Today April 10th in history click read more below to view detail events, deaths, births, Holidays and observances, and video clips in hisotry. Please comments, last database updated: Jan 17th, 2009
Events
879 – Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks.
1407 – the lama Deshin Shekpa visits the Ming Dynasty capital at Nanjing. He is awarded with the title Great Treasure Prince of Dharma.
1500 – Ludovico Sforza is captured by the Swiss troops at Novara and is handed over to the French.
1606 – The Charter of the Virginia Company of London is established by royal charter by James I of England with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.
1710 – The first law regulating copyright is issued in Great Britain.
1741 – War of the Austrian Succession: Prussia defeats Austria in the Battle of Mollwitz.
1815 – The Mount Tambora volcano begins its peak eruption period that lasts until July 15.
1816 – The United States Government approves the creation of the Second Bank of the United States.
1821 – Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople is hanged by the Turks from the main gate of the Patriarchate and his body is thrown into the Bosphorus.
1826 – The 10,500 inhabitants of the Greek town Messolonghi start leaving the town after a year s siege by Turkish forces. Very few of them survive.
1856 – The Theta Chi Fraternity is founded at Norwich University.
1857 – The Sepoy Mutiny popularly known as the Revolt of 1857 broke out in Meerut, India as part of the Indian independence movement.
1858 – The original Big Ben, a 14.5 tonne bell for the Tower of London is cast in Stockton-on-Tees by Warner s of Cripplegate. This however cracked during testing and was recasted into the 13.76 tonne bell by Whitechapel Bell Foundry and is still in use to date.
1864 – Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg is elected emperor of Mexico.
1865 – American Civil War: A day after his surrender to Union forces, Confederate General Robert E. Lee addresses his troops for the last time.
1866 – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City by Henry Bergh.
1868 – At Arogee in Abyssinia, British and Indian forces defeat an army of Emperor Theodore. While 700 Ethiopians are killed and many more injured, only two die from the British/Indian troops.
1869 – José Martí founds the Cuban Revolutionary Party.
1874 – The first Arbor Day is celebrated in Nebraska.
1887 – On Easter Sunday, Pope Leo XIII authorizes the establishment of The Catholic University of America.
1912 – The RMS Titanic leaves port in Southampton, England for her first and only voyage.
1916 – The Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) is created in New York City.
1919 – Mexican Revolution leader Emiliano Zapata is ambushed and shot dead by government forces in Morelos.
1925 – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is first published in New York City, by Charles Scribner s Sons.
1933 – New Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps is created.
1941 – World War II: The Axis Powers in Europe establish the Independent State of Croatia from occupied Yugoslavia with Ante Pavelic s Ustase fascist insurgents in power.
1944 – Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler escape from the Birkenau death camp.
1957 – The Suez Canal is reopened for all shipping after being closed for three months.
1959 – Akihito, future Emperor of Japan, weds Michiko.
1963 – 129 people die when the submarine USS Thresher sinks at sea.
1968 – Shipwreck of the New Zealand inter-island ferry TEV Wahine outside Wellington harbour.
1971 – Ping Pong Diplomacy: In an attempt to thaw relations with the United States, the People s Republic of China hosts the U.S. table tennis team for a weeklong visit.
1972 – 20 days after he was kidnapped in Buenos Aires, Oberdan Sallustro is executed by communist guerrillas.
1972 – Vietnam War: For the first time since November 1967, American B-52 bombers reportedly begin bombing North Vietnam.
1973 – A British Vanguard turboprop crashes during a snowstorm at Basel, Switzerland killing 104.
1979 – Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak: A tornado lands in Wichita Falls, Texas killing 42 people.
1991 – Italian ferry Moby Prince collides with an oil tanker in dense fog off Livorno, Italy killing 140.
1991 – A rare tropical storm develops in the Southern Hemisphere near Angola; the first to be documented by satellites.
1998 – The Belfast Agreement is signed.
Births
1389 – Cosimo de Medici, ruler of Florence (d. 1464)
1583 – Hugo Grotius, Dutch philosopher and writer (d. 1645)
1651 – Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, German mathematician (d. 1708)
1656 – René Lepage de Ste-Claire, lord-founder of the town of Rimouski, in New France (d. 1718)
1704 – Benjamin Heath, English classical scholar (d. 1766)
1713 – John Whitehurst, English clockmaker and scientist (d. 1788)
1735 – Button Gwinnett, Signer of the US Declaration of Independence (d. 1777)
1755 – Samuel Hahnemann, German physician (d. 1843)
1762 – Giovanni Aldini, Italian physicist (d. 1834)
1778 – William Hazlitt, English writer (d. 1830)
1794 – Matthew C. Perry, American commodore (d. 1858)
1796 – James Bowie, American pioneer and soldier (d. 1836)
1829 – William Booth, English founder of the Salvation Army (d. 1912)
1837 – Forceythe Willson, American poet (d. 1867)
1847 – Joseph Pulitzer, American journalist and publisher (d. 1911)
1864 – Eugen d Albert, German composer (d. 1932)
1865 – Jack Miner, Canadian conservationist (d. 1944)
1867 – George William Russell, Irish nationalist (d. 1935)
1868 – George Arliss, English actor (d. 1946)
1880 – Montague Summers, English writer (d. 1948)
1880 – Mohammed Nadir Shah, Afghan king (d. 1933)
1882 – Frances Perkins, American politician (d. 1965)
1887 – Bernardo Houssay, Argentine physiologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1971)
1891 – Frank Barson, English footballer
1894 – Shri Ghanshyam Das Birla, Indian industrialist (d. 1983)
1897 – Ross Youngs, American baseball player (d. 1927)
1903 – Claire Boothe Luce, American activist, (d. 1987)
1910 – Paul Sweezy, American economist and editor (d. 2004)
1911 – Martin Denny, American musician (d. 2005)
1913 – Stefan Heym, German author (d. 2001)
1915 – Harry Morgan, American actor
1917 – Robert Burns Woodward, American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1979)
1918 – Lee Bergere, American actor (d. 2007)
1921 – Chuck Connors, American actor (d. 1992)
1921 – Sheb Wooley, American actor and singer (d. 2003)
1923 – Roger Gaillard, Haitian historian and novelist (d. 2000)
1924 – Kenneth Noland, American painter
1925 – Linda Goodman, New York Times bestselling American astrologer and poet (d. 1995
1926 – Junior Samples, American musician (d. 1983)
1927 – Marshall Warren Nirenberg, American scientist, Nobel laureate
1929 – Mike Hawthorn, English race car driver (d. 1959)
1929 – Max von Sydow, Swedish actor
1930 – Claude Bolling, French jazz composer/pianist
1930 – Dolores Huerta, American labor activist
1930 – Norma Candal, Puerto Rican actor/comedian (d. 2006)
1930 – Spede Pasanen, Finnish comedian (d. 2001)
1932 – Omar Sharif, Egyptian actor
1933 – Rokusuke Ei, Japanese lyricist and author
1934 – David Halberstam, American journalist and author (d. 2007)
1934 – Vladimir Posner, Russian journalist
1935 – John A. Bennett, American convicted rapist (d. 1961)
1936 – John Madden, American football coach and broadcaster
1937 – Bella Akhmadulina, Russian poet
1938 – Don Meredith, American football player and broadcaster
1940 – Gloria Hunniford, Northern Irish TV and radio presenter
1941 – Paul Theroux, American author
1942 – Ian Callaghan, English footballer
1942 – Nick Auf der Maur, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 1998)
1943 – Andrzej Badenski, Polish athlete
1946 – David Angell, American television producer (d. 2001)
1947 – Bunny Wailer, Jamaican musician
1950 – Ken Griffey, Sr., American baseball player
1950 – Barry M. Riemer, American author
1950 – Eddie Hazel, American guitarist (P-Funk and The Temptations) (d. 1992)
1950 – Akiko Wada, Japanese singer and television performer
1951 – David Helvarg, American journalist and environmental activist
1951 – Steven Seagal, American actor
1954 – Peter MacNicol, American actor
1955 – Lesley Garrett, British soprano
1957 – John M. Ford, American science fiction author and poet (d. 2006)
1957 – Steve Gustafson, American musician
1958 – Bob Bell, British engineer
1958 – Yefim Bronfman, Russian-born pianist
1958 – Kenneth Babyface Edmonds, American music producer
1959 – Yvan Loubier, Quebec politician
1959 – Brian Setzer, American musician (Stray Cats)
1960 – Steve Bisciotti, American owner of the Baltimore Ravens
1960 – Katrina Leskanich, American musician
1961 – Joe Cole (roadie), American roadie (d. 1991)
1962 – Steve Tasker, American football player
1963 – Warren DeMartini, American musician
1963 – Doris Leuthard, member of the Swiss Federal Council
1965 – Tim Alexander, American musician
1967 – Donald Dufresne, Canadian ice hockey player
1967 – David Rovics, American folksinger
1968 – Orlando Jones, American actor and comedian
1969 – Billy Jayne, American actor
1969 – Ekaterini Koffa, Greek sprinter
1970 – Matt Barlow, American musician
1970 – Enrico Ciccone, Canadian ice hockey player
1970 – Leonard Dorin, Canadian boxer
1970 – Kenny Lattimore, American singer
1970 – Mike Mushok, American musician
1970 – Q-Tip, American musician
1971 – Al Reyes, Dominican baseball player
1972 – Ed Byrne, Irish stand up comedian/voice over artist
1973 – Guillaume Canet, French actor and film director
1973 – Roberto Carlos, Brazilian footballer
1973 – Aidan Moffat, Scottish musician
1973 – Christopher Simmons, American designer
1974 – Eric Greitens, American former military officer
1974 – Petros Passalis, Greek footballer
1975 – Chris Carrabba, American singer
1976 – Sara Renner, Canadian cross country skier
1979 – Shemekia Copeland, American singer
1979 – Rachel Corrie, American activist (d. 2003)
1979 – Tsuyoshi Domoto, Japanese artist
1979 – Sophie Ellis-Bextor, English singer
1979 – Peter Kopteff, Finnish footballer
1980 – Sean Avery, Canadian ice hockey player
1980 – Charlie Hunnam, British actor
1980 – Kasey Kahne, American race-car driver
1980 – Bryce Soderberg, American musician
1981 – Laura Bell Bundy, American actor
1981 – Liz McClarnon, British singer
1981 – Michael Pitt, American actor
1981 – Alexei Semenov, Russian ice hockey player
1982 – Damián Lanza, Ecuadorian footballer
1982 – Chyler Leigh, American actress
1982 – Andre Ethier, American baseball player
1983 – Ryan Merriman, American actor
1984 – Mandy Moore, American singer/actor
1985 – Carlos Tevez, Argentine footballer
1985 – Dion Phaneuf, Canadian ice hockey player
1986 – Olivia Borlée, Belgian athlete
1986 – Vincent Kompany, Belgian footballer
1986 – Ayesha Takia, Indian actress
1987 – Hayley Westenra, New Zealand soprano
1988 – Haley Joel Osment, American actor
1990 – Lulinha, Brazilian footballer
1990 – Alex Pettyfer, English actor
1990 – Ben Amos, English footballer
1991 – Amanda Michalka, American actress/singer
2007 – Princess Ariane of the Netherlands, Dutch Princess
Deaths
879 – Louis the Stammerer, King of the West Franks (b. 846)
948 – King Hugh of Italy
1533 – King Frederick I of Denmark (b. 1471)
1545 – Costanzo Festa, Italian composer
1585 – Pope Gregory XIII (b. 1502)
1599 – Gabrielle d Estrée, mistress of King Henry IV of France (b. 1571)
1601 – Mark Alexander Boyd, Scottish poet (b. 1562)
1619 – Thomas Jones, Archbishop of Dublin (b. c. 1550)
1640 – Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer (b. 1578)
1646 – Santino Solari, Swiss architect and sculptor (b. 1576)
1704 – William Egon of Fürstenberg, Bishop of Strassburg (b. 1629)
1706 – Arthur Chichester, 3rd Earl of Donegall, Irish soldier (b. 1666)
1756 – Giacomo Antonio Perti, Italian composer (d. 1661)
1760 – Jean Lebeuf, French historian (b. 1687)
1786 – John Byron, British naval officer (b. 1723)
1813 – Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Italian-born mathematician (b. 1736)
1823 – Karl Leonhard Reinhold, Austrian philosopher (b. 1757)
1862 – W.H.L. Wallace, American Union general (b. 1821)
1882 – Dante Gabriel Rossetti, English poet and painter (b. 1828)
1904 – Queen Isabella II of Spain (b. 1830)
1909 – Algernon Charles Swinburne, English poet and critic (b. 1837)
1919 – Emiliano Zapata, Mexican revolutionary (b. 1879)
1920 – Moritz Cantor, German mathematician (b. 1829)
1931 – Khalil Gibran, Lebanese poet and painter (b. 1883)
1938 – Joe King Oliver, American musician (b. 1885)
1945 – Charles Nordhoff, English-born writer (b. 1887)
1945 – H.N. Werkman, Dutch artist and printer (b. 1882)
1954 – Auguste Lumière, French film pioneer (b. 1862)
1954 – Oscar Mathisen, Norwegian speed skater (b. 1888)
1955 – Teilhard de Chardin, French paleontologist and theologian (b. 1881)
1958 – Chuck Willis, American singer and songwriter (b. 1928)
1962 – Michael Curtiz, Hungarian-born director (b. 1886)
1962 – Stuart Sutcliffe, English musician (The Beatles) (b. 1940)
1965 – Lloyd Casner, American race car driver and owner (b. 1928)
1965 – Linda Darnell, American actress (b. 1923)
1966 – Evelyn Waugh, English writer (b. 1903)
1968 – Gustavs Celmins, Latvian politician (b. 1899)
1969 – Harley J. Earl, American automobile designer (b. 1893)
1975 – Marjorie Main, American actress (b. 1890)
1979 – Nino Rota, Italian composer (b. 1911)
1980 – Kay Medford, American actress (b. 1914)
1986 – Linda Creed, American songwriter (b. 1948)
1991 – Kevin Peter Hall, American actor (b. 1955)
1991 – Natalie Schafer, American actress (b. 1900)
1992 – Sam Kinison, American comedian (b. 1953)
1993 – Chris Hani, South African activist (b. 1942)
1994 – Sam B. Hall, American politician (b. 1924)
1995 – Morarji Desai, Indian activist (b. 1896)
1997 – Michael Dorris, American author (b. 1945)
1999 – Heinz Fraenkel-Conrat, German-born biochemist (b. 1910)
1999 – Jean Vander Pyl, American voice actress (b. 1919)
2000 – Peter Jones, English actor (b. 1920)
2000 – Larry Linville, American actor (b. 1939)
2000 – Kirsten Rolffes, Danish actress (b. 1928)
2003 – Little Eva, American singer (b. 1943)
2005 – Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist (b. 1923)
2005 – Iakovos, Archbishop of America (b. 1911)
2005 – Al Lucas, American football player (b. 1978)
2005 – Scott Gottlieb, American Drummer (Bleed the Dream) (b. 1970)
2007 – Dakota Staton, American singer (b. 1930)
Holidays and observances
Saint Fulbert of Chartres
James, Azadanus and Abdicius
Saint Paternus
