April 12 Explained

Events

Pre-1600

• 240  - Shapur I becomes co-emperor of the Sasanian Empire with his father Ardashir I.^[1]
• 467  - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.^[2]
• 627  - King Edwin of Northumbria is converted to Christianity by Paulinus, bishop of York.^[3]
• 1012  - Duke Oldřich of Bohemia deposes and blinds his brother Jaromír, who flees to Poland.
• 1204  - The Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade breach the walls of Constantinople and enter the city, which they completely occupy the following day.^[4]

1601–1900

• 1606  - The Union Flag is adopted as the flag of English and Scottish ships.^[5]
• 1776  - American Revolution: With the Halifax Resolves, the North Carolina Provincial Congress authorizes its Congressional delegation to vote for independence from Britain.^[6]
• 1782  - American Revolution: A Royal Navy fleet led by Admiral George Rodney defeats a French fleet led by the Comte de Grasse at the Battle of the Saintes off Dominica in the Caribbean Sea.^[7]
• 1807  - The Froberg mutiny on Malta ends when the remaining mutineers blow up the magazine of Fort Ricasoli.^[8]
• 1820  - Alexander Ypsilantis is declared leader of Filiki Eteria, a secret organization to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece.
• 1831  - Soldiers marching on the Broughton Suspension Bridge in Manchester, England, cause it to collapse.
• 1861  - American Civil War: Battle of Fort Sumter. The war begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.^[9]
• 1862  - American Civil War: The Andrews Raid (the Great Locomotive Chase) occurs, starting from Big Shanty, Georgia (now Kennesaw).
• 1864  - American Civil War: The Battle of Fort Pillow: Confederate forces kill most of the African American soldiers that surrendered at Fort Pillow, Tennessee.^[10]
• 1865  - American Civil War: Mobile, Alabama, falls to the Union Army.^[11]
• 1877  - The United Kingdom annexes the Transvaal.^[12]
• 1900  - One day after its enactment by the Congress, President William McKinley signs the Foraker Act into law, giving Puerto Rico limited self-rule.^[13]

1901–present

• 1910  -, one of the last pre-dreadnought battleships built by the Austro-Hungarian Navy, is launched.
• 1917  - World War I: Canadian forces successfully complete the taking of Vimy Ridge from the Germans.
• 1927  - Shanghai massacre of 1927: Chiang Kai-shek orders the Chinese Communist Party members executed in Shanghai, ending the First United Front.
• 1927  - Rocksprings, Texas is hit by an F5 tornado that destroys 235 of the 247 buildings in the town, kills 72 townspeople, and injures 205; third deadliest tornado in Texas history.
• 1928  - The Bremen, a German Junkers W 33 type aircraft, takes off for the first successful transatlantic aeroplane flight from east to west.
• 1934  - The strongest surface wind gust in the world at the time of 231 mph, is measured on the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire. It has since been surpassed.
• 1934  - The U.S. Auto-Lite strike begins, culminating in a five-day melee between Ohio National Guard troops and 6,000 strikers and picketers.
• 1937  - Sir Frank Whittle ground-tests the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft, at Rugby, England.
• 1945  - U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies in office; Vice President Harry S. Truman becomes President upon Roosevelt's death.
• 1945  - World War II: The U.S. Ninth Army under General William H. Simpson crosses the Elbe River astride Magdeburg, and reaches Tangermünde—only 50 miles from Berlin.
• 1955  - The polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is declared safe and effective.
• 1961  - Space Race: The Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel into outer space and perform the first crewed orbital flight, Vostok 1.
• 1963  - The Soviet nuclear-powered submarine K-33 collides with the Finnish merchant vessel M/S Finnclipper in the Danish straits.
• 1970  - Soviet submarine K-8, carrying four nuclear torpedoes, sinks in the Bay of Biscay four days after a fire on board.
• 1980  - The Americo-Liberian government of Liberia is violently deposed.
• 1980  - Transbrasil Flight 303, a Boeing 727, crashes on approach to Hercílio Luz International Airport in Florianópolis, Brazil. Fifty-five out of the 58 people on board are killed.^[14]
• 1980  - Canadian runner and athlete, Terry Fox begins his Marathon of Hope Run in St. John's, NF^[15]
• 1981  - The first launch of a Space Shuttle (Columbia) takes place: The STS-1 mission.
• 1983  - Harold Washington is elected as the first black mayor of Chicago.^[16]
• 1985  - Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-51D to deploy two communications satellites.^[17]
• 1990  - Jim Gary's "Twentieth Century Dinosaurs" exhibition opens at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. He is the only sculptor ever invited to present a solo exhibition there.
• 1990  - Widerøe Flight 839 crashes after takeoff from Værøy Airport in Norway, killing five people.^[18]
• 1992  - The Euro Disney Resort officially opens with its theme park Euro Disneyland; the resort and its park's name are subsequently changed to Disneyland Paris.
• 1999  - United States President Bill Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving "intentionally false statements" in a civil lawsuit; he is later fined and disbarred.
• 1999  - During the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, an American McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle shoots a passenger train, killing between 20 and 60 people.^[19]
• 2002  - A suicide bomber blows herself up at the entrance to Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda Market, killing seven people and wounding 104.
• 2007  - A suicide bomber penetrates the Green Zone and detonates in a cafeteria within a parliament building, killing Iraqi MP Mohammed Awad and wounding more than twenty other people.
• 2009  - Zimbabwe officially abandons the Zimbabwean dollar as its official currency.
• 2010  - Merano derailment: A rail accident in South Tyrol kills nine people and injures a further 28.^[20]
• 2013  - Two suicide bombers kill three Chadian soldiers and injure dozens of civilians at a market in Kidal, Mali.
• 2014  - The Great Fire of Valparaíso ravages the Chilean city of Valparaíso, killing 16 people, displacing nearly 10,000, and destroying over 2,000 homes.^[21]

Births

Pre-1600

• 811  - Muhammad al-Jawad, the ninth Imam of Shia Islam (d. 835)^[22]
• 959  - En'yū, emperor of Japan (d. 991)
• 1116  - Richeza of Poland, queen of Sweden and Grand Princess of Minsk (d. 1156)
• 1432  - Anne of Austria, Landgravine of Thuringia (d. 1462)
• 1484  - Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Italian architect, designed the Apostolic Palace and St. Peter's Basilica (d. 1546)
• 1484  - Maharana Sangram Singh, Rana of Mewar (d. 1527)
• 1500  - Joachim Camerarius, German scholar and translator (d. 1574)
• 1526  - Muretus, French philosopher and author (d. 1585)
• 1550  - Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, English courtier and politician, Lord Great Chamberlain (d. 1604)
• 1577  - Christian IV of Denmark (d. 1648)^[23]

1601–1900

• 1612  - Simone Cantarini, Italian painter and engraver (d. 1648)
• 1639  - Martin Lister, English naturalist and physician (d. 1712)
• 1656  - Benoît de Maillet, French diplomat and natural historian (d. 1738)
• 1705  - William Cookworthy, English minister and pharmacist (d. 1780)^[24]
• 1710  - Caffarelli, Italian actor and singer (d. 1783)^[25]
• 1713  - Guillaume Thomas François Raynal, French historian and author (d. 1796)
• 1716  - Felice Giardini, Italian violinist and composer (d. 1796)
• 1722  - Pietro Nardini, Italian violinist and composer (d. 1793)^[26]
• 1724  - Lyman Hall, American physician, clergyman, and politician, 16th Governor of Georgia (d. 1790)
• 1748  - Antoine Laurent de Jussieu, French botanist and author (d. 1836)
• 1777  - Henry Clay, American lawyer and politician, 9th United States Secretary of State (d. 1852)
• 1792  - John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, English soldier and politician, Lord Privy Seal (d. 1840)
• 1794  - Germinal Pierre Dandelin, Belgian mathematician and engineer (d. 1847)^[27]
• 1796  - George N. Briggs, American lawyer and politician, 19th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1861)
• 1799  - Henri Druey, Swiss lawyer and politician, 2nd President of the Swiss Confederation (d. 1855)
• 1801  - Joseph Lanner, Austrian composer and conductor (d. 1843)
• 1816  - Charles Gavan Duffy, Irish-Australian politician, 8th Premier of Victoria (d. 1903)
• 1823  - Alexander Ostrovsky, Russian playwright and translator (d. 1886)^[28]
• 1839  - Nikolay Przhevalsky, Russian geographer and explorer (d. 1888)
• 1845  - Gustaf Cederström, Swedish painter (d. 1933)
• 1851  - José Gautier Benítez, Puerto Rican soldier and poet (d. 1880)
• 1851  - Edward Walter Maunder, English astronomer and author (d. 1928)
• 1852  - Ferdinand von Lindemann, German mathematician and academic (d. 1939)
• 1856  - Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington, English mountaineer, cartographer, and politician (d. 1937)
• 1863  - Raul Pompeia, Brazilian writer (d. 1895)
• 1868  - Akiyama Saneyuki, Japanese admiral (d. 1918)^[29]
• 1869  - Henri Désiré Landru, French serial killer (d. 1922)
• 1871  - Ioannis Metaxas, Greek general and politician, 130th Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1941)^[30]
• 1874  - William B. Bankhead, American lawyer and politician, 47th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (d. 1940)
• 1880  - Addie Joss, American baseball player and journalist (d. 1911)
• 1883  - Imogen Cunningham, American photographer and educator (d. 1976)
• 1883  - Dally Messenger, Australian rugby player, cricketer, and sailor (d. 1959)
• 1884  - Tenby Davies, Welsh runner (d. 1932)
• 1884  - Otto Meyerhof, German physician and biochemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1951)
• 1885  - Robert Delaunay, French painter (d. 1941)
• 1887  - Harold Lockwood, American actor and director (d. 1918)
• 1888  - Dan Ahearn, Irish-American long jumper and police officer (d. 1942)
• 1888  - Cecil Kimber, English automobile engineer (d. 1945)
• 1892  - Henry Darger, American writer and artist (d. 1973)
• 1894  - Dorothy Cumming, Australian-American actress (d. 1983)

• 1894  - Francisco Craveiro Lopes, Portuguese field marshal and politician, 13th President of Portugal (d. 1964)
• 1898  - Lily Pons, French-American soprano and actress (d. 1976)

1901–present

• 1901  - Lowell Stockman, American farmer and politician (d. 1962)
• 1902  - Louis Beel, Dutch academic and politician, 36th Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 1977)
• 1903  - Jan Tinbergen, Dutch economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1994)
• 1907  - Felix de Weldon, Austrian-American sculptor, designed the Marine Corps War Memorial (d. 2003)
• 1907  - Zawgyi, Burmese poet, author, literary historian, critic, scholar and academic (d. 1990)
• 1908  - Ida Pollock, English author and painter (d. 2013)
• 1908  - Robert Lee Scott, Jr., American pilot and general (d. 2006)
• 1910  - Gillo Dorfles, Italian art critic, painter and philosopher (d. 2018)
• 1910  - Irma Rapuzzi, French politician (d. 2018)
• 1911  - Mahmoud Younis, Egyptian engineer (d. 1976)
• 1912  - Frank Dilio, Canadian businessman (d. 1997)
• 1912  - Hamengkubuwono IX, Indonesian politician, 2nd Vice President of Indonesia (d. 1988)
• 1912  - Hound Dog Taylor, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1975)
• 1913  - Keiko Fukuda, Japanese-American martial artist (d. 2013)
• 1914  - Armen Alchian, American economist and academic (d. 2013)
• 1916  - Beverly Cleary, American author (d. 2021)^[31]
• 1916  - Russell Garcia, American-New Zealand composer and conductor (d. 2011)^[32]
• 1916  - Benjamin Libet, American neuropsychologist and academic (d. 2007)
• 1917  - Helen Forrest, American singer and actress (d. 1999)
• 1917  - Vinoo Mankad, Indian cricketer (d. 1978)
• 1917  - Robert Manzon, French racing driver (d. 2015)
• 1919  - István Anhalt, Hungarian-Canadian composer and educator (d. 2012)
• 1919  - Billy Vaughn, American musician and bandleader (d. 1991)
• 1921  - Robert Cliche, Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician (d. 1978)
• 1922  - Simon Kapwepwe, Zambian politician, 2nd Vice President of Zambia (d. 1980)
• 1923  - Ann Miller, American actress, singer, and dancer (d. 2004)
• 1924  - Raymond Barre, French economist and politician, Prime Minister of France (d. 2007)
• 1924  - Peter Safar, Austrian physician and academic (d. 2003)
• 1924  - Curtis Turner, American race car driver (d. 1970)
• 1925  - Evelyn Berezin, American computer scientist and engineer (d. 2018)
• 1925  - Ned Miller, American country music singer and songwriter (d. 2016)
• 1925  - Oliver Postgate, English animator, puppeteer, and screenwriter (d. 2008)
• 1926  - Jane Withers, American actress (d. 2021)^[33]
• 1927  - Thomas Hemsley, English baritone (d. 2013)^[34]
• 1927  - Alvin Sargent, American screenwriter (d. 2019)^[35]
• 1928  - Hardy Krüger, German actor (d. 2022)^[36]
• 1928  - Jean-François Paillard, French conductor (d. 2013)
• 1929  - Elspet Gray, Scottish actress (d. 2013)
• 1929  - Mukhran Machavariani, Georgian poet and educator (d. 2010)
• 1930  - John Landy, Australian runner and politician, 26th Governor of Victoria (d. 2022)^[37]
• 1930  - Bryan Magee, English philosopher and politician (d. 2019)
• 1930  - Manuel Neri, American sculptor and painter (d. 2021)^[38]
• 1930  - Pythagoras Papastamatiou, Greek lyricist and playwright (d. 1979) ^[39]
• 1930  - Michał Życzkowski, Polish technician and educator (d. 2006)
• 1931  - Leonid Derbenyov, Russian poet and songwriter (d. 1995)
• 1932  - Lakshman Kadirgamar, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, 5th Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 2005)
• 1932  - Herbert Butros Khaury, American singer and ukulele player (d. 1996)
• 1932  - Jean-Pierre Marielle, French actor (d. 2019)
• 1933  - Montserrat Caballé, Spanish soprano and actress (d. 2018)
• 1934  - Heinz Schneiter, Swiss footballer and manager (d. 2017)
• 1935  - Jimmy Makulis, Greek singer (d. 2007) ^[40]
• 1936  - Tony Earl, American politician, 40th Governor of Wisconsin (d. 2023)^[41]
• 1936  - Charles Napier, American actor (d. 2011)
• 1936  - Kennedy Simmonds, Kittitian politician, 4th Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis
• 1937  - Dennis Banks, American author and activist (d. 2017)
• 1937  - Igor Volk, Ukrainian-Russian colonel, pilot, and astronaut (d. 2017)
• 1939  - Alan Ayckbourn, English director and playwright
• 1939  - Johnny Raper, Australian rugby league player and coach (d. 2022)
• 1940  - Woodie Fryman, American baseball player (d. 2011)
• 1940  - Herbie Hancock, American pianist, composer, and bandleader
• 1941  - Bobby Moore, English footballer and manager (d. 1993)^[42]
• 1942  - Bill Bryden, Scottish actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2022)
• 1942  - Carlos Reutemann, Argentinian race car driver and politician (d. 2021)
• 1942  - Jacob Zuma, South African politician, 4th President of South Africa
• 1943  - Sumitra Mahajan, Indian politician, 16th Speaker of the Lok Sabha
• 1944  - Lisa Jardine, English historian, author, and academic (d. 2015)
• 1944  - John Kay, German-Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
• 1945  - Lee Jong-wook, South Korean physician and diplomat (d. 2006)
• 1946  - John Dunsworth, Canadian actor and comedian (d. 2017)^[43]
• 1946  - Ed O'Neill, American actor and comedian
• 1946  - George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, Scottish politician and diplomat, 10th Secretary General of NATO
• 1947  - Roy M. Anderson, English epidemiologist, zoologist, and academic
• 1947  - Martin Brasier, English palaeontologist, biologist, and academic (d. 2014)
• 1947  - Tom Clancy, American historian and author (d. 2013)^[44]
• 1947  - David Letterman, American comedian and talk show host
• 1948  - Jeremy Beadle, English television host and producer (d. 2008)
• 1948  - Joschka Fischer, German academic and politician
• 1948  - Christos Iakovou, Greek weightlifter ^[45]
• 1948  - Marcello Lippi, Italian footballer, manager, and coach
• 1949  - Scott Turow, American lawyer and author^[46]
• 1950  - Joyce Banda, Malawian politician, 4th president of Malawi^[47]
• 1950  - Flavio Briatore, Italian businessman^[48]
• 1950  - David Cassidy, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2017)
• 1950  - Nicholas Sackman, English composer and educator
• 1951  - Tom Noonan, American actor
• 1952  - Reuben Gant, American football player
• 1952  - Leicester Rutledge, New Zealand rugby player
• 1952  - Gary Soto, American poet, novelist, and memoirist
• 1952  - Ralph Wiley, American journalist (d. 2004)
• 1953  - Tanino Liberatore, Italian author and illustrator
• 1954  - John Faulkner, Australian educator and politician, 52nd Australian Minister for Defence
• 1954  - Steve Stevaert, Belgian businessman and politician (d. 2015)
• 1954  - Pat Travers, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1955  - Fabian Hamilton, English graphic designer, engineer, and politician
• 1956  - Andy Garcia, Cuban-American actor, director, and producer
• 1956  - Herbert Grönemeyer, German singer-songwriter and actor
• 1957  - Greg Child, Australian mountaineer and author
• 1957  - Vince Gill, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 1957  - Tama Janowitz, American novelist and short story writer
• 1958  - Will Sergeant, English guitarist
• 1958  - Klaus Tafelmeier, German javelin thrower
• 1958  - Ginka Zagorcheva, Bulgarian hurdler
• 1960  - David Thirdkill, American basketball player^[49]
• 1961  - Corrado Fabi, Italian racing driver
• 1961  - Charles Mann, American football player and sportscaster
• 1961  - Magda Szubanski, English-Australian actress, comedian and writer
• 1962  - Art Alexakis, American singer-songwriter and musician
• 1962  - Carlos Sainz, Spanish racing driver
• 1962  - Nobuhiko Takada, Japanese mixed martial artist and wrestler, founded Hustle
• 1963  - Lydia Cacho, Mexican journalist and author
• 1964  - Chris Fairclough, English footballer and coach^[50]
• 1964  - Amy Ray, American folk-rock singer-songwriter, musician, and music producer
• 1965  - Kim Bodnia, Danish actor and director
• 1965  - Chi Onwurah, English politician
• 1965  - Gervais Rufyikiri, Burundian politician
• 1965  - Mihai Stoica, Romanian footballer and manager
• 1966  - Nils-Olav Johansen, Norwegian guitarist and singer
• 1966  - Lorenzo White, American football player
• 1967  - Sarah Cracknell, English singer-songwriter
• 1968  - Alicia Coppola, American actress
• 1968  - Toby Gad, German songwriter and producer
• 1968  - Adam Graves, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1969  - Michael Jackson, American football player and politician (d. 2017)
• 1969  - Jörn Lenz, German footballer and manager
• 1969  - Lucas Radebe, South African footballer and sportscaster
• 1970  - Sylvain Bouchard, Canadian speed skater
• 1971  - Nicholas Brendon, American actor
• 1971  - Shannen Doherty, American actress, director, and producer (d. 2024)^[51]
• 1972  - Paul Lo Duca, American baseball player and sportscaster
• 1973  - J. Scott Campbell, American author and illustrator
• 1973  - Ryan Kisor, American trumpet player and composer
• 1973  - Antonio Osuna, Mexican-American baseball player
• 1973  - Christian Panucci, Italian footballer and manager
• 1974  - Belinda Emmett, Australian actress (d. 2006)
• 1974  - Bryan Fletcher, Australian rugby league player and sportscaster
• 1974  - Roman Hamrlík, Czech ice hockey player
• 1974  - Marley Shelton, American actress
• 1974  - Sylvinho, Brazilian footballer and manager
• 1976  - Olga Kotlyarova, Russian runner
• 1976  - Brad Miller, American basketball player
• 1977  - Giovanny Espinoza, Ecuadorian footballer
• 1977  - Sarah Monahan, Australian actress
• 1977  - Jason Price, Welsh footballer
• 1977  - Glenn Rogers, Australian-Scottish cricketer
• 1978  - Guy Berryman, Scottish bassist (Coldplay)^[52]
• 1978  - Scott Crary, American director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1978  - Svetlana Lapina, Russian high jumper
• 1978  - Robin Walker, English businessman and politician
• 1979  - Claire Danes, American actress
• 1979  - Elena Grosheva, Russian gymnast
• 1979  - Mateja Kežman, Serbian footballer
• 1979  - Jennifer Morrison, American actress
• 1979  - Cristian Ranalli, Italian footballer
• 1979  - Lee Soo-young, South Korean singer
• 1980  - Sara Head, Welsh Paralympic table tennis champion
• 1980  - Brian McFadden, Irish singer-songwriter
• 1981  - Yuriy Borzakovskiy, Russian runner
• 1981  - Nicolás Burdisso, Argentinian footballer
• 1981  - Tulsi Gabbard, American politician
• 1981  - Grant Holt, English footballer and professional wrestler
• 1981  - Hisashi Iwakuma, Japanese baseball pitcher
• 1983  - Jelena Dokic, Serbian-Australian tennis player
• 1983  - Luke Kibet, Kenyan runner
• 1984  - Aleksey Dmitrik, Russian high jumper
• 1985  - Brennan Boesch, American baseball player
• 1985  - Hitomi Yoshizawa, Japanese singer
• 1986  - Brad Brach, American baseball pitcher
• 1986  - Blerim Džemaili, Swiss footballer
• 1986  - Marcel Granollers, Spanish tennis player
• 1986  - Jonathan Pitroipa, Burkinabé footballer
• 1987  - Luiz Adriano, Brazilian professional footballer
• 1987  - Brooklyn Decker, American model and actress
• 1987  - Shawn Gore, Canadian football player
• 1987  - Josh McCrone, Australian rugby league player
• 1987  - Brendon Urie, American singer, songwriter, musician and multi-instrumentalist
• 1988  - Ricky Álvarez, Argentinian footballer
• 1988  - Stephen Brogan, English footballer
• 1988  - Amedeo Calliari, Italian footballer
• 1988  - Jessie James Decker, American singer-songwriter
• 1988  - Moamen Zakaria, Egyptian footballer^[53]
• 1989  - Bethan Dainton, Welsh rugby union player
• 1989  - Ádám Hanga, Hungarian basketball player
• 1989  - Miguel Ángel Ponce, American-Mexican footballer
• 1989  - Valentin Stocker, Swiss footballer
• 1989  - Kaitlyn Weaver, Canadian-American ice dancer
• 1990  - Francesca Halsall, English swimmer
• 1990  - Hiroki Sakai, Japanese footballer
• 1991  - Lionel Carole, French professional footballer
• 1991  - Torey Krug, American ice hockey player
• 1991  - Oliver Norwood, English born Northern Irish international footballer^[54]
• 1991  - Magnus Pääjärvi, Swedish ice hockey player
• 1991  - Jazz Richards, Welsh international footballer^[55]
• 1992  - Chad le Clos, South African swimmer
• 1993  - Robin Anderson, American tennis player^[56]
• 1993  - Jordan Archer, English-Scottish footballer
• 1993  - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Canadian ice hockey player^[57]
• 1994  - Eric Bailly, Ivorian professional footballer
• 1994  - Isabelle Drummond, Brazilian actress and singer
• 1994  - Guido Rodríguez, Argentine footballer
• 1994  - Saoirse Ronan, American-born Irish actress
• 1994  - Oh Sehun, South Korean musician
• 1995  - Pedro Cachin, Argentine tennis player
• 1996  - Matteo Berrettini, Italian tennis player^[58]
• 1996  - Elizaveta Kulichkova, Russian tennis player

Deaths

Pre-1600

• 45 BC  - Gnaeus Pompeius, Roman general and politician (b. 75 BC)
• 352  - Julius I, pope of the Catholic Church^[59]
• 434  - Maximianus, archbishop of Constantinople
• 901  - Eudokia Baïana, Byzantine empress and wife of Leo VI
• 1125  - Vladislaus I, Duke of Bohemia (b. 1065)
• 1167  - Charles VII, king of Sweden (b. c. 1130)
• 1256  - Margaret of Bourbon, Queen of Navarre, regent of Navarre (b. c. 1217)
• 1443  - Henry Chichele, English archbishop (b. 1364)
• 1500  - Leonhard of Gorizia, Count of Gorz (b. 1440)
• 1530  - Joanna La Beltraneja, Princess of Castile (b. 1462)
• 1550  - Claude, Duke of Guise (b. 1496)
• 1555  - Joanna, Queen of Castile and Aragon (b. 1479)

1601–1900

• 1675  - Richard Bennett, English politician, colonial Governor of Virginia (b. 1609)
• 1684  - Nicola Amati, Italian instrument maker (b. 1596)
• 1687  - Ambrose Dixon, English-American soldier (b. 1619)
• 1704  - Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, French bishop and theologian (b. 1627)
• 1748  - William Kent, English architect, designed Holkham Hall and Chiswick House (b. 1685)
• 1782  - Metastasio, Italian-Austrian poet and composer (b. 1698)
• 1788  - Carlo Antonio Campioni, French-Italian composer (b. 1719)
• 1795  - Johann Kaspar Basselet von La Rosée, Bavarian general (b. 1710)
• 1814  - Charles Burney, English composer and historian (b. 1726)
• 1817  - Charles Messier, French astronomer and academic (b. 1730)
• 1850  - Adoniram Judson, American lexicographer and missionary (b. 1788)
• 1866  - Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood, English politician, founded Fleetwood (b. 1801)
• 1872  - Nikolaos Mantzaros, Greek composer and theorist (b. 1795)
• 1878  - William M. Tweed, American lawyer and politician (b. 1823)
• 1879  - Richard Taylor, Confederate general (b. 1826)
• 1885  - William Crowther, Dutch-Australian politician, 14th Premier of Tasmania (b. 1817)^[60]
• 1898  - Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau, Canadian cardinal (b. 1820)

1901–present

• 1902  - Marie Alfred Cornu, French physicist and academic (b. 1842)
• 1906  - Mahesh Chandra Nyayratna Bhattacharyya, Indian scholar, academic, and philanthropist (b. 1836)
• 1912  - Clara Barton, American nurse and humanitarian, founded the American Red Cross (b. 1821)
• 1933  - Adelbert Ames, American general and politician, 30th Governor of Mississippi (b. 1835)
• 1937  - Abdülhak Hâmid Tarhan, Turkish playwright and poet (b. 1852)
• 1938  - Feodor Chaliapin, Russian opera singer (b. 1873)
• 1943  - Viktor Puskar, Estonian colonel (b. 1889)
• 1945  - Franklin D. Roosevelt, American lawyer and politician, 32nd President of the United States (b. 1882)
• 1953  - Lionel Logue, Australian actor and therapist (b. 1880)
• 1962  - Ron Flockhart, Scottish racing driver (b. 1923)
• 1966  - Sydney Allard, English racing driver and founder of the Allard car company (b. 1910)
• 1968  - Heinrich Nordhoff, German engineer (b. 1899)
• 1971  - Ed Lafitte, American baseball player and dentist (b. 1886)
• 1973  - Arthur Freed, American songwriter and producer (b. 1894)
• 1975  - Josephine Baker, French actress, activist, and humanitarian (b. 1906)
• 1976  - Christos Kakkalos, Greek mountain guide (b. 1882) ^[61]
• 1977  - Philip K. Wrigley, American businessman, co-founded Lincoln Park Gun Club (b. 1894)
• 1980  - William R. Tolbert, Jr., Liberian politician, 20th President of Liberia (b. 1913)
• 1981  - Prince Yasuhiko Asaka of Japan (b. 1887)
• 1981  - Joe Louis, American boxer and wrestler (b. 1914)
• 1983  - Jørgen Juve, Norwegian football player and journalist (b. 1906)
• 1983  - Carl Morton, American baseball player (b. 1944)
• 1984  - Edwin T. Layton, American admiral and cryptanalyst (b. 1903)
• 1986  - Valentin Kataev, Russian author and playwright (b. 1897)
• 1988  - Colette Deréal, French singer and actress (b. 1927)
• 1988  - Alan Paton, South African historian and author (b. 1903)
• 1989  - Abbie Hoffman, American activist, co-founded Youth International Party (b. 1936)
• 1989  - Sugar Ray Robinson, American boxer (b. 1921)
• 1992  - Ilario Bandini, Italian racing driver and businessman (b. 1911)
• 1997  - George Wald, American neurologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1906)
• 1998  - Robert Ford, Canadian poet and diplomat (b. 1915)
• 1999  - Boxcar Willie, American singer-songwriter (b. 1931)
• 2001  - Harvey Ball, American illustrator, created the smiley (b. 1921)
• 2002  - George Shevelov, Ukrainian-American linguist and philologist (b. 1908)
• 2004  - Moran Campbell, Canadian physician and academic, invented the venturi mask (b. 1925)
• 2006  - William Sloane Coffin, American minister and activist (b. 1924)
• 2007  - Kevin Crease, Australian journalist (b. 1936)
• 2008  - Cecilia Colledge, English-American figure skater and coach (b. 1920)
• 2008  - Patrick Hillery, Irish physician and politician, 6th President of Ireland (b. 1923)
• 2008  - Jerry Zucker, Israeli-American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1949)
• 2010  - Michel Chartrand, Canadian trade union leader (b. 1916)
• 2010  - Werner Schroeter, German director and screenwriter (b. 1945)
• 2011  - Karim Fakhrawi, Bahraini journalist, co-founded Al-Wasat (b. 1962)
• 2012  - Mohit Chattopadhyay, Indian poet and playwright (b. 1934)
• 2012  - Rodgers Grant, American pianist and composer (b. 1935)
• 2013  - Robert Byrne, American chess player and author (b. 1928)
• 2013  - Johnny du Plooy, South African boxer (b. 1964)
• 2013  - Michael France, American screenwriter (b. 1962)
• 2013  - Brennan Manning, American priest and author (b. 1934)
• 2013  - Annamária Szalai, Hungarian journalist and politician (b. 1961)
• 2013  - Ya'akov Yosef, Israeli rabbi and politician (b. 1946)
• 2014  - Pierre Autin-Grenier, French author and poet (b. 1947)
• 2014  - Pierre-Henri Menthéour, French cyclist (b. 1960)
• 2014  - Maurício Alves Peruchi, Brazilian footballer (b. 1990)
• 2014  - Hal Smith, American baseball player and coach (b. 1931)
• 2014  - Billy Standridge, American race car driver (b. 1953)
• 2015  - Paulo Brossard, Brazilian jurist and politician (b. 1924)
• 2015  - Patrice Dominguez, Algerian-French tennis player and trainer (b. 1950)
• 2015  - Alfred Eick, German commander (b. 1916)
• 2015  - André Mba Obame, Gabonese politician (b. 1957)
• 2016  - Mohammad Al Gaz, Emirati politician & diplomat (b. 1930)
• 2016  - Anne Jackson, American actress (b. 1925)
• 2017  - Charlie Murphy, American actor and comedian (b. 1959)
• 2020  - Tarvaris Jackson, American football player (b. 1983)^[62]
• 2021  - Joseph Siravo, American actor and producer (b. 1955)^[63]
• 2022  - Gilbert Gottfried, American comedian, actor, and singer (b. 1955)^[64]
• 2024  - Roberto Cavalli, Italian fashion designer and inventor (b. 1940)^[65]
• 2024  - Eleanor Coppola, American filmmaker (b. 1936)^[66]
• 2024  - Robert MacNeil, Canadian-American journalist and author (b. 1931)^[67]

Holidays and observances

• Children's Day (Bolivia)
• Christian feast day:
  • Adoniram Judson (Episcopal Church)
  • Alferius
  • Blessed Angelo Carletti di Chivasso
  • Erkembode
  • Pope Julius I^[68]
  • Teresa of the Andes
  • Zeno of Verona
  • April 12 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Commemoration of first human in space by Yuri Gagarin:
  • Cosmonautics Day (Russia)
  • International Day of Human Space Flight^[69]
  • Yuri's Night (International observance)
• Halifax Day (North Carolina)
• National Redemption Day (Liberia)

External links

• BBC: On This Day
  • Historical Events on April 12

Notes and References

1. Book: Buck, Christopher. Paradise and Paradigm: Key Symbols in Persian Christianity and the Baha'i Faith. 13 May 1999. SUNY Press. 978-0-7914-4062-9. 54–.
2. Book: Lesley. Adkins. Roy and Lesley Adkins. Roy A.. Adkins. Roy and Lesley Adkins. Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome. 1998. OUP USA. 978-0-19-512332-6. 36.
3. Book: Rollason, David. David Rollason. Northumbria, 500-1100: Creation and Destruction of a Kingdom. 25 September 2003. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-81335-8. 77.
4. Book: Claster, Jill N.. Sacred Violence: The European Crusades to the Middle East, 1095-1396. Toronto. University of Toronto Press. 2009. 9781442600584. 214.
5. Book: Shapiro, James S.. The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606. New York. Simon & Schuster. 2016. 9781416541653. 345.
6. Book: Kennedy, Frances H.. The American Revolution: A Historical Guidebook. New York. Oxford University Press. 2014. 9780199324224. 86.
7. Book: Allison . David K . Ferreiro . Larrie D . The American Revolution: A World War . 220. 2018 . Smithsonian Institution . 9781588346599 .
8. Dempsey. Guy C.. Mutiny at Malta: The Revolt of Froberg's Regiment April 1807. Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research. Spring 1989. 24.
9. Book: Eicher, David J.. The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War. London. Pimlico. 2002. 9780712668545. 37–38.
10. Book: Eicher, David J.. The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War. London. Pimlico. 2002. 9780712668545. 657.
11. Book: Eicher, David J.. The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War. London. Pimlico. 2002. 9780712668545. 840.
12. Book: Laband. John. John Laband. The Transvaal Rebellion: The First Boer War, 1880-1881. 10 July 2014. Routledge. 978-1-317-86846-0. 19. en.
13. News: Passed by 8 Votes. The Evening Star. April 12, 1900. 14. none.

    News: Allen Is Civil Governor. Chicago Tribune. April 13, 1900. 5. none. ; Book: Caban, Pedro A.. Constructing a Colonial People: Puerto Rico and the United States, 1898-1932. New York. Routledge. 2019. 9780367315153. 101.

14. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 727-27C PT-TYS Florianópolis-Hercilio Luz International Airport, SC (FLN). Ranter. Harro. aviation-safety.net. 2019-03-22.
15. Web site: Terry Fox started his Marathon of Hope 41 years ago. 2021-04-13. torontosun. en-CA.
16. News: The election of Harold Washington the first black mayor of Chicago. Robert. Davis. chicagotribune.com.
17. Web site: STS-51D . February 26, 2014 . Spacefacts.
18. Web site: 25 February 1991 . Rapport of luftfartsulykke ved Værøy lufthavn den 12. april 1990 med Twin Otter LN-BNS . Report of aviation accident at Værøy Airport on 12 April 1990 with Twin Otter LN-BNS . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20180510115330/https://www.aibn.no/rapport-01-1991-pdf1?pid=Native-ContentFile-File&attach=1 . 10 May 2018 . 12 August 2013 . . Norwegian.
19. Web site: February 1, 2000 . Human Rights Watch: Kosovo: Civilian Deaths in the NATO Air Campaign . July 17, 2017.
20. News: Landslide derails train in Italy leaving nine dead. 12 April 2010. BBC News. 13 April 2020.
21. News: Comienzan velorios de víctimas del gran incendio de Valparaíso. 14 April 2014. Publimetro Chile. Metro International. Santiago, Chile. es. 15 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140415124328/http://www.publimetro.cl/nota/cronica/fotos-comienzan-velorios-de-victimas-del-gran-incendio-de-valparaiso/xIQndn!3yu5LkJAvQVTg/. 15 April 2014. dead.
22. Book: Shabbar, S.M.R. . 1997 . Story of the Holy Ka'aba . https://web.archive.org/web/20131022080310/http://www.al-islam.org/story-of-the-holy-kaaba-and-its-people-shabbar/ninth-imam-muhammad-ibn-%E2%80%98ali-al-taqi-al-jawad . dead . 2013-10-22 . Muhammadi Trust of Great Britain . 28 October 2013 .
23. Book: Globe Encyclopaedia of Universal Information. 1878. 140.
24. Book: G. H.. William COOKWORTHY. George HARRISON (of Lancashire.). Memoir of William Cookworth, formerly of Plymouth, Devonshire. 1854. William & Frederick G. Cash. 1.
25. Book: Philip H. Highfill. Kalman A. Burnim. Edward A. Langhans. A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers and Other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800: Cabanel to Cory. 1975. SIU Press. 978-0-8093-0692-3. 8.
26. Book: Herta Singer. Haydn Jahrbuch. 1969. T. Presser Company. 125.
27. Book: Jules Victor DELECOURT. Essai d'un dictionnaire des ouvrages anonymes & pseudonymes publiés en Belgique au XIXe siècle, et principalement depuis 1830. Par un Membre de la Société des Bibliophiles belges (Jules Delecourt).. 1863. 156.
28. Book: Frank Northen Magill. Critical Survey of Drama: Authors. 1986. Salem Press. 978-0-89356-386-8. 1443.
29. Web site: AKIYAMA Saneyuki . Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures . National Diet Library, Japan . 25 February 2022.
30. Book: Spencer Tucker. Priscilla Mary Roberts. World War I: Encyclopedia. 2005. ABC-CLIO. 978-1-85109-420-2. 784.
31. News: Beverly Cleary, Beloved Children's Book Author, Dies at 104. 2021-03-26. The New York Times.
32. News: Russ Garcia: Musician who worked with Welles and Armstro . independent.co.uk . 29 November 2011. 18 December 2011 . London . Steve . Voce.
33. Web site: Jane Withers, Child Star Who Later Won Fame in Commercials, Dies at 95. August 8, 2021. New York Times. Aljean Harmetz. August 8, 2021.
34. News: Thomas Hemsley obituary . The Guardian . Alan Blyth . April 15, 2013 . January 17, 2017.
35. Web site: Obituary: Alvin Sargent, noted Hollywood screenwriter who won two Oscars. Herald Scotland. 16 May 2019 . January 21, 2022.
36. Web site: Bergan . Ronald . Hardy Krüger obituary . . 20 January 2022 . 21 January 2022.
37. Web site: Hedge. Mike. 2022-02-25. Athletics great John Landy dies, aged 91. 2022-02-25. The Canberra Times. en-AU.
38. News: Williams . Annabelle . 2021-11-02 . Manuel Neri, Figurative Sculptor With a Modern Twist, Dies at 91 . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-04-12 . 0362-4331.
39. Web site: Μπαλαχούτης . Κώστας . Ο σπουδαίος στιχουργός Πυθαγόρας . ogdoo.
40. Web site: Κεφαλληνού . Ελένη . Βιογραφία Τζίμης Μακούλης . tralala . 12 April 2018 . 27 June 2022.
41. News: Former Gov. Tony Earl, a champion for equality and conservation, dies at 86. Wisconsin State Journal. February 23, 2023. February 23, 2023. Schmidt. Mitchell.
42. Web site: Bobby Moore. sporting-heroes.net. 1 April 2020.
43. Web site: Quon . Alexander. 2017-10-16. John Dunsworth dead: Mr. Lahey of 'Trailer Park Boys' dies at 71 . 2021-10-17. Global News.
44. News: Tom Clancy, Best-Selling Novelist of Military Thrillers, Died at 66 . Julie . Bosman . October 2, 2013 . October 2, 2013 . New York Times.
45. Web site: Khristos Iakovou Biographical information . olympedia . 27 June 2022.
46. Book: Dave Mote. Contemporary Popular Writers. 1997. St. James Press. 978-1-55862-216-6. 399.
47. News: Joyce Hilda Banda president of Malawi. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2018-02-19. en.
48. Book: Who's who in Italy. 1994. Who's Who in Italy. 978-88-85246-67-6. 285.
49. Web site: David Thirdkill Stats. Basketball-Reference.com.
50. Web site: Chris Fairclough. soccerbase.com. 1 April 2020.
51. Web site: Shannen Doherty, known for Charmed, 90210 roles, dead at 53 . 2024-07-14 . www.bbc.com . en-GB.
52. Web site: 2023 . Latest Coldplay News . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230227022423/https://www.capitalfm.com/artists/coldplay/ . 27 February 2023 . 27 February 2023 . Capital FM . Press the "View More" button on the "Facts" column.
53. Web site: Moamen Zakaria - Player Profile - Football . Eurosport . 28 October 2023.
54. Web site: Oliver Norwood. soccerbase.com. 1 April 2020.
55. Web site: Jazz Richards. soccerbase.com. 1 April 2020.
56. Web site: Robin Anderson Player Stats & More – WTA Official . 2022-10-17 . Women's Tennis Association . en.
57. Web site: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Western Hockey League. 27 February 2019.
58. Web site: Matteo Berrettini Overview ATP Tour Tennis . 2022-10-23 . ATP Tour.
59. Book: Karl Joseph von Hefele. A History of the Councils of the Church: A.D. 326 to A.D. 429. 1876. T. & T. Clark. 200.
60. Crowther . W. E. L. H. . Crowther, William Lodewyk (1817–1885) . crowther-william-lodewyk-3297 . 18 August 2019.
61. News: Χρήστος Κάκαλος: Πέθανε σαν σήμερα ο πρώτος αλπινιστής που πάτησε στην κορυφή του Ολύμπου . 27 June 2022 . . 12 April 2022.
62. Web site: Pattra . Kevin . Former NFL QB Tarvaris Jackson dies in car crash . NFL . 13 April 2020.
63. News: 2021-04-12. Joseph Siravo: The Sopranos and Jersey Boys star dies aged 64. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-04-12.
64. Web site: Hamedy . Saba . Gilbert Gottfried, iconic comedian, dies at 67 after long illness . . 23 May 2022 .
65. Web site: Roberto Cavalli, Italian Fashion Designer, Dead at 83: 'A Life Lived with Love' . 2024-04-12 . Peoplemag . en.
66. Web site: 2024-04-12 . Eleanor Coppola, matriarch of a filmmaking family, dies at 87 . 2024-04-13 . AP News . en.
67. News: Robert MacNeil, Earnest News Anchor for PBS, Dies at 93. Jensen. Elizabeth. The New York Times. April 12, 2024.
68. Web site: Saint Julius I pope . Encyclopedia Britannica . 11 April 2021 . en.
69. Web site: International Days . www.un.org . 2 January 2021 . en . 6 January 2015.