Events

• 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed antipope Christopher.
• 1595 - William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet is probably first performed.
• 1676 - Feodor III becomes Tsar of Russia.
• 1814 - France defeats Russia and Prussia in the Battle of Brienne.
• 1834 - US President Andrew Jackson orders first use of federal soldiers to suppress a labor dispute.
• 1845 - "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe is published in the New York Evening Mirror.
• 1850 - Henry Clay introduces the Compromise of 1850 to the U.S. Congress.
• 1856 - Queen Victoria institutes the Victoria Cross.
• 1861 - Kansas admitted as the 34th U.S. state.
• 1863 - Bear River Massacre.
• 1886 - Karl Benz patents the first successful gasoline-driven automobile.
• 1891 - Liliuokalani is proclaimed Queen of Hawaii, its last monarch.
• 1900 - The American League is organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with 8 founding teams.
• 1916 - World War I: Paris is first bombed by German zeppelins.
• 1936 - The first inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame are announced.
• 1940 - Three gasoline multiple units carrying factory workers crash and explode while approaching Ajikawaguchi station, Yumesaki Line (Nishinari Line), Osaka, Japan, killing at least 181 people and injuring at least 92.
• 1943 - The first day of the Battle of Rennell Island, U.S. cruiser Chicago is torpedoed and heavily damaged by Japanese bombers.
• 1944 - USS Missouri the last battleship commissioned by the US Navy is launched.
• 1944 - World War II: The Battle of Cisterna takes place in central Italy.
• 1944 - World War II: About 38 men, women, and children die in the Koniuchy massacre in Poland.
• 1944 - In Bologna, Italy, the Anatomical Theatre of the Archiginnasio is destroyed in an air-raid bombing
• 1959 - Sleeping Beauty, an animated feature produced by Walt Disney based upon a fairy tale, is released.
• 1963 - First inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame are announced.
• 1966 - The first of 608 performances of Sweet Charity opens at the Palace Theatre, New York.
• 1978 - Sweden outlaws aerosol sprays due to their harmful effect on the ozone layer, becoming the first nation to enact such a ban.
• 1979 - Brenda Ann Spencer kills 2 and injures 9 in the Cleveland Elementary School shootings, inspiring the "I don't Like Mondays" song by Boomtown Rats.
• 1989 - Hungary establishes diplomatic relations with South Korea, making them the first Eastern Bloc nation to do so
• 1996 - President Jacques Chirac announces a "definitive end" to French nuclear testing.
• 1996 - La Fenice, Venice's opera house, is destroyed by fire.
• 1998 - In Birmingham, Alabama, a bomb explodes at an abortion clinic, killing one and severely wounding another. Serial bomber Eric Robert Rudolph is suspected as the culprit.
• 2001 - Thousands of student protesters in Indonesia storm parliament and demand that President Abdurrahman Wahid resign due to alleged involvement in corruption scandals.
• 2002 - In his State of the Union Address, United States President George W. Bush describes "regimes that sponsor terror" as an Axis of Evil, in which he includes Iraq, Iran and North Korea.
• 2005 - The first direct commercial flights from the mainland China (from Guangzhou) to Taiwan since 1949 arrived in Taipei. Shortly afterwards, a China Airlines carrier landed in Beijing.

Births

• 1584 - Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange (d. 1647)
• 1632 - Johann Georg Graevius, German classical scholar and critic (d. 1703)
• 1688 - Emanuel Swedenborg, Swedish scientist and philosopher (d. 1772)
• 1711 - Giuseppe Bonno, Austrian composer (d. 1788)
• 1715 - Georg Christoph Wagenseil, Austrian composer (d. 1777)
• 1717 - Jeffrey Amherst, British military leader (d. 1797)
• 1718 - Paul Rabaut, French Huguenot pastor (d. 1794)
• 1737 - Thomas Paine, English-born American patriot (d. 1809)
• 1749 - King Christian VII of Denmark (d. 1808)
• 1754 - Moses Cleaveland, founder of Cleveland (d. 1806)
• 1756 - Henry Lee III, American General
• 1761 - Albert Gallatin, Swiss-American United States Secretary of the Treasury
• 1782 - Daniel Auber, French composer (d. 1871)
• 1801 - Horatia Nelson, daughter of Emma Hamilton and Horatio Nelson (d. 1881)
• 1810 - Ernst Kummer, German mathematician (d. 1893)
• 1843 - William McKinley, 25th President of the United States (d. 1901)
• 1846 - Karol Olszewski, Polish scientist (d. 1915)
• 1860 - Anton Chekhov, Russian writer (d. 1904)
• 1862 - Frederick Delius, English composer (d. 1934)
• 1866 - Romain Rolland, French writer, Nobel Laureate (d. 1944)
• 1867 - Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, Spanish writer (d. 1928)
• 1874 - John D. Rockefeller Jr., American entrepreneur (d. 1960)
• 1876 - Havergal Brian, British composer (d. 1972)
• 1877 - Georges Catroux, French general (d. 1969)
• 1880 - W.C. Fields, American actor (d. 1946)
• 1891 - Elizaveta Gerdt, Russian ballerina (d. 1975)
• 1891 - R. Norris Williams, American survivor of the RMS Titanic sinking (d. 1968)
• 1895 - Muna Lee, American poet (d. 1965)
• 1901 - Allen B. DuMont, American scientist and inventor (d. 1965)
• 1905 - Barnett Newman, American painter (d. 1970)
• 1910 - Colin Middleton, Irish artist (d. 1983)
• 1911 - Peter von Siemens, German industrialist (d. 1986)
• 1913 - Victor Mature, American actor (d. 1999)
• 1913 - Daniel Taradash, American screenwriter (d. 2003)
• 1913 - Peter von Zahn, German journalist and writer (d. 2001)
• 1915 - John Serry, Sr., American musician and arranger (d. 2003)
• 1918 - John Forsythe, American actor
• 1920 - José Luis de Villalonga, Spanish aristocrat (d. 2007)
• 1921 - Anthony George, American actor (d. 2005)
• 1922 - Gerda Steinhoff, Nazi concetration camp supervisor (d. 1946)
• 1923 - Paddy Chayefsky, American writer (d. 1981)
• 1923 - Ivo Robic, Croatian singer and songwriter (d. 2000)
• 1924 - Luigi Nono, Italian composer (d. 1990)
• 1924 - Marcelle Ferron, Quebec painter and stained glass artist (d. 2001)
• 1924 - Peter Voulkos, American artist (d. 2002)
• 1926 - Franco Cerri, Italian musician
• 1926 - Abdus Salam, Pakistani physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 1996)
• 1927 - Edward Abbey, American author and environmentalist (d. 1989)
• 1928 - Lee Shau Kee, Hong Kong property developer
• 1929 - Gordon Solie, American professional wrestling announcer (d. 2000)
• 1930 - Derek Bailey, English guitar virtuoso (d. 2005)
• 1930 - John Junkin, English radio, television and film performer (d. 2006)
• 1932 - Tommy Taylor, English footballer (d. 1958)
• 1932 - George Allen, English footballer
• 1933 - Sacha Distel, French singer and guitarist (d. 2004)
• 1933 - Ron Townson, American singer (The 5th Dimension) (d. 2001)
• 1936 - James Jamerson, American bass guitarist for Motown Records (d. 1983)
• 1939 - Germaine Greer, Australian writer
• 1940 - Katharine Ross, American actress
• 1940 - Kunimitsu Takahashi, Japanese motorcycle racer and racing driver
• 1941 - Robin Morgan, American feminist and activist
• 1942 - Claudine Longet, French singer, dancer and convicted murderer
• 1944 - Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda
• 1945 - Jim Nicholson, Irish politician
• 1945 - Tom Selleck, American actor
• 1947 - Linda B. Buck, American scientist, Nobel laureate
• 1947 - David Byron, English singer (Uriah Heep) (d. 1985)
• 1947 - Marián Varga, Slovak musician
• 1948 - Cristina Saralegui, American talk-show host
• 1948 - Marc Singer, Canadian-born actor
• 1948 - Pat Kenny, Irish TV presenter & radio host
• 1950 - Ann Jillian, American actress
• 1950 - Jody Scheckter, South African race car driver
• 1951 - Andy Roberts, West Indian cricketer
• 1952 - Tommy Ramone, Hungarian-born musician and record producer (The Ramones)
• 1953 - Paulin Bordeleau, Quebec ice hockey player
• 1953 - Hwang Woo-Suk, South Korean biomedical scientist
• 1953 - Teresa Teng, Taiwanese singer (d. 1995)
• 1953 - Lynne McGranger, Australian actress
• 1954 - Richard Manitoba, American singer (The Dictators and MC5)
• 1954 - Terry Kinney, American actor
• 1954 - Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host and actress
• 1954 - Doug Risebrough, Canadian ice hockey player, coach and executive
• 1955 - Eddie Jordan, American basketball player and head coach
• 1955 - Lynne McGranger, Australian actress
• 1957 - Grazyna Miller, Italian poet, translator, and journalist
• 1960 - Matthew Ashford, American actor
• 1960 - Gia Carangi, American model (d. 1986)
• 1960 - Sean Kerly, English field hockey player
• 1960 - Greg Louganis, American diver
• 1960 - Steve Sax, American baseball player
• 1960 - J. G. Thirlwell, Australian-born musician
• 1962 - Nicholas Turturro, American actor
• 1963 - Bob Holly, American professional wrestler
• 1964 - Andre Reed, American football player
• 1964 - John Habyan, American baseball player
• 1964 - Roddy Frame, Scottish singer (Aztec Camera)
• 1964 - Anna Ryder Richardson, British interior designer and television presenter
• 1965 - Dominik Ha?ek, Czech ice hockey player
• 1965 - Peter Lundgren, Swedish tennis coach
• 1966 - Romário, Brazilian footballer
• 1967 - Cyril Suk, Czech tennis player
• 1967 - Stacey King, American basketball player
• 1968 - Edward Burns, American actor
• 1968 - Susi Erdmann, German bobsledder and luger
• 1968 - Sora Jung, Korean actress
• 1969 - Hyde, Japanese singer
• 1970 - Heather Graham, American actress
• 1970 - Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Indian shooter
• 1970 - Jörg Hoffmann, German swimmer
• 1973 - Jason Schmidt, American baseball player
• 1975 - Sara Gilbert, American actress
• 1976 - Charles Divins, American model and actor
• 1977 - Justin Hartley, American actor
• 1978 - Martin Schmitt, German ski jumper
• 1978 - Rob Bironas, American football player
• 1979 - April Scott, American actress and model
• 1979 - Joseph Todd, Arena Football League player
• 1979 - Sui Feifei, Chinese basketball player
• 1980 - Yael Bar-Zohar, Israeli actress and model
• 1980 - Ivan Klasni?, Croatian football player
• 1981 - Jonny Lang, American musician
• 1981 - Álex Ubago, Spanish musician
• 1981 - Darío Lopilato, Argentine actor
• 1982 - Heidi Mueller, American actress
• 1983 - Ned?ad Sinanovi?, Bosnian basketball player
• 1985 - Athina Onassis, French heiress
• 1985 - Marc Gasol, Spanish basketball player
• 1986 - Drew Tyler Bell, American actor
• 1986 - Mark Howard, English football player
• 1986 - Simon Vuk?evi?, Montenegrin football player
• 1986 - Chris Bourque, American pro hockey player
• 1987 - Spencer Clark, American race car driver (d. 2006)
• 1987 - Matthew Wilson, English world rally driver
• 1988 - Stephanie Gilmore, Australian professional surfer
• 1991 - Hugh Grosvenor, Earl Grosvenor, Son of the Duke of Westminster
• 1993 - Michelle Larcher De Brito, Portuguese tennis player
• 1996 - Megan Jossa, English actress

Deaths

• 1119 - Pope Gelasius II
• 1240 - Pelagio Galvani, Cardinal-Bishop of Albano (b. va. 1165)
• 1342 - Louis I, Duke of Bourbon (b. 1279)
• 1597 - Elias Ammerbach, German organist (b. 1530)
• 1608 - Frederick I, Duke of Württemberg (b. 1557)
• 1647 - Francis Meres, English writer (b. 1565)
• 1676 - Tsar Alexis I of Russia (b. 1629)
• 1678 - Jeronimo Lobo, Portuguese Jesuit missionary (b. 1593)
• 1696 - Ivan V, Russian tsar (b. 1666)
• 1706 - Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset, English poet and courtier (b. 1638)
• 1737 - George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney, British soldier (b. 1666)
• 1743 - André-Hercule de Fleury, chief minister under Louis XV of France (b. 1653)
• 1763 - Louis Racine, French poet (b. 1692)
• 1820 - King George III of the United Kingdom (b. 1738)
• 1829 - Paul François Jean Nicolas Barras, French politician (b. 1755)
• 1870 - Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1797)
• 1871 - Philippe-Joseph Aubert de Gaspé, French Canadian writer and Seigneur (b. 1786)
• 1899 - Alfred Sisley, British impressionist painter (b. 1839)
• 1901 - Milan I, King of Serbia (b. 1855)
• 1906 - King Christian IX of Denmark (b. 1818)
• 1918 - Aleksei Maksimovich Kaledin, Russian-counter revolutionary (b. 1861)
• 1928 - Douglas Haig, British soldier (b. 1861)
• 1933 - Sara Teasdale, American poet (b. 1884)
• 1934 - Fritz Haber, German chemist, Nobel Laureate (b. 1868)
• 1941 - Ioannis Metaxas, Greek general and dictator (b. 1871)
• 1946 - Harry Hopkins, 8th United States Secretary of Commerce (b. 1890)
• 1948 - Tomislav II of Croatia, 4th Duke of Aosta, Italian aristocrat (b. 1900)
• 1950 - Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait (b. 1885)
• 1951 - Frank Tarrant, Australian cricketer (b. 1880)
• 1956 - H. L. Mencken, American journalist (b. 1880)
• 1962 - Fritz Kreisler, Austrian violinist (b. 1875)
• 1963 - Robert Frost, American poet (b. 1874)
• 1964 - Alan Ladd, American actor (b. 1913)
• 1966 - Pierre Mercure, French Canadian composer (b. 1927)
• 1969 - Allen Dulles, American CIA director (b. 1893)
• 1970 - Basil Liddell Hart, British historian (b. 1895)
• 1977 - Buster Nupen, South African cricketer (b. 1902)
• 1977 - Freddie Prinze, American actor and comedian (b. 1954)
• 1980 - Jimmy Durante, American actor and comedian (b. 1893)
• 1986 - Leif Erickson, American actor (b. 1911)
• 1989 - Halina Konopacka, Polish athlete (b. 1900)
• 1991 - Yasushi Inoue, Japanese historian (b. 1907)
• 1992 - Willie Dixon, American composer and musician (b. 1915)
• 1993 - Ron Kostelnik, American football player (b. 1940)
• 1994 - Ulrike Maier, Austrian alpine skier (b. 1967)
• 1998 - Joseph Alioto, mayor of San Francisco (b. 1916)
• 1999 - Lili St. Cyr, American dancer (b. 1918)
• 2002 - Dick "Night Train" Lane, American football player (b. 1928)
• 2002 - Harold Russell, Canadian-born actor (b. 1914)
• 2003 - Frank Moss, American politician (b. 1911)
• 2004 - M. M. Kaye, British writer (b. 1908)
• 2004 - Janet Frame, New Zealand writer (b. 1924)
• 2005 - Eric Griffiths, Welsh guitarist (The Quarrymen) (b. 1940)
• 2005 - Ephraim Kishon, Israeli satirst (b. 1924)
• 2007 - Barbaro, American thoroughbred racehorse (b. 2003)
• 2007 - Dia Abdul Zahra Kadim, Iraqi extremist leader (b. 1970)
• 2008 - Raymond Jacobs, American soldier (b. 1925)
• 2008 - Philippe Khorsand, French actor (b. 1948)

Holidays and observances

• Roman Catholic saints - Valerius of Trèves, Saint Juniper
• January 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Gibraltar - Constitution Day

External links

• BBC: On This Day
• On this day in Canada

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