today.nukz.net: Almanac March 30

Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March 1853 – 29 July 1890) Dutch post-Impressionist painter whose work, notable for its rough beauty, emotional honesty, and bold color, had a far-reaching influence on 20th-century art.

Events

1282 – The people of Sicily rebel against the Angevin king Charles I, in what becomes known as the Sicilian Vespers.
1296 – Edward I sacks Berwick-upon-Tweed, during armed conflict between Scotland and England.
1814 – Napoleonic Wars: Sixth Coalition forces march into Paris.
1814 – Joachim Murat issues the Rimini Declaration which would later inspire Italian Unification.
1822 – The Florida Territory is created in the United States.
1842 – Ether anesthesia is used for the first time, in an operation by the American surgeon Dr. Crawford Long.
1844 – One of the most important battles of the Dominican War of Independence from Haiti takes place near the city of Santiago de los Caballeros.
1855 – Origins of the American Civil War: Bleeding Kansas – "Border Ruffians" from Missouri invade Kansas and force election of a pro-slavery legislature.
1856 – The Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Crimean War.
1863 – Danish prince Wilhelm Georg is chosen as King George of Greece.
1867 – Alaska is purchased from Russia for $7.2 million, about 2 cent/acre ($4.19/km²), by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward.
1870 – Texas is readmitted to the Union following Reconstruction.
1885 – The Battle for Kushka triggers the Panjdeh Incident which nearly gives rise to war between the British Empire and Russian Empire.
1909 – The Queensboro Bridge opens, linking Manhattan and Queens.
1910 – The Mississippi Legislature founds The University of Southern Mississippi.
1912 – Sultan Abdelhafid signs the Treaty of Fez, making Morocco a French protectorate.
1918 – Outburst of bloody March Events in Baku and other locations of Baku Governorate.
1939 – The Heinkel He 100 fighter sets a world airspeed record of 463 mph.
1940 – Sino-Japanese War: Japan declares Nanking capital of a new Chinese puppet government, nominally controlled by Wang Ching-wei.
1944 – World War II: Allied bombers conduct their most severe bombing run on Sofia, Bulgaria.
1944 – Allied bombing raid on Nuremberg. Along the English eastern coast 795 aircraft are despatched, including 572 Lancasters, 214 Halifaxes and 9 Mosquitos. The bombers meet resistance at the coasts of Belgium and the Netherlands from German fighters. In total, 95 bombers are lost, making it the largest Bomber Command loss of World War II.
1945 – World War II: Soviet Union forces invade Austria and take Vienna; Polish and Soviet forces liberate Gdansk.
1949 – A riot breaks out in Austurvöllur square in Reykjavík, when Iceland joins NATO.
1954 – The Yonge Street subway line opens in Toronto. It is the first subway in Canada.
1961 – The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is signed in New York City.
1965 – Vietnam War: A car bomb explodes in front of the US Embassy, Saigon, killing 22 and wounding 183 others.
1972 – Vietnam War: The Easter Offensive begins after North Vietnamese forces cross into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) of South Vietnam.
1976 – The first Land Day protests are held in Israel/Palestine.
1979 – Airey Neave, a British Member of Parliament, is killed by a car bomb as he exits the Palace of Westminster. The Irish National Liberation Army claims responsibility.
1981 – President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John Hinckley, Jr.
1982 – Space Shuttle program: STS-3 Mission is completed with the landing of Columbia at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
2006 – The United Kingdom Terrorism Act 2006 becomes a law.
2009 – Twelve gunmen attack the Manawan Police Academy in Lahore, Pakistan.

Births

1326 – Ivan II of Russia, Grand Duke of Muscovy (d. 1359)
1432 – Mehmed II, Ottoman Sultan (d. 1481)
1640 – John Trenchard, English politician (d. 1695)
1727 – Tommaso Traetta, Italian composer (d. 1779)
1746 – Francisco Goya, Spanish painter (d. 1828)
1750 – John Stafford Smith, English composer (d. 1836)
1811 – Robert Bunsen, German chemist (d. 1899)
1820 – Anna Sewell, British author (d. 1878)
1830 – Mihály Zsupánek Slovene writer, poet and soldier in Hungary (d. 1898? 1905?)
1844 – Paul Verlaine, French poet (d. 1896)
1853 – Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter (d. 1890)
1857 – Leon Charles Thevenin, French telegraph engineer (d. 1926)
1863 – Mary Calkins, American philosopher and psychologist (d. 1930)
1864 – Franz Oppenheimer, German sociologist (d. 1943)
1874 – Charles Lightoller, British marine officer, second mate on board of the RMS Titanic (d. 1952)
1879 – Coen de Koning, Dutch ice skater (d. 1954)
1880 – Sean O'Casey, Irish dramatist (d. 1964)
1882 – Melanie Klein, British psychoanalyst (d. 1960)
1892 – Stefan Banach, Polish mathematician (d. 1945)
1892 – Fortunato Depero, Italian artist (d. 1960)
1892 – Erhard Milch, German field marshal (d. 1972)
1894 – Sergey Ilyushin, Russian aerospace engineer (d. 1977)
1895 – Jean Giono, French author (d. 1970)
1899 – Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, Bengali writer (d. 1970)
1902 – Brooke Astor, American philanthropist (d. 2007)
1902 – Ted Heath, British musician and band leader (d. 1969)
1903 – Countee Cullen, American poet (d. 1946)
1903 – Joy Ridderhof, American missionary (d. 1984)
1904 – Ripper Collins, American baseball player (d. 1970)
1905 – Albert Pierrepoint, English executioner (d. 1992)
1907 – Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte, German Luftwaffe Officer (d. 1994)
1910 – Józef Marcinkiewicz, Polish mathematician (d. 1940)
1912 – Alvin Hamilton, Canadian politician (d. 2004)
1913 – Marc Davis, American animator (d. 2000)
1913 – Richard Helms, American CIA director (d. 2002)
1913 – Frankie Laine, American singer (d. 2007)
1913 – Censu Tabone, President of Malta
1914 – Sonny Boy Williamson I, American musician (d. 1948)
1919 – McGeorge Bundy, American National Security Advisor (d. 1996)
1921 – André Fontaine, French historian and journalist
1922 – Turhan Bey, Turkish actor
1923 – Milton Acorn, Canadian poet (d. 1986)
1926 – Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish entrepreneur
1926 – Peter Marshall, American game show host
1926 – Werner Torkanowsky, German conductor (d. 1992)
1928 – Robert Badinter, French politician
1928 – Tom Sharpe, English satirical author
1929 – Richard Dysart, American actor
1930 – John Astin, American actor
1930 – Nicolas Browne-Wilkinson, former Lord of Appeal, UK
1930 – Rolf Harris, Australian artist and entertainer
1933 – Jean-Claude Brialy, French actor and director (d. 2007)
1933 – George Morfogen, American actor
1934 – Hans Hollein, Austrian architect
1935 – Karl Berger, German musicologist and musician
1935 – Willie Galimore, American football player (d. 1964)
1937 – Warren Beatty, American actor and director
1940 – Astrud Gilberto, Brazilian singer
1940 – Jerry Lucas, American basketball player
1940 – Hans Ragnemalm, Swedish professor of public law, and judge
1941 – Graeme Edge, British musician (Moody Blues)
1941 – Wasim Sajjad, President of Pakistan
1941 – Bob Smith, former American politician
1942 – Ruben Kun, Nauruan politician and former President of Nauru
1943 – Ken Forssi, American musician (Love) (d. 1998)
1945 – Eric Clapton, British guitarist
1945 – Johnnie Walker, British DJ
1947 – Ryszard Kotla, Polish travel writer and activist
1948 – Mervyn King, British economist, Governor of the Bank of England (2003–present)
1948 – Eddie Jordan, former owner of Jordan Grand Prix
1949 – Naomi Sims, American fashion model and businesswoman (d. 2009)
1949 – Liza Frulla, Quebec politician
1949 – Ray Magliozzi, American radio personality
1950 – Robbie Coltrane, Scottish actor and comedian
1951 – Yves Séguin, Quebec politician
1951 – Tina Monzon-Palma, Filipina broadcast journalist and news anchor
1952 – Peter Knights, Australian footballer and coach
1955 – Randy VanWarmer, American singer and songwriter (d. 2004)
1956 – Bill Butler, Scottish politician
1956 – Juanito Oiarzabal, Basque mountaineer
1956 – Shahla Sherkat, Iranian feminist journalist
1957 – Paul Reiser, American actor
1958 – Maurice LaMarche, Canadian voice actor
1959 – Peter Hugh McGregor Ellis, New Zealand convicted child abuser
1959 – Sabine Meyer, German clarinetist
1959 – Andrew Bailey, Bank of England officer
1961 – Doug Wickenheiser, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1999)
1962 – Mark Begich, American Senator from Alaska
1962 – Bil Dwyer, American actor
1962 – MC Hammer, American rap musician
1963 – Eli-Eri Moura, Brazilian composer and conductor
1963 – Panagiotis Tsalouchidis, Greek footballer
1964 – Tracy Chapman, American singer
1964 – Vlado Bozinovski, Australian former footballer
1964 – Dave Ellett, Canadian hockey player
1964 – Ian Ziering, American actor
1965 – Piers Morgan, British journalist and television personality
1966 – Joey Castillo, American drummer (Queens of the Stone Age)
1966 – Efstratios Grivas, Greek chess grandmaster and author
1967 – Christopher Bowman, American figure skater (d. 2008)
1967 – Megumi Hayashibara, Japanese voice actress and singer
1967 – Richard Hutten, designer
1968 – Donna D'Errico, American actress and model
1968 – Celine Dion, Canadian singer
1971 – Mark Consuelos, American actor
1971 – Mari Holden, American cycle racer
1972 – Mili Avital, Israeli-American actress
1973 – Jan Koller, Czech footballer
1973 – Matthew Pritchard, Welsh stuntman
1973 – Ali Ahmed Qatari archer
1975 – Paul Griffen, New Zealand-born Italian rugby player
1975 – Bahar Soomekh, American actress
1976 – Mark McClelland, Northern Irish musician (Degrassi)
1976 – Ty Conklin, American ice hockey player
1976 – Obadele Thompson, Barbadian athlete
1976 – Ayako Kawasumi, Japanese voice actress
1978 – Chris Paterson, Scottish rugby player
1979 – Anatoliy Tymoschuk Ukrainian footballer
1979 – Norah Jones, American musician
1979 – Simon Webbe, English singer
1980 – Ricardo Osorio, Mexican footballer
1980 – Yalin, Turkish singer and songwriter
1981 – Jammal Brown, American football player
1981 – Andrea Masi, Italian rugby player
1982 – Jason Dohring, American actor
1982 – Mark Hudson, English footballer
1982 – Philippe Mexès, French footballer
1983 – Jérémie Aliadière, French footballer
1983 – Zach Gowen, American professional wrestler
1983 – Scott Moffatt, Canadian singer and songwriter
1983 – Davis Romero, Panamanian baseball player
1983 – Hebe Tien, Taiwanese singer (S.H.E)
1984 – Mario Ancic, Croatian tennis player
1984 – Anna Nalick, American singer and songwriter
1984 – Samantha Stosur, Australian tennis player
1986 – Beni Arashiro, Japanese singer
1986 – Sergio Ramos, Spanish footballer
1987 – Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Canadian hockey player
1987 – Trent Barreta, American professional wrestler
1988 – Thanasis Papazoglou, Greek footballer
1989 – Chris Sale, American baseball player
1990 – Allie Gonino, American actress
1990 – Cassie Scerbo, American actress
1990 – Lee Gi Kwang, Korean singer and dancer (BEAST)
1990 – Rodney Strasser, Sierra Leonean footballer
1994 – Sarah Solovay, American singer-songwriter

Deaths

365 – Jin Aidi, emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (b. 341)
1486 – Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury
1526 – Konrad Mutian, German humanist (b. 1471)
1540 – Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg, German statesman and Archbishop of Salzburg (b. 1469)
1559 – Adam Ries, German mathematician (b. 1492)
1587 – Ralph Sadler, English statesman (b. 1507)
1662 – François le Métel de Boisrobert, French poet (b. 1592)
1707 – Vauban, French architect (b. 1633)
1764 – Pietro Locatelli, Italian composer (b. 1695)
1783 – William Hunter, Scottish anatomist (b. 1718)
1804 – Victor-François, 2nd duc de Broglie, Marshal of France (b. 1718)
1806 – Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, English duchess (b. 1757)
1830 – Ludwig I, Grand Duke of Baden (b. 1763)
1840 – Beau Brummell, English celebrity and dandy (b. 1778)
1842 – Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, French painter (b. 1755)
1879 – Thomas Couture, French painter and teacher (b. 1815)
1886 – Joseph-Alfred Mousseau, French Canadian politician (b. 1838)
1896 – Charilaos Trikoupis, seven times prime-minister of Greece (b. 1832)
1912 – Karl May, German author (b. 1842)
1925 – Rudolf Steiner, Austrian philosopher (b. 1861)
1936 – Conchita Supervía, Spanish opera singer (b. 1895)
1943 – Jan Bytnar, Polish activist (b. 1921)
1943 – Maciej Aleksy Dawidowski, Polish activist (b. 1920)
1949 – Friedrich Bergius, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1884)
1950 – Léon Blum, French prime minister (b. 1872)
1952 – Jigme Wangchuck, Second king of Bhutan (b. 1905)
1959 – Daniil Andreev, Russian writer and mystic (b. 1906)
1959 – Riccardo Zanella, president of Free State of Fiume (b. 1875)
1965 – Philip Showalter Hench, American physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1896)
1966 – Maxfield Parrish, American artist (b. 1870)
1966 – Newbold Morris, American politician (b. 1902)
1967 – Jean Toomer, American writer (b. 1894)
1968 – Bobby Driscoll, American actor (b. 1937)
1970 – Heinrich Brüning, German politician, Chancellor (1930–1932) (b. 1885)
1972 – Gabriel Heatter, American radio commentator (b. 1890)
1973 – Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, Scottish aviator (b. 1903)
1977 – Abdel Halim Hafez, Egyptian singer and actor (b. 1929)
1979 – Airey Neave, British politician and WW2 veteran (b.1916)
1979 – Ray Ventura, French jazz bandleader (b. 1908)
1981 – DeWitt Wallace, American publisher (b. 1889)
1984 – Karl Rahner, German theologian (b. 1904)
1985 – Harold Peary, American actor and singer (b. 1908)
1986 – James Cagney, American actor (b. 1899)
1988 – Edgar Faure, French politician (b. 1908)
1992 – Manolis Andronikos, Greek archeologist, professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (b. 1919)
1999 – Gary Morton, American film and television producer (b. 1924)
2000 – Rudolf Kirchschläger, Austrian politician, President (1974–1986) (b. 1915)
2002 – Anand Bakshi, Indian lyricist (b. 1930)
2002 – Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Queen Mother of the United Kingdom (b. 1900)
2003 – Michael Jeter, American actor (b. 1952)
2003 – Valentin Pavlov, Soviet politician, Prime Minister (1991) (b. 1937)
2004 – Alistair Cooke, English-born journalist (b. 1908)
2004 – Hubert Gregg, British broadcaster (b. 1914)
2004 – Michael King, New Zealand historian (b. 1945)
2004 – Timi Yuro, American singer (b. 1940)
2005 – Robert Creeley, American poet (b. 1926)
2005 – Emil Dimitrov, Bulgarian singer (b. 1940)
2005 – Milton Green, American athlete (b. 1913)
2005 – Mitch Hedberg, American comedian (b. 1968)
2005 – Fred Korematsu, American civil rights activist (b. 1919)
2005 – Derrick Plourde, American drummer (b. 1971)
2005 – Chrysanthos Theodoridis, Greek singer (b. 1934)
2005 – O. V. Vijayan, Indian author and cartoonist (b. 1930)
2006 – Red Hickey, American football coach (b. 1917)
2006 – John McGahern, Irish novelist (b. 1934)
2007 – John Roberts, Canadian politician (b. 1933)
2008 – Dith Pran, Cambodian photographer (The Killing Fields) (b. 1942)
2008 – David Leslie, touring car driver (b. 1953)
2008 – Richard Lloyd, racing car driver (b. 1945)
2010 – Jaime Escalante, Bolivian-born American high school teacher at Garfield High School (b. 1930)
2010 – Martin Sandberger, German military officer (b. 1911)