March 12 is the 71st day of the year (72nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 294 days remaining until the end of the year. [edit] Events - 538 – Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city in the hands of the victorious Roman general, Belisarius.
- 1622 – Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, is canonized a saint by the Catholic Church.
- 1664 – New Jersey becomes a colony of England.
- 1832 – The Filippo Taglioni ballet La Sylphide receives its première performance at the Paris Opéra.
- 1868 – Henry O'Farrell attempts to assassinate Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.
- 1881 – Andrew Watson makes his Scotland debut as the world's first black international football player and captain.
- 1894 – In Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA, Coca-Cola is sold in bottles for the first time.
- 1912 – The Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) are founded in the United States.
- 1913 – Canberra Day: The future capital of Australia is officially named Canberra. (Melbourne remained temporary capital until 1927 while the new capital was still under construction.)
- 1918 – Moscow becomes the capital of Russia again after Saint-Petersburg held this status for 215 years.
- 1928 – In California, the St. Francis Dam fails, killing over 600 people.
- 1930 – Mahatma Gandhi leads a 200-mile march, known as the Dandi March, to the sea in defiance of British opposition, to protest the British monopoly on salt.
- 1933 – Great Depression: Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses the nation for the first time as President of the United States. This was also the first of his "fireside chats".
- 1934 – Konstantin Päts and General Johan Laidoner stage a coup in Estonia, and ban all political parties.
- 1938 – Anschluss: German troops occupy Austria.
- 1940 – Winter War: Finland signs the Moscow Peace Treaty with the Soviet Union, ceding almost all of Finnish Karelia. Finnish troops and the remaining population are immediately evacuated.
- 1947 – The Truman Doctrine is proclaimed to help stem the spread of Communism.
- 1964 – New Hampshire Lottery: New Hampshire becomes the first state to sell lottery tickets in the modern era.
- 1966 – Suharto takes over from Sukarno to become President of Indonesia.
- 1968 – Mauritius achieves independence.
- 1971 – The March 12 Memorandum, is sent to the Demirel government of Turkey and the government resigns.
- 1992 – Mauritius becomes a republic while remaining a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
- 1993 – Several bombs explode in Bombay (Mumbai), India, killing about 300 and injuring hundreds more.
- 1993 – North Korea nuclear weapons program: North Korea says that it plans to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and refuses to allow inspectors access to its nuclear sites.
- 1993 – The Blizzard of 1993 – Snow would begin to fall across the eastern portion of the US with tornadoes, thunder snow storms, high winds and record low temperatures. The storm would last another 30 hours before it left the US.
- 1994 – The Church of England ordains its first female priests.
- 1999 – Former Warsaw Pact members the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland join NATO.
- 2003 – Zoran Đinđić, Prime Minister of Serbia, is assassinated in Belgrade.
- 2004 – A President of South Korea, Roh Moo-hyun, is impeached by its national assembly for the first time in the nation's history.
- 2005 – Tung Chee Hwa, the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong, steps down from his post after his resignation is approved by the Chinese central government.
[edit] Births - 1270 – Charles of Valois, son of Philip III of France (d. 1325)
- 1478 – Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici, ruler of Florence (d. 1516)
- 1607 – Paul Gerhardt, German hymnist (d. 1676)
- 1613 – André Le Nôtre, French landscape architect (d. 1700)
- 1620 – Johann Heinrich Hottinger, Swiss philologist and theologian (d. 1667)
- 1626 – John Aubrey, English antiquary and writer (d. 1697)
- 1637 – Anne Hyde, wife of James II of England (d. 1671)
- 1647 – Victor-Maurice, comte de Broglie, French general (d. 1727)
- 1672 – Richard Steele, Irish writer and politician (d. 1729)
- 1685 – George Berkeley, Irish theologian (d. 1753)
- 1710 – Thomas Arne, English composer (d. 1778)
- 1718 – Joseph Damer, English politician (d. 1798)
- 1781 – Frederica of Baden, Queen of Sweden (d. 1826)
- 1806 – Jane Pierce, First Lady of the United States (d. 1863)
- 1821 – Sir John Abbott, third Prime Minister of Canada (d. 1893)
- 1824 – Gustav Kirchhoff, German physicist (d. 1887)
- 1831 – Clement Studebaker, American automobile pioneer (d. 1901)
- 1832 – Charles Boycott, British land agent and source of the term to boycott (d. 1897)
- 1835 – Simon Newcomb, American astronomer and mathematician (d. 1909)
- 1837 – Alexandre Guilmant, French organist and composer (d. 1911)
- 1838 – William Henry Perkin, English chemist (d. 1907)
- 1859 – Abraham H. Cannon, Mormon apostle (d. 1896)
- 1863 – Gabriele D'Annunzio, Italian writer (d. 1938)
- 1863 – Vladimir Vernadsky, Russian mineralogist (d. 1945)
- 1864 – W. H. R. Rivers, British psychiatrist (d. 1922)
- 1864 – Alice Tegnér, Swedish composer and organist (d. 1943)
- 1880 – Nikolaos Georgantas, Greek discus thrower (d. 1958)
- 1880 – Henry Drysdale Dakin, British-American biochemist, known for the Dakin-West reaction (d. 1952)
- 1881 – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, first President of Turkey (d. 1938)
- 1881 – Gunnar Nordström, Finnish physicist (d. 1923)
- 1883 – Zoltán Meskó, Hungarian Nazi (d. 1959)
- 1889 – Þórbergur Þórðarson, Icelandic author (d. 1974)
- 1889 – Idris I, King of Libya (d. 1983)
- 1890 – Vaslav Nijinsky, Polish ballet dancer (d. 1950)
- 1890 – William Dudley Pelley, American leader of the Silver Legion (d. 1965)
- 1890 – Evert Taube, Swedish author, artist, composer and singer (d. 1976)
- 1891 – George W. Mason, American industrialist (d. 1954)
- 1895 – William C. Lee, U.S. Army general (d. 1948)
- 1907 – Arthur Hewlett, British actor (d. 1997)
- 1907 – Dorrit Hoffleit, American astronomer (d. 2007)
- 1908 – Rita Angus, New Zealand painter (d. 1970)
- 1908 – David Saul Marshall Singapore's first Chief Minister(d. 1995)
- 1910 – Masayoshi Ohira, Prime Minister of Japan (d. 1980)
- 1911 – Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, President of Mexico (d. 1979)
- 1912 – Irving Layton, Canadian poet (d. 2006)
- 1912 – Paul Weston, American pianist, arranger and conductor (d. 1996)
- 1914 – Julia Lennon, John Lennon's mother (d. 1958)
- 1917 – Millard Kaufman, American screenwriter (d. 2009)
- 1917 – Googie Withers, British actress
- 1918 – Elaine de Kooning, American artist (d. 1989)
- 1919 – Michael Anthony Stepovich, last surviving Governor of the Alaska Territory
- 1921 – Gianni Agnelli, Italian auto executive (d. 2003)
- 1921 – Ülo Jõgi, Estonian freedom fighter (d. 2007)
- 1921 – Gordon MacRae, American singer and actor (d. 1986)
- 1922 – Jack Kerouac, American writer (d. 1969)
- 1922 – Lane Kirkland, American labor leader (d. 1999)
- 1923 – Hjalmar Andersen, Norwegian speed skater
- 1923 – Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist (d. 2005)
- 1923 – Wally Schirra, American astronaut (d. 2007)
- 1923 – Mae Young, American professional wrestler
- 1925 – Louison Bobet, French cyclist (d. 1983)
- 1925 – Georges Delerue, French film composer (d. 1992)
- 1925 – Leo Esaki, Japanese physicist, Nobel laureate
- 1925 – Harry Harrison, American author
- 1926 – George Ariyoshi, 3rd Governor of Hawaii
- 1927 – Raúl Alfonsín, President of Argentina (d. 2009)
- 1928 – Edward Albee, American dramatist
- 1928 – Thérèse Lavoie-Roux, Quebec politician and senator
- 1928 – Aldemaro Romero, Venezuelan musician (d. 2007)
- 1929 – U Win Tin, jailed Burmese journalist
- 1930 – Vernon Law, American baseball player
- 1931 – Herbert Kelleher, Southwest Airlines co-founder
- 1931 – Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas, American actor (d. 1980)
- 1932 – Barbara Feldon, American actress and model
- 1932 – Andrew Young, American civil rights activist and politician
- 1935 – John Doherty, English footballer (d. 2007)
- 1936 – Patrick Procktor, English artist (d. 2003)
- 1938 – Johnny Rutherford, American automobile racer
- 1940 – Al Jarreau, American singer
- 1940 – M.A. Numminen, Finnish singer and writer
- 1942 – Ratko Mladić, Republika Srpska leader
- 1942 – Jimmy Wynn, American baseball player, 1963-1977
- 1945 – Sammy "The Bull" Gravano, American gangster
- 1946 – Liza Minnelli, American singer and actress
- 1946 – Frank Welker, American voice actor
- 1946 – Peter Whalley, British television writer and author
- 1946 – Serge Turgeon, Quebec actor and union leader (d. 2004)
- 1947 – Kalervo Palsa, Finnish artist (d. 1987)
- 1947 – Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts, 2008 Presidential Candidate
- 1947 – Peter Harry Carstensen, German politician
- 1948 – James Taylor, American musician
- 1948 – Kent Conrad, Junior Senator of North Dakota
- 1948 – Virginia Bottomley, British politician
- 1949 – Rob Cohen, American film director, producer and writer
- 1949 – Moctesuma Esparza, Mexican-American producer and filmmaker
- 1949 – Natalia Kuchinskaya, Soviet gymnast
- 1950 – Javier Clemente, Spanish football manager
- 1950 – Jon Provost, American actor
- 1950 – Wheeler Winston Dixon, American filmmaker, critic and author
- 1952 – Naomi Shihab Nye, American poet, songwriter, and novelist
- 1953 – Carl Hiaasen, American journalist and author
- 1953 – Ron Jeremy, American pornographic actor
- 1953 – Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepalese politician
- 1956 – Steve Harris founder/bassist of Iron Maiden
- 1956 – Dale Murphy, American baseball player
- 1957 – Patrick Battiston, French footballer
- 1957 – Marlon Jackson, American singer and musician (The Jackson 5)
- 1958 – Matt Millen, American football player
- 1960 – Kipp Lennon, American singer
- 1960 – Minoru Niihara, Japanese singer
- 1960 – Maki Nomiya, Japanese singer (Pizzicato Five)
- 1960 – Courtney B. Vance, American actor
- 1961 – Joseph Facal, Quebec politician
- 1962 – Darryl Strawberry, American baseball player
- 1963 – Ian Holloway, English football manager
- 1963 – Joaquim Cruz, Brazilian runner
- 1965 – Steve Finley, American baseball player
- 1965 – Shawn Gilbert, American baseball player
- 1965 – Steve Levy, American sports journalist
- 1965 – Coleen Nolan, British singer
- 1965 – Liza Umarova, Chechen torch singer
- 1966 – Grant Long, American Basketball Player
- 1966 – John Thompson III, NCAA Basketball Head Coach
- 1967 – Julio Dely Valdes, Panamanian footballer
- 1968 – Aaron Eckhart, American actor
- 1968 – Tammy Duckworth, American politician, military aviator
- 1969 – Graham Coxon, English musician (Blur)
- 1969 – Jake Tapper, American journalist
- 1970 – Dave Eggers, American writer, editor, and publisher
- 1970 – Ray Prewitt, American actor
- 1970 – Roy Khan, Norwegian singer (Kamelot)
- 1970 – John Nemechek, American NASCAR driver (d. 1997)
- 1970 – Rex Walters, American basketball player
- 1971 – Tony Eveready (Duane Moore), American adult film actor
- 1971 – Isaiah Rider, American basketball player
- 1972 – Hector Luis Bustamante, Colombian actor
- 1972 – James Maritato, American wrestler
- 1974 – Steve Price, Australia rugby league player
- 1975 – Kelle Bryan, English singer
- 1975 – Todd Rock, American Polition, Pennsylvania House of Representitives
- 1975 – Herman Li, Cantonese guitarist
- 1975 – Annabel Port, English radio presenter
- 1976 – Zhao Wei, Chinese actress
- 1977 – Ramiro Corrales, American footballer
- 1978 – Masuimi Max, American model
- 1978 – Casey Mears, American auto racer
- 1978 – Claudio Sanchez, American musician (Coheed and Cambria)
- 1978 – Arina Tanemura, Japanese mangaka
- 1979 – Pete Doherty, English musician
- 1979 – Rhys Coiro, American actor
- 1979 – Nidia Guenard, American wrestler
- 1979 – Edwin Villafuerte, Ecuadorian footballer
- 1980 – Douglas Murray, Swedish ice hockey player
- 1981 – Kenta Kobayashi, Japanese wrestler
- 1982 – Samm Levine, American actor
- 1982 – Zach Miner, American baseball player
- 1982 – Tobias Schweinsteiger, German footballer
- 1983 – Atif Aslam, Pakistani singer
- 1984 – Jaimie Alexander, American actress
- 1984 – Shreya Ghoshal, Indian singer
- 1985 – Bradley Wright-Phillips, English footballer
- 1986 – Danny Jones, English singer (McFly)
- 1986 – Ben Offereins, Australian athlete
- 1987 – Chris Seitz, American footballer
[edit] Deaths - 604 – Pope Gregory I
- 1289 – King Demetre II of Georgia (b. 1259)
- 1374 – Emperor Go-Kogon of Japan (b. 1336)
- 1447 – Shah Rukh, ruler of Persia and Transoxonia (b. 1377)
- 1507 – Cesare Borgia, Italian general and statesman (b. 1475)
- 1608 – Koriki Kiyonaga, Japanese warlord (b. 1530)
- 1628 – John Bull, English composer
- 1648 – Tirso de Molina, Spanish writer (b. 1571)
- 1681 – Frans van Mieris, Sr., Dutch painter (b. 1635)
- 1699 – Peder Griffenfeld, Danish statesman (b. 1635)
- 1757 – Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena, Italian architect/painter (b. 1696)
- 1790 – Andreas Hadik, Austro-Hungarian general (b. 1710)
- 1832 – Friedrich Kuhlau, German composer (b. 1786)
- 1858 – William James Blacklock, British landscape painter(b. 1816)
- 1872 – Zeng Guofan, Chinese politician and general (b. 1811)
- 1894 – Illarion Pryanishnikov, Russian painter (b. 1840)
- 1898 – Zacharias Topelius, Finnish-Swedish writer (b. 1818)
- 1908 – Edmondo De Amicis, Italian children's writer (b. 1846)
- 1909 – Joe Petrosino, American police lieutenant (b. 1860)
- 1914 – George Westinghouse, American entrepreneur and engineer (b. 1846)
- 1916 – Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, Austrian writer (b. 1830)
- 1925 – Sun Yat-sen, Chinese revolutionary and politician (b. 1866)
- 1929 – Asa Griggs Candler, American businessman (b. 1851)
- 1930 – Alois Jirásek, Czech writer (b. 1851)
- 1930 – William George Barker, Canadian fighter ace (b. 1894)
- 1937 – Jenő Hubay, Hungarian violinist (b. 1858)
- 1937 – Charles-Marie Widor, French organist and composer (b. 1844)
- 1942 – Robert Bosch, German industrialist (b. 1861)
- 1943 – Gustav Vigeland, Norwegian sculptor (b. 1869)
- 1944 – Artur Gavazzi, Croatian geographer (b. 1861)
- 1945 – Friedrich Fromm, German Army Officer (b. 1861)
- 1946 – Ferenc Szálasi, Hungarian politician (executed) (b. 1897)
- 1947 – "Winston Churchill the American", American novelist (b. 1871)
- 1955 – Charlie Parker, American jazz saxophonist (b. 1920)
- 1973 – Frankie Frisch, American baseball player (b. 1898)
- 1974 – George D. Sax, American entrepreneur (b. 1904)
- 1978 – John Cazale, American actor (b. 1935)
- 1978 – Gene Moore, American baseball player (b. 1909)
- 1980 – Arthur Charles Dobson, British racing driver (b. 1914)
- 1984 – Arnold Ridley, English playwright and actor (b. 1896)
- 1985 – Eugene Ormandy, Hungarian conductor (b. 1899)
- 1987 – Woody Hayes, American football coach (b. 1913)
- 1989 – Maurice Evans, English-born actor (b. 1901)
- 1990 – Wallace Breem, British author (b. 1926)
- 1991 – Ragnar Granit, Finnish neuroscientist, Nobel laureate (b. 1900)
- 1991 – William Heinesen, Faroese writer, poet and artist (b. 1900)
- 1995 – Juanin Clay, American actress (b. 1949)
- 1998 – Judge Dread, English musician (b. 1945)
- 1998 – Jozef Kroner, Slovak actor (b. 1924)
- 1998 – Beatrice Wood, American artist and ceramist (b. 1893)
- 1999 – Yehudi Menuhin, American-born violinist (b. 1916)
- 2001 – Morton Downey, Jr., American television talk show host (b. 1933)
- 2001 – Robert Ludlum, American author (b. 1927)
- 2002 – Spyros Kyprianou, Cypriot politician (b. 1932)
- 2002 – Jean-Paul Riopelle, Quebec painter and sculptor (b. 1923)
- 2003 – Zoran Đinđić, Prime Minister of Serbia (b. 1952)
- 2003 – Howard Fast, American author (b. 1914)
- 2003 – Andrei Kivilev, Kazakh cyclist (b. 1973)
- 2003 – Lynne Thigpen, American actress (b. 1948)
- 2005 – Bill Cameron, Canadian journalist (b. 1943)
- 2005 – Stavros Koujioumtzis, Greek songwriter (b. 1932)
- 2006 – Victor Sokolov, Russian dissident journalist and priest (b. 1947)
- 2007 – Hege Nerland, Norwegian politician (b. 1966)
- 2008 – Jorge Guinzburg, Argentine journalist, producer and media host (b. 1949)
- 2008 – Lazare Ponticelli, French soldier (b. 1897)
[edit] Holidays and observances In the Roman Catholic Church: [edit] External links
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