On This Day — March 13

🕰️ Notable Events on March 13

• 2016 — An explosion occurs in central Ankara, Turkey, with at least 37 people killed and 127 wounded. Wikipedia ↗
• 2016 — Three gunmen attack two hotels in the Ivory Coast town of Grand-Bassam, killing at least 18 people and injuring 33 others. Wikipedia ↗
• 2013 — Pope Francis is elected, in the papal conclave, as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church. Wikipedia ↗
• 2012 — At least 28 people are killed in a bus crash in a motorway tunnel near the town of Sierre in the Swiss canton of Valais. Wikipedia ↗
• 2008 — Gold prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange hit $1,000 per ounce for the first time. Wikipedia ↗
• 2003 — The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old footprints have been found in Italy. Wikipedia ↗
• 1997 — India's Missionaries of Charity chooses Sister Nirmala to succeed Mother Teresa as its leader. Wikipedia ↗
• 1997 — The Phoenix Lights are seen over Phoenix, Arizona by hundreds of people, and by millions on television. Wikipedia ↗
• 1996 — Dunblane school massacre: in Dunblane, Scotland, 16 primary school children and one teacher are shot dead by a spree killer, Thomas Watt Hamilton, who later commits suicide. Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — The Mw 6.7 Erzincan earthquake strikes eastern Turkey with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). At least 498 were killed in this strike-slip event on the North Anatolian Fault. Wikipedia ↗
• 1991 — The United States Department of Justice announces that Exxon has agreed to pay $1 billion for the clean-up of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — The Seikan Tunnel, the longest undersea tunnel in the world, opens between Aomori and Hakodate, Japan. Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — The Kenilworth Road riot takes place at an association football match at Kenilworth Road in Luton, England with disturbances before, during and after an FA Cup 6th Round tie between Luton Town F.C. and Millwall F.C.. Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — The New Jewel Movement, headed by Maurice Bishop, ousts Prime Minister Eric Gairy in a nearly bloodless coup d'état in Grenada. Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Apollo program: Apollo 9 returns safely to Earth after testing the Lunar Module. Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Lyman Lemnitzer, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivers a proposal, called Operation Northwoods, regarding performing terrorist attacks upon Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. The proposal is scrapped and President John F. Kennedy removes Lemnitzer from his position. Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Cuban student revolutionaries storm the presidential palace in Havana in a failed attempt on the life of President Fulgencio Batista. Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — First Indochina War: Viet Minh forces under Võ Nguyên Giáp unleashed a massive artillery barrage on the French to begin the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ, the climactic battle in the First Indochina War. Wikipedia ↗
• 1943 — The Holocaust: German forces liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Kraków. Wikipedia ↗
• 1940 — The Russo-Finnish Winter War ends. Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Great Depression: Banks in the U.S. begin to re-open after President Franklin D. Roosevelt mandates a "bank holiday". Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — The news of the discovery of Pluto is telegraphed to the Harvard College Observatory. Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Mongolia is proclaimed an independent monarchy, ruled by Russian military officer Roman von Ungern-Sternberg as a dictator. Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — The Kapp Putsch briefly ousts the Weimar Republic government from Berlin. Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Second Boer War: British forces occupy Bloemfontein, Orange Free State. Wikipedia ↗
• 1884 — The Siege of Khartoum begins. It lasts until January 26, 1885. Wikipedia ↗
• 1881 — Alexander II of Russia is killed near his palace when a bomb is thrown at him (this is the Gregorian date; it was March 1 in the Julian calendar then in use in Russia). Wikipedia ↗
• 1865 — American Civil War: The Confederate States of America agree to the use of African-American troops. Wikipedia ↗
• 1862 — American Civil War: The U.S. federal government forbids all Union army officers from returning fugitive slaves, thus effectively annulling the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and setting the stage for the Emancipation Proclamation. Wikipedia ↗
• 1845 — Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto receives its première performance in Leipzig with Ferdinand David as soloist. Wikipedia ↗
• 1809 — Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden is deposed in a coup d'état. Wikipedia ↗
• 1781 — William Herschel discovers Uranus. Wikipedia ↗
• 1697 — Nojpetén, capital of the last independent Maya kingdom, fell to Spanish conquistadors, the final step in the Spanish conquest of Guatemala. Wikipedia ↗
• 1639 — Harvard College is named after clergyman John Harvard. Wikipedia ↗
• 1591 — Battle of Tondibi: In Mali, Moroccan forces of the Saadi dynasty led by Judar Pasha defeat the Songhai Empire, despite being outnumbered by at least five to one. Wikipedia ↗
• 1567 — The Battle of Oosterweel, traditionally regarded as the start of the Eighty Years' War, commences. Wikipedia ↗
• 1138 — Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II. Wikipedia ↗
• 874 — The bones of Saint Nicephorus are interred in the Church of the Holy Apostles, Constantinople. Wikipedia ↗
• 624 — Battle of Badr: a key battle between Muhammad's army - the new followers of Islam and the Quraysh of Mecca. The Muslims won this battle, known as the turning point of Islam, which took place in the Hejaz region of western Arabia. Wikipedia ↗

🎂 Notable Births on March 13

• 1994 — Gerard Deulofeu, Spanish footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1992 — Kaya Scodelario, English actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Holger Badstuber, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1989 — Marko Marin, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1988 — Furdjel Narsingh, Dutch footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Marco Andretti, American race car driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1987 — Andreas Beck, German footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1986 — Neil Wagner, South African-New Zealand cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Alcides Araújo Alves, Brazilian footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Emile Hirsch, American actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1985 — Ben Lowe, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — George Rose, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Kaitlin Sandeno, American swimmer Wikipedia ↗
• 1983 — Erkan Veyseloğlu, Turkish basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Jeremy Curl, Japanese-English explorer, author, and photographer Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Nicole Ohlde, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1982 — Adam Thomson, New Zealand rugby player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Caron Butler, American basketball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Flavia Cacace, Italian-English dancer Wikipedia ↗
• 1980 — Brad Watts, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Johan Santana, Venezuelan-American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1979 — Cédric Van Branteghem, Belgian sprinter Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Tom Danielson, American cyclist Wikipedia ↗
• 1978 — Kenny Watson, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Mohammed Sylla, Guinean footballer Wikipedia ↗
• 1977 — Kay Tse, Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — James Dewees, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Troy Hudson, American basketball player and rapper Wikipedia ↗
• 1976 — Danny Masterson, American actor and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — James Brinkley, Scottish cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1974 — Thomas Enqvist, Swedish tennis player and sportscaster Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Edgar Davids, Surinamese-Dutch footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1973 — Bobby Jackson, American basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Common, American rapper and actor Wikipedia ↗
• 1972 — Augenijus Vaškys, Lithuanian basketball player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1971 — Annabeth Gish, American actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1970 — Tim Story, American director and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1969 — Darren Fritz, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Andrés Escobar, Colombian footballer (d. 1994) Wikipedia ↗
• 1967 — Pieter Vink, Dutch footballer and referee Wikipedia ↗
• 1966 — Chico Science, Brazilian singer-songwriter (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Will Clark, American baseball player Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Craig Dimond, Australian rugby league player Wikipedia ↗
• 1964 — Trevor Gillmeister, Australian rugby league player and coach Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Vance Johnson, American football player Wikipedia ↗
• 1963 — Fito Páez, Argentinian singer-songwriter, pianist, and director Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Terence Blanchard, American trumpet player and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1962 — Seyhan Erözçelik, Turkish poet and author (d. 2011) Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Yurii Andrukhovych, Ukrainian poet and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Adam Clayton, English-born Irish musician and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1960 — Joe Ranft, American animator, screenwriter, and voice actor (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Kathy Hilton, American actress and fashion designer Wikipedia ↗
• 1959 — Dirk Wellham, Australian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Rick Lazio, American lawyer and politician Wikipedia ↗
• 1958 — Caryl Phillips, Caribbean-English author and playwright Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — John Hoeven, American banker and politician, 31st Governor of North Dakota Wikipedia ↗
• 1957 — Moses Hogan, American composer and conductor (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Dana Delany, American actress and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Jamie Dimon, American banker and businessman Wikipedia ↗
• 1956 — Jonathan Rutherford, English political scientist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Bruno Conti, Italian footballer and manager Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Glenne Headly, American actress (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1955 — Olga Rukavishnikova, Russian pentathlete Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos, Guyanese-English politician and diplomat, Secretary of State for International Development Wikipedia ↗
• 1954 — Robin Duke, Canadian actress and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Andy Bean, American golfer Wikipedia ↗
• 1953 — Nicola Davies, Welsh lawyer and judge Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Wolfgang Rihm, German composer and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1952 — Tim Sebastian, English journalist and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1951 — Charo, Spanish-American singer, guitarist, and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Bernard Julien, Trinidadian cricketer Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — Charles Krauthammer, American physician, journalist, and author Wikipedia ↗
• 1950 — William H. Macy, American actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Sian Elias, New Zealand lawyer and politician, 12th Chief Justice of New Zealand Wikipedia ↗
• 1949 — Julia Migenes, American soprano and actress Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Lesley Collier, English ballerina and educator Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Beat Richner, Swiss pediatrician and cellist Wikipedia ↗
• 1947 — Lyn St. James, American racing driver Wikipedia ↗
• 1946 — Yonatan Netanyahu, American-Israeli colonel (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
• 1945 — Anatoly Fomenko, Russian mathematician and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1944 — Terence Burns, Baron Burns, English economist and academic Wikipedia ↗
• 1942 — Dave Cutler, American computer scientist and engineer Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Mahmoud Darwish, Palestinian poet and author (d. 2008) Wikipedia ↗
• 1941 — Donella Meadows, American environmentalist, author, and academic (d. 2001) Wikipedia ↗
• 1939 — Neil Sedaka, American singer-songwriter and pianist Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Erma Franklin, American gospel and R&B singer (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Robert Gammage, American captain and politician (d. 2012) Wikipedia ↗
• 1938 — Tochinoumi Teruyoshi, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 49th Yokozuna Wikipedia ↗
• 1936 — José Mojica Marins, Brazilian actor, director, and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1935 — David Nobbs, English author and screenwriter (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1934 — Barry Hughart, American author and screenwriter Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Mahdi Elmandjra, Moroccan economist and sociologist (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Mike Stoller, American songwriter and producer Wikipedia ↗
• 1933 — Gero von Wilpert, German author and academic (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1930 — Blue Mitchell, American trumpet player (d. 1979) Wikipedia ↗
• 1929 — Zbigniew Messner, Polish economist and politician, 9th Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland (d. 2014) Wikipedia ↗
• 1928 — Ellen Raskin, American author and illustrator (d. 1984) Wikipedia ↗
• 1927 — Robert Denning, American interior designer and art collector (d. 2005) Wikipedia ↗
• 1926 — Carlos Roberto Reina, Honduran lawyer and politician, President of Honduras (d. 2003) Wikipedia ↗
• 1925 — Roy Haynes, American drummer and composer Wikipedia ↗
• 1923 — Dimitrios Ioannidis, Greek general (d. 2010) Wikipedia ↗
• 1921 — Al Jaffee, American cartoonist Wikipedia ↗
• 1920 — Ralph J. Roberts, American businessman, co-founded Comcast (d. 2015) Wikipedia ↗
• 1918 — Grigory Pomerants, Russian philosopher and author (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Lindy Boggs, American educator and politician, 5th United States Ambassador to the Holy See (d. 2013) Wikipedia ↗
• 1916 — Jacque Fresco, American engineer and academic (d. 2017) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — W. O. Mitchell, Canadian author and playwright (d. 1998) Wikipedia ↗
• 1914 — Edward O'Hare, American lieutenant and pilot, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1943) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — William J. Casey, American politician, 13th Director of Central Intelligence (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Joe Kelly, Irish-English race car driver and businessman (d. 1993) Wikipedia ↗
• 1913 — Sergey Mikhalkov, Russian author and playwright (d. 2009) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — L. Ron Hubbard, American religious leader and author, founded the Church of Scientology (d. 1986) Wikipedia ↗
• 1911 — Dorothy Tangney, Australian politician (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Sammy Kaye, American saxophonist, songwriter, and bandleader (d. 1987) Wikipedia ↗
• 1910 — Kemal Tahir, Turkish journalist and author (d. 1973) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Walter Annenberg, American publisher, philanthropist, and diplomat, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom (d. 2002) Wikipedia ↗
• 1908 — Myrtle Bachelder, American chemist and Women's Army Corps officer (d. 1997) Wikipedia ↗
• 1906 — Evald Tipner, Estonian footballer and ice hockey player (d. 1947) Wikipedia ↗
• 1904 — Clifford Roach, Trinidadian cricketer and footballer (d. 1988) Wikipedia ↗
• 1902 — Mohammed Abdel Wahab, Egyptian singer-songwriter (d. 1991) Wikipedia ↗
• 1902 — Hans Bellmer, German-French painter and sculptor (d. 1975) Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Andrée Bosquet, Belgian painter (d. 1980)[1] Wikipedia ↗
• 1900 — Giorgos Seferis, Greek poet and diplomat, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1971) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Béla Guttmann, Hungarian footballer and coach (d. 1981) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — John Hasbrouck Van Vleck, American physicist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1980) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Jan Lechoń, Polish poet and critic (d. 1956) Wikipedia ↗
• 1899 — Pancho Vladigerov, Bulgarian pianist and composer (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
• 1898 — Henry Hathaway, American director and producer (d. 1985) Wikipedia ↗
• 1897 — Yeghishe Charents, Armenian poet and activist (d. 1937) Wikipedia ↗
• 1892 — Janet Flanner, American journalist and author (d. 1978) Wikipedia ↗
• 1890 — Fritz Busch, German conductor and director (d. 1951) Wikipedia ↗
• 1889 — Jüri Vilms, Estonian lawyer and politician (d. 1918) Wikipedia ↗
• 1888 — Paul Morand, French author and diplomat (d. 1976) Wikipedia ↗
• 1886 — Home Run Baker, American baseball player and manager (d. 1963) Wikipedia ↗
• 1886 — Albert William Stevens, American captain and photographer (d. 1949) Wikipedia ↗
• 1884 — Hugh Walpole, New Zealand-English author and educator (d. 1941) Wikipedia ↗
• 1883 — Enrico Toselli, Italian pianist and composer (d. 1926) Wikipedia ↗
• 1874 — Ellery Harding Clark, American jumper, coach, and lawyer (d. 1949) Wikipedia ↗
• 1870 — Henri Étiévant, French actor and director (d. 1953) Wikipedia ↗
• 1870 — William Glackens, American painter and illustrator (d. 1938) Wikipedia ↗
• 1864 — Alexej von Jawlensky, Russian-German painter (d. 1941) Wikipedia ↗
• 1860 — Hugo Wolf, Slovene-Austrian composer (d. 1903) Wikipedia ↗
• 1857 — B. H. Roberts, English-American historian and politician (d. 1933) Wikipedia ↗
• 1855 — Percival Lowell, American astronomer and mathematician (d. 1916) Wikipedia ↗
• 1825 — Hans Gude, Norwegian-German painter and academic (d. 1903) Wikipedia ↗
• 1815 — James Curtis Hepburn, American physician, linguist, and missionary (d. 1911) Wikipedia ↗
• 1800 — Mustafa Reşid Pasha, Ottoman politician, 212th Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire (d. 1858) Wikipedia ↗
• 1798 — Abigail Fillmore, American wife of Millard Fillmore, 14th First Lady of the United States (d. 1853) Wikipedia ↗
• 1781 — Karl Friedrich Schinkel, German painter and architect, designed the Konzerthaus Berlin (d. 1841) Wikipedia ↗
• 1770 — Daniel Lambert, English animal breeder (d. 1809) Wikipedia ↗
• 1764 — Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1845) Wikipedia ↗
• 1763 — Guillaume Brune, French general and diplomat (d. 1815) Wikipedia ↗
• 1753 — Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon-Penthièvre, Duchess of Orléans (d. 1821) Wikipedia ↗
• 1741 — Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1790) Wikipedia ↗
• 1720 — Charles Bonnet, Swiss historian and author (d. 1793) Wikipedia ↗
• 1719 — John Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden, English field marshal and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Essex (d. 1797) Wikipedia ↗
• 1700 — Michel Blavet, French flute player and composer (d. 1768) Wikipedia ↗
• 1683 — John Theophilus Desaguliers, French-English philosopher and translator (d. 1744) Wikipedia ↗
• 1648 — Anne Henriette of Bavaria, princess of Condé (d. 1723) Wikipedia ↗
• 1615 — Innocent XII, pope of the Catholic Church (d. 1700) Wikipedia ↗
• 1599 — John Berchmans, Belgian Jesuit scholastic and saint (d. 1621) Wikipedia ↗

📅 National Days on March 13 (Calendar.cx)