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