Today March 12th 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
538 – Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city in the hands of the victorious Roman general, Belisarius.
1622 – Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, is canonized a saint by the Catholic Church.
1664 – New Jersey becomes a colony of England.
1832 – The ballet La Sylphide first premieres at the Opéra de Paris.
1868 – Henry O Farrell attempts to assassinate Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.
1881 – Andrew Watson makes his Scotland debut as the world s first black international football player and captain.
1894 – In Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA, Coca-Cola is sold in bottles for the first time.
1908 – The Pan-Macedonian group is formed in Athens to support the Greek Struggle for Macedonia.
1912 – The Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) are founded in the United States.
1913 – Canberra Day: The future capital of Australia is officially named Canberra. (Melbourne remained temporary capital until 1927 while the new capital was still under construction.)
1918 – Moscow becomes the capital of Russia again after Saint-Petersburg held this status for 215 years.
1928 – In California, the St. Francis Dam fails, killing over 600 people.
1930 – Mahatma Gandhi leads a 200-mile march known as Dandi March to the sea in defiance of British opposition, to protest the British monopoly on salt.
1933 – Great Depression: Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses the nation for the first time as President of the United States. This was also the first of his Fireside Chats.
1938 – Anschluss: German troops occupy Austria; annexation declared the following day.
1940 – Winter War: Finland signs the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union, ceding almost all of Finnish Karelia. Finnish troops and the remaining population is immediately evacuated.
1947 – The Truman Doctrine is proclaimed to help stem the spread of Communism.
1967 – Suharto takes over from Sukarno to become President of Indonesia.
1968 – Mauritius achieves independence.
1971 – The March 12 Memorandum, second intervention of Turkish Army, is sent to the Demirel government and Demirel government resigned.
1992 – Mauritius becomes a republic while remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
1993 – Several bombs explode in Bombay (Mumbai), India, killing about 300 and injuring hundreds more.
1993 – North Korea nuclear weapons program: North Korea says that it plans to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and refuses to allow inspectors access to nuclear sites.
1994 – The Church of England ordains its first female priests.
1999 – Former Warsaw Pact members the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland join NATO.
2003 – Zoran Ðindic, Prime Minister of Serbia, is assassinated in Belgrade.
2003 – Elizabeth Smart, was found after having been missing for 9 months.
2004 – Roh Moo-hyun, President of South Korea is impeached by its national assembly for the first time in the nation s history.
2005 – Tung Chee Hwa, the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong, steps down from his post after his resignation is approved by the Chinese central government.
Births
1270 – Charles of Valois, son of Philip III of France (d. 1325)
1478 – Giuliano di Lorenzo de Medici, ruler of Florence (d. 1516)
1607 – Paul Gerhardt, German hymnist (d. 1676)
1613 – André Le Nôtre, French landscape architect (d. 1700)
1620 – Johann Heinrich Hottinger, Swiss philologist and theologian (d. 1667)
1626 – John Aubrey, English antiquary and writer (d. 1697)
1637 – Anne Hyde, wife of James II of England (d. 1671)
1647 – Victor-Maurice, comte de Broglie, French general (d. 1727)
1672 – Richard Steele, Irish writer and politician (d. 1729)
1685 – George Berkeley, Irish theologian (d. 1753)
1710 – Thomas Arne, English composer (d. 1778)
1718 – Joseph Damer, English politician (d. 1798)
1781 – Frederica of Baden, Queen of Sweden (d. 1826)
1806 – Jane Pierce, First Lady of the United States (d. 1863)
1821 – Sir John Abbott, third Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1893)
1824 – Gustav Kirchhoff, German physicist (d. 1887)
1831 – Clement Studebaker, American automobile pioneer (d. 1901)
1832 – Charles Boycott, British land agent and originator of the term to boycott (d. 1897)
1835 – Simon Newcomb, American astronomer and mathematician (d. 1909)
1837 – Alexandre Guilmant, French organist and composer (d. 1911)
1838 – William Henry Perkin, English chemist (d. 1907)
1859 – Abraham H. Cannon, Mormon apostle (d. 1896)
1863 – Gabriele D Annunzio, Italian writer (d. 1938)
1863 – Vladimir Vernadsky, Russian mineralogist (d. 1945)
1864 – W. H. R. Rivers, British psychiatrist (d. 1922)
1880 – Nikolaos Georgantas, Greek discus thrower (d. 1958)
1880 – Henry Drysdale Dakin, British-American biochemist, known for the Dakin-West reaction (d. 1952)
1881 – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, first President of Turkey (d. 1938)
1881 – Gunnar Nordström, Finnish physicist (d. 1923)
1883 – Zoltán Meskó, Hungarian Nazi (d. 1959)
1889 – Þórbergur Þórðarson, Icelandic author (d. 1974)
1890 – Vaslav Nijinsky, Polish ballet dancer (d. 1950)
1890 – William Dudley Pelley, American leader of the Silver Legion (d. 1965)
1891 – George W. Mason, American industrialist (d. 1954)
1895 – William C. Lee, U.S. Army general (d. 1948)
1907 – Arthur Hewlett, British actor (d. 1997)
1907 – Dorrit Hoffleit, American astronomer (d. 2007)
1908 – Rita Angus, New Zealand painter (d. 1970)
1908 – David Saul Marshall Singapore s first Chief Minister(d. 1995)
1910 – Masayoshi Ohira, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1980)
1911 – Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, President of Mexico (d. 1979)
1912 – Irving Layton, Canadian poet (d. 2006)
1912 – Paul Weston, American pianist, arranger and conductor (d. 1996)
1914 – Julia Lennon, John Lennon s mother
1918 – Elaine de Kooning, American artist (d. 1989)
1921 – Gianni Agnelli, Italian auto executive (d. 2003)
1921 – Ülo Jõgi, Estonian freedom fighter (d. 2007)
1921 – Gordon MacRae, American singer and actor (d. 1986)
1922 – Jack Kerouac, American writer (d. 1969)
1922 – Lane Kirkland, American labor leader (d. 1999)
1923 – Hjalmar Andersen, Norwegian speed skater
1923 – Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist (d. 2005)
1923 – Wally Schirra, American astronaut (d. 2007)
1923 – Mae Young, American professional wrestler
1925 – Louison Bobet, French cyclist (d. 1983)
1925 – Georges Delerue, French film composer (d. 1992)
1925 – Leo Esaki, Japanese physicist, Nobel laureate
1925 – Harry Harrison, American author
1928 – Edward Albee, American dramatist
1928 – Thérèse Lavoie-Roux, Quebec politician and senator
1928 – Aldemaro Romero, Venezuelan musician (d. 2007)
1929 – U Win Tin, jailed Burmese journalist
1930 – Vernon Law, American baseball player
1931 – Herbert Kelleher, Southwest Airlines co-founder
1931 – Billie Buckwheat Thomas, American actor (d. 1980)
1932 – Barbara Feldon, American actress and model
1932 – Andrew Young, American civil rights activist and politician
1935 – John Doherty, English footballer (d. 2007)
1936 – Patrick Procktor, English artist (d. 2003)
1938 – Johnny Rutherford, American automobile racer
1940 – Al Jarreau, American singer
1940 – M.A. Numminen, Finnish singer and writer
1942 – Ratko Mladic, Republika Srpska leader
1942 – Jimmy Wynn, American baseball player, 1963-1977
1945 – Sammy The Bull Gravano, American gangster
1946 – Liza Minnelli, American singer and actress
1946 – Frank Welker, American voice actor
1946 – Peter Whalley, British television writer and author
1946 – Serge Turgeon, Quebec actor and union leader (d. 2004)
1947 – Kalervo Palsa, Finnish artist (d. 1987)
1947 – Mitt Romney, 70th Governor of Massachusetts
1948 – James Taylor, American musician
1948 – Kent Conrad, Democratic Senator of North Dakota
1948 – Virginia Bottomley, British politician
1949 – Rob Cohen, American film director, producer and writer
1949 – Moctesuma Esparza, Mexican-American producer and filmmaker
1949 – Natalia Kuchinskaya, Soviet gymnast
1950 – Javier Clemente, Spanish football manager
1950 – Jon Provost, American actor
1950 – Wheeler Winston Dixon, American filmmaker, critic and author
1952 – Naomi Shihab Nye, American poet, songwriter, and novelist
1953 – Carl Hiaasen, American journalist and author
1953 – Ron Jeremy, American pornographic actor
1953 – Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepalese politician
1956 – Steve Harris founder/bassist of the band Iron Maiden
1956 – Dale Murphy, American baseball player
1957 – Marlon Jackson, American singer and musician (The Jackson 5)
1958 – Matt Millen, American football player
1960 – Kipp Lennon, American singer
1960 – Minoru Niihara, Japanese singer
1960 – Maki Nomiya, Japanese singer (Pizzicato Five)
1960 – Courtney B. Vance, American actor
1961 – Joseph Facal, Quebec politician
1962 – Darryl Strawberry, American baseball player
1963 – Ian Holloway, English football manager
1963 – Joaquim Cruz, Brazilian runner
1965 – Steve Finley, American baseball player
1965 – Shawn Gilbert, American baseball player
1965 – Steve Levy, American sports journalist
1965 – Liza Umarova, Chechen torch singer
1966 – Grant Long, NBA Basketball Player
1966 – John Thompson III, NCAA Basketball Head Coach
1967 – Julio Dely Valdes, Panamanian footballer
1968 – Aaron Eckhart, American actor
1968 – Tammy Duckworth, American politician, former military aviator
1969 – Graham Coxon, English musician (Blur)
1969 – Jake Tapper, American journalist
1970 – Dave Eggers, American writer, editor, and publisher
1970 – Roy Khan, Norwegian singer (Kamelot)
1970 – John Nemechek, American NASCAR driver (d. 1997)
1971 – Tony Eveready (Duane Moore), American adult film actor
1971 – Isaiah Rider, American basketball player
1972 – Hector Luis Bustamante, Colombian actor
1972 – James Maritato, American professional wrestler
1975 – Kelle Bryan, English singer
1975 – Herman Li, Cantonese guitarist
1975 – Annabel Port, English radio presenter
1976 – Simon Young, English music journalist
1976 – Zhao Wei, Chinese actress
1977 – Ramiro Corrales, American footballer
1978 – Masuimi Max, American model
1978 – Casey Mears, American auto racer
1978 – Claudio Sanchez, American musician (Coheed and Cambria)
1978 – Arina Tanemura, Japanese mangaka
1979 – Pete Doherty, English musician
1979 – Nidia Guenard, American professional wrestler
1979 – Edwin Villafuerte, Ecuadorian footballer
1980 – Douglas Murray, Swedish ice-hockey player
1981 – Kenta Kobayashi, Japanese professional wrestler
1982 – Zach Miner, American baseball player
1982 – Tobias Schweinsteiger, German footballer
1984 – Shreya Ghoshal, Indian singer
1984 – Jaimie Alexander, American Actress
1985 – Bradley Wright-Phillips, English footballer
1985 – Tosh Townend, American skateboarder
1986 – Danny Jones, English singer (McFly)
1986 – Ben Offereins, Australian athlete
1987 – Chris Seitz, American footballer
Deaths
604 – Pope Gregory I
1289 – King Demetre II of Georgia (b. 1259)
1374 – Emperor Go-Kogon of Japan (b. 1336)
1447 – Shah Rukh, ruler of Persia and Transoxonia (b. 1377)
1507 – Cesare Borgia, Italian general and statesman (b. 1475)
1608 – Koriki Kiyonaga, Japanese warlord (b. 1530)
1628 – John Bull, English composer
1648 – Tirso de Molina, Spanish writer (b. 1571)
1681 – Frans van Mieris, Sr., Dutch painter (b. 1635)
1699 – Peder Griffenfeld, Danish statesman (b. 1635)
1757 – Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena, Italian architect/painter (b. 1696)
1790 – Andreas Hadik, Austro-Hungarian general (b. 1710)
1832 – Friedrich Kuhlau, German composer (b. 1786)
1872 – Zeng Guofan, Chinese politician and general (b. 1811)
1894 – Illarion Pryanishnikov, Russian painter (b. 1840)
1898 – Zacharias Topelius, Finnish-Swedish writer (b. 1818)
1908 – Edmondo De Amicis, Italian children s writer (b. 1846)
1909 – Joe Petrosino, NYPD lieutenant (b. 1860)
1914 – George Westinghouse, American entrepreneur and engineer (b. 1846)
1916 – Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Austrian writer (b. 1830)
1925 – Sun Yat-sen, Chinese revolutionary and politician (b. 1866)
1929 – Asa Griggs Candler, American businessman (b. 1851)
1930 – Alois Jirásek, Czech writer (b. 1851)
1930 – William George Barker, Canadian fighter ace (b. 1894)
1937 – Charles-Marie Widor, French organist and composer (b. 1844)
1937 – Jeno Hubay, Hungarian violinist (b. 1858)
1942 – Robert Bosch, German industrialist (b. 1861)
1943 – Gustav Vigeland, Norwegian sculptor (b. 1869)
1944 – Artur Gavazzi, Croatian geographer (b. 1861)
1946 – Ferenc Szálasi, Hungarian politician (executed) (b. 1897)
1947 – Winston Churchill the American, American novelist (b. 1871)
1955 – Charlie Parker, American jazz saxophonist (b. 1920)
1973 – Frankie Frisch, American baseball player (b. 1898)
1974 – George D. Sax, Drive-in bank and instant loan innovator. Owner of the Saxony Hotel. (b. 1904)
1978 – John Cazale, American actor (b. 1935)
1978 – Gene Moore, American baseball player (b. 1909)
1980 – Arthur Charles Dobson, British racing driver (b. 1914)
1984 – Arnold Ridley, English playwright and actor (b. 1896)
1985 – Eugene Ormandy, Hungarian conductor (b. 1899)
1987 – Woody Hayes, American football coach (b. 1913)
1989 – Maurice Evans, English-born actor (b. 1901)
1990 – Wallace Breem, British author (b. 1926)
1991 – Ragnar Granit, Finnish neuroscientist, Nobel laureate (b. 1900)
1995 – Juanin Clay, American actress (b. 1949)
1998 – Judge Dread, English musician (b. 1945)
1998 – Beatrice Wood, American artist and ceramist (b. 1893)
1998 – Jozef Kroner, Slovak actor (b. 1924)
1999 – Yehudi Menuhin, American-born violinist (b. 1916)
2001 – Morton Downey, Jr., American television talk show host (b. 1933)
2001 – Robert Ludlum, American author (b. 1927)
2002 – Spyros Kyprianou, Cypriot politician (b. 1932)
2002 – Jean-Paul Riopelle, Quebec painter and sculptor (b. 1923)
2003 – Zoran Ðindic, Prime Minister of Serbia (b. 1952)
2003 – Howard Fast, American author (b. 1914)
2003 – Andrei Kivilev, Kazakh cyclist (b. 1973)
2003 – Lynne Thigpen, American actress (b. 1948)
2005 – Bill Cameron, Canadian journalist (b. 1943)
2005 – Stavros Koujioumtzis, Greek songwriter (b. 1932)
2006 – Victor Sokolov, Russian dissident journalist and priest (b. 1947)
2008 – Lazare Ponticelli, the last poilu, French foot soldier of World War One, dies at 110 (b. 1897)
2008 – Jorge Guinzburg, Argentine journalist, producer, humorist, and TV, theater and radio host (b. 1949)
Holidays and observances
Faroe Islands – Grækarismessa (Mass of St. Gregor): According to tradition, the oystercatcher, the Faroes national bird returns this day. This event is celebrated in the capital, Tórshavn
Mauritius – National Day.
Ancient Latvia – Gregoru Diena observed.
Arbor Day in People s Republic of China and Taiwan.
