Events
- 1152 - Henry II marries Eleanor of Aquitaine.
- 1268 - The Principality of Antioch, a crusader state, falls to the Mamluk Sultan Baibars in the Battle of Antioch.
- 1302 - Bruges Matins, the nocturnal massacre of the French garrison in Bruges by members of the local Flemish militia
- 1498 - Vasco da Gama reaches the port of Calicut, India
- 1593 - Playwright Thomas Kyd's accusations of heresy lead to an arrest warrant for Christopher Marlowe.
- 1631 - In Dorchester, Massachusetts, John Winthrop takes the oath of office and becomes the first Governor of Massachusetts.
- 1652 - Rhode Island passes the first law in North America making slavery illegal.
- 1765 - Fire destroys a large part of Montreal, Quebec.
- 1783 - First United Empire Loyalists reach Parrtown, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada after leaving the United States.
- 1803 - Napoleonic Wars: The United Kingdom revokes the Treaty of Amiens and declares war on France.
- 1804 - Napoleon Bonaparte is proclaimed Emperor of the French by the French Senate.
- 1811 - Las Piedras Battle: first great military triumph of the revolution of the RÃo de la Plata in Uruguay leaded by Jose Artigas.
- 1848 - Opening of the first German National Assembly (Nationalversammlung) in Frankfurt, Germany.
- 1863 - American Civil War: The Siege of Vicksburg begins.
- 1869 - Surrender and dissolution of the Ezo Republic to Japan.
- 1869 - The Public Credit Act is signed by Ulysses S. Grant, one of his first actions as President of the United States.
- 1876 - Wyatt Earp starts work in Dodge City, Kansas.
- 1896 - The United States Supreme Court rules in Plessy v. Ferguson that separate but equal is constitutional.
- 1896 - Khodynka Tragedy: a mass panic on Khodynka Field in Moscow during the festivities of the coronation of Russian Tsar Nicholas II resulted in the deaths of 1,389 people.
- 1897 - Dracula, a novel by Irish author Bram Stoker is published.
- 1900 - The United Kingdom proclaims a protectorate over Tonga.
- 1910 - The Earth passes through the tail of Comet Halley.
- 1917 - World War I: The Selective Service Act of 1917 is passed, giving the President the power of conscription.
- 1926 - Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson disappears while visiting a Venice, California, beach.
- 1927 - The Bath School Disaster: Forty-five people are killed by bombs planted by a disgruntled school-board member in Michigan.
- 1933 - New Deal: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs an act creating the Tennessee Valley Authority.
- 1944 - World War II: Battle of Monte Cassino - Conclusion after seven days of the fourth battle as German paratroopers ("Fallschirmjäger") evacuate Monte Cassino.
- 1944 - Deportation of Crimean Tatars by the Soviet Union government.
- 1944 - World War II: SS troops burn down six villages in the Brkini hills in south western Slovenia.
- 1948 - The First Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China officially convenes in Nanking.
- 1953 - Jackie Cochran becomes the first woman to break the sound barrier.
- 1958 - An F-104 Starfighter sets a world speed record of 1,404.19 mph (2,259.82 km/h).
- 1959 - Launching of the National Liberation Committee of Côte d'Ivoire in Conakry, Guinea.
- 1969 - Apollo program: Apollo 10 launched.
- 1974 - Nuclear test: Under project Smiling Buddha, India successfully detonates its first nuclear weapon becoming the sixth nation to do so.
- 1974 - Completion of the Warsaw radio mast, the tallest construction ever built at the time. It later collapses on August 8, 1991.
- 1980 - 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption: Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington, killing 57 people and causing $3 billion in damage.
- 1980 - Gwangju Massacre: Students in Gwangju, South Korea begin demonstrations, calling for democratic reforms.
- 1983 - In Ireland, the Government launched a crackdown, with the leading Dublin pirate Radio Nova being put off the air.
- 1990 - In France, a modified TGV train achieves a new rail world speed record - 515.3km/h
- 1991 - Helen Sharman from Sheffield becomes the first Briton to orbit in Space
- 1991 - Northern Somalia declares independence from the rest of Somalia as the Republic of Somaliland but is unrecognised by the international community.
- 1992 - The Archivist of the United States officially announces the 27th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
- 1998 - United States v. Microsoft: The United States Department of Justice and 20 U.S. states file an antitrust case against Microsoft.
- 2006 - The post Loktantra Andolan government passes a landmark bill curtailing the power of the monarchy and making Nepal a secular country.
- 1048 - Omar Khayyám, Persian mathematician, poet and philosopher (d. 1131)
- 1186 - Konstantin of Rostov, Prince of Novgorod (d. 1218)
- 1474 - Isabella d'Este, Marquise of Mantua (d. 1539)
- 1610 - Stefano della Bella, Italian printmaker (d. 1664)
- 1616 - Johann Jakob Froberger, German composer (d. 1667)
- 1662 (O.S.) - George Smalridge, English bishop of Bristol (d. 1719)
- 1692 (O.S.) - Joseph Butler, English bishop and philosopher (d. 1752)
- 1711 - Ruđer Josip BoÅ¡ković, Croatian atomic theorist (d. 1787)
- 1778 - Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry (d. 1854)
- 1785 - John Wilson, Scottish writer (d. 1854)
- 1797 - Frederick Augustus II of Saxony (d. 1854)
- 1850 - Oliver Heaviside, English physicist (d. 1925)
- 1851 - James Budd, Governor of California (d. 1908)
- 1868 - Nicholas II of Russia, Tsar of Russia (d. 1918)
- 1872 - Bertrand Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, English mathematician, writer and philosopher, Nobel laureate (d. 1970)
- 1876 - Hermann Müller, Chancellor of Germany (d. 1931)
- 1882 - Babe Adams, American baseball player (d. 1968)
- 1883 - Eurico Gaspar Dutra, President of Brazil (d. 1974)
- 1883 - Walter Gropius, German architect (d. 1969)
- 1887 - Jeanie MacPherson, American actress and screenwriter (d. 1946)
- 1889 - Thomas Midgley, American chemist and inventor (d. 1944)
- 1891 - Rudolf Carnap, German philosopher (d. 1970)
- 1892 - Ezio Pinza, Italian-born bass (d. 1957)
- 1897 - Frank Capra, American film producer, director, and writer (d. 1991)
- 1901 - Vincent du Vigneaud, American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1978)
- 1902 - Meredith Willson, American composer (d. 1984)
- 1904 - Jacob K. Javits, American politician (d. 1986)
- 1905 - Hedley Verity, English cricketer (d. 1943)
- 1907 - Carl Mydans, American photographer (d. 2004)
- 1909 - Fred Perry, British former tennis player (d. 1995)
- 1911 - Big Joe Turner, American blues singer (d. 1985)
- 1912 - Richard Brooks, American film director, writer and producer (d. 1992)
- 1912 - Perry Como, American singer (d. 2001)
- 1912 - Walter Sisulu, South African anti-apartheid activist (d. 2003)
- 1913 - Jane Birdwood, British anti-Semitic activist (d. 2000)
- 1913 - Charles Trenet, French singer and songwriter (d. 2001)
- 1913 - Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, Fifth President of India (d. 1996)
- 1914 - Pierre Balmain, French fashion designer (d. 1982)
- 1918 - George Welch, American pilot and war hero (d. 1954)
- 1918 - Massimo Girotti, Italian actor (d. 2003)
- 1919 - Dame Margot Fonteyn, English ballet dancer (d. 1991)
- 1920 - Pope John Paul II (d. 2005)
- 1920 - Lucia Mannucci, Italian singer (Quartetto Cetra)
- 1922 - Gerda Boyesen, Norwegian-born body psychotherapist (d. 2005)
- 1922 - Bill Macy, American actor
- 1922 - Kai Winding, Danish-born musician (d. 1983)
- 1923 - Hugh Shearer, Prime Minister of Jamaica (d. 2004)
- 1923 - Jean-Louis Roux, French Canadian actor and artistic director
- 1924 - Priscilla Pointer, American actress
- 1924 - Jack Whitaker, American sportscaster
- 1926 - Dirch Passer, Danish actor (d. 1980)
- 1928 - Pernell Roberts, American actor
- 1929 - Jack Sanford, American baseball player (d. 2000)
- 1930 - Warren Rudman, American politician
- 1931 - Don Martin, American cartoonist (d. 2000)
- 1931 - Robert Morse, American actor
- 1933 - Bernadette Chirac, French politician
- 1934 - Dwayne Hickman, American actor and television executive
- 1937 - Brooks Robinson, American baseball player
- 1937 - Jacques Santer, Luxembourg statesman
- 1939 - Giovanni Falcone, Italian magistrate (d. 1992)
- 1939 - Gordon O'Connor, Canadian politician
- 1941 - Lobby Loyde, Australian guitarist and songwriter (d. 2007)
- 1942 - Albert Hammond, British musician and composer
- 1942 - Nobby Stiles, English footballer
- 1943 - James Reiher, American professional wrestler
- 1944 - W. G. Sebald, German-born writer (d. 2001)
- 1946 - Bruce Gilbert, English musician (Wire)
- 1946 - Frank Hsieh, former Premier of Taiwan
- 1946 - Reggie Jackson, American baseball player
- 1946 - Andreas Katsulas, American actor (d. 2006)
- 1947 - John Bruton, ninth Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland
- 1949 - Rick Wakeman, English composer and musician (Yes)
- 1949 - Bill Wallace, Canadian musician (The Guess Who)
- 1950 - Thomas Gottschalk, German television show host
- 1950 - Mark Mothersbaugh, American composer, musician, and singer (Devo)
- 1952 - Diane Duane, American writer
- 1952 - George Strait, American musician
- 1952 - Jeana Yeager, American aviator
- 1955 - Chow Yun-Fat, Hong Kong actor
- 1957 - Michael Cretu, German musician (Enigma)
- 1958 - Toyah Willcox, English actor and singer
- 1959 - Jay Wells, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1960 - Jari Kurri, Finnish ice hockey player
- 1960 - Yannick Noah, French tennis player
- 1962 - Mike Whitmarsh, American Volleyball Player
- 1962 - Nanne Grönvall, Swedish singer
- 1962 - Sandra Cretu, German singer
- 1962 - Mike Darnell, American television executive
- 1965 - Ingo Schwichtenberg, German drummer (d. 1995)
- 1966 - Michael Tait, American musician (dc Talk, Tait)
- 1967 - Heinz-Harald Frentzen, German F1 driver
- 1969 - Martika, Cuban-American singer
- 1970 - Tina Fey, American writer/actress
- 1971 - Brad Friedel, American soccer player
- 1971 - Nobuteru Taniguchi, Japanese racing driver
- 1972 - Turner Stevenson, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1973 - Dario Franchitti, Scottish racecar driver
- 1974 - Nelson Figueroa, American baseball player
- 1975 - John Higgins, Scottish snooker player
- 1975 - Jack Johnson, American musician
- 1975 - Peter Iwers, Swedish bass player (In Flames)
- 1976 - Oleg Tverdovsky, Ukrainian ice hockey player
- 1977 - Lee Hendrie, English footballer
- 1977 - Danny Mills, English footballer
- 1978 - Ricardo Carvalho, Portuguese footballer
- 1979 - Mariusz Lewandowski, Polish footballer
- 1979 - Michal Martikán, Slovak slalom canoiest
- 1979 - Julián Speroni, Argentine footballer
- 1980 - Jeff Roehl, American football player
- 1980 - Ali Zafar, Pakistani singer and model
- 1980 - Aileen Campbell, Scottish Politician
- 1981 - Mahamadou Diarra, Malian footballer
- 1982 - Jason Brown, English-born footballer
- 1982 - Eric West, American singer and actor
- 1983 - Gary O'Neil, English footballer
- 1983 - Luis Terrero, Dominican baseball player
- 1983 - Vince Young, American football player
- 1984 - Scarlett Keegan, Playboy Playmate
- 1984 - Joakim Soria, Mexican baseball player
- 1984 - Niki Terpstra, Dutch cyclist
- 1986 - Ryan Lamb, English rugby union player
- 1987 - Luisana Lopilato, Argentine actress and model
- 1988 - Ryan Cooley, Canadian television actor
- 1992 - Spencer Breslin, American actor
- 1997 - Alana Etheridge, American actress
- 1401 - Władysław Opolczyk (German:
Ladislaus von Oppel
, count palatine of Hungary 1367-1372, governor of Halych-Volhynia 1372 - 1378, count palatine of Poland - 1450 - Sejong the Great of Joseon, ruler of Korea (b. 1397)
- 1550 - John, Cardinal of Lorraine, French churchman (b. 1498)
- 1551 - Domenico di Pace Beccafumi, Italian Renaissance-Mannerist painter (d. 1486)
- 1584 - Ikeda Motosuke, Japanese samurai commander (b. 1559)
- 1675 - Stanisław Lubieniecki, Polish astronomer (b. 1623)
- 1675 - Jacques Marquette, French Jesuit missionary and explorer (b. 1637)
- 1692 - Elias Ashmole, English antiquarian (b. 1617)
- 1733 - Georg Böhm, German organist (b. 1761)
- 1780 - Charles Hardy, British governor of Newfoundland
- 1781 - Túpac Amaru II, Peruvian Indian revolutionary, a descendant of the last Inca ruler, Túpac Amaru (b. 1742)
- 1799 - Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, French playwright (b. 1732)
- 1800 - Alexander Suvorov, Russian general (b. 1729)
- 1807 - John Douglas, Scottish Anglican bishop and man of letters (b. 1721)
- 1808 - Elijah Craig, American minister and inventor (b. 1738?)
- 1829 - Maria Josepha of Saxony, queen consort of Spain (b. 1803)
- 1844 - Richard McCarty, American politician (b. 1780)
- 1889 - Isabella Glyn Dallas, Scottish Shakepearean actress (b. 1823)
- 1900 - Jean Gaspard Felix Ravaisson-Mollien, French philosopher (b. 1813)
- 1909 - George Meredith, English novelist and poet (b. 1828)
- 1909 - Isaac Albéniz, Spanish pianist and composer (b. 1860)
- 1910 - Pauline Garcia-Viardot, French mezzo-soprano and composer (b. 1821)
- 1910 - Eliza Orzeszkowa, Polish novelist (b.1841)
- 1911 - Gustav Mahler, Austrian composer (b. 1860)
- 1922 - Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, French physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1845)
- 1927 - Andrew Kehoe, American mass murderer (b. 1872)
- 1941 - Werner Sombart, German economist and sociologist (b. 1863)
- 1955 - Mary McLeod Bethune, American educator and activist (b. 1875)
- 1956 - Maurice Tate, English cricketer (b. 1895)
- 1963 - Ernie Davis, American football player (b. 1939)
- 1967 - Andy Clyde, American actor (b. 1892)
- 1971 - Aleksandr Gennadievich Kurosh, Russian mathematician (b. 1908)
- 1973 - Jeannette Rankin, first U.S. Congresswoman (b. 1880)
- 1975 - Leroy Anderson, American composer (b. 1908)
- 1980 - Ian Curtis, English musician, singer and lyricist (Joy Division) (b. 1956)
- 1980 - Harry Truman, victim of Mount St. Helens eruption (b. 1896)
- 1980 - David A. Johnston, a U.S. Volcanoligist was also a victim of Mount St. Helens eruption (b. 1949)
- 1980 - Reid Blackburn, a photojournalist for National Geographic was also a victim of Mount St. Helens eruption (b. 1952)
- 1981 - Arthur O'Connell, American actor (b. 1908)
- 1981 - William Saroyan, American author (b. 1908)
- 1988 - Daws Butler, American voice actor (b. 1916)
- 1990 - Jill Ireland, English actress (b. 1936)
- 1992 - Skip Stephenson, American TV personality (b. 1940)
- 1992 - Marshall Thompson, American actor (b. 1925)
- 1995 - Elisha Cook, Jr., American actor (b. 1903)
- 1995 - Alexander Godunov, Russian ballet dancer and actor (b. 1949)
- 1995 - Elizabeth Montgomery, American actress (b. 1933)
- 1997 - Bridgette Andersen, American actress (b. 1975)
- 1999 - Augustus Pablo, Jamaican singer (b. 1954)
- 1999 - Betty Robinson, American runner (b. 1911)
- 2000 - Stephen M. Wolownik, Russian musician and arranger (b. 1946)
- 2000 - Maulana Yousuf Ludhianvi, Muslim scholar
- 2002 - Davey Boy Smith, English professional wrestler (b. 1962)
- 2003 - Anna Santisteban, Puerto Rican beauty contest organizer (b. 1914)
- 2003 - Barb Tarbox, Canadian anti-smoking crusader (b. 1961)
- 2004 - Elvin Jones, American jazz drummer (b. 1927)
- 2004 - Serge Turgeon, Quebec actor and union leader (b. 1946)
- 2006 - Andrew Martinez, U.C. Berkeley's "Naked Guy" (b. 1972)
- 2007 - Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, French physicist (b. 1932)
- 2007 - Yoyoy Villame, Philippine novelty singer and movie actor (b. 1932)
- International Museum Day
- Renascence, Unity and Poetry Day of Makhtumkuli in Turkmenistan
- Festival of the god Pan in Ancient Greece
- Festival of Faunus in Ancient Rome
- Liturgical feast day of the following saints in the Roman Catholic
- Feast day of Saint Alexandra in the Eastern Orthodox Church
- Flag Day in Haiti