Events
- 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus and Pompey flees to Egypt.
- 378 - Gothic War: Battle of Adrianople - A large Roman army led by Emperor Valens is defeated by the Visigoths in present-day Turkey. Valens is killed along with over half of his army.
- 681 - Bulgaria is founded as a Khanate on the south bank of the Danube, after defeating the Byzantine armies of Emperor Constantine IV south of the Danube delta.
- 1048 - Pope Damasus II dies in Rome, after reigning for only 23 days.
- 1173 - Construction of the Tower of Pisa begins, and it takes two centuries to complete.
- 1329 - Quilon the first Indian Diocese was erected by Pope John XXII and Jordanus was appointed the first Bishop
- 1483 - Opening of the Sistine Chapel
- 1666 - Rear Admiral Robert Holmes leads a raid on the Dutch island of Terschelling, destroying 150 merchant ships in the Vlie estuary, and pillaging the town of West-Terschelling, an act later known as "Holmes's Bonfire".
- 1810 - Napoleon annexes Westphalia as part of the First French Empire.
- 1842 - Webster-Ashburton Treaty is signed, establishing the United States-Canada border east of the Rocky Mountains.
- 1862 - American Civil War: Battle of Cedar Mountain - At Cedar Mountain, Virginia, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson narrowly defeats Union forces under General John Pope.
- 1877 - Indian Wars: Battle of Big Hole - A small band of Nez Percé Indians clash with the United States Army.
- 1892 - Thomas Edison receives a patent for a two-way telegraph.
- 1902 - Edward VII is crowned king of the United Kingdom.
- 1907 - The first Boy Scout encampment concludes at Brownsea Island in Southern England.
- 1936 - Summer Olympic Games: Games of the XI Olympiad: Jesse Owens wins his fourth gold medal at the games becoming the first American to win four medals in one Olympiad.
- 1942 - Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi is arrested in Bombay by British forces, launching the Quit India Movement.
- 1942 - World War II: Battle of Savo Island - Allied naval forces protecting their amphibious forces during the initial stages of the Battle of Guadalcanal are surprised and defeated by an Imperial Japanese Navy cruiser force.
- 1944 - The United States Forest Service and the Wartime Advertising Council release posters featuring Smokey Bear for the first time.
- 1945 - World War II: Nagasaki is devastated when an atomic bomb, "Fat Man", is dropped by the United States B-29 Bockscar. 70,000 people are killed instantly.
- 1965 - Singapore seceded from Malaysia and gained independence.
- 1965 - A fire at a Titan missile base near Searcy, Arkansas kills 53 construction workers.
- 1969 - Members of a cult led by Charles Manson brutally murder pregnant actress Sharon Tate (wife of Roman Polanski), coffee heiress Abigail Folger, Polish actor Wojciech Frykowski, men's hairstylist Jay Sebring, and recent high-school graduate Steven Parent at 10050 Cielo Drive in Los Angeles, California.
- 1974 - As a direct result of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon becomes the first President of the United States to resign from office. His Vice President, Gerald Ford, becomes president.
- 1977 - The military-controlled Government of Uruguay announces that it will return the nation to civilian rule through general elections in 1981 for a President and Congress.
- 1993 - The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan loses a 38-year hold on national leadership.
- 1999 - Russian President Boris Yeltsin fires his Prime Minister, Sergei Stepashin, and for the fourth time fires his entire cabinet.
- 1999 - The Diet of Japan enacts a law establishing the Hinomaru and Kimi Ga Yo as the official national flag and national anthem.
- 2001 - US President George W. Bush announces his support for federal funding of limited research on embryonic stem cells.
- 1201 - Arnold Fitz Thedmar, English chronicler (d. 1274)
- 1593 - Izaak Walton, English angler (d. 1683)
- 1631 - John Dryden, English Poet Laureate (d. 1700)
- 1648 - Johann Michael Bach, German composer (d. 1694)
- 1653 - John Oldham, English poet (d. 1683)
- 1669 - Eudoxia Lopukhina, Tsarina of Russia (d. 1731)
- 1674 - FrantiÅ¡ek Maxmilián Kaňka, Czech architect (d. 1766)
- 1722 - Augustus William, Prince of Prussia (d. 1758)
- 1726 - Francesco Cetti, Italian Jesuit scientist (d. 1778)
- 1757 - Thomas Telford, Scottish civil engineer (d. 1834)
- 1776 - Amedeo Avogadro, Italian chemist (d. 1856)
- 1783 - Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna of Russia (d. 1801)
- 1797 - Charles Robert Malden, British naval officer (d. 1855)
- 1805 - Joseph Locke, English railway and civil engineer (d. 1860)
- 1809 - William Barret Travis, commander at Battle of the Alamo
- 1845 - André Bessette, Canadian religious figure (d. 1937)
- 1847 - Maria Victoria al Pozzo della Cisterna, queen consort of Spain (d. 1876)
- 1871 - Leonid Andreyev, Russian writer (d. 1919)
- 1872 - Archduke Joseph August of Austria, Austrian field marshal (d. 1962)
- 1874 - Reynaldo Hahn, Venezuelan composer and conductor (d. 1947)
- 1875 - Albert Ketèlbey, English pianist, conductor and composer (b. 1959)
- 1896 - Jean Piaget, Swiss psychologist (d. 1980)
- 1896 - Erich Hückel, German physicist (d. 1980)
- 1899 - P. L. Travers, Australian author (d. 1996)
- 1901 - Charles Farrell, American actor (d. 1990)
- 1902 - Zino Francescatti, French violinist (d. 1991)
- 1909 - Adam von Trott zu Solz, German diplomat (d. 1944)
- 1911 - William Alfred Fowler, American physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate (d. 1996)
- 1911 - Eddie Futch, American boxing trainer (d. 2001)
- 1914 - Tove Jansson, Finnish author (Moomins) (d. 2001)
- 1914 - Ferenc Fricsay, Hungarian conductor (d. 1963)
- 1914 - Joe Mercer, English footballer (d. 1990)
- 1919 - Joop den Uyl, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 1987)
- 1919 - Ralph Houk, American baseball player and manager
- 1920 - Enzo Biagi, Italian journalist and writer
- 1921 - J. James Exon, American politician, (d. 2005)
- 1921 - Ernest Angley, televangelist
- 1922 - Philip Larkin, English poet (d. 1985)
- 1925 - David A. Huffman, creator of Huffman coding (d. 1999)
- 1927 - Daniel Keyes, American author
- 1927 - Robert Shaw, English actor (d. 1978)
- 1928 - Bob Cousy, American. basketball player
- 1930 - Jacques Parizeau, Quebec economist and politician
- 1931 - Mário Zagallo, Brazilian football coach and player
- 1931 - Chuck Essegian, American baseball player
- 1932 - John Gomery, Canadian jurist
- 1933 - Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, Japanese television personality and children's author
- 1936 - Julián Javier, American baseball player
- 1936 - Patrick Tse Yin, Hong Kong film director
- 1938 - Leonid Kuchma, Ukrainian politician
- 1938 - Rod Laver, Australian tennis player
- 1938 - Otto Rehhagel, German football manager
- 1939 - Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy, former President of the European Commission
- 1939 - Brito, Brazilian footballer
- 1940 - Beverlee McKinsey, American actress (d. 2008)
- 1942 - Tommie Agee, American baseball player (d. 2001)
- 1942 - David Steinberg, Canadian comedian
- 1943 - Ken Norton, American boxer
- 1944 - Sam Elliott, American actor
- 1945 - Posy Simmonds, English cartoonist
- 1946 - Jim Kiick, American football player
- 1947 - Barbara Mason, American soul singer
- 1947 - Benjamin Orr, American bassist and singer (The Cars) (d. 2000)
- 1948 - Bill Campbell, American baseball player
- 1949 - Jonathan Kellerman, American writer
- 1952 - Prateep Ungsongtham Hata, Thai politician
- 1955 - John E. Sweeney, American politician
- 1955 - Peter Schmuck, American sportswriter
- 1957 - Melanie Griffith, American actress
- 1959 - Kurtis Blow, American rapper
- 1959 - Stuart Hughes, Canadian actor
- 1961 - Brad Gilbert, American tennis player
- 1961 - John Key, New Zealand politician
- 1961 - Amy Stiller, American actress
- 1962 - Kevin Mack, American football player
- 1962 - Louis Lipps, American football player
- 1963 - Whitney Houston, American diva and actress
- 1964 - Brett Hull, Canadian-born hockey player
- 1964 - Hoda Kotb, American television news anchor
- 1967 - Deion Sanders, American football player
- 1968 - Gillian Anderson, American actress
- 1968 - Eric Bana, Australian actor
- 1968 - Karyn Parsons, American actress
- 1968 - Sam Fogarino, American musician (Interpol)
- 1968 - McG, American film producer and director
- 1969 - Divine Brown, American convicted felon
- 1969 - Troy Percival, baseball player
- 1970 - Rod Brind'Amour, hockey player
- 1970 - Chris Cuomo, American TV journalist
- 1970 - Thomas Lennon, American actor
- 1970 - Arion Salazar, American musician (Third Eye Blind)
- 1971 - Davide Rebellin, Italian cyclist
- 1971 - Mack 10, American rapper
- 1971 - James Kim, technology reporter (d. 2006)
- 1972 - Juanes, Colombian singer
- 1972 - A-Mei, Taiwanese singer
- 1973 - Kevin McKidd, Scottish actor
- 1973 - Filippo Inzaghi, Italian footballer
- 1974 - Mahesh Babu, Indian film actor
- 1974 - Derek Fisher, American basketball player
- 1974 - Matt Morris, American baseball player
- 1974 - Kirill Reznik, American politician
- 1974 - Nicola Stapleton, English actress
- 1975 - Mike Lamb, American baseball player
- 1975 - Robbie Middleby, Australian soccer player
- 1976 - Jessica Capshaw, American actress
- 1976 - Rhona Mitra, English actress
- 1976 - Matt Henney, English footballer
- 1977 - Jason Frasor, American baseball player
- 1977 - Chamique Holdsclaw, American basketball player
- 1977 - Adewale Ogunleye, American football player
- 1977 - Mikael Silvestre, French footballer
- 1978 - Audrey Tautou, French actress
- 1980 - Ryu Seung-beom, South Korean actor
- 1982 - Tyson Gay, American sprinter
- 1982 - Danieal Manning, American football player
- 1983 - Ashley Johnson, American actress
- 1983 - Shane O'Brien, Canadian hockey player
- 1984 - Paul Gallagher, Scottish footballer
- 1985 - Luca Filippi, Italian racing driver
- 1985 - Hayley Peirsol, American swimmer
- 1985 - JaMarcus Russell, American football player
- 1986 - Vanessa Morley, American actress
- 1989 - Stefano Okaka Chuka, Italian footballer
- 1990 - Adelaide Kane, Australian actress
- 1991 - Hansika Motwani, Indian actress
- 117 - Trajan, Roman Emperor (b. 53)
- 378 - Valens, Roman Emperor (killed in battle) (b. 328)
- 803 - Byzantine Empress Irene (b. 752)
- 1048 - Pope Damasus II
- 1107 - Emperor Horikawa of Japan (b. 1079)
- 1173 - Najm ad-Din Ayyub, father of Saladin
- 1250 - King Eric IV of Denmark (b. 1216)
- 1534 - Cardinal Cajetan, Italian theologian (b. 1470)
- 1601 - Michael the Brave, Prince of Wallachia (b. 1558)
- 1634 - William Noy, English jurist (b. 1577)
- 1720 - Simon Ockley, English orientalist (b. 1678)
- 1744 - James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, English patron of the arts (b. 1673)
- 1816 - Johann August Apel, German jurist and writer (b. 1771)
- 1837 - Xavier Sigalon, French painter (b. 1787)
- 1886 - Samuel Ferguson, Northern Irish poet and artist (b. 1810)
- 1919 - Ruggiero Leoncavallo, Italian composer (b. 1857)
- 1942 - Edith Stein, (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) (executed) (b. 1891)
- 1945 - Harry Hillman, American athlete (b. 1881)
- 1945 - Robert Hampton Gray, last Canadian Victoria Cross recipient (b. 1917)
- 1946 - Bert Vogler, Former South African cricketer (b. 1876)
- 1957 - Carl Clauberg, Nazi doctor (b. 1898)
- 1962 - Hermann Hesse, German-born writer, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1877)
- 1967 - Joe Orton, English writer (b. 1933)
- 1969 - Cecil Frank Powell, British physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1903)
- 1969 - Abigail Folger, American heiress (murdered) (b. 1943)
- 1969 - Wojciech Frykowski, Polish writer (murdered) (b. 1936)
- 1969 - Jay Sebring, American hair stylist (murdered) (b. 1933)
- 1969 - Sharon Tate, American actress (murdered) (b. 1943)
- 1969 - Steven Parent, American student (murdered) (b. 1951)
- 1974 - Bill Chase, American trumpet player and bandleader (b. 1934)
- 1975 - Dmitri Shostakovich, Russian composer (b. 1906)
- 1979 - Walter O'Malley, baseball executive (b. 1903)
- 1979 - Raymond Washington, founder of Los Angeles, California gang, the Crips
- 1980 - Jacqueline Cochran, American aviatrix (b. 1906)
- 1985 - Clive Churchill, Australian rugby league footballer (b. 1927)
- 1988 - Giacinto Scelsi, Italian composer (b. 1905)
- 1990 - Joe Mercer, English footballer (b. 1914)
- 1995 - Jerry Garcia, American musician (Grateful Dead) (b. 1942)
- 1996 - Sir Frank Whittle, invented the jet engine (b. 1907)
- 1999 - Fouad Serageddin, Egyptian politician (b. 1910)
- 2000 - John Harsanyi, Hungarian-born economist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1920)
- 2000 - Nicholas Markowitz-kidnapped and murder by Jesse James Hollywood (b. 1984)
- 2002 - Paul Samson, British guitarist (Samson) (b. 1953)
- 2002 - Peter Neville, anarchist, sociologist, and peace activist
- 2003 - Ray Harford, English footballer and manager (b. 1945)
- 2003 - Gregory Hines, American actor and dancer (b. 1946)
- 2003 - Jacques Deray, French film director (b. 1929)
- 2003 - Chester Ludgin, American baritone (b. 1925)
- 2004 - Robert Lecourt, French politician and president of the European Court of Justice (b. 1908)
- 2004 - Tony Mottola, American guitarist (b. 1918)
- 2004 - David Raksin, American film director (b. 1912)
- 2005 - Matthew McGrory, American actor (b. 1973)
- 2005 - Judith Rossner, American novelist (b. 1935)
- 2006 - James van Allen, American physicist (b. 1914)
- 2006 - Philip E. High, science fiction author (b. 1914)
- 2007 - Joe O'Donnell, American documentary photographer, photojournalist (b. 1922)
- Singapore: National Day
- National Women's Day in South Africa
- International Day of the World's Indigenous People
- Baltimore, Maryland: Official "Frank Zappa Day" in honor of the Baltimore-born composer and musician (born 1940, died 1993).
- Feast day of the great martyr Saint Panteleimon in Russian Orthodox Church
