Events
- 1174 - Jocelin, abbot of Melrose, is elected bishop of Glasgow
- 1568 - Peace of Longjumeau ends the Second War of Religion in France. Again Catherine de' Medici and Charles IX of France make substantial concessions to the Huguenots.
- 1708 - James Francis Edward Stuart lands at the Firth of Forth.
- 1775 - American Revolutionary War: Patrick Henry delivers his famous speech -"give me liberty or give me death" at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia.
- 1801 - Tsar Paul I of Russia is struck with a sword, then strangled, and finally trampled to death in his bedroom at St. Michael's Castle.
- 1806 - After traveling through the Louisiana Purchase and reaching the Pacific Ocean, explorers Lewis and Clark and their "Corps of Discovery" begin their arduous journey home.
- 1821 - Battle and fall of city of Kalamata, Greek War of Independence.
- 1848 - The ship John Wickliffe arrives at Port Chalmers carrying the first Scottish settlers for Dunedin, New Zealand. Otago province is founded.
- 1857 - Elisha Otis's first elevator is installed at 488 Broadway New York City.
- 1868 - The University of California is founded in Oakland, California when the Organic Act is signed into law.
- 1889 - Land run: President Benjamin Harrison opens Oklahoma to white settlement starting on April 22.
- 1889 - The free Woolwich Ferry officially opens in east London.
- 1889 - The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in Qadian India.
- 1896 - The Raines Law is passed by the New York State Legislature, restricting Sunday sale of alcohol to hotels
- 1903 - The Wright Brothers apply for a patent on their invention of one of the first successful airplanes.
- 1908 - American diplomat Durham Stevens is attacked by Korean assassins Jeon Myeong-un and Jang In-hwan, leading to his death in hospital two days later
- 1909 - Theodore Roosevelt leaves New York for a post-presidency safari in Africa. The trip is sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution and National Geographic Society.
- 1919 - In Milan, Italy, Benito Mussolini founds his Fascist political movement.
- 1931 - Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev embrace the gallows during the Indian struggle for independence. Their request to be shot by a firing squad is refused.
- 1933 - The Reichstag passes the Enabling act of 1933, making Adolf Hitler dictator of Germany.
- 1935 - Signing of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.
- 1940 - The Lahore Resolution (Qarardad-e-Pakistan or the then Qarardad-e-Lahore) is put forward at the Annual General Convention of the All India Muslim League.
- 1942 - World War II: In the Indian Ocean, Japanese forces capture the Andaman Islands.
- 1956 - Pakistan becomes the first Islamic republic in the world. (Republic Day in Pakistan)
- 1962 - NS Savannah, the first nuclear-powered cargo-passenger ship, was launched as a showcase for Dwight D. Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace initiative.
- 1965 - NASA launches Gemini 3, the United States' first two-man space flight (crew: Gus Grissom and John Young).
- 1978 - The first UNIFIL troops arrived in Lebanon for peacekeeping mission along the Blue Line.
- 1980 - Archbishop Óscar Romero of El Salvador gives his famous speech appealing to men of the El Salvadoran armed forces to stop killing the Salvadorans.
- 1982 - Guatemala's government, headed by Fernando Romeo Lucas GarcÃa is overthrown in a military coup by right-wing General EfraÃn RÃos Montt.
- 1983 - Strategic Defense Initiative: President Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles.
- 1989 - Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann announce cold fusion at the University of Utah.
- 1994 - At an election rally in Tijuana, Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio is assassinated by Mario Aburto MartÃnez.
- 1994 - Aeroflot Flight 593 crashes in Siberia when the pilot's fifteen-year old son accidentally disengages the autopilot, killing 75.
- 1994 - A United States Air Force (USAF) F-16 aircraft collides with a USAF C-130 at Pope Air Force Base and then crashes, killing a group of 24 United States Army soldiers on the ground later to become known as the Green Ramp Disaster
- 1996 - Taiwan holds its first direct elections and chooses Lee Teng-hui as President.
- 1997 - The pilot episode of the successful Midsomer Murders series with John Nettles airs for the first time, attracting 13.5 million viewers
- 1999 - Gunmen assassinate Paraguay's Vice President Luis MarÃa Argaña.
- 2001 - The Russian Mir space station is disposed of, breaking up in the atmosphere before falling into the southern Pacific Ocean near Fiji.
- 2003 - In Nasiriyah, Iraq, 11 soldiers of the 507th Maintenance Company as well as 18 U.S. Marines are killed during the first major conflict of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- 2003 - The Australian cricket team defeats India in the cricket World cup to win their second successive Cricket World Cup.
- 2004 - Andhra Pradesh Federation of Trade Unions holds its first conference in Hyderabad, India.
- 2005 - The United States 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, refuses to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.
- 2005 - A major explosion at the Texas City Refinery kills 15 workers.
- 2006 - Federal Reserve discontinues publishing M3 money supply.
- 2007 - Burnley Tunnel catastrophe occurs in Melbourne Australia.
- 2007 - Iranian Navy seize Royal Navy personnel in Iraqi waters.
- 1429 - Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI of England (d. 1482)
- 1638 - Frederik Ruysch, Dutch physician and anatomist (d. 1731)
- 1645 - William Kidd, Pirate Legend From Scotland (d. 1701)
- 1699 - John Bartram, American botanist (d. 1777)
- 1723 - Agha Mohammad Khan Ghajar, King of Iran (d. 1771)
- 1732 - Marie Adélaïde of France, daughter of Louis XV (d. 1800)
- 1749 - Pierre Simon de Laplace, French mathematician and astronomer (d. 1827)
- 1754 - Baron Jurij Vega, Slovenian mathematician, physicist, and artillery officer (d. 1802)
- 1769 - William Smith, English geologist and cartographer (d. 1839)
- 1769 - Augustin Daniel Belliard, French general (d. 1832)
- 1823 - Schuyler Colfax, Vice President of the United States (d. 1885)
- 1826 - Léon Minkus, German/Czech composer and violinist (d. 1917)
- 1831 - Eduard Schlagintweit, German writer (d. 1866)
- 1834 - Julius Reubke, German composer (d. 1858)
- 1858 - Ludwig Quidde, German pacifist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1941)
- 1868 - Dietrich Eckart, early supporter of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party and member of Thule Society (d. 1923)
- 1878 - Franz Schreker, Austrian composer (d. 1934)
- 1880 - Heikki Ritavuori, Finnish politician (d. 1922)
- 1881 - Roger Martin du Gard, French writer, Nobel laureate (d. 1958)
- 1881 - Hermann Staudinger, German chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1965)
- 1882 - Emmy Noether, German mathematician (d. 1935)
- 1887 - Juan Gris, Spanish artist (d. 1927)
- 1887 - Josef Čapek, Czech writer (d. 1945)
- 1887 - Prince Felix Yussupov, Russian assassin of Rasputin (d. 1967)
- 1893 - Cedric Gibbons, American art director (d. 1960)
- 1899 - Dora Gerson, German actress and singer (d. 1943)
- 1900 - Erich Fromm, German-born psychoanalyst (d. 1980)
- 1904 - H. Beam Piper, American science fiction author (d. 1964)
- 1905 - Lale Andersen, German singer and cabaretist (d. 1972)
- 1905 - Joan Crawford, American actress (d. 1977)
- 1907 - Daniel Bovet, Swiss-born scientist, Nobel laureate (d. 1992)
- 1910 - Akira Kurosawa, Japanese film director (d. 1998)
- 1912 - Wernher von Braun, German-born physicist and engineer (d. 1977)
- 1915 - Vasily Zaitsev, Soviet World War II hero (d. 1991)
- 1919 - Carl Graffunder, mid-century modernist architect
- 1920 - Neal Smith, former United States Congressman
- 1921 - Donald Campbell, British car and motorboat racer (d. 1967)
- 1922 - Marty Allen, American comedian and actor
- 1922 - Ugo Tognazzi, Italian actor, director and screenwriter (d. 1990)
- 1924 - Bette Nesmith Graham, American inventor (d. 1980)
- 1925 - David Watkin, English cinematographer
- 1929 - Sir Roger Bannister, English runner
- 1931 - Yevgenij Grishin, Russian speed skater (d. 2005)
- 1931 - Viktor Korchnoi, Russian chess player
- 1932 - Don Marshall, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1933 - Philip Zimbardo, American psychologist, known for the Stanford prison experiment
- 1934 - Ludvig Faddeev, Russian mathematician
- 1934 - Fernand Gignac, Canadian singer and actor (d. 2006)
- 1934 - Mark Rydell, American film and television director
- 1937 - Craig Breedlove, American land speed record holder
- 1937 - Robert Gallo, American physician
- 1938 - Maynard Jackson, first black mayor of Atlanta (d. 2003)
- 1939 - Pepe Lienhard, Swiss band leader and entertainer
- 1941 - Jim Trelease, American educator and children's literature author
- 1942 - Walter Rodney, Guyanese historian and political figure (d. 1980)
- 1943 - Lee May, former Major League Baseball player
- 1943 - Nils-Aslak Valkeapää, Finnish writer (d. 2001)
- 1944 - Michael Nyman, British minimalist composer
- 1944 - Tony McPhee, English singer and guitarist (The Groundhogs)
- 1945 - Franco Battiato, Italian singer, songwriter and filmmaker
- 1948 - David Olney, American musician
- 1949 - Ric Ocasek, American musician (The Cars)
- 1950 - Anthony De Longis, American actor
- 1950 - Corinne Clery, French actress
- 1951 - Ron Jaworski, American football player and analyst
- 1952 - Kim Stanley Robinson, American author
- 1953 - Bo Diaz, Venezuelan baseball player (d. 1990)
- 1953 - Chaka Khan, American singer
- 1954 - Geno Auriemma, American basketball coach
- 1955 - Moses Malone, American basketball player
- 1955 - Petrea Burchard, American actress
- 1956 - José Manuel Barroso, Portuguese politician, president of the European Commission
- 1957 - Amanda Plummer, American actress
- 1957 - Robbie James, Welsh footballer (d. 1998)
- 1958 - El Duce, American singer and drummer (The Mentors) (d. 1997)
- 1959 - Epic Soundtracks, English musician (Swell Maps, Crime and the City Solution, These Immortal Souls) (d. 1997)
- 1960 - Nicol Stephen, Deputy First Minister of Scotland
- 1961 - Helmi Johannes, Indonesian television newscaster
- 1962 - Steve Redgrave, British rower, 5 Olympic Gold Medals
- 1964 - Hope Davis, American actress
- 1964 - John Pinette, American comedian
- 1965 - Richard Grieco, American actor and singer
- 1965 - Marti Pellow, Scottish singer
- 1965 - Gary Whitehead, American poet
- 1967 - David Ford, Canadian kayaker
- 1968 - Damon Albarn, English musician (Blur and Gorillaz)
- 1968 - Mitch Cullin, American novelist
- 1968 - Fernando Hierro, Spanish footballer
- 1968 - Michael Atherton, English cricketer
- 1971 - Yasmeen Ghauri, Canadian supermodel
- 1971 - Karen McDougal, American model
- 1971 - Gail Porter, British television presenter
- 1971 - Alexander Selivanov, Russian ice hockey player
- 1971 - Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Japanese professional wrestler
- 1972 - Joe Calzaghe, Welsh boxer
- 1972 - Judith Godrèche, French actress and author
- 1973 - Jerzy Dudek, Polish footballer
- 1973 - Wim Eyckmans, Belgian racing driver
- 1973 - Jason Kidd, American basketball player
- 1975 - Alydar, American racehorse (d. 1990)
- 1976 - Jeremy Newberry, American football player
- 1976 - Michelle Monaghan, American actress
- 1976 - Joel Peralta, Dominican baseball player
- 1976 - Keri Russell, American actress
- 1976 - Ricardo Zonta, Brazilian racing car driver
- 1977 - Jean Carlos Gamarra, Peruvian taekwondo practitioner
- 1978 - Walter Samuel, Argentine footballer
- 1978 - Nicholle Tom, American actress
- 1978 - Perez Hilton, famous blogger
- 1979 - Mark Buehrle, American baseball player
- 1979 - Emraan Hashmi, Indian actor
- 1979 - Misty Hyman, American swimmer
- 1979 - Donncha O'Callaghan, Irish International rugby player
- 1980 - Russell Howard, British Comedian
- 1981 - Luciana Carro, Canadian actress
- 1981 - Erin Crocker, American NASCAR driver
- 1981 - Tony Peña, Jr., Dominican baseball player
- 1983 - Jerome Thomas, English footballer
- 1985 - Maurice Jones-Drew, American football player
- 1986 - Steven Strait, American Actor
- 1990 - Princess Eugenie of York
- 1999 - Prince Beltran of Bulgaria
- 1103 - Eudes I, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1058)
- 1361 - Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster (b. c.1310)
- 1369 - King Pedro of Castile (b. 1334)
- 1548 - Itagaki Nobukata, retainer of Takeda Shingen
- 1555 - Pope Julius III (b. 1487)
- 1559 - Emperor Gelawdewos of Ethiopia (killed in battle) (b. 1521/1522)
- 1596 - Henry Unton, English diplomat
- 1606 - Justus Lipsius, Flemish humanist (b. 1547)
- 1618 - James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Abercorn, Scottish politician
- 1653 - Johan van Galen, Dutch naval officer (b. 1604)
- 1680 - Nicolas Fouquet, French statesman (b. 1615)
- 1742 - Jean-Baptiste Dubos, French writer (b. 1670)
- 1747 - Claude Alexandre de Bonneval, French soldier (b. 1675)
- 1748 - Johann Gottfried Walther, German music theorist, organist, and composer (b. 1684)
- 1754 - Johann Jakob Wettstein, Swiss theologian (b. 1693)
- 1783 - Charles Caroll, American lawyer and delegate to the Continental Congress (b. 1723)
- 1801 - Tsar Paul of Russia (b. 1754)
- 1842 - Stendhal, French writer (b. 1783)
- 1914 - Rafqa Pietra Choboq Ar-Rayès (Saint Rebecca) Lebanese saint (b. 1832)
- 1927 - Paul César Helleu, French artist (b. 1859)
- 1931 - Bhagat Singh, Rajguru Sukhdev Indian freedom fighters
- 1935 - Florence Moore, American actress (b. 1886)
- 1947 - Archduchess Luise of Austria, Princess of Tuscany (b. 1870)
- 1955 - Artur da Silva Bernardes, President of Brazil (b. 1875)
- 1960 - Franklin Pierce Adams, American newspaper columnist (b. 1881)
- 1964 - Peter Lorre, Hungarian-born actor (b. 1904)
- 1965 - Mae Murray, American actress (b. 1889)
- 1968 - Edwin O'Connor, American novelist and Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner (b. 1918)
- 1970 - Del Lord, Canadian director (b. 1894)
- 1972 - Cristóbal Balenciaga, Spanish fashion designer (b. 1895)
- 1979 - Ted Anderson, English footballer (b. 1911)
- 1982 - Barney Clark, first artificial heart recipient (b. 1921)
- 1985 - Richard Beeching, chairman of British Railways (b. 1913)
- 1985 - Peter Charanis, Greek-American scholar and professor (b. 1908)
- 1990 - John Dexter, English stage and film director
- 1991 - Parkash Singh, Indian soldier, recipient of the Victoria Cross (b. 1913)
- 1992 - Friedrich Hayek, Austrian economist, Nobel laureate (b. 1899)
- 1994 - Luis Donaldo Colosio, Mexican politician (b. 1950)
- 1994 - Giulietta Masina, Italian actress (b. 1921)
- 1994 - Donald_Swann, British composer, musician and entertainer (b. 1923)
- 1995 - Alan Barton, English musician (Black Lace, Smokie) (b. 1953)
- 1995 - Davie Cooper, Scottish footballer (b. 1956)
- 1998 - Gerald Stano, American serial killer (b. 1951)
- 1999 - Luis MarÃa Argaña, Paraguayan politician (b. ?)
- 2001 - Rowland Evans, American journalist (b. 1921)
- 2002 - Eileen Farrell, American soprano (b. 1920)
- 2002 - Ben Hollioake, English cricketer (b. 1977)
- 2003 - Fritz Spiegl, Austrian-born journalist (b. 1926)
- 2004 - Rupert Hamer, Australian politician (b. 1916)
- 2006 - David B. Bleak, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1932)
- 2006 - Desmond Doss, American soldier and first conscientious objector Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1919)
- 2006 - Cindy Walker, American singer, songwriter and dancer (b. 1918)
- 2007 - Paul J. Cohen, American mathematician, Fields Medal winner (b. 1934)
- 2007 - Eric Medlen, American NHRA drag racer (b. 1973)
Holidays and Observances
- Roman Empire - The fifth and final day of Quinquatria, held in honor of Minerva.
- Roman Empire - Tubilustrium was held in honor of Mars.
- Ancient Latvia - Lieldienas held in honor of Mara and other pagan goddesses.
- Pakistan - National Day (Republic Day).
- Hungary, Poland - Day of Hungarian-Polish Friendship.
- Easter Sunday (2008).
