Events on Sep 26
- 1371Battle of Maritsa: Serbia-Turkey
- 1396Sultan Bajezid I beheads 100s of crusaders
- 1404Brussels Brabants / Limburgse audit-office established
- 1580Francis Drake with Spanish treasure returns to England
- 1629Sweden and Poland signs Peace of Altmark
- 1655Peter Stuyvesant recaptures Dutch Ft Casimir from Swedish in Delaware
- 1680Tax revolt in Gorinchem due to tax on cereal
- 1687Acropolis in Athens attacked by Venetian army trying to eject Turks Parthenon destroyed in war between Turks and Venetians
- 1733France, Spain and Sardinia sign anti-German covenant
- 1772New Jersey passes bill requiring a license to practice medicine
- 1777British troops occupy Philadelphia during American Revolution
- 1786England and France sign trade agreement
- 17894th Postmaster General: Samuel Osgood of Mass takes office
- 1789Jefferson appointed 1st Secretary of State; John Jay 1st chief justice;
- 1789Samuel Osgood 1st Postmaster and Edmund J Randolph 1st Attorney General
- 1815Russia, Prussia and Austria sign Holy Alliance
- 1824Kapiolani defies Pele (Hawaiian volcano goddess) and lives
- 18612nd British Golf Open: Tom Morris Sr shoots a 163 at Prestwick Club
- 18741st Grand International Rifle match held
- 18761st Belgian parachute jump (Glorieux)
- 1884Suriname army shoots on British-Indian contract workers, 7 killed
- 1887Emile Berliner patents the Gramophone
- 1890US stops minting $1 and $3 gold coin and 3 cent piece
- 1892Diamond Match Co patented book matches
- 1895Italian general Oreste Baratieri lands in Massawa, Eritrea
- 1901Boer General Botha captures Fort Itala in Natal
- 1901Great Britain annexes Gold Coast (Ghana)
- 1904Charles Kleins "Music Master, " premieres in New York City
- 1904Earl Grey is named British Governor-General of Canada
- 1906Pitts Lefty Leifield no-hits Phillies, 8-0 in 6 inning game
Born on Sep 26
- 1729Moses Mendelssohn: Philosopher / critic / Bible translator
- 1759Hans D L Earl Yorck von Wartenburg: Prussian Field Marshal / Governor-General
- 1767Wenzel Muller: Composer
- 1820Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar: Father of Bengali prose (Exile of Sita)
- 1821Alvin Peterson Hovey: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
- 1823Ivan S Aksakov: Russian journalist (Denj, Moskvitsh)
- 1841Pavel Ivanovich Blaramberg: Composer
- 1867Maggie L Walker: Black business and civic leader
- 1868Henry Franklin Belknap Gilbert: Composer
- 1870Christian X: King of Denmark (1912-47)
- 1872Ottokar T Czernin von und zu Chudenitz: Austrian Foreign min (1916-18)
- 1873Amilcare Zanella: Composer
- 1875Edmund Gwenn: Wales, United Kingdom -- Actor (Miracle on 34th Street)
- 1876Edith Abbott: Dean (University of Chicago Social Sciences)
- 1877Alfred Cortot: French pianist
- 1879Petko J Todorov: Bulgaria -- Writer (Fairy, Samodiva Fee)
- 1887Antonio Moreno: Madrid, Spain -- Actor / director (It, Careers)
- 1889Martin Heidegger: Germany -- Existentialist (Being & Time)
- 1891Alfred Plane: US sharp shooter (1912, 20 Olympics - Gold Medalist)
- 1893Milos Crnjanski: Serbian poet (Seobe)
- 1894Gladys Brockwell: Brooklyn, New York -- Actress (Long Pants, Oliver Twist)
- 1895Fay Holden: Birmingham, England -- Actress (Mother-Andy Hardy films)
- 1897Pope Paul VI [Giovanni Montini]: 262nd Roman Catholic Pope (1963-78)
- 1897Victor O Stomps: Writer
- 1897Wilhelmina J "Willy" Haak: Dutch actress / act teacher (Goethe / Brecht)
- 1901Donald Cook: Portland, Oregon -- Actor (Too Young To Go Steady)
- 1902Umberto "Albert" Anastasia: US gangster (Murder Inc)
- 1903Gerhard Nebel: Writer
- 1907Anthony F Blunt: British historian / spy for USSR
- 1907Bep [Lambertus] van Klaveren: European Boxing Champ (1928 Olympics - Silver Medalist)
Died on Sep 26
- 1023Godfried I: Duke of Neth-Lutherans
- 1342John I: Ruler of Poland
- 1345Willem IV: Earl of Henegouwen / Holland / Zealand, dies at about 27
- 1371Vlkasin: Hungarian General / co-king of Serbia
- 1614Felice Anerio: Italian Composer (pontifical royal chapel)
- 1626Lancelot Andrewes: English Theologist / Bishop of Winchester, dies at 71
- 1788Francois Bainville: Composer, dies at 63
- 1808Pavel Vranicky: Composer, dies at 51
- 1820Daniel Boone: Frontiersman, dies in Missouri at 85
- 1866Carl Almqvist: Swedish Author (Amorina), dies at 72
- 1871Philip Cipriani Hambly Potter: Composer, dies at 78
- 1904Lafcadio Hearn: Author (Soul of the Great Ball), dies at 54
- 1917Edgar H G Degas: French Painter (ballerina)
- 1935Andy Adams: US writer (Cattle fire), dies at 76
- 1937Bessie Smith: Singer, dies of injuries sustained in car crash at 43
- 1944Ernst Isler: Composer, dies at 64
- 1945R Beer-Hofmann: Writer, dies at 78
- 1947Hugh Lofting: Writer (Gub Gub Book), dies at 61
- 1952George Santayana: US philosopher / Poet (Last Puritan), dies at 88
- 1956Lucien Febvre: French Historian (Un Destin, Martin Luther), dies at 78
- 1958Carl Brisson: Actor (Ship Cafe, Ring, Song of Soho), dies at 64
- 1959Solomon Bandaranaike: Prime Minister of Ceylon (1956-59), assassinated at 60
- 1961Eily Malyon: Actress (Jane Eyre, I Married a Witch), dies at 81
- 1961Juanita Hansen: Actress (Fast Company), dies of heart ailment at 67
- 1964Ida Moore: Actress (Mr Music, Johnny Belinda), dies at 82
- 1966Helen Kane: Actress (Heads Up, Pointed Heels), dies of cancer at 62
- 1971Muriel Kirkland: Actress (Nana, Fast Workers), dies of emphysema at 68
- 1972Charles J Correll: Actor / voice (Calvin & the Colonel), dies at 82
- 1973Anton Schnack: German writer / poet, dies at 81
- 1979Arthur Hunnicutt: Actor (Big Sky, Apache Uprising), dies at 68
Historical events on September 27
- 0070Walls of upper city of Jerusalem battered down by Romans
- 1290Earthquake in Gulf of Chili China, reportedly kills 100,000
- 1312Duke John II of Brabant ends Charter of Kortenberg
- 1509Storm ravages Flemish / Dutch / Friese coast, 1000s killed
- 1540Pope Paul III recognizes Society of Jesus / Order of the Jesuits
- 1540Society of Jesus (Jesuits) founded by Ignatius Loyola
- 1694Hurricane hits Carlisle Bay Barbados; 27 British ships sink and 3,000 die
- 1777English General William Howe occupies Philadelphia
- 1779John Adams negotiates Revolutionary War peace terms with Britain
- 1787Constitution submitted to states for ratification
- 1821Mexican Empire declares its independence
- 1821Revolutionary forces occupy Mexico City as Spanish withdraw
- 1825Railroad transportation is born with 1st track (Stockton-Darlington)
- 1830Dutch army leaves Brussels, after 100s killed
- 1833Charles Darwin rides horse to Santa Fe
- 1834Charles Darwin returns to Valparaiso
- 1854Steamship "Arctic" sinks with 300 people on board
- 1864Battle at Pilot Knob (Ft Davidson), Missouri: 1700 killed / injured
- 1864Centralia Massacre (Missouri): "Bloody Bill" Anderson / Frank
- 1877John Mercer Langston named Minister of Haiti
- 1881Chicago Cubs beat Troy 10-8 before record small "crowd" of 12
- 1892Book matches are patented by Diamond Match Company
- 1894Aqueduct racetrack opens in New York
- 1900Victory Theater (Republic, Belasco) opens at 207 W 42nd St, New York City
- 19051st published blues composition forms sale, WC Handy Memphis Blues
- 190929th US Mens Tennis: W A Larned beats W J Clothier (61 62 57 16 61)
- 19101st test flight of a twin-engined airplane (France)
- 1912W C Handy publishes "Memphis Blues" 1st Blues Song, 1912
- 1914Cleveland 2nd baseman Nap Lajoie collects his 3,000th hit
- 19161st Native American Day celebrated, honoring American Indians
Born on September 27
- 1600John Galle: Flemish engraver / printer, baptised
- 1601Louis XIII: King of France (1610-43)
- 1637Hieronymus Gradenthaler: Composer
- 1657Sophia: Regent of Russia (1682-89)
- 1677Giovanni Carlo Maria Clari: Composer
- 1722Samuel Adams: Revolutionary rabble rouser / (Lt Gov-Mass, 1789-94)
- 1729Michael Dennis: Jesuit / author
- 1776Maria E J Versfelt: Actress / mistress (General Moreau & Marshal Ney)
- 1786Jose Mariano Elizaga: Composer
- 1792George Cruikshank: London, England -- Caricaturist (Oliver Twist)
- 1803Samuel Francis DuPont: Rear Admiral (Union Navy), died in 1865
- 1809Raphael Semmes: Rear Admiral (Confederate Navy), died in 1877
- 1817Hiram R Revels: Fayetteville, North Carolina -- 1st black US senator
- 1824William Nelson: Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1862
- 1830William Babcock Hazen: Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1887
- 1838Antony E J Modderman: Dutch Minister of Justice (1879-83)
- 1840Alfred Thayer Mahan: United States -- Naval officer (Influence of Sea Power)
- 1840Thomas Nast: Political cartoonist of late 1800s America
- 1858Giuseppe Peano: Italian mathematician, founder of symbolic logic
- 1858Porsteinn Erlingsson: Iceland -- Poet (Pyrnar)
- 1862Louis Botha: Greytown, South Africa -- 1st Prime Minister of South Africa (1910-19)
- 1864Alexander Cohen: Dutch anarchist / author
- 1866Tryggve Andersen: Norwegian writer (Fra Cancelliraadens Dage)
- 1867Rosa Lewis: Society caterer / owner (Cavandish Hotel-England)
- 1875Grazia Deledda: Italy -- Novelist (Old Man of the Mtn-Nobel 1926)
- 1879Cyril M Scott: English pianist / composer / author (Heroic Suite)
- 1881Ernest Samuel Williams: Composer
- 1881Johanna "Annie" Bakker: Dutch revue-artist / singer / actress
- 1881William J Clothier: 1st President of tennis hall of fame / (US Open-1906)
- 1887Anton Roemer: Dutch actor (Potasch & Perlemoer, Boefje)
Died on September 27
- 1259Ezzeline III da Romano: Gentleman of Verona / "cruel monster"
- 1404William of Wykeham: Chancellor / Bishop of Winchester
- 1566Marcus A Vida [Marcus Hieronymus]: Italian humanist / Poet / Bishop
- 1590Urban VII [Giambattista Castagna]: Italian Pope (1590)
- 1612Piotr Skarga: Polish theology / PM (Sanctity of Life), dies at 76
- 1617Johan Earnest Count of Nassau-Siegen
- 1651Maximilian I: Duke / ruler of Bayern (Codex Maximilianus), dies at 78
- 1660St Vincent de Paul: Vincentian Cong founder
- 1674Thomas Traherne: English Poet / mystic (Roman Forgeries)
- 1700Innocent XII [Antonio Pignatelli]: Pope (1691-1700), dies at 85
- 1784Boniface Stoecki: Composer, dies at 38
- 1808Gaetano B Vestris: Ballerina, dies at 79
- 1821Luis (Philippus) Brion: Curacaos Admiral / Supreme Commander, dies at 39
- 1831Henry van Wine: Archivist / founder General Rijksarchief, dies at 91
- 1844Charles Nodier: French writer (History du chien the Brisquet)
- 1868Alexander Walewski: French Earl / duke / diplomat / Foreign minister
- 1870Henry TP Comstock: Canadian silver prospector, dies at 50
- 1891I Gontscharow: Writer
- 1915Conrad T van Deventer: Dutch jurist / MP (liberal), dies at 57
- 1915Kaspar C E Ritter von Zumbusch: German / Austrian sculptor, dies at 84
- 1916Emile A G Verhaeren: Belgian writer (Les Heures du Soir), dies at 61
- 1917Edgar Degas: Painter, Paris
- 1919Adelina [Adela JM] Patti: Italian soprano (Lucio), dies at 76
- 1921Engelbert Humperdinck: German opera Composer (Schneewittchen), dies at 67
- 1935Alan Gray: Composer, dies at 79
- 1942Douglas Munro: Only US Coast Guard with WWII-Med of Honor
- 1943Waclaw Gieburowski: Composer, dies at 65
- 1944Aimee Semple McPherson: Canada / US evangelist / faith healer, dies at 53
- 1944Aristide Maillol: Fr Sculptor / graphic artist, dies in car crash at 82
- 1948Frank Cellier: Actor (Spider, Quiet Wedding, Big Blockade), dies at 64
Events on Sep 28
- 0235Bishop of Rome Pontianus steps down
- 0351Battle at Mursa: Emperor Constantine II beats Emperor Maxentius
- 0351Constantine II beats Emperor Maxentius
- 1066William the Conqueror troops sail to England
- 1106Battle at Tinchebrai: English King Henry I beats his brother Robert
- 1362Guillaum de Grimoard elected as Pope Urban V
- 1528Spanish fleet sinks in Florida hurricane; about 380 die
- 1538Battle at Preveza: Turkish fleet under Barbarossa beats Spanish
- 1542Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovers California, at San Diego Bay
- 1621Battle at Chocim Dniester: King Sigismund II beats Turks
- 1652English-Dutch sea battle at Kentish Knock
- 1687Venetians take Athens from the Turks
- 1701Divorce legalized in Maryland
- 1704Maryland allows divorce if wife mispleases clergyman / preacher
- 1745Bonnie Prince Charlie becomes King of Scotland
- 1760Russian and Austrian army occupies Berlin
- 1767Gentlemen 17 forbid private slave transport India to Cape of Good Hope
- 17819,000 American forces and 7,000 French forces begin siege of Yorktown
- 1785Napoleon Bonaparte (16) graduates from the military academy in Paris (42nd in a class of 51)
- 1787Congress sends Constitution to state legislatures for their approval
- 1815Joachim Murats fleet sails from Corsica to Naples
- 1850US Navy abolishes flogging as punishment
- 1867Toronto becomes capital of Ontario
- 1868Battle of Alcolea, causes Queen Isabella 2 of Spain to flee to France
- 1868Opelousas Massacre at St. Landry Parish Louisiana (200 blacks killed)
- 1879Sydney Australia inaugurates steam motor tram route
- 1887Gele River (Huang Ho) in China floods, kills about 1.5 million
- 1889Carlos I crowned King of Portugal (1889-1908)
- 1894Simon Marks and Tom Spencer open Penny Bazaar in Manchester
- 1899Transvaal mobilizes
Born on Sep 28
- 1493Agnolo Firenzuola [Giovannini]: Italian Monk (Golden Donkey)
- 1565Alessandro Tassoni: Modena, Italy -- Political writer (Rape of Bucket)
- 1573Caravaggio: Italy -- Painter
- 1573Michelangelo Buanarroti: Caprese, Italy -- Painter / sculpter
- 1596Vredius [Olivier de Wree]: Flemish historian / poet / Mayor
- 1605Boulliau: Mathematician
- 1612Michel Anguier: French sculptor
- 1679Mihael Omerza: Composer
- 1681Johann Mattheson: Hamburg, Germany -- Composer
- 1698Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis: France -- Mathematician / astronomer
- 1705Henry Fox: England, United Kingdom -- 1st Baron Holland, corrupt politician (Chiswick)
- 1705Johann Peter Kellner: Composer
- 1735August Henry Fitzroy: 3rd Duke of Grafton / English Premier
- 1746William Jones: London, England -- British Orientalist / jurist
- 1748Johann Michael Demmler: Composer
- 1761Budan de Boislaurent: Mathematician
- 1780Elie Decazes: France -- Bourbon Restoration political figure
- 1785David Walker: Wilmington, North Carolina -- Abolitionist (Appeal to Colored Citizens)
- 1793Denis-Auguste Affre Franc: Archbishop / opponent of King Louis-Philippe
- 1807Arnold Henry Guyot: Switzerland -- US geologist / geographer / meteorologist
- 1811Friedrich Hecker: Baden -- German revolutionary Republican politician
- 1813Anton Wallerstein: Composer
- 1819Jacob G de Hoop Scheffer: Dutch vicar / theologist
- 1820Freidrich Engels: German social philosopher
- 1824Alfred Gilpin Jones: Weymouth, Nova Scotia -- Lt-gov of Nova Scotia (1900-06)
- 1824Francis Turner Palgrave: England, United Kingdom -- Poet (Golden Treasury) / Professor (Oxford)
- 1828Friedrich A Lange: Prussia -- Philosopher / socialist (Neo-Kantianism)
- 1833James Deering Fessenden: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
- 1840Alexander Swift "Sandie" Pendleton: Lieutenant Colonel (Confederate Army)
- 1840Rudolf Baumbach: Thuringia, Germany -- Writer of student drinking songs
Died on Sep 28
- 0929Wenceslaus I: Duke of Bohemia, murdered
- 1104Pedro I: King of Navarra and Aragon
- 1197Henry VI von Hohenstaufen: Roman Catholic German King (1169-97)
- 1296Adolf VII: Earl of Mountain (1259-96)
- 1509Siwara / Sjoerd Aylva: Fries army leader (siege of Franeker)
- 1618Gilles van Ledenberg: Secretary of Utrecht States (1588-1618), suicide at 68
- 1649Ottavio Vernizzi: Composer, dies at 79
- 1652John Asselijn: Landscape Painter / etcher, dies at about 42
- 1657Emilia Secunda Antwerpiana: Daugher of Willem of Orange, dies at 75
- 1667Jacobus Golius: Mathematician / founder (Leidse observ), dies at 71
- 1694Mouton: Mathematician
- 1702Robert Spencer 2nd Earl of Sunderland: English Prime Minister (1687-88), dies at 61
- 1757Andrea Zani: Composer, dies at 60
- 1759Cornelis Pronk: Portrait Painter / cartoonist, dies at 67
- 1789Thomas Day: Author, killed by fall from a horse at Wargrave Berkshire
- 1815Nicolas Desmarest: French geographer (Volcanos), dies at 90
- 1819Karl Haack: Composer, dies at 68
- 1833Lemuel Haynes: Revolutionary War veteran, dies at 88
- 1852Johann Friedrich Schwencke: Composer, dies at 60
- 1859Rinse Posthumus: Fries writer
- 1868Thomas Carmichael Hindman: Attorney / Confederate General Major, shot at 40
- 1869Libri: Mathematician
- 1873Emile Gaboriau: Detective writer (Monsieur Lecoq), dies at 37
- 1879Nathan C Meeker: United States -- Poet / writer, murdered
- 1891Herman Melville: Writer (Billy Budd, Moby Dick), dies at 72
- 1899Giovanni Segantini: Italian Painter (Become his fare)
- 1903Jesus Monasterio: Composer, dies at 67
- 1907Frederich I W L: Grand Duke of Baden (1856-1907), dies at 81
- 1911Louis Pincoffs: Businessman / Dutch politician 1st-Chamber
- 1914Stevan Mokranjac: Composer, dies at 58