On this day in History - Dec. 27

• 0418 - Zosimus dies. Greek pope.
• 0537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed.
• 1076 - Prince Svyatoslav II of Kiev dies (b. 1027).
• 1381 - Edmund de Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March dies. English politician.
• 1390 - Anne de Mortimer was born (d. 1411). Claimant to the English throne.
• 1437 - Albrecht II von Habsburg becomes king of Bohemia.
• 1492 - Cristóbal Colón descubre la isla de Cuba, a la que llama "Juana" y después "Fernandina", pero que mantendrá finalmente su nombre autóctono.
• 1512 - Ferdinand II issued the Laws of Burgos to “regulate the relations” between Spaniards and Indians in Spain's American colonies.
• 1548 - Francesco Spiera dies (b. 1502).Italian Protestant jurist.
• 1571 - Johannes Kepler was born (d. 1630). German astronomer .
• 1585 - Pierre de Ronsard dies (b. 1524). French poet.
• 1603 - Thomas Cartwright dies. English Puritan clergyman.
• 1654 - Jacob Bernoulli was born (d. 1705). Swiss mathematician.
• 1657 - The Flushing Remonstrance is signed.
• 1683 - Conyers Middleton was born (d. 1750). English minister.
• 1683 - D. Maria Francisca Isabel de Sabóia dies (b. 21 Jun 1646). Queen of Portugal.
• 1703 - Portugal and England sign the Methuen Treaty which gives preference to Portuguese imported wines into England. (Ler em português Tratado de Methuen).
• 1707 - Jean Mabillon dies (b. 1632). French palaeograopher and diplomat.
• 1714 - Kristijonas Donelaitis was born (d. 1780). Lithuanian poet.
• 1715 - Philippe de Noailles, duc de Mouchy was born (d. 1794). French soldier.
• 1717 - Pope Pius VI was born (d. 1799)
• 1721 - François Hemsterhuis was born (d. 1790). Dutch philosopher.
• 1726 - St. John of Cross is canonized by Pope Benedict XIII.
• 1726 - Saint Francis Solanus (1549-1610) is canonized on this day by Pope Benedict XIII
• 1726 - Saint Peregrine Laziosi (1260-1345) is canonized on this day by Pope Benedict XIII
• 1732 - Em Portugal região de Loulé no Algarve ficou parcialmente destruída, como consequência de um sismo devastador.
• 1737 - William Bowyer dies (b. 1663). English printer.
• 1743 - Hyacinthe Rigaud dies (b. 1659). French painter.
• 1761 - Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly was born (d. 1818). Russian military commander.
• 1763 - Tratado de paz de Fontainebleau, por el que los británicos devuelven Manila a los españoles.
• 1771 - Henri Pitot dies (b. 1695). French engineer.
• 1773 - Sir George Cayley was born (d. 1857). English scientist and aerial navigator.
• 1776 - Nikolay Kamensky was born (d. 1811). Russian general.
• 1782 - Henry Home, Lord Kames dies (b. 1697). Scottish philosopher.
• 1796 - Mirza Ghalib was born in Agra, Awadh (d. 1869). Indian poet of Urdu and Farsi.
• 1797 - Marquesa de Santos (Domitília de Castro do Canto e Mello), was born in São Paulo -SP. Brazilian nobless personality.
• 1800 - Hugh Blair dies (b. 1718). Scottish preacher and man of letters.
• 1801 - After conquering Italy, Napoleon established the Republic of Lucca.
• 1802 - Jørgensen “Jens” Juel dies (b. 12 May 1745). Danish painter.
• 1803 - François-Marie-Thomas Chevalier de Lorimier was born (d. 1839). French Canadian Patriote.
• 1812 - Shneur Zalman of Liadi dies (b. 1745). Lithuanian rabbi and founder of Chabad Hasidism
• 1812 - Joanna Southcott dies (b. 1750). English religious prophetess.
• 1814 - Destruction of schooner Carolina, the last of Commodore Daniel Patterson's make-shift fleet that fought a series of delaying actions that contributed to Andrew Jackson's victory at the Battle of New Orleans.
• 1822 - Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France (d. 1895). French scientist, chemist and microbiologist whose contributions were among the most varied and valuable in the history of science and industry.
• 1823 - Sir Mackenzie Bowell was born (d. 1896). Fifth Prime Minister of Canada.
• 1831 - Charles Darwin embarks on his journey aboard the HMS Beagle, during which he will begin to formulate the theory of evolution.
  
• 1832 - Pavel Tretyakov was born (d. 1897). Russian businessman and patron of art.
• 1834 - Charles Lamb dies (b. 1775). English essayist.
• 1836 - The worst ever avalanche in England occurs at Lewes, Sussex, killing 8 people.
• 1836 - Stephen F. Austin dies (b. 1793). American pioneer.
• 1845 - Ether anesthetic is used for childbirth for the first time (Dr. Crawford Williamson Long in Jefferson, Georgia).
• 1849 - Jacques Laurent Agasse dies in London (b. 24 Mar 1767). Swiss English painter specialized in animals. [White Horse in Pasture (1807)].
• 1845 - Augusto de Oliveira Machado was born in Lisbon (d. 26 Mar 1924). Portuguese composer.
• 1852 - Dom João G da Câmara was born. Portuguese journalist/songwriter.
• 1858 - Alexandre Pierre François Boëly dies (b. 1785). French composer.
• 1864 - Hood's army crosses the Tennessee River.
• 1864 - René Georges Hermann-Paul was born. French artist.
• 1871 - World's 1st Cat show (Crystal Palace, London).
• 1879 - Sydney Greenstreet was born (d. 1954). English actor.
• 1881 - António Joaquim Granjo was born in Chaves (d. 19 Oct. 1921). Portuguese politician.
• 1882 - Mina Loy was born (d. 1966). English poet and painter.
• 1883 - Cyrus S. Eaton was born (d. 1979). Canadian-American financier, industrialist and philanthropist.
• 1884 - Netherlands recognizes king Leopold II's Congo Free State.
• 1888 - Thea von Harbou was born (d. 1954). German author and actress.
• 1892 - Alfred Edwin McKay was born (d. 1917). Canadian World War One flying ace.
• 1896 - Carl Zuckmayer was born (d. 1977). German author and dramatist.
• 1896 - Louis Bromfield was born (d. 1956). American writer.
• 1896 - Maurice De Waele was born (d. 1952). Belgian cyclist.
• 1896 - John Brown dies (b. 1816). British manufacturer.
• 1897 - Afonso da Rocha e Castro was born in Vila Real. Portuguese poet.
  
• 1897 – Tudor Vianu was born (d. 21 May 1964). Romanian poet.
• 1899 - Concepción Michel (Concha) dies (b. 1899). Mexican singer, musicologist and politic activist.
• 1900 - Militant prohibitionist Carry A. Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kan.
• 1900 - Hans Stuck was born (d. 1978). German race car driver.
• 1900 - William George Armstrong dies (b. 1810). English inventor, industrialist, and engineer.
• 1901 - Marlene Dietrich was born (d. 1992). German actress and singer.
• 1901 - Irene Handl was born (d. 1987). English actress.
  
• 1904 - Peter Pan, by James Barrie, opens in London.
• 1904 - The Abbey Theatre opens in Dublin.
• 1904 - El Banfield Athletic Club se refunda como Club Atlético Banfield (Argentina).
• 1906 - Bernardo de Irigoyen dies in Buenos Aires. Argentine politician.
• 1906 - Oscar Levant was born (d. 1972). American pianist, composer and actor.
• 1907 - Conrad L. Raiford was born (d. 2002). Goodwill Ambassador.
• 1907 - Sebastian Haffner was born (d. 1999). German journalist and writer.
• 1907 - Willem van Otterloo was born (d. 1978). Dutch conductor and composer.
• 1909 - Club Atlético Concepción, de Tucumán is founded.
• 1910 - Charles Olson was born (d. 1970). American poet.
• 1911 - Anna Russell was born (d. 2006). English-born Canadian singer and comedian.
  
• 1912 - Manuel do Nascimento was born in Monchique (d. in Lisbon 30 Dec 1966). Portuguese writer, journalist and editor.
  
• 1914 - Charles Martin Hall dies (b. 1863). American chemist and inventor.
• 1915 - Mary Kornman was born (d. 1973). American actress.
• 1915 - Gyula Zsengellér was born. Hungarian football player
• 1915 - William Masters was born [d. 2001]; William H(owell) Masters made with his wife, Virginia Johnson, an American research team, and, respectively, physician and psychologist, noted for their studies of human sexuality.
• 1916 - Werner Baumbach was born (d. 1953). German bomber pilot.
• 1917 - Onni Palaste was born. Finnish writer.
• 1918 - Beginning of Great Poland Uprising, the Poles in Greater Poland (or Grand Duchy of Poznań) rise against the Germans.
• 1918 - John Celardo was born. American comic strip artist.
• 1920 - Bruce Hobbs was born (d. 2005). American jockey.
• 1922 - Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō becomes the first purpose built aircraft carrier to be commissioned in the world.
• 1923 - Namba Daisuke, a Japanese student, tried to assassinate the Prince Regent Hirohito
• 1923 - Lagoa Henriques was born in Lisbon. Portuguese sculptor.
• 1923 - Gustave Eiffel dies (b. 1832). French engineer and architect.
• 1924 - William Archer dies in London (b. 23 Sep 1856). Scottish critic and playwright (Green Goddess).
• 1925 - Michel Piccoli was born in Paris. French actor (Topaz, Peril, May Fools).
• 1925 - Sergei Yesenin dies (b. 1895). Russian poet.
• 1926 - Jerome Courtland was born. American actor, director and producer.
• 1927 - the musical play "Show Boat," with music by Jerome Kern and libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II, opened at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York.
• 1927 - Leon Trotsky expelled from the Communist Party.
• 1927 - Antony Gardner was born. British politician.
• 1927 - Agnes Nixon was born. American television producer, director and writer.
• 1929 - Leon Trotsky is deported from the Soviet Union in February 1929. His first station in exile was at Büyükada off the coast of Istanbul, where he stayed four years.
• 1930 - José de Ribamar Fiquene was born in Itapecuru-mirim (MA). Brazilian writer and politician.
• 1930 - Wilfrid Sheed was born. English-born American writer.
• 1931 - Scotty Moore was born. American guitarist.
• 1932 - The Radio City Music Hall in New York City opens.
• 1932 - The internal passport system, previously denounced by Vladimir Ilich Lenin as one of the worst stigmas of tsarist backwardness and despotism, was reinstated in the Soviet Union by Joseph Stalin.
• 1934 - Persia comienza a denominarse Irán, por disposición del Gobierno.
• 1934 - Isaac Karabtchewsky was born. Brazilian conductor.
• 1934 - Larissa Latynina was born. Russian gymnast.
• 1936 - Iris Zavala was born in Puerto Rico. Writer (Breve historia feminista de la literatura española).
• 1938 - Calvin Bridges dies (b. 1889). American geneticist.
• 1938 - Osip Mandelstam dies (b. 1891). Russian poet.
• 1939 - Erzincan, Turkey is hit by an earthquake magnitude 8 : 20.0000 - 40,000 die.
• 1939 - John Amos was born. American actor.
• 1940 - Louis Hayet dies (b. 29 Aug 1864). French painter and writer.
• 1941 - Michael Pinder was born. British musician (Moody Blues).
• 1941 - Nolan Richardson was born. American basketball coach.
• 1941 - Les Maguire was born. British keyboardist (Gerry & the Pacemakers).
• 1942 - The Union of Pioneers of Yugoslavia is founded.
• 1942 - Byron Browne was born. Baseball player.
• 1942 - Charmian Carr was born. American actress.
• 1942 - Thomas Menino was born. American politician.
• 1943 - Cokie Roberts was born. American journalist.
• 1943 - Joan Manuel Serrat was born. Spanish musician.
• 1943 - Peter Sinfield was born. British lyricist and producer.
• 1943 - Maurício Tapajós was born in Rio de Janeiro (d. 21 Apr 1995). Brazilian violinist ans popular composer.
• 1943 - German warship "Scharnhorst" sinks in Barents Sea.
• 1944 - Barry Elliot was born. British actor.
• 1944 - Mick Jones was born. British musician (Foreigner).
• 1945 - The World Bank was created with an agreement signed by 28 nations.
• 1945 - Belgium joins to United Nations.
• 1946 - Janet Street-Porter was born. British journalist, producer and presenter.
• 1946 - Lenny Kaye was born. American guitarist.
• 1947 - the children’s television program "Howdy Doody" made its debut on NBC.
• 1947 - In Italy is promulgated the first Constitution after The World War.
• 1947 - Bill Eadie was born. Professional wrestler known as "Ax" of Demolition.
  
• 1947 - Janet Perry was born. American soprano.
• 1947 - Mickey Redmond was born. National Hockey League player.
• 1947 - Tracy Nelson was born. American blues singer.
• 1947 - Willy Polleunis was born. Belgian athlete.
• 1948 - Gerard Depardieu was born. French actor.
• 1949 - Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation - Albert Einstein published his extended theory of gravitation in the "New York Times".
• 1949 - T.S. Monk was born. Jazz singer-musician.
• 1949 - Indonesian National Revolution: Queen Juliana of the Netherlands grants Indonesia sovereignty.
• 1949 - Carson Kievman was born. American composer.
• 1950 - Roberto Bettega was born. Italian football player.
• 1950 - Max Beckmann was born (d. 1884). German painter.
• 1950 - Terry Bozzio was born. American drummer (Missing Persons).
• 1950 - Max Beckmann dies (b. 1884). German painter.
• 1951 - 40th Davis Cup: Australia beats USA in Sydney (3-2) .
• 1951 - Ernesto Zedillo was born. President of Mexico (1994-2000).
• 1952 - Karla Bonoff was born. American singer and songwriter.
• 1952 - Jay Hill was born. Canadian politician.
• 1952 - David Knopfler was born. British musician and composer (Dire Straits).
• 1952 - Tovah Feldshuh was born. American actress.
• 1952 - Patrick Joseph Hartigan dies (b. 1878). Australian Roman Catholic priest.
• 1953 - Julian Tuwim dies (b. 1894). Polish poet.
• 1955 - Barbara Olson was born (d. 2001). American political commentator.
• 1955 - Brad Murphey was born. Australian racing driver.
• 1955 - Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter dies (b. 1881). English soldier.
• 1955 - Brad Murphey was born. Australian racing driver.
• 1956 - 5.580 Egyptian prisoners of war are exchanged for four Israelis held by Egypt following the Tripartite Invasion.
• 1956 - Lambert McKenna dies (b. 1870). Irish editor and lexicographer.
• 1957 - The biggest abattoir in the north of England has been shut down after foot-and-mouth disease was found in cattle waiting to be slaughtered.
• 1957 - James Sanford was born. American runner (world record 50m indoor).
• 1959 - Andre Tippett was born. American football player.
• 1959 - Gerina Dunwich was born. American author.
• 1959 - Andre Tippett was born. American football player.
• 1959 - Alfonso Reyes dies (b. 17 May 1889). Mexican poet, historian and diplomat.
• 1960 - France detonates its third atomic device in the Sahara.
• 1960 - Maryam d'Abo was born. British actress.
• 1960 - Donald Nally was born. American choral conductor.
• 1960 - Victoria Paige Meyerink was born. American actress and producer.
• 1962 - Mark Few was born. American basketball coach.
• 1962 - Barbara Crampton was born. American actress.
• 1962 - Bill Self was born. American basketball coach.
• 1962 - Sherri Steinhauer was born. American golfer.
• 1963 - Gaspar Noé was born. Argentinian-born director.
• 1964 - Ian Gomez was born. American actor.
• 1964 - Theresa Randle was born. American actress.
• 1965 - Andrew Ettingshausen was born. Australian rugby player.
• 1965 - Chris Mainwaring was born (d. 2007). Australian rules footballer.
• 1965 - Salman Khan was born. Indian actor.
• 1965 - Edgar Ende dies (b. 1901). German painter.
• 1966 - Bill Goldberg was born. American football player and professional wrestler.
• 1966 - Eva LaRue was born. American actress.
• 1966 - Fabian Núñez was born. American politician.
• 1966 - John Harrington was born. American photographer and author.
• 1966 - Wendy Coakley-Thompson was born. American writer.
• 1966 - Guillermo Stábile dies (b. 1906). Argentine footballer and National coach.
• 1968 - Apollo Program: Apollo 8 splashes down in the Pacific Ocean, ending the first orbital manned mission to the Moon.
• 1968 - The long-running radio program The Breakfast Club signs off for the last time (ABC radio).
• 1969 - Chyna was born. American professional wrestler.
• 1969 - Jean-Christophe Boullion was born. French race car driver.
• 1969 - Sarah Vowell was born. American author and journalist.
• 1969 - Serafim Leite dies (b. 1880). Portuguese Jesuit and historian.
• 1970 - Brendon Cook was born. Australian racing driver.
• 1970 - Lorenzo Neal was born. American football player.
• 1971 - Chyna was born. American professional wrestler.
• 1971 - Bryan Smolinski was born. American ice hockey player.
• 1971 - Duncan Ferguson was born. Scottish footballer.
• 1971 - Joanie Laurer was born. American professional wrestler.
• 1972 - Colin Charvis was born. Rugby union player.
• 1972 - Matt Slocum was born. American musician (Sixpence None The Richer)
• 1972 - Thomas Wilson Brown was born. American actor.
• 1972 - Lester B. Pearson dies (b. 1897). Fourteenth Prime Minister of Canada, recipient of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize.
• 1973 - Kristoffer Zegers was born. Dutch composer.
• 1973 - Dee Ferris was born. British painter.
• 1973 - Ruy Ventura was born in Portalegre. Portuguese poet.
  
• 1973 - Wilson Cruz was born. Puerto Rican actor.
• 1974 - Jay Pandolfo was born. American ice hockey player.
• 1974 - Masi Oka was born. Japanese-American actor.
• 1974 - Vladimir Aleksandrovich Fock dies (b. 1898). Russian physicist.
• 1975 - Heather O'Rourke was born (d. 1988). American actress.
• 1976 - Aaron Stanford was born. American actor.
• 1976 - Fernando Pisani was born. Canadian/Italian hockey player.
• 1977 - Jacqueline Pillon was born. Canadian actress.
• 1978 - King Juan Carlos ratifies Spain's 1st democratic constitution and became a democracy after 40 years of dictatorship.
• 1978 - Bob Luman dies (b. 1937). American Country and Rockabilly singer.
• 1978 - Houari Boumédienne dies (b. 1932). President of Algeria
• 1979 - The Soviet Union took control of Afghanistan, installing Afghan politician Babrak Karmal as president.
• 1979 - Carson Palmer was born. American football player.
• 1979 - David Dunn was born. English football player.
• 1979 - Hafizullah Amin dies (b. 1929). Second President of Afghanistan.
  
• 1980 - Claudio Castagnoli was born. Swiss wrestler.
• 1980 - Cas Haley was born. American singer and guitarist.
• 1981 - David Aardsma was born. American baseball player.
• 1981 - Emilie de Ravin was born. Australian actress.
• 1981 - Javine was born. British singer.
• 1981 - Hoagy Carmichael dies (b. 1899). American composer and singer.
• 1982 - James Mead was born. American guitarist (Kutless).
• 1982 - Terji Skibenæs was born. Faroese guitarist, (Týr).
• 1982 - John Swigert dies (b. 1931). American astronaut.
• 1983 - Cole Hamels was born. American baseball player.
• 1983 - Marc Zoro was born. Ivory Coast football player
  
• 1984 - Gilles Simon was born. French tennis player.
• 1984 - Pleasure P was born. American R&B Singer. Former member of Pretty Ricky.
  
• 1985 - Palestinian guerrillas opened fire inside the Rome and Vienna airports; a total of 20 people were killed, including five of the attackers, who were slain by police and security personnel.
• 1985 - American naturalist Dian Fossey is found murdered in Rwanda.
• 1985 - Logan Bailly was born. Belgian football goalkeeper.
• 1985 - Paul Stastny was born. Canadian-American ice hockey player.
• 1985 - Telma Monteiro was born. Portuguese judok.
• 1987 - Geoffrey D Lloyd dies (b. 1933). Chairman of the guild of British Newspaper editors.
• 1988 - Hayley Williams was born. American Singer (Paramore).
• 1988 - Rick Porcello was born. American baseball player.
• 1988 - Hal Ashby dies (b. 1929). American film director (Shampoo, 8 Million Ways to Die, Coming Home (see My top 5 movies).
• 1990 - Luis Trujillo was born. Peruvian football player.
• 1992 - Kay Boyle dies (b. 1902). American writer.
• 1993 - Dow-Jones hits record 3792.93 .
• 1993 - British customs officials seize £70m of Colombian cocaine thought to be linked to the Mafia.
• 1993 - André Pilette dies (b. 1918). Belgian racing driver.
• 1994 - Four Roman Catholic priests — three French and a Belgian — were shot to death in their rectory in Algiers, a day after French commandos killed four radicals who’d hijacked an Air France jet from Algiers to Marseille.
• 1994 - Fanny Cradock dies (b. 1909). English food writer and broadcaster.
  
• 1994 - J. B. L. Reyes dies (b. 1902). Filipino jurist.
  
• 1995 - Shura Cherkassky dies (b. 1909). Ukrainian classical pianist.
• 1996 - Rwanda's first genocide trial opened for the 1994 slaughter of 800,000 Tutsis.
• 1996 - Taliban forces retake the strategic Bagram air base which solidifies their buffer zone around Kabul.
• 1997 - Protestant paramilitary leader Billy Wright is assassinated in prison in Northern Ireland.
• 1997 - Brendan Gill dies (b. 1914). American columnist and humorist.
• 1997 - Billy Wright dies (b. 1960). Irish Protestant paramilitary leader.
• 2000 - Antonio Rodríguez Valdivieso dies (b. 1918). Spanish painter.
• 2001 - The U.S. announced plans to hold Taliban and al-Qaeda prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
• 2001 - The People's Republic of China is granted permanent normal trade relations with the United States.
• 2002 - Two truck bombs kill 72 and wound 200 at the pro-Moscow headquarters of the Chechen government in Grozny, Chechnya.
• 2002 – The company Clonaid announces that it has successfully cloned a human being, although it has never presented any verifiable evidence.
• 2002 - George Roy Hill dies (b. 1922). American film director.
• 2003 - Alan Bates dies (b. 1934). English actor.
• 2003 - Ivan Calderon dies murdered (b. 1962). Puerto Rican Major League Baseball player.
• 2004 - Radiation from an explosion on the magnetar SGR 1806-20 reaches Earth. It is the brightest extrasolar event known to have been witnessed on the planet.
• 2004 - Yushchenko wins Ukraine election re-run
• 2004 - Hank Garland dies (b. 1930). American musician.
• 2005 - Portugal: César Peixoto, portuguese footballer and Isabel Figueira, Portuguese model and TV personality, get married at Igreja do Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Costa, na Pousada de Guimarães.
• 2005 - Jacinto Figueira Jr. dies (b. 04 Dec 1927). Brazilian journalist, singer and TV presenter.
• 2005 - William Doody dies (b. 1931). Canadian politician.
• 2006 - Gerald Ford dies in Rancho Mirage, California (b. 1913). Thirty-Eighth President of United States of America (1974-1977).
• 2007 - Benazir Bhutto (b. 1953) is killed in suicide attack; Former Prime-Minister and Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto is assassinated in a suicide attack that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally.
• 2007 - Jerzy Kawalerowicz dies (b. 1922). Polish film director.
  
• 2007 - Jaan Kross dies (b. 1920). Estonian writer.
• 2008 – Israel launches 3-week operation on Gaza - Operation Cast Lead.
• 2008 – Delaney Bramlett dies (b. 1939). American musician.
• The third day of Christmas in Western Christianity.
• R.C. Saints - John the Apostle and Evangelist.
• Constitution Day (North Korea)
• St. Stephen's Day, or the Feast of St. Stephen (a Christian saint's day celebrated on 26 December in the Western Church and 27 December in the Eastern Church. Official public holiday in Norway, Austria, Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Poland.