Events on Apr 4
- 1081Alexius I Comnenus occupies Byzantine throne
- 1460University of Basle in Swizerland forms
- 1541Ignatius of Loyola becomes 1st superior-general of Jesuits
- 1552Mauritius van Saksen begins alliance with Karel Anikita Stroganov
- 1558Czar Ivan IV gives parts of North-Russia to fur traders
- 1581Frances Drake completes circumnavigation of world
- 1581Francis Drake becomes knight
- 1588Christian IV succeeds Frederik II as King of Denmark
- 1625Viceroy Frederik Henry marries Amalia countess von Solms-Braunfels
- 1655Battle at Postage Farina, Tunis: English fleet beats Barbarian pirates
- 1660Declaration of Breda
- 1660English King Charles II ends Declaration of Breda (freedom of religion)
- 1686English King James II publishes Declaration of Indulgence
- 1687King James II orders his declaration of indulgence read in church
- 1737Anthony van Heim installed as Dutch pension advisor
- 1818Congress decided US flag is 13 red and white stripes and 20 stars
- 1828Casparus van Wooden patents chocolate milk powder (Amsterdam)
- 1832Charles Darwin aboard HMS Beagle reaches Rio de Janeiro
- 1850City of Los Angeles incorporated
- 1859Opera "Dinorah" is produced (Paris)
- 1862Battle of Yorktown begins
- 1862US begins Peninsular Campaign aimed at capturing Richmond
- 1870Golden Gate Park forms by City Order #800
- 1887Susanna Medora Salter elected 1st US woman mayor (Argonia, KS)
- 1896Announcement of Gold in Yukon
- 1899South Africa all out 35 vs. England (Trott 4-19, Haigh 6-11)
- 1900Assassination attempt on Prince of Wales / King Edward VII
- 1900British garrison of Reddersberg surrenders to Boer general De Wet
- 1902Cecil Rhodes scholarship fund forms with $10 million
- 1905Earthquake in Kangra India, kills 20,000
Born on Apr 4
- 0188Caracalla [Marcus Aureiius Antoniius]: Roman Emperor (211-17)
- 1648Grinling Gibbons: Sculptor / woodcarver
- 1696Giovanni Battista Tiepoldo: Painter
- 1716John Evangelist Schreiber: Composer
- 1731Francisco Morera: Composer
- 1740Wolfgang Nicolaus Haueisen: Composer
- 1752Niccolo Antonio Zingarelli: Composer (Andromeda)
- 1755Vincenc Masek: Composer
- 1758John Hoppner: Portrait painter
- 1762Stephen Storace: Composer
- 1785Bettina Brentano: Composer
- 1785Bettina von Arnim: German writer (This Book Belongs to the King)
- 1786John Franklin: British explorer (Arctic)
- 1792Thaddeus Stevens: US Radical Republican congressional leader (Rep-R)
- 1802Dorothea Dix: United States -- Aroused interest in treatment of mental inmates
- 1804Joseph Fischhof: Composer
- 1809Benjamin Pierce: US mathematician / astronomer
- 1814John Blair Smith Todd: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1872
- 1817John Wilson Sprague: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1893
- 1820Charles Devens, Jr.: Major General, Bvt (Union volunteers), died in 1891
- 1821Linus Yale: United States -- Portrait painter / inventor (Yale cylinder lock)
- 1823Karl Wilhelm Siemens: Inventor (laid undersea cables)
- 1823Robert Byington Mitchell: Brigadier General (Union volunteers)
- 1828Margaret Oliphant: Scotland, United Kingdom -- Novelist / biographer (Beleaguered City)
- 1831Edward Cary Walthall: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1898
- 1832Jose Echegaray y Elizaguirre: Playwright / Scientist (Teatro Escogido)
- 1836Jerome Hopkins: Composer
- 1843Hans Richter: Composer
- 1866George P Baker: US playwright (47 Workshop)
- 1870George A Smith: Salt Lake City, Utah -- 8th President of Mormon church
Died on Apr 4
- 0397Ambrosius: Gov of Liguria / Bishop of Milan (374-97) / saint
- 0896Formosus: Pope (891-96)
- 1229Hugo van Pierrepont: Bishop of Liege
- 1292Nicholas IV [Girolamo Masci]: Pope (1288-92)
- 1393Floris van Wevelinkhoven: Bishop of Utrecht
- 1406Robert III: King of Scotland (1390-1406)
- 1417John van Touraine: 1st husband of Jacoba of Bavaria
- 1585Caspar de Robles: Spanish Viceroy of Frisia, dies at about 57
- 1588Frederik II: King of Denmark / Norway (1559-88), dies at 53
- 1604Thomas Churchyard: Poet / pamphleteer
- 1617John Napier: Scottish Mathematician / inventor (logarithms)
- 1643Simon Episcopius [Bisschop]: Dutch theologist, dies at 60
- 1662Davis Mell: Composer, dies at 57
- 1662Leonhart Kern: German Sculptor, dies at about 73
- 1664Adam Willaerts: Dutch seascape painter
- 1714Karel: Duke of Berry / French heir to the throne
- 1734Johann C van Erckel: Old Catholic theologist, dies at about 79
- 1774Oliver Goldsmith: Irish Poet (She Stoops to Conquer), dies at 17
- 1784Mary Mead: Wife of English journalist John Wilkes
- 1806Friedrich Gottlob Fleischer: Composer, dies at 84
- 1841William Henry Harrison: Becomes 1st President to die in office, at 68
- 1844Charles Bulfinch: 1st US pro Architect (Mass State House), dies at 80
- 1862Harmen S Sytstra: Dutch Poet / editor (Iduna), dies at 45
- 1889Thomas T H Jorissen: Historian, dies at 56
- 1893Alphonse LPP de Candolle: Swiss botanist, dies at 86
- 1900Edward VII: King, assassinated
- 1905Constantin Meunier: Belgian Painter / sculptor, dies at 73
- 1908Josef Sucher: Composer, dies at 64
- 1919William Crookes: English chemist / physicist (Crookes-pipe), dies at 86
- 1923L Martov [Joulij O Tsederbaum]: Russ revolutionary, dies at 49
Historical events on April 5
- 0823Pope Peschalis I crowns Lotharius I, co-Emperor of France
- 1058Bishop John "Minchio, " [domkop] elected as Pope Benedictus X
- 1242Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod defeats Teutonic Knights
- 1242Battle on the More of Pskov Estonia
- 1566200 Brussel nobles offer Margaretha of Parma a petition
- 1585Clemens Crabbeels becomes Bishop of Hertogenbosch
- 1603New English King James I departs Edinburgh for London
- 16142nd parliament of King James I begin session (no enactments)
- 1614Indian Princess Pocahontas marries English colonist John Rolfe
- 1621Mayflower sails from Plymouth on a return trip to England
- 1722Jacob Roggeveen discovers Easter Island
- 1739French Emperor Karel VI sign secret treaty
- 1751Adolf Frederik of Holstein-Gottorp crowns himself King of Sweden
- 1753British Museum forms (opens in 1759)
- 1762British take Grenada, West Indies, from French
- 17681st US Chamber of Commerce forms (NYC)
- 1792George Washington casts 1st presidential veto
- 1806Isaac Quintard patents apple cider
- 1812Brits storm Badajoz fortress, held by French and Spanish
- 1815Eruption of Tambora volcano (Sumbawa Java)
- 1847Opera "Die Fledermaus" is produced (Vienna)
- 1861Federals abandon Ft Quitman, Texas
- 1862Siege of Yorktown, Virginia
- 1865Battle at Amelia Springs / Jetersville Va (Appomattox Campaign)
- 1874"Die Fledermaus" 1st performed (Vienna)
- 1881Transvaal regains independence under British suzerainty
- 1887Anne Sullivan teaches "water" to Helen Keller
- 1893Cleveland passes Park Act (forerunner of Metroparks)
- 189411 strikers killed in riot at Connellsville, Penn
- 1895Oscar Wilde loses libel case against Marquess of Queensberry, who accused him of homosexual practices
Born on April 5
- 1588Thomas Hobbes: England, United Kingdom -- Philosopher (Leviathan)
- 1595John Wilson: Composer
- 1598Laurentius Erhard: Composer
- 1626Jan van Kessel: Flemish painter
- 1643Charles V Leopold: Duke of Lorraine / Field Marshal in Austria
- 1649Elihu Yale: England, United Kingdom -- Philanthropist founded Yale
- 1698Georg Gottfried Wagner: Composer
- 1725Giacomo Casanova: Italian writer / philanderer / adventurer (uncertain)
- 1727Pasquale Ankossi: Composer
- 1784Louis [Ludwig] Spohr: Germany -- Violin virtuoso / composer (Faust)
- 1788Franz Pforr: German painter / cartoonist (Lukasbund)
- 1795Henry Havelock: British soldier (War in Afghanistan 1838-39)
- 1799Vincenzo Fioravanti: Composer
- 1818Lewis Baldwin Parsons: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
- 1822James Nagle: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1866
- 1824Sydney Thompson Dobell: Poet (Roman)
- 1825David Rumph "Neighbor" Jones: Major General (Confederate Army)
- 1827Joseph Lister: England, United Kingdom -- Physician (founded aseptic surgery)
- 1828Pietro Plantania: Composer
- 1830Alexander Muir: Lesmahagow, Scotland -- Poet (Maple Leaf Forever)
- 1832Jules-Francois Camille Ferry: French Statesman
- 1837Algernon Charles Swinburne: England, United Kingdom -- Poet (Atalanta in Calydon)
- 1838Alpheus Hyatt: United States -- Invertebrate paleontologist
- 1839Robert Smalls: Beaufort, South Carolina -- Black congressman 1875-87 (Rep-SC)
- 1839Stanislaw Pilinski: Composer
- 1845Jules M Cambon: French Governor-General of Algeria / ambassador
- 1853Alfonso Randano: Composer
- 1854Vicente Goicoechea Errasti: Composer
- 1856Booker Taliaferro Washington: Pioneer educator (1st black on US stamp)
- 1857Alexander-Jozef von Battenberg: Ruler of Bulgaria (1879-86)
Died on April 5
- 0828Nicephorus: Patriarch of Constantinopel (806-15), dies at about 77
- 1258Julian of Cornillon / Liege: Flemish visionary / saint
- 1270Ramban Nachmanides: Talmudic Scholar (Hiddushei Ha-Ramden)
- 1531Richard Roose: Boiled to death for trying to poison an Archbishop
- 1673Francois Caron: Admiral / Governor (Formosa), drowns at about 72
- 1684William Brouncker: 2nd viscount / 1st President of Royal Society
- 1695George Savile: 1st Marquis of Halifax, dies at 61
- 1697Charles XI: King of Sweden (1660-97), dies at 41
- 1712John Luyken: Poet / etcher (species company), dies at 63
- 1723J Fischer von Erlach: Austrian Architect (Hofburg, Vienna), dies at 66
- 1732Johann Christian Schieferdecker: Composer, dies at 52
- 1765Edward Young: English Poet (Love of Fame), dies at 81
- 1794Georges-Jacques Danton: French revolutionary leader, guillotined at 34
- 1811Robert Raikes: Founder of Sunday Schools
- 1820Henrik C Cras: Lawyer (Laudatio Hugonis Grotii), dies at 81
- 1871Georg Andreas Henkel: Composer, dies at 66
- 1878Wilhelm Speyer: Composer, dies at 87
- 1896John Rogers Thomas: Composer, dies at 66
- 1900Comte de Villebois-Marevil: French / South African General, dies in battle
- 1907Anton G van Hamel: Founder (Roman philosphy in Netherlands), dies at 65
- 1908Gaetano Coronaro: Composer, dies at 55
- 1918Paul Vidal de la Blanche: French geographer, dies at 73
- 1921Alphonsus J M Diepenbrock: Dutch Composer (Missa), dies at 58
- 1922Charles F A Woeste: Belgian count / Minister of Justice, dies at 85
- 1928Jane Ellen Harrison: Scholar / archaeologist
- 1934Salvatore Di Giacomo: Composer, dies at 74
- 1935Emil Mlynarski: Composer, dies at 64
- 1944Isolde Kurz: German writer / poetess (Meine Mutter), dies at 90
- 1944Willy Derby [Dieben]: Singer (Hello Bandoeng)
- 1945Huldreich Georg Fruh: Composer, dies at 41
Events on Apr 6
- 0402Battle at Pollentia: Roman army under Stilicho beats Visigoten
- 0610Lailat-ul Qadar, night koran descended to Earth
- 0774Charles the Great affirms Pippins promise of Quiercy
- 1106Fire in Venice
- 1327Italian Poet Petrarch 1st sets eyes on his beloved Laura
- 1362Robber bastion Tard-Venus strikes at Brignais France
- 1634Heeren XIX asks "to secure Eylands Curacao"
- 1652Cape Colony, the 1st European settlement in South Africa, established
- 1652John of Riebeeck lands / establishes VOC-post in Cape Town
- 1663King Charles II signs Carolina Charter
- 1664France and Saksen sign alliance
- 1672France declares war on Netherlands
- 1722Peter the Great ends tax on men with beards
- 1724Duke of Newcastle becomes English Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 1727Denmark signs Covenant of Hannover
- 1757English King George II fires Minister William Pitt Sr
- 17891st US Congress begins regular sessions, Federal Hall, New York City
- 1830Joseph Smith and 5 others organizes Mormon church in Seneca Co, New York
- 1841Cornerstone laid for 2nd Mormon temple, Nauvoo, Missouri
- 1848Jews of Prussia granted equality
- 1862Battle of Shiloh, Union defeats Confederacy in SW Tennessee
- 1866G.A.R. forms
- 1868Brigham Young marries his 27th and final wife
- 18691st plastic, Celluloid, patented
- 1883Start of Sherlock Holmes "Adventure of Speckled Band" (BG)
- 1886City of Vancouver BC incorporated
- 1886Declaration of Berlin neutralizes Tonga
- 1889George Eastman places Kodak Camera on sale for 1st time
- 1890French troops under Captain Archinard occupy Segu, West-Sudan
- 1893Andy Bowen and Jack Burke box 7 hours 19 minutes to no decision (111 rounds)
Born on Apr 6
- 1483Raphael Sanzio: Italian painter / master builder (Madonna Sistina)
- 1631Vincenzo De Grandis: Composer
- 1660Johann Kuhnau: Composer
- 1671Jean-Baptiste Rousseau: French playwright / poet (Sacred Odes & Songs)
- 1672Andre Cardinal Destouches: Composer
- 1708George Reuter: Composer
- 1752Johann Friedrich Kranz: Composer
- 1757Alessandro Rolla: Composer
- 1773James Mill: Scotland, United Kingdom -- Philosopher / historian (Hist of British India)
- 1778Joseph Funk: Composer
- 1810Philip Gosse: Intentor of institutional aquarium, writer (Omphalos)
- 1812Aaron Bernstein: Writer
- 1812Gavril Yakimovich Lomakin: Composer
- 1815Friedrich Robert Volkmann: Composer
- 1818Francis Henry Brown: Composer
- 1819Johann A H Scheler: Belgian librarian
- 1823Joseph Medill: St. John, New Brunswick -- Newspaper editor (Chicago Tribune)
- 1826Gustave Moreau: French painter
- 1828Charles William Field: Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1892
- 1830James Augustine Healy: Macon, Georgia -- 1st black Roman Catholic Bishop
- 1833Johan H C Kern: Dutch linguist (Sanskrit, Old Javan)
- 1835Jose Marraco y Ferrer: Composer
- 1844Joseph Ludwig: Composer
- 1866Joseph Lincoln Steffens: Muckraker / journalist (Shame of the Cities)
- 1869Louis Raemakers: Dutch draftsman / painter
- 1878Carl Emil Theodor Ehrenberg: Composer
- 1883Mien Labberton: Dutch poetress
- 1884Walter Huston: Toronto, Ontario -- Actor (Maltese Falcon, Treasure of Sierra Madre)
- 1885Carlos Leon Salzedo: Composer
- 1888Daniel Andersson: Swedish poet / writer (Svarta Ballader)
Died on Apr 6
- 0885Methodius: Greek apostle of the slaves / Archbishop of Sirmium
- 0912Nottker "the Stamelaar": Benedictine Monk / poet, dies at about 71
- 1199Richard I [the Lion-hearted]: King of England (1189-99), dies at 41
- 1252Peter of Verona [Peter Martyr]: Italian inquisitor / st, dies at 45
- 1362Jacques de Bourbon: Count of Marche, killed in battle
- 1472Pieter Bladelin: Belgium -- Land owner (Middelburg castle)
- 1489Hans Waldmann: Swiss military / mayor (Zurich), beheaded
- 1490Matthias Corvinus: King of Hungary
- 1520Raphael [Sanzio]: Artist (Sistine Madonna), dies on his 37th birthday
- 1551Joachim Vadianus: Swiss Physician / Mayor of Sankt Gallen, dies at 66
- 1590Francis Walsingham: English Secretary of State, dies at about 57
- 1593Henry Barrow: English puritian / Congressionalist, hanged
- 1593John Greenwood: English Congressionalist, hanged
- 1605John Stow: British historian
- 1779Tommaso MFS Traetta: Italian opera Composer (Farnace), dies at 52
- 1782Rynoldus Popma van Oevering: Composer, dies at 90
- 1805Lorenz Justinian Ott: Composer, dies at 56
- 1817Bonaventura Furlanetto: Composer, dies at 78
- 1822Franz Xaver Partsch: Composer, dies at 62
- 1829Niels H Able: Norwegian Mathematician (infinite series), dies at 26
- 1838Jose B de Andrada e Silva: Premier of Brazil (1822-23), dies at 74
- 1854William Strickland: US architect
- 1862Adley Hogan Gladden: Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at 51
- 1862Albert Sidney Johnston: US Confederate General, dies in battle at 59
- 1865John Austin Wharton: US Confederate General Major, dies at 36
- 1865Reuben B Boston: US Confederate cavalery Colonel, dies in battle
- 1884Emanuel Geibel: Writer, dies at 68
- 1906Alexander L Kielland: Norwegian writer (Working People), dies at 57
- 1913Jose Marraco y Ferrer: Composer, dies on 78th birthday
- 1919Stefan Surzynski: Composer, dies at 63