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Today December 27th 2009 this day in history Read more below to view events, deaths, births, Holidays observances and video clips. Last database updated: Jan 17th, 2009
Events
537 – The Hagia Sophia is completed.
1512 – The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the conduct of settlers with regards to native Indians in the New World.
1657 – The Flushing Remonstrance is signed.
1703 – Portugal and England sign the Methuen Treaty which gives preference to Portuguese imported wines into England.
1814 – Destruction of schooner Carolina, the last of Commodore Daniel Patterson s make-shift fleet that fought a series of delaying actions that contributed to Andrew Jackson s victory at the Battle of New Orleans.
1831 – Charles Darwin embarks on his journey aboard the HMS Beagle, during which he will begin to formulate the theory of evolution.
1836 – The worst ever avalanche in England occurs at Lewes, Sussex, killing 8 people.
1845 – Ether anesthetic is used for childbirth for the first time by Dr. Crawford Williamson Long in Jefferson, Georgia.
1918 – The Great Poland Uprising against the Germans begins.
1922 – Japanese aircraft carrier Hosho becomes the first purpose built aircraft carrier to be commissioned in the world.
1923 – Namba Daisuke, a Japanese student, tries to assassinate the Prince Regent Hirohito.
1932 – Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City.
1939 – Erzincan, Turkey was hit by an earthquake.
1942 – The Union of Pioneers of Yugoslavia is founded.
1945 – The World Bank was created with the signing of an agreement by 28 nations.
1949 – Indonesian National Revolution: The Netherlands officially recognizes Indonesian independence.
1968 – Apollo Program: Apollo 8 splashes down in the Pacific Ocean, ending the first orbital manned mission to the Moon.
1978 – Spain becomes a democracy after 40 years of dictatorship.
1985 – Palestinian guerrillas kill eighteen people inside Rome and Vienna airports.
1996 – Taliban forces retake the strategic Bagram air base which solidifies their buffer zone around Kabul.
1997 – Protestant paramilitary leader Billy Wright is assassinated in Northern Ireland.
2001 – The People s Republic of China is granted permanent normal trade relations with the United States.
2002 – Two truck bombs kill 72 and wound 200 at the pro-Moscow headquarters of the Chechen government in Grozny, Chechnya.
2004 – Radiation from an explosion on the magnetar SGR 1806-20 reaches Earth. It is the brightest extrasolar event known to have been witnessed on the planet.
2007 – Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is assassinated by a suicide bomber.
Births
1390 – Anne de Mortimer, claimant to the English throne (d. 1411)
1571 – Johannes Kepler, German astronomer (d. 1630)
1654 – Jacob Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician (d. 1705)
1683 – Conyers Middleton, English minister (d. 1750)
1715 – Philippe de Noailles, duc de Mouchy, French soldier (d. 1794)
1717 – Pope Pius VI (d. 1799)
1721 – François Hemsterhuis, Dutch philosopher (d. 1790)
1761 – Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly, Russian military commander (d. 1818)
1773 – George Cayley, English scientist, inventor, and politician (d. 1857)
1776 – Nikolay Kamensky, Russian general (d. 1811)
1796 – Mirza Ghalib, Indian poet (d. 1869)
1803 – François-Marie-Thomas Chevalier de Lorimier, French Canadian Patriote (d. 1839)
1822 – Louis Pasteur, French scientist (d. 1895)
1823 – Sir Mackenzie Bowell, fifth Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1896)
1832 – Pavel Tretyakov, Russian businessman and patron of art (d. 1897)
1864 – René Georges Hermann-Paul, French artist (d. 1940)
1879 – Sydney Greenstreet, English actor (d. 1954)
1883 – Cyrus S. Eaton, Canadian-American financier, industrialist and philanthropist (d. 1979)
1888 – Thea von Harbou, German author and actress (d. 1954)
1892 – Alfred Edwin McKay, Canadian World War One flying ace (d. 1917)
1896 – Carl Zuckmayer, German author and dramatist (d. 1977)
1896 – Louis Bromfield, American writer (d. 1956)
1896 – Maurice De Waele, Belgian cyclist (d. 1952)
1900 – Hans Stuck, German race car driver (d. 1978)
1901 – Marlene Dietrich, German actress and singer (d. 1992)
1901 – Irene Handl, English actress (d. 1987)
1906 – Oscar Levant, American pianist, composer, and actor (d. 1972)
1907 – Sebastian Haffner, German journalist and writer (d. 1999)
1907 – Conrad L. Raiford, Goodwill Ambassador (d. 2002)
1907 – Willem van Otterloo, Dutch conductor and composer (d. 1978)
1910 – Charles Olson, American poet (d. 1970)
1911 – Anna Russell, English-born Canadian singer and comedian (d. 2006)
1915 – Mary Kornman, American actress (d. 1973)
1915 – William Masters, American gynecologist (d. 2001)
1915 – Gyula Zsengellér, Hungarian footballer (d. 1999)
1916 – Werner Baumbach, German bomber pilot (d. 1953)
1917 – Onni Palaste, Finnish writer
1918 – John Celardo, American comic strip artist
1920 – Bruce Hobbs, American jockey (d. 2005)
1925 – Michel Piccoli, French actor
1926 – Jerome Courtland, American actor, director and producer
1927 – Antony Gardner, British politician
1927 – Agnes Nixon, American television producer, director, and writer
1930 – Wilfrid Sheed, English-born American writer
1931 – Scotty Moore, American guitarist
1934 – Larissa Latynina, Russian gymnast
1939 – John Amos, American actor
1941 – Michael Pinder, British musician (Moody Blues)
1941 – Nolan Richardson, American basketball coach
1942 – Byron Browne, baseball player
1942 – Thomas Menino, American politician
1942 – Charmian Carr, American actress
1943 – Cokie Roberts, American journalist
1943 – Joan Manuel Serrat, Spanish musician
1943 – Peter Sinfield, British lyricist and producer
1944 – Barry Elliot British actor
1944 – Mick Jones, British musician (Foreigner)
1946 – Lenny Kaye, American guitarist
1946 – Janet Street-Porter, British journalist, producer and presenter
1947 – Bill Eadie, professional wrestler known as Ax of Demolition
1947 – Tracy Nelson, American blues singer
1947 – Mickey Redmond, National Hockey League player
1947 – Janet Perry, American soprano
1947 – Willy Polleunis, Belgian athlete
1948 – Gérard Depardieu, French actor
1950 – Roberto Bettega, Italian footballer
1950 – Terry Bozzio, American drummer (Missing Persons)
1951 – Ernesto Zedillo, President of Mexico
1952 – Karla Bonoff, American singer and songwriter
1952 – Tovah Feldshuh, American actress
1952 – Jay Hill, Canadian politician
1952 – David Knopfler, British musician (Dire Straits)
1955 – Barbara Olson, American political commentator (d. 2001)
1955 – Brad Murphey, Australian racing driver
1959 – Gerina Dunwich, American author
1959 – Andre Tippett, American football player
1960 – Maryam d Abo, British actress
1960 – Victoria Paige Meyerink, American actress and producer
1960 – Donald Nally, American choral conductor
1962 – Barbara Crampton, American actress
1962 – Mark Few, American basketball coach
1962 – Bill Self, American basketball coach
1962 – Sherri Steinhauer, American golfer
1963 – Gaspar Noé, Argentinian-born director
1964 – Ian Gomez, American actor
1964 – Theresa Randle, American actress
1965 – Salman Khan, Indian actor
1965 – Chris Mainwaring, Australian rules footballer (d. 2007)
1966 – Wendy Coakley-Thompson, American writer
1966 – Eva LaRue, American actress
1966 – Bill Goldberg, American football player and professional wrestler
1966 – Fabian Núñez, American politician
1969 – Jean-Christophe Boullion, French race car driver
1969 – Chyna, American professional wrestler
1969 – Sarah Vowell, American author and journalist
1970 – Brendon Cook, Australian racing driver
1970 – Lorenzo Neal, American football player
1971 – Duncan Ferguson, Scottish footballer
1971 – Bryan Smolinski, American ice hockey player
1972 – Thomas Wilson Brown, American actor
1972 – Colin Charvis, Welsh rugby union player
1972 – Matt Slocum, American musician (Sixpence None the Richer)
1973 – Kristoffer Zegers, Dutch composer
1973 – Wilson Cruz, Puerto Rican actor
1973 – Dee Ferris, British painter
1974 – Masi Oka, Japanese-American actor
1974 – Jay Pandolfo, American ice hockey player
1975 – Heather O Rourke, American actress (d. 1988)
1976 – Fernando Pisani, Canadian/Italian ice hockey player
1976 – Aaron Stanford, American actor
1977 – Jacqueline Pillon, Canadian actress
1979 – David Dunn, English footballer
1979 – Carson Palmer, American football player
1980 – Claudio Castagnoli, Swiss wrestler
1980 – Cas Haley, American singer and guitarist
1981 – David Aardsma, American baseball player
1981 – Emilie de Ravin, Australian actress
1981 – Javine, British singer
1982 – James Mead, American guitarist (Kutless)
1983 – Cole Hamels, American baseball player
1984 – Gilles Simon, French tennis player
1984 – Pleasure P, American R&B Singer. Former member of Pretty Ricky
1985 – Logan Bailly, Belgian football goalkeeper
1985 – Paul Stastny, Canadian-American ice hockey player
1986 – Tristan Mathews, Porn Star, Model
1988 – Rick Porcello, American baseball player
1987 – Heath Hocking, Australian rules footballer
1988 – Hayley Williams, American singer for Paramore
1990 – Luis Trujillo, Peruvian Football Player
Deaths
418 – Pope Zosimus
1076 – Prince Svyatoslav II of Kiev (b. 1027)
1381 – Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March, English politician
1548 – Francesco Spiera, Italian Protestant jurist (b. 1502)
1603 – Thomas Cartwright, English Puritan clergyman
1707 – Jean Mabillon, French palaeograopher and diplomat (b. 1632)
1737 – William Bowyer, English printer (b. 1663)
1743 – Hyacinthe Rigaud, French painter (b. 1659)
1771 – Henri Pitot, French engineer (b. 1695)
1782 – Henry Home, Lord Kames, Scottish philosopher (b. 1697)
1800 – Hugh Blair, Scottish preacher and man of letters (b. 1718)
1812 – Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Lithuanian rabbi and founder of Chabad Hasidism (b. 1745)
1812 – Joanna Southcott, an English self-described religious prophetess (b. 1750)
1834 – Charles Lamb, English essayist (b. 1775)
1836 – Stephen F. Austin, American pioneer (b. 1793)
1858 – Alexandre Pierre François Boëly, French composer (b. 1785)
1896 – John Brown, British manufacturer (b. 1816)
1900 – William George Armstrong, English inventor, industrialist, and engineer (b. 1810)
1914 – Charles Martin Hall, American chemist and inventor (b. 1863)
1923 – Gustave Eiffel, French engineer and architect (b. 1832)
1925 – Sergei Yesenin, Russian poet (b. 1895)
1938 – Calvin Bridges, American geneticist (b. 1889)
1938 – Osip Mandelstam, Russian poet (b. 1891)
1950 – Max Beckmann, German painter (b. 1884)
1952 – Patrick Joseph Hartigan, Australian Roman Catholic priest (b. 1878)
1953 – Julian Tuwim, Polish poet (b. 1894)
1955 – Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter, English soldier (b. 1881)
1956 – Lambert McKenna, Irish editor and lexicographer. (b. 1870)
1965 – Edgar Ende, German painter (b. 1901)
1966 – Guillermo Stábile, Argentine footballer (b. 1906)
1972 – Lester B. Pearson, fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada, recipient of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1897)
1974 – Vladimir Aleksandrovich Fock, Russian physicist (b. 1898)
1978 – Bob Luman, American country and rockabilly singer (b. 1937)
1978 – Houari Boumédienne, President of Algeria (b. 1932)
1979 – Hafizullah Amin, second President of Afghanistan (b. 1929)
1981 – Hoagy Carmichael, American composer and singer (b. 1899)
1982 – John Swigert, American astronaut (b. 1931)
1987 – Geoffrey D Lloyd, Chairman of the guild of British Newspaper editors (b. 1933)
1988 – Hal Ashby, American film director (b. 1929)
1992 – Kay Boyle, American writer (b. 1902)
1993 – André Pilette, Belgian racing driver (b. 1918)
1994 – Fanny Cradock, English food writer and broadcaster (b. 1909)
1994 – J. B. L. Reyes, Filipino jurist (b. 1902)
1995 – Shura Cherkassky, Ukrainian classical pianist (b. 1909)
1997 – Brendan Gill, American columnist and humorist (b. 1914)
1997 – Billy Wright, Irish Protestant paramilitary leader (b. 1960)
2002 – George Roy Hill, American film director (b. 1922)
2003 – Alan Bates, English actor (b. 1934)
2003 – Iván Calderón, Puerto Rican baseball player (b. 1962)
2004 – Hank Garland, American musician (b. 1930)
2005 – William Doody, Canadian politician (b. 1931)
2007 – Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan (assassinated) (b. 1953)
2007 – Jerzy Kawalerowicz, Polish film director (b. 1922)
2007 – Jaan Kross, Estonian writer (b. 1920)
2008 – Delaney Bramlett, American musician (b. 1939)
Holidays and observances
R.C. Saints – John the Apostle and Evangelist; Nicarete, an early Byzantine female physician.
St. Stephen s Day among Orthodox Churches; a public holiday in Romania.
The second day of Christmas in Western Christianity.
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