[Edit]

top

331 BC - Greek Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela.

959 - Edgar the Peaceable becomes king of all England.

965 - John XIII becomes Pope.

1189 - Gerard de Ridefort, grandmaster of the Templars since 1184 is killed in the Siege of Acre

1788 - Nguyen Hue declares himself emperor of Vietnam.

1791 - First session of the French Legislative Assembly.

1795 - Belgium is conquered by France.

1800 - Spain cedes Louisiana to France via the Treaty of San Ildefonso.

1811 - The first steamboat to sail the Mississippi River arrives in New Orléans, Louisiana.

1814 - Opening of the Congress of Vienna, intended to redraw the Europe's political map after the defeat of Napoléon the previous spring.

1827 - The Russian army under Ivan Paskevich storms Yerevan, ending a millennium of Muslim domination in Armenia.

1829 - South African College is founded in Cape Town, South Africa; later to separate into the University of Cape Town and the South African College Schools.

1843 - News of the World began publication in London.

1847 - German inventor and industrialist Werner von Siemens founds Siemens AG & Halske.

1854 - The watch company founded in 1850 in Roxbury by Aaron Lufkin Dennison relocates to Waltham, Massachusetts, to become the Waltham Watch Company, a pioneer in the American System of Watch Manufacturing.

1869 - Austria issues the world's first postcards.

1880 - John Philip Sousa becomes leader of the United States Marine Corps Band.

1880 - First electric lamp factory opened by Thomas Edison.

1885 - United States begins special-delivery mail service.

1886 - The U.S. mint in Carson City, Nevada, closes.

1887 - Balochistan conquered by the British Empire.

1890 - The Yosemite National Park is established by the U.S. Congress.

1891 - In the U.S. state of California, Stanford University opens its doors.

1894 - First meeting of The Owl Club of Cape Town.

1898 - Czar Nikolay II expels Jews from major Russian cities.

1898 - The Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration is founded under the name k.u.k. Exportakademie.

1903 - Baseball: The Boston Americans play the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of the modern World Series.

1905 - František Pavlík is killed in a demonstration in Prague, inspiring Leoš Janáček to the piano composition 1. X. 1905.

1908 - Ford introduces the Model T car.

1910 - A large bomb destroys the Los Angeles Times building in downtown Los Angeles, California, killing 21.

1918 - World War I: Arab forces under T. E. Lawrence (a/k/a "Lawrence of Arabia") capture Damascus.

1926 - An oil field accident cost aviator Wiley Post his left eye, but he used the settlement money to buy his first aircraft.

1928 - The Soviet Union introduces its First Five-Year Plan.

1931 - The George Washington Bridge linking New Jersey and New York opens.

1931 - The original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel is opened in New York.

1936 - Francisco Franco is named head of the Nationalist government of Spain.

1938 - Germany annexes the Sudetenland.

1939 - After a one-month Siege of Warsaw, hostile forces entered the city.

1940 - The Pennsylvania Turnpike, often considered the first superhighway in the United States, opens to traffic.

1942 - USS ''Grouper'' torpedoes Lisbon Maru not knowing she was carrying British PoWs from Hong Kong

1943 - World War II: Naples falls to Allied soldiers.

1946 - Nazi leaders sentenced at Nuremberg Trials.

1949 - The People's Republic of China is declared by Mao Zedong.

1957 - First appearance of "In God We Trust" on U.S. paper currency.

1958 - NASA created to replace NACA.

1960 - Nigeria gains independence from the United Kingdom.

1961 - East and West Cameroon merge as Federal Republic of Cameroon.

1961 - Baseball: Roger Maris sets new record for most home runs in a single season with 61, surpassing Babe Ruth's previous mark of 60.

1962 - Johnny Carson begins a 30-year run as the host of The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson at NBC.

1963 - California State Board of Education created.

1964 - The Free Speech Movement is launched on the campus of University of California, Berkeley.

1964 - Japanese Shinkansen ("bullet trains") begin high-speed rail service from Tokyo to Osaka.

1965 - Apostasia, a political move in Greece designed by the former King of Greece Constantine II and executed by a group of politicians (led by the later PM of Greece Constantine Mitsotakis) who have betrayed and overthrown the Prime Minister George Papandreou in Greece in favour of the formerly King of Greece.

1965 - General Suharto crushes an attempted coup in Indonesia.

1968 - The Guyanese government takes over the British Guiana Broadcasting Service (BGBS).

1969 - The Concorde supersonic transport plane breaks the sound barrier for the first time.

1971 - Walt Disney World opens near Orlando, Florida, United States.

1975 - The Seychelles gain internal self-government. The Ellice Islands split from Gilbert Islands and take the name Tuvalu.

1975 - Thrilla in Manila: Muhammad Ali defeats Joe Frazier in a boxing match in Manila, Philippines.

1977 - Brazilian soccer star Pelé retires.

1978 - The Voltaic Revolutionary Communist Party is founded.

1979 - The United States returns sovereignty of the Panama canal to Panama.

1979 - Activision founded

1982 - Helmut Kohl replaces Helmut Schmidt as Chancellor of Germany through a Constructive Vote of No Confidence.

1982 - EPCOT Center opens at Walt Disney World in Florida, United States.

1983 - Horizons opens at EPCOT Center, Walt Disney World in Florida, United States.

1985 - The Israeli air force bombs PLO Headquarters in Tunis.

1988 - Mikhail Gorbachev is named head of the Supreme Soviet.

1992 - Cartoon Network debuts.

1993 - Polly Klaas is kidnapped by Richard Allen Davis during a slumber party at her Petaluma, California, home; Davis will be sentenced to death for murdering Klaas.

2004 - Baseball: Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki makes his 258th hit of the season, breaking George Sisler's 84-year-old single-season record.

2005 - Bombing kills 23 people in Bali.

2006 - Age discrimination in employment is made illegal in the United Kingdom.

2006 - Per Westerberg is elected as the new spokesperson of the Swedish Riksdag.

2006 - Brisbane Broncos win their 6th National Rugby League premiership defeating Minor Premiers Melbourne Storm 15-8 at Telstra Stadium.

2006 - The final patent claim on the GIF file format, held by IBM, expires.

top

1207 - King Henry III of England (d. 1272)

1471 - King Frederick I of Denmark (d. 1533)

1507 - Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, Italian architect (d. 1573)

1540 - Johann Jakob Grynaeus, Swiss protestant clergyman (d. 1617)

1577 - Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Swiss friar, martyr, and saint (d. 1622)

1620 - Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, Dutch painter (d. 1683)

1644 - Alessandro Stradella, Italian composer (d. 1682)

1671 - Guido Grandi, Italian mathematician (d. 1742)

1685 - Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1740)

1691 - Arthur Onslow, English politician (d. 1768)

1730 - Richard Stockton, American attorney, signer of the Declaration of Independence (d. 1781)

1760 - William Thomas Beckford, English writer and politician (d. 1844)

1771 - Pierre Baillot, French violinist and composer (d. 1842)

1791 - Sergei Aksakov, Russian writer (d. 1859)

1835 - Ádám Politzer, Austrian physician (d. 1920)

1842 - Charles Cros, French poet and inventor (d. 1888)

1865 - Paul Dukas, French composer (d. 1935)

1881 - William Boeing, American engineer (d. 1956)

1885 - Louis Untermeyer, American author (d. 1977)

1878 - Othmar Spann, Austrian philosopher and economist (d. 1950)

1890 - Stanley Holloway, British actor (d. 1982)

1896 - Liaquat Ali Khan, first Prime Minister of Pakistan (d. 1951)

1896 - Ted Healy, American actor and comedian (d. 1937)

1899 - Ernest Haycox, American writer (d. 1950)

1900 - Tom Goddard, English cricketer (d. 1966)

1903 - Vladimir Horowitz, Ukrainian pianist (d. 1989)

1904 - Otto Robert Frisch, Austrian-born physicist (d. 1979)

1904 - A.K. Gopalan, Indian communist leader (d. 1977)

1909 - Maurice Bardèche, French fascist, (d. 1998)

1909 - Sam Yorty, Mayor of Los Angeles, California (d. 1998)

1910 - Bonnie Parker, American outlaw (d. 1934)

1910 - Fritz Köberle, Austrian-Brazilian physician (d. 1983)

1910 - José Enrique Moyal, Australian mathematical physicist (d. 1998)

1914 - Daniel J. Boorstin, American historian, writer, and Librarian of Congress (d. 2004)

1920 - Walter Matthau, American actor (d. 2000)

1921 - James Whitmore, American actor

1924 - James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize

1924 - William Hubbs Rehnquist , 16th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 2005)

1925 - Bob Boyd, American baseball player (d. 2004)

1926 - Roger Williams, American pianist

1927 - Tom Bosley, American actor

1928 - Laurence Harvey, Lithuanian-born actor (d. 1973)

1928 - George Peppard, American actor (d. 1994)

1930 - Naimatullah Khan, Pakistani politician and ex-mayor of Karachi

1930 - Sir Richard Harris, Irish actor (d. 2002)

1930 - Philippe Noiret, French actor

1931 - Sylvano Bussotti, Italian composer

1932 - Albert Collins, American blues guitarist (d. 1993)

1935 - Julie Andrews, British actress and singer

1935 - Julio Jaramillo, Ecuatorian singer (d. 1978)

1936 - Stella Stevens, American actress

1939 - George Archer, American golfer (d. 2005)

1942 - Frank Gardner, Australian formula one driver

1943 - Jean-Jacques Annaud, French film director

1943 - Angèle Arsenault, Canadian-Acadian singer and songwriter

1945 - Rod Carew, Panamanian Major League Baseball player

1945 - Spider Sabich, American skiier (d. 1976)

1945 - Donny Hathaway, American soul musician and composer (d. 1979)

1946 - Tim O'Brien, American writer

1947 - Aaron Ciechanover, Israeli biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

1947 - Stephen Collins, American actor

1947 - Adriano Tilgher, Italian politician

1948 - Cub Koda, American singer (d. 2000)

1949 - Isaac Bonewits, American author

1950 - Randy Quaid, American actor

1952 - Jacques Martin, Canadian hockey coach and executive

1953 - John Hegley, British poet

1953 - Pete Falcone, American baseball player

1954 - Martin Strel, Slovenian swimmer

1956 - Theresa May, British politician

1959 - Youssou N'Dour, Senegalese singer

1962 - Esai Morales, American actor

1963 - Mark McGwire, American baseball player

1963 - Jean-Denis Deletraz, Swiss racing driver

1964 - Harry Hill, British comedian

1964 - Jonathan Sarfati, Australian-born chess player, scientist, and author

1965 - Andreas Keller, German field hockey player

1966 - George Weah, Liberian politician and footballer

1967 - Scott Young, American hockey player

1967 - Mike Pringle, American football player

1968 - Jon Guenther, American author

1969 - Igor Ulanov, Russian hockey player

1970 - Alexei Zhamnov, Russian hockey player

1975 - Chulpan Khamatova, Russian actress

1976 - Dora Venter, Hungarian actress

1976 - Mandisa, American singer

1976 - Denis Gauthier, Canadian hockey player

1977 - Jeffrey van Hooydonk, Belgian race car driver

1979 - Rudi Johnson, American football player

1979 - Gilberto Martínez. Costa Rican footballer

1981 - Júlio Baptista, Brazilian footballer

1982 - Haruna Babangida, Nigerian footballer

1982 - Sandra Oxenryd, Swedish singer

1985 - Dizzee Rascal, British musician

1985 - Ryo Miyamori, Japanese singer

top

959 - King Edwy of England

1040 - Alan III, Duke of Brittany (poisoned) (b. 997)

1189 - Gerard de Ridefort, grandmaster of the Templars

1310 - Beatrice of Burgundy, Lady of Bourbon (b. 1257)

1404 - Pope Boniface IX (b. 1356)

1499 - Marsilio Ficino, Italian philosopher (b. 1433)

1500 - John Alcock, English Catholic bishop

1567 - Pietro Carnesecchi, Italian humanist (b. 1508)

1570 - Frans Floris, Flemish painter (b. 1520)

1574 - Marten Jacobszoon Heemskerk van Veen, Dutch painter (b. 1498)

1578 - Don John of Austria, military leader (b. 1547)

1609 - Giammateo Asola, Italian composer

1684 - Pierre Corneille, French author (b. 1606)

1693 - Pedro Abarca, Spanish theologian (b. 1619)

1708 - John Blow, British composer (b. 1649)

1768 - Robert Simson, Scottish mathematician (b. 1687)

1864 - Rose Greenhow, American Confederate spy (b. 1817)

1876 - James Lick, California land baron (b. 1796)

1901 - Abdur Rahman Khan, Afghan amir

1929 - Antoine Bourdelle, French sculptor (b. 1861)

1955 - Charles Christie, American film studio owner (b. 1880)

1958 - Robert Falk, Russian painter (b. 1886)

1975 - Al Jackson, American drummer (Booker T. & the M.G.'s) (b. 1935)

1984 - Walter Alston, American baseball player (b. 1911)

1985 - E. B. White, American author (b. 1899)

1988 - Sacheverell Sitwell, English writer (b. 1897)

1990 - Curtis LeMay, American Air Force general (b. 1906)

1992 - Petra Kelly, German politician (b. 1947)

1994 - Paul Lorenzen, German philosopher (b. 1915)

1997 - Jerome H. Lemelson, American inventor (b. 1923)

1998 - Pauline Julien, French Canadian singer (b. 1928)

2000 - Reginald Kray, British gangster (b. 1933)

2000 - Robert Allen, American pianist and songwriter (b. 1928)

2001 - Guy Beaulne, French Canadian actor and theatre director (b. 1921)

2002 - Walter Annenberg, American publisher and philanthropist (b. 1908)

2004 - Richard Avedon, American photographer (b. 1923)

2004 - Bruce Palmer, Canadian musician (Buffalo Springfield) (b. 1946)

top

RC Church - Feast days of Saint Thérèse de Lisieux; formerly of Saint Bavo and Saint Remigius

Also see October 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

National Day of the People's Republic of China (1949)

Republic of Cyprus - Independence Day (from Britain, 1960)

Nigeria - Independence Day (from Britain, 1960)

San Marino - two Captains Regent, elected by parliament, take office for six months.

Tuvalu - Independence Day (from Gilbert Islands (Kiribati), 1975)

French Republican Calendar - Cuve (Barrel) Day, tenth day in the Month of Vendémiaire

World Vegetarian Day

Singapore - Children's Day

World Health Organization - World Hepatitis Awareness Day

Ghana - Independence Day (from Britain, 1957)

Armenia - Teachers' Day

top

In the first movie adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the fictional character Willy Wonka gives an unprecedented tour of his chocolate factory on October 1 (year unspecified).