformers in Britain, universal suffrage was understood to mean only universal manhood suffrage; the vote was extended to women later, during the women's suffrage movement that began in New Zealand in the 19th century.

  8. 1998

    1. The Unity Module, the second module of the International Space Station, is launched.

      1. American module of the International Space Station

        Unity (ISS module)

        The Unity connecting module, also known as Node 1, is the first U.S.-built component of the International Space Station (ISS). It connects the Russian and United States segments of the station, and is where crew eat meals together.

      2. Largest modular space station in low Earth orbit

        International Space Station

        The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements. The station serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which scientific research is conducted in astrobiology, astronomy, meteorology, physics, and other fields. The ISS is suited for testing the spacecraft systems and equipment required for possible future long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars.

  9. 1992

    1. U.S. president George H. W. Bush ordered American troops into Somalia to help provide humanitarian aid and restore order during the ongoing Somali Civil War.

      1. President of the United States from 1989 to 1993

        George H. W. Bush

        George Herbert Walker Bush was an American politician, diplomat, and businessman who served as the 41st president of the United States from 1989 to 1993. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 43rd vice president from 1981 to 1989 under President Ronald Reagan, in the U.S. House of Representatives, as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and as Director of Central Intelligence.

      2. 1992–1993 UN peacekeeping mission in Somalia

        Unified Task Force

        The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia from 5 December 1992 until 4 May 1993. A United States initiative, UNITAF was charged with carrying out United Nations Security Council Resolution 794 to create a protected environment for conducting humanitarian operations in the southern half of the country.

      3. 1991–present conflict after the overthrow of President Siad Barre

        Somali Civil War

        The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Barre during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, the Somali Armed Forces began engaging in combat against various armed rebel groups, including the Somali Salvation Democratic Front in the northeast, the Somali National Movement in the northwest, and the United Somali Congress in the south. The clan-based armed opposition groups overthrew the Barre government in 1991.

    2. Somali Civil War: President George H. W. Bush orders 28,000 U.S. troops to Somalia in Northeast Africa.

      1. 1991–present conflict after the overthrow of President Siad Barre

        Somali Civil War

        The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war that is taking place in Somalia. It grew out of resistance to the military junta which was led by Siad Barre during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1990, the Somali Armed Forces began engaging in combat against various armed rebel groups, including the Somali Salvation Democratic Front in the northeast, the Somali National Movement in the northwest, and the United Somali Congress in the south. The clan-based armed opposition groups overthrew the Barre government in 1991.

      2. President of the United States from 1989 to 1993

        George H. W. Bush

        George Herbert Walker Bush was an American politician, diplomat, and businessman who served as the 41st president of the United States from 1989 to 1993. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 43rd vice president from 1981 to 1989 under President Ronald Reagan, in the U.S. House of Representatives, as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and as Director of Central Intelligence.

      3. Country in the Horn of Africa

        Somalia

        Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is a country in the Horn of Africa. The country is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, and Kenya to the southwest. Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa's mainland. Its terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains, and highlands. Hot conditions prevail year-round, with periodic monsoon winds and irregular rainfall. Somalia has an estimated population of around 17.1 million, of which over 2 million live in the capital and largest city Mogadishu, and has been described as Africa's most culturally homogeneous country. Around 85% of its residents are ethnic Somalis, who have historically inhabited the country's north. Ethnic minorities are largely concentrated in the south. The official languages of Somalia are Somali and Arabic. Most people in the country are Muslims, the majority of them Sunni.

      4. Peninsula in East Africa including Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia

        Horn of Africa

        The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa. Located on the easternmost part of the African mainland, it is the fourth largest peninsula in the world. It is composed of Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti; broader definitions also include parts or all of Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda. The term Greater Horn Region (GHR) can additionally include Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania. It lies along the southern boundary of the Red Sea and extends hundreds of kilometres into the Guardafui Channel, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean and shares a maritime border with the Arabian Peninsula of Western Asia.

  10. 1991

    1. Terry A. Anderson is released after seven years in captivity as a hostage in Beirut; he is the last and longest-held American hostage in Lebanon.

      1. American journalist (born 1947)

        Terry A. Anderson

        Terry A. Anderson is an American journalist. He reported for the Associated Press. In 1985, he was taken hostage by Shia Hezbollah militants of the Islamic Jihad Organization in Lebanon and held until 1991. In 2004, he ran unsuccessfully for the Ohio State Senate.

      2. Capital and largest city of Lebanon

        Beirut

        Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As of 2014, Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast. Beirut has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years, and was one of Phoenicia's most prominent city states, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. The first historical mention of Beirut is found in the Amarna letters from the New Kingdom of Egypt, which date to the 14th century BC.

      3. Country in Western Asia

        Lebanon

        Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies to its west across the Mediterranean Sea; its location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has contributed to its rich history and shaped a cultural identity of religious diversity. It is part of the Levant region of the Middle East. Lebanon is home to roughly six million people and covers an area of 10,452 square kilometres (4,036 sq mi), making it the second smallest country in continental Asia. The official language of the state is Arabic, while French is also formally recognized; the Lebanese dialect of Arabic is used alongside Modern Standard Arabic throughout the country.

    2. Pan American World Airways ceases its operations after 64 years.

      1. Primary international airline of the United States from 1927 to 1991

        Pan Am

        Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and commonly known as Pan Am, was an American airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States for much of the 20th century. It was the first airline to fly worldwide and pioneered numerous innovations of the modern airline industry such as jumbo jets, and computerized reservation systems. Until its dissolution in 1991, Pan Am "epitomized the luxury and glamour of intercontinental travel", and it remains a cultural icon of the 20th century, identified by its blue globe logo, the use of the word "Clipper" in its aircraft names and call signs, and the white uniform caps of its pilots.

  11. 1986

    1. The MV Amazon Venture oil tanker starts leaking while at the port of Savannah, resulting in an oil spill of approximately 500,000 US gallons (1,900,000 l).

      1. Port in United States of America

        Port of Savannah

        The Port of Savannah is a major U.S. seaport located at Savannah, Georgia. As of 2021, the port was the fourth busiest seaport in the United States. Its facilities for oceangoing vessels line both sides of the Savannah River and are approximately 18 miles (29 km) from the Atlantic Ocean. Operated by the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), the Port of Savannah competes primarily with the Port of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina to the northeast, and the Port of Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida to the south. The GPA operates one other Atlantic seaport in Georgia, the Port of Brunswick. The state also manages three interior ports linked to the Gulf of Mexico: Port Bainbridge, Port Columbus, and a facility at Cordele, Georgia linked by rail to the Port of Savannah. In the 1950s, the Port of Savannah was the only facility to see an increase in trade while the country experienced a decline in trade of 5%. It was chaired and led by engineer Dr. Blake Van Leer.

      2. 1986 environmental disaster in Georgia, US

        Amazon Venture oil spill

        The Amazon Venture oil spill occurred at the port of Savannah on the Savannah River in the U.S. state of Georgia. The spill, which occurred from December 4 to 6, 1986, was caused by three defective valves in the piping system of the oil tanker MV Amazon Venture, which leaked approximately 500,000 US gallons of fuel oil into the river.

    2. The MV Amazon Venture oil tanker begins leaking oil while at the port of Savannah in the United States, resulting in an oil spill of approximately 500,000 US gallons (1,900,000 L).

      1. Port in United States of America

        Port of Savannah

        The Port of Savannah is a major U.S. seaport located at Savannah, Georgia. As of 2021, the port was the fourth busiest seaport in the United States. Its facilities for oceangoing vessels line both sides of the Savannah River and are approximately 18 miles (29 km) from the Atlantic Ocean. Operated by the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), the Port of Savannah competes primarily with the Port of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina to the northeast, and the Port of Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida to the south. The GPA operates one other Atlantic seaport in Georgia, the Port of Brunswick. The state also manages three interior ports linked to the Gulf of Mexico: Port Bainbridge, Port Columbus, and a facility at Cordele, Georgia linked by rail to the Port of Savannah. In the 1950s, the Port of Savannah was the only facility to see an increase in trade while the country experienced a decline in trade of 5%. It was chaired and led by engineer Dr. Blake Van Leer.

      2. 1986 environmental disaster in Georgia, US

        Amazon Venture oil spill

        The Amazon Venture oil spill occurred at the port of Savannah on the Savannah River in the U.S. state of Georgia. The spill, which occurred from December 4 to 6, 1986, was caused by three defective valves in the piping system of the oil tanker MV Amazon Venture, which leaked approximately 500,000 US gallons of fuel oil into the river.

  12. 1984

    1. Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Army soldiers kill 107–150 civilians in Mannar.

      1. 1983–2009 civil war between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil separatists

        Sri Lankan Civil War

        The Sri Lankan Civil War was a civil war fought in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009. Beginning on 23 July 1983, there was an intermittent insurgency against the government by the Velupillai Prabhakaran-led Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The LTTE fought to create an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam in the north-east of the island, due to the continuous discrimination and violent persecution against Sri Lankan Tamils by the Sinhalese dominated Sri Lankan Government.

      2. Land force of the Sri Lankan armed forces

        Sri Lanka Army

        The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972. In 2010, the Army had approximately 200,000 regular personnel, between 20,000 and 40,000 reserve (volunteer) personnel and 18,000 National Guardsmen and comprises 13 divisions, one air-mobile brigade, one commando brigade, one special forces brigade, one independent armored brigade, three mechanized infantry brigades and over 40 infantry brigades. From the 1980s to 2009, the army was engaged in the Sri Lankan Civil War.

      3. 1984 mass killing of Tamil civilians by Sri Lankan Army soldiers in Mannar, Sri Lanka

        1984 Mannar massacre

        The 1984 Mannar massacre was the killing of 200+ minority Sri Lankan Tamils civilians by Sri Lankan Army soldiers in the town of Mannar, north-western Sri Lanka, on December 4, 1984. The attack was triggered when three Army jeeps hit a land mine, killing one soldier. In retaliation, landmarks such as the Central hospital, the post office, a Roman Catholic convent as well as villagers working in rice paddy fields and bus passengers were attacked. Villages around Mannar town such as Murunkan and Parappankadal were also attacked. Immediately after the incident, the then Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayawardene appointed a Presidential commission of inquiry. A local Roman Catholic priest, Mary Bastian who was a member Presidential commission was later killed in January 1985. A Methodist minister George Jeyarajasingham, who was a witness to the incident, was also killed in December 1984.

      4. Town in Sri Lanka

        Mannar, Sri Lanka

        Mannar is the main town of Mannar District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is governed by an Urban Council. The town is located on Mannar Island overlooking the Gulf of Mannar and is home to the historic Ketheeswaram temple. In the Tamil language, Mannar means the raised place [of sand] which is though to have come from the geology of Mannar Island which was formed by the accumulation of sand.

  13. 1983

    1. US Navy aircraft from USS John F. Kennedy and USS Independence attack Syrian missile sites in Lebanon in response to an F-14 being fired on by an SA-7. One A-6 Intruder and A-7 Corsair are shot down. One American pilot is killed, one is rescued, and one is captured.

      1. Maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces

        United States Navy

        The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of its active battle fleet alone exceeding the next 13 navies combined, including 11 allies or partner nations of the United States as of 2015. It has the highest combined battle fleet tonnage and the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet, with eleven in service, two new carriers under construction, and five other carriers planned. With 336,978 personnel on active duty and 101,583 in the Ready Reserve, the United States Navy is the third largest of the United States military service branches in terms of personnel. It has 290 deployable combat vessels and more than 2,623 operational aircraft as of June 2019.

      2. Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier (active 1968–2007)

        USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)

        USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), the only ship of her class, is an aircraft carrier, formerly of the United States Navy. Considered a supercarrier, she is a variant of the Kitty Hawk-class, and the last conventionally powered carrier built for the Navy, as all carriers since have nuclear propulsion. The ship was named after John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. John F. Kennedy was originally designated a CVA, for fixed wing attack carrier, however the designation was changed to CV, for fleet carrier.

      3. Decommissioned Forrestal-class aircraft carrier

        USS Independence (CV-62)

        The fifth USS Independence (CV/CVA-62) was an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. She was the fourth and final member of the Forrestal class of conventionally powered supercarriers. She entered service in 1959, with much of her early years spent in the Mediterranean Fleet.

      4. Carrier-based air superiority fighter aircraft family

        Grumman F-14 Tomcat

        The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the collapse of the General Dynamics-Grumman F-111B project. The F-14 was the first of the American Teen Series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.

      5. Man portable surface-to-air missile launcher

        9K32 Strela-2

        The 9K32 Strela-2 is a light-weight, shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile system. It is designed to target aircraft at low altitudes with passive infrared homing guidance and destroy them with a high explosive warhead.

      6. 1960 attack aircraft family by Grumman

        Grumman A-6 Intruder

        The Grumman A-6 Intruder is an American twinjet all-weather attack aircraft developed and manufactured by American aircraft company Grumman Aerospace and operated by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.

      7. 1967 attack aircraft family

        LTV A-7 Corsair II

        The LTV A-7 Corsair II is an American carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV).

      8. American naval fighter pilot

        Bobby Goodman

        Robert O. Goodman is a former United States Navy bombardier–navigator. He was shot down in his A-6 Intruder over Lebanon on 4 December 1983. Captured upon ejection from his stricken plane, he was held captive for 30 days. His release on 3 January 1984 was facilitated by Jesse Jackson.

  14. 1982

    1. The People's Republic of China adopts its current constitution.

      1. Country in East Asia

        China

        China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and borders fourteen countries by land, the most of any country in the world, tied with Russia. China also has a narrow maritime boundary with the disputed Taiwan. Covering an area of approximately 9.6 million square kilometers (3,700,000 sq mi), it is the world's third largest country by total land area. The country consists of 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities, and two Special Administrative Regions. The national capital is Beijing, and the most populous city and financial center is Shanghai.

      2. Constitution of China

        Constitution of the People's Republic of China

        The Constitution of the People's Republic of China is the supreme law of the People's Republic of China. It was adopted by the 5th National People's Congress on December 4, 1982, with further revisions about every five years. It is the fourth constitution in PRC history, superseding the 1954 constitution, the 1975 constitution, and the 1978 constitution.

  15. 1981

    1. South Africa grants independence to the Ciskei "homeland" (not recognized by any government outside South Africa).

      1. Former bantustan in South Africa (1981-94)

        Ciskei

        Ciskei was a Bantustan for the Xhosa people-located in the southeast of South Africa. It covered an area of 7,700 square kilometres (3,000 sq mi), almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian Ocean.

      2. Territory created by the Apartheid regime of South Africa

        Bantustan

        A Bantustan was a territory that the National Party administration of South Africa set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa, as part of its policy of apartheid. By extension, outside South Africa the term refers to regions that lack any real legitimacy, consisting often of several unconnected enclaves, or which have emerged from national or international gerrymandering.

  16. 1980

    1. The English rock group Led Zeppelin officially disbanded.

      1. English rock band (1968–1980)

        Led Zeppelin

        Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are cited as one of the progenitors of hard rock and heavy metal, although their style drew from a variety of influences, including blues and folk music. Led Zeppelin have been credited as significantly impacting the nature of the music industry, particularly in the development of album-oriented rock (AOR) and stadium rock.

  17. 1979

    1. The Hastie fire in Hull kills three schoolboys and eventually leads police to arrest Bruce George Peter Lee.

      1. City in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England

        Kingston upon Hull

        Kingston upon Hull, usually abbreviated to Hull, is a port city and unitary authority in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies upon the River Hull at its confluence with the Humber Estuary, 25 miles (40 km) inland from the North Sea and 50 miles (80 km) south-east of York, the historic county town. With a population of 259,778 (mid-2019 est.), it is the fourth-largest city in the Yorkshire and the Humber region after Leeds, Sheffield and Bradford.

      2. English serial arsonist

        Bruce George Peter Lee

        Bruce George Peter Lee is a British serial killer. He confessed to a total of 11 acts of arson, pleading guilty to 26 counts of manslaughter. 14 of these were overturned in two separate appeals. Lee was sentenced to indefinite secure hospital detention in 1981, and remains detained as of February 2022.

  18. 1978

    1. Following the murder of Mayor George Moscone, Dianne Feinstein became San Francisco's first female mayor.

      1. 1978 murders in San Francisco, California, US

        Moscone–Milk assassinations

        On November 27, 1978, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk were shot and killed in San Francisco City Hall by former Supervisor Dan White. On the morning of that day, Moscone intended to announce that the Supervisor position White resigned from would be given to someone else. White, angered, entered City Hall before the scheduled announcement time and first shot Moscone in the Mayor's office, then Harvey Milk in White's former office space, before escaping the building. Board of Supervisors President Dianne Feinstein first announced Moscone and Milk's deaths to the media, and because of Moscone's death, succeeded him as Acting Mayor of San Francisco.

      2. American lawyer and politician

        George Moscone

        George Richard Moscone was an American attorney and Democratic politician. He was the 37th mayor of San Francisco, California from January 1976 until his assassination in November 1978. He was known as "The People's Mayor", who opened up City Hall and its commissions to reflect the diversity of San Francisco, appointing African Americans, Asian Americans, and homosexuals. Moscone served in the California State Senate from 1967 until becoming Mayor. In the Senate, he served as Majority Leader. Moscone is remembered for being an advocate of civil progressivism.

      3. American politician (born 1933)

        Dianne Feinstein

        Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is an American politician who serves as the senior United States senator from California, a seat she has held since 1992. A member of the Democratic Party, she was mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988.

      4. Consolidated city and county in California, United States

        San Francisco

        San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th most populous in the United States, with 815,201 residents as of 2021. It covers a land area of 46.9 square miles, at the end of the San Francisco Peninsula, making it the second most densely populated large U.S. city after New York City, and the fifth most densely populated U.S. county, behind only four of the five New York City boroughs. Among the 331 U.S. cities proper with more than 100,000 residents, San Francisco was ranked first by per capita income and fifth by aggregate income as of 2019. Colloquial nicknames for San Francisco include SF, San Fran, The City, Frisco, and Baghdad by the Bay.

    2. Following the murder of Mayor George Moscone, Dianne Feinstein becomes San Francisco's first female mayor.

      1. 1978 murders in San Francisco, California, US

        Moscone–Milk assassinations

        On November 27, 1978, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk were shot and killed in San Francisco City Hall by former Supervisor Dan White. On the morning of that day, Moscone intended to announce that the Supervisor position White resigned from would be given to someone else. White, angered, entered City Hall before the scheduled announcement time and first shot Moscone in the Mayor's office, then Harvey Milk in White's former office space, before escaping the building. Board of Supervisors President Dianne Feinstein first announced Moscone and Milk's deaths to the media, and because of Moscone's death, succeeded him as Acting Mayor of San Francisco.

      2. American politician (born 1933)

        Dianne Feinstein

        Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is an American politician who serves as the senior United States senator from California, a seat she has held since 1992. A member of the Democratic Party, she was mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988.

      3. Consolidated city and county in California, United States

        San Francisco

        San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th most populous in the United States, with 815,201 residents as of 2021. It covers a land area of 46.9 square miles, at the end of the San Francisco Peninsula, making it the second most densely populated large U.S. city after New York City, and the fifth most densely populated U.S. county, behind only four of the five New York City boroughs. Among the 331 U.S. cities proper with more than 100,000 residents, San Francisco was ranked first by per capita income and fifth by aggregate income as of 2019. Colloquial nicknames for San Francisco include SF, San Fran, The City, Frisco, and Baghdad by the Bay.

      4. Head of the consolidated city-county government of San Francisco, California, USA

        Mayor of San Francisco

        The mayor of the City and County of San Francisco is the head of the executive branch of the San Francisco city and county government. The officeholder has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the legislative branch. The mayor serves a four-year term and is limited to two successive terms. Because of San Francisco's status as a consolidated city-county, the mayor also serves as the head of government of the county; both entities have been governed together by a combined set of governing bodies since 1856.

  19. 1977

    1. Jean-Bédel Bokassa, president of the Central African Republic, crowns himself Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire.

      1. 2nd president (1966–76) and emperor (r. 1976–79) of the Central African Republic

        Jean-Bédel Bokassa

        Jean-Bédel Bokassa, also known as Bokassa I, was a Central African political and military leader who served as the second president of the Central African Republic (CAR) and as the emperor of its successor state, the Central African Empire (CAE), from the Saint-Sylvestre coup d'état on 1 January 1966 until his overthrow in a subsequent coup in 1979.

      2. Country in Central Africa

        Central African Republic

        The Central African Republic is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, South Sudan to the southeast, the DR Congo to the south, the Republic of the Congo to the southwest, and Cameroon to the west.

      3. 1976–1979 monarchy in central Africa, now the Central African Republic

        Central African Empire

        From 4 December 1976 to 21 September 1979, the Central African Republic was officially known as the Central African Empire, after military dictator Marshal Jean-Bédel Bokassa declared himself Emperor of Central Africa, and the republic an empire.

    2. Malaysian Airline System Flight 653 is hijacked and crashes in Tanjong Kupang, Johor, killing 100.

      1. 1977 aviation hijacking

        Malaysian Airline System Flight 653

        Malaysian Airline System Flight 653 (MH653) was a scheduled domestic flight from Penang to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, operated by Malaysian Airline System (MAS). On the evening of 4 December 1977, the Boeing 737-200 aircraft flying the service crashed at Tanjung Kupang, Johor, Malaysia, while purportedly being diverted by hijackers to Singapore. It was the first fatal air crash for Malaysia Airlines, with all 93 passengers and 7 crew killed. It is also the deadliest aviation disaster to occur in Malaysian soil. The flight was apparently hijacked as soon as it reached cruise altitude. The circumstances in which the hijacking and subsequent crash occurred remain unsolved.

      2. State of Malaysia

        Johor

        Johor, also spelled as Johore, is a state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest. Johor shares maritime borders with Singapore to the south and Indonesia to both the west and east. Johor Bahru is the capital city and the economic centre of the state, Kota Iskandar is the seat of the state government, and Muar serves as the royal town of the state. The old state capital is Johor Lama. As of 2020, the state's population is 4.01 million, making it the second most populated state in Malaysia. Johor has highly diverse tropical rainforests and an equatorial climate. The state's mountain ranges form part of the Titiwangsa Range, which is part of the larger Tenasserim Range connected to Thailand and Myanmar, with Mount Ophir being the highest point in Johor. While its state capital, Johor Bahru, which is located within Iskandar Malaysia development corridor, is one of the most densely populated and fastest-growing urban areas in Malaysia.

  20. 1974

    1. Martinair Flight 138 crashes into the Saptha Kanya mountain range in Maskeliya, Sri Lanka, killing 191.

      1. 1974 aviation accident

        Martinair Flight 138

        Martinair Flight 138 was a chartered flight from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, to Colombo, Sri Lanka. The aircraft was operated by the Dutch airline Martinair on behalf of Garuda Indonesia. On 4 December 1974, the aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas DC-8-55CF, crashed into a mountain shortly before landing, killing all 191 people aboard – 182 Indonesian hajj pilgrims bound for Mecca, and nine crew members. The crash remains the deadliest in Sri Lankan aviation history and the third-deadliest involving a DC-8, after Arrow Air Flight 1285 and Nigeria Airways Flight 2120. At the time, it was the second-deadliest aviation accident in history, after the loss of Turkish Airlines Flight 981 which occurred earlier that same year.

      2. Saptha Kanya

        Saptha Kanya is a mountain range in Maskeliya, Sri Lanka. In Tamil it is known as Anjimalai. It is a ridge of seven peaks near the Norton Estate bordering the Sabaragamuwa Province and Central Province. The tallest peak is 1,569 m from the sea level.

      3. Town in Central Province, Sri Lanka

        Maskeliya

        Maskeliya is a town in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is the site of the 1974 crash of Martinair Flight 138, the worst air disaster in Sri Lanka.

  21. 1971

    1. Indo-Pakistani War: The Indian Navy launched a successful attack against the Pakistan Navy at Karachi, sinking three ships with no Indian casualties.

      1. Military confrontation between India and Pakistan alongside the Bangladesh Liberation War

        Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

        The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 December 1971. The war began with Pakistan's Operation Chengiz Khan which was preemptive aerial strikes on 11 Indian air stations, which led to the commencement of hostilities with Pakistan and Indian entry into the war for independence in East Pakistan on the side of Bengali nationalist forces, expanding the existing conflict with Indian and Pakistani forces engaging on both eastern and western fronts. Thirteen days after the war started, India achieved a clear upper hand, the Eastern Command of the Pakistan military signed the instrument of surrender on 16 December 1971 in Dhaka, marking the formation of East Pakistan as the new nation of Bangladesh. Approximately 93,000 Pakistani servicemen were taken prisoner by the Indian Army, which included 79,676 to 81,000 uniformed personnel of the Pakistan Armed Forces, including some Bengali soldiers who had remained loyal to Pakistan. The remaining 10,324 to 12,500 prisoners were civilians, either family members of the military personnel or collaborators (Razakars).

      2. Maritime service branch of the Indian Armed Forces

        Indian Navy

        The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates significantly in the Persian Gulf Region, the Horn of Africa, the Strait of Malacca, and routinely conducts anti-piracy operations and partners with other navies in the region. It also conducts routine two to three month-long deployments in the South and East China seas as well as the western Mediterranean sea simultaneously.

      3. Offensive launched by India against Pakistan

        Operation Trident (1971)

        Operation Trident was an offensive operation launched by the Indian Navy on Pakistan's port city of Karachi during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Operation Trident saw the first use of anti-ship missiles in combat in the region. The operation was conducted on the night of 4–5 December and inflicted heavy damage on Pakistani vessels and facilities. While India suffered no losses, Pakistan lost a minesweeper, a destroyer, a cargo vessel carrying ammunition, and fuel storage tanks in Karachi. Another destroyer was also badly damaged and eventually scrapped. India celebrates its Navy Day annually on 4 December to mark this operation. Trident was followed up by Operation Python three days later.

      4. Maritime service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces

        Pakistan Navy

        The Pakistan Navy (PN) is the naval branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. It came into existence by transfer of personnel and equipment from the Royal Indian Navy that ceased to exist following the partition of India through a parliamentary act that established the birth of Pakistan and independence of India from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947.

      5. Capital city of Sindh, Pakistan

        Karachi

        Karachi is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former capital of Pakistan and capital of the province of Sindh. Ranked as a beta-global city, it is Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre, with an estimated GDP of over $200 billion (PPP) as of 2021. Karachi paid $9billion as tax during fiscal year July 2021 to May 2022 according to FBR report. Karachi is Pakistan's most cosmopolitan city, linguistically, ethnically, and religiously diverse, as well as one of Pakistan's most secular and socially liberal cities. Karachi serves as a transport hub, and contains Pakistan’s two largest seaports, the Port of Karachi and Port Qasim, as well as Pakistan's busiest airport, Jinnah International Airport. Karachi is also a media center, home to news channels, film and fashion industry of Pakistan. Most of Pakistan's multinational companies and banks have their headquarters in Karachi. Karachi is also a tourism hub due to its scenic beaches, historic buildings and shopping malls.

    2. The Troubles: The Ulster Volunteer Force, an Ulster-loyalist paramilitary group, detonated a bomb at a Catholic-owned pub in Belfast, Northern Ireland, killing 15 people.

      1. 1960s–1990s conflict in Northern Ireland

        The Troubles

        The Troubles were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "irregular war" or "low-level war". The conflict began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed to have ended with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Although the Troubles mostly took place in Northern Ireland, at times violence spilled over into parts of the Republic of Ireland, England and mainland Europe.

      2. Ulster loyalist paramilitary group formed in 1965

        Ulster Volunteer Force

        The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group. Formed in 1965, it first emerged in 1966. Its first leader was Gusty Spence, a former British Army soldier from Northern Ireland. The group undertook an armed campaign of almost thirty years during The Troubles. It declared a ceasefire in 1994 and officially ended its campaign in 2007, although some of its members have continued to engage in violence and criminal activities. The group is a proscribed organisation and is on the terrorist organisation list of the United Kingdom.

      3. Pro-UK political ideology in Northern Ireland

        Ulster loyalism

        Ulster loyalism is a strand of Ulster unionism associated with working class Ulster Protestants in Northern Ireland. Like other unionists, loyalists support the continued existence of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom, and oppose a united Ireland. Unlike other strands of unionism, loyalism has been described as an ethnic nationalism of Ulster Protestants and "a variation of British nationalism". Loyalists are often said to have a conditional loyalty to the British state so long as it defends their interests. They see themselves as loyal primarily to the Protestant British monarchy rather than to British governments and institutions, while Garret FitzGerald argued they are loyal to 'Ulster' over 'the Union'. A small minority of loyalists have called for an independent Ulster Protestant state, believing they cannot rely on British governments to support them. The term 'loyalism' is usually associated with paramilitarism.

      4. 1971 pub bombing in Belfast, Northern Ireland

        McGurk's Bar bombing

        On 4 December 1971, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group, detonated a bomb at McGurk's Bar in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The pub was frequented by Irish Catholics/nationalists. The explosion caused the building to collapse, killing fifteen Catholic civilians—including two children—and wounding seventeen more. It was the deadliest attack in Belfast during the Troubles.

      5. Capital of Northern Ireland

        Belfast

        Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom and the second-largest in Ireland. It had a population of 345,418 in 2021.

    3. Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: The Indian Navy attacks the Pakistan Navy and Karachi.

      1. Military confrontation between India and Pakistan alongside the Bangladesh Liberation War

        Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

        The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 December 1971. The war began with Pakistan's Operation Chengiz Khan which was preemptive aerial strikes on 11 Indian air stations, which led to the commencement of hostilities with Pakistan and Indian entry into the war for independence in East Pakistan on the side of Bengali nationalist forces, expanding the existing conflict with Indian and Pakistani forces engaging on both eastern and western fronts. Thirteen days after the war started, India achieved a clear upper hand, the Eastern Command of the Pakistan military signed the instrument of surrender on 16 December 1971 in Dhaka, marking the formation of East Pakistan as the new nation of Bangladesh. Approximately 93,000 Pakistani servicemen were taken prisoner by the Indian Army, which included 79,676 to 81,000 uniformed personnel of the Pakistan Armed Forces, including some Bengali soldiers who had remained loyal to Pakistan. The remaining 10,324 to 12,500 prisoners were civilians, either family members of the military personnel or collaborators (Razakars).

      2. Maritime service branch of the Indian Armed Forces

        Indian Navy

        The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates significantly in the Persian Gulf Region, the Horn of Africa, the Strait of Malacca, and routinely conducts anti-piracy operations and partners with other navies in the region. It also conducts routine two to three month-long deployments in the South and East China seas as well as the western Mediterranean sea simultaneously.

      3. Maritime service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces

        Pakistan Navy

        The Pakistan Navy (PN) is the naval branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. It came into existence by transfer of personnel and equipment from the Royal Indian Navy that ceased to exist following the partition of India through a parliamentary act that established the birth of Pakistan and independence of India from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947.

      4. Capital city of Sindh, Pakistan

        Karachi

        Karachi is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former capital of Pakistan and capital of the province of Sindh. Ranked as a beta-global city, it is Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre, with an estimated GDP of over $200 billion (PPP) as of 2021. Karachi paid $9billion as tax during fiscal year July 2021 to May 2022 according to FBR report. Karachi is Pakistan's most cosmopolitan city, linguistically, ethnically, and religiously diverse, as well as one of Pakistan's most secular and socially liberal cities. Karachi serves as a transport hub, and contains Pakistan’s two largest seaports, the Port of Karachi and Port Qasim, as well as Pakistan's busiest airport, Jinnah International Airport. Karachi is also a media center, home to news channels, film and fashion industry of Pakistan. Most of Pakistan's multinational companies and banks have their headquarters in Karachi. Karachi is also a tourism hub due to its scenic beaches, historic buildings and shopping malls.

    4. The PNS Ghazi, a Pakistan Navy submarine, sinks during the course of the Indo-Pakistani Naval War of 1971.

      1. Pakistani War Submarine

        PNS Ghazi

        PNS/M Ghazi (S–130), SJ, was a Tench-class diesel-electric submarine, the first fast-attack submarine in the Pakistan Navy. She was leased from the United States Navy in 1963.

      2. Maritime service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces

        Pakistan Navy

        The Pakistan Navy (PN) is the naval branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. It came into existence by transfer of personnel and equipment from the Royal Indian Navy that ceased to exist following the partition of India through a parliamentary act that established the birth of Pakistan and independence of India from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947.

      3. Overview of naval operations during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

        Indo-Pakistani Naval War of 1971

        The Indo-Pakistani Naval War of 1971 refers to the maritime military engagements between the Indian Navy and the Pakistan Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The series of naval operations began with the Indian Navy's exertion of pressure on Pakistan from the Indian Ocean, while the Indian Army and Indian Air Force moved in to choke Pakistani forces operating in East Pakistan on land. Indian naval operations comprised naval interdiction, air defence, ground support, and logistics missions.

    5. During a concert by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention at the Montreux Casino, an audience member fires a flare gun into the ceiling, causing a fire that destroys the venue. Rock band Deep Purple, who were there to use the Casino to record their next album, witnesses the fire from their hotel; the incident would be immortalized in their best known song, "Smoke on the Water".

      1. American musician (1940–1993)

        Frank Zappa

        Frank Vincent Zappa was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of American culture. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestral and musique concrète works, and produced almost all of the 60-plus albums that he released with his band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. Zappa also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. He is considered one of the most innovative and stylistically diverse musicians of his generation.

      2. American rock band

        The Mothers of Invention

        The Mothers of Invention was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows.

      3. Casino located in Montreux, Switzerland

        Montreux Casino

        Montreux Casino (Casino Barrière de Montreux) is a casino located in Montreux, Switzerland, on the shoreline of Lake Geneva. It has served as the venue for the Montreux Jazz Festival and was rebuilt following a 1971 fire memorialized in the Deep Purple song "Smoke on the Water". It is a property of Groupe Lucien Barrière.

      4. Firearm that launches flares

        Flare gun

        A flare gun, also known as a Very pistol or signal pistol, is a large-bore handgun that discharges flares, blanks and smoke. The flare gun is typically used to produce a distress signal.

      5. English rock band

        Deep Purple

        Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, but their musical approach has changed over the years. Originally formed as a psychedelic rock and progressive rock band, they shifted to a heavier sound with their 1970 album Deep Purple in Rock. Deep Purple, together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, have been referred to as the "unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies". They were listed in the 1975 Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band" for a 1972 concert at London's Rainbow Theatre and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide.

      6. 1973 single by Deep Purple

        Smoke on the Water

        "Smoke on the Water" is a song by English rock band Deep Purple, first released from the band's sixth studio album Machine Head (1972), which chronicles the 1971 fire at Montreux Casino.

  22. 1969

    1. Fred Hampton, the leader of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, and Mark Clark were killed in a raid by Chicago police officers in what many scholars consider an illegal assassination.

      1. African-American activist (1948–1969)

        Fred Hampton

        Fredrick Allen Hampton Sr. was an American activist. He came to prominence in Chicago as deputy chairman of the national Black Panther Party and chair of the Illinois chapter. As a progressive African American, he founded the antiracist, anticlassist Rainbow Coalition, a prominent multicultural political organization that initially included the Black Panthers, Young Patriots, and the Young Lords, and an alliance among major Chicago street gangs to help them end infighting and work for social change. A Marxist–Leninist, Hampton considered fascism the greatest threat, saying, "nothing is more important than stopping fascism, because fascism will stop us all.”

      2. US organization from 1966 to 1982

        Black Panther Party

        The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, California. The party was active in the United States between 1966 and 1982, with chapters in many major American cities, including San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Philadelphia. They were also active in many prisons and had international chapters in the United Kingdom and Algeria. Upon its inception, the party's core practice was its open carry patrols ("copwatching") designed to challenge the excessive force and misconduct of the Oakland Police Department. From 1969 onward, the party created social programs, including the Free Breakfast for Children Programs, education programs, and community health clinics. The Black Panther Party advocated for class struggle, claiming to represent the proletarian vanguard.

      3. American activist

        Mark Clark (activist)

        Mark Clark was an American activist and member of the Black Panther Party (BPP). He was killed on December 4, 1969 with Fred Hampton, state chairman of the Black Panthers, during a Chicago police predawn raid.

      4. Principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, US

        Chicago Police Department

        The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency of the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the City Council. It is the second-largest municipal police department in the United States, behind the New York City Police Department. It has approximately 9,000 officers and over 1,925 other employees. Tracing its roots back to the year of 1835, the Chicago Police Department is one of the oldest modern police departments in the world.

    2. Black Panther Party members Fred Hampton and Mark Clark are shot and killed during a raid by 14 Chicago police officers.

      1. US organization from 1966 to 1982

        Black Panther Party

        The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, California. The party was active in the United States between 1966 and 1982, with chapters in many major American cities, including San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Philadelphia. They were also active in many prisons and had international chapters in the United Kingdom and Algeria. Upon its inception, the party's core practice was its open carry patrols ("copwatching") designed to challenge the excessive force and misconduct of the Oakland Police Department. From 1969 onward, the party created social programs, including the Free Breakfast for Children Programs, education programs, and community health clinics. The Black Panther Party advocated for class struggle, claiming to represent the proletarian vanguard.

      2. African-American activist (1948–1969)

        Fred Hampton

        Fredrick Allen Hampton Sr. was an American activist. He came to prominence in Chicago as deputy chairman of the national Black Panther Party and chair of the Illinois chapter. As a progressive African American, he founded the antiracist, anticlassist Rainbow Coalition, a prominent multicultural political organization that initially included the Black Panthers, Young Patriots, and the Young Lords, and an alliance among major Chicago street gangs to help them end infighting and work for social change. A Marxist–Leninist, Hampton considered fascism the greatest threat, saying, "nothing is more important than stopping fascism, because fascism will stop us all.”

      3. American activist

        Mark Clark (activist)

        Mark Clark was an American activist and member of the Black Panther Party (BPP). He was killed on December 4, 1969 with Fred Hampton, state chairman of the Black Panthers, during a Chicago police predawn raid.

  23. 1967

    1. Vietnam War: U.S. and South Vietnamese forces engage Viet Cong troops in the Mekong Delta.

      1. Cold War conflict in Southeast Asia from 1955 to 1975

        Vietnam War

        The Vietnam War was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The north was supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other communist states, while the south was supported by the United States and other anti-communist allies. The war is widely considered to be a Cold War-era proxy war. It lasted almost 20 years, with direct U.S. involvement ending in 1973. The conflict also spilled over into neighboring states, exacerbating the Laotian Civil War and the Cambodian Civil War, which ended with all three countries becoming communist states by 1975.

      2. Country in Southeast Asia from 1955 to 1975

        South Vietnam

        South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam, was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of the Cold War after the 1954 division of Vietnam. It first received international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the French Union, with its capital at Saigon, before becoming a republic in 1955. South Vietnam was bordered by North Vietnam to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and Thailand across the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest. Its sovereignty was recognized by the United States and 87 other nations, though it failed to gain admission into the United Nations as a result of a Soviet veto in 1957. It was succeeded by the Republic of South Vietnam in 1975.

      3. Revolutionary organization active in South Vietnam and Cambodia from 1960 to 1977

        Viet Cong

        The Viet Cong, officially the National Liberation Front for South Vietnam, was an armed communist revolutionary organization in South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. It fought under the direction of North Vietnam, against the South Vietnamese and United States governments during the Vietnam War, eventually emerging on the winning side. It had both guerrilla and regular army units, as well as a network of cadres who organized peasants in the territory the Viet Cong controlled. During the war, communist fighters and anti-war activists claimed that the Viet Cong was an insurgency indigenous to the South, while the U.S. and South Vietnamese governments portrayed the group as a tool of North Vietnam. According to Trần Văn Trà, the Viet Cong's top commander, and the post-war Vietnamese government's official history, the Viet Cong followed orders from Hanoi and were part of the People's Army of Vietnam, or North Vietnamese army.

      4. Delta of the Mekong River at its mouth in Southern Vietnam

        Mekong Delta

        The Mekong Delta, also known as the Western Region or South-western region, is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of south-western Vietnam of over 40,500 km2 (15,600 sq mi). The size of the area covered by water depends on the season. Its wet coastal geography makes it an important source of agriculture and aquaculture for the country.

  24. 1965

    1. Launch of Gemini 7 with crew members Frank Borman and Jim Lovell. The Gemini 7 spacecraft was the passive target for the first crewed space rendezvous performed by the crew of Gemini 6A.

      1. 1965 NASA crewed spaceflight

        Gemini 7

        Gemini 7 was a 1965 crewed spaceflight in NASA's Gemini program. It was the fourth crewed Gemini flight, the twelfth crewed American spaceflight, and the twenty-first crewed spaceflight including Soviet flights and X-15 flights above the Kármán line. The crew of Frank Borman and Jim Lovell spent nearly 14 days in space, making a total of 206 orbits. Their spacecraft was the passive target for the first crewed space rendezvous performed by the crew of Gemini 6A.

      2. American astronaut (born 1928)

        Frank Borman

        Frank Frederick Borman II is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) colonel, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, businessman, and NASA astronaut. He was the commander of Apollo 8, the first mission to fly around the Moon, and together with crewmates Jim Lovell and William Anders, became the first of 24 humans to do so, for which he was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. As of 2022, he is the oldest living former American astronaut, eleven days older than Lovell.

      3. American astronaut (born 1928)

        Jim Lovell

        James Arthur Lovell Jr. is an American retired astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot and mechanical engineer. In 1968, as command module pilot of Apollo 8, he became, with Frank Borman and William Anders, one of the first three astronauts to fly to and orbit the Moon. He then commanded the Apollo 13 lunar mission in 1970 which, after a critical failure en route, circled the Moon and returned safely to Earth.

      4. Series of orbital maneuvers to bring two spacecraft into the vicinity of each other

        Space rendezvous

        A space rendezvous is a set of orbital maneuvers during which two spacecraft, one of which is often a space station, arrive at the same orbit and approach to a very close distance. Rendezvous requires a precise match of the orbital velocities and position vectors of the two spacecraft, allowing them to remain at a constant distance through orbital station-keeping. Rendezvous may or may not be followed by docking or berthing, procedures which bring the spacecraft into physical contact and create a link between them.

      5. 1965 manned United States spaceflight in NASA's Gemini program

        Gemini 6A

        Gemini 6A was a 1965 crewed United States spaceflight in NASA's Gemini program. The mission, flown by Wally Schirra and Thomas P. Stafford, achieved the first crewed rendezvous with another spacecraft, its sister Gemini 7. Although the Soviet Union had twice previously launched simultaneous pairs of Vostok spacecraft, these established radio contact with each other, but they had no ability to adjust their orbits in order to rendezvous and came no closer than several kilometers of each other, while the Gemini 6 and 7 spacecraft came as close as one foot (30 cm) and could have docked had they been so equipped.

  25. 1964

    1. Free Speech Movement: Police arrest over 800 students at the University of California, Berkeley, following their takeover and sit-in at the administration building in protest of the UC Regents' decision to forbid protests on UC property.

      1. 1964–65 acts of civil disobedience by students of UC Berkeley, California

        Free Speech Movement

        The Free Speech Movement (FSM) was a massive, long-lasting student protest which took place during the 1964–65 academic year on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley. The Movement was informally under the central leadership of Berkeley graduate student Mario Savio. Other student leaders include Jack Weinberg, Michael Rossman, George Barton, Brian Turner, Bettina Aptheker, Steve Weissman, Michael Teal, Art Goldberg, Jackie Goldberg and others.

      2. Public university in Berkeley, California

        University of California, Berkeley

        The University of California, Berkeley is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant university and the founding campus of the University of California system. Its fourteen colleges and schools offer over 350 degree programs and enroll some 31,800 undergraduate and 13,200 graduate students. Berkeley ranks among the world's top universities.

      3. Governing board of the University of California

        Regents of the University of California

        The Regents of the University of California is the governing board of the University of California (UC), a state university system in the U.S. state of California. The Board of Regents has 26 voting members, the majority of whom are appointed by the Governor of California to serve 12-year terms.

  26. 1956

    1. The Million Dollar Quartet (Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash) get together at Sun Studio for the first and last time.

      1. 1956 recording of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash performing together

        Million Dollar Quartet

        "Million Dollar Quartet" is a recording of an impromptu jam session involving Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash made on December 4, 1956, at the Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. An article about the session was published in the Memphis Press-Scimitar under the title "Million Dollar Quartet". The recording was first released in Europe in 1981 as The Million Dollar Quartet with 17 tracks. A few years later more tracks were discovered and released as The Complete Million Dollar Session. In 1990, the recordings were released in the United States as Elvis Presley: The Million Dollar Quartet. This session is considered a seminal moment in rock and roll.

      2. American singer and actor (1935–1977)

        Elvis Presley

        Elvis Aaron Presley, or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, led him to both great success and initial controversy.

      3. American pianist (1935–2022)

        Jerry Lee Lewis

        Jerry Lee Lewis was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock & roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis made his first recordings in 1952 at Cosimo Matassa's J&M Studio in New Orleans, Louisiana, and early recordings in 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. "Crazy Arms" sold 300,000 copies in the Southern United States, but it was his 1957 hit "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" that shot Lewis to worldwide fame. He followed this with the major hits "Great Balls of Fire", "Breathless", and "High School Confidential". His rock and roll career faltered in the wake of his marriage to Myra Gale Brown, his 13-year-old cousin once removed.

      4. American guitarist (1932–1998)

        Carl Perkins

        Carl Lee Perkins was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, beginning in 1954. Among his best-known songs are "Blue Suede Shoes", "Honey Don't", "Matchbox" and "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby".

      5. American singer-songwriter (1932–2003)

        Johnny Cash

        John R. Cash was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his career. He was known for his deep, calm bass-baritone voice, the distinctive sound of his Tennessee Three backing band characterized by train-like chugging guitar rhythms, a rebelliousness coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor, free prison concerts, and a trademark all-black stage wardrobe which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black".

      6. Historic recording studio in Memphis, Tennessee, United States

        Sun Studio

        Sun Studio is a recording studio opened by rock-and-roll pioneer Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 3, 1950. It was originally called Memphis Recording Service, sharing the same building with the Sun Records label business. Sun Studio is perhaps most famous for its role in the early years of Elvis Presley’s career.

  27. 1950

    1. Korean War: Jesse L. Brown (the 1st African-American Naval aviator) is killed in action during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

      1. 1950–1953 war between North and South Korea

        Korean War

        The Korean War was fought between North Korea and South Korea from 1950 to 1953. The war began on 25 June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea following clashes along the border and rebellions in South Korea. North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union while South Korea was supported by the United States and allied countries. The fighting ended with an armistice on 27 July 1953.

      2. United States Navy officer (1926–1950)

        Jesse L. Brown

        Jesse LeRoy Brown was a United States Navy officer. He was the first African-American aviator to complete the U.S. Navy's basic flight training program, was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the first African-American naval officer killed in the Korean War.

      3. 1950 battle in the Korean War

        Battle of Chosin Reservoir

        The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin, was an important battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "Chōshin", instead of the Korean pronunciation.

  28. 1949

    1. Sir Duncan George Stewart was fatally stabbed by Rosli Dhobi, a member leader of the Rukun 13, in Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia during the British crown colony era in that state.

      1. British colonial administrator

        Duncan Stewart (colonial administrator)

        Duncan George Stewart CMG was a British colonial administrator and governor. He was mortally wounded in an assassination on 3 December 1949, in Sibu, Sarawak.

      2. Malay Sarawakian nationalist and independence activist

        Rosli Dhobi

        Rosli Dhobi was a Sarawakian nationalist from Sibu of mixed Malay-Melanau descent during the British crown colony era in that state.

      3. Defunct pro-independence organisation (1947-50) in British Sarawak

        Rukun 13

        Rukun 13 or Rukun Tiga Belas is a defunct Sarawakian organisation that existed from 1947 until 1950.

      4. City in Sarawak, Malaysia

        Sibu

        Sibu is a landlocked city in the central region of Sarawak. It is the capital of Sibu District in Sibu Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. The city is located on the island of Borneo and covers an area of 129.5 square kilometres (50.0 sq mi). It is located at the confluence of the Rajang and Igan Rivers, some 60 kilometres from the South China Sea and approximately 191.5 kilometres (119 mi) north-east of the state capital Kuching. Sibu is mainly populated by people of Chinese descent, mainly from Fuzhou. Other ethnic groups such as Iban, Malay and Melanau are also present, but unlike other regions of Sarawak, they are not as significant. The cities population as of 2010 is 162,676.

      5. Borneo state in Malaysia

        Sarawak

        Sarawak is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, Kalimantan to the south, and Brunei in the north. The capital city, Kuching, is the largest city in Sarawak, the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sarawak state government. Other cities and towns in Sarawak include Miri, Sibu, and Bintulu. As of 2021, the population of Sarawak was estimated to be around 2.45 million. Sarawak has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. It has several prominent cave systems at Gunung Mulu National Park. Rajang River is the longest river in Malaysia; Bakun Dam, one of the largest dams in Southeast Asia, is located on one of its tributaries, the Balui River. Mount Murud is the highest point in the state. Sarawak is the only state of Malaysia with a Christian majority.

      6. Country in Southeast Asia

        Malaysia

        Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand and maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Brunei and Indonesia and a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital, largest city and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government. The nearby planned capital of Putrajaya is the administrative capital, which represents the seat of both the executive branch and the judicial branch of the federal government. With a population of over 32 million, Malaysia is the world's 45th-most populous country. The southernmost point of continental Eurasia is in Tanjung Piai. In the tropics, Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries, home to numerous endemic species.

  29. 1948

    1. Chinese Civil War: The SS Kiangya, carrying Nationalist refugees from Shanghai, explodes in the Huangpu River.

      1. 1927–1949 civil war in China

        Chinese Civil War

        The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1st August 1927 until 7th December 1949 with a Communist victory on mainland China.

      2. Chinese passenger steamship

        SS Kiangya

        SS Kiangya or Jiangya was a Chinese passenger steamship that was destroyed in an explosion near the mouth of the Huangpu River 50 miles (80 km) north of Shanghai on 3 or 4 December 1948. Her wreck was cleared from the channel in 1956 and her hull refurbished, re-entering service. She was renamed the SS Dongfang Hong 8 during the Cultural Revolution and retired during modernisations in 1983.

      3. Government of the Republic of China between 1925 and 1948

        Nationalist government

        The Nationalist government, officially the National Government of the Republic of China, also known as the Second Republic of China or simply as the Republic of China, refers to the government of the Republic of China from 1 July 1925 to 20 May 1948, led by the Kuomintang.

      4. Most populous city in China

        Shanghai

        Shanghai is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowing through it. With a population of 24.89 million as of 2021, Shanghai is the most populous urban area in China with 39,300,000 inhabitants living in the Shanghai metropolitan area, the second most populous city proper in the world and the only city in East Asia with a GDP greater than its corresponding capital. Shanghai ranks second among the administrative divisions of Mainland China in human development index. As of 2018, the Greater Shanghai metropolitan area was estimated to produce a gross metropolitan product (nominal) of nearly 9.1 trillion RMB, exceeding that of Mexico with GDP of $1.22 trillion, the 15th largest in the world. Shanghai is one of the world's major centers for finance, business and economics, research, education, science and technology, manufacturing, tourism, culture, dining, art, fashion, sports, and transportation, and the Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port. In 2019, the Shanghai Pudong International Airport was one of the world's 10 busiest airports by passenger traffic, and one of the two international airports serving the Shanghai metropolitan area, the other one being the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.

      5. Large manmade tributary of the Yangtze

        Huangpu River

        The Huangpu, formerly romanized as Whangpoo, is a 113 km-long (70 mi) river flowing north through Shanghai. The Bund and Lujiazui are located along the Huangpu River.

  30. 1945

    1. By a vote of 65–7, the United States Senate approves United States participation in the United Nations. (The UN had been established on October 24, 1945.)

      1. Upper house of the United States Congress

        United States Senate

        The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.

      2. Overview of the relationship between the United States and the United Nations

        United States and the United Nations

        The United States is a charter member of the United Nations and one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

      3. Intergovernmental organization

        United Nations

        The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. It is the world's largest and most familiar international organization. The UN is headquartered on international territory in New York City, and has other main offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna, and The Hague.

  31. 1943

    1. World War II: In Yugoslavia, resistance leader Marshal Josip Broz Tito proclaims a provisional democratic Yugoslav government in-exile.

      1. Country in southeastern Europe, 1918–1941

        Kingdom of Yugoslavia

        The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" was its colloquial name due to its origins. The official name of the state was changed to "Kingdom of Yugoslavia" by King Alexander I on 3 October 1929.

      2. President of Yugoslavia from 1953 to 1980

        Josip Broz Tito

        Josip Broz, commonly known as Tito, was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, serving in various positions from 1943 until his death in 1980. During World War II, he was the leader of the Yugoslav Partisans, often regarded as the most effective resistance movement in German-occupied Europe. He also served as the president of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 14 January 1953 until his death on 4 May 1980.

      3. 1943–1945 provisional state in Southeast Europe

        Democratic Federal Yugoslavia

        Democratic Federal Yugoslavia, also known as Democratic Federative Yugoslavia, was a provisional state established during World War II on 29 November 1943 through the Second Session of the Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ). The National Committee for the Liberation of Yugoslavia (NKOJ) was its original executive body. Throughout its existence it was governed by Marshal Josip Broz Tito as prime minister.

    2. World War II: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt closes down the Works Progress Administration, because of the high levels of wartime employment in the United States.

      1. President of the United States from 1933 to 1945

        Franklin D. Roosevelt

        Franklin Delano Roosevelt, often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the leader of the Democratic Party, he won a record four presidential elections and became a central figure in world events during the first half of the 20th century. Roosevelt directed the federal government during most of the Great Depression, implementing his New Deal domestic agenda in response to the worst economic crisis in U.S. history. He built the New Deal Coalition, which defined modern liberalism in the United States throughout the middle third of the 20th century. His third and fourth terms were dominated by World War II, which ended in victory shortly after he died in office.

      2. U.S. government program of the 1930s and 1940s

        Works Progress Administration

        The Works Progress Administration was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads. It was set up on May 6, 1935, by presidential order, as a key part of the Second New Deal.

  32. 1942

    1. World War II: Carlson's patrol during the Guadalcanal Campaign ends.

      1. WWII anti-Japanese operation in 1942

        Carlson's patrol

        Carlson's patrol, also known as The Long Patrol or Carlson's long patrol, was an operation by the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion under the command of Evans Carlson during the Guadalcanal Campaign against the Imperial Japanese Army from 6 November to 4 December 1942. In the operation, the 2nd Raiders attacked forces under the command of Toshinari Shōji, which were escaping from an attempted encirclement in the Koli Point area on Guadalcanal and attempting to rejoin other Japanese army units on the opposite side of the U.S. Lunga perimeter.

      2. U.S. military campaign in World War II

        Guadalcanal campaign

        The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theater of World War II. It was the first major land offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan.

  33. 1939

    1. World War II: HMS Nelson is struck by a mine (laid by U-31) off the Scottish coast and is laid up for repairs until August 1940.

      1. Global war, 1939–1945

        World War II

        World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. World War II was a total war that directly involved more than 100 million personnel from more than 30 countries.

      2. Nelson-class battleship

        HMS Nelson (28)

        HMS Nelson was the name ship of her class of two battleships built for the Royal Navy in the 1920s. They were the first battleships built to meet the limitations of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. Entering service in 1927, the ship spent her peacetime career with the Atlantic and Home Fleets, usually as the fleet flagship. During the early stages of World War II, she searched for German commerce raiders, missed participating in the Norwegian Campaign after she was badly damaged by a mine in late 1939, and escorted convoys in the Atlantic Ocean.

      3. Explosive weapon for use in seas and waterways, triggered by the target's approach

        Naval mine

        A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, any vessel or a particular vessel type, akin to anti-infantry vs. anti-vehicle mines. Naval mines can be used offensively, to hamper enemy shipping movements or lock vessels into a harbour; or defensively, to protect friendly vessels and create "safe" zones. Mines allow the minelaying force commander to concentrate warships or defensive assets in mine-free areas giving the adversary three choices: undertake an expensive and time-consuming minesweeping effort, accept the casualties of challenging the minefield, or use the unmined waters where the greatest concentration of enemy firepower will be encountered.

      4. German World War II submarine

        German submarine U-31 (1936)

        German submarine U-31 was a Type VIIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 1 March 1936 as yard number 912, launched on 25 September and commissioned on 28 December 1936.

  34. 1928

    1. Cosmo Gordon Lang was enthroned as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the first bachelor to be appointed in 150 years.

      1. British archbishop and clergyman

        Cosmo Gordon Lang

        William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1st Baron Lang of Lambeth, was a Scottish Anglican prelate who served as Archbishop of York (1908–1928) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1928–1942). His elevation to Archbishop of York, within 18 years of his ordination, was the most rapid in modern Church of England history. As Archbishop of Canterbury during the abdication crisis of 1936, he took a strong moral stance, his comments in a subsequent broadcast being widely condemned as uncharitable towards the departed king.

      2. Senior bishop of the Church of England

        Archbishop of Canterbury

        The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justin Welby, who was enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March 2013. Welby is the 105th in a line which goes back more than 1400 years to Augustine of Canterbury, the "Apostle to the English", sent from Rome in the year 597. Welby succeeded Rowan Williams.

    2. Cosmo Gordon Lang was enthroned as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the first bachelor to be appointed in 150 years.

      1. British archbishop and clergyman

        Cosmo Gordon Lang

        William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1st Baron Lang of Lambeth, was a Scottish Anglican prelate who served as Archbishop of York (1908–1928) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1928–1942). His elevation to Archbishop of York, within 18 years of his ordination, was the most rapid in modern Church of England history. As Archbishop of Canterbury during the abdication crisis of 1936, he took a strong moral stance, his comments in a subsequent broadcast being widely condemned as uncharitable towards the departed king.

      2. Senior bishop of the Church of England

        Archbishop of Canterbury

        The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justin Welby, who was enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March 2013. Welby is the 105th in a line which goes back more than 1400 years to Augustine of Canterbury, the "Apostle to the English", sent from Rome in the year 597. Welby succeeded Rowan Williams.

    3. Cosmo Gordon Lang was enthroned as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the first bachelor to be appointed in 150 years.

      1. British archbishop and clergyman

        Cosmo Gordon Lang

        William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1st Baron Lang of Lambeth, was a Scottish Anglican prelate who served as Archbishop of York (1908–1928) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1928–1942). His elevation to Archbishop of York, within 18 years of his ordination, was the most rapid in modern Church of England history. As Archbishop of Canterbury during the abdication crisis of 1936, he took a strong moral stance, his comments in a subsequent broadcast being widely condemned as uncharitable towards the departed king.

      2. Senior bishop of the Church of England

        Archbishop of Canterbury

        The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justin Welby, who was enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral on 21 March 2013. Welby is the 105th in a line which goes back more than 1400 years to Augustine of Canterbury, the "Apostle to the English", sent from Rome in the year 597. Welby succeeded Rowan Williams.

  35. 1918

    1. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson sails for the World War I peace talks in Versailles, becoming the first US president to travel to Europe while in office.

      1. President of the United States from 1913 to 1921

        Woodrow Wilson

        Thomas Woodrow Wilson was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of Princeton University and as the governor of New Jersey before winning the 1912 presidential election. As president, Wilson changed the nation's economic policies and led the United States into World War I in 1917. He was the leading architect of the League of Nations, and his progressive stance on foreign policy came to be known as Wilsonianism.

      2. French palace located in Île-de-France

        Palace of Versailles

        The Palace of Versailles is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about 12 miles (19 km) west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, under the direction of the French Ministry of Culture, by the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles. Some 15,000,000 people visit the palace, park, or gardens of Versailles every year, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

      3. Head of state and head of government of the United States of America

        President of the United States

        The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.

  36. 1917

    1. After drafting the Declaration of Independence, the Finnish Senate headed by P. E. Svinhufvud submitted to the Parliament of Finland a proposal for the form of government of the Republic of Finland and issued a communication to Parliament declaring independence of Finland.

      1. 1917 resolution by the Parliament of Finland asserting its independence from Russia

        Finnish Declaration of Independence

        The Finnish Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Parliament of Finland on 6 December 1917. It declared Finland an independent nation, ending its autonomy within Russia as the Grand Principality of Finland, with reference to a bill simultaneously delivered to the Parliament to make Finland an independent republic instead.

      2. Historical government body in Finland from 1816 to 1918

        Senate of Finland

        The Senate of Finland combined the functions of cabinet and supreme court in the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1816 to 1917 and in the independent Finland from 1917 to 1918.

      3. President of Finland from 1931 to 1937

        Pehr Evind Svinhufvud

        Pehr Evind Svinhufvud af Qvalstad was the third president of Finland from 1931 to 1937. Serving as a lawyer, judge, and politician in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland, he played a major role in the movement for Finnish independence, he was one who presented the Declaration of Independence to the Parliament. In 1917–1918, Svinhufvud was the first Head of State of independent Finland, first as Chairman of the Senate and subsequently as Protector of State or Regent. He also served as Prime Minister from 1930 to 1931.

      4. Supreme legislature of Finland

        Parliament of Finland

        The Parliament of Finland is the unicameral and supreme legislature of Finland, founded on 9 May 1906. In accordance with the Constitution of Finland, sovereignty belongs to the people, and that power is vested in the Parliament. The Parliament consists of 200 members, 199 of whom are elected every four years from 13 multi-member districts electing 7 to 36 members using the proportional D'Hondt method. In addition, there is one member from Åland.

      5. Country in Northern Europe

        Finland

        Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland across Estonia to the south. Finland covers an area of 338,455 square kilometres (130,678 sq mi) with a population of 5.6 million. Helsinki is the capital and largest city, forming a larger metropolitan area with the neighbouring cities of Espoo, Kauniainen, and Vantaa. The vast majority of the population are ethnic Finns. Finnish, alongside Swedish, are the official languages. Swedish is the native language of 5.2% of the population. Finland's climate varies from humid continental in the south to the boreal in the north. The land cover is primarily a boreal forest biome, with more than 180,000 recorded lakes.

      6. Process of Finnish separation from Russia in the 19th-20th centuries

        Independence of Finland

        Finland declared its independence on 6 December 1917. The formal Declaration of Independence was only part of the long process leading to the independence of Finland.

  37. 1909

    1. The first Grey Cup, the championship game of the Canadian Football League, was held in Toronto.

      1. 1909 Canadian Football championship game

        1st Grey Cup

        The 1st Grey Cup was played on December 4, 1909, between the Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union champion University of Toronto Varsity Blues and the Ontario Rugby Football Union champion Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club. The University of Toronto won the game, 26–6. While the Canadian Dominion Football Championship had been contested since 1884, this was the first such game that was awarded a trophy. This was the University of Toronto's third Dominion Championship and their fifth appearance in the national championship game. This was Toronto Parkdale's first appearance in a Dominion Championship game.

      2. Championship game and trophy of the Canadian Football League

        Grey Cup

        The Grey Cup is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested between the winners of the CFL's East and West Divisional playoffs and is one of Canadian television's largest annual sporting events. The Toronto Argonauts have the most Grey Cup wins (18) since its introduction in 1909, while the Edmonton Elks have the most Grey Cup wins (11) since the merger in 1958. The latest, the 109th Grey Cup, took place in Regina, Saskatchewan on November 20, 2022, when the Toronto Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24–23.

      3. Professional Canadian football league

        Canadian Football League

        The Canadian Football League is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a city in Canada. They are divided into two divisions: four teams in the East Division and five teams in the West Division.

      4. Capital city of Ontario, Canada

        Toronto

        Toronto is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anchor of the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration of 9,765,188 people surrounding the western end of Lake Ontario, while the Greater Toronto Area proper had a 2021 population of 6,712,341. Toronto is an international centre of business, finance, arts, sports and culture, and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world.

    2. The Montreal Canadiens, the oldest professional ice hockey club in the world, were founded as a charter member of the National Hockey Association.

      1. National Hockey League team in Montreal, Quebec

        Montreal Canadiens

        The Montreal Canadiens, officially le Club de hockey Canadien and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Since 1996, the Canadiens have played their home games at Bell Centre, originally known as Molson Centre. The team previously played at the Montreal Forum, which housed the team for seven decades and all but their first two Stanley Cup championships.

      2. Team sport played on ice using sticks, skates, and a puck

        Ice hockey

        Ice hockey is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance and shoot a closed, vulcanized, rubber disc called a "puck" into the other team's goal. Each goal is worth one point. The team which scores the most goals is declared the winner. In a formal game, each team has six skaters on the ice at a time, barring any penalties, one of whom is the goaltender. Ice hockey is a full contact sport.

      3. History of the ice hockey club

        History of the Montreal Canadiens

        The Montreal Canadiens ice hockey club, formally Le Club de Hockey Canadien, was founded on December 4, 1909. The Canadiens are the oldest professional hockey franchise in the world. Created as a founding member of the National Hockey Association (NHA) with the aim of appealing to Montreal's francophone population, the Canadiens played their first game on January 5, 1910, and captured their first Stanley Cup in 1916. The team left the NHA and helped found the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1917. They returned to the Stanley Cup finals in 1919, but their series against the Seattle Metropolitans was cancelled without a winner due to the Spanish flu pandemic that killed defenceman Joe Hall. The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 24 times: once while part of the National Hockey Association (NHA), and 23 times as members of the NHL. With 25 NHL titles overall, they are the most successful team in league history.

      4. Canadian ice hockey league from 1909 to 1917

        National Hockey Association

        The National Hockey Association (NHA), officially the National Hockey Association of Canada Limited, was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor of today's National Hockey League (NHL). Founded in 1909 by Ambrose O'Brien, the NHA introduced 'six-man hockey' by removing the 'rover' position in 1911. During its lifetime, the league coped with competition for players with the rival Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA), the enlistment of players for World War I and disagreements between owners. The disagreements between owners came to a head in 1917, when the NHA suspended operations in order to get rid of an unwanted owner.

    3. In Canadian football, the First Grey Cup game is played. The University of Toronto Varsity Blues defeat the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club, 26–6.

      1. Canadian team sport

        Canadian football

        Canadian football is a sport played in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play 110 yards (101 m) long and 65 yards (59 m) wide attempting to advance a pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's scoring area.

      2. 1909 Canadian Football championship game

        1st Grey Cup

        The 1st Grey Cup was played on December 4, 1909, between the Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union champion University of Toronto Varsity Blues and the Ontario Rugby Football Union champion Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club. The University of Toronto won the game, 26–6. While the Canadian Dominion Football Championship had been contested since 1884, this was the first such game that was awarded a trophy. This was the University of Toronto's third Dominion Championship and their fifth appearance in the national championship game. This was Toronto Parkdale's first appearance in a Dominion Championship game.

      3. University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

        University of Toronto

        The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada. Originally controlled by the Church of England, the university assumed its present name in 1850 upon becoming a secular institution. As a collegiate university, it comprises eleven colleges each with substantial autonomy on financial and institutional affairs and significant differences in character and history. The university maintains three campuses, the oldest of which, St. George, is located in downtown Toronto. The other two satellite campuses are located in Scarborough and Mississauga.

      4. Sports teams of the University of Toronto, Canada

        Toronto Varsity Blues

        The Toronto Varsity Blues is the intercollegiate sports program at the University of Toronto. Its 43 athletic teams regularly participate in competitions held by Ontario University Athletics and U Sports. The Varsity Blues traces its founding to 1877, with the formation of the men's football team. Since 1908, Varsity Blues athletes have won numerous medals in Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and have also long competed in International University Sports Federation championships, Commonwealth Games, and Pan American Games.

      5. Amateur Canadian football and hockey club based in Toronto, Ontario (1909-23)

        Toronto Parkdale

        Toronto Parkdale was an amateur Canadian football and hockey club based in the Parkdale neighbourhood in the west end of Toronto. As a branch of the Parkdale Canoe Club established in August 1905, the club's hockey and football teams were nicknamed the Paddlers. They were also known colloquially as the West Enders, and as the Green and White, after the team colours.

    4. The Montreal Canadiens ice hockey club, the oldest surviving professional hockey franchise in the world, is founded as a charter member of the National Hockey Association.

      1. National Hockey League team in Montreal, Quebec

        Montreal Canadiens

        The Montreal Canadiens, officially le Club de hockey Canadien and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Since 1996, the Canadiens have played their home games at Bell Centre, originally known as Molson Centre. The team previously played at the Montreal Forum, which housed the team for seven decades and all but their first two Stanley Cup championships.

      2. Team sport played on ice using sticks, skates, and a puck

        Ice hockey

        Ice hockey is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance and shoot a closed, vulcanized, rubber disc called a "puck" into the other team's goal. Each goal is worth one point. The team which scores the most goals is declared the winner. In a formal game, each team has six skaters on the ice at a time, barring any penalties, one of whom is the goaltender. Ice hockey is a full contact sport.

      3. Canadian ice hockey league from 1909 to 1917

        National Hockey Association

        The National Hockey Association (NHA), officially the National Hockey Association of Canada Limited, was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor of today's National Hockey League (NHL). Founded in 1909 by Ambrose O'Brien, the NHA introduced 'six-man hockey' by removing the 'rover' position in 1911. During its lifetime, the league coped with competition for players with the rival Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA), the enlistment of players for World War I and disagreements between owners. The disagreements between owners came to a head in 1917, when the NHA suspended operations in order to get rid of an unwanted owner.

  38. 1906

    1. Alpha Phi Alpha the first intercollegiate Greek lettered fraternity for African-Americans was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

      1. First intercollegiate African American fraternity

        Alpha Phi Alpha

        Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (ΑΦΑ) is the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the 1905–1906 school year at Cornell University but later evolved into a fraternity with a founding date of December 4, 1906. It employs an icon from Ancient Egypt, the Great Sphinx of Giza, as its symbol. Its aims are "Manly Deeds, Scholarship, and Love For All Mankind," and its motto is "First of All, Servants of All, We Shall Transcend All." Its archives are preserved at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.

      2. Private university in Ithaca, New York

        Cornell University

        Cornell University is a private Ivy League and statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach and make contributions in all fields of knowledge—from the classics to the sciences, and from the theoretical to the applied. Cornell is ranked among the most prestigious universities in the world. These ideals, unconventional for the time, are captured in Cornell's founding principle, a popular 1868 quotation from founder Ezra Cornell: "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study."

      3. City in New York, United States

        Ithaca, New York

        Ithaca is a city in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is the seat of Tompkins County and the largest community in the Ithaca metropolitan statistical area. It is named after the Greek island of Ithaca.

  39. 1893

    1. First Matabele War: A patrol of 34 British South Africa Company soldiers was ambushed and annihilated by more than 3,000 Matabele warriors.

      1. 1893–94 British invasion of the Ndebele Kingdom

        First Matabele War

        The First Matabele War was fought between 1893 and 1894 in modern-day Zimbabwe. It pitted the British South Africa Company against the Ndebele (Matabele) Kingdom. Lobengula, king of the Ndebele, had tried to avoid outright war with the company's pioneers because he and his advisors were mindful of the destructive power of European-produced weapons on traditional Matabele impis attacking in massed ranks. Lobengula reportedly could muster 80,000 spearmen and 20,000 riflemen, armed with Martini-Henry rifles, which were modern arms at that time. However, poor training meant that these were not used effectively.

      2. 1889–1965 British mining and colonial enterprises company

        British South Africa Company

        The British South Africa Company was chartered in 1889 following the amalgamation of Cecil Rhodes' Central Search Association and the London-based Exploring Company Ltd, which had originally competed to capitalize on the expected mineral wealth of Mashonaland but united because of common economic interests and to secure British government backing. The company received a Royal Charter modelled on that of the British East India Company. Its first directors included The 2nd Duke of Abercorn, Rhodes himself, and the South African financier Alfred Beit. Rhodes hoped BSAC would promote colonisation and economic exploitation across much of south-central Africa, as part of the "Scramble for Africa". However, his main focus was south of the Zambezi, in Mashonaland and the coastal areas to its east, from which he believed the Portuguese could be removed by payment or force, and in the Transvaal, which he hoped would return to British control.

      3. British South Africa Company unit attacked in 1893 in Rhodesia

        Shangani Patrol

        The Shangani Patrol was a 34-soldier unit of the British South Africa Company that in 1893 was ambushed and annihilated by more than 3,000 Matabele warriors in pre-Southern Rhodesia, during the First Matabele War. Headed by Major Allan Wilson, the patrol was attacked just north of the Shangani River in Matabeleland, Rhodesia. Its dramatic last stand, sometimes called "Wilson's Last Stand", achieved a prominent place in the British public imagination and, subsequently, in Rhodesian history, similarly to events such as the Battle of the Little Bighorn and the Battle of the Alamo in the United States.

      4. Bantu ethnic group in Southern Africa

        Northern Ndebele people

        The Northern Ndebele people are an offshoot of the Bantu found in Southern Africa.

    2. First Matabele War: A patrol of 34 British South Africa Company soldiers is ambushed and annihilated by more than 3,000 Matabele warriors on the Shangani River in Matabeleland.

      1. 1893–94 British invasion of the Ndebele Kingdom

        First Matabele War

        The First Matabele War was fought between 1893 and 1894 in modern-day Zimbabwe. It pitted the British South Africa Company against the Ndebele (Matabele) Kingdom. Lobengula, king of the Ndebele, had tried to avoid outright war with the company's pioneers because he and his advisors were mindful of the destructive power of European-produced weapons on traditional Matabele impis attacking in massed ranks. Lobengula reportedly could muster 80,000 spearmen and 20,000 riflemen, armed with Martini-Henry rifles, which were modern arms at that time. However, poor training meant that these were not used effectively.

      2. 1889–1965 British mining and colonial enterprises company

        British South Africa Company

        The British South Africa Company was chartered in 1889 following the amalgamation of Cecil Rhodes' Central Search Association and the London-based Exploring Company Ltd, which had originally competed to capitalize on the expected mineral wealth of Mashonaland but united because of common economic interests and to secure British government backing. The company received a Royal Charter modelled on that of the British East India Company. Its first directors included The 2nd Duke of Abercorn, Rhodes himself, and the South African financier Alfred Beit. Rhodes hoped BSAC would promote colonisation and economic exploitation across much of south-central Africa, as part of the "Scramble for Africa". However, his main focus was south of the Zambezi, in Mashonaland and the coastal areas to its east, from which he believed the Portuguese could be removed by payment or force, and in the Transvaal, which he hoped would return to British control.

      3. British South Africa Company unit attacked in 1893 in Rhodesia

        Shangani Patrol

        The Shangani Patrol was a 34-soldier unit of the British South Africa Company that in 1893 was ambushed and annihilated by more than 3,000 Matabele warriors in pre-Southern Rhodesia, during the First Matabele War. Headed by Major Allan Wilson, the patrol was attacked just north of the Shangani River in Matabeleland, Rhodesia. Its dramatic last stand, sometimes called "Wilson's Last Stand", achieved a prominent place in the British public imagination and, subsequently, in Rhodesian history, similarly to events such as the Battle of the Little Bighorn and the Battle of the Alamo in the United States.

      4. Bantu ethnic group in Southern Africa

        Northern Ndebele people

        The Northern Ndebele people are an offshoot of the Bantu found in Southern Africa.

      5. River in west and central Zimbabwe

        Shangani River

        The Shangani is a river in Zimbabwe that starts near Gweru, Gweru River being one of its main tributaries' and goes through Midlands and Matabeleland North provinces. It empties into the Gwayi River.

      6. Region of southwestern Zimbabwe

        Matabeleland

        Matabeleland is a region located in southwestern Zimbabwe that is divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo, and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers and are further separated from Midlands by the Shangani River in central Zimbabwe. The region is named after its inhabitants, the Ndebele people who were called "Amatabele"(people with long spears - Mzilikazi 's group of people who were escaping the Mfecani wars). Other ethnic groups who inhabit parts of Matabeleland include the Tonga, Bakalanga, Venda, Nambya, Khoisan, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana, and Tsonga. The population of Matabeleland is just over 20% of the Zimbabwe's total.

  40. 1881

    1. The first edition of the Los Angeles Times is published.

      1. American daily newspaper covering the Greater Los Angeles area

        Los Angeles Times

        The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States. A newspaper of record, it has won more than 40 Pulitzer Prizes. Its owner is Patrick Soon-Shiong.

  41. 1875

    1. Notorious New York City politician Boss Tweed escapes from prison; he is later recaptured in Spain.

      1. American politician (1823–1878)

        William M. Tweed

        William Magear Tweed, often erroneously referred to as William "Marcy" Tweed, and widely known as "Boss" Tweed, was an American politician most notable for being the political boss of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party's political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th-century New York City and state. At the height of his influence, Tweed was the third-largest landowner in New York City, a director of the Erie Railroad, a director of the Tenth National Bank, a director of the New-York Printing Company, the proprietor of the Metropolitan Hotel, a significant stockholder in iron mines and gas companies, a board member of the Harlem Gas Light Company, a board member of the Third Avenue Railway Company, a board member of the Brooklyn Bridge Company, and the president of the Guardian Savings Bank.

  42. 1872

    1. The American brigantine Mary Celeste was found apparently abandoned under circumstances that remain unknown.

      1. Two-masted sailing vessel

        Brigantine

        A brigantine is a two-masted sailing vessel with a fully square-rigged foremast and at least two sails on the main mast: a square topsail and a gaff sail mainsail. The main mast is the second and taller of the two masts.

      2. Ship found abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean in 1872

        Mary Celeste

        Mary Celeste was an American-registered merchant brigantine, best known for being discovered adrift and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores Islands on December 4, 1872. The Canadian brigantine Dei Gratia found her in a dishevelled but seaworthy condition under partial sail and with her lifeboat missing. The last entry in her log was dated ten days earlier. She had left New York City for Genoa on November 7 and was still amply provisioned when found. Her cargo of alcohol was intact, and the captain's and crew's personal belongings were undisturbed. None of those who had been on board were ever seen or heard from again.

    2. The crewless American brigantine Mary Celeste, drifting in the Atlantic, is discovered by the Canadian brig Dei Gratia. The ship has been abandoned for nine days but is only slightly damaged. Her master Benjamin Briggs and all nine others known to have been on board are never accounted for.

      1. Ship found abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean in 1872

        Mary Celeste

        Mary Celeste was an American-registered merchant brigantine, best known for being discovered adrift and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores Islands on December 4, 1872. The Canadian brigantine Dei Gratia found her in a dishevelled but seaworthy condition under partial sail and with her lifeboat missing. The last entry in her log was dated ten days earlier. She had left New York City for Genoa on November 7 and was still amply provisioned when found. Her cargo of alcohol was intact, and the captain's and crew's personal belongings were undisturbed. None of those who had been on board were ever seen or heard from again.

      2. Canadian ship

        Dei Gratia (brigantine)

        Dei Gratia was a Canadian brigantine built in Bear River, Nova Scotia in 1871. The brigantine was named after the Latin phrase for "By the Grace of God". She became famous in 1872 when, under the command of David Reed Morehouse, she discovered the ghost ship Mary Celeste without any crew near the Azores. Morehouse and his crew took the derelict Mary Celeste to Gibraltar and claimed the brigantine as salvage. They were at first subjected to suspicion by Gibraltar's Attorney General, but the Vice Admiralty Court later approved their salvage prize and commended the crew for their resourcefulness and courage. The salvage award of about $8,300 was diminished by the high court costs of the long inquiry.

      3. American sailor

        Benjamin Briggs

        Benjamin Spooner Briggs was an experienced United States seaman and master mariner. He was the Captain of the merchant ship Mary Celeste, which was discovered unmanned and drifting in the Atlantic Ocean midway between the Azores and the coast of Portugal on December 4, 1872. The lifeboat was missing, yet the Mary Celeste herself was still under sail. Benjamin Briggs, his wife Sarah, and their two-year-old daughter Sophia Matilda were never found and are presumed lost, along with the crew of Mary Celeste.

  43. 1867

    1. Former Minnesota farmer Oliver Hudson Kelley founds the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry (better known today as the Grange).

      1. U.S. state

        Minnesota

        Minnesota is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to intensive agriculture; deciduous forests in the southeast, now partially cleared, farmed, and settled; and the less populated North Woods, used for mining, forestry, and recreation. Roughly a third of the state is covered in forests, and it is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" for having over 14,000 bodies of fresh water of at least ten acres. More than 60% of Minnesotans live in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, known as the "Twin Cities", the state's main political, economic, and cultural hub. With a population of about 3.7 million, the Twin Cities is the 16th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Other minor metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas in the state include Duluth, Mankato, Moorhead, Rochester, and St. Cloud.

      2. 19th-century American farmer and key founder of the Grange fraternal order

        Oliver Hudson Kelley

        Oliver Hudson Kelley was one of the key founders of the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, a fraternal organization in the United States.

      3. Agricultural advocacy group in the United States

        National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry

        The Grange, officially named The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, is a social organization in the United States that encourages families to band together to promote the economic and political well-being of the community and agriculture. The Grange, founded after the Civil War in 1867, is the oldest American agricultural advocacy group with a national scope. The Grange actively lobbied state legislatures and Congress for political goals, such as the Granger Laws to lower rates charged by railroads, and rural free mail delivery by the Post Office.

  44. 1865

    1. North Carolina ratifies 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, followed soon by Georgia, and U.S. slaves were legally free within two weeks.

      1. U.S. state

        North Carolina

        North Carolina is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and South Carolina to the south, and Tennessee to the west. Raleigh is the state's capital and Charlotte is its largest city. The Charlotte metropolitan area, with a population of 2,595,027 in 2020, is the most-populous metropolitan area in North Carolina, the 21st-most populous in the United States, and the largest banking center in the nation after New York City. The Raleigh-Durham-Cary combined statistical area is the second-largest metropolitan area in the state and 32nd-most populous in the United States, with a population of 2,043,867 in 2020, and is home to the largest research park in the United States, Research Triangle Park.

      2. 1865 Reconstruction amendment abolishing slavery

        Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

        The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. The amendment was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, by the House of Representatives on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the required 27 of the then 36 states on December 6, 1865, and proclaimed on December 18. It was the first of the three Reconstruction Amendments adopted following the American Civil War.

      3. U.S. state

        Georgia (U.S. state)

        Georgia is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee and North Carolina; to the northeast by South Carolina; to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean; to the south by Florida; and to the west by Alabama. Georgia is the 24th-largest state in area and 8th most populous of the 50 United States. Its 2020 population was 10,711,908, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Atlanta, a "beta(+)" global city, is both the state's capital and its largest city. The Atlanta metropolitan area, with a population of more than 6 million people in 2020, is the 9th most populous metropolitan area in the United States and contains about 57% of Georgia's entire population.

      4. Slavery in the United States

        The legal institution of human chattel slavery, comprising the enslavement primarily of Africans and African Americans, was prevalent in the United States of America from its founding in 1776 until 1865, predominantly in the South. Slavery was established throughout European colonization in the Americas. From 1526, during early colonial days, it was practiced in what became Britain's colonies, including the Thirteen Colonies that formed the United States. Under the law, an enslaved person was treated as property that could be bought, sold, or given away. Slavery lasted in about half of U.S. states until abolition. In the decades after the end of Reconstruction, many of slavery's economic and social functions were continued through segregation, sharecropping, and convict leasing.

  45. 1864

    1. American Civil War: Sherman's March to the Sea: At Waynesboro, Georgia, forces under Union General Judson Kilpatrick prevent troops led by Confederate General Joseph Wheeler from interfering with Union General William T. Sherman's campaign destroying a wide swath of the South on his march to the Atlantic Ocean from Atlanta.

      1. 1861–1865 conflict in the United States

        American Civil War

        The American Civil War was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union and the Confederacy, the latter formed by states that had seceded. The central cause of the war was the dispute over whether slavery would be permitted to expand into the western territories, leading to more slave states, or be prevented from doing so, which was widely believed would place slavery on a course of ultimate extinction.

      2. Military campaign, American Civil War

        Sherman's March to the Sea

        Sherman's March to the Sea was a military campaign of the American Civil War conducted through Georgia from November 15 until December 21, 1864, by William Tecumseh Sherman, major general of the Union Army. The campaign began with Sherman's troops leaving the captured city of Atlanta on November 15 and ended with the capture of the port of Savannah on December 21. His forces followed a "scorched earth" policy, destroying military targets as well as industry, infrastructure, and civilian property, disrupting the Confederacy's economy and transportation networks. The operation debilitated the Confederacy and helped lead to its eventual surrender. Sherman's decision to operate deep within enemy territory without supply lines was unusual for its time, and the campaign is regarded by some historians as an early example of modern warfare or total war.

      3. City in Georgia, United States

        Waynesboro, Georgia

        Waynesboro is a city in Burke County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,766 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Burke County. It is part of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.

      4. Land force that fought for the Union (the north) during the American Civil War

        Union Army

        During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to the preservation of the United States as a working, viable republic.

      5. Union United States Army general, politician

        Hugh Judson Kilpatrick

        Hugh Judson Kilpatrick was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, achieving the rank of brevet major general. He was later the United States Minister to Chile and an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives.

      6. 1864 battle of the American Civil War

        Battle of Waynesboro, Georgia

        The Battle of Waynesboro was an American Civil War battle fought on December 4, 1864 in eastern Georgia, towards the end of Sherman's March to the Sea. Union cavalry forces under Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick defeated Confederate cavalry led by Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler, opening the way for William T. Sherman's armies to approach their objective, Savannah.

      7. Former North American state (1861–65)

        Confederate States of America

        The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States, the Confederacy, or "the South", was an unrecognized breakaway republic in North America that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confederacy comprised U.S. states that declared secession and warred against the United States during the American Civil War. Eleven U.S. states, nicknamed Dixie, declared secession and formed the main part of the CSA. They were South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Kentucky, and Missouri also had declarations of secession and full representation in the Confederate Congress during their Union army occupation.

      8. Confederate Army general

        Joseph Wheeler

        Joseph "Fighting Joe" Wheeler was an American military commander and politician. He was a cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil War, and then a general in the United States Army during both the Spanish-American and Philippine–American Wars near the turn of the twentieth century. For much of the Civil War he served as the senior cavalry general in the Army of Tennessee and fought in most of its battles in the Western Theater.

      9. United States Army general (1820–1891)

        William Tecumseh Sherman

        William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator, and author. He served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–1865), achieving recognition for his command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the scorched-earth policies that he implemented against the Confederate States. British military theorist and historian B. H. Liddell Hart declared that Sherman was "the first modern general".

      10. Capital city of Georgia, United States

        Atlanta

        Atlanta is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 living within the city limits, it is the eighth most populous city in the Southeast and 38th most populous city in the United States according to the 2020 U.S. census. It is the core of the much larger Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to more than 6.1 million people, making it the eighth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Situated among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, it features unique topography that includes rolling hills, lush greenery, and the most dense urban tree coverage of any major city in the United States.

  46. 1861

    1. The 109 Electors of the several states of the Confederate States of America unanimously elect Jefferson Davis as President and Alexander H. Stephens as Vice President.

      1. Process to elect the president of the Confederate States of America

        1861 Confederate States presidential election

        The 1861 Confederate States presidential election of November 6, 1861, was the only presidential election held under the Permanent Constitution of the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis, who had been elected president and Alexander H. Stephens, who had been elected vice president, under the Provisional Constitution, were elected to six-year terms that would have lasted from February 22, 1862 until February 22, 1868. However, the terms expired on May 5, 1865 instead when the Confederate government dissolved, with Davis and Stephens both leaving office without successors.

      2. Former North American state (1861–65)

        Confederate States of America

        The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States, the Confederacy, or "the South", was an unrecognized breakaway republic in North America that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confederacy comprised U.S. states that declared secession and warred against the United States during the American Civil War. Eleven U.S. states, nicknamed Dixie, declared secession and formed the main part of the CSA. They were South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Kentucky, and Missouri also had declarations of secession and full representation in the Confederate Congress during their Union army occupation.

      3. President of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865

        Jefferson Davis

        Jefferson F. Davis was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a member of the Democratic Party before the American Civil War. He had previously served as the United States Secretary of War from 1853 to 1857 under President Franklin Pierce.

      4. Head of state and of government of the Confederate States

        President of the Confederate States of America

        The president of the Confederate States was the head of state and head of government of the Confederate States. The president was the chief executive of the federal government and was the commander-in-chief of the Confederate Army and the Confederate Navy.

      5. Confederate States politician, Democrat and 50th governor of Georgia (1812–1883)

        Alexander H. Stephens

        Alexander Hamilton Stephens was an American politician who served as the vice president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865, and later as the 50th governor of Georgia from 1882 until his death in 1883. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented the state of Georgia in the United States House of Representatives before and after the Civil War prior to becoming governor.

      6. Second-highest executive officer of the government of the Confederate States of America

        Vice President of the Confederate States of America

        The vice president of the Confederate States was the second highest executive officer of the government of the Confederate States of America and the deputy to the president of the Confederate States. The office was held by Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia, who served under President Jefferson Davis of Mississippi from February 18, 1861, until the dissolution of the Confederacy on May 5, 1865. Having first been elected by the Provisional Confederate States Congress, both were considered provisional office-holders until they won the presidential election of November 6, 1861 without opposition and inaugurated on February 22, 1862.

  47. 1829

    1. Sati, the Hindu funeral custom of a widow's self-immolation on her husband's pyre, was prohibited by Lord William Bentinck in parts of British India after years of campaigning by Ram Mohan Roy (pictured).

      1. Historical some Hindu practice of widow immolation

        Sati (practice)

        Sati or suttee was myth Hindu practice, now largely historical, in which a widow sacrifices herself by sitting atop her deceased husband's funeral pyre. Although it is debated whether it received scriptural mention in early Hinduism, it has been linked to related Hindu practices in the Indo-Aryan speaking regions of India which diminished the rights of women, especially those to the inheritance of property. A cold form of sati, or the neglect and casting out of Hindu widows has been prevalent in India from ancient times. Greek sources from around 300 BCE make isolated mention of sati, but it probably developed into a real fire sacrifice in the medieval era within the northwestern Rajput clans to which it initially remained limited, to become more widespread during the late medieval era.

      2. Ritualistic and political suicide method

        Self-immolation

        The term self-immolation broadly refers to acts of altruistic suicide, otherwise the giving up of one's body in an act of sacrifice. However, it most often refers specifically to autocremation, the act of sacrificing oneself by setting oneself on fire and burning to death. It is typically used for political or religious reasons, often as a form of non-violent protest or in acts of martyrdom. It has a centuries-long recognition as the most extreme form of protest possible by humankind.

      3. Form of cremation

        Pyre

        A pyre, also known as a funeral pyre, is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral rite or execution. As a form of cremation, a body is placed upon or under the pyre, which is then set on fire.

      4. Law which made the burning of widows illegal in India

        Bengal Sati Regulation, 1829

        The Bengal Sati Regulation, or Regulation XVII, in India under East India Company rule, by the Governor-General Lord William Bentinck, which made the practice of sati or suttee illegal in all jurisdictions of India and subject to prosecution. The ban is credited with bringing an end to the practice of sati in India. It was first major social reform legislation enacted by the British in India and one part of the reforms enacted by Bentinck.

      5. Governor General of India (1828–1835)

        Lord William Bentinck

        Lieutenant General Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, known as Lord William Bentinck, was a British soldier and statesman who served as the Governor of Fort William (Bengal) from 1828 to 1834 and the First Governor-General of India from 1834 to 1835. He has been credited for significant social and educational reforms in India, including abolishing sati, forbidding women to witness the cremations on the ghats of Varanasi, suppressing female infanticide and human sacrifice. Bentinck said that "the dreadful responsibility hanging over his head in this world and the next, if… he was to consent to the continuance of this practice (sati) one moment longer." Bentinck after consultation with the army and officials passed the Bengal Sati Regulation, 1829. The challenge came from the Dharma Sabha which appealed in the Privy Council, however the ban on Sati was upheld. He reduced lawlessness by eliminating thuggee – which had existed for over 450 years – with the aid of his chief captain, William Henry Sleeman. Along with Thomas Babington Macaulay he introduced English as the language of instruction in India.

      6. Rule of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent (1757–1858)

        Company rule in India

        Company rule in India refers to the rule of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent. This is variously taken to have commenced in 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, when the Nawab of Bengal was defeated and replaced with another individual who had the support of the East India Company; or in 1765, when the Company was granted the diwani, or the right to collect revenue, in Bengal and Bihar; or in 1773, when the Company abolished local rule (Nizamat) and established a capital in Calcutta, appointed its first Governor-General, Warren Hastings, and became directly involved in governance. The rule lasted until 1858, when, after the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and consequently of the Government of India Act 1858, the British government assumed the task of directly administering India in the new British Raj.

      7. Indian religious, social and educational reformer (1772–1833)

        Ram Mohan Roy

        Raja Ram Mohan Roy was an Indian reformer who was one of the founders of the Brahmo Sabha in 1828, the precursor of the Brahmo Samaj, a social-religious reform movement in the Indian subcontinent. He was given the title of Raja by Akbar II, the Mughal emperor. His influence was apparent in the fields of politics, public administration, education and religion. He was known for his efforts to abolish the practices of sati and child marriage. Roy is considered to be the "Father of the Bengal Renaissance" by many historians.

    2. In the face of fierce local opposition, British Governor-General Lord William Bentinck issues a regulation declaring that anyone who abets suttee in Bengal is guilty of culpable homicide.

      1. Representative of the British monarch in India

        Governor-General of India

        The Governor-General of India was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom and after Indian independence in 1947, the representative of the British monarch. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William. The officer had direct control only over Fort William but supervised other East India Company officials in India. Complete authority over all of British territory in the Indian subcontinent was granted in 1833, and the official came to be known as the "Governor-General of India".

      2. Governor General of India (1828–1835)

        Lord William Bentinck

        Lieutenant General Lord William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, known as Lord William Bentinck, was a British soldier and statesman who served as the Governor of Fort William (Bengal) from 1828 to 1834 and the First Governor-General of India from 1834 to 1835. He has been credited for significant social and educational reforms in India, including abolishing sati, forbidding women to witness the cremations on the ghats of Varanasi, suppressing female infanticide and human sacrifice. Bentinck said that "the dreadful responsibility hanging over his head in this world and the next, if… he was to consent to the continuance of this practice (sati) one moment longer." Bentinck after consultation with the army and officials passed the Bengal Sati Regulation, 1829. The challenge came from the Dharma Sabha which appealed in the Privy Council, however the ban on Sati was upheld. He reduced lawlessness by eliminating thuggee – which had existed for over 450 years – with the aid of his chief captain, William Henry Sleeman. Along with Thomas Babington Macaulay he introduced English as the language of instruction in India.

      3. Historical some Hindu practice of widow immolation

        Sati (practice)

        Sati or suttee was myth Hindu practice, now largely historical, in which a widow sacrifices herself by sitting atop her deceased husband's funeral pyre. Although it is debated whether it received scriptural mention in early Hinduism, it has been linked to related Hindu practices in the Indo-Aryan speaking regions of India which diminished the rights of women, especially those to the inheritance of property. A cold form of sati, or the neglect and casting out of Hindu widows has been prevalent in India from ancient times. Greek sources from around 300 BCE make isolated mention of sati, but it probably developed into a real fire sacrifice in the medieval era within the northwestern Rajput clans to which it initially remained limited, to become more widespread during the late medieval era.

      4. Administrative unit in British India

        Bengal Presidency

        The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William and later Bengal Province, was a subdivision of the British Empire in India. At the height of its territorial jurisdiction, it covered large parts of what is now South Asia and Southeast Asia. Bengal proper covered the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal. Calcutta, the city which grew around Fort William, was the capital of the Bengal Presidency. For many years, the Governor of Bengal was concurrently the Viceroy of India and Calcutta was the de facto capital of India until 1911.

      5. Categorisation of crimes in the legal systems of Commonwealth countries

        Culpable homicide

        Culpable homicide is a categorisation of certain offences in various jurisdictions within the Commonwealth of Nations which involves the illegal killing of a person either with or without an intention to kill depending upon how a particular jurisdiction has defined the offence. Unusually for those legal systems which have originated or been influenced during rule by the United Kingdom, the name of the offence associates with Scots law rather than English law.

  48. 1804

    1. The United States House of Representatives impeaches Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase.

      1. Lower house of the United States Congress

        United States House of Representatives

        The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they comprise the national bicameral legislature of the United States.

      2. Process for charging a public official with legal offenses by the legislature(s)

        Impeachment

        Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements.

      3. Member of the U.S. Supreme Court other than the chief justice

        Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

        An associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is any member of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the chief justice of the United States. The number of associate justices is eight, as set by the Judiciary Act of 1869.

      4. US Supreme Court justice from 1796 to 1811

        Samuel Chase

        Samuel Chase was a Founding Father of the United States, a signatory to the Continental Association and United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Maryland, and an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He was impeached by the House of Representatives on grounds of letting his partisan leanings affect his court decisions but was acquitted by the Senate and remained in office.

  49. 1791

    1. The first edition of The Observer, the world's first Sunday newspaper, is published.

      1. British weekly newspaper

        The Observer

        The Observer is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to The Guardian and The Guardian Weekly, whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.

  50. 1786

    1. Mission Santa Barbara is dedicated (on the feast day of Saint Barbara).

      1. 18th-century Spanish mission in California

        Mission Santa Barbara

        Mission Santa Barbara is a Spanish mission in Santa Barbara, California. Often referred to as the ‘Queen of the Missions,’ it was founded by Padre Fermín Lasuén for the Franciscan order on December 4, 1786, the feast day of Saint Barbara, as the tenth mission of what would later become 21 missions in Alta California.

      2. 3rd-century Lebanese Christian saint and martyr

        Saint Barbara

        Saint Barbara, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian Lebanese and Greek saint and martyr. Accounts place her in the 3rd century in Heliopolis Phoenicia, present-day Baalbek, Lebanon, and recent discovered texts in the Saida early church archives suggest her maternal grandmother is a descendant from Miye ou Miye village. There is no reference to her in the authentic early Christian writings nor in the original recension of Saint Jerome's martyrology.

  51. 1783

    1. At Fraunces Tavern in New York City, U.S. General George Washington bids farewell to his officers.

      1. Historic building in Manhattan, New York

        Fraunces Tavern

        Fraunces Tavern is a museum and restaurant in New York City, situated at 54 Pearl Street at the corner of Broad Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. The location played a prominent role in history before, during, and after the American Revolution. At various points in its history, Fraunces Tavern served as a headquarters for George Washington, a venue for peace negotiations with the British, and housing federal offices in the Early Republic.

      2. President of the United States from 1789 to 1797

        George Washington

        George Washington was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of the Continental Army, Washington led the Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War and served as the president of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which created the Constitution of the United States and the American federal government. Washington has been called the "Father of his Country" for his manifold leadership in the formative days of the country.

  52. 1745

    1. Charles Edward Stuart's army reaches Derby, its furthest point during the Second Jacobite Rising.

      1. Pretender to the English throne (1720–1788)

        Charles Edward Stuart

        Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, grandson of James II and VII, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1766 as Charles III. During his lifetime, he was also known as "the Young Pretender" and "the Young Chevalier"; in popular memory, he is known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.

      2. City in England

        Derby

        Derby is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gained city status in 1977, the population size has increased by 5.1%, from around 248,800 in 2011 to 261,400 in 2021.

      3. Attempt by the House of Stuart to regain the British throne

        Jacobite rising of 1745

        The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45, was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession, when the bulk of the British Army was fighting in mainland Europe, and proved to be the last in a series of revolts that began in 1689, with major outbreaks in 1708, 1715 and 1719.

  53. 1676

    1. The Royal Danish Army under the command of King Christian V engages the Swedish Army commanded by the Swedish king Charles XI at the Battle of Lund, to this day it is counted as the bloodiest battle in Scandinavian history and a turning point in the Scanian War.

      1. Land warfare branch of Denmark's military

        Royal Danish Army

        The Royal Danish Army is the land-based branch of the Danish Defence, together with the Danish Home Guard. For the last decade, the Royal Danish Army has undergone a massive transformation of structures, equipment and training methods, abandoning its traditional role of anti-invasion defence, and instead focusing on out of area operations by, among other initiatives, reducing the size of the conscripted and reserve components and increasing the active component, changing from 60% support structure and 40% operational capability, to 60% combat operational capability and 40% support structure. When fully implemented, the Danish army will be capable of deploying 1,500 troops permanently on three different continents continuously, or 5,000 troops for a shorter period of time, in international operations without any need for extraordinary measures such as parliamentary approval of a war funding bill.

      2. King of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699

        Christian V of Denmark

        Christian V was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 until his death in 1699.

      3. Land branch of the Swedish Armed Forces

        Swedish Army

        The Swedish Army is the land force of the Swedish Armed Forces.

      4. King of Sweden from 1660 to 1697

        Charles XI of Sweden

        Charles XI or Carl was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period of Swedish history known as the Swedish Empire (1611–1721).

      5. 1676 battle of the Scanian War

        Battle of Lund

        The Battle of Lund, part of the Scanian War, was fought on December 4, 1676, in an area north of the city of Lund in Scania in southern Sweden, between the invading Danish army and the army of Charles XI of Sweden. The Danish had an army of about 13,000 under the personal command of 31-year-old King Christian V of Denmark, aided by General Carl von Arensdorff. The Swedish army, which numbered about 8,000, was commanded by Field Marshal Simon Grundel-Helmfelt and the 21-year-old Swedish king Charles XI. It is one of the bloodiest battles in percent of casualties on both sides ever fought in Scandinavia.

      6. History of Scandinavia and its peoples

        History of Scandinavia

        The history of Scandinavia is the history of the geographical region of Scandinavia and its peoples. The region is located in Northern Europe, and consists of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Finland and Iceland are at times, especially in English-speaking contexts, considered part of Scandinavia.

      7. 1675–79 conflict between the Swedish Empire and Denmark–Norway

        Scanian War

        The Scanian War was a part of the Northern Wars involving the union of Denmark–Norway, Brandenburg and Sweden. It was fought from 1675 to 1679 mainly on Scanian soil, in the former Danish and Norway provinces along the border with Sweden, and in Northern Germany. While the latter battles are regarded as a theater of the Scanian war in English, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish historiography, they are seen as a separate war in German historiography, called the Swedish-Brandenburgian War.

  54. 1639

    1. English astronomer Jeremiah Horrocks made the first successful prediction and observation of a transit of Venus from Earth.

      1. English astronomer (1618–1641)

        Jeremiah Horrocks

        Jeremiah Horrocks, sometimes given as Jeremiah Horrox, was an English astronomer. He was the first person to demonstrate that the Moon moved around the Earth in an elliptical orbit; and he was the only person to predict the transit of Venus of 1639, an event which he and his friend William Crabtree were the only two people to observe and record. Most remarkably, Horrocks (correctly) asserted that Jupiter was accelerating in its orbit while Saturn was slowing and interpreted this as due to mutual gravitational interaction, thereby demonstrating that gravity's actions were not limited to the Earth, Sun, and Moon.

      2. Earliest transit of Venus

        1639 transit of Venus

        The first known observations and recording of a transit of Venus were made in 1639 by the English astronomers Jeremiah Horrocks and his friend and correspondent William Crabtree. The pair made their observations independently on 4 December that year ; Horrocks from Carr House, then in the village of Much Hoole, Lancashire, and Crabtree from his home in Broughton, near Manchester.

      3. Astronomical transit of Venus across the Sun

        Transit of Venus

        A transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and a superior planet, becoming visible against the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen from Earth as a small black dot moving across the face of the Sun. The duration of such transits is usually several hours. A transit is similar to a solar eclipse by the Moon. While the diameter of Venus is more than three times that of the Moon, Venus appears smaller, and travels more slowly across the face of the Sun, because it is much farther away from Earth.

  55. 1619

    1. Thirty-eight colonists arrive at Berkeley Hundred, Virginia. The group's charter proclaims that the day "be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God."

      1. Territory governed by another country

        Colony

        In modern parlance, a colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule. Though dominated by the foreign colonizers, colonies remain separate from the administration of the original country of the colonizers, the metropolitan state. This administrative colonial separation makes colonies neither incorporated territories nor client states. Some colonies have been organized either as dependent territories that are not sufficiently self-governed, or as self-governed colonies controlled by colonial settlers.

      2. Virginia Colony, founded in 1619

        Berkeley Hundred

        Berkeley Hundred was a Virginia Colony, founded in 1619, which comprised about eight thousand acres (32 km²) on the north bank of the James River. It was near Herring Creek in an area which is now known as Charles City County, Virginia. It was the site of an early documented Thanksgiving when the settlers landed in what later was the United States. In 1622, following the Indian Massacre of 1622, the colony was for a time abandoned. In the mid 18th century, it became known as Berkeley Plantation, the traditional home of the Harrison family of Virginia. In 1862, amid fighting in the Civil War, the area was the scene of the creation and first bugle rendition of present-day "Taps".

      3. British colony in North America (1606–1776)

        Colony of Virginia

        The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583 and the colony of Roanoke by Sir Walter Raleigh in the late 1580s.

  56. 1563

    1. The final session of the Council of Trent is held. (It had opened on December 13, 1545.)

      1. 16th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church

        Council of Trent

        The Council of Trent, held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described as the embodiment of the Counter-Reformation.

  57. 1370

    1. Hundred Years' War: In two separate engagements in the Battle of Pontvallain, French forces wiped out an English army which had split up because of a dispute between the commanders.

      1. Anglo-French conflicts, 1337–1453

        Hundred Years' War

        The Hundred Years' War was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of England and France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French throne between the English House of Plantagenet and the French royal House of Valois. Over time, the war grew into a broader power struggle involving factions from across Western Europe, fuelled by emerging nationalism on both sides.

      2. Battle in the Hundred Years' War

        Battle of Pontvallain

        The Battle of Pontvallain, part of the Hundred Years' War, took place in the Sarthe region of north-west France on 4 December 1370, when a French army under Bertrand du Guesclin heavily defeated an English force which had broken away from an army commanded by Sir Robert Knolles. The French numbered 5,200 men, and the English force was approximately the same size.

  58. 1259

    1. Kings Louis IX of France and Henry III of England agree to the Treaty of Paris, in which Henry renounces his claims to French-controlled territory on continental Europe (including Normandy) in exchange for Louis withdrawing his support for English rebels.

      1. King of France from 1226 to 1270

        Louis IX of France

        Louis IX, commonly known as Saint Louis or Louis the Saint, was King of France from 1226 to 1270, and the most illustrious of the Direct Capetians. He was crowned in Reims at the age of 12, following the death of his father Louis VIII. His mother, Blanche of Castile, ruled the kingdom as regent until he reached maturity, and then remained his valued adviser until her death. During Louis' childhood, Blanche dealt with the opposition of rebellious vassals and secured Capetian success in the Albigensian Crusade, which had started 20 years earlier.

      2. King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 to 1272

        Henry III of England

        Henry III, also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272. The son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, Henry assumed the throne when he was only nine in the middle of the First Barons' War. Cardinal Guala Bicchieri declared the war against the rebel barons to be a religious crusade and Henry's forces, led by William Marshal, defeated the rebels at the battles of Lincoln and Sandwich in 1217. Henry promised to abide by the Great Charter of 1225, a later version of the 1215 Magna Carta, which limited royal power and protected the rights of the major barons. His early rule was dominated first by Hubert de Burgh and then Peter des Roches, who re-established royal authority after the war. In 1230, the King attempted to reconquer the provinces of France that had once belonged to his father, but the invasion was a debacle. A revolt led by William Marshal's son Richard broke out in 1232, ending in a peace settlement negotiated by the Church.

      3. Peace treaty between France and England

        Treaty of Paris (1259)

        The Treaty of Paris was a treaty between Louis IX of France and Henry III of England, agreed to on 4 December 1259, ending 100 years of conflicts between the Capetian and Plantagenet dynasties.

      4. Geographical and cultural region of France

        Normandy

        Normandy is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.

  59. 1110

    1. The Kingdom of Jerusalem captures Sidon.

      1. Christian state established after the First Crusade in the Southern Levant (1099–1291)

        Kingdom of Jerusalem

        The Kingdom of Jerusalem, officially known as the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem or the Frankish Kingdom of Palestine, was a Crusader state that was established in the Levant immediately after the First Crusade. It lasted for almost two hundred years, from the accession of Godfrey of Bouillon in 1099 until the siege of Acre in 1291. Its history is divided into two periods with a brief interruption in its existence, beginning with its collapse after the siege of Jerusalem in 1187 and its restoration after the Third Crusade in 1192.

      2. 1110 battle of the Norwegian Crusade

        Siege of Sidon

        The siege of Sidon was an event in the aftermath of the First Crusade. The coastal city of Sidon was captured by the forces of Baldwin I of Jerusalem and Sigurd I of Norway, with assistance from the Ordelafo Faliero, Doge of Venice.

  60. 771

    1. Austrasian king Carloman I dies, leaving his brother Charlemagne king of the now complete Frankish Kingdom.

      1. Medieval European territory

        Austrasia

        Austrasia was a territory which formed the north-eastern section of the Merovingian Kingdom of the Franks during the 6th to 8th centuries. It was centred on the Meuse, Middle Rhine and the Moselle rivers, and was the original territory of the Franks, including both the so-called Salians and Rhineland Franks, which Clovis I conquered after first taking control of the bordering part of Roman Gaul, now northern France, which is sometimes described in this period as Neustria.

      2. King of the Franks (r. 768–771) of the Carolingian dynasty

        Carloman I

        Carloman I, also Karlmann, was king of the Franks from 768 until his death in 771. He was the second surviving son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon and was a younger brother of Charlemagne. His death allowed Charlemagne to take all of Francia and begin his expansion into other kingdoms.

      3. King of Franks, first Holy Roman Emperor

        Charlemagne

        Charlemagne or Charles the Great, a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Emperor of the Romans from 800. Charlemagne succeeded in uniting the majority of western and central Europe and was the first recognized emperor to rule from western Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire around three centuries earlier. The expanded Frankish state that Charlemagne founded was the Carolingian Empire. He was canonized by Antipope Paschal III—an act later treated as invalid—and he is now regarded by some as beatified in the Catholic Church.

      4. Frankish Kingdom from 481 to 843

        Francia

        Francia, also called the Kingdom of the Franks, Frankish Kingdom, Frankland or Frankish Empire, was the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Franks during late antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. After the Treaty of Verdun in 843, West Francia became the predecessor of France, and East Francia became that of Germany. Francia was among the last surviving Germanic kingdoms from the Migration Period era before its partition in 843.

Births & Deaths

  1. 2022

    1. Bob McGrath, American singer and actor (b. 1932) deaths

      1. American actor (1932–2022)

        Bob McGrath

        Robert Emmett McGrath was an American actor, musician, and children's author best known for playing original human character Bob Johnson on the long-running educational television series Sesame Street.

    2. Patrick Tambay, French race car driver (b. 1949) deaths

      1. French racing driver (1949–2022)

        Patrick Tambay

        Patrick Daniel Tambay was a French racing driver, commentator, and politician, who competed in 123 Formula One races between 1977 and 1986, securing five pole positions and winning twice. Between 1977 and 1981, he raced for an assortment of teams including Surtees, Theodore, Ligier, and McLaren with mixed results; he additionally won two Can Am championships under Carl Haas in 1977 and 1980. Tambay was hired by Scuderia Ferrari after his close friend Gilles Villeneuve died during the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix; he took his maiden victory four races later in Germany. His second and final victory came the following year in emotional circumstances at Imola. In 1984, Tambay moved to Renault and ended his F1 career at Haas Lola.

  2. 2017

    1. Shashi Kapoor, Indian actor (b. 1938) deaths

      1. Indian film actor and producer (1938–2017)

        Shashi Kapoor

        Shashi Kapoor (pronounced [ʃəʃi kəpuːɾ]; was an Indian actor and film producer who is best known for his work in Hindi films. A recipient of several accolades, including four National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards, he also featured in a number of English-language international films, particularly films produced by Merchant Ivory. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2011, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 2014, for his contribution to Indian cinema.

  3. 2016

    1. Patricia Robins, British writer and WAAF officer (b. 1921) deaths

      1. British author of short stories and novels (1921-2016)

        Patricia Robins

        Patricia Robins was a British writer of short stories and over 80 novels mainly romances from 1934 to 2016, she also signed under the pseudonym Claire Lorrimer, she had sold more than ten million copies. She served as Women's Auxiliary Air Force officer during World War II tracking Nazi bombers.

  4. 2015

    1. Bill Bennett, Canadian lawyer and politician, 27th Premier of British Columbia (b. 1932) deaths

      1. Canadian politician

        Bill Bennett

        William Richards Bennett, was the 27th premier of British Columbia from 1975 to 1986. He was a son of Annie Elizabeth May (Richards) and former Premier, W. A. C. Bennett. He was a 3rd cousin, twice removed, of R.B. Bennett, eleventh Prime Minister of Canada.

      2. Head of government and chief minister of the Canadian province of British Columbia

        Premier of British Columbia

        The premier of British Columbia is the first minister and head of government for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Until the early 1970s, the title prime minister of British Columbia was often used. The word premier is derived from the French word of the same spelling, meaning "first"; and ultimately from the Latin word primarius, meaning "primary".

    2. Robert Loggia, American actor and director (b. 1930) deaths

      1. American actor (1930–2015)

        Robert Loggia

        Salvatore "Robert" Loggia was an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Jagged Edge (1985) and won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for Big (1988).

    3. Yossi Sarid, Israeli journalist and politician, 15th Israeli Minister of Education (b. 1940) deaths

      1. Israeli politician (1940–2015)

        Yossi Sarid

        Yossi Sarid was an Israeli politician and news commentator. He served as a member of the Knesset for the Alignment, Ratz and Meretz between 1974 and 2006. A former Minister of Education and Minister of the Environment, he led Meretz between 1996 and 2003 and served as Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2003. Known for his determined moral stance and his willingness to pay the political price for that determination, Sarid was often referred to as Israel's moral compass.

      2. Ministry of Education (Israel)

        The Ministry of Education is the branch of the Israeli government charged with overseeing public education institutions in Israel. The department is headed by the Minister of Education, who is a member of the cabinet. The ministry has previously included culture and sport, although this is now covered by the Ministry of Culture and Sport.

  5. 2014

    1. Claudia Emerson, American poet and academic (b. 1957) deaths

      1. American academic, writer and poet

        Claudia Emerson

        Claudia Emerson was an American poet. She won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for her poetry collection Late Wife, and was named the Poet Laureate of Virginia by Governor Tim Kaine in 2008.

    2. V. R. Krishna Iyer, Indian lawyer and judge (b. 1914) deaths

      1. Indian judge (1915–2014)

        V. R. Krishna Iyer

        Justice Vaidyanathapuram Rama Krishna Iyer was an Indian judge who became a pioneer of judicial activism. He pioneered the legal-aid movement in the country. Before that, he was a state minister and politician. As an activist lawyer, he served jail terms for the cause of his poor and underprivileged clients. He was seen as an ardent human-rights activist. In addition, he campaigned for social justice and the environment. A sports enthusiast and a prolific author, he was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan in 1999. His judgements continue to be cited in the higher judiciary.

    3. Vincent L. McKusick, American lawyer and judge (b. 1921) deaths

      1. American judge

        Vincent L. McKusick

        Vincent Lee McKusick was an American attorney and Chief Justice of Maine. At the time of his death McKusick worked at the firm Pierce Atwood in Portland, Maine as of Counsel.

    4. Jeremy Thorpe, English lawyer and politician (b. 1929) deaths

      1. British politician (1929–2014)

        Jeremy Thorpe

        John Jeremy Thorpe was a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for North Devon from 1959 to 1979, and as leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976. In May 1979 he was tried at the Old Bailey on charges of conspiracy and incitement to murder his ex-boyfriend Norman Scott, a former model. Thorpe was acquitted on all charges, but the case, and the furore surrounding it, ended his political career.

  6. 2013

    1. Joana Raspall i Juanola, Spanish author and poet (b. 1913) deaths

      1. Spanish writer and librarian

        Joana Raspall i Juanola

        Joana Raspall i Juanola was a Spanish writer and librarian. She was born in Barcelona and died in Sant Feliu de Llobregat.

  7. 2012

    1. Vasily Belov, Russian author, poet, and playwright (b. 1932) deaths

      1. Soviet-Russian writer, poet, and dramatist

        Vasily Belov

        Vasily Ivanovich Belov was a Soviet and Russian writer, poet and dramatist, who published more than sixty books which sold seven million copies. A prominent member of the influential 1970s–1980s derevenschiki movement, Belov's best known novels include Business as Usual, Eves, Everything's Ahead and The Year of a Major Breakdown.

    2. Jack Brooks, American colonel, lawyer, and politician (b. 1922) deaths

      1. American politician

        Jack Brooks (American politician)

        Jack Bascom Brooks was an American Democratic Party politician from the state of Texas who served 42 years in the United States House of Representatives, initially representing Texas's 2nd congressional district from 1953 through 1967, and then, after district boundaries were redrawn in 1966, the 9th district from 1967 to 1995. He had strong political ties to prominent Texas Democrats including Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn and President Lyndon B. Johnson. For over fifteen years, he was the dean of the Texas congressional delegation.

    3. Miguel Calero, Colombian footballer and manager (b. 1971) deaths

      1. Colombian footballer (1971-2012)

        Miguel Calero

        Miguel Ángel Calero Rodríguez was a Colombian professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played 50 times for the Colombia national team between 1995 and 2007.

    4. Anthony Deane-Drummond, English general (b. 1917) deaths

      1. British Army general (1917–2012)

        Tony Deane-Drummond

        Major-General Anthony John Deane-Drummond, CB, DSO, MC & Bar was an officer of the Royal Signals in the British Army, whose career was mostly spent with airborne forces.

  8. 2011

    1. Sonia Pierre, Haitian-Dominican activist (b. 1965) deaths

      1. Human rights advocate from the Dominican Republic

        Sonia Pierre

        Solange Pierre, known as Sonia Pierre, was a human rights advocate in the Dominican Republic who worked to end antihaitianismo, which is discrimination against individuals of Haitian origin either born in Haiti or in the Dominican Republic. For this work, she won the 2006 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.

    2. Sócrates, Brazilian footballer and manager (b. 1954) deaths

      1. Brazilian footballer (1954–2011)

        Sócrates

        Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, simply known as Sócrates, was a Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder. His medical degree and his political awareness, combined with style and quality of his play, earned him the nickname "Doctor Socrates".

    3. Hubert Sumlin, American singer and guitarist (b. 1931) deaths

      1. American blues guitarist and singer

        Hubert Sumlin

        Hubert Charles Sumlin was a Chicago blues guitarist and singer, best known for his "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic suspensions" as a member of Howlin' Wolf's band. He was ranked number 43 in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

  9. 2010

    1. King Curtis Iaukea, American wrestler (b. 1937) deaths

      1. American professional wrestler

        King Curtis Iaukea

        Curtis Piehau Iaukea III was an American professional wrestler better known as King Curtis Iaukea. Iaukea won championships in several of the major regional U.S. promotions, both as a single and in various tag team combinations, during the 1960s. He then competed in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) where he won the WWF Tag Team Championship with Baron Scicluna. He was also later The Master of the Dungeon of Doom in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Under the name "Iau Kea" he appeared in the film The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze with Moe Howard declaring "That's not a man! That's a committee!".

  10. 2009

    1. Liam Clancy, Irish singer, actor, and guitarist (b. 1935) deaths

      1. Irish folk singer (1935–2009)

        Liam Clancy

        Liam Clancy was an Irish folk singer from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. He was the youngest member of the influential folk group the Clancy Brothers, regarded as Ireland's first pop stars. They achieved global sales of millions and appeared in sold-out concerts at such prominent venues as Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.

  11. 2007

    1. Pimp C, American rapper (b. 1973) deaths

      1. American rapper from Texas

        Pimp C

        Chad Lamont Butler, better known by his stage name Pimp C, was an American rapper and record producer. He was best known for his work with Bun B as one half of the hip-hop duo Underground Kingz (UGK).

  12. 2006

    1. K. Ganeshalingam, Sri Lankan accountant and politician, Mayor of Colombo (b. 1938) deaths

      1. K. Ganeshalingam

        Kanagasabai Ganeshalingam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician. He was Mayor of Colombo.

      2. Mayor and head of the Colombo Municipal Council

        Mayor of Colombo

        The Mayor of Colombo is the Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council. The post was created in 1866 when the Colombo Municipal Council was established by the Legislative Council of Ceylon. The Mayor is assisted by the Deputy Mayor and a Municipal Commissioner. Since 1944 the majority of the mayors have been from the United National Party.

    2. Ross A. McGinnis, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1987) deaths

      1. American soldier (1987–2006)

        Ross A. McGinnis

        Ross Andrew McGinnis was a United States Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the United States' highest decoration for bravery, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Iraq War.

      2. Highest award in the United States Armed Forces

        Medal of Honor

        The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. The medal is normally awarded by the president of the United States, but as it is presented "in the name of the United States Congress", it is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Congressional Medal of Honor".

  13. 2005

    1. Errol Brathwaite, New Zealand soldier and author (b. 1924) deaths

      1. New Zealand writer

        Errol Brathwaite

        Errol Freeman Brathwaite was a New Zealand author.

    2. Gregg Hoffman, American film producer (b. 1963) deaths

      1. American film producer (1963–2005)

        Gregg Hoffman

        Gregg Hoffman, born in Phoenix, Arizona, was a film producer responsible for developing Saw and Saw II. He studied communications, law and economics at American University in Washington, D.C. Hoffman was working on Saw III, Saw IV, and other films for Twisted Pictures when he died in a hospital in Hollywood, California of natural causes. He was 42 years old at his death. The movie Dead Silence (2007) was dedicated to him. He was also thanked in the film Gross Misconduct, mentioned as dedicatee for Saw III, and posthumously credited with producing the Saw films from 2007 through 2021.

  14. 2004

    1. Elena Souliotis, Greek soprano and actress (b. 1943) deaths

      1. Greek soprano

        Elena Souliotis

        Elena Souliotis was a Greek operatic soprano.

  15. 2003

    1. Iggy Katona, American race car driver (b. 1916) deaths

      1. American racing driver

        Iggy Katona

        Egnatius "Iggy" Katona was an American stock car racing driver from Willis, Michigan. He is most famous for his performance in the ARCA series in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, where he won six championships and 79 races, the latter of which stood as a series record until Frank Kimmel surpassed it in 2013. Other ARCA records held by Katona include most starts (630), oldest race winner and most consecutive seasons with a win

  16. 2000

    1. Henck Arron, Surinamese banker and politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Republic of Suriname (b. 1936) deaths

      1. Henck Arron

        Henck Alphonsus Eugène Arron was the first Prime Minister of Suriname after it gained independence in 1975. A member of the National Party of Suriname, he served from 24 December 1973 with the transition government, to 25 February 1980. He was overthrown in a coup d'état by the military, led by Dési Bouterse. Released in 1981 after charges of corruption were dropped, he returned to banking, his previous career. In 1987, Arron was elected as Vice President of Suriname and served until another coup in 1990 overthrew the government.

      2. List of prime ministers of Suriname

        This article lists the prime ministers of Suriname from 1949 to 1988. In 1988 the position of Prime Minister of Suriname was abolished and replaced by a Vice President, who chairs the Council of Ministers ex officio.

  17. 1999

    1. Rose Bird, American academic and judge, 25th Chief Justice of California (b. 1936) deaths

      1. American judge (1936–1999)

        Rose Bird

        Rose Elizabeth Bird was the 25th Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. Her career was marked by firsts. She was the first female clerk of the Nevada Supreme Court, the first female deputy public defender in Santa Clara County, the first woman to serve in the California State Cabinet, and the first female Chief Justice of California.

      2. Highest judicial court in the U.S. state of California

        Supreme Court of California

        The Supreme Court of California is the highest and final court of appeals in the courts of the U.S. state of California. It is headquartered in San Francisco at the Earl Warren Building, but it regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts. Since 1850, the court has issued many influential decisions in a variety of areas including torts, property, civil and constitutional rights, and criminal law.

  18. 1996

    1. Diogo Jota, Portuguese professional footballer births

      1. Portuguese footballer (born 1996)

        Diogo Jota

        Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, known as Diogo Jota, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Liverpool and the Portugal national team.

    2. Sebastián Vegas, Chilean footballer births

      1. Chilean footballer (born 1996)

        Sebastián Vegas

        Sebastián Ignacio Vegas Orellana is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a defender for Liga MX club Monterrey and the Chile national team.

    3. Ivan Belikov, Russian footballer births

      1. Russian football player

        Ivan Belikov

        Ivan Aleksandrovich Belikov is a Russian football player.

  19. 1993

    1. Margaret Landon, American missionary and author (b. 1903) deaths

      1. American writer known for 'Anna and the King of Siam' (1903–1993)

        Margaret Landon

        Margaret Landon was an American writer known for Anna and the King of Siam, her best-selling 1944 novel of the life of Anna Leonowens which eventually sold over a million copies and was translated into more than twenty languages. In 1950, Landon sold the musical play rights to Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, who created the musical The King and I from her book. A later work, Never Dies the Dream, appeared in 1949.

    2. Frank Zappa, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1940) deaths

      1. American musician (1940–1993)

        Frank Zappa

        Frank Vincent Zappa was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of American culture. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestral and musique concrète works, and produced almost all of the 60-plus albums that he released with his band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. Zappa also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. He is considered one of the most innovative and stylistically diverse musicians of his generation.

  20. 1992

    1. Peta Hiku, New Zealand rugby league player births

      1. NZ international rugby league footballer

        Peta Hiku

        Peta Hiku is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre, winger and fullback for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL, and New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori at international level.

    2. Jean-Claude Iranzi, Rwandan footballer births

      1. Rwandan footballer

        Jean-Claude Iranzi

        Jean-Claude Iranzi is a Rwandan professional footballer who plays for Rayon Sports in Rwanda Premier League.

    3. Kim Seok-Jin, South Korean singer, songwriter and actor births

      1. South Korean singer (born 1992)

        Kim Seok-jin

        Kim Seok-jin, also known professionally as Jin, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and member of the South Korean boy band BTS. Kim has co-written and released three solo tracks with BTS: "Awake" in 2016, "Epiphany" in 2018, and "Moon" in 2020, all of which have charted on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. In 2019, Kim released his first independent song, the digital track "Tonight". He made his official debut as a solo artist in October 2022, with the release of the single "The Astronaut".

    4. Henry Clausen, American lawyer and author (b. 1905) deaths

      1. American lawyer

        Henry Clausen

        Henry Christian Clausen was an American lawyer, and investigator. He authored the Clausen Report, an 800-page report on the Army Board's Pearl Harbor Investigation. He traveled over 55,000 miles over seven months in 1945, and interviewed nearly a hundred personnel, Army, Navy, British and civilian, as a Special Investigator for the Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson carrying out an investigation ordered by Congress of the Secretary of War.

  21. 1991

    1. Reality Winner, American intelligence specialist convicted of espionage births

      1. American federal contractor

        Reality Winner

        Reality Leigh Winner is an American former enlisted US Air Force member and NSA translator. In 2018, she was given the longest prison sentence ever imposed for unauthorized release of government information to the media after she leaked an intelligence report about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. She was sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison.

  22. 1990

    1. Lukman Haruna, Nigerian footballer births

      1. Nigerian footballer

        Lukman Haruna

        Lukman Abdulkarim Harunapronunciation (help·info) is a Nigerian footballer midfielder who most recently played for FC Ararat Yerevan.

    2. Blake Leary, Australian rugby league player births

      1. Australian rugby league footballer

        Blake Leary

        Blake Leary is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a lock, second-row forward and hooker for the New York Freedom in the North American Rugby League.

    3. Igor Sjunin, Estonian triple jumper births

      1. Estonian triple jumper

        Igor Sjunin

        Igor Sjunin is an Estonian triple jumper.

  23. 1988

    1. Andriy Pylyavskyi, Ukrainian footballer births

      1. Ukrainian footballer

        Andriy Pylyavskyi

        Andriy Pylyavskyi is a professional Ukrainian football defender.

    2. Yeng Constantino, Filipina singer and songwriter births

      1. Filipino pop rock singer-songwriter (born 1988)

        Yeng Constantino

        Josephine Eusebio Constantino-Asuncion, professionally known as Yeng Constantino, is a Filipino pop rock singer-songwriter, occasional actress and host. She is referred to as the Philippines Pop Rock Royalty and is regarded as one of the biggest hitmakers in Philippine music industry. In 2006, she won the title "Grand Star Dreamer" in the inaugural season of Pinoy Dream Academy, the Philippine edition of Endemol's reality TV show Star Academy. Her debut album titled Salamat became the biggest selling album of her career being 3× Platinum in the Philippines and produced five #1 hits and six top 10 hits, the most by any female artist. Constantino has sold an estimated of over 400,000 copies of her albums in the Philippines. Metro Society listed her as one of the most influential in social media.

    3. Osman Achmatowicz, Polish chemist and academic (b. 1899) deaths

      1. Osman Achmatowicz

        Osman Achmatowicz was a Polish professor of chemistry of Lipka Tatar descent. His son, Osman Achmatowicz Jr., is credited with the Achmatowicz reaction in 1971.

  24. 1987

    1. Orlando Brown, American actor and rapper births

      1. American actor (born 1987)

        Orlando Brown (actor)

        Orlando Brown is an American actor, rapper, and singer. He is best known for his roles as Cadet Kevin 'Tiger' Dunne in Major Payne, 3J Winslow in Family Matters, Max in Two of a Kind, Damey Wayne "Waynehead" in Waynehead, Sticky Webb in The Proud Family, Cornelius Fillmore in Fillmore!, Eddie Thomas in That's So Raven, and Frankie in Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-Off.

    2. Arnold Lobel, American author and illustrator (b. 1933) deaths

      1. American illustrator and writer (1933–1987)

        Arnold Lobel

        Arnold Stark Lobel was an American author of children's books, including the Frog and Toad series and Mouse Soup. He wrote and illustrated these picture books as well as Fables, a 1981 Caldecott Medal winner for best-illustrated U.S. picture book. Lobel also illustrated books by other writers, including Sam the Minuteman by Nathaniel Benchley published in 1969.

    3. Rouben Mamoulian, Georgian-American director and screenwriter (b. 1897) deaths

      1. American film and theatre director (1897–1987)

        Rouben Mamoulian

        Rouben Zachary Mamoulian was an American film and theatre director.

  25. 1986

    1. Kaija Udras, Estonian skier births

      1. Estonian cross-country skier

        Kaija Vahtra

        Kaija Vahtra is an Estonian cross-country skier who has competed since 2005. At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, she finished 16th in the team sprint, 31st in the individual sprint, and did not finish the 7.5 km + 7.5 km double pursuit events.

    2. Martell Webster, American basketball player births

      1. American basketball player

        Martell Webster

        Martell Webster is an American former professional basketball player who played 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The sixth player taken in the 2005 NBA draft, Webster played for Portland, Minnesota and Washington between 2005 and 2015. His best season came in 2012–13 when he started 62 games for the Wizards and averaged 11.4 points per game.

  26. 1985

    1. Andrew Brackman, American baseball player births

      1. American baseball player (born 1985)

        Andrew Brackman

        Andrew Warren Brackman is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for the New York Yankees in 2011.

    2. Stephen Dawson, Irish footballer births

      1. Irish footballer

        Stephen Dawson

        Stephen John Dawson is an Irish professional footballer. He primarily plays as a central midfielder, although he has also been deployed in defensive midfield. He is noted for his aggressive and highly competitive style of play. At international level, Dawson represented the Republic of Ireland national football team at Under-21 level on two occasions.

    3. Carlos Gómez, Dominican baseball player births

      1. Dominican baseball player (born 1985)

        Carlos Gómez

        Carlos Argelis Gómez Peña, nicknamed Go-Go, is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. He played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays. Gómez is a two-time MLB All-Star and a Gold Glove Award winner.

  27. 1984

    1. Marco Giambruno, Italian footballer births

      1. Italian footballer

        Marco Giambruno

        Marco Giambruno is an Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Como at Lega Pro Prima Divisione.

    2. Anna Petrakova, Russian basketball player births

      1. Russian basketball player

        Anna Petrakova

        Anna Viktorovna Petrakova-Parker is a Russian professional basketball player. She was part of the Russia women's national basketball team that placed fourth at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She won the 2011–12 EuroCup Women with Dynamo Kursk and the 2012–13 EuroLeague Women and the 2013 FIBA Europe SuperCup Women with UMMC Ekaterinburg.

    3. Joe Thomas, American football player births

      1. American football player (born 1984)

        Joe Thomas (offensive tackle)

        Joseph Hayden Thomas is an American former football offensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He played college football at Wisconsin, earned unanimous All-American honors, and was recognized as the top college interior lineman. The Browns chose Thomas with the third overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He was invited to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 seasons and did not miss a single play in his career until the 2017 season ; his 10,363 consecutive snaps played is the longest streak since the NFL began recording snap counts in 1999. He is regarded as one of the best offensive linemen of all time.

    4. Jack Mercer, American animator, screenwriter, voice actor, and singer (b. 1910) deaths

      1. American actor, animator and writer

        Jack Mercer

        Winfield B. Mercer, professionally known as Jack Mercer, was a prolific American voice actor, animator and TV screenwriter. He is best known as the voice of cartoon characters Popeye the Sailor Man and Felix the Cat. The son of vaudeville and Broadway performers, he also performed on the vaudeville and legitimate stages. Mercer provided numerous supporting voices in Superman 1941-1942.

  28. 1983

    1. Jimmy Bartel, Australian footballer births

      1. Australian rules footballer, born 1983

        Jimmy Bartel

        James Ross Bartel is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A utility, 1.87 m tall and weighing 89 kilograms (196 lb), Bartel contributed as a midfielder, forward, and defender.

    2. Chinx, American rapper (d. 2015) births

      1. American rapper from New York

        Chinx

        Lionel Du Fon Pickens, better known by his stage name Chinx, was an American rapper. He was a member of The Rockaway Riot Squad alongside fellow slain rapper Stack Bundles. Chinx later joined French Montana's Coke Boys Records, gaining recognition for his appearances on the Coke Boys mixtapes and the Cocaine Riot mixtape series. He was killed in a drive-by shooting in Jamaica, Queens on May 17, 2015. Two men have since been arrested in the case.

  29. 1982

    1. Nathan Douglas, English triple jumper births

      1. English triple jumper

        Nathan Douglas

        Nathan James Douglas is an English athlete who specialises in the triple jump. He is a five times British champion.

    2. Waldo Ponce, Chilean footballer births

      1. Chilean football defender (born 1982)

        Waldo Ponce

        Waldo Alonso Ponce Carrizo is a Chilean former football defender.

    3. Ho-Pin Tung, Dutch-Chinese race car driver births

      1. Chinese-Dutch racing driver

        Ho-Pin Tung

        Ho-Pin Tung is a Chinese-Dutch racing driver who races with a Chinese license.

    4. Nick Vujicic, Australian evangelist births

      1. Serbian Australian evangelist

        Nick Vujicic

        Nicholas James Vujicic is an Australian American Christian evangelist and motivational speaker of Serbian descent, born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterised by the absence of arms and legs.

  30. 1981

    1. Brian Vandborg, Danish cyclist births

      1. Danish cyclist

        Brian Vandborg

        Brian Bach Vandborg is a Danish former professional road bicycle racer, who competed as a professional between 2004 and 2013. Over his career, Vandborg competed for Team CSC (twice), Discovery Channel, Team GLS, Liquigas–Doimo, SpiderTech–C10 and Cannondale.

    2. Jeanne Block, American psychologist (b. 1923) deaths

      1. American psychologist

        Jeanne Block

        Jeanne Lavonne Humphrey Block was an American psychologist and expert on child development. She conducted research into sex-role socialization and, with her husband Jack Block, created a person-centered personality framework. Block was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and conducted her research with the National Institute of Mental Health and the University of California, Berkeley. She was an active researcher when she was diagnosed with cancer in 1981.

  31. 1980

    1. Rick Victor, Canadian wrestler and manager births

      1. Canadian professional wrestler

        Viktor (wrestler)

        Eric Thompson is a Canadian professional wrestler under the ring name Vik. He is best known for his time with WWE under the ring name Viktor.

    2. Francisco de Sá Carneiro, Portuguese lawyer and politician, 111th Prime Minister of Portugal (b. 1934) deaths

      1. Portuguese politician (1934–1980)

        Francisco de Sá Carneiro

        Francisco Manuel Lumbrales de Sá Carneiro, GCTE, GCC, GCL was a Portuguese politician, Prime Minister of Portugal for most of 1980, and founder of the Social Democratic Party. He only held office of Prime Minister for eleven months, dying in a plane crash with his partner, "Snu" Abecassis, on 4 December 1980. A parliamentary inquiry said in 2004 that there was evidence of a bomb in the aircraft, after a 1995 inquiry had concluded there was evidence of sabotage.

      2. Head of the Portuguese government

        Prime Minister of Portugal

        The prime minister of Portugal is the head of government of Portugal. As head of government, the prime minister coordinates the actions of ministers, represents the Government of Portugal to the other bodies of state, is accountable to parliament and keeps the president informed. The prime minister can hold the role of head of government with the portfolio of one or more ministries.

    3. Stanisława Walasiewicz, Polish-American runner (b. 1911) deaths

      1. Polish athlete

        Stanisława Walasiewicz

        Stanisława Walasiewicz, also known as Stefania Walasiewicz, and Stella Walsh, was a Polish-American track and field athlete, who became a women's Olympic champion in the 100 metres. Born in Poland and raised in the United States, she became an American citizen in 1947.

    4. Don Warrington, Canadian football player (b. 1948) deaths

      1. Don Warrington (Canadian football)

        Don Warrington was a running back who played ten seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos. In his career, Warrington was a part of four Grey Cup championship teams. He was nicknamed "Jeep". He played college football for the Simon Fraser Clan.

  32. 1979

    1. Ysabella Brave, American singer-songwriter births

      1. American singer

        Ysabella Brave

        Ysabella Brave is an American YouTube personality, artist, vocalist, singer and songwriter signed by Cordless Recordings, a division of the Warner Music Group. She was discovered through the popularity of her YouTube channels, Ysabella Brave and ysabellabravetalk.

    2. Jay DeMerit, American soccer player births

      1. American soccer player

        Jay DeMerit

        Jay Michael DeMerit is an American retired soccer player who played as a center back.

  33. 1978

    1. Jaclyn Victor, Malaysian singer and actress births

      1. Malaysian singer

        Jaclyn Victor

        Jaclyn Joshua Thanaraj Victor is a Malaysian singer, songwriter, actress & businesswoman who won the inaugural Malaysian Idol, Ikon Malaysia & Gegar Vaganza Season 9. As the winner of Malaysian Idol, she won a recording contract with Sony BMG Music Entertainment. She represented Malaysia in the first Asian Idol & Ikon Asean. She has been dubbed "Asia's Divette" for her vocal prowess and a legend in Malaysia.

  34. 1977

    1. Ajit Agarkar, Indian cricketer births

      1. Indian cricketer and a commentator (born 1977)

        Ajit Agarkar

        Ajit Bhalchandra Agarkar pronunciation (help·info) is a former Indian cricketer and a commentator. He has represented India in more than 200 international matches in all three formats of the game. He is the third highest wicket-taker for India in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and has represented India in the 1999 Cricket World Cup, 2003 Cricket World Cup, 2007 World Cup and was member of the inaugural 2007 ICC World Twenty20 winning squad.

    2. Darvis Patton, American sprinter births

      1. American sprinter

        Darvis Patton

        Darvis "Doc" Darell Patton is a retired American track and field athlete who competed in sprinting events. He is a two-time US Champion in the 200-meter dash and won the silver medal in the event at the 2003 World Championships. He is a three-time Olympian and a four-time participant at the World Athletics Championships.

    3. Morten Veland, Norwegian guitarist and songwriter births

      1. Norwegian musician

        Morten Veland

        Morten Veland is a Norwegian musician. He is one of the founding members of the gothic metal band Tristania and the founding member of Sirenia and Mortemia.

  35. 1976

    1. Kristina Groves, Canadian speed skater births

      1. Canadian speed skater

        Kristina Groves

        Kristina Nicole Groves is a Canadian retired speed skater. She is Canada's most decorated skater in the World Single Distances Championships with 13 career medals in this event. She won four Olympic medals: she won two silver medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, in the 1,500 meters and team pursuit, and she won the silver medal in the 1500 m event and the bronze medal in the 3000 m event at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

    2. Tommy Bolin, American guitarist and songwriter (b. 1951) deaths

      1. Musical artist

        Tommy Bolin

        Thomas Richard Bolin was an American guitarist and songwriter who played with Zephyr, The James Gang, and Deep Purple, in addition to maintaining a notable career as a solo artist and session musician.

    3. Benjamin Britten, English pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1913) deaths

      1. English composer, conductor, and pianist (1913–1976)

        Benjamin Britten

        Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other vocal music, orchestral and chamber pieces. His best-known works include the opera Peter Grimes (1945), the War Requiem (1962) and the orchestral showpiece The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1945).

    4. W. F. McCoy, Irish soldier, lawyer, and politician (b. 1886) deaths

      1. W. F. McCoy

        William Frederick McCoy was an Ulster Unionist member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland for South Tyrone who went on to become an early supporter of Ulster nationalism.

  36. 1975

    1. Hannah Arendt, German-American historian, theorist, and academic (b. 1906) deaths

      1. German-American political theorist and philosopher (1906–1975)

        Hannah Arendt

        Hannah Arendt was a political philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor. She is widely considered to be one of the most influential political theorists of the 20th century.

  37. 1974

    1. Tadahito Iguchi, Japanese baseball player births

      1. Japanese baseball player

        Tadahito Iguchi

        Tadahito Iguchi , nicknamed "Gucci", is a Japanese served professional baseball second baseman and from manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

  38. 1973

    1. Tyra Banks, American model, actress, and producer births

      1. American television personality, producer, and former model

        Tyra Banks

        Tyra Lynne Banks, also known as BanX, is an American television personality, model, producer, writer, and actress. Born in Inglewood, California, she began her career as a model at the age of 15, and was the first African-American woman to be featured on the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, on which she appeared three times. She was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005. By the early 2000s, Banks was one of the world's top-earning models.

    2. Frank Boeijen, Dutch keyboard player births

      1. Dutch rock band

        The Gathering (band)

        The Gathering is a Dutch rock band, founded in 1989 by brothers Hans and René Rutten and vocalist Bart Smits in Oss, North Brabant.

    3. Mina Caputo, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player births

      1. American singer

        Mina Caputo

        Mina Caputo is an American singer best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of New York City alternative metal band Life of Agony. Caputo came out as transgender in 2011 and transitioned to female.

    4. Michael Jackson, English footballer and manager births

      1. English footballer and manager

        Mike Jackson (footballer, born 1973)

        Michael James Jackson is an English football manager and former professional footballer. He is an under-23 coach for Burnley and served as caretaker manager for the first team.

    5. Steven Menzies, Australian rugby league player births

      1. Australia international rugby league footballer

        Steve Menzies

        Steve Menzies, commonly referred to by his nickname "Beaver", is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer best known for his career with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. He also played for the Bradford Bulls and the Catalans Dragons in the Super League. Menzies has spent the majority of his playing career in the back row, but he also played as a centre, five-eighth and as a utility player off the bench.

    6. Kate Rusby, English singer-songwriter and guitarist births

      1. English folk singer-songwriter

        Kate Rusby

        Kate Anna Rusby is an English folk singer-songwriter from Penistone, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. Sometimes called the "Barnsley Nightingale", she has headlined various British folk festivals, and is one of the best known contemporary English folk singers. In 2001 The Guardian described her as "a superstar of the British acoustic scene." In 2007 the BBC website described her as "The first lady of young folkies". She is one of the few folk singers to have been nominated for the Mercury Prize.

  39. 1972

    1. Jassen Cullimore, Canadian ice hockey player births

      1. Canadian ice hockey player

        Jassen Cullimore

        Jassen Andrew Cullimore is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman.

    2. Yūko Miyamura, Japanese voice actress and singer births

      1. Japanese actress

        Yūko Miyamura

        Yūko Miyamura is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer and sound director. Her nickname is Miyamū (みやむー). She played Kazuha Toyama in Detective Conan, Casca in Berserk and Asuka Langley Soryu in Neon Genesis Evangelion.

  40. 1971

    1. Shannon Briggs, American boxer and actor births

      1. American boxer and actor

        Shannon Briggs

        Shannon Briggs is an American former professional boxer. He is a two-time heavyweight champion, having held the lineal heavyweight championship from 1997 to 1998, and the WBO title from 2006 to 2007. Briggs is known for his formidable punching power and aggression, possessing an 88.3% knockout-to-win percentage with 37 knockout wins in the first round. Undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis stated in 2015 that Briggs had the fastest hands and best punching power of any opponent he ever faced.

    2. Shunryū Suzuki, Japanese-American monk and educator, founded the San Francisco Zen Center (b. 1904) deaths

      1. Japanese Buddhist monk who popularized Zen in the US

        Shunryū Suzuki

        Shunryu Suzuki was a Sōtō Zen monk and teacher who helped popularize Zen Buddhism in the United States, and is renowned for founding the first Zen Buddhist monastery outside Asia. Suzuki founded San Francisco Zen Center which, along with its affiliate temples, comprises one of the most influential Zen organizations in the United States. A book of his teachings, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, is one of the most popular books on Zen and Buddhism in the West.

      2. Network of affiliated Sōtō Zen practice centers

        San Francisco Zen Center

        San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC), is a network of affiliated Sōtō Zen practice and retreat centers in the San Francisco Bay area, comprising City Center or Beginner's Mind Temple, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, and Green Gulch Farm Zen Center. The sangha was incorporated by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and a group of his American students in 1962. Today SFZC is the largest Sōtō organization in the West.

  41. 1969

    1. Dionne Farris, American singer-songwriter, producer and actress births

      1. Musical artist

        Dionne Farris

        Dionne Yvette Farris is an American singer, songwriter, and producer. Born and raised in New Jersey, she began singing in elementary school and competed in pageants as a teenager. In the early 1990s, she was featured on the hip hop group Arrested Development (1992) hit single "Tennessee".

    2. Jay-Z, American rapper, producer, and actor, co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records births

      1. American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur

        Jay-Z

        Shawn Corey Carter, known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists. He was the CEO of Def Jam Recordings and he has been central to the creative and commercial success of artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, and J. Cole.

      2. American hip hop record label

        Roc-A-Fella Records

        Roc-A-Fella Records was an American hip hop record label and music management company founded by record executives and entrepreneurs Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke in 1994.

    3. Plum Sykes, English journalist and author births

      1. British fashion writer

        Plum Sykes

        Victoria Rowland, known both professionally and socially as Plum Sykes, is an English-born fashion journalist, novelist, and socialite.

    4. Fred Hampton, American Black Panthers activist (b. 1948) deaths

      1. African-American activist (1948–1969)

        Fred Hampton

        Fredrick Allen Hampton Sr. was an American activist. He came to prominence in Chicago as deputy chairman of the national Black Panther Party and chair of the Illinois chapter. As a progressive African American, he founded the antiracist, anticlassist Rainbow Coalition, a prominent multicultural political organization that initially included the Black Panthers, Young Patriots, and the Young Lords, and an alliance among major Chicago street gangs to help them end infighting and work for social change. A Marxist–Leninist, Hampton considered fascism the greatest threat, saying, "nothing is more important than stopping fascism, because fascism will stop us all.”

      2. US organization from 1966 to 1982

        Black Panther Party

        The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, California. The party was active in the United States between 1966 and 1982, with chapters in many major American cities, including San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Philadelphia. They were also active in many prisons and had international chapters in the United Kingdom and Algeria. Upon its inception, the party's core practice was its open carry patrols ("copwatching") designed to challenge the excessive force and misconduct of the Oakland Police Department. From 1969 onward, the party created social programs, including the Free Breakfast for Children Programs, education programs, and community health clinics. The Black Panther Party advocated for class struggle, claiming to represent the proletarian vanguard.

  42. 1968

    1. Tahir Dawar, Pakistani police officer and Pashto poet (d. 2018) births

      1. Pakistani police officer

        Tahir Dawar

        Mohammad Tahir Khan Dawar was a Pakistani police officer and Pashto poet who was abducted from Islamabad on October 26, 2018 and then tortured and killed. His body was found on November 13, 2018 by the locals in the Dur Baba District of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, close to the Torkham border crossing. His postmortem report revealed he had no marks of bullet injury, but was rather killed by excessive torture during captivity. He was kept hungry and thirsty for several days, and his legs and arms were broken. He had died a few days before his body was found.

  43. 1967

    1. Guillermo Amor, Spanish footballer and manager births

      1. Spanish footballer

        Guillermo Amor

        Guillermo Amor Martínez is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a versatile midfielder.

    2. Bert Lahr, American actor (b. 1895) deaths

      1. American actor (1895–1967)

        Bert Lahr

        Irving Lahrheim, known professionally as Bert Lahr, was an American actor. He was best known for his role as the Cowardly Lion, as well as his counterpart Kansas farmworker "Zeke", in the MGM adaptation of The Wizard of Oz (1939). He was well known for his quick-witted humor and his work in burlesque and vaudeville and on Broadway.

  44. 1966

    1. Fred Armisen, American actor and musician births

      1. American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician (born 1966)

        Fred Armisen

        Fereydun Robert Armisen is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. With his comedy partner Carrie Brownstein, Armisen was the co-creator and co-star of the IFC sketch comedy series Portlandia. He also co-created and stars in the mockumentary IFC series Documentary Now! (2015–present) alongside Bill Hader and Seth Meyers as well as the Showtime comedy series Moonbase 8 (2020–present) alongside John C. Reilly and Tim Heidecker. He voiced Speedy Gonzales on The Looney Tunes Show (2011–2013). Armisen founded ThunderAnt.com, a website that features the comedy sketches created with Brownstein, and is the bandleader and frequent drummer for the Late Night with Seth Meyers house band, The 8G Band. Armisen is also well-known for his time on the NBC late-night comedy and variety show Saturday Night Live.

    2. Andy Hess, American bass player births

      1. American bassist

        Andy Hess

        Andy Hess is an American bassist and former member of Gov't Mule, having joined the band in 2003. Previously, he was The Black Crowes' bassist from February 2001 until their hiatus early the following year. He has also played in Joan Osborne's band and has done session work for artists including David Byrne and Tina Turner. Hess is currently touring with Steve Kimock. He performed on The John Scofield's Band albums Up All Night which was released in 2003 and Überjam Deux which was released in 2013.

    3. Suzanne Malveaux, American journalist births

      1. American journalist (born 1966)

        Suzanne Malveaux

        Suzanne Maria Malveaux is an American television news journalist. She co-anchored the CNN international news program Around the World and editions of CNN Newsroom. Malveaux also served as CNN White House correspondent and as primary substitute to Wolf Blitzer on The Situation Room. She joined CNN in 2002 and is based in Washington, D.C.

    4. Suzette M. Malveaux, American lawyer and academic births

      1. Suzette M. Malveaux

        Suzette M. Malveaux is an American law professor and civil rights lawyer. She is currently Provost Professor of Civil Rights Law and Director of the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Law at the University of Colorado Law School. She has also taught at the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America and the University of Alabama School of Law. She teaches Civil Procedure, Complex Litigation, Employment Discrimination and Civil Rights. She is a nationally recognized expert on civil rights law and class action litigation, who has appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court and argued before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. She is a member of the American Law Institute.

  45. 1965

    1. Álex de la Iglesia, Spanish director, producer, and screenwriter births

      1. Spanish film director and screenwriter

        Álex de la Iglesia

        Alejandro "Álex" de la Iglesia Mendoza is a Spanish film director, screenwriter, producer and former comic book artist.

    2. Shaun Hollamby, English race car driver and businessman births

      1. British racing driver

        Shaun Hollamby

        Shaun Hollamby is a British auto racing driver and race team owner. He is the managing director of AmD Tuning, a performance tuning company and motor racing team based in West Thurrock, Essex. He also currently competes in a part-time effort in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series and Historic F3 and FFord.

    3. Ulf Kirsten, German footballer and manager births

      1. German footballer (born 1965)

        Ulf Kirsten

        Ulf Kirsten is a German former professional footballer who played as a striker. Nicknamed Der Schwatte, he is the first player in history to reach a total 100 caps playing with two different national teams. Kirsten's biggest success was the victory of the 1992–93 DFB-Pokal.

  46. 1964

    1. Scott Hastings, Scottish rugby player and sportscaster births

      1. British Lions & Scotland international rugby union player

        Scott Hastings (rugby union)

        Scott Hastings is a Scottish former rugby union player. He won 65 caps at centre for Scotland from 1986 to 1997. Scott is the younger brother of Scottish great Gavin Hastings. They both earned their first cap on 17 January 1986 against France. When he retired, he was Scotland's most-capped player ever. Twice a member of the British Lions in 1989 (Australia) and 1993 where he suffered a shattered cheekbone and did not play against the All Blacks.

    2. Marisa Tomei, American actress births

      1. American actress (born 1964)

        Marisa Tomei

        Marisa Tomei is an American actress. She came to prominence as a cast member on The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World in 1987. After having minor roles in a few films, she came to international attention in 1992 with the comedy My Cousin Vinny, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She received two additional Academy Award nominations for In the Bedroom (2001) and The Wrestler (2008).

  47. 1963

    1. Sergey Bubka, Ukrainian pole vaulter births

      1. Ukrainian pole vaulter

        Sergey Bubka

        Sergey Nazarovych Bubka is a Ukrainian former pole vaulter. He represented the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991. Bubka was twice named Athlete of the Year by Track & Field News, and in 2012 was one of 24 athletes inducted as inaugural members of the International Association of Athletics Federations Hall of Fame.

    2. Nigel Heslop, English rugby player births

      1. England international rugby union & league footballer

        Nigel Heslop

        Nigel John Heslop is an English former rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played representative level rugby union (RU) for England, and at club level for Orrell R.U.F.C., and Liverpool St Helens F.C. as a Wing, and club level rugby league (RL) for Oldham, at the time of his move to Oldham, he was employed by Merseyside Police. There were also rumours of Nigel being employed as a waiter in the notorious hooters bar in the US shortly after retirement, although this has never been confirmed his wife was seen leaving the premises and upon interview told reporters she was ″extremely proud of Nige and will support him anywhere his heart takes him″.

    3. Constance Davey, Australian psychologist (b. 1882) deaths

      1. Australian psychologist

        Constance Davey

        Constance Muriel Davey was an Australian psychologist who worked in the South Australian Department of Education, where she introduced the state's first special education classes.

  48. 1962

    1. Vinnie Dombroski, American singer-songwriter and musician births

      1. American singer-songwriter, musician

        Vinnie Dombroski

        Mark "Vinnie" Dombroski is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist and main songwriter for the American rock band Sponge. He also fronted the short-lived supergroup Spys4Darwin, and has been a member of several Detroit-based bands throughout his career.

    2. Gary Freeman, New Zealand rugby league player, coach, and sportscaster births

      1. NZ international rugby league footballer & coach

        Gary Freeman (rugby league)

        Gary Ross Freeman is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 2000s, who both captained and coached the New Zealand national team. He was arguably one of New Zealand's greatest Test halfbacks and at the time of his retirement he was the most-capped New Zealand test player and also held the record for most consecutive tests for New Zealand with 37.

    3. Nixon Kiprotich, Kenyan runner births

      1. Kenyan middle-distance runner

        Nixon Kiprotich

        Nixon Kiprotich is a former Kenyan 800 metres runner, who won the silver medal at the 1992 Olympic Games. Previously, Kiprotich had come eighth in the 1988 Olympic final.

    4. Kevin Richardson, English footballer and manager births

      1. English footballer

        Kevin Richardson (footballer)

        Kevin Richardson is an English football coach and former footballer who is under-18's coach at Premier League side Newcastle United.

  49. 1961

    1. Frank Reich, American football player and coach births

      1. American football player and coach (born 1961)

        Frank Reich

        Frank Michael Reich Jr. is an American football coach and former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Maryland and was selected by the Bills in the third round of the 1985 NFL Draft. Reich spent most of his career backing up Jim Kelly, although he achieved recognition when he led the Bills to the NFL's largest comeback during the 1992–93 NFL playoffs.

  50. 1960

    1. David Green, Nicaraguan-American baseball player births

      1. Nicaraguan baseball player (1960–2022)

        David Green (baseball)

        David Alejandro Green Casaya was a Nicaraguan professional baseball player who was an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Between 1981 and 1987, he spent parts of six seasons in the MLB. He was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals for five of those years, and he also spent one season with the San Francisco Giants.

    2. Glynis Nunn, Australian heptathlete and hurler births

      1. Australian heptathlete

        Glynis Nunn

        Glynis Leanne Nunn-Cearns, OAM is a former Australian heptathlete, the first Olympic champion in the event. Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, she began competing in athletics at age 9, when she was a student at Toowoomba South State School.

  51. 1957

    1. Raul Boesel, Brazilian race car driver and radio host births

      1. Brazilian racing driver

        Raul Boesel

        Raul de Mesquita Boesel is a Brazilian former racing driver who raced for the March and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.

    2. Eric S. Raymond, American computer programmer and author births

      1. American computer programmer, author, and advocate for the open source movement

        Eric S. Raymond

        Eric Steven Raymond, often referred to as ESR, is an American software developer, open-source software advocate, and author of the 1997 essay and 1999 book The Cathedral and the Bazaar. He wrote a guidebook for the Roguelike game NetHack. In the 1990s, he edited and updated the Jargon File, published as The New Hacker's Dictionary.

    3. Lee Smith, American baseball player births

      1. American baseball player (born 1957)

        Lee Smith (baseball)

        Lee Arthur Smith is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) for eight teams. Serving mostly as a relief pitcher during his career, he was a dominant closer and held the major league record for career saves from 1993 until 2006, when Trevor Hoffman passed his total of 478. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2019 by the Today's Game Era Committee.

  52. 1956

    1. Nia Griffith, Welsh educator and politician, former Shadow Secretary of State for Wales births

      1. British Labour politician

        Nia Griffith

        Dame Nia Rhiannon Griffith is a Welsh politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Llanelli since 2005. A member of the Labour Party, she has been a Shadow Minister for International Trade since 2021. Griffith served as Shadow Secretary of State for Defence from 2016 to 2020, and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales from 2015 to 2016 and 2020 to 2021.

      2. Member of the UK Shadow Cabinet

        Shadow Secretary of State for Wales

        The Shadow Secretary of State for Wales or Shadow Welsh Secretary is a member of the UK Shadow Cabinet responsible for the scrutiny of the Secretary of State for Wales and his/her department, the Wales Office. The incumbent holder of the office is Jo Stevens.

    2. Bernard King, American basketball player and sportscaster births

      1. American basketball player (born 1956)

        Bernard King

        Bernard King is an American former professional basketball player at the small forward position in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 14 seasons with the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Washington Bullets. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 8, 2013. His younger brother, Albert, also played in the NBA during his career.

  53. 1955

    1. Philip Hammond, English businessman and politician, former Chancellor of the Exchequer births

      1. British politician

        Philip Hammond

        Philip Hammond, Baron Hammond of Runnymede is a British politician and life peer who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2016 to 2019, Foreign Secretary from 2014 to 2016, and Defence Secretary from 2011 to 2014. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Runnymede and Weybridge from 1997 to 2019.

      2. Minister for Finance in the United Kingdom and Head of Treasury

        Chancellor of the Exchequer

        The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is a high-ranking member of the British Cabinet and is third in the ministerial ranking, behind the prime minister and the deputy prime minister.

    2. Dave Taylor, Canadian-American ice hockey player and manager births

      1. Canadian ice hockey player

        Dave Taylor (ice hockey)

        David Andrew Taylor is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Los Angeles Kings from 1977 to 1994. Following his playing career, he served as the Kings' general manager from 1997 to 2006, and currently serves as Vice President of Hockey Operations with the NHL's St. Louis Blues.

    3. Cassandra Wilson, American singer-songwriter and producer births

      1. American jazz singer, songwriter, and producer

        Cassandra Wilson

        Cassandra Wilson is an American jazz singer, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. She is one of the most successful female Jazz singers and has been described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating blues, country, and folk music into her work. She has won numerous awards, including two Grammys, and was named "America's Best Singer" by Time magazine in 2001.

    4. József Galamb, Hungarian-American engineer (b. 1881) deaths

      1. Hungarian-American mechanical engineer

        József Galamb

        József Galamb was a Hungarian mechanical engineer, most known for designing the Ford Model T.

  54. 1954

    1. George Shepherd, 1st Baron Shepherd (b. 1881) deaths

      1. British politician

        George Shepherd, 1st Baron Shepherd

        George Robert Shepherd, 1st Baron Shepherd PC, was a British Labour politician.

  55. 1953

    1. Rick Middleton, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster births

      1. Ice hockey player

        Rick Middleton

        Richard David "Nifty" Middleton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League.

    2. Jean-Marie Pfaff, Belgian footballer and manager births

      1. Belgian footballer

        Jean-Marie Pfaff

        Jean-Marie Pfaff is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper who spent most of his professional career with Beveren and Bayern Munich. Pfaff was capped 64 times playing for Belgium, and participated at the 1982 FIFA World Cup and 1986 FIFA World Cup tournaments.

  56. 1951

    1. Gary Rossington, American guitarist births

      1. American guitarist, founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd

        Gary Rossington

        Gary Robert Rossington is an American guitarist. He is the only remaining original member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, in which he plays lead and rhythm guitar.

    2. Patricia Wettig, American actress and playwright births

      1. American actress (born 1951)

        Patricia Wettig

        Patricia Anne Wettig is an American actress and playwright. She is best known for her role as Nancy Weston in the television series Thirtysomething (1987–1991), for which she received a Golden Globe Award and three Primetime Emmy Awards.

  57. 1950

    1. Bjørn Kjellemyr, Norwegian bassist and composer births

      1. Norwegian jazz double bassist

        Bjørn Kjellemyr

        Bjørn Kjellemyr is a jazz double bassist, known from a variety of musical contexts like Terje Rypdal & The Chasers, Joe Henderson, Bob Berg, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Dag Arnesen, Knut Riisnæs, Jon Eberson, Bugge Wesseltoft, Audun Kleive, Jon Balke, Jan Gunnar Hoff and Ketil Bjørnstad.

    2. Jesse L. Brown, 1st African-American Naval aviator (b. 1926) deaths

      1. United States Navy officer (1926–1950)

        Jesse L. Brown

        Jesse LeRoy Brown was a United States Navy officer. He was the first African-American aviator to complete the U.S. Navy's basic flight training program, was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the first African-American naval officer killed in the Korean War.

  58. 1949

    1. Jeff Bridges, American actor births

      1. American actor (born 1949)

        Jeff Bridges

        Jeffrey Leon Bridges is an American actor. Known for his versatility, he has received various accolades throughout his career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. Critic Pauline Kael wrote that Bridges "may be the most natural and least self-conscious screen actor that has ever lived."

    2. Jock Stirrup, Baron Stirrup, English air marshal and politician births

      1. Senior commander in Britain's Royal Air Force

        Jock Stirrup

        Marshal of the Royal Air Force Graham Eric Stirrup, Baron Stirrup,, informally known as Jock Stirrup, is a former senior Royal Air Force commander who was the Chief of the Defence Staff from 2006 until his retirement in late 2010. He is now a Crossbench member of the House of Lords. In April 2013, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth II.

  59. 1948

    1. Southside Johnny, American singer-songwriter births

      1. Musical artist

        Southside Johnny

        John Lyon, better known by his stage name Southside Johnny, is an American singer-songwriter who usually fronts his band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

    2. Frank Benford, American physicist and engineer (b. 1883) deaths

      1. Frank Benford

        Frank Albert Benford Jr. was an American electrical engineer and physicist best known for rediscovering and generalizing Benford's Law, a statistical statement about the occurrence of digits in lists of data.

  60. 1947

    1. Jane Lubchenco, American ecologist, academic, and diplomat births

      1. American ecologist

        Jane Lubchenco

        Jane Lubchenco is an American environmental scientist and marine ecologist who teaches and conducts research at Oregon State University. Her research interests include interactions between the environment and human well-being, biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable use of oceans and the planet. From 2009 to 2013, she served as Administrator of NOAA and Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. In February 2021, she was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as Deputy Director for Climate and Environment in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

  61. 1946

    1. Karina, Spanish singer/actress births

      1. Karina (Spanish singer)

        María Isabel Llaudes Santiago, better known by her stage name Karina, is a Spanish singer who had her biggest success in the late 1960s until the mid-1970s. She was born in Jaén, Andalusia to Trinidad Santiago and Salvador Llaudes.

  62. 1945

    1. Roberta Bondar, Canadian neurologist, academic, and astronaut births

      1. Canadian astronaut

        Roberta Bondar

        Roberta Lynn Bondar is a Canadian astronaut, neurologist and consultant. She is Canada's first female astronaut and the first neurologist in space.

    2. Thomas Hunt Morgan, American geneticist and biologist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1866) deaths

      1. American evolutionary biologist, geneticist, embryologist, and author (1866–1945)

        Thomas Hunt Morgan

        Thomas Hunt Morgan was an American evolutionary biologist, geneticist, embryologist, and science author who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1933 for discoveries elucidating the role that the chromosome plays in heredity.

      2. One of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Alfred Nobel

        Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

        The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's 1895 will, are awarded "to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind". Nobel Prizes are awarded in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace.

    3. Richárd Weisz, Hungarian Olympic champion wrestler (b. 1879) deaths

      1. Hungarian Greco-Roman wrestler

        Richárd Weisz

        Richárd Weisz was a Hungarian heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestler. He competed at the 1906 Intercalated Games and at the 1908 Summer Olympics and won a gold medal in 1908.

  63. 1944

    1. Chris Hillman, American singer-songwriter and guitarist births

      1. American musician

        Chris Hillman

        Christopher Hillman is an American musician. He was the original bassist of and one of the original members of the Byrds, which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby and Michael Clarke.

    2. Anna McGarrigle, Canadian musician and singer-songwriter births

      1. Musical artist

        Anna McGarrigle

        Anna McGarrigle, CM is a Canadian folk music singer and songwriter who recorded and performed with her sister, Kate McGarrigle, who died in 2010.

    3. François Migault, French race car driver (d. 2012) births

      1. François Migault

        François Migault was a racing driver from Le Mans, France. He participated in 16 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 13 August 1972, but scored no championship points.

    4. Dennis Wilson, American singer-songwriter, producer, and drummer (d. 1983) births

      1. American musician, member of the Beach Boys (1944–1983)

        Dennis Wilson

        Dennis Carl Wilson was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best remembered as their drummer and as the middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson. Dennis was the only true surfer in the Beach Boys, and his personal life exemplified the "California Myth" that the band's early songs often celebrated. He was also known for co-starring in the 1971 film Two-Lane Blacktop.

    5. Roger Bresnahan, American baseball player and manager (b. 1879) deaths

      1. American baseball player and manager (1879–1944)

        Roger Bresnahan

        Roger Philip Bresnahan, nicknamed "The Duke of Tralee", was an American player and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player, Bresnahan competed in MLB for the Washington Senators (1897), Chicago Orphans (1900), Baltimore Orioles (1901–02), New York Giants (1902–1908), St. Louis Cardinals (1909–1912) and Chicago Cubs (1913–1915). Bresnahan also managed the Cardinals (1909–1912) and Cubs (1915). He was a member of the 1905 World Series champions.

  64. 1942

    1. Bob Mosley, American singer-songwriter and bass player births

      1. Bob Mosley

        James Robert "Bob" Mosley is principally known as the bass player and one of the songwriters and vocalists for the band Moby Grape. Some of his best-known songs with Moby Grape are "Mr. Blues", "Come In The Morning", and "Lazy Me" from the first Moby Grape album (1967),

    2. Juhan Kukk, Estonian politician, 3rd Head of State of Estonia (b. 1885) deaths

      1. Estonian politician

        Juhan Kukk

        Juhan (Johann) Kukk VR III/1 was an Estonian politician.

      2. Head of State of Estonia, 1920-1937

        Head of State of Estonia

        The Head of State of Estonia or State Elder was the official title of the Estonian head of state from 1920 to 1937. He combined some of the functions held by a president and prime minister in most other democracies.

    3. Fritz Löhner-Beda, Jewish Austrian librettist, lyricist and writer (b. 1883) deaths

      1. Austrian writer and librettist

        Fritz Löhner-Beda

        Fritz Löhner-Beda, born Bedřich Löwy, was an Austrian librettist, lyricist and writer. Once nearly forgotten, many of his songs and tunes remain popular today. He was murdered in Auschwitz III Monowitz concentration camp.

  65. 1941

    1. Marty Riessen, American tennis player and coach births

      1. American tennis player

        Marty Riessen

        Marty Riessen is an American former amateur and professional tennis player active from the 1960s to the 1980s. He was ranked as high as No. 11 in the world in singles on the ATP rankings in September 1974, though was ranked as high as world No. 8 by Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph in 1971 before the computer rankings. Renowned for his doubles play, Riessen was also a regular doubles partner of Australian tennis great Margaret Court, winning six of his seven major mixed titles and a career Grand Slam alongside her. Additionally a winner of two men's doubles Grand Slams, his highest doubles ranking was No. 3 in March 1980.

  66. 1940

    1. Gerd Achterberg, German footballer and manager births

      1. German football manager

        Gerd Achterberg

        Gerd Achterberg is a former German football manager.

    2. Gary Gilmore, American murderer (d. 1977) births

      1. American murderer

        Gary Gilmore

        Gary Mark Gilmore was an American criminal who gained international attention for demanding the implementation of his death sentence for two murders he had admitted to committing in Utah. After the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a new series of death penalty statutes in the 1976 decision Gregg v. Georgia, he became the first person in almost ten years to be executed in the United States. These new statutes avoided the problems under the 1972 decision in Furman v. Georgia, which had resulted in earlier death penalty statutes being deemed "cruel and unusual" punishment, and therefore unconstitutional. Gilmore was executed by a firing squad in 1977. His life and execution were the subject of the 1979 nonfiction novel The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer, and 1982 TV film of the novel starring Tommy Lee Jones as Gilmore.

  67. 1939

    1. Stephen W. Bosworth, American academic and diplomat, United States Ambassador to South Korea (d. 2016) births

      1. American academic and diplomat

        Stephen W. Bosworth

        Stephen Warren Bosworth was an American academic and diplomat. He served as Dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University and served as United States Special Representative for North Korea Policy from March 2009 to October 2011. He served three times as a U.S. Ambassador, to Tunisia (1979–1981), to the Philippines (1984–1987), and to South Korea (1997–2001). In 1987, he received the American Academy of Diplomacy's Diplomat of the Year Award.

      2. List of ambassadors of the United States to South Korea

        The United States Ambassador to South Korea is the chief diplomatic representative of the United States accredited to the Republic of Korea. The ambassador's official title is "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Korea."

    2. Joan Brady, American-British author births

      1. American-British writer

        Joan Brady (American-British writer)

        Joan Brady is an American-British writer. She is the first woman and American to win the Whitbread Book of the Year Award for her novel Theory of War.

    3. Freddy Cannon, American singer and guitarist births

      1. American rock and roll singer (born 1940)

        Freddy Cannon

        Frederick Anthony Picariello, Jr., better known by his stage name Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans", and "Palisades Park".

  68. 1938

    1. Andre Marrou, American lawyer and politician births

      1. American politician

        Andre Marrou

        Andre Verne Marrou is an American politician who was the third Libertarian elected to a state legislature with his election to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1984. He later served as the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee in 1988 presidential election and its presidential nominee in 1992 presidential election.

    2. Yvonne Minton, Australian-English soprano and actress births

      1. Yvonne Minton

        Yvonne Fay Minton CBE is an Australian-born but mostly British-resident opera singer. She is variously billed as a soprano, mezzo-soprano or contralto.

    3. Tamanishiki San'emon, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 32nd Yokozuna (b. 1903) deaths

      1. Japanese sumo wrestler

        Tamanishiki San'emon

        Tamanishiki San'emon was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Kōchi. He was the sport's 32nd yokozuna. He won a total of nine top division yūshō or tournament championships from 1929 to 1936, and was the dominant wrestler in sumo until the emergence of Futabayama. He died whilst still an active wrestler.

      2. Highest-ranking of the six divisions of professional sumo

        Makuuchi

        Makuuchi (幕内), or makunouchi (幕の内), is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (rikishi), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments.

  69. 1937

    1. Max Baer, Jr., American actor, director, and producer births

      1. American actor, producer and director

        Max Baer Jr.

        Maximilian Adalbert Baer Jr. is an American actor, producer, comedian, and director widely known for his role as Jethro Bodine, the dim-witted relative of Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies.

  70. 1936

    1. John Giorno, American poet and performance artist (d. 2019) births

      1. American poet and performance artist (1936–2019)

        John Giorno

        John Giorno was an American poet and performance artist. He founded the not-for-profit production company Giorno Poetry Systems and organized a number of early multimedia poetry experiments and events, including Dial-A-Poem. He became prominent as the subject of Andy Warhol's film Sleep (1964). He was also an AIDS activist and fundraiser, and a long-time practitioner of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

  71. 1935

    1. Paul O'Neill, American businessman and politician, 72nd United States Secretary of the Treasury (d. 2020) births

      1. American politician and businessman (1935–2020)

        Paul H. O'Neill

        Paul Henry O'Neill was an American businessman and government official who served as the 72nd United States secretary of the treasury for part of President George W. Bush's first term, from January 2001 to December 2002. He was fired in December 2002 for his public disagreement with the administration. Prior to his term as secretary of the treasury, O'Neill was chairman and CEO of industrial giant Alcoa and chairman of the RAND Corporation.

      2. Head of the United States Department of the Treasury

        United States Secretary of the Treasury

        The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters pertaining to economic and fiscal policy. The secretary is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States, and is fifth in the presidential line of succession.

    2. Johan Halvorsen, Norwegian violinist, composer, and conductor (b. 1864) deaths

      1. Musical artist

        Johan Halvorsen

        Johan Halvorsen was a Norwegian composer, conductor and violinist.

    3. Charles Richet, French physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1850) deaths

      1. French physiologist

        Charles Richet

        Charles Robert Richet was a French physiologist at the Collège de France known for his pioneering work in immunology. In 1913, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine "in recognition of his work on anaphylaxis". Richet devoted many years to the study of paranormal and spiritualist phenomena, coining the term "ectoplasm". He also believed in the inferiority of Black people, was a proponent of eugenics and presided over the French Eugenics Society towards the end of his life. The Richet line of professorships of medical science would continue through his son Charles and his grandson Gabriel. Gabriel Richet was one of the great pioneers of European nephrology.

      2. One of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Alfred Nobel

        Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

        The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's 1895 will, are awarded "to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind". Nobel Prizes are awarded in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace.

  72. 1934

    1. Bill Collins, Australian film critic and author (d. 2019) births

      1. Australian film critic (1934–2019)

        Bill Collins (television presenter)

        William Roderick Collins was an Australian film critic and film historian, radio and television presenter, journalist, author and lecturer best known for presenting Hollywood films on television in Australia.

    2. Victor French, American actor and director (d. 1989) births

      1. American actor and director

        Victor French

        Victor Edwin French was an American actor and director. He is remembered for roles on the television programs Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, Highway to Heaven, and Carter Country.

  73. 1933

    1. Wink Martindale, American game show host and producer births

      1. American disc jockey, radio personality, game show host, and television producer

        Wink Martindale

        Winston Conrad "Wink" Martindale is an American disc jockey, radio personality, game show host, and television producer. In his six-decade career, he is best known for hosting Gambit from 1972 to 1976, Tic-Tac-Dough from 1978 to 1985, High Rollers from 1987 to 1988, and Debt from 1996 to 1998.

    2. Horst Buchholz, German actor (d. 2003) births

      1. German actor

        Horst Buchholz

        Horst Werner Buchholz was a German actor who appeared in more than 60 feature films from 1951 to 2002. During his youth, he was sometimes called "the German James Dean". He is perhaps best known in English-speaking countries for his role as Chico in The Magnificent Seven (1960), as a communist in Billy Wilder's One, Two, Three (1961), and as Dr. Lessing in Life Is Beautiful (1997).

    3. Stefan George, German-Swiss poet and translator (b. 1868) deaths

      1. German symbolist poet and translator

        Stefan George

        Stefan Anton George was a German symbolist poet and a translator of Dante Alighieri, William Shakespeare, Hesiod, and Charles Baudelaire. He is also known for his role as leader of the highly influential literary circle called the George-Kreis and for founding the literary magazine Blätter für die Kunst. From the inception of his circle, George and his followers represented a literary and cultural revolt against the literary realism trend in German literature during the last decades of the German Empire.

  74. 1932

    1. Roh Tae-woo, South Korean general and politician, 6th President of South Korea (d. 2021) births

      1. President of South Korea from 1988 to 1993

        Roh Tae-woo

        Roh Tae-woo was a South Korean politician and army general who served as the sixth president of South Korea from 1988 to 1993.

      2. Head of state and of government of the Republic of Korea

        President of South Korea

        The president of the Republic of Korea, also known as the president of South Korea, is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Korea. The president leads the State Council, and is the chief of the executive branch of the national government as well as the commander-in-chief of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

  75. 1931

    1. Alex Delvecchio, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager births

      1. Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and general manager

        Alex Delvecchio

        Alexander Peter "Fats" Delvecchio is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach, and general manager who spent his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings. In a playing career that lasted 24 seasons, from 1951 to 1973, Delvecchio played in 1,549 games, recording 1,281 points. At the time of his retirement, he was second in NHL history in games played, assists and points. He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct three times, and helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup three times. Delvecchio having played 1,549 games with the Red Wings is one of three to spend their entire career with one franchise and play at least 1,500 games with that team. Immediately after retiring in 1973, Delvecchio was named head coach of the team and was also named the team's general manager in 1974, serving in both roles until 1977. Delvecchio was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977, and in 2017 was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.

    2. Wally George, American radio and television host (d. 2003) births

      1. American television and radio commentator

        Wally George

        Wally George was an American conservative radio and television commentator. Calling himself the "Father of Combat TV," he was a fixture on Southern California television for three decades (1950s–1980s) as the host of Hot Seat, which began as a local show on KDOC Channel 56, a local Southern California based UHF TV station in Anaheim, Orange County in 1983. His other nicknames were "Mr. Conservative" and "Mr. America" in the 1960s–1990s and he represented the strong conservative fan base of Orange County and the Coachella Valley of California where he was also on their local TV stations.

  76. 1930

    1. Ronnie Corbett, Scottish actor and screenwriter (d. 2016) births

      1. Scottish comedian and writer (1930–2016)

        Ronnie Corbett

        Ronald Balfour Corbett was a Scottish actor, broadcaster, comedian and writer. He had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the BBC television comedy sketch show The Two Ronnies. He achieved prominence in David Frost's 1960s satirical comedy programme The Frost Report and subsequently starred in sitcoms such as No – That's Me Over Here!, Now Look Here, and Sorry!.

    2. Jim Hall, American guitarist and composer (d. 2013) births

      1. American jazz guitarist, composer (1930–2013)

        Jim Hall (musician)

        James Stanley Hall was an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger.

  77. 1929

    1. Şakir Eczacıbaşı, Turkish pharmacist, photographer, and businessman (d. 2010) births

      1. Şakir Eczacıbaşı

        Şakir Eczacıbaşı, a second generation member of the notable Turkish Eczacıbaşı family, was a pharmacist, photographer and businessman.

  78. 1926

    1. Ned Romero, American actor and opera singer (d. 2017) births

      1. American actor and opera singer

        Ned Romero

        Ned Romero was an American actor and opera singer who appeared in television and film.

    2. Ivana Kobilca, Slovenian painter (b. 1861) deaths

      1. Slovenian artist (1861–1926)

        Ivana Kobilca

        Ivana Kobilca is the most prominent Slovene female painter and a key figure of Slovene cultural identity. She was a realist painter who studied and worked in Vienna, Munich, Paris, Sarajevo, Berlin, and Ljubljana. She mostly painted oil paintings and pastels, whereas her drawings are few. The themes include still life, portraits, genre works, allegories, and religious scenes. She was a controversial person, criticized for following movements that had not developed further in later periods.

  79. 1925

    1. Albert Bandura, Canadian-American psychologist and academic (d. 2021) births

      1. Canadian-American psychologist (1925–2021)

        Albert Bandura

        Albert Bandura was a Canadian-American psychologist who was the David Starr Jordan Professor in Psychology at Stanford University.

  80. 1924

    1. John C. Portman, Jr., American architect, designed the Renaissance Center and Tomorrow Square (d. 2017) births

      1. American architect

        John C. Portman Jr.

        John Calvin Portman Jr. was an American neofuturistic architect and real estate developer widely known for popularizing hotels and office buildings with multi-storied interior atria. Portman also had a particularly large impact on the cityscape of his hometown of Atlanta, with the Peachtree Center complex serving as downtown's business and tourism anchor from the 1970s onward. The Peachtree Center area includes Portman-designed Hyatt, Westin, and Marriott hotels. Portman's plans typically deal with primitives in the forms of symmetrical squares and circles.

      2. Skyscraper group in Detroit, Michigan, US

        Renaissance Center

        The Renaissance Center is a group of seven connected skyscrapers in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. The Renaissance Center complex is on the Detroit International Riverfront and is owned by General Motors as its world headquarters. The central tower has been the tallest building in Michigan since it was erected in 1977.

      3. Skyscraper in Shanghai, China

        Tomorrow Square

        Tomorrow Square is the eighth-tallest building in Shanghai, China. It is located in Huangpu District, Puxi, close to People's Square. It is about 285 m (934 ft) tall and has 63 floors.

  81. 1923

    1. Charles Keating, American lawyer and financier (d. 2014) births

      1. American businessman

        Charles Keating

        Charles Humphrey Keating Jr. was an American sportsman, lawyer, real estate developer, banker, financier, conservative activist, and convicted felon best known for his role in the savings and loan scandal of the late 1980s.

    2. Eagle Keys, American-Canadian football player and coach (d. 2012) births

      1. Eagle Keys

        Eagle Keys was a Canadian football player and coach. He is currently fifth all-time in regular season wins with 131 as a head coach in the Canadian Football League. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

    3. John Krish, English director and screenwriter (d. 2016) births

      1. British film director and screenwriter

        John Krish

        John Jeffrey Krish was a British film director and screenwriter. He directed and filmed much archive footage and in particular Our School in 1962, showing the changing ways of Britain's school and the last few years of the 11-plus exam.

  82. 1921

    1. Deanna Durbin, Canadian actress and singer (d. 2013) births

      1. Canadian singer and actress (1921–2013)

        Deanna Durbin

        Edna Mae Durbin, known professionally as Deanna Durbin, was a Canadian-born actress and singer, who moved to the USA with her family in infancy. She appeared in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s. With the technical skill and vocal range of a legitimate lyric soprano, she performed many styles from popular standards to operatic arias.

  83. 1920

    1. Nadir Afonso, Portuguese painter and architect (d. 2013) births

      1. Portuguese geometric abstractionist painter (1920–2013)

        Nadir Afonso

        Nadir Afonso, GOSE was a Portuguese geometric abstractionist painter. Formally trained in architecture, which he practiced early in his career with Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer, Nadir Afonso later studied painting in Paris and became one of the pioneers of Kinetic art, working alongside Victor Vasarely, Fernand Léger, Auguste Herbin, and André Bloc.

    2. Michael Bates, English actor (d. 1978) births

      1. Indian actor

        Michael Bates (actor)

        Michael Hammond Bates was a British actor born in India. He was best known for playing Chief Guard Barnes who processes Alex in A Clockwork Orange, Cyril Blamire in Last of the Summer Wine (1973–75), and Rangi Ram in It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–77).

    3. Jeanne Manford, American educator and activist, co-founded PFLAG (d. 2013) births

      1. American schoolteacher and activist

        Jeanne Manford

        Jeanne Sobelson Manford was an American schoolteacher and activist. She co-founded the support group organization, PFLAG, for which she was awarded the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal.

      2. Non-profit organisation in the USA

        PFLAG

        PFLAG is the United States' first and largest organization uniting parents, families, and allies with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+). PFLAG National is the national organization, which provides support to the PFLAG network of local chapters. PFLAG has over 400 chapters across the United States, with more than 200,000 members and supporters.

  84. 1919

    1. I. K. Gujral, Indian poet and politician, 12th Prime Minister of India (d. 2012) births

      1. Prime Minister of India from 1997 to 1998

        Inder Kumar Gujral

        Inder Kumar Gujral was an Indian diplomat, politician and freedom activist who served as the 12th prime minister of India from April 1997 to March 1998.

      2. Leader of the Executive Branch of the Government of India

        Prime Minister of India

        The prime minister of India is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of the executive. The prime minister is often the leader of the party or the coalition with a majority in the lower house of the Parliament of India, the Lok Sabha, which is the main legislative body in the Republic of India. The prime minister and their cabinet are at all times responsible to the Lok Sabha.

  85. 1916

    1. Ely Jacques Kahn, Jr., American journalist and author (d. 1994) births

      1. Ely Jacques Kahn Jr.

        Ely Jacques Kahn Jr. was an American writer with The New Yorker for five decades.

  86. 1915

    1. Eddie Heywood, American pianist and composer (d. 1989) births

      1. American jazz pianist and songwriter

        Eddie Heywood

        Edward Heywood Jr. was an American jazz pianist particularly active in the 1940s and 1950s.

  87. 1914

    1. Rudolf Hausner, Austrian painter and sculptor (d. 1995) births

      1. Rudolf Hausner

        Rudolf Hausner was an Austrian painter, draughtsman, printmaker and sculptor. Hausner has been described as a "psychic realist" and "the first psychoanalytical painter".

    2. Claude Renoir, French cinematographer (d. 1993) births

      1. French cinematographer

        Claude Renoir

        Claude Renoir was a French cinematographer. He was the son of actor Pierre Renoir, the grandson of painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and the nephew of director Jean Renoir.

  88. 1913

    1. Mark Robson, Canadian-American director and producer (d. 1978) births

      1. Canadian-American film director, producer, and editor

        Mark Robson (film director)

        Mark Robson was a Canadian-American film director, producer, and editor. Robson began his 45-year career in Hollywood as a film editor. He later began working as a director and producer. He directed 34 films during his career, including Champion (1949), Bright Victory (1951), The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), Peyton Place (1957), The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958), Von Ryan's Express (1965), Valley of the Dolls (1967), and Earthquake (1974).

  89. 1912

    1. Pappy Boyington, American colonel and pilot, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1988) births

      1. United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient (1912–1988)

        Pappy Boyington

        Gregory "Pappy" Boyington was an American combat pilot who was a United States Marine Corps fighter ace during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. A Marine aviator with the Pacific fleet in 1941, Boyington joined the "Flying Tigers" of the Republic of China Air Force and saw combat in Burma in late 1941 and 1942 during the military conflict between China and Japan.

      2. Highest award in the United States Armed Forces

        Medal of Honor

        The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. The medal is normally awarded by the president of the United States, but as it is presented "in the name of the United States Congress", it is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Congressional Medal of Honor".

  90. 1910

    1. Alex North, American composer and conductor (d. 1991) births

      1. American composer

        Alex North

        Alex North was an American composer best known for his many film scores, including A Streetcar Named Desire, Viva Zapata!, Spartacus, Cleopatra, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? He was the first composer to receive an Honorary Academy Award, but never won a competitive Oscar despite fifteen nominations.

    2. R. Venkataraman, Indian lawyer and politician, 6th President of India (d. 2009) births

      1. President of India from 1989 to 1962

        Ramaswamy Venkataraman

        Ramaswamy Venkataraman was an Indian lawyer, Indian independence activist and politician who served as a Union Minister and as the eighth president of India. Venkataraman was born in Rajamadam village in Tanjore district, Madras Presidency. He studied law and practised in the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In his young age, he was an activist of the Indian independence movement and participated in the Quit India Movement. He was appointed as the member of the Constituent Assembly and the provisional cabinet. He was elected to the Lok Sabha four times and served as Union Finance Minister and Defence Minister. In 1984, he was elected as the seventh vice president of India and in 1987, he became the eighth President of India and served from 1987 to 1992. He also served as a State minister under K. Kamaraj and M. Bhaktavatsalam.

      2. Ceremonial head of state of India

        President of India

        The president of India is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Murmu is the 15th and current president, having taken office from 25 July 2022.

  91. 1908

    1. Alfred Hershey, American bacteriologist and geneticist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1997) births

      1. American bacteriologist and geneticist

        Alfred Hershey

        Alfred Day Hershey was an American Nobel Prize–winning bacteriologist and geneticist.

      2. One of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Alfred Nobel

        Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

        The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded yearly by the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute for outstanding discoveries in physiology or medicine. The Nobel Prize is not a single prize, but five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's 1895 will, are awarded "to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind". Nobel Prizes are awarded in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace.

  92. 1904

    1. Albert Norden, German journalist and politician (d. 1982) births

      1. German politician (1904–1982)

        Albert Norden

        Albert Norden was a German communist politician.

  93. 1903

    1. Cornell Woolrich, American author (d. 1968) births

      1. American novelist (1903–1968)

        Cornell Woolrich

        Cornell George Hopley Woolrich was an American novelist and short story writer. He sometimes used the pseudonyms William Irish and George Hopley.

  94. 1902

    1. Charles Dow, American journalist and publisher, co-founded the Dow Jones & Company (b. 1851) deaths

      1. American journalist

        Charles Dow

        Charles Henry Dow was an American journalist who co-founded Dow Jones & Company with Edward Jones and Charles Bergstresser.

      2. American publishing and financial information company

        Dow Jones & Company

        Dow Jones & Company, Inc. is an American publishing firm owned by News Corp and led by CEO Almar Latour.

  95. 1899

    1. Karl-Günther Heimsoth, German physician and politician (d. 1934) births

      1. German physician, polygraph and politician

        Karl-Günther Heimsoth

        Karl-Günther Heimsoth, also known as Karl-Guenter Heimsoth was a German physician, polygraph, and politician. Heimsoth was a member of the Nazi Party and later the Communist Party of Germany.

    2. Charlie Spencer, English footballer and manager (d. 1953) births

      1. Charlie Spencer

        Charles William Spencer was an English footballer and manager.

  96. 1897

    1. Robert Redfield, American anthropologist of Mexico (d. 1958) births

      1. American anthropologist

        Robert Redfield

        Robert Redfield was an American anthropologist and ethnolinguist, whose ethnographic work in Tepoztlán, Mexico, is considered a landmark of Latin American ethnography. He was associated with the University of Chicago for his entire career: all of his higher education took place there, and he joined the faculty in 1927 and remained there until his death in 1958, serving as Dean of Social Sciences from 1934 to 1946.

    2. Griffith Rhys Jones, Welsh conductor (b. 1834) deaths

      1. Griffith Rhys Jones

        Griffith Rhys Jones, commonly known as Caradog, was a Welsh conductor of the famous 'Côr Mawr' of some 460 voices, which twice won first prize at The Crystal Palace choral competitions in London in 1872 and 1873.

  97. 1895

    1. Feng Youlan, Chinese philosopher and academic (d. 1990) births

      1. Chinese philosopher and historian (1895–1990)

        Feng Youlan

        Feng Youlan was a Chinese philosopher, historian, and writer who was instrumental for reintroducing the study of Chinese philosophy in the modern era. The name he published under in English was 'Fung Yu-lan,' for which see, for example, the Bodde translation of A History of Chinese Philosophy. This earlier spelling also occurs in philosophical discussions, see for example the work of Wing-tsit Chan.

  98. 1893

    1. Herbert Read, English poet and critic (d. 1968) births

      1. English anarchist and writer (1893–1968)

        Herbert Read

        Sir Herbert Edward Read, was an English art historian, poet, literary critic and philosopher, best known for numerous books on art, which included influential volumes on the role of art in education. Read was co-founder of the Institute of Contemporary Arts. As well as being a prominent English anarchist, he was one of the earliest English writers to take notice of existentialism. He was co-editor with Michael Fordham of the British edition in English of The Collected Works of C. G. Jung.

    2. John Tyndall, Irish-English physicist and chemist (b. 1820) deaths

      1. Irish physicist and mountaineer (1820–1893)

        John Tyndall

        John Tyndall FRS (; 2 August 1820 – 4 December 1893) was a prominent 19th-century Irish physicist. His scientific fame arose in the 1850s from his study of diamagnetism. Later he made discoveries in the realms of infrared radiation and the physical properties of air, proving the connection between atmospheric CO2 and what is now known as the greenhouse effect in 1859.

  99. 1892

    1. Francisco Franco, Spanish general and dictator, Prime Minister of Spain (d. 1975) births

      1. Spanish dictator from 1939 to 1975

        Francisco Franco

        Francisco Franco Bahamonde was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and thereafter ruled over Spain from 1939 to 1975 as a dictator, assuming the title Caudillo. This period in Spanish history, from the Nationalist victory to Franco's death, is commonly known as Francoist Spain or as the Francoist dictatorship.

      2. List of prime ministers of Spain

        The prime minister of Spain is the head of government of Spain. There is no specific date as to when the office of Prime Minister first appeared as the role was not created, but rather evolved over a period of time through a merger of duties. Modern historians have not managed to agree who the first prime minister of Spain was, but Francisco Martínez de la Rosa was the first prime minister recognized by a constitutional law.

    2. Liu Bocheng, Chinese commander and politician (d. 1986) births

      1. Chinese Communist military commander (1892–1986)

        Liu Bocheng

        Liu Bocheng was a Chinese military commander and Marshal of the People's Liberation Army.

  100. 1887

    1. Winifred Carney, Irish suffragist, trade unionist, and Irish republican (d. 1943) births

      1. Suffragist, trade unionist and Irish independence activist

        Winifred Carney

        Maria Winifred Carney, also known as Winnie Carney, was an Irish suffragist, trade unionist, and Irish independence activist.

  101. 1884

    1. R. C. Majumdar, Indian historian (d. 1980) births

      1. Indian historian and academic (1888–1980)

        R. C. Majumdar

        Ramesh Chandra Majumdar was a historian and professor of Indian history. Majumdar is a noted historian of modern India. He was a former Sheriff of Kolkata.

  102. 1883

    1. Katharine Susannah Prichard, Australian author and playwright (d. 1969) births

      1. Australian fiction writer and dramatist

        Katharine Susannah Prichard

        Katharine Susannah Prichard was an Australian author and co-founding member of the Communist Party of Australia.

  103. 1882

    1. Constance Davey, Australian psychologist (d. 1963) births

      1. Australian psychologist

        Constance Davey

        Constance Muriel Davey was an Australian psychologist who worked in the South Australian Department of Education, where she introduced the state's first special education classes.

  104. 1881

    1. Erwin von Witzleben, Polish-German field marshal (d. 1944) births

      1. Field Marshal of Nazi Germany

        Erwin von Witzleben

        Job Wilhelm Georg Erdmann Erwin von Witzleben was a German field marshal in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. A leading conspirator in the 20 July plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, he was designated to become Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht in a post-Nazi regime had the plot succeeded.

  105. 1875

    1. Agnes Forbes Blackadder, Scottish medical doctor (d. 1964) births

      1. Agnes Forbes Blackadder

        Agnes Forbes Blackadder Savill was a Scottish medical doctor. Blackadder became the first female graduate of the University of St Andrews when she gained her M.A. degree on 29 March 1895. She was the first consultant dermatologist to be appointed in 1907 at St. John's Hospital, an appointment which was also notable as one of the first appointments of a woman consultant at a hospital that was not exclusively for women. During World War I, she served as a radiographer at the Scottish Women's Hospital at Royaumont in France and pioneered radiography of gangrene.

    2. Joe Corbett, American baseball player and coach (d. 1945) births

      1. American baseball player (1875–1945)

        Joe Corbett

        Joseph Aloysius Corbett was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played in the National League. He was born in San Francisco, California.

    3. Rainer Maria Rilke, Austrian-Swiss poet and author (d. 1926) births

      1. Austrian poet and writer (1875–1926)

        Rainer Maria Rilke

        René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke, shortened to Rainer Maria Rilke, was an Austrian poet and novelist. He has been acclaimed as an idiosyncratic and expressive poet, and is widely recognized as a significant writer in the German language. His work has been seen by critics and scholars as having undertones of mysticism, exploring themes of subjective experience and disbelief. His writings include one novel, several collections of poetry and several volumes of correspondence.

  106. 1868

    1. Jesse Burkett, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 1953) births

      1. American baseball player (1868–1953)

        Jesse Burkett

        Jesse Cail Burkett, nicknamed "Crab", was an American professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1890 to 1905 for the New York Giants, Cleveland Spiders, St. Louis Perfectos / Cardinals, St. Louis Browns, and Boston Americans.

  107. 1867

    1. Stanley Argyle, Australian politician, 32nd Premier of Victoria (d. 1940) births

      1. Australian politician; Premier of Victoria

        Stanley Argyle

        Sir Stanley Seymour Argyle KBE, MRCS, LRCP, was an Australian doctor, radiologist, businessman, and politician. Argyle was the former Leader of the Opposition, Treasurer and Premier of Victoria, achieving the latter in May 1932, following the 1932 Victorian state election.

      2. Head of government in the state of Victoria

        Premier of Victoria

        The premier of Victoria is the head of government in the Australian state of Victoria. The premier is appointed by the governor of Victoria, and is the leader of the political party able to secure a majority in the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

  108. 1865

    1. Edith Cavell, English nurse, humanitarian, and saint (Anglicanism) (d. 1915) births

      1. British nurse (1865–1915)

        Edith Cavell

        Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from both sides without discrimination and for helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during the First World War, for which she was arrested under martial law. She was accused of treason, found guilty by a court-martial and sentenced to death. Despite international pressure for mercy, she was shot by a German firing squad. Her execution received worldwide condemnation and extensive press coverage.

      2. Christian denominational tradition

        Anglicanism

        Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the largest branches of Christianity, with around 110 million adherents worldwide as of 2001.

  109. 1861

    1. Hannes Hafstein, Icelandic poet and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Iceland (d. 1922) births

      1. Hannes Hafstein

        Hannes Þórður Pétursson Hafstein was an Icelandic politician and poet. In 1904 he became the first Icelander to be appointed to the Danish Cabinet as the minister for Iceland in the Cabinet of Deuntzer and was – unlike the previous minister for Iceland Peter Adler Alberti – responsible to the Icelandic Althing.

      2. Head of Iceland's government

        Prime Minister of Iceland

        The prime minister of Iceland is Iceland's head of government. The prime minister is appointed formally by the president and exercises executive authority along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support.

  110. 1850

    1. William Sturgeon, English physicist, invented the electric motor (b. 1783) deaths

      1. British inventor

        William Sturgeon

        William Sturgeon was an English physicist and inventor who made the first electromagnets, and invented the first practical British electric motor.

      2. Machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy

        Electric motor

        An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate force in the form of torque applied on the motor's shaft. An electric generator is mechanically identical to an electric motor, but operates with a reversed flow of power, converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.

  111. 1845

    1. Gregor MacGregor, Scottish soldier and explorer (b. 1786) deaths

      1. Scottish soldier, adventurer, and confidence trickster (1786–1845)

        Gregor MacGregor

        General Gregor MacGregor was a Scottish soldier, adventurer, and confidence trickster who attempted from 1821 to 1837 to draw British and French investors and settlers to "Poyais", a fictional Central American territory that he claimed to rule as "Cazique". Hundreds invested their savings in supposed Poyaisian government bonds and land certificates, while about 250 emigrated to MacGregor's invented country in 1822–23 to find only an untouched jungle; more than half of them died. Seen as a contributory factor to the "Panic of 1825", MacGregor's Poyais scheme has been called one of the most brazen confidence tricks in history.

  112. 1844

    1. Franz Xavier Wernz, German religious leader, 25th Superior General of the Society of Jesus (d. 1914) births

      1. Franz Xavier Wernz

        Franz Xavier Wernz SJ was the twenty-fifth Superior General of the Society of Jesus. He was born in Rottweil, Württemberg.

      2. Leader of the Society of Jesus

        Superior General of the Society of Jesus

        The superior general of the Society of Jesus is the leader of the Society of Jesus, the Catholic religious order also known as the Jesuits. He is generally addressed as Father General. The position sometimes carries the nickname of the Black Pope, because of his responsibility for the largest male religious order, in contrast with the white garb of the pope. The thirty-first and current superior general is Fr Arturo Sosa, elected by the 36th General Congregation on 14 October 2016.

  113. 1841

    1. David Daniel Davis, Welsh-English physician and academic (b. 1777) deaths

      1. David Daniel Davis

        David Daniel Davis M.D. F.R.C.P. was a British physician.

  114. 1839

    1. John Leamy, Irish–American merchant (b. 1757) deaths

      1. American merchant

        John Leamy (merchant)

        John Leamy was an Irish-born American merchant who pioneered Philadelphia's trade with the Spanish colonies in the Americas. He was a founder of the Insurance Company of North America and the Hibernian Society. As an active Roman Catholic, he helped fund the construction of St. Augustine Church, was a trustee at St. Mary's and there participated in the Hogan schism.

  115. 1835

    1. Samuel Butler, English author and critic (d. 1902) births

      1. English novelist and critic (1835–1902)

        Samuel Butler (novelist)

        Samuel Butler was an English novelist and critic, best known for the satirical utopian novel Erewhon (1872) and the semi-autobiographical novel Ernest Pontifex or The Way of All Flesh, published posthumously in 1903 in an altered version titled The Way of All Flesh, and published in 1964 as he wrote it. Both novels have remained in print since their initial publication. In other studies he examined Christian orthodoxy, evolutionary thought, and Italian art, and made prose translations of the Iliad and Odyssey that are still consulted.

  116. 1828

    1. Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1770) deaths

      1. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1812 to 1827

        Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool

        Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, was a British Tory statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1812 to 1827. He held many important cabinet offices such as Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. He was also a member of the House of Lords and served as leader.

      2. List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom

        The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the principal minister of the crown of His Majesty's Government, and the head of the British Cabinet. There is no specific date for when the office of prime minister first appeared, as the role was not created but rather evolved over a period of time through a merger of duties. The term was regularly, if informally, used of Robert Walpole by the 1730s. It was used in the House of Commons as early as 1805, and it was certainly in parliamentary use by the 1880s. In 1905, the post of prime minister was officially given recognition in the order of precedence.

  117. 1817

    1. Nikoloz Baratashvili, Georgian poet and author (d. 1845) births

      1. Georgian poet

        Nikoloz Baratashvili

        Prince Nikoloz "Tato" Baratashvili was a Georgian poet. He was one of the first Georgians to marry modern nationalism with European Romanticism and to introduce "Europeanism" into Georgian literature. Due to his early death, Baratashvili left a relatively small literary heritage of fewer than forty short lyrics, one extended poem, and a few private letters, but he is nevertheless considered to be the high point of Georgian Romanticism. He was referred to as the "Georgian Byron".

  118. 1798

    1. Jules Armand Dufaure, French lawyer and politician, 33rd Prime Minister of France (d. 1881) births

      1. Jules Armand Dufaure

        Jules Armand Stanislas Dufaure was a French statesman.

      2. Head of Government of France

        Prime Minister of France

        The prime minister of France, officially the prime minister of the French Republic, is the head of government of the French Republic and the leader of the Council of Ministers.

    2. Luigi Galvani, Italian physician, physicist, and philosopher (b. 1737) deaths

      1. Italian physician, physicist, and philosopher

        Luigi Galvani

        Luigi Galvani was an Italian physician, physicist, biologist and philosopher, who studied animal electricity. In 1780, he discovered that the muscles of dead frogs' legs twitched when struck by an electrical spark. This was an early study of bioelectricity, following experiments by John Walsh and Hugh Williamson.

  119. 1795

    1. Thomas Carlyle, Scottish-English historian, philosopher, and academic (d. 1881) births

      1. Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher (1795–1881)

        Thomas Carlyle

        Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. A leading writer of the Victorian era, he exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature and philosophy.

  120. 1777

    1. Juliette Récamier, French businesswoman (d. 1849) births

      1. 19th-century French salon-holder

        Juliette Récamier

        Jeanne Françoise Julie Adélaïde Récamier, known as Juliette, was a French socialite whose salon drew people from the leading literary and political circles of early 19th-century Paris. As an icon of neoclassicism, Récamier cultivated a public persona as a great beauty, and her fame quickly spread across Europe. She befriended many intellectuals, sat for the finest artists of the age, and spurned an offer of marriage from Prince Augustus of Prussia.

  121. 1732

    1. John Gay, English poet and playwright (b. 1685) deaths

      1. English poet and playwright (1685–1732)

        John Gay

        John Gay was an English poet and dramatist and member of the Scriblerus Club. He is best remembered for The Beggar's Opera (1728), a ballad opera. The characters, including Captain Macheath and Polly Peachum, became household names.

  122. 1713

    1. Gasparo Gozzi, Italian playwright and critic (d. 1786) births

      1. Italian literary critic (1713–1786)

        Gasparo Gozzi

        Gasparo, count Gozzi was a Venetian critic and dramatist.

  123. 1696

    1. Empress Meishō of Japan (b. 1624) deaths

      1. Empress of Japan

        Empress Meishō

        Empress Meishō was the 109th monarch of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Her reign lasted from 1629 to 1643.

  124. 1680

    1. Thomas Bartholin, Danish physician, mathematician, and theologian (b. 1616) deaths

      1. Danish physician, mathematician and theologian

        Thomas Bartholin

        Thomas Bartholin was a Danish physician, mathematician, and theologian. He is best known for his work in the discovery of the lymphatic system in humans and for his advancements of the theory of refrigeration anesthesia, being the first to describe it scientifically.

  125. 1679

    1. Thomas Hobbes, English philosopher and theorist (b. 1588) deaths

      1. English philosopher (1588–1679)

        Thomas Hobbes

        Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher, considered to be one of the founders of modern political philosophy. Hobbes is best known for his 1651 book Leviathan, in which he expounds an influential formulation of social contract theory. In addition to political philosophy, Hobbes contributed to a diverse array of other fields, including history, jurisprudence, geometry, theology, and ethics, as well as philosophy in general.

  126. 1670

    1. John Aislabie, English politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (d. 1742) births

      1. English politician

        John Aislabie

        John Aislabie or Aslabie, of Studley Royal, near Ripon, Yorkshire, was a British politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons from 1695 to 1721. He was of an independent mind, and did not stick regularly to the main parties. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time of the South Sea Bubble and his involvement with the Company led to his resignation and disgrace.

      2. Minister for Finance in the United Kingdom and Head of Treasury

        Chancellor of the Exchequer

        The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is a high-ranking member of the British Cabinet and is third in the ministerial ranking, behind the prime minister and the deputy prime minister.

  127. 1667

    1. Michel Pignolet de Montéclair, French composer and educator (d. 1737) births

      1. French composer

        Michel Pignolet de Montéclair

        Michel Pignolet de Montéclair was a French composer of the baroque period.

  128. 1660

    1. André Campra, French composer and conductor (d. 1744) births

      1. French composer and conductor

        André Campra

        André Campra was a French composer and conductor of the Baroque era. The leading French opera composer in the period between Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau, Campra wrote several tragédies en musique and opéra-ballets that were extremely well received. He also wrote three books of cantatas as well as religious music, including a requiem.

  129. 1649

    1. William Drummond of Hawthornden, Scottish poet (b. 1585) deaths

      1. 16th/17th-century Scottish poet

        William Drummond of Hawthornden

        William Drummond, called "of Hawthornden", was a Scottish poet.

  130. 1647

    1. Daniel Eberlin, German composer (d. 1715) births

      1. Daniel Eberlin

        Daniel Eberlin was a German Baroque composer and Kapellmeister.

  131. 1642

    1. Cardinal Richelieu, French cardinal and politician, Chief Minister to the French Monarch (b. 1585) deaths

      1. French clergyman, noble and statesman and King Louis XIII's chief minister

        Cardinal Richelieu

        Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu, known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a French clergyman and statesman. He was also known as l'Éminence rouge, or "the Red Eminence", a term derived from the title "Eminence" applied to cardinals and the red robes that they customarily wear.

      2. List of prime ministers of France

        The head of the government of France has been called the prime minister of France since 1959, when Michel Debré became the first officeholder appointed under the Fifth Republic. During earlier periods of history, the head of government of France was known by different titles. As was common in European democracies of the 1815–1958 period, the head of government was called President of the Council of Ministers, generally shortened to President of the Council. This should not be confused with the elected office of president of the French Republic, who appoints the prime minister as head of state.

  132. 1637

    1. Nicholas Ferrar, English trader (b. 1592) deaths

      1. English scholar, courtier and church innovator 1592–1637

        Nicholas Ferrar

        Nicholas Ferrar was an English scholar, courtier and businessman, who was ordained a deacon in the Church of England. He lost much of his fortune in the Virginia Company and retreated with his extended family in 1626 to the manor of Little Gidding, Huntingdonshire, for his remaining years, in an informal spiritual community following High Anglican practice. His friend the poet and Anglican priest George Herbert (1593–1633), on his deathbed, sent Ferrar the manuscript of The Temple, telling him to publish the poetry if it might "turn to the advantage of any dejected poor soul." "If not, let him burn it; for I and it are less than the least of God's mercies." Ferrar published the verses in 1633; they remain in print.

  133. 1609

    1. Alexander Hume, Scottish poet (b. 1560) deaths

      1. Scottish poet

        Alexander Hume

        Alexander Hume was a Scottish poet who served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in the early 17th century.

  134. 1603

    1. Maerten de Vos, Flemish painter and draughtsman (b. 1532) deaths

      1. Flemish painter

        Maerten de Vos

        Maerten de Vos, Maerten de Vos the Elder or Marten de Vos was a Flemish painter. He is known mainly for his history and allegorical paintings and portraits. He was, together with the brothers Ambrosius Francken I and Frans Francken I, one of the leading history painters in the Spanish Netherlands after Frans Floris career slumped in the second half of the sixteenth century as a result of the Iconoclastic fury of the Beeldenstorm.

  135. 1595

    1. Jean Chapelain, French poet and critic (d. 1674) births

      1. French poet and critic

        Jean Chapelain

        Jean Chapelain was a French poet and critic during the Grand Siècle, best known for his role as an organizer and founding member of the Académie française. Chapelain acquired considerable prestige as a literary critic, but his own major work, an epic poem about Joan of Arc called "La Pucelle," (1656) was lampooned by his contemporary Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux.

  136. 1585

    1. John Cotton, English-American minister and theologian (d. 1652) births

      1. 17th-century Puritan minister in England and America

        John Cotton (minister)

        John Cotton was a clergyman in England and the American colonies and was considered the preeminent minister and theologian of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He studied for five years at Trinity College, Cambridge, and another nine at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He had already built a reputation as a scholar and outstanding preacher when he accepted the position of minister at St. Botolph's Church, Boston in Lincolnshire, in 1612.

    2. John Willock, Scottish minister and reformer (b. 1515) deaths

      1. Scottish church leader (1515–1585)

        John Willock

        John Willock was a Scottish reformer. He appears to have been a friar of the Franciscan House at Ayr. Having joined the party of reform before 1541, he fled for his life to England. There he became noted as a zealous and taking preacher. This led to his arrest for heresy under an Act of Henry VIII., "for abolishing diversity of opinion" in matters of religion. He was found guilty of preaching against purgatory, holy water, priestly confession, and prayer to the saints, and of holding that priests might lawfully be married, he was for some time confined in the Fleet prison. After the accession of Edward VI he was chaplain to Henry, Duke of Suffolk, who had married King Henry's niece, and is best known as the father of Lady Jane Grey. He preached for a time in London, in St Katherine's Church, when both he and John Knox, his fast friend, were granted general license to preach anywhere in England. Henry, Earl of Huntingdon, presented him to the rectory of Loughborough in Leicestershire, a living which he continued to hold during King Edward's reign, and again during that of Queen Elizabeth for the rest of his life. Thus in his later years he was in the unique position of being at the same time a parish minister in both England and Scotland. When Mary Tudor came to the English throne in 1553, Willock fled to Embden, in the Protestant Duchy of Friesland. There he practised as a physician with much success, and rose to some eminence. In 1555, and again in 1556, the Duchess Anne of Friesland sent him to Scotland as her Commissioner on matters of trade. In 1558 he returned home, and preached for some time in Dundee, with much acceptance among the friends of reform. In 1559, when John Knox had to leave Edinburgh in peril of his life, Willook took his place as the evangelist of the Reformation. It was then that he conducted in St Giles what is believed to have been the earliest public celebration of the Holy Communion in Scotland after the reformed ritual. In 1560, when Queen Mary of Guise lay dying, the Earls of Argyll and Moray, and other Lords of the Congregation advised her to "send for a godly, learned man of whom she might receive instruction"; and Willock was chosen to minister to her, which he faithfully did. That same year he was made Superintendent of Glasgow and the West. He was also one of the six Johns entrusted with the drawing up of the First Book of Discipline, the others being John Knox, John Winram, John Spottiswood, John Douglas, and John Row. Sometime in that year he went to England, and brought home his wife, Katherine Picknavell, an English lady. He was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly in 1563, 1564, 1565, and 1568. In 1565 Queen Mary endeavoured to put a stop to his activity by having him imprisoned in Dumbarton Castle; but the Reformers were now too strong for her, and she had to depart from her purpose.

  137. 1580

    1. Samuel Argall, English adventurer and naval officer (d. 1626) births

      1. 16/17th-century English naval officer and colonial official in Virginia

        Samuel Argall

        Sir Samuel Argall was an English adventurer and naval officer.

  138. 1576

    1. Georg Joachim Rheticus, Austrian-Slovak mathematician and cartographer (b. 1514) deaths

      1. Austrian astronomer and mathematician

        Georg Joachim Rheticus

        Georg Joachim de Porris, also known as Rheticus, was a mathematician, astronomer, cartographer, navigational-instrument maker, medical practitioner, and teacher. He is perhaps best known for his trigonometric tables and as Nicolaus Copernicus's sole pupil. He facilitated the publication of his master's De revolutionibus orbium coelestium.

  139. 1575

    1. Sister Virginia Maria, Italian nun (d. 1650) births

      1. The Nun of Monza

        Sister Virginia Maria was an Italian nun.

  140. 1555

    1. Heinrich Meibom, German poet and historian (d. 1625) births

      1. German historian and poet

        Heinrich Meibom (poet)

        Heinrich Meibom, German historian and poet, was born at Barntrup in Westphalia.

  141. 1506

    1. Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche (d. 1558) births

      1. English courtier

        Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche

        Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche KG was an English courtier during the reign of Edward VI. He served as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household and Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard between 1550 and 1551 before his appointment as Lord Chamberlain of the Household. He was placed under house arrest for his support of Lady Jane Grey as Edward's successor.

  142. 1459

    1. Adolphus VIII, Count of Holstein (b. 1401) deaths

      1. Count of Holstein-Rendsburg

        Adolph VIII, Count of Holstein

        Adolphus XI of Schauenburg, as Adolph I Duke of Schleswig, and as Adolph VIII Count of Holstein-Rendsburg, was the mightiest vassal of the Danish realm.

  143. 1456

    1. Charles I, Duke of Bourbon (b. 1401) deaths

      1. Charles I, Duke of Bourbon

        Charles de Bourbon was the oldest son of John I, Duke of Bourbon and Marie, Duchess of Auvergne.

  144. 1428

    1. Bernard VII, Lord of Lippe (d. 1511) births

      1. Lord of Lippe

        Bernard VII, Lord of Lippe

        Bernard VII of Lippe was the ruler of the Lordship of Lippe from 1429 until his death. Because of the many bloody feuds in which he was involved, he was nicknamed "the Bellicose". He is the longest-ever ruling European nobleman.

  145. 1408

    1. Valentina Visconti, wife of Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans deaths

      1. Italian noble (1371–1408)

        Valentina Visconti, Duchess of Orléans

        Valentina Visconti was a countess of Vertus, and duchess consort of Orléans as the wife of Louis I, Duke of Orléans, the younger brother of King Charles VI of France. As duchess of Orléans she was at court and acquired the enmity of the Queen of France, Isabeau of Bavaria-Ingolstadt, and was subsequently banned from the court and had to leave Paris. Due to political animosity, Valentina's husband was murdered in 1407. She died on 4 December 1408.

      2. 14/15th-century French nobleman

        Louis I, Duke of Orléans

        Louis I of Orléans was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Duke of Touraine (1386–1392), Count of Valois (1386?–1406) Blois (1397–1407), Angoulême (1404–1407), Périgord (1400–1407) and Soissons (1404–07).

  146. 1341

    1. Janisław I, Archbishop of Gniezno deaths

      1. Janisław I

        Janisław was an Archbishop of Gniezno 1317–41, having in 1317 succeeded Borzysław I. Janisław unconditionally supported the policy of reunification of Polish lands carried out by Władysław I the Elbow-high, whom he crowned King of Poland on 20 January 1320.

  147. 1340

    1. Henry Burghersh, English bishop and politician, Lord Chancellor of England (b. 1292) deaths

      1. 14th-century Bishop of Lincoln, Treasurer of England, and Chancellor of England

        Henry Burghersh

        Henry Burghersh, was Bishop of Lincoln (1320-1340) and served as Lord Chancellor of England (1328–1330). He was a younger son of Robert de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh, and a nephew of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere. He was educated in France.

      2. Highest-ranking regularly-appointed Great Officer of State of the United Kingdom

        Lord Chancellor

        The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The lord chancellor is appointed by the sovereign on the advice of the prime minister. Prior to their Union into the Kingdom of Great Britain, there were separate lord chancellors for the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland; there were lord chancellors of Ireland until 1922.

  148. 1334

    1. Pope John XXII (b. 1249) deaths

      1. Head of the Catholic Church from 1316 to 1334

        Pope John XXII

        Pope John XXII, born Jacques Duèze, was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death in December 1334.

  149. 1270

    1. Theobald II of Navarre (b. 1238) deaths

      1. King of Navarre

        Theobald II of Navarre

        Theobald II was King of Navarre and also, as Theobald V, Count of Champagne and Brie, from 1253 until his death. He was the son and successor of Theobald I and the second Navarrese monarch of the House of Blois. After he died childless, the throne of Navarre passed to his younger brother, Henry I.

  150. 1260

    1. Aymer de Valence, Bishop of Winchester (b. 1222) deaths

      1. 13th-century Bishop of Winchester

        Aymer de Valence (bishop)

        Aymer de Valence was a Bishop of Winchester around 1250.

      2. Diocesan bishop in the Church of England

        Bishop of Winchester

        The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (cathedra) is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ex officio the office of Prelate of the Most Noble Order of the Garter since its foundation in 1348, and Bishops of Winchester often held the positions of Lord Treasurer and Lord Chancellor ex officio. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the wealthiest English sees, and its bishops have included a number of politically prominent Englishmen, notably the 9th century Saint Swithun and medieval magnates including William of Wykeham and Henry of Blois.

  151. 1214

    1. William the Lion, Scottish king (b. 1143) deaths

      1. King of Scotland from 1165 to 1214

        William the Lion

        William the Lion, sometimes styled William I and also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of Scots from 1165 to 1214. His 48-year-long reign was the second longest in Scottish history, and the longest for a Scottish monarch before the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

  152. 1131

    1. Omar Khayyám, Persian poet, astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher (b. 1048) deaths

      1. Persian polymath (1048–1131)

        Omar Khayyam

        Ghiyāth al-Dīn Abū al-Fatḥ ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm Nīsābūrī, commonly known as Omar Khayyam, was a polymath, known for his contributions to mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and Persian poetry. He was born in Nishapur, the initial capital of the Seljuk Empire. As a scholar, he was contemporary with the rule of the Seljuk dynasty around the time of the First Crusade.

  153. 1075

    1. Anno II, German archbishop and saint (b. 1010) deaths

      1. Archbishop of Cologne from 1056 to 1075

        Anno II

        Anno II was Archbishop of Cologne from 1056 until his death. From 1063 to 1065 he acted as regent of the Holy Roman Empire for the minor Emperor Henry IV. Anno is venerated as a saint of the Catholic Church.

  154. 870

    1. Suairlech ind Eidnén mac Ciaráin, Irish bishop deaths

      1. Irish abbot and bishop

        Suairlech ind Eidnén mac Ciaráin

        Suairlech ind Eidnén mac Ciaráin was an Irish abbot and bishop. Little is known about him, but he is mentioned in the Annals of Inisfallen as the abbot of Bennchor. He was also known to have been Abbot of Clonard at somepoint during the 9th century.

      2. Leadership position in religious institutions

        Bishop

        A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.

  155. 846

    1. Hasan al-Askari 11th Imam of Twelver Shia Islam (d. 874) births

      1. Eleventh of the Twelve Shia Imams

        Hasan al-Askari

        Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad, better known as Hasan al-Askari, was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is regarded as the eleventh of the Twelve Imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Hadi. Hasan Al-Askari was born in Medina in 844 and brought with his father to the garrison town of Samarra in 848, where the Abbasid caliphs held them under close surveillance until their deaths, even though neither were politically active. After the death of al-Hadi in 868, the majority of his following acknowledged his son, al-Askari, as their next Imam. Al-Askari's contact with the Shia population was restricted by the caliphs and instead he communicated with his followers through a network of representatives. He died in Samarra in 873-874 at the age of about twenty-eight and was buried in the family home next to his father, which later developed into al-Askari shrine, a major center for Shia pilgrimage. Shia sources commonly hold the Abbasids responsible for the death of al-Askari and his father. A well-known early Shia commentary of the Quran is attributed to al-Askari.

      2. Islamic leadership position

        Imam

        Imam is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, serve as community leaders, and provide religious guidance. Thus for Sunnis, anyone can study the basic Islamic sciences and become an Imam.

  156. 771

    1. Carloman I, Frankish king (b. 751) deaths

      1. King of the Franks (r. 768–771) of the Carolingian dynasty

        Carloman I

        Carloman I, also Karlmann, was king of the Franks from 768 until his death in 771. He was the second surviving son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon and was a younger brother of Charlemagne. His death allowed Charlemagne to take all of Francia and begin his expansion into other kingdoms.

  157. 749

    1. John of Damascus, Syrian priest and saint (b. 676) deaths

      1. Christian monk, priest, hymnographer and apologist (675/6-749)

        John of Damascus

        John of Damascus or John Damascene was a Christian monk, priest, hymnographer, and apologist. Born and raised in Damascus c. 675 or 676; the precise date and place of his death is not known, though tradition places it at his monastery, Mar Saba, near Jerusalem on 4 December 749.

  158. 34

    1. Persius, Roman poet (d. 62) births

      1. Calendar year

        AD 34

        AD 34 (XXXIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Persicus and Vitellius. The denomination AD 34 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

      2. Roman poet and satirist (AD 34–62)

        Persius

        Aulus Persius Flaccus was a Roman poet and satirist of Etruscan origin. In his works, poems and satires, he shows a Stoic wisdom and a strong criticism for what he considered to be the stylistic abuses of his poetic contemporaries. His works, which became very popular in the Middle Ages, were published after his death by his friend and mentor, the Stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Cornutus.

  159. -530

    1. Cyrus the Great, king of Persia (b. 600 BC) deaths

      1. Founder of the Achaemenid Empire

        Cyrus the Great

        Cyrus II of Persia, commonly known as Cyrus the Great, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, the first Persian empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all of the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Western Asia and much of Central Asia. Spanning from the Mediterranean Sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, the empire created by Cyrus was the largest the world had yet seen. At its maximum extent under his successors, the Achaemenid Empire stretched from parts of the Balkans and Southeast Europe proper in the west to the Indus Valley in the east.

Holidays

  1. Christian feast day: Ada

    1. Saint Ada

      Saint Ada is a saint from Le Mans, France. In the 7th-century, she served the Christian church as the abbess of the St. Julien de Prés Abbey in Le Mans. Previously she had been as a nun in the city of Soissons. Though she is best known as Saint Ada of Le Mans, her place of patronage is sometimes given as Soissons or St. Julien, and her given name is sometimes recorded as Adeneta, Adna, Adneta, Adnetta, Adonette, Adrechild, Adrehilda, Adrehilde, or Adrehildis. The Saint loved God very much and lived her life with hope.

  2. Christian feast day: Anno II

    1. Archbishop of Cologne from 1056 to 1075

      Anno II

      Anno II was Archbishop of Cologne from 1056 until his death. From 1063 to 1065 he acted as regent of the Holy Roman Empire for the minor Emperor Henry IV. Anno is venerated as a saint of the Catholic Church.

  3. Christian feast day: Barbara, and its related observances: Barbórka, Miners' Day in Poland

    1. 3rd-century Lebanese Christian saint and martyr

      Saint Barbara

      Saint Barbara, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian Lebanese and Greek saint and martyr. Accounts place her in the 3rd century in Heliopolis Phoenicia, present-day Baalbek, Lebanon, and recent discovered texts in the Saida early church archives suggest her maternal grandmother is a descendant from Miye ou Miye village. There is no reference to her in the authentic early Christian writings nor in the original recension of Saint Jerome's martyrology.

    2. Country in Central Europe

      Poland

      Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of 312,696 km2 (120,733 sq mi). Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous member state of the European Union. Warsaw is the nation's capital and largest metropolis. Other major cities include Kraków, Wrocław, Łódź, Poznań, Gdańsk, and Szczecin.

  4. Christian feast day: Barbara, and its related observances: Eid il-Burbara, a holiday similar to Halloween in honor of Saint Barbara. (Russia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey)

    1. Middle Eastern Christian holiday

      Eid il-Burbara

      Eid il-Burbara or Saint Barbara's Day, and also called the Feast of Saint Barbara, is a holiday annually celebrated on 17 December or 4 December amongst Middle Eastern Christians in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Turkey. It is also celebrated as Barbaroba (ბარბარობა) amongst Christians in Georgia. Its celebration shares many elements with Hallowe'en, though coming from a much earlier tradition, and unrelated to the feast of the dead. Traditionally, adults and children wearing disguise go around houses in the villages dancing and singing the story of Saint Barbara; and in each house, they are offered food specially prepared for that feast. It is celebrated in honour of the Christian Saint and Martyr Saint Barbara. The general belief amongst Lebanese Christians is that Saint Barbara disguised herself as many different characters to elude the Romans who were persecuting her.

    2. 3rd-century Lebanese Christian saint and martyr

      Saint Barbara

      Saint Barbara, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian Lebanese and Greek saint and martyr. Accounts place her in the 3rd century in Heliopolis Phoenicia, present-day Baalbek, Lebanon, and recent discovered texts in the Saida early church archives suggest her maternal grandmother is a descendant from Miye ou Miye village. There is no reference to her in the authentic early Christian writings nor in the original recension of Saint Jerome's martyrology.

    3. Country spanning Europe and Asia

      Russia

      Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering 17,098,246 square kilometres (6,601,670 sq mi), and encompassing one-eighth of Earth's inhabitable landmass. Russia extends across eleven time zones and shares land boundaries with fourteen countries, more than any other country but China. It is the world's ninth-most populous country and Europe's most populous country, with a population of 146 million people. The country's capital and largest city is Moscow, the largest city entirely within Europe. Saint Petersburg is Russia's cultural centre and second-largest city. Other major urban areas include Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, and Kazan.

    4. Country in Western Asia

      Israel

      Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea, and shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. Israel also is bordered by the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to the east and west, respectively. Tel Aviv is the economic and technological center of the country, while its seat of government is in its proclaimed capital of Jerusalem, although Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem is unrecognized internationally.

    5. Country in the Middle East

      Jordan

      Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan River. Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south and east, Iraq to the northeast, Syria to the north, and the Palestinian West Bank, Israel, and the Dead Sea to the west. It has a 26 km (16 mi) coastline on the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea to the southwest. The Gulf of Aqaba separates Jordan from Egypt. Amman is Jordan's capital and largest city, as well as its economic, political, and cultural centre.

    6. Country in Western Asia

      Lebanon

      Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lies to its west across the Mediterranean Sea; its location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has contributed to its rich history and shaped a cultural identity of religious diversity. It is part of the Levant region of the Middle East. Lebanon is home to roughly six million people and covers an area of 10,452 square kilometres (4,036 sq mi), making it the second smallest country in continental Asia. The official language of the state is Arabic, while French is also formally recognized; the Lebanese dialect of Arabic is used alongside Modern Standard Arabic throughout the country.

    7. Interim government in Western Asia

      Palestinian National Authority

      The Palestinian National Authority, commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine, is the Fatah-controlled government body that exercises partial civil control over West Bank areas "A" and "B" as a consequence of the 1993–1995 Oslo Accords. The Palestinian Authority controlled the Gaza Strip prior to the Palestinian elections of 2006 and the subsequent Gaza conflict between the Fatah and Hamas parties, when it lost control to Hamas; the PA continues to claim the Gaza Strip, although Hamas exercises de facto control. Since January 2013, the Palestinian Authority has used the name "State of Palestine" on official documents, although the United Nations continues to recognize the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) as the "representative of the Palestinian people".

    8. Country in Western Asia

      Syria

      Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a Western Asian country located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It is a unitary republic that consists of 14 governorates (subdivisions), and is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east and southeast, Jordan to the south, and Israel and Lebanon to the southwest. Cyprus lies to the west across the Mediterranean Sea. A country of fertile plains, high mountains, and deserts, Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including the majority Syrian Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, Assyrians, Armenians, Circassians, Albanians, and Greeks. Religious groups include Muslims, Christians, Alawites, Druze, and Yazidis. The capital and largest city of Syria is Damascus. Arabs are the largest ethnic group, and Muslims are the largest religious group.

    9. Country straddling Western Asia and Southeastern Europe

      Turkey

      Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. It shares borders with the Black Sea to the north; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east; Iraq to the southeast; Syria and the Mediterranean Sea to the south; the Aegean Sea to the west; and Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest. Cyprus is located off the south coast. Turks form the vast majority of the nation's population and Kurds are the largest minority. Ankara is Turkey's capital, while Istanbul is its largest city and financial centre.

  5. Christian feast day: Bernardo degli Uberti

    1. Bernard degli Uberti

      Bernardo degli Uberti was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who was a professed member and served as an abbot of the Vallumbrosan Order. Uberti served as the Bishop of Parma from 1106 until his death and was appointed as a cardinal. He came from the noble Uberti house from Florence. Uberti served as a papal legate for successive popes in several Italian regions in their disputes with secular rulers and was a close confidant and advisor to the Countess Matilda. He is often considered the third founding father for the order alongside Benedict of Nursia and Giovanni Gualberto.

  6. Christian feast day: Clement of Alexandria (Anglicanism, Eastern Catholicism)

    1. Christian theologian (c.150 – c.215)

      Clement of Alexandria

      Titus Flavius Clemens, also known as Clement of Alexandria, was a Christian theologian and philosopher who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Among his pupils were Origen and Alexander of Jerusalem. A convert to Christianity, he was an educated man who was familiar with classical Greek philosophy and literature. As his three major works demonstrate, Clement was influenced by Hellenistic philosophy to a greater extent than any other Christian thinker of his time, and in particular, by Plato and the Stoics. His secret works, which exist only in fragments, suggest that he was familiar with pre-Christian Jewish esotericism and Gnosticism as well. In one of his works he argued that Greek philosophy had its origin among non-Greeks, claiming that both Plato and Pythagoras were taught by Egyptian scholars.

    2. Christian denominational tradition

      Anglicanism

      Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the largest branches of Christianity, with around 110 million adherents worldwide as of 2001.

    3. 23 Eastern Christian churches in full communion with Rome

      Eastern Catholic Churches

      The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous particular churches of the Catholic Church, in full communion with the Pope in Rome. Although they are distinct theologically, liturgically, and historically from the Latin Church, they are all in full communion with it and with each other. Eastern Catholics are a distinct minority within the Catholic Church; of the 1.3 billion Catholics in communion with the Pope, approximately 18 million are members of the eastern churches.

  7. Christian feast day: Giovanni Calabria

    1. Giovanni Calabria

      Giovanni Calabria was an Italian Roman Catholic priest who dedicated his life to the plight of the poor and the ill. He established two congregations, the Poor Servants of Divine Providence and the Poor Sisters Servants of Divine Providence. to take better care of poor people in various Italian cities and later abroad while underpinning the need to promote the message of the gospel to the poor.

  8. Christian feast day: John of Damascus

    1. Christian monk, priest, hymnographer and apologist (675/6-749)

      John of Damascus

      John of Damascus or John Damascene was a Christian monk, priest, hymnographer, and apologist. Born and raised in Damascus c. 675 or 676; the precise date and place of his death is not known, though tradition places it at his monastery, Mar Saba, near Jerusalem on 4 December 749.

  9. Christian feast day: Maruthas

    1. 5th century Christian Saint

      Maruthas of Martyropolis

      Saint Maruthas or Marutha of Martyropolis was a Syrian monk who became bishop of Maypherkat in Mesopotamia (Meiafarakin) for a period beginning before 399 up to around 410. He's believed to have died before 420. He is venerated as a Saint in the Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, his feast being kept on 4 December.

  10. Christian feast day: Nicholas Ferrar (Anglicanism)

    1. English scholar, courtier and church innovator 1592–1637

      Nicholas Ferrar

      Nicholas Ferrar was an English scholar, courtier and businessman, who was ordained a deacon in the Church of England. He lost much of his fortune in the Virginia Company and retreated with his extended family in 1626 to the manor of Little Gidding, Huntingdonshire, for his remaining years, in an informal spiritual community following High Anglican practice. His friend the poet and Anglican priest George Herbert (1593–1633), on his deathbed, sent Ferrar the manuscript of The Temple, telling him to publish the poetry if it might "turn to the advantage of any dejected poor soul." "If not, let him burn it; for I and it are less than the least of God's mercies." Ferrar published the verses in 1633; they remain in print.

    2. Christian denominational tradition

      Anglicanism

      Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the largest branches of Christianity, with around 110 million adherents worldwide as of 2001.

  11. Christian feast day: Osmund

    1. 11th-century Bishop of Salisbury and saint

      Saint Osmund

      Osmund, Count of Sées, was a Norman noble and clergyman. Following the Norman conquest of England, he served as Lord Chancellor and as the second bishop of Salisbury, or Old Sarum.

  12. Christian feast day: Sigiramnus

    1. Sigiramnus

      Saint Sigiramnus, also known as Saint Cyran, was an abbot and confessor of the 7th century. A nobleman of Berry, he studied at Tours and then joined the royal court of Clothaire II. He served as cup-bearer but always wore a hair-shirt underneath his garments, devoting himself to prayer.

  13. Christian feast day: December 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

    1. December 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

      December 3 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - December 5

  14. National Cookie Day (United States)

    1. List of food days

      This is a list of food days by country. Many countries have designated specific days as celebrations, commemorations, or acknowledgments of certain types of food and drink.

    2. Country in North America

      United States

      The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territories, nine Minor Outlying Islands, and 326 Indian reservations. It is the third-largest country by both land and total area. The United States shares land borders with Canada to its north and with Mexico to its south. It has maritime borders with the Bahamas, Cuba, Russia, and other nations. With a population of over 331 million, it is the most populous country in North America and the third most populous in the world. The national capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city and financial center is New York City.

  15. Navy Day (India)

    1. Annual celebration

      Navy Day (India)

      Navy Day in India is celebrated on 4 December every year to recognize the achievements and role of the Indian Navy to the country. 4 December was chosen as on that day in 1971, during Operation Trident, the Indian Navy sank four Pakistani vessels including PNS Khaibar, killing hundreds of Pakistani Navy personnel. On this day, those killed in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 are also remembered.

  16. Thai Environment Day (Thailand)

    1. Public holidays in Thailand

      Public holidays in Thailand are regulated by the government, and most are observed by both the public and private sectors. There are usually nineteen public holidays in a year, but more may be declared by the cabinet. Other observances, both official and non-official, local and international, are observed to varying degrees throughout the country.

    2. Country in Southeast Asia

      Thailand

      Thailand, historically known as Siam and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning 513,120 square kilometres (198,120 sq mi), with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bordered to the north by Myanmar and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the extremity of Myanmar. Thailand also shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the southeast, and Indonesia and India to the southwest. Bangkok is the nation's capital and largest city.

  17. Tupou I Day (Tonga)

    1. Culture of Tonga

      The Tongan archipelago has been inhabited for perhaps 3000 years, since settlement in late Lapita times. The culture of its inhabitants has surely changed greatly over this long time period. Before the arrival of European explorers in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Tongans were in frequent contact with their nearest Oceanic neighbors, Fiji and Samoa. In the 19th century, with the arrival of Western traders and missionaries, Tongan culture changed dramatically. Some old beliefs and habits were thrown away and others adopted. Some accommodations made in the 19th century and early 20th century are now being challenged by changing Western civilization. Hence Tongan culture is far from a unified or monolithic affair, and Tongans themselves may differ strongly as to what it is "Tongan" to do, or not do. Contemporary Tongans often have strong ties to overseas lands. They may have been migrant workers in New Zealand, or have lived and traveled in New Zealand, Australia, or the United States. Many Tongans now live overseas, in a Tongan diaspora, and send home remittances to family members who prefer to remain in Tonga. Tongans themselves often have to operate in two different contexts, which they often call anga fakatonga, the traditional Tongan way, and anga fakapālangi, the Western way. A culturally adept Tongan learns both sets of rules and when to switch between them.

    2. Country in the South Pacific

      Tonga

      Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about 750 km2 (290 sq mi), scattered over 700,000 km2 (270,000 sq mi) in the southern Pacific Ocean. As of 2021, according to Johnson's Tribune, Tonga has a population of 104,494, 70% of whom reside on the main island, Tongatapu. The country stretches approximately 800 km (500 mi) north-south. It is surrounded by Fiji and Wallis and Futuna (France) to the northwest; Samoa to the northeast; New Caledonia (France) and Vanuatu to the west; Niue to the east; and Kermadec to the southwest. Tonga is about 1,800 km (1,100 mi) from New Zealand's North Island.