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565 - St. Columba reports seeing a monster in Loch Ness, Scotland.

1485 - The Battle of Bosworth Field decisively ends the Wars of the Roses.

1559 - Bartholome de Carranza, Spanish archbishop, is arrested for heresy.

1639 - Madras (now Chennai), India, is founded by the East India Company after buying a sliver of land from local Nayak rulers.

1642 - Charles I calls the English Parliament traitors. Beginning of the English Civil War.

1654 - Jacob Barsimson arrives in New Amsterdam. He is the first Jewish immigrant to what is later the United States.

1717 - Spanish troops land on Sardinia.

1770 - James Cook's expedition lands on the east coast of Australia.

1775 - King George III declares the American colonies to be in open rebellion.

1780 - James Cook's ship HMS Resolution returns to England (Cook having been killed on Hawaii during the voyage).

1791 - Beginning of the Haitian Slave Revolution in Saint-Domingue.

1798 - French troops land in Kilcummin, County Mayo, Ireland to aid Wolfe Tone's United Irishmen's Irish Rebellion.

1831 - Nat Turner's Rebellion revolt commences just after midnight in Southampton, Virginia, leading to the deaths of more than 50 whites and several hundred African Americans who were killed in retaliation for the uprising.

1848 - The United States annexes New Mexico.

1851 - The first America's Cup is won by the yacht America.

1875 - The Treaty of Saint Petersburg between Japan and Russia is ratified, providing for the exchange of Sakhalin for the Kuril Islands.

1864 - Twelve nations sign the First Geneva Convention. The Red Cross is formed.

1901 - Cadillac Motor Company founded.

1902 - Theodore Roosevelt became the first President of the United States to ride in an automobile.

1910 - Japan illicitly annexes Korea with the signing of the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty. The name Korea was abolished and replaced with the ancient name Joseon.

1911 - Theft of the Mona Lisa is discovered.

1914 - World War I: In Belgium, British and German troops clash for the first time in the war.

1922 - Michael Collins, Commander-in-Chief of the Irish Free State Army is shot dead during an Anti-Treaty ambush at Beal na mBlath, County Cork, during the Irish Civil War.

1926 - Gold discovered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

1941 - World War II: German troops reach Leningrad, leading to the siege of Leningrad.

1942 - World War II: Brazil declares war on the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan).

1944 - World War II: Last transport of French Jews to concentration camps in Germany.

1944 - World War II: Thirty-two Spaniards & four French Maquis tackle a German column (1,300 men in 60 lorries, with 6 tanks & 2 self-propelled guns), at La Madeiline, France. Three Maquis are wounded, with 110 Germans killed and 200 wounded.

1944 - World War II: Romania captured by the Soviet Union.

1950 - Althea Gibson becomes the first black competitor in international tennis.

1953 - The jail on Devil's Island is closed.

1962 - An attempt to assassinate French president Charles de Gaulle fails.

1962 - The NS ''Savannah'', the world's first nuclear-powered cargo ship, completes its maiden voyage.

1963 - Joe Walker in X-15 test plane reaches altitude of 106 km (67 miles).

1966 - Labor movements NFWA and AWOC merge to become the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee (UFWOC), predecessor of the United Farm Workers.

1968 - Pope Paul VI arrives in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the first visit of a pope to Latin America.

1969 - Elvis Presley begins performing live again in Las Vegas.

1970 - Neil Young released his album, After The Gold Rush.

1972 - Rhodesia is expelled by the IOC for its racist policies.

1973 - U.S. President Richard Nixon names Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State.

1978 - The Frente Sandinista de Liberacion or FSLN occupies national palace in Nicaragua.

1979 - Led Zeppelin releases their album, In Through The Out Door.

1988 - The Perth Mint issues the first platinum coin, the koala.

1989 - The first ring of Neptune is discovered.

1989 - Nolan Ryan strikes out Rickey Henderson to become the first Major League Baseball pitcher to record 5,000 strikeouts.

1992 - FBI HRT sniper Lon Horiuchi shoots and kills Vicki Weaver during an 11-day siege at her home at Ruby Ridge, Idaho.

2004 - A version of The Scream and Madonna, two paintings by Edvard Munch, are stolen at gunpoint from a museum in Oslo, Norway.

2006 - Pulkovo Airlines Flight 612 crashes, killing 170 people, including 45 children and toddlers.

2006 - The International Astronomical Union votes to redefine the term "planet," officially excluding Pluto from planet status.

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1601 - Georges de Scudéry, French writer (d. 1667)

1624 - Jean Renaud de Segrais, French writer (d. 1701)

1647 - Denis Papin, French physicist, mathematician, and inventor (d. c. 1712)

1679 - Pierre Guérin de Tencin, French cardinal (d. 1758)

1760 - Leo XII, Italian religious leader, 252nd Pope (d. 1829)

1764 - Charles Percier, French architect (d. 1838)

1771 - Henry Maudslay, English inventor and tool-maker (d. 1831)

1779 - James Kirke Paulding, American author, poet (d. 1860)

1800 - William S. Harney, U.S. general (d. 1889)

1800 - Samuel David Luzzatto, Italian-Jewish scholar (d. 1865)

1811 - William Kelly, American inventor (d. 1888)

1834 - Samuel Pierpont Langley, American astronomer, physicist, inventor, aviation pioneer (d. 1906)

1836 - Archibald MacNeal Willard, American artist (d. 1918)

1848 - Melville E. Stone, American newspaper publisher (d. 1929)

1854 - Milan I, King of Serbia (d. 1901)

1860 - Paul Nipkow, German inventor and television pioneer (d. 1940)

1862 - Claude Debussy, French composer (d. 1918)

1867 - Maximilian Bircher-Benner, Swiss physician and nutritionist (d. 1939)

1873 - Alexander Bogdanov, Russian physician and philosopher (d. 1928)

1874 - Max Scheler, German philosopher (d. 1928)

1880 - George Herriman, American cartoonist (d. 1944)

1887 - Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk, World War II German minister of finance (d. 1977)

1891 - Jacques Lipchitz, Lithuanian-born American sculptor (d. 1973)

1893 - Dorothy Parker, American writer, humorist (d. 1967)

1893 - Wilfred Kitching, British Salvation Army general (d. 1977)

1900 - Sergei Ozhegov, Russian lexicographer (d. 1964)

1902 - Leni Riefenstahl, German film director (d. 2003)

1904 - Deng Xiaoping, leader of the People's Republic of China (d. 1997)

1908 - Henri Cartier-Bresson, French photographer (d. 2004)

1909 - Mel Hein, American football player (d. 1992)

1909 - Julius Epstein, American screenwriter (d. 2000)

1913 - Bruno Pontecorvo, Italian physicist (d. 1993)

1915 - Hugh Paddick, British actor (d. 2000)

1915 - Edward Szczepanik, Polish economist and Prime Minister in exile (d. 2005)

1917 - John Lee Hooker, American guitarist and singer (d. 2001)

1918 - Mary McGrory, American journalist (d. 2004)

1920 - Ray Bradbury, American writer

1920 - Denton Cooley, American heart surgeon

1922 - Micheline Presle, French actress

1928 - Karlheinz Stockhausen, German composer

1930 - Gilmar, Brazilian football player

1932 - Gerald P. Carr, American astronaut

1934 - Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S. general

1935 - E. Annie Proulx, American author

1936 - Dale Hawkins, American singer, songwriter, and guitarist

1938 - Paul Maguire, American football player

1939 - George Reinholt, American actor

1939 - Carl Yastrzemski, baseball player

1940 - Valerie Harper, American actress

1940 - Bill McCartney, Former college football coach

1941 - Bill Parcells, American football coach

1945 - Ron Dante, American singer, songwriter, and record producer (The Archies)

1947 - Cindy Williams, American actress

1947 - Donna Godchaux, singer (Grateful Dead)

1949 - Diana Nyad, American swimmer, wold record holder

1949 - Doug Bair, Baseball player

1950 - Ray Burris, Baseball player

1953 - Paul Ellering, American wrestling manager

1955 - Will Shetterly, writer

1955 - Chiranjeevi, Telugu film actor

1956 - Paul Molitor, baseball player

1957 - Steve Davis, English snooker player

1958 - Colm Feore, American-born actor

1958 - Lane Huffman, American professional wrestler

1958 - Vernon Reid, American musician (Living Colour)

1959 - Juan Croucier, American musician

1961 - Roland Orzabal, singer and guitarist (Tears for Fears)

1963 - Tori Amos, American singer, songwriter, and pianist

1963 - Terry Catledge, American basketball player

1964 - Mats Wilander, Swedish tennis player

1965 - Tom Gibis, American voice actor

1966 - GZA, American rapper

1966 - Eric Andolsek, American football player (d. 1992)

1967 - Layne Staley, American musician (Alice in Chains) (d. 2002)

1967 - Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, British actor

1967 - Yukiko Okada, Japanese idol singer (d. 1986)

1970 - Charlie Connelly, English writer

1970 - Giada De Laurentiis, chef and television presenter

1972 - Steve Kline, baseball player

1972 - Okkert Brits, South African Pole Vaulter

1972 - Max Wilson, Brazilian racing driver

1973 - Howie Dorough, American singer (Backstreet Boys)

1975 - Clint Bolton, Australian footballer

1977 - Heidar Helguson, Icelandic footballer

1978 - Jeff Stinco, Canadian musician (Simple Plan)

1981 - Alex Holmes, American football player

1983 - Theo Bos, Dutch cyclist

1984 - Sarah Wright, American actress

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408 - Stilicho, Roman general (b. 359)

1155 - Konoe, Emperor of Japan (b. 1139)

1188 - Ferdinand II, King of Leon (b. 1137)

1241 - Gregory IX, Italian religious leader, 178th Pope (b. c. 1143)

1280 - Nicholas III, Italian religious leader, 188th Pope (b. c. 1216)

1304 - John II, Count of Hainaut (b. 1247)

1350 - Philip VI, King of France (b. 1293)

1485 - Richard III, King of England (b. 1452)

1553 - John Dudley, English admiral and politician (b. 1501)

1572 - Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland (b. 1528)

1584 - Jan Kochanowski, Polish writer (b. 1530)

1599 - Beatrice Cenci, Italian noblewoman (b. 1577)

1599 - Luca Marenzio, Italian composer (b. c. 1553)

1607 - Bartholomew Gosnold, English explorer and privateer (b. 1572)

1609 - Maharal of Prague, Jewish mystic and philosopher (b. 1525)

1652 - Jacob De la Gardie, Swedish soldier and statesman (b. 1583)

1680 - John George II, Elector of Saxony (b. 1613)

1701 - John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath, English royalist statesman (b. 1628)

1711 - Louis François, duc de Boufflers, French marshal (b. 1644)

1752 - William Whiston, English mathematician (b. 1667)

1773 - George Lyttelton, English writer and politician (b. 1709)

1793 - Louis, 4th duc de Noailles, Marshal of France (b. 1713)

1797 - Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser, Alsatian-born Austrian general (b. 1724)

1806 - Jean-Honoré Fragonard, French artist (b. 1732)

1818 - Warren Hastings, British Governor-General of India (b. 1732)

1828 - Franz Joseph Gall, Austrian neuroscientist (b. 1758)

1850 - Nikolaus Lenau, Austrian poet (b. 1802)

1861 - Xianfeng, Emperor of China (b. 1831)

1891 - Jan Neruda, Czech author (b. 1834)

1903 - Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (b. 1830)

1918 - Korbinian Brodmann, German neurologist (b. 1868)

1922 - Michael Collins, Irish revolutionary (b. 1890)

1926 - Charles W. Eliot, American President of Harvard University (b. 1834)

1940 - Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge, English physicist, spiritualist, pioneer in wireless telegraphy (b. 1851)

1942 - Michel Fokine, Russian choreographer and dancer (b. 1880)

1953 - Jim Tabor, baseball player (b. 1916)

1958 - Roger Martin du Gard, French writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1881)

1967 - Gregory Goodwin Pincus, American endocrinologist (b. 1903)

1974 - Jacob Bronowski, Polish-English mathematician & TV presenter (b. 1908)

1976 - Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, President of Brazil (b. 1902)

1977 - Sebastian Cabot, English-born actor (b. 1918)

1978 - Jomo Kenyatta, first Prime Minister of Kenya (b. c. 1892)

1979 - James T. Farrell, American novelist (b. 1904)

1980 - James Smith McDonnell, American aircraft manufacturer (b. 1899)

1989 - Huey P. Newton, American activist (b. 1942)

1991 - Colleen Dewhurst, Canadian actress (b. 1924)

2003 - Arnold Gerschwiler, Swiss-born figure skating trainer (b. 1914)

2003 - Generosa Ammon, widow of Ted Ammon (b. 1956)

2003 - Imperio Argentina, Argentinian singer and actress (b. 1906)

2004 - Konstantin Aseev, Russian chess player (b. 1960)

2005 - Luc Ferrari, French composer (b. 1929)

2006 - Bruce Gary, American rock drummer, producer (The Knack) (b. 1951)

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RC feasts - Mary queen of angels, Immaculate Heart

2006 - Islamic celebration of the night flight of the prophet Muhammad on the winged horse Buraq, first to "the farthest mosque," usually identified with Jerusalem, and then to heaven and back (c.f., Koran XVII.1) * Some people expected the world to end that day.