Events on Aug 12
- 1071Alp Arslan beat Byzantines, Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes
- 1071Battle at Manzikert Armenia, Venetian Byzantine brings islam to Europe
- 1099Battle at Ascalon: Godfried of Broth beats Egyptians
- 1099Crusaders are victorious at Battle of Ascalon
- 1332Battle of Dupplin Moor; Scottish dynastic battle
- 1336English King Edward III endswool export to Flanders
- 1492Christopher Columbus discovers Canary Islands
- 1530Florence surrenders for Emperor Karel I
- 1549French troops occupy Ambleteuse England
- 1553Pope Julius III orders confiscation and burning of Jewish Talmud
- 1588Medemblik surrenders to Spanish army
- 16581st US police corps forms (New Amsterdam)
- 1665English fleet beat Dutch fleet
- 16761st war between American colonists and Indians ends in New England
- 1687Charles of Lotharingen defeats Turkish leaders
- 1687Ottoman invaders of Hungary routed at Battle of Mohacs
- 1759Battle of Kunersdorf - Russian-Austrian army overpowers Prussians
- 1812Dr Joseph Lister is 1st surgeon to use disinfectant during surgery
- 1831Dutch troops conquer Leuven
- 1831Netherlands and Belgium sign peace treaty
- 1851Isaac Singer patents sewing machine
- 1856Anthony Fass patents accordion
- 1861Skirmish at Texas-rebels are attacked by Apache Indians
- 1862Gen John Hunt Morgan and his raiders capture Gallatin, Texas
- 18631st cargo of lumber leaves Burrard Inlet (Vancouver, BC area)
- 1867President Andrew Johnson defies Congress suspending Secretary of War Edwin Stanton
- 1877Thomas Edison invents Edisonphone, a sound recording device
- 18791st National Archery Association tournament (Chicago)
- 1888Bertha, Wife of inventor Karl Benz, makes 1st motor tour
- 1896Gold discovered at Klondike River at Dawson
Born on Aug 12
- 1503Christian III: King of Denmark / Norway (1534-59)
- 1566Isabella CE: Infante of Spain / Governess of the Netherlands
- 1592Willem Earl of Nassau-Siegen: Dutch gov (Fort Emmerik / Heusden)
- 1620Pieter Cuypers: South Netherlands lawyer
- 1626Giovanni Legrenzi: Composer
- 1644Georg Christoph Leuttner: Composer
- 1644Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: Composer
- 1696Maurice Greene: Composer
- 1744Rowland Hill: Preacher
- 1751Johann Baptist Lasser: Composer
- 1762George IV: King of England (1820-30)
- 1774Robert Southey: English poet laureate / biographer of Nelson
- 1778Francis Horner: Politician
- 1781Robert Mills: United States -- Architect (Washington Monument)
- 1819Daniel Davidson Bidwell: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1864
- 1820Oliver Mowat: A founder of the Canadian Confederation
- 1825Frederick Arthur Gore Ouseley: Composer
- 1829John Horace Forney: Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1902
- 1832Hely Hutchinson Almond: Politician / doctor
- 1833William Price Sanders: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1863
- 1838Joseph Barnby: Conductor / academic principal
- 1848Macellus Emants: Dutch writer / poet (Along the Nile)
- 1849Abbott Handerson Thayer: Painter / naturalist
- 1853Jean Louis Nicode: Composer
- 1854Alfred Gilbert: Sculptor / goldsmith
- 1854Johannes P Kelly: Dutch [Kellij], actor / operetta writer
- 1859Katharine Lee Bates: United States -- Author (America the Beautiful)
- 1867Edith Hamilton: United States -- Writer (Mythology)
- 1868Frederick JNT lord Chelmsford: Viceroy of British-India (1916-21)
- 1875Ettore Panizza: Composer
Died on Aug 12
- 0875Louis II: King of Italy / Emperor of France, dies at about 50
- 1158Anselmus van Havelberg: Brandenburg bshp of Havelberg (1129-55)
- 1350Philip VI: King of France
- 1484Sixtus IV [Francesco della Rovere]: Pope (1471-84)
- 1546Francisco de Vitoria: Spanish theology / lawyer
- 1588Alfonso Ferrabosco: Composer, dies at 45
- 1612Giovanni Gabrieli: Italian Composer (Madrigali), dies at about 60
- 1633Jacopo Peri: Itallian opera composer, dies at 71
- 1638Johannes Althusius [Althaut]: German lawyer, dies at about 81
- 1654Cornelis Haga: Ambassador to Constantinople (1611-39), dies at 76
- 1660Gilbertus van Zinnik: Flemish architect, dies at about 33
- 1674Philippe de Champaigne: Painter
- 1675Karl Rabenhaupt: German / Netherlands Baron of Sucha / army leader, dies at 73
- 1676King Philip [Metacomet]: Leader Wampanoag-indians, shot to death
- 1689Innocent XI [Benedetto Odescalchi]: Pope (1676-89), dies at 78
- 1715Nahum Tate: English Poet / playwright / Poet laureate
- 1728Henricus Zwaardecroon: Governor-General of the Netherlands Indies, dies at 61
- 1750Rachel Ruysch: Royal Painter of soverign Johan von de Pfalz
- 1797Ignaz Franz Xaver Kurzinger: Composer, dies at 73
- 1811John FE Acton: Cruel Premier of Naples, dies at 77
- 1812Jean Joseph Rodolphe: Composer, dies at 81
- 1822Robert Stewart: 2nd Marguess of Londonderry, commits suicide
- 1827William Blake: English Poet / painter, dies at 69
- 1830Franz de Paula Roser: Composer, dies at 50
- 1848George Stephenson: Locomotive engineer
- 1849Abraham AA "Albert" Gallatin: Minister of Finance (1801-14), dies at 88
- 1857William Daniel Conybeare: Geologist
- 1865William Jackson Hooker: Botanist
- 1877James Drummond: Historical painter
- 1883Last Quagga: Zebra with less slashes (in Artis)
Historical events on August 13
- 0523St. John I begins his reign as Catholic Pope
- 1099Raniero elected as Pope Paschal II
- 1415King Henry V of England army lands on mouth of Seine River
- 1516Kings Charles I and Francois I signs Treaty of Noyons
- 1521Spanish conquerors Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) from Aztecs
- 1578Duke French van Anjou recognized as protector of the Netherlands
- 1624Cardinal Richelieu appointed Chief Minister of France by Louis XIII
- 1630Ferdinand II fires Supreme Commander Albrecht von Wallenstein
- 1642Christiaan Huygens discovers Martian south polar cap
- 1651Litchfield, CT founded
- 1696State of Drenthe accredits Willem III as mayor
- 1704French and Bavarian forces were routed by a combined British, German and Dutch army at Blenheim, Germany
- 1713King Frederik Willem declares war on Brandenburg-Prussia
- 1740Hunger strike in Rotterdam
- 1784English parliament accept India Act
- 1788Prussia joins Anglo-Dutch alliance to form Triple Alliance to prevent spread of Russo-Swedish War of 1788-90
- 1792Revolutionaries imprison French royals including Marie Antoinette
- 1799English fleet under lord Seymour overthrows Suriname
- 1814Cape of Good Hope formally ceded to British by the Dutch
- 1814Treaty of London-Netherland stops transporting slaves
- 1831Nat Turner leads uprising of slaves in Virginia
- 1868Earthquakes kill 25,000 and causes $300 million damages (Peru and Ecuador)
- 1876Reciprocity Treaty between US and Hawaii ratified
- 1881Henry Morton Stanley signs contract with Congolese monarch
- 1889William Gray patents coin-operated telephone
- 1892US black newspaper "Afro-American" begins publishing from Baltimore
- 1898US forces under George Dewey captures Manila during Spanish American War
- 1902England beat Australia by one wicket at The Oval Famous victory
- 1906Black soldiers raid Brownsville, Texas
- 19071st taxicab (NYC)
Born on August 13
- 1422William Caxton: 1st English printer (Histories of Troy)
- 1617Johann A Quenstedt: German Lutherian theologist
- 1655Johann Christoph Denner: Inventor (clarinet)
- 1692Anton Simon Ignaz Praelisauer: Composer
- 1704Lorenzo Fago: Composer
- 1717Christoph Nichelsmann: German composer
- 1721Francis Ireland: Composer
- 1747Adrien-Joseph van Helmont: Composer
- 1748Pieter L van de Kasteele: Dutch politician / patriot
- 1802Nikolaus Lenau: Hungary -- German poet (Faust, Die Albigenser)
- 1817Karoly Thern: Composer
- 1819George Gabriel Stokes: Physicist / mathematician (spectroscope)
- 1820George Grove: London, England -- Biblical Scholar / misicographer
- 1820Joseph Alberdingk Thijm [Pauwels Foreestier]: Poet (Dietsche Warande)
- 1826William Thomas Best: Composer
- 1831Salomon Jaoassohn: Composer
- 1840Giovanni Verga: Italian writer (Eros)
- 1851John Lincoln Clem: Drummer (Union volunteers), died in 1937
- 1867Rudolf Georg Binding: German songwriter / writer (Legenden Der Zeit)
- 1867William A Craigie: Scottish lexicographer (Skotlands Rimur)
- 1871Karl Liebknecht: German revolutionary marxist (Sparta Party)
- 1878Leonid Vladimirovich Nikolayev: Composer
- 1878Salomon "Sam" de Wolff: Dutch zionist / socialist theorist
- 1879John N Ireland: English composer / pianist (Mai-Dun)
- 1881Jacqueline [Pierrette] R van Stuwe [Eline v S]: Dutch author
- 1886Jacob Pierneef: South Africa -- Painter
- 1888John Logie Baird: Scotland, United Kingdom -- Inventor (father of TV)
- 1890[Lavinia] Marian Fleming Poe: Virginia, United States
- 1894Ferdinand Sassen: Dutch philosopher / director
- 1894Leonid Alexeyevich Polovinkin: Composer
Died on August 13
- 0662Maximus Confessor: Greek Theologist / crusader
- 0900Zwentibold: King of Lutherans (895-900), dies in battle at 29
- 1134Irene [Pirisca]: Byzantine empress
- 1191Philips van Heinsberg: Archbishop of Cologne
- 1278Daikaku: Zen teacher Rinzai line / head of Kenchoji, dies in Japan at 65
- 1637Dirck J Bas: Dutch Merchant / regent / government leader (OIC)
- 1674Lars Johnstown [Lasse Lucidor]: Swedish poet, dies at 35
- 1749J E Schlegel: Writer
- 1762John Alberti: Theologist / philological, dies at 64
- 1808Henri Hardouin: Composer, dies at 81
- 1841Bernhard Heinrich Romberg: German composer, dies at 73
- 1841Bernhard Romberg: German cellist / composer
- 1860Danillo II: Ruler of Montenegro
- 1865Ignaz Semmelweis: Gynecologist, dies at 47
- 1886Adolf von Doss: Composer, dies at 62
- 1895Christian B Freiherr von Tauchnitz: German publisher (T Edition)
- 1896John Everett Millais: English painter, dies at 67
- 1897Antonius von der Linde: Neth / German librarian, dies at 63
- 1908Ira D Sankey: US evangelist / Composer / singer (Gospel Hymns), dies at 67
- 1910Florence Nightingale: English nurse, dies at 90
- 1912Jules EF Massenet: French opera Composer (Werther, Manon), dies at 70
- 1913F August Bebel: German social-democrat
- 1916Fritz Steinbach: Composer, dies at 61
- 1924Julian Aguirre: Composer, dies at 56
- 1927James Curwood: US journalist / writer (Valley of Silent Men), dies at 49
- 1928Fernand de La Tombelle: Composer, dies at 74
- 1933Paul Joseph Guillaume Hillemacher: Composer, dies at 80
- 1940George C Pearce: Actor (Hold tat Lion, British Agent), dies at 75
- 1946H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells: Sci-fi Author (Time Machine), dies at 79
- 1946Valery Viktorovich Zhelobinsky: Composer, dies at 33
Events on Aug 14
- 0554Ravenna becomes seat of Byzantines milt Governor in Italy
- 1248Construction of Cologne Cathedral begun
- 1281Kublai Khans invading fleet disappears in typhoon near Japan
- 1385Portuguese defeat Castilians at Aljubarrota, retain independence
- 1395Utrecht Bishop Frederik of Blankenheim occupies Coevorden
- 1457Oldest known exactly dated printed book (c 3 years after Gutenberg)
- 1498Columbus landed at the mouth of the Orinoco River in Venezuela
- 1551Turkish fleet under Dragut occupies Tripoli
- 1559Spanish explorer de Luna lands in Pensacola Bay, Florida
- 1585Queen Elizabeth I refuses sovereignty of the Netherlands
- 1597Cornelis de Houtmans fleet is 1st Dutch visit to Java
- 1624Dutch fleet ceases Callao the Lima in Peru
- 1636Spanish troops occupy Corbie at Amiens
- 1642Able Tasmans ships Heemskerck / Zeehaen depart out of Batavia
- 1678Battle of Mons-French repulse William of Orange
- 1743Prussian army occupies Saksen, beginning 2nd Silezian War
- 1756French capture Fort Oswego, New York
- 1758Battle at Zorndorf: Prussia beat Russia, 1000s killed
- 1762English fleet occupies Havana
- 1765Mass colonists challenge British rule by an Elm (Liberty Tree)
- 1782Suriname forbids selling slave mothers without their babies
- 1790Sweden and Russia sign Peace of Verela
- 1813British warship Pelican attacks and captures US war brigantine Argus
- 1816Great Britain annexes Tristan da Cunha
- 18201st US eye hospital, the New York Eye Infirmary, opens in New York City
- 1824General Lafayette returns to US
- 1825Dutch King Willem I throws foreign students out
- 1842Seminole War ends; Indians removed from Florida to Oklahoma
- 1846Henry David Thoreau jailed for tax resistance
- 1848Oregon Territory created
Born on Aug 14
- 1552Fra Paolo Sarpi [Paulus Venetus]: Expert / philosopher
- 1675Johann Georg Christian Storl: Composer
- 1688Frederik Willem I: King of Prussia (bodyguard of giants)
- 1714Claude-Joseph Vernet: French painter
- 1737Charles Hutton: Mathematician
- 1740Pius VII [Luigi B Chiaramonti]: Bishop of Imola / Pope (1800-23)
- 1742Marie Allard: French ballerina (Auguste Vestris)
- 1758Carle [Antoine CH] Vernet: French painter / lithographer
- 1769Friedrich Ludwig Dulon: Flautist / composer
- 1777Hans Christian Oersted: Den, physicist / chemist (View of Chemical Law)
- 1784Francesco Capaccini: Italian Cardinal / diplomat
- 1810Samuel Sebastian Wesley: Composer
- 1814Henry Hayes Lockwood: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1899
- 1821Clement Hoffman "Rock" Stevens: Brigadier General (Confederate Army)
- 1823Karel Miry: Composer
- 1824William Terry: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1888
- 1836Walter Besant: Writer / philanthropist (Rebel Queen)
- 1840Baron Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing: Psychiatrist
- 1842Henry Duff Trail: Journalist / author
- 1850Earnest YY [Bachigaloupi] Tourniaire: Actor (Kloris & Roses)
- 1860Ernest T Seton: Naturalist / painter / author (Buffalo Wind-1938)
- 1861Bion Joseph Arnold: Electrical engineer / inventor
- 1867John Galsworthy: England, United Kingdom -- Author (Forsyte Saga-Nobel 1932)
- 1868Leone Sinigaglia: Composer
- 1876Alexander I Obrenovic: King of Serbia / Yugoslavia (1922-34)
- 1876Sibilla Aleramo [Rina Faccio]: Italian feminist / poet (Una Donna)
- 1878Harald Kidde: Danish writer (Aage og Else)
- 1883Ernest E Just: Biologist (pioneered cell division)
- 1891Marinus de Jong: Composer
- 1892Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji: Composer
Died on Aug 14
- 1167Raynald van Dassel: Archbishop of Cologne
- 1433Johan I: King of Portugal (1383-1433), dies at 76
- 1587Gugliemo Gonzaga: Composer, dies at 49
- 1727William Croft: Composer, dies at 48
- 1763Giovanni Battista Somis: Composer, dies at 76
- 1778Augustus Montague Toplady: Hymn writer (Rock of Ages)
- 1785John William Fletcher: Evangelist
- 1788Thomas Sheridan: Actor / biographer / lexicographer (Intelligencer)
- 1794George Colman [the Elder]: Playwright
- 1833Luigi Cagnola: Architect
- 1834Friedrich Christian Ruppe: Composer, dies at 63
- 1844Henry Francis Cary: Translator (Dante)
- 1856William Buckland: Dean (Westminister) / geologist
- 1858George Combe: Phrenologist
- 1863Colin Campbell: British officer (Cawnpore), dies at 70
- 1867Niccola Benvenuti: Composer, dies at 84
- 1870David [James] Glasgow Farragut: Admiral
- 1884Arnoldus Pannevis: South African shipping agent / linguist, dies at 46
- 1887Richard Jeffries: Naturalist / essayist
- 1922Alfred CW Harmsworth: 1st viscount Northcliffe / newspaper magnate
- 1923Jacob T Cremer: President (Dutch Handel-Mij), dies at 76
- 1928Klabund [Alfred Henschke]: German writer (Spuk / Rasputin), dies at 37
- 1932Rin Tin Tin: US Hollywood-dog
- 1936Rainey Bethea: Hanged, last US public execution
- 1937Sapper: British soldier / Novelist (Bull-Dog Drummond), dies at 48
- 1938Landon Ronald: Composer / pianist, dies at 65
- 1941Josef Jakobs: German spy, executed in Tower of London
- 1946Susan St James [Susan Jane Miller]: LA California, actress (Kate & Allie)
- 1949Husni al-Barazi: Premier of Syria, shot to death
- 1949Husni el-Zaim: President / Dictator of Syria, shot to death