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Today March 15th 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
44 BC – Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Gaius Cassius Longinus, Decimus Junius Brutus and several other Roman senators on the Ides of March.
221 – Liu Bei, a Chinese warlord and member of the Han royal house, declares himself emperor of Shu-Han and claims his legitimate succession to the Han Dynasty.
351 – Constantius II elevates his cousin Gallus to Caesar, and puts him in charge of the Eastern part of the Roman Empire.
933 – After a ten-year truce, German King Henry I defeats a Hungarian army at the Battle of Riade near the Unstrut river.
1311 – Battle of Halmyros: The Catalan Company defeats Walter V of Brienne to take control of the Duchy of Athens, a Crusader state in Greece.
1493 – Christopher Columbus returns to Spain after his first trip to the Americas.
1545 – First meeting of the Council of Trent.
1672 – Charles II of England issues the Royal Declaration of Indulgence.
1776 – South Carolina becomes the first American colony to declare its independence from Great Britain and set up its own government.
1781 – American Revolutionary War: Battle of Guilford Courthouse – Near present-day Greensboro, North Carolina, 1,900 British troops under General Charles Cornwallis defeat an American force numbering 4,400.
1783 – In an emotional speech in Newburgh, New York, George Washington asks his officers not to support the Newburgh Conspiracy. The plea is successful and the threatened coup d etat never takes place.
1820 – Maine becomes the 23rd U.S. state.
1848 – A revolution breaks out in Hungary. The Habsburg rulers are compelled to meet the demands of the Reform party.
1873 – The Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity is founded at Massachusetts Agricultural College.
1877 – The first Test cricket match begins between England and Australia.
1906 – Rolls-Royce Limited is incorporated.
1916 – President Woodrow Wilson sends 12,000 United States troops over the U.S.-Mexico border to pursue Pancho Villa.
1917 – Czar Nicholas II of Russia abdicates the Russian throne and his brother the Grand Duke becomes Tsar.
1922 – After Egypt gains nominal independence from the United Kingdom, Fuad I becomes King of Egypt.
1926 – The dictator Theodoros Pangalos is elected President of Greece without opposition.
1931 – SS Viking explodes off Newfoundland, killing 27 of the 147 on board.
1933 – Austrian Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss keeps members of the National Council from convening, starting the austrofascist dictatorship.
1939 – World War II: German troops occupy the remaining part of Bohemia and Moravia; Czechoslovakia ceases to exist.
1943 – World War II: Third Battle of Kharkov – the Germans retake the city of Kharkov from the Soviet armies in bitter street fighting.
1944 – World War II: Battle of Monte Cassino – Allied aircraft bomb the German-held monastery and stage an assault.
1952 – In Cilaos, Réunion, 1870 mm (73 inches) of rain falls in one day, setting a new world record.
1961 – South Africa withdraws from the Commonwealth of Nations.
1965 – President Lyndon B. Johnson, responding to the Selma crisis, tells U.S. Congress We shall overcome while advocating the Voting Rights Act.
1970 – The Expo 70 world s fair opens in Osaka, Japan.
1985 – The first Internet domain name is registered (symbolics.com).
1988 – The Halabja poison gas attack of the Iran–Iraq War begins.
1989 – The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is established.
1990 – Gulf War: Iraq hangs British journalist Farzad Bazoft for spying.
1990 – Mikhail Gorbachev is elected as the first executive president of the Soviet Union.
1990 – The ethnic clashes of Târgu Mures begin on the anniversary of the Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas.
2003 – Hu Jintao takes over presidency for the People s Republic of China.
2004 – Announcement of the discovery of 90377 Sedna, the farthest natural object in the Solar system so far observed.
Births
938 – Romanos II, Byzantine emperor (d. 963)
1275 – Margaret Plantagenet, English princess (d. 1318)
1455 – Pietro Accolti, Italian Catholic cardinal (d. 1532)
1493 – Anne de Montmorency, Constable of France (d. 1567)
1591 – Alexandre de Rhodes, French Jesuit missionary (d. 1660)
1638 – Shunzhi Emperor of China
1666 – George Bähr, German architect (d. 1738)
1684 – Francesco Durante, Italian composer (d. 1755)
1713 – Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, French astronomer (d. 1762)
1767 – Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States (d. 1845)
1779 – Lord Melbourne, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, (d. 1848)
1790 – Ludwig Immanuel Magnus, German mathematician (d. 1861)
1791 – Charles Knight, English publisher (d. 1873)
1809 – Joseph Jenkins Roberts, first President of Liberia (d. 1876)
1809 – Karl Josef von Hefele, German theologian (d. 1893)
1813 – John Snow, English epidemiologist (d. 1858)
1818 – Mariano Álvarez, Filipino general (d. 1924)
1821 – William Milligan, Scottish theologian (d. 1892)
1821 – Eduard Heine, German mathematician (d. 1881)
1821 – Johann Josef Loschmidt, Austrian scientist (d. 1895)
1824 – Jules Chevalier, French priest (d. 1907)
1830 – Paul Heyse, German writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1914)
1830 – Élisée Reclus, French geographer (d. 1905)
1831 – Daniel Comboni, Italian missionary (d. 1881)
1835 – Eduard Strauss, Austrian composer (d. 1916)
1835 – John Henrie Kagi, American abolitionist (d. 1859)
1838 – Karl Davydov, Russian cellist (d. 1889)
1851 – William Mitchell Ramsay, Scottish archaeologist (d. 1939)
1852 – Augusta, Lady Gregory, Anglo-Irish dramatist (d. 1932)
1854 – Emil Adolf von Behring, German physician; Nobel laureate (d. 1917)
1864 – Johan Halvorsen, Norwegian composer (d. 1935)
1866 – Matthew Charlton, Australian politician (d. 1948)
1866 – Johan Vaaler, Norwegian inventor (d. 1910)
1867 – Lionel Johnson, British poet (d. 1902)
1868 – Grace Chisholm Young, English mathematician (d. 1944)
1869 – Stanislaw Wojciechowski, President of Poland (d. 1953)
1874 – Eugène Fiset, Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (d. 1951)
1882 – Jim Lightbody, American runner (d. 1953)
1884 – Angelos Sikelianos, Greek poet and playwright, Nobel Prize for Literature candidate (d. 1951)
1887 – Marjorie Merriweather Post, American socialite and businesswoman (d. 1973)
1890 – Boris Nikolaevich Delaunay, Russian mathematician (d. 1980)
1892 – James Basevi Ord, US army officer (d. 1938)
1897 – Jackson Scholz, American runner (d. 1986)
1899 – George Brent, American film actor (d. 1979)
1905 – Berthold von Stauffenberg, German lawyer and Nazi opponent (d. 1944)
1907 – Zarah Leander, Swedish actress and singer (d. 1981)
1912 – Lightnin Hopkins, American musician (d. 1982)
1912 – Louis Paul Boon, Flemish journalist and novelist (d. 1979)
1913 – MacDonald Carey, American actor (d. 1994)
1913 – Jack Fairman, British racing driver (d. 2002)
1914 – Aniello Dellacroce, American gangster (d. 1985)
1915 – Joe E. Ross, American actor and comedian (d. 1982)
1916 – Harry James, American musician and band leader (d. 1983)
1916 – Fadil Hoxha, Yugoslav politician (d. 2001)
1918 – Richard Ellmann, American biographer (d. 1987)
1918 – Punch Imlach, Canadian hockey coach and general manager (d. 1987)
1919 – Lawrence Tierney, American actor (d. 2002)
1920 – Lawrence Sanders, American novelist (d. 1998)
1920 – E. Donnall Thomas, American physician, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
1921 – Stafford Smythe, Canadian hockey executive (d. 1971)
1921 – Madelyn Pugh, American television writer
1923 – Charles Wheeler, British journalist (d. 2008)
1924 – Walter Gotell, German actor (d. 1997)
1925 – Bert Bolin, Swedish meteorologist
1926 – Norm Van Brocklin, American football player (d. 1983)
1926 – Ben Johnston, American composer
1927 – Stanislaw Kania, Polish politician
1927 – Carl Smith, American singer
1927 – Christian Marquand, French actor and director (d. 2000)
1929 – Cecil Taylor, American jazz pianist
1930 – Zhores Ivanovich Alferov, Russian physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
1932 – Alan Bean, American astronaut
1933 – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, American jurist
1933 – Philippe de Broca, French film director (d. 2004)
1934 – Richard Layard, Baron Layard, British economist
1934 – Aldo Giorgini, Italian artist
1934 – Kanshi Ram, Indian dalit leader
1935 – Judd Hirsch, American actor
1935 – Jimmy Swaggart, American televangelist
1936 – Paul Zindel, American author and educator (d. 2003)
1936 – Howard Greenfield, American songwriter (d. 1986)
1936 – David Andrews, Irish politician
1939 – Jack Whyte, Scottish-Canadian author
1940 – Phil Lesh, American musician (Grateful Dead)
1940 – Frank Dobson, British politician
1940 – Margo Coleman, American advice columnist
1941 – Mike Love, American musician (The Beach Boys)
1943 – David Cronenberg, Canadian film director
1944 – Sly Stone, American musician
1944 – Jacques Doillon, French film director
1944 – Chi Cheng, Taiwanese athlete and politician
1945 – A. K. Faezul Huq, Bengali lawyer and politician (d. 2007)
1945 – Mark J. Green, American public official
1946 – Bobby Bonds, American baseball player (d. 2003)
1946 – Masaharu Sato, Japanese seiyu
1946 – Howard E. Scott, American musician (War)
1947 – Ry Cooder, American guitarist
1947 – Juraj Kukura, Slovak actor
1948 – Sérgio Vieira de Mello, Brazilian diplomat (d. 2003)
1948 – Kate Bornstein, American author
1950 – Jørgen Olsen, Danish singer
1952 – Howard Koh, American state government official
1953 – Richard Bruton, Irish politician
1954 – Craig Wasson, American actor
1955 – Dee Snider, American singer (Twisted Sister)
1956 – Clay Matthews, American football player
1957 – Park Overall, American actress
1957 – David Silverman, American animator
1957 – Víctor Muñoz, Spanish football manager
1959 – Harold Baines, American baseball player
1959 – Renny Harlin, Finnish film director
1959 – Lisa Holton, American writer
1959 – Fabio Lanzoni, Italian model
1960 – Chris Sanders, American animator and director
1960 – Marco Pennette, American television producer
1961 – Terry Cummings, American basketball player
1961 – Craig Ludwig, American ice hockey player
1962 – Terence Trent D Arby, American singer
1962 – Jimmy Baio, American actor
1963 – Bret Michaels, American musician (Poison)
1964 – Davide Pinato, Italian footballer
1967 – Naoko Takeuchi, Japanese artist
1968 – Kahimi Karie, Japanese singer
1968 – Mark McGrath, American musician (Sugar Ray)
1968 – Sabrina Salerno, Italian singer
1968 – Jon Schaffer, American guitarist (Iced Earth)
1968 – Terje Riis-Johansen, Norwegian politician
1969 – Rona Ambrose, Canadian politician
1969 – Timo Kotipelto, Finnish musician
1969 – Kim Raver, American actress
1969 – Gianluca Festa, Italian footballer
1969 – Yutaka Take, Japanese jockey
1970 – Derek Parra, American speed skater
1971 – Penny Lancaster, English model
1971 – Joanne Wise, English long jumper
1972 – Mark Hoppus, American musician (+44 and blink-182)
1973 – Lee Jung-jae, South Korean actor & model
1974 – Robert Fick, American baseball player
1974 – John Beatz Holohan, American musician
1975 – Eva Longoria, American actress
1975 – Will.i.am, American musician
1975 – Veselin Topalov, Bulgarian chess player
1975 – Darcy Tucker, Canadian hockey player
1976 – Jennifer 8. Lee, American journalist
1976 – Katherine Brooks, American television director
1976 – Cara Pifko, Canadian actress
1976 – Jose Sanchez Zolliker, Mexican writer
1977 – Joe Hahn, American musician
1977 – Brian Tee, American actor
1977 – Adrian Burnside, Australian baseball player
1978 – Takeru Kobayashi, Japanese competitive eater
1979 – Kevin Youkilis, American baseball player
1980 – Freddie Bynum, American baseball player
1981 – Mikael Forssell, Finnish footballer
1981 – Young Buck, American rapper
1982 – Emily Tyndall, American actress
1982 – Rafael Pérez, Dominican baseball player
1982 – Jordan Hastings, Canadian drummer (Alexisonfire)
1983 – Sean Biggerstaff, Scottish actor
1983 – Daryl Murphy, Irish footballer
1984 – Kostas Vassiliadis, Greek basketball player
1984 – Badradine Belloumou, French-Algerian football player
1985 – Antti Autti, Finnish snowboarder
1985 – James MacLurcan, Australian actor
1985 – Eva Amurri, American actress
1985 – Tom Chilton, British racing driver
1985 – Kellan Lutz, American model and actor
1987 – Taiwan Brown, video jockey
1988 – Ever Guzman, Mexican footballer
1989 – Caitlin Wachs, American actress
1991 – Kie Kitano, Japanese actress
Deaths
44 BC – Julius Caesar (Murdered)(b. 100 BC)
220 – Cao Cao, King of Wei (b. 155)
493 – Odoacer, King of Italy (murdered) (b. 435)
1145 – Pope Lucius II
1311 – Walter V of Brienne, Duke of Athens
1416 – John, Duke of Berry, son of John II of France (b. 1340)
1536 – Pargali Ibrahim Pasha, Grand Vizer under Suleiman the Magnificent
1575 – Annibale Padovano, Italian composer (b. 1527)
1644 – Louise Juliana of Nassau, Regent of Bohemia (b. 1576)
1670 – John Davenport, Connecticut pioneer (b. 1597)
1673 – Salvator Rosa, Italian painter and poet (b. 1615)
1701 – Jean Renaud de Segrais, French writer (b. 1624)
1711 – Eusebio Kino, Italian Catholic missionary (b. 1645)
1820 – Clemens Maria Hofbauer, patron saint of Vienna (b. 1751)
1842 – Luigi Cherubini, Italian composer (b. 1760)
1849 – Giuseppe Caspar Mezzofanti, Italian cardinal and linguist (b. 1774)
1891 – Théodore de Banville, French writer (b. 1823)
1891 – Joseph Bazalgette, English civil engineer (b. 1819)
1898 – Henry Bessemer, English metallurgist (b. 1813)
1937 – H. P. Lovecraft, American writer (b. 1890)
1941 – Alexej von Jawlensky, Russian painter (b. 1864)
1951 – John S. Paraskevopoulos, Greek-born astronomer (b. 1889)
1957 – Ernst Nobs, Swiss Federal Councilor (b. 1886)
1959 – Lester Young, American musician (b. 1909)
1962 – Arthur Compton, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1892)
1966 – Abe Saperstein, American basketball executive (b. 1902)
1970 – Tarjei Vesaas, Norwegian writer (b. 1897)
1971 – Jean-Pierre Monseré, Belgian cyclist (b. 1948)
1972 – Aleksandr Ivanovich Laktionov, Russian painter (b. 1910)
1975 – Aristotle Onassis, Greek shipping magnate (b. 1900)
1977 – Antonino Rocca, Argentine professional wrestler
1977 – Hubert Aquin, Quebec novelist, political activist and editor (b. 1929)
1981 – René Clair, French film director (b. 1898)
1983 – Rebecca West, English writer (b. 1892)
1983 – Coloman Braun-Bogdan, Romanian football midfielder and manager (b. 1905)
1985 – Radha Krishna Choudhary, Indian historian and writer (b. 1921)
1988 – Dmitri Polyakov, Soviet double-agent (b. 1926)
1989 – Muhammad Jameel Didi, Maldivian poet (b. 1915)
1990 – Farzad Bazoft, Iranian-born journalist (hanged) (b. 1958)
1990 – Tom Harmon, American football player and broadcaster (b. 1919)
1991 – Bud Freeman, American jazz musician (b. 1906)
1997 – Gail Davis, American actress (b. 1925)
1997 – Victor Vasarely, Hungarian painter (b. 1906)
1998 – Benjamin Spock, American pediatrician and writer (b. 1903)
2001 – Ann Sothern, American actress (b. 1909)
2003 – Dame Thora Hird, British actress (b. 1911)
2003 – Paul Stojanovich, Reality TV pioneer (b. 1956)
2004 – Sir William Pickering, New Zealand-born space scientist (b. 1910)
2004 – John Pople, English chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1925)
2005 – Bob Bellear, Australian judge (b. 1944)
2005 – Shoji Nishio, Japanese martial artist (b. 1927)
2006 – George Rallis, Prime Minister of Greece (b. 1918)
2006 – Red Storey, Canadian football player and hockey referee (b. 1918)
2007 – Charles Harrelson, American hitman and father of Woody Harrelson (b. 1938)
2007 – Bowie Kuhn, American commissioner of baseball (b. 1926)
2007 – Stuart Rosenberg, American film and television director (b. 1927)
2008 – Vytautas Kernagis, Lithuanian singer, TV shows announcer (b. 1951)
2008 – Mikey Dread,Jamaican singer (b. 1954)
Holidays and observances
In the Roman calendar, the Ides of March.
International Day Against Police Brutality
For corporations in the United States that use the calendar year as their fiscal year, the date on which the corporation must file its corporate income tax return
Constitution Day in Belarus
National holiday in Hungary celebrating the 1848 Revolution. (See also Public holidays in Hungary)
In Japan, Honen Matsuri (harvest festival)
Saint Clemens Maria Hofbauer (died 1820)
Saint Louise of Marillac
Saint Leocritia
Saint Longinus
Saint Raymond of Fitero
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