Events

2019

A GippsAero GA8 Airvan crashes in Umeå, Sweden, killing all nine aboard.

2016

A man ploughs a truck into a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France, killing 86 people and injuring another 434 before being shot by police.

2015

NASA's New Horizons probe performs the first flyby of Pluto, and thus completes the initial survey of the Solar System.

2013

Dedication of the statue of Rachel Carson, a sculpture of the environmentalist, in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

2002

French president Jacques Chirac escapes an assassination attempt from Maxime Brunerie during a Bastille Day parade at Champs-Élysées.

2001

Australian criminal Bradley John Murdoch murders British tourist Peter Falconio and abducts his girlfriend in the Northern Territory.

2001

Rus Flight 9633 crashes during takeoff from Chkalovsky Airport, killing all 10 people on board.

1983

Mario Bros. is released in Japan, beginning the popular Super Mario Bros franchise.

1965

Mariner 4 flyby of Mars takes the first close-up photos of another planet. The photographs take approximately six hours to be transmitted back to Earth.

1960

Jane Goodall arrives at the Gombe Stream Reserve in present-day Tanzania to begin her study of chimpanzees in the wild.

1960

Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 1-11 ditches off Polillo Island in the Philippines, killing one person and injuring 44.

1958

In the 14 July Revolution in Iraq, the monarchy is overthrown by popular forces led by Abd al-Karim Qasim, who becomes the nation's new leader.

1957

Rawya Ateya takes her seat in the National Assembly of Egypt, thereby becoming the first female parliamentarian in the Arab world.

1951

Ferrari take their first Formula One grand prix victory at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

1950

Korean War: beginning of the Battle of Taejon.

1948

Palmiro Togliatti, leader of the Italian Communist Party, is shot and wounded near the Italian Parliament.

1943

In Diamond, Missouri, the George Washington Carver National Monument becomes the first United States National Monument in honor of an African American.

1942

In the Wardha session of Congress, the "Quit India" resolution is approved, authorising Mahatma Gandhi to campaign for India's independence from Britain.

1933

In a decree called the Gleichschaltung, Adolf Hitler abolishes all German political parties except the Nazis.

1933

Nazi eugenics programme begins with the proclamation of the Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring requiring the compulsory sterilization of any citizen who suffers from alleged genetic disorders.

1916

World War I: Battle of Delville Wood begins as an action within the Battle of the Somme, lasting until 3 September 1916.

1915

Beginning of the McMahon–Hussein Correspondence between Hussein bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca and the British official Henry McMahon concerning the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire.

1911

Harry Atwood, an exhibition pilot for the Wright brothers, is greeted by president William Howard Taft after he lands his aeroplane on the South Lawn of the White House, having flown from Boston.

1902

Peruvian explorer and farmer Agustín Lizárraga discovers Machu Picchu, the "Lost City of the Incas".

1902

The Campanile in St Mark's Square, Venice collapses, also demolishing the loggetta.

1900

Armies of the Eight-Nation Alliance capture Tientsin during the Boxer Rebellion.

1881

American outlaw Billy the Kid is shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in the Maxwell House at Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

1874

The Chicago Fire of 1874 burns down 47 acres of the city, destroying 812 buildings, killing 20, and resulting in the fire insurance industry demanding municipal reforms from Chicago's city council.

1865

The first ascent of the Matterhorn is completed by Edward Whymper and his party, four of whom die on the descent.

1853

Opening of the first major US world's fair, the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations in New York City.

1808

The Finnish War: the Battle of Lapua is fought.

1798

The Sedition Act of 1798 becomes law in the United States making it a federal crime to write, publish, or utter false or malicious statements about the United States government.

1791

Beginning of Priestley Riots (to 17 July) in Birmingham targeting Joseph Priestley as a supporter of the French Revolution.

1790

Inaugural Fête de la Fédération is held to celebrate the unity of the French people and the national reconciliation.

1789

Storming of the Bastille in Paris. This event escalates the widespread discontent into the French Revolution. Bastille Day is still celebrated annually in France.

1771

Foundation of the Mission San Antonio de Padua in modern California by the Franciscan friar Junípero Serra.

1769

An expedition led by Gaspar de Portolá leaves its base in San Diego and sets out to find the Port of Monterey (now Monterey, California).

1596

Anglo-Spanish War: English and Dutch troops sack the Spanish city of Cádiz before leaving the next day.

1456

John Hunyadi and his forces defeat the Ottoman fleet on the Danube, allowing them to reinforce and supply the besieged city of Belgrade.

1430

Joan of Arc, taken by the Burgundians in May, is handed over to Pierre Cauchon, the bishop of Beauvais.

1420

Battle of Vítkov Hill, decisive victory of Czech Hussite forces commanded by Jan Žižka against Crusade army led by Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor.

1223

Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father, Philip II.

982

King Otto II and his Frankish army are defeated by the Muslim army of al-Qasim at Cape Colonna, Southern Italy.

Births

2004

Noah Clowney, American basketball player

2003

Haley Winn, American hockey player

1997

Neekolul, American internet personality

1995

Harrison Butker, American football player

1995

Kim In-hyeok, South Korean volleyball player (died 2022)

1994

Lucas Giolito, American baseball player

1990

Paulo Muacho, Portuguese politician

1988

Conor McGregor, Irish mixed martial artist

1988

Jérémy Stravius, French swimmer

1987

Adam Johnson, English footballer

1987

Dan Reynolds, American singer-songwriter

1986

Dan Smith, British singer, songwriter and record producer

1985

Darrelle Revis, American football player

1985

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, English actress and screenwriter

1984

Dagbjört Hákonardóttir, Icelandic politician

1984

Samir Handanović, Slovenian footballer

1977

Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden

1975

Tim Hudson, American baseball player

1972

Steph Bridge, British World Champion kitesurfer

1971

Bubba Ray Dudley, American professional wrestler

1967

Robin Ventura, American baseball player

1966

Matthew Fox, American actor

1961

Jackie Earle Haley, American actor and director

1961

Howard Lutnick, American businessman, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, secretary of commerce in the Trump administration

1960

Anna Bligh, Australian politician, 37th Premier of Queensland

1960

Kyle Gass, American musician, comedian, and actor

1960

Angélique Kidjo, Beninese singer-songwriter, activist and actress

1960

Jane Lynch, American actress (Glee), comedian, author, and game show host

1952

Bob Casale, American musician, member of Devo (died 2014)

1950

Bruce Oldfield, English fashion designer

1950

Andy Newmark, American session and touring drummer (Carly Simon, George Harrison; John Lennon)

1949

Tommy Mottola, American businessman and music publisher

1948

Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, Zulu king (died 2021)

1947

John Blackman, Australian radio and television presenter (died 2024)

1947

Navin Ramgoolam, Mauritius physician and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Mauritius

1945

Jim Gordon, American rock drummer and convicted murderer (died 2023)

1942

Javier Solana, Spanish physicist and politician, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs

1941

Maulana Karenga, American philosopher, author, and activist, created Kwanzaa

1941

Andreas Khol, German-Austrian lawyer and politician

1940

Susan Howatch, English author and academic

1939

Karel Gott, Czech singer-songwriter and actor (died 2019)

1938

Jerry Rubin, American activist, author, and businessman (died 1994)

1938

Moshe Safdie, Israel-Canadian-American architect

1937

Yoshirō Mori, Japanese journalist and politician, 55th Prime Minister of Japan

1936

Robert F. Overmyer, American colonel, pilot, and astronaut (died 1996)

1935

Ei-ichi Negishi, Japanese chemist (palladium-catalyzed cross couplings) and Nobel Prize winner (died 2021)

1934

Lee Elder, American golfer (first African-American to play in the US Masters) (died 2021)

1934

Lee Friedlander, American portrait, and 'social landscape' photographer, and album cover artist

1933

Robert Bourassa, Canadian lawyer and politician, 22nd Premier of Quebec (died 1996)

1933

Dumaagiin Sodnom, Mongolian politician; 13th Prime Minister of Mongolia

1932

Del Reeves, American country singer-songwriter (died 2007)

1930

Polly Bergen, American actress and singer (died 2014)

1930

Benoît Sinzogan, Beninese military officer and politician (died 2021)

1929

Jacqueline de Ribes, French fashion designer and philanthropist (died 2025)

1928

Nancy Olson, American actress

1928

William Rees-Mogg, English journalist and public servant (died 2012)

1927

John Chancellor, American journalist (died 1996)

1927

Mike Esposito, American author and illustrator (died 2010)

1926

Wallace Jones, American basketball player and coach (died 2014)

1926

Harry Dean Stanton, American actor, musician, and singer (died 2017)

1926

Himayat Ali Shair, Urdu poet (died 2019)

1925

Bruce L. Douglas, American politician (died 2025)

1924

Warren Giese, American football player, coach, and politician (died 2013)

1924

Dorothy Stanley, American educator (died 1990)

1923

René Favaloro, Argentine surgeon and cardiologist (died 2000)

1923

Dale Robertson, American actor (died 2013)

1923

Robert Zildjian, American businessman, founded Sabian (died 2013)

1922

Robin Olds, American general and pilot (died 2007)

1922

Elfriede Rinkel, German concentration camp guard at Ravensbruck (died 2018)

1922

Käbi Laretei, Estonian-Swedish concert pianist (died 2014)

1921

Sixto Durán Ballén, American-Ecuadorian architect and politician, 48th President of Ecuador (died 2016)

1921

Leon Garfield, English author (died 1996)

1921

Armand Gaudreault, Canadian ice hockey player (died 2013)

1921

Geoffrey Wilkinson, English chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1996)

1920

Shankarrao Chavan, Indian lawyer and politician, Indian Minister of Finance (died 2004)

1918

Fred Baur, American chemist and founder of Pringles (died 2008)

1918

Ingmar Bergman, Swedish director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2007)

1918

Arthur Laurents, American director, screenwriter, and playwright (died 2011)

1918

Jay Wright Forrester, American computer engineer and systems scientist (died 2016)

1913

Gerald Ford, American commander, lawyer, and politician, 38th President of the United States (died 2006)

1912

Northrop Frye, Canadian literary critic (died 1991)

1912

Woody Guthrie, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 1967)

1911

Pavel Prudnikau, Belarusian poet and author (died 2000)

1910

William Hanna, American animator, director, producer, and actor, co-founded Hanna-Barbera (died 2001)

1907

Chico Landi, Brazilian racing driver (died 1989)

1903

Irving Stone, American author and educator (died 1989)

1901

Gerald Finzi, English composer and academic (died 1956)

1898

Happy Chandler, American lawyer and politician, 49th Governor of Kentucky, second Commissioner of Baseball (died 1991)

1897

Plaek Phibunsongkhram, Thai military officer and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Thailand (died 1964)

1896

Buenaventura Durruti, Spanish soldier and anarchist (died 1936)

1895

F.R. Leavis, British literary critic (died 1978)

1894

Dave Fleischer, American animator, director, and producer (died 1979)

1893

Clarence J. Brown, American publisher and politician, 36th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio (died 1965)

1893

Garimella Satyanarayana, Indian poet and author (died 1952)

1889

Marco de Gastyne, French painter and illustrator (died 1982)

1889

Ante Pavelić, Croatian fascist dictator during World War II (died 1959)

1888

Scipio Slataper, Italian author and critic (died 1915)

1885

Sisavang Vong, Laotian king (died 1959)

1878

Donald Meek, Scottish-American stage and film actor (died 1946)

1874

Abbas II of Egypt (died 1944)

1874

Crawford Vaughan, Australian politician, 27th Premier of South Australia (died 1947)

1872

Albert Marque, French sculptor and doll maker (died 1939)

1868

Gertrude Bell, English archaeologist and political officer (died 1926)

1866

Juliette Wytsman, Belgian painter (died 1925)

1865

Arthur Capper, American journalist and politician, 20th Governor of Kansas (died 1951)

1862

Florence Bascom, American geologist and educator (died 1945)

1862

Gustav Klimt, Austrian painter and illustrator (died 1918)

1861

Kate M. Gordon, American activist (died 1931)

1859

Willy Hess, German violinist and educator (died 1928)

1829

Edward Benson, English archbishop (died 1896)

1825

Georgiana Hill, English cookery book writer (died 1903)

1816

Arthur de Gobineau, French writer who founded Gobinism to promote development of racism (died 1882)

1801

Johannes Peter Müller, German physiologist and anatomist (died 1858)

1785

Mordecai Manuel Noah, American journalist, playwright, and diplomat (died 1851)

1755

Michel de Beaupuy, French general (died 1796)

1743

Gavrila Derzhavin, Russian poet and politician (died 1816)

1721

John Douglas, Scottish bishop and scholar (died 1807)

1696

William Oldys, English historian and author (died 1761)

1675

Claude Alexandre de Bonneval, French general (died 1747)

1671

Jacques d'Allonville, French astronomer and mathematician (died 1732)

1634

Pasquier Quesnel, French priest and theologian (died 1719)

1610

Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (died 1670)

1608

George Goring, Lord Goring, English general (died 1657)

1602

Cardinal Jules Mazarin, Italian-French cardinal and politician, chief minister of France from 5 December 1642 to 9 March 1661 (died 1661)

1515

Philip I, Duke of Pomerania (died 1560)

1454

Poliziano, Italian poet and scholar (died 1494)

1410

Arnold, Duke of Guelders, (died 1473)

926

Murakami, emperor of Japan (died 967)

Deaths

2025

B. Saroja Devi, Indian actress (born 1938)

2025

Andrea Gibson, American poet and activist (born 1975)

2025

John MacArthur, American evangelical preacher (born 1939)

2025

Fauja Singh, British-Indian centenarian marathon runner

2024

Jacoby Jones, American football player (born 1984)

2022

Ivana Trump, Czech-American socialite and model (born 1949)

2020

Rosa, Spanish-born cow on French television (born 2001)

2017

Maryam Mirzakhani, Iranian mathematician (born 1977)

2005

Cicely Saunders, English hospice founder (born 1918)

2000

Pepo, Chilean cartoonist; creator of Condorito (born 1911)

1998

Richard McDonald, American businessman, co-founded McDonald's (born 1909)

1993

Léo Ferré, Monacan singer-songwriter, pianist, and poet (born 1916)

1991

Constance Stokes, Australian painter (born 1906)

1986

Raymond Loewy, French-American industrial designer (born 1893)

1984

Ernest Tidyman, American author and screenwriter; Academy Award winner for The French Connection (born 1928)

1984

Philippe Wynne, American soul singer (The Spinners) (born 1941)

1980

Carlos López Moctezuma, Mexican actor (born 1909).

1974

Carl Spaatz, American World War II general; commander of the Strategic Air Forces in Europe (born 1891)

1970

Preston Foster, American actor (born 1900)

1968

Konstantin Paustovsky, Russian author and poet (born 1892)

1967

Tudor Arghezi, Romanian author and poet (born 1880)

1966

Julie Manet, French painter and art collector (born 1878)

1965

Adlai Stevenson II, American soldier and politician, 5th United States Ambassador to the United Nations (born 1900)

1954

Jacinto Benavente, Spanish author and playwright, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1866)

1939

Alphonse Mucha, Czech painter and illustrator (born 1860)

1937

Julius Meier, American businessman and politician, 20th Governor of Oregon (born 1874)

1936

Dhan Gopal Mukerji, Indian-American author and scholar (born 1890)

1918

Quentin Roosevelt, American lieutenant and pilot (born 1897)

1917

Octave Lapize, French cyclist (born 1887)

1910

Marius Petipa, French dancer and choreographer (born 1818)

1907

William Henry Perkin, English chemist and academic (born 1838)

1904

Paul Kruger, South African politician, 5th President of the South African Republic (born 1824)

1881

William H. Bonney aka Billy the Kid, American gunfighter and outlaw (born 1859 or 1860)

1876

John Buckley, English soldier, Victoria Cross recipient (born 1813)

1856

Edward Vernon Utterson, English lawyer and historian (born 1775)

1850

August Neander, German historian and theologian (born 1789)

1840

Sir George Pocock, 1st Baronet, English politician and peer (born 1765)

1834

Edmond-Charles Genêt, French-American diplomat (born 1763)

1827

Augustin-Jean Fresnel, French physicist and engineer, reviver of wave theory of light, inventor of catadioptric lighthouse lens (born 1788)

1817

Germaine de Staël, French philosopher and author (born 1766)

1816

Francisco de Miranda, Venezuelan general (born 1750)

1809

Nicodemus the Hagiorite, Greek monk and saint (born 1749)

1790

Ernst Gideon von Laudon, Austrian field marshal (born 1717)

1789

Jacques de Flesselles, French politician (born 1721)

1789

Bernard-René de Launay, French politician (born 1740)

1780

Charles Batteux, French philosopher and academic (born 1713)

1774

James O'Hara, 2nd Baron Tyrawley, Irish field marshal (born 1682)

1742

Richard Bentley, English scholar and theologian (born 1662)

1723

Claude Fleury, French historian and author (born 1640)

1614

Camillus de Lellis, Italian priest and saint (born 1550)

1575

Richard Taverner, English translator (born 1505)

1526

John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford, English peer, landowner, and Lord Great Chamberlain of England (born 1499)

1486

Margaret of Denmark, daughter of Christian I of Denmark (born 1456)

1262

Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester, English soldier (born 1222)

1223

Philip II, king of France (born 1165)

937

Arnulf I, duke of Bavaria

850

Wei Fu, chancellor of the Tang Dynasty

809

Otomo no Otomaro, Japanese general and Shogun (born 731)

664

Eorcenberht, king of Kent

Previous Day Browse All Dates Next Day