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.
• 1173 – Construction of the Tower of Pisa begins, and it takes two centuries to complete.
• 1329 – Quilon the first Indian Diocese is erected by Pope John XXII and Jordanus is appointed the first Bishop
• 1483 – Opening of the Sistine Chapel
• 1810 – Napoleon annexes Westphalia as part of the First French Empire.
• 1814 – Indian Wars: The Creek sign the Treaty of Fort Jackson, giving up huge parts of Alabama and Georgia.
• 1842 – Webster-Ashburton Treaty is signed, establishing the United States-Canada border east of the Rocky Mountains.
• 1854 – Henry David Thoreau published Walden.
• 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 and Alexandra of Denmark are crowned King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
• 1907 – The first Boy Scout encampment concludes at Brownsea Island in Southern England.
• 1925 – Kakori train robbery took place at Kakori, near Lucknow, India
• 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. 39,000 people are killed outright.
• 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.
• 1971 – Internment in Northern Ireland: British security forces arrest hundreds of nationalists and detain them without trial in Long Kesh prison. Twenty people die in the riots that follow.
• 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.
• 2007 – Emergence of the Financial crisis of 2007-2008 when a liquidity crisis resulted from the Subprime mortgage crisis

Births

• 232 – Probus, Roman emperor (d. 282)
• 1201 – Arnold Fitz Thedmar, English chronicler (d. 1274)
• 1537 – Francesco Barozzi, Italian mathematician, astronomer and humanist (d. 1604)
• 1544 – Bogislaw XIII, Duke of Pomerania (d. 1606)
• 1593 – Izaak Walton, English angler (d. 1683)
• 1603 – Johannes Cocceius, Dutch theologian
• 1631 – John Dryden, English Poet Laureate (d. 1700)
• 1648 – Johann Michael Bach, German composer (d. 1694)
• 1653 – John Oldham, English poet (d. 1683)
• 1669 – Tsarina Eudoxia Lopukhina of Russia (d. 1731)
• 1674 – František Maxmilián Kaňka, Czech architect (d. 1766)
• 1696 – Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein (d. 1772)
• 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, American Lieutenant Colonel in the Battle of the Alamo (d. 1836)
• 1845 – André Bessette, Canadian religious figure (d. 1937)
• 1847 – Queen Maria Victoria al Pozzo della Cisterna of Spain (d. 1876)
• 1871 – Leonid Andreyev, Russian writer (d. 1919)
• 1872 – Archduke Joseph August of Austria, Austrian field marshal (d. 1962)
• 1874 – Charles Fort, American writer and researcher into anomalous phenomena (d. 1932)
• 1874 – Reynaldo Hahn, Venezuelan composer and conductor (d. 1947)
• 1875 – Albert Ketèlbey, English conductor, composer, and pianist (d. 1959)
• 1896 – Erich Hückel, German physicist (d. 1980)
• 1896 – Jean Piaget, Swiss psychologist (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 – Ferenc Fricsay, Hungarian conductor (d. 1963)
• 1914 – Tove Jansson, Finnish author (Moomins) (d. 2001)
• 1914 – Joe Mercer, English footballer (d. 1990)
• 1919 – Joop den Uyl, Dutch politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1973 until 1977 (d. 1987)
• 1919 – Ralph Houk, American baseball player and manager
• 1920 – Enzo Biagi, Italian journalist and writer (d. 2007)
• 1921 – Ernest Angley, American televangelist
• 1921 – J. James Exon, American politician (d. 2005)
• 1922 – Philip Larkin, English poet (d. 1985)
• 1925 – David A. Huffman, American computer scientist, 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 – Chuck Essegian, American baseball player
• 1931 – Mário Zagallo, Brazilian football coach and player
• 1932 – John Gomery, Canadian jurist
• 1933 – Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, Japanese television personality and children's author
• 1935 – Beverlee McKinsey, American actress (d. 2008)
• 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 – Brito, Brazilian footballer
• 1939 – Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy, former President of the European Commission
• 1941 – Way Bandy, American make-up artist (d. 1986)
• 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 – Roy Hodgson, English football manager
• 1947 – Barbara Mason, American soul singer
• 1948 – Bill Campbell, American baseball player
• 1949 – Jonathan Kellerman, American writer
• 1952 – Prateep Ungsongtham Hata, Thai politician
• 1954 – Ray Jennings, South African cricketer and coach
• 1955 – Peter Schmuck, American sportswriter
• 1955 – John E. Sweeney, American politician
• 1957 – Melanie Griffith, American actress
• 1958 – Amanda Bearse, American actress
• 1959 – Kurtis Blow, American rapper
• 1959 – Stuart Hughes, Canadian actor
• 1961 – Brad Gilbert, American tennis player
• 1961 – John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand
• 1961 – Amy Stiller, American actress
• 1962 – Kevin Mack, American football player
• 1962 – Louis Lipps, American football player
• 1962 – John "Hot Rod" Williams, American basketball player
• 1963 – Whitney Houston, American diva and actress
• 1964 – Brett Hull, Canadian-born ice hockey player
• 1964 – Hoda Kotb, American television news anchor
• 1966 – Vinny Del Negro, American basketball player and head coach
• 1967 – Deion Sanders, American football player
• 1968 – Gillian Anderson, American actress
• 1968 – Eric Bana, Australian actor
• 1968 – Sam Fogarino, American musician (Interpol)
• 1968 – Joseph McGinty Nichol, American film producer and director
• 1969 – Divine Brown, American convicted felon
• 1969 – Smaragda Karydi, Greek singer
• 1969 – Troy Percival, American baseball player
• 1970 – Rod Brind'Amour, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1970 – Chris Cuomo, American TV journalist
• 1970 – Thomas Lennon, American actor
• 1970 – Arion Salazar, American musician (Third Eye Blind)
• 1971 – James Kim, American technology reporter (d. 2006)
• 1971 – Davide Rebellin, Italian cyclist
• 1971 – Mack 10, American rapper
• 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 footballer
• 1976 – Jessica Capshaw, American actress
• 1976 – Aled Jones, British Radio Producer
• 1976 – Rhona Mitra, English actress
• 1976 – Mark Priestley, Australian actor (d. 2008)
• 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
• 1980 – Dominic Tabuna, Nauruan politician
• 1981 – Jarvis Hayes, American basketball player
• 1981 – Li Jiawei, Singaporean Olympic table tennis player
• 1982 – Tyson Gay, American sprinter
• 1983 – Ashley Johnson, American actress
• 1983 – Shane O'Brien, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1984 – Paul Gallagher, Scottish footballer
• 1984 – Saori Horii, Japanese gravure idol
• 1985 – Luca Filippi, Italian racing driver
• 1985 – Hayley Peirsol, American swimmer
• 1985 – JaMarcus Russell, American football player
• 1989 – Stefano Okaka Chuka, Italian footballer
• 1990 – Adelaide Kane, Australian actress
• 1991 – Hansika Motwani, Indian actress

Deaths

• 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)
• 1910 – Huo Yuan Jia, Chinese martial artist
• 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)
• 1949 – Edward Thorndike, American psychologist (b. 1874)
• 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)
• 1988 – Ramón Valdés, Mexican actor, played the character Don Ramón, in the TV Series El Chavo
• 1990 – Joe Mercer, English footballer (b. 1914)
• 1992 – Fereydoun Farrokhzad, Iranian Singer (b. 1938)
• 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 murdered 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)
• 2008 – Bernie Mac, American comedian, actor.(b. 1957)
• 2008 – Mahmoud Darwish, Palestinian prominent poet and writer of prose.(b. 1941)

Holidays and observances

• International Day of the World's Indigenous People
• Ásatrú: Day of Remembrance for Radbod
• Canada: National Peacekeepers' Day
• Singapore: National Day
• South Africa: National Women's Day

• Saint Firmus and Saint Rusticus
• Saint Jean Vianney
• Saint Nathy (David), bishop of Achonry
• Saint Romanus, martyr [common] (Romanus Ostiarius, died 258)
• Saint Secundianus and companions, martyrs [Meaux]
• Feast day of the great martyr Saint Panteleimon in Russian Orthodox Church

External links

• BBC: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada