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Today December 5th 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
63 BC – Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations.
663 – Fourth Council of Toledo takes place.
771 – Charlemagne becomes the sole King of the Franks after the death of his brother Carloman.
1082 – Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona is assassinated.
1360 – The French Franc is created.
1408 – Emir Edigu of Golden Horde reaches Moscow.
1484 – Pope Innocent VIII issues the Summis desiderantes, a papal bull that deputizes Heinrich Kramer and James Sprenger as inquisitors to root out alleged witchcraft in Germany and leads to one of the most oppressive witch hunts in European history.
1492 – Christopher Columbus becomes the first European to set foot on the island of Hispaniola, now Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
1496 – King Manuel I of Portugal issues a decree of expulsion of heretics from the country.
1590 – Niccolò Sfondrati becomes Pope Gregory XIV.
1746 – Revolt in Genoa against Spanish rule.
1757 – Seven Years War: Battle of Leuthen – Frederick II of Prussia leads Prussian forces to a decisive victory over Austrian forces under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine.
1766 – In London, James Christie holds his first sale.
1775 – At Fort Ticonderoga, Henry Knox begins his historic transport of artillery to Cambridge, Massachusetts.
1776 – In the Apollo Room of the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg, Virginia, students from the College of William and Mary meet for the first time founding Phi Beta Kappa, the first scholastic fraternity in the United States.
1815 – Foundation of Maceió in Brazil.
1831 – Former US President John Quincy Adams takes his seat in the House of Representatives.
1847 – Jefferson Davis is elected to the US senate, his first political post.
1848 – California Gold Rush: In a message before the U.S. Congress, US President James K. Polk confirms that large amounts of gold had been discovered in California.
1865 – Chincha Islands War: Peru allies with Chile against Spain.
1876 – Brooklyn Theater Fire kills at least 278 people in Brooklyn, NY.
1892 – Sir John Thompson becomes the fourth Prime Minister of Canada.
1893 – First appearance of an electric car.
1914 – The Italian Parliament proclaims the neutrality of the country.
1920 – Dimitrios Rallis forms a government in Greece.
1926 – Sergei Eisenstein s The Battleship Potemkin premieres.
1932 – German-born Swiss physicist Albert Einstein is granted an American visa.
1933 – Prohibition in the United States ends: Utah becomes the 36th U.S. state to ratify the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution, thus establishing the required 75% of states needed to enact the amendment (this overturned the 18th Amendment which had made the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcohol illegal in the United States).
1934 – Abyssinia Crisis: Italian troops attack Wal Wal in Abyssinia, taking four days to capture the city.
1936 – The Soviet Union adopts a new constitution and the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic is established as a full Union Republic of the USSR.
1941 – World War II: In the Battle of Moscow Georgy Zhukov launches a massive Soviet counter-attack against the German army, with the biggest offensive launched against Army Group Centre.
1941 – World War II: Great Britain declares war on Finland, Hungary and Romania.
1943 – World War II: U.S. Army Air Force begins attacking Germany s secret weapons bases in Operation Crossbow .
1944 – World War II: Allied troops occupy Ravenna.
1945 – Flight 19 is lost in the Bermuda Triangle.
1952 – Great Smog of 1952: A cold fog descends upon London, combining with air pollution and killing at least 12,000 in the weeks and months that follow.
1955 – The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merge and form the AFL-CIO.
1955 – E.D. Nixon and Rosa Parks lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
1957 – Sukarno expels all Dutch people from Indonesia.
1958 – Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) is inaugurated in the UK by Queen Elizabeth II when she speaks to the Lord Provost in a call from Bristol to Edinburgh.
1958 – The Preston bypass, the UK s first stretch of motorway, opens to traffic for the first time. It is now part of the M6 and M55 motorways.
1964 – Vietnam War: For his heroism in battle earlier in the year, Captain Roger Donlon is awarded the first Medal of Honor of the war.
1970 – Premiere of Dario Fo s Morte accidentale di un anarchico.
1976 – The United Nations General Assembly adopts Pakistan s resolution on security of non-Nuclear States.
1977 – Egypt breaks diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen. The move is in retaliation for the Declaration of Tripoli against Egypt.
1978 – The Soviet Union signs a friendship treaty with the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
1979 – Sonia Johnson is formally excommunicated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for her outspoken criticism of the church concerning the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
1983 – Dissolution of the Military Junta in Argentina.
1983 – ICIMOD is established and inaugurated with its headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal, and legitimised through an Act of Parliament in Nepal in the same year.
1993 – The mayor of Wien (Vienna), Helmut Zilk, is wounded by a letter bomb.
1995 – The Sri Lankan government announces the conquest of Tamil stronghold of Jaffna.
2005 – The Lake Tanganyika earthquake causes significant damage, mostly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
2005 – The Civil Partnership Act comes into effect in the United Kingdom, and the first civil partnership is registered there.
2006 – Commodore Frank Bainimarama overthrows the government in Fiji.
2007 – Westroads Mall massacre: A gunman opens fire with a semi-automatic rifle at an Omaha, Nebraska mall, killing eight people before taking his own life.
2008 – Human remains previously found in 1991 are finally identified by Russian and American scientists as those of Tsar Nicholas II.
Births
1377 – Jianwen Emperor of China (d. 1402)
1443 – Pope Julius II (d. 1513)
1495 – Nicolas Cleynaerts, Flemish grammarian (d. 1542)
1537 – Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Japanese shogun (d. 1597)
1539 – Fausto Paolo Sozzini, Italian theologian (d. 1604)
1547 – Ubbo Emmius, Dutch historian and geographer (d. 1625)
1595 – Henry Lawes, English composer (d. 1662)
1661 – Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, English statesman (d. 1724)
1687 – Francesco Geminiani, Italian violinist and composer (d. 1762)
1782 – Martin Van Buren, 8th President of the United States (d. 1862)
1803 – Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev, Russian poet (d. 1873)
1820 – Afanasy Fet, Russian poet (d. 1892)
1822 – Elizabeth Cabot Agassiz, American college president (d. 1907)
1829 – Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière, French Canadian politician (d. 1908)
1830 – Christina Rossetti, English poet (d. 1894)
1839 – George Armstrong Custer, American general (d. 1876)
1841 – Marcus Daly, American mining tycoon (d. 1900)
1855 – Clinton Hart Merriam, American ornithologist (d. 1942)
1859 – John Jellicoe, British admiral (d. 1935)
1863 – Paul Painlevé, French mathematician and Prime Minister (d. 1933)
1867 – Józef Pilsudski, Polish revolutionary and statesman (d. 1935)
1867 – Antti Aarne, Finnish folklorist (d. 1925)
1868 – Arnold Sommerfeld, German physicist (d. 1951)
1869 – Ellis Parker Butler, American author (d. 1937)
1870 – Vítezslav Novák, Czech composer (d. 1949)
1871 – Bill Pickett, American rodeo performer (d. 1932)
1872 – Harry Nelson Pillsbury, American chess player (d. 1906)
1875 – Sir Arthur Currie, Canadian soldier (d. 1933)
1879 – Clyde Cessna, American airplane manufacturer (d. 1954)
1886 – Rose Wilder Lane, American writer and reporter, daughter of Little House books writer Laura Ingalls Wilder (d. 1968)
1890 – David Bomberg, English painter (d. 1957)
1890 – Fritz Lang, Austrian-born film director (d. 1976)
1892 – Ferdinand Schörner, German field marshal (d. 1973)
1894 – C.R. Swart, South African politician who served as justice minister under D.F. Malan, and later served as the last Governor-General and first State President of South Africa. (d. 1982)
1895 – Elbert Frank Cox, American mathematician (d. 1969)
1896 – Carl Ferdinand Cori, Austrian-born biochemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1984)
1897 – Nunnally Johnson, American screenwriter and producer (d. 1977)
1898 – Josh Malihabadi, Urdu poet of India and Pakistan (d. 1982)
1898 – Grace Moore, American soprano (d. 1947)
1899 – Sonny Boy Williamson II, American blues musician (d. 1965)
1901 – Walt Disney, American animated film producer (d. 1966)
1901 – Milton H. Erickson, American psychiatrist (d. 1980)
1901 – Werner Heisenberg, German physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 1976)
1902 – Strom Thurmond, American politician (d. 2003)
1903 – Johannes Heesters, Dutch singer and actor
1903 – Cecil Frank Powell, English physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 1969)
1905 – Gus Mancuso, American baseball player (d. 1984)
1906 – Otto Preminger, Austrian-born film director, producer, and actor (d. 1986)
1907 – Giuseppe Occhialini, Italian physicist (d. 1993)
1910 – Abraham Polonsky, American screenwriter (d. 1999)
1911 – Wladyslaw Szpilman, Polish pianist (d. 2000)
1914 – Hans Hellmut Kirst, German author (d. 1989)
1917 – Ken Downing, English racing driver (d. 2004)
1921 – Alvy Moore, American actor (d. 1997)
1925 – Anastasio Somoza, President of Nicaragua (d. 1980)
1927 – Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand
1932 – Sheldon Lee Glashow, American physicist, Nobel laureate
1932 – Little Richard, American singer and pianist
1934 – Joan Didion, American writer
1934 – Nikos Kourkoulos, Greek actor, artistic director of the National Theatre of Greece (d. 2007)
1935 – Calvin Trillin, American writer
1935 – Yury Vlasov, Soviet weightlifter
1936 – James Lee Burke, American writer
1938 – J. J. Cale, American songwriter
1939 – Minita Chico-Nazario, Filipino Supreme Court jurist
1940 – Boris Ignatyev, Russian footballer and manager
1940 – Peter Pohl, Swedish writer
1940 – Adrian Street, Welsh professional wrestler
1943 – Eva Joly, Norwegian-born French magistrate
1944 – Jeroen Krabbé, Dutch actor
1945 – Serge Chapleau, French Canadian caricaturist
1946 – José Carreras, Spanish tenor
1946 – Sarel van der Merwe, South African Rally Driver
1947 – Bruce Golding, Jamaican politician
1947 – Tony Gregory, Irish politician
1947 – Jim Messina, American musician (Buffalo Springfield, Loggins and Messina)
1947 – Jim Plunkett, American football player
1949 – Ray Comfort, New Zealand evangelist
1950 – Camarón de la Isla, Spanish flamenco singer (d. 1992)
1950 – Osvaldo Golijov, Argentine-born composer
1950 – James Knaggs, American-born Salvationist
1951 – Morgan Brittany, American actress
1951 – Anne-Mie van Kerckhoven, Belgian artist
1952 – Andy Kim, Canadian singer, songwriter
1953 – Larry Zbyszko, American professional wrestler
1956 – Klaus Allofs, German footballer
1956 – Brian Backer, American actor
1956 – Krystian Zimerman, Polish pianist
1957 – Art Monk, American football player
1958 – Dean Erickson, American actor
1958 – Dynamite Kid, English professional wrestler
1960 – Jack Russell, American singer (Great White)
1960 – Frans Adelaar, Dutch football player and manager
1962 – José Cura, Argentine tenor
1963 – Doctor Dre, American radio personality
1963 – Eddie the Eagle Edwards, English ski jumper
1963 – Carrie Hamilton, American actress (d. 2002)
1965 – Johnny Rzeznik, American singer, songwriter and guitarist (Goo Goo Dolls)
1965 – Wayne Smith, Jamaican reggae musician
1966 – Patricia Kaas, French singer
1967 – Gary Allan, American country musician
1967 – Konstantin-Assen, Prince of Vidin, titular Bulgarian royal family
1968 – Margaret Cho, American comedian and actress
1968 – Lisa Marie, American model and actress
1969 – Morgan J. Freeman, American film director
1969 – Lewis Gordon Pugh, English swimmer, polar explorer and motivational speaker
1970 – Kevin Haller, Canadian ice hockey player
1971 – Kali Rocha, American actress
1972 – Cliff Floyd, American baseball player
1972 – Mike Mahoney, American baseball player
1972 – Angela Shelton, American actress & writer
1973 – Shalom Harlow, Canadian supermodel and actress
1973 – Luboš Motl, Czech physicist
1973 – Danielle Winits, Brazilian Actress
1974 – Charlie Batch, National Football League quarterback
1975 – Ronnie O Sullivan, English snooker player
1975 – Paula Patton, American actress
1976 – Amy Acker, American actress
1976 – Xavier Garbajosa, French rugby union footballer
1978 – Olli Jokinen, Finnish ice hockey player
1978 – Marcelo Zalayeta, Uruguayan footballer
1979 – Matteo Ferrari, Italian footballer
1979 – Niklas Hagman, Finnish ice hockey player
1979 – Evonne Hsu, Taiwanese singer
1979 – Gareth McAuley, Northern Irish footballer
1979 – Nick Stahl, American actor
1980 – Shizuka Ito, Japanese voice actress (seiyu)
1980 – Ibrahim Maalouf, Lebanese-born French trumpeter
1981 – Leila Tong, Hong Kong actress
1982 – Eddy Curry, American basketball player
1982 – Trai Essex, American football player
1984 – Chris Solinsky, American distance runner
1985 – Frankie Muniz, American actor
1985 – Josh Smith, American basketball player
1985 – Nico Verdonck, Belgian racing driver
1988 – Ross Bagley, American actor
1992 – Giorgio Cantarini, Italian actor
Deaths
749 – Saint John of Damascus, theologian
1082 – Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona
1355 – John III, Duke of Brabant (b. 1300)
1560 – King Francis II of France (b. 1544)
1570 – Johan Friis, Danish statesman (b. 1494)
1624 – Gaspard Bauhin, Swiss botanist (b. 1560)
1654 – Jean François Sarrazin, French writer
1663 – Severo Bonini, Italian composer (b. 1582)
1749 – Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de la Vérendrye, New French explorer and trader (b. 1685)
1758 – Johann Friedrich Fasch, German composer (b. 1688)
1770 – James Stirling, Scottish mathematician (b. 1692)
1784 – Phillis Wheatley, African-American poet (b. 1753)
1791 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer (b. 1756)
1819 – Count Friedrich Leopold zu Stolberg, German poet (b. 1750)
1870 – Alexandre Dumas, père, French writer (b. 1802)
1887 – Eliza Roxcy Snow, American poet (b. 1804)
1891 – Emperor Pedro II of Brazil (b. 1825)
1895 – Chief Gall, Sioux chief (b. 1840)
1925 – Wladyslaw Reymont, Polish writer and Nobel laureate (b. 1867)
1926 – Claude Monet, French impressionist painter (b. 1840)
1931 – Vachel Lindsay, American poet (b. 1879)
1940 – Mordechai Frizis, Jewish Greek military officer (b. 1893)
1940 – Jan Kubelík, Austro-Hungarian-born Czechoslovak violinist (b. 1880)
1946 – Louis Dewis, Belgian Post-Impressionist painter (b. 1872)
1950 – Shri Aurobindo, Indian guru (b. 1872)
1951 – Shoeless Joe Jackson, American baseball player (b. 1889)
1951 – Abanindranath Tagore, Indian writer (b. 1871)
1953 – Jorge Negrete, Mexican singer and actor (b. 1911)
1955 – Glenn L. Martin, American aviation pioneer (b. 1886)
1963 – Karl Amadeus Hartmann, German composer (b. 1905)
1963 – Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Prime Minister of Pakistan (b. 1892)
1965 – Joseph Erlanger, American physiologist, Nobel laureate (b. 1874)
1966 – Sylvère Maes, Belgian cyclist (b. 1909)
1968 – Fred Clark, American actor (b. 1914)
1969 – Claudius Dornier, German aircraft designer (b. 1884)
1973 – Robert Watson-Watt, Scottish engineer, inventor of radar (b. 1892)
1977 – Aleksandr Vasilevsky, Soviet military commander (b. 1895)
1983 – Robert Aldrich, American film director (b. 1918)
1984 – Adam Malik, Third Vice President of Indonesia (b. 1917)
1986 – Sir Edward Youde, Governor of Hong Kong (b. 1924)
1989 – Sir John Pritchard, English conductor (b. 1921)
1991 – Robert Karvelas, American actor (b. 1921)
1991 – Richard Speck, American mass murderer (b. 1941)
1993 – Doug Hopkins, American guitarist and songwriter (Gin Blossoms) (b. 1961)
1994 – Harry Horner, American art director (b. 1910)
1995 – Gwen Harwood, Australian poet (b. 1920)
1995 – Lisa McPherson, former Scientologist (b. 1959)
1998 – Al Gore, Sr., American politician (b. 1907)
2001 – Franco Rasetti, Italian physicist (b. 1901)
2002 – Roone Arledge, American sports broadcasting pioneer (b. 1931)
2002 – Ne Win, Burmese leader (b. 1911)
2005 – Ed Masry, American lawyer (b. 1932)
2005 – Kevin Big Kev McQuay, Australian businessman (b. 1949)
2005 – Frits Philips, Dutch businessman (b. 1905)
2006 – David Bronstein, Ukrainian-born chess grandmaster (b. 1924)
2007 – Karlheinz Stockhausen, German composer (b. 1928)
2007 – Andrew Imbrie, American composer (b. 1921)
2008 – Patriarch Alexy II of Russia, head of the Russian Orthodox Church (b. 1929)
2008 – Anca Parghel, one of the two greatest romanian female jazz singers and composers (b. 1957)
2008 – Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu, Romanian politician and president of the Association of Romanian Former Political Prisoners. (b. 1928)
Holidays and observances
Roman festivals – Faunalia celebrated in honor of Faunus (according to Horace, Odes 3.18)
Austria – Krampus
Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Romania and the UK – Saint Nicholas Eve (whom Dutch speakers call Sinterklaas, which became in other languages Santa Claus)
Thailand – The King s Birthday, National Day, Father s Day
Saint Abercius
R.C. Saints – formerly: Saint Sabas
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