Events
- 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months; Celestine hoped to return to his previous life as an ascetic hermit.
- 1545 - Council of Trent begins.
- 1577 - Sir Francis Drake sets out from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage.
- 1636 - The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This organization is recognized today as the founding of the United States National Guard.
- 1642 - Abel Janszoon Tasman reaches New Zealand.
- 1643 - English Civil War: The Battle of Alton takes place in Hampshire.
- 1769 - Dartmouth College founded by the Rev. Eleazar Wheelock, with a Royal Charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal Governor John Wentworth.
- 1862 - American Civil War: At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeats the Union Major General Ambrose E. Burnside.
- 1884 - first performance of any of Richard Strauss's compositions in the United States (Symphony in f, New York Philharmonic)
- 1895 - Premiere of Gustav Mahler's Resurrection Symphony in Berlin.
- 1937 - Second Sino-Japanese War: Battle of Nanjing - Nanjing, defended by the National Revolutionary Army under the command of General Tang Shengzhi, falls to the Japanese.
- 1937 - Nanjing Massacre.Japanese troops begin carrying out several weeks of raping and killingof civilians and suspected Chinese resistance after the fall of Nanjing.
- 1938 - The Holocaust: 100 deportees from Sachsenhausen build the Neuengamme concentration camp near Hamburg.
- 1939 - World War II: Battle of the River Plate - Captain Hans Langsdorff of the German Deutschland class cruiser (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee engages with Royal Navy cruisers HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles.
- 1941 - World War II: Hungary and Romania declare war on the United States.
- 1943 - World War II: 710 Bombers of U.S. 8th Air Force attack Kiel, Germany.
- 1949 - The Knesset votes to move the capital of Israel to Jerusalem.
- 1959 - Archbishop Makarios becomes the first President of Cyprus.
- 1972 - Apollo program: Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt begin the sixth and final Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) or "Moonwalk" of Apollo 17. This was the last manned mission to the moon of the 20th century.
- 1973 - Rael, leader of the Raelian Movement claims to meet an ET he says is named Yahweh, during an alleged UFO encounter in Puy de Lassolas, France.
- 1974 - Malta becomes a republic.
- 1977 - A DC-3 aircraft chartered from the Indianapolis-based National Jet crashes near Evansville Regional Airport, killing 29, including the University of Evansville basketball team, support staff and boosters of the team.
- 1978 - The first Susan B. Anthony dollar enters circulation.
- 1979 - The Canadian Government of Prime Minister Joe Clark is defeated in the House of Commons, prompting the 1980 Canadian election.
- 1981 - General Wojciech Jaruzelski declares martial law in Poland to prevent dismantling of the communist system by Solidarity.
- 1983 - The Denver Nuggets and the Detroit Pistons play in the highest scoring NBA game in history, with the Pistons winning 186-184 in triple overtime. In addition to most points in a game, this game also set the record for most field goals made (136), and most assists (93).
- 1989 - The last issue of Gnistan (The Spark), the organ of the Solidaritetspartiet, is published in Sweden.
- 1996 - Kofi Annan is elected as Secretary-General of the United Nations.
- 2000 - The "Texas 7" escape from the John Connally Unit near Kenedy, Texas and go on a robbery spree, during which police officer Aubrey Hawkins is shot and killed.
- 2000 - American Vice President Al Gore delivers his concession speech ending his hopes of becoming the 43rd President of the United States.
- 2001 - the Indian Parliament Sansad is attacked by terrorists, killing 15 people, including all the terrorists.
- 2002 - Enlargement of the European Union: The European Union announces that Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia will become members from May 1, 2004.
- 2003 - Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured near his home town of Tikrit (see Operation Red Dawn).
- 2003 - In the most-attended basketball game in history, 78,129 watch Michigan State University lose 79-74 to the University of Kentucky at Ford Field.
- 2004 - Former Chilean dictator, General Augusto Pinochetis put under house arrest, after being sued under accusations over 9kidnapping actions and manslaughter. The house arrest is lifted thesame day on appeal.
- 2006 - The Baiji, or Chinese River Dolphin, announced as extinct.
- 1521 - Pope Sixtus V (d. 1590)
- 1533 - King Eric XIV of Sweden (d. 1577)
- 1553 - King Henry IV of France (d. 1610)
- 1585 - William Drummond of Hawthornden, Scottish poet (d. 1649)
- 1640 - Robert Plot, English naturalist (d. 1696)
- 1662 - Francesco Bianchini, Italian philosopher and scientist (d. 1729)
- 1678 - Yongzheng Emperor of China (d. 1735)
- 1720 - Carlo Gozzi, Italian dramatist (d. 1804)
- 1724 - Franz Aepinus, German scientist (d. 1802)
- 1784 - Archduke Louis of Austria (d. 1864)
- 1797 - Heinrich Heine, German poet (d. 1856)
- 1804 - Joseph Howe, Canadian politician (d. 1873)
- 1816 - Ernst Werner von Siemens, German engineer, inventor, and industrialist (d. 1892)
- 1818 - Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the United States (d. 1882)
- 1836 - Franz von Lenbach, German painter (d. 1904)
- 1856 - Svetozar Boroević, Austro-Hungarian field marshal (d. 1920)
- 1860 - Lucien Guitry, French actor (d. 1925)
- 1864 - Emil Seidel, Mayor of Milwaukee (d. 1947)
- 1867 - Kristian Birkeland, Norwegian explorer and scientist (d. 1917)
- 1870 - Edward LeSaint, American actor and director (d. 1940)
- 1871 - Emily Carr, Canadian artist (d. 1945)
- 1874 - Josef Lhévinne, Russian-born pianist (d. 1944)
- 1883 - Belle da Costa Greene, American librarian, bibliographer and archivist (d. 1950)
- 1887 - George Polya, Hungarian-born mathematician (d. 1985)
- 1887 - Alvin York, American soldier & Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1964)
- 1897 - Drew Pearson, American journalist (d. 1969)
- 1903 - Carlos Montoya, Spanish guitarist (d. 1993)
- 1906 - Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent (d. 1968)
- 1906 - Sir Laurens van der Post, South African author (d. 1996)
- 1910 - Van Heflin, American actor (d. 1971)
- 1911 - Trygve Haavelmo, Norwegian economist and Bank of Sweden Prize winner (d. 1999)
- 1911 - Kenneth Patchen, American poet and painter (d. 1972)
- 1913 - Arnold Brown, the 11th General of The Salvation Army (d. 2002)
- 1913 - Archie Moore, American boxer (d. 1998)
- 1915 - Curd Jürgens, German-born Austrian actor (d. 1982)
- 1915 - Ross Macdonald, American-born author (d. 1983)
- 1915 - B. J. Vorster, Prime Minister of South Africa 1966-1978 (d. 1983)
- 1917 - John Hart, American actor
- 1919 - Hans-Joachim Marseille, German flying ace of World War II (d. 1942)
- 1920 - George Shultz, United States Secretary of State 1982-1989
- 1923 - Philip Warren Anderson, American physicist, Nobel laureate
- 1923 - Larry Doby, American baseball player (d. 2003)
- 1925 - Dick Van Dyke, American actor and comedian
- 1926 - George Rhoden, Jamaican athlete
- 1929 - Christopher Plummer, Canadian actor
- 1930 - Robert Prosky, American actor
- 1934 - Richard D. Zanuck, American film producer
- 1935 - Joe Christopher, American baseball player
- 1935 - Ken Hall, American football player
- 1935 - Lindy McDaniel, American baseball player
- 1936 - His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan (Aga Khan IV), Imam (leader) of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims
- 1936 - J. C. Martin, American baseball player
- 1937 - Ron Taylor, Canadian baseball player
- 1938 - Alvin Curran, American composer
- 1939 - Eric Flynn, British actor and singer (d. 2002)
- 1941 - John Davidson, American actor and game show host
- 1942 - Anna Eshoo, American politician
- 1943 - Ferguson Jenkins, Canadian baseball player
- 1943 - Gösta Winbergh, Swedish tenor (d. 2002)
- 1944 - Hwang Jang Lee, Korean martial artist and film actor
- 1945 - Kathy Garver, American actress
- 1945 - Brian McGuire, Australian racing driver (d. 1977)
- 1947 - Darlene Cates, American actress
- 1947 - Dave Hamilton, American baseball player
- 1948 - Jeff Baxter, American guitarist (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers)
- 1948 - Ted Nugent, American guitarist
- 1948 - Brian Wilson, Scottish politician
- 1949 - Tom Verlaine, American singer/guitarist of Television
- 1950 - Wendie Malick, American actress
- 1950 - Tom Vilsack, Governor of Iowa
- 1952 - Sylvester Ritter (Junkyard Dog), American professional wrestler (d. 1998)
- 1953 - Ben Bernanke, American economist and current United States Chairman of the Federal Reserve
- 1953 - Bill Castro, Dominican baseball player
- 1953 - Bob Gainey, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1954 - John Anderson, American country musician
- 1954 - Tamora Pierce, American author
- 1956 - Dale Berra, American baseball player
- 1957 - Steve Buscemi, American actor
- 1957 - Morris Day, American singer (The Time)
- 1957 - Jean-Marie Messier, French businessman
- 1958 - Lynn-Holly Johnson, American figure skater and actress
- 1959 - Jim Barrell, American professional wrestler
- 1959 - Johnny Whitaker, American actor
- 1960 - Daggubati Venkatesh, Indian actor
- 1961 - Harry Gregson-Williams, English composer
- 1961 - Irene Saez, Miss Universe 1981 and Venezuelan politician
- 1964 - Hide, Japanese musician (X Japan) (d. 1998)
- 1965 - Marko Mäetamm, Estonian artist
- 1966 - Ross Burden, New Zealand celebrity chef
- 1966 - Don Roff, American writer and filmmaker
- 1967 - Jamie Foxx, American actor
- 1967 - Bo Pelini, American football coach
- 1969 - Sergei Fedorov, Russian ice hockey player
- 1969 - Murat Nasyrov, Russian singer (d. 2007)
- 1973 - Christie Clark, American actress
- 1974 - Sara Cox, English TV and radio presenter
- 1974 - Nicholas McCarthy, English guitarist (Franz Ferdinand)
- 1975 - Tom DeLonge, American guitarist (blink-182, Angels & Airwaves)
- 1975 - Matthew LeCroy, American baseball player
- 1976 - Josh Fogg, American baseball player
- 1976 - Radosław Sobolewski, Polish footballer
- 1977 - Peter Stringer, Irish rugby union footballer
- 1978 - Ryo Kawakita, Japanese guitarist (Maximum the Hormone)
- 1981 - Amy Lee, American singer/songwriter (Evanescence)
- 1982 - Anthony Callea, Australian singer/songwriter
- 1982 - Ricky Nolasco, American baseball player
- 1982 - Tuka Rocha, Brazilian racing driver
- 1982 - Freddie Weinke, American football player
- 1982 - Dominik Werling, German footballer
- 1983 - Matt Deis, American bassist
- 1983 - Otylia Jędrzejczak, Polish swimmer
- 1989 - Taylor Swift, American singer/songwriter
- 1991 - Jay Greenberg, American composer
- 2005 - Prince Aymeric of Belgium
- 2005 - Prince Nicolas of Belgium
- 1048 - Al-Biruni, Persian mathematician (b. 973)
- 1124 - Pope Callixtus II
- 1126 - Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria
- 1204 - Maimonides, Spanish rabbi and philosopher (b. 1135)
- 1250 - Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1194)
- 1404 - Albert, Count of Holland (b. 1336)
- 1466 - Donatello, Florentine artist and sculptor (b. 1386)
- 1516 - Johannes Trithemius, German cryptographer (b. 1462)
- 1521 - Manuel I of Portugal (b. 1469)
- 1557 - Niccolo Fontana Tartaglia, Italian mathematician
- 1565 - Conrad Gessner, Swiss naturalist (b. 1516)
- 1603 - François Viète, French mathematician (b. 1540)
- 1621 - Katarina Stenbock, Queen of Gustav I of Sweden (b. 1535)
- 1716 - Charles de La Fosse, French painter (b. 1640)
- 1721 - Alexander Selkirk, Scottish sailor and castaway (b. 1676)
- 1729 - Anthony Collins, English philosopher (b. 1676)
- 1754 - Mahmud I, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1696)
- 1769 - Christian Fürchtegott Gellert, German poet (b. 1715)
- 1783 - Pehr Wilhelm Wargentin, Swedish astronomer (b. 1717)
- 1784 - Samuel Johnson, English writer and lexicographer (b. 1709)
- 1814 - Charles Joseph, Prince de Ligne, Belgian-born Austrian field marshal (b. 1735)
- 1835 - John Storm, American Revolutionary soldier (b. 1760)
- 1837 - Herman of Alaska, Russian Orthodox hermit (b. 1756)
- 1863 - Christian Friedrich Hebbel, German writer (b. 1813)
- 1868 - Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius, German botanist (b. 1794)
- 1881 - August Senoa, Croatian writer (b. 1838)
- 1883 - Victor de Laprade, French poet and critic (b. 1812)
- 1895 - Anyos Jedlik, Hungarian physicist (b. 1800)
- 1919 - Woldemar Voigt, German physicist (b. 1850)
- 1922 - Hannes Hafstein, Icelandic politician and poet (b. 1861)
- 1924 - Samuel Gompers, American labor and political leader, founder of AFL (b. 1850)
- 1930 - Fritz Pregl, Slovenian/Austrian chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1869)
- 1931 - Gustave le Bon, French psychologist (b. 1840)
- 1932 - Georgios Jakobides, Greek painter (b. 1853)
- 1934 - Thomas A. Watson, American assistant to Alexander Graham Bell (b. 1854)
- 1935 - Victor Grignard, French chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1871)
- 1940 - Jacques-Arsène d'Arsonval, French physicist (b. 1851)
- 1942 - Wlodimir Ledochowski, Polish-Austrian director of the Society of Jesus (b. 1866)
- 1944 - Wassily Kandinsky, Russian-born French artist (b. 1866)
- 1944 - Lupe Vélez, Mexican actress (b. 1908)
- 1945 - Irma Grese, Nazi war criminal (b. 1923)
- 1945 - Josef Kramer, commandant of Bergen Belsen concentration camp (b. 1906)
- 1945 - Elisabeth Volkenrath, supervisor at concentration camps (b. 1919)
- 1947 - Nicholas Roerich, Russian-born painter (b. 1874)
- 1950 - Abraham Wald, Hungarian mathematician (b. 1902)
- 1954 - John Raymond Hubbell, American writer (b. 1879)
- 1955 - Egas Moniz, Portuguese psychiatrist and neurosurgeon, Nobel laureate (b. 1874)
- 1958 - Tim Moore, American actor (b. 1887)
- 1961 - Grandma Moses, American painter (b. 1860)
- 1969 - Raymond A. Spruance, American admiral (b. 1886)
- 1969 - Spencer Williams, Jr., American actor (b. 1893)
- 1973 - Henry Green, English author (b. 1905)
- 1979 - Jon Hall, American actor (b. 1915)
- 1980 - Doug Stepina, Musician, American rock band, Dialogue (b. 1980)
- 1981 - Pigmeat Markham, American entertainer (b. 1904)
- 1983 - Alexander Schmemann, Orthodox Christian priest and theologian (b. 1921)
- 1983 - Nichita Stanescu, Romanian poet (b. 1933)
- 1992 - K.C. Irving, Canadian industrialist (b. 1899)
- 1992 - Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, American businessman and heir (b. 1899)
- 1993 - Vanessa Duriès, French novelist (b. 1972)
- 1994 - Norman Beaton, Guyanese actor
- 2001 - Chuck Schuldiner, American musician (Death) (b. 1967)
- 2002 - Zal Yanovsky, American musician (The Lovin' Spoonful) (b. 1945)
- 2003 - William V. Roth, Jr., U.S. Senator (b. 1921)
- 2004 - Andre Rodgers, Bahamian baseball player (b. 1934)
- 2004 - David Wheeler, English computer scientist (b. 1927)
- 2005 - Timothy Jordan II, American musician (The All American Rejects, Jonezetta) (b. 1981)
- 2005 - Stanley Tookie Williams, co-founder of the Crips (b. 1953)
- 2006 - Lamar Hunt, American sports executive (b. 1932)
- Roman festivals - Tellus was worshipped in the district Carinae at the Esquiline Hill, and a lectisternium or table was spread for Ceres.
- R.C. Saints - memorial of Saint Lucy
- In the Julian calendar before the Gregorian reform, this was the shortest day and longest night, and widely celebrated as such.
- Malta - Republic Day (since 1974)
- St. Lucia's Day in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and some regions of Italy, mainly Sicily, Veneto and Trentino.