April 23
is the 113th day of the year in the
Gregorian Calendar (114th in
leap years). There are 252 days remaining.
*
215 BC - A temple is built on the
Capitoline Hill dedicated to
Venus Erycina to commemorate the
Roman defeat at
Lake Trasimene.
*
1014 -
Battle of Clontarf:
Brian Boru defeats
Viking invaders, but is killed in battle.
*
1343 -
St. George's Night Uprising*
1348 - The founding of the
Order of the Garter by King
Edward III of England is announced on
St George's Day.
*
1521 -
Battle of Villalar:
King Charles I of Spain defeats the
Comuneros.
*
1533 - The
Church of England annuls the marriage between
Catherine of Aragon and
Henry VIII of England.
*
1597 - Shakespeare's
The Merry Wives of Windsor is first performed, with Queen
Elizabeth I of England in attendance.
*
1660 -
Treaty of Oliwa is established between
Sweden and
Poland.
*
1661 - King
Charles II of England,
Scotland and
Ireland is crowned in
Westminster Abbey.
*
1827 -
William Rowan Hamilton presents his
Theory of systems of rays.
*
1867 -
William Lincoln patents the
zoetrope, a machine which shows animated pictures by mounting a strip of drawings in a wheel.
*
1920 - The national council in
Turkey denounces the government of
Sultan Mehmed VI and announces a temporary constitution.
*
1923 - Inauguration ceremonies take place of
Gdynia as a temporary military port and fishers' shelter.
*
1932 - The 153-year old
De Adriaan Windmill in
Haarlem,
the Netherlands burns down.
*
1935 -
Polish Constitution of 1935 is adopted.
*
1940 -
Rhythm Night Club fire at a dance hall in
Natchez, Mississippi kills 198 people.
*
1942 -
World War II:
Baedeker Blitz –
German bombers hit
Exeter,
Bath and
York in retaliation for the British raid on
Lübeck.
*
1948 -
1948 Arab-Israeli War:
Haifa, the major port of
Israel, is captured from Palestinian forces.
*
1961 -
Algiers putsch by French generals.
*
1967 - A group of young radicals are expelled from the
Nicaraguan Socialist Party (PSN). This group goes on to found the
Socialist Workers Party (POS).
*
1968 - The
United Kingdom produces its first decimalised coins, a 5p and a 10p coin.
* 1968 -
Vietnam War: Student protesters at
Columbia University in
New York City take over administration buildings and shut down the university.
*
1974 - A
Pan American World Airways Boeing 707 crashes in
Bali,
Indonesia, killing 107.
*
1979 - Fighting in London between the
Anti-Nazi League and the
Metropolitan Police's
Special Patrol Group results in the death of protestor
Blair Peach.
*
1981 -
Stefano Bontade,
Mafia boss in
Sicily, is murdered in
Palermo, the opening shot in a Mob War orchestrated by
Salvatore Riina.
*
1990 -
Namibia becomes the 160th member of the
United Nations and the 50th member of the
Commonwealth of Nations.
*
1993 -
Eritreans vote overwhelmingly for independence from
Ethiopia in a
United Nations-monitored referendum.
*
1994 -
Physicists discover the
top quark subatomic particle.
*
1997 -
Omaria massacre in
Algeria; 42 villagers killed.
*
2003 -
Beijing closes all schools for two weeks due to the
SARS virus.
*
1185 - King
Afonso II of Portugal (d.
1223)
*
1484 -
Julius Caesar Scaliger, Italian philosopher (d.
1558)
*
1500 -
Alexander Ales, Scottish theologian (d.
1565)
*
1516 -
Georg Fabricius, German poet, historian, and archaeologist (d.
1571)
*
1564 -
William Shakespeare, English poet and playwright [uncertain] (d.
1616)
*
1598 -
Maarten Tromp, Dutch admiral (d.
1653)
*
1628 -
Johann van Waveren Hudde, Dutch mathematician (d.
1704)
*
1676 - King
Frederick I of Sweden (d.
1751)
*
1720 -
Vilna Gaon, Lithuanian rabbi (d.
1797)
*
1725 -
Saint Gerard Majella,
Catholic saint (d.
1755)
*
1775 -
William Turner, English ornithologist (d.
1851)
*
1791 -
James Buchanan, 15th
President of the United States (d.
1868)
*
1792 -
John Thomas Romney Robinson, Irish astronomer and physicist (d.
1882)
*
1805 -
Johann Karl Friedrich Rosenkranz, German philosopher (d.
1879)
*
1813 -
Stephen A. Douglas, U.S. Senator from Illinois and Presidential candidate (d.
1861)
*
1823 -
Abd-ul-Mejid,
Ottoman Sultan (d.
1861)
*
1857 -
Ruggiero Leoncavallo, Italian composer (d.
1919)
*
1858 -
Max Planck, German physicist,
Nobel Prize laureate (d.
1947)
*
1861 -
Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, British general (d.
1936)
*
1865 -
Ali-Agha Shikhlinski, Russian-Azerbaijani general (d.
1943)
*
1867 -
Johannes Andreas Grib Fibiger, Danish scientist, recipient of the
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (d.
1928)
*
1876 -
Arthur Moeller van den Bruck, German historian (d.
1925)
*
1880 -
Michel Fokine, Russian choreographer and dancer (d.
1942)
*
1882 -
Albert Coates, British composer (d.
1953)
*
1889 -
Karel Doorman, Dutch admiral (d.
1942)
*
1893 -
Frank Borzage, American film director (d.
1952)
* 1893 -
Allen Dulles, American Central Intelligence Agency director (d.
1969)
*
1895 -
Ngaio Marsh, New Zealand writer (d.
1982)
*
1897 -
Lucius Clay, American general (d.
1978)
* 1897 -
Lester B. Pearson, fourteenth
Prime Minister of Canada, recipient of the
Nobel Peace Prize (d.
1972)
*
1899 -
Bertil Ohlin, Swedish economist,
Bank of Sweden Prize winner (d.
1979)
*
1900 -
Joseph Green, Polish-born actor and director (d.
1996)
* 1900 -
Jim Bottomley, Baseball player (d.
1959)
*
1901 -
E.B. Ford, British ecological geneticist (d.
1988)
*
1902 -
Halldór Laxness, Icelandic writer,
Nobel Prize laureate (d.
1998)
*
1904 -
Duncan Renaldo, Spanish-American actor (d.
1985)
*
1907 -
Fritz Wotruba, Austrian sculptor (d.
1975)
*
1910 -
Simone Simon, French actress (d.
2005)
*
1918 -
Maurice Druon, French author
*
1921 -
Warren Spahn, baseball player (d.
2003)
*
1923 -
Dolph Briscoe, Governor of Texas
* 1923 -
Avram Davidson, American writer (d.
1993)
* 1923 -
Antonino Rocca, Professional wrestler
*
1924 -
Chuck Harmon, baseball player
*
1928 -
Shirley Temple, American actress and politician
*
1932 -
Jim Fixx, American athlete and writer (d.
1984)
* 1932 -
Halston, American fashion designer (d.
1990)
* 1932 -
Estelle Harris, American actress
*
1935 -
Bunky Green, American musician
* 1935 -
Ray Peterson, American singer (d.
2005)
*
1936 -
Roy Orbison, American singer and musician (d.
1988)
*
1939 -
Lee Majors, American actor
*
1941 -
Jacqueline Boyer, French singer
* 1941 -
Paavo Lipponen,
Prime Minister of Finland 1995-2003
*
1942 -
Sandra Dee, American actress (d.
2005)
*
1943 -
Tony Esposito, Canadian hockey player
* 1943 -
Frans Koppelaar, Dutch painter
* 1943 -
Hervé Villechaize, French actor (d.
1993)
*
1947 -
Bernadette Devlin, Irish politician
* 1947 -
Glenn Cornick, British rock bassist (
Jethro Tull)
*
1948 -
Pascal Quignard, French author
*
1949 -
David Cross, British violinist (
King Crimson)
* 1949 -
Joyce DeWitt, American actress
*
1952 -
Narada Michael Walden,
Grammy Award-winning
musician and producer
*
1954 -
Michael Moore, American filmmaker
*
1955 -
Judy Davis, Australian actress
* 1955 -
Tony Miles, English chess player (d.
2001)
*
1958 -
Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, Icelandic music composer
* 1958 -
Tove Jensen, Swedish porn actress
* 1958 -
Ryan Walter, Canadian ice hockey player
*
1960 -
Valerie Bertinelli, American actress
* 1960 -
Steve Clark, English guitarist (
Def Leppard) (d.
1991)
*
1961 -
George Lopez, American actor and comedian
* 1961 -
Terry Gordy, Professional wrestler (d.
2001)
*
1967 -
Melina Kanakaredes, American actress
* 1967 -
Rheal Cormier, baseball player
*
1968 -
Timothy McVeigh, American terrorist (d.
2001)
*
1969 -
Yelena Shushunova, Russian gymnast
*
1972 -
Patricia Manterola, Mexican singer
*
1974 -
Carlos Dengler, American musician,
Interpol*
1975 -
Jón Þór Birgisson, Icelandic musician and singer
*
1977 -
John Cena, American professional wrestler and rapper
* 1977 -
Andruw Jones, American baseball player
*
1979 -
Jaime King, American actress
*
1981 -
Chris Sharma, American rock climber/boulderer
*
1983 -
Daniela Hantuchová, Slovakian tennis player
*
1984 -
Lil Eazy-E, American rapper
*
1986 -
Sven Kramer, Dutch speedskater and olympic medal winner
* 1986 -
Jessica Stam, Canadian supermodel
*
1989 -
Nicole Vaidišová, Czech tennis player
*
1990 -
Matthew Underwood, American Actor (Logan on Zoey 101)
*
303 -
Saint George, Roman soldier and Christian martyr
*
725 -
Wihtred,
King of Kent*
871 -
Ethelred of Wessex*
997 -
Adalbert of Prague, bishop, patron saint of Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, and Prussia (b. ca.
956*
1014 -
Brian Boru,
High King of Ireland (killed in battle)
*
1016 -
Ethelred II of England*
1124 - King
Alexander I of Scotland (b.
1078)
*
1151 - Queen
Adeliza of England (b.
1103)
*
1217 - King
Inge II of Norway (b.
1185)
*
1407 -
Olivier de Clisson, French soldier (b.
1326)
*
1616 -
Miguel Cervantes, Spanish author (b.
1547)
* 1616 -
William Shakespeare, English writer and actor (b.
1564)
* 1616 -
El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Peruvian writer (b.
1539)
*
1625 -
Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange (b.
1567)
*
1702 -
Margaret Fell, English Quaker leader (b.
1614)
*
1740 -
Thomas Tickell, English writer (b.
1685)
*
1781 -
James Abercrombie, British general (b.
1706)
*
1792 -
Karl Friedrich Bahrdt, German theologian and adventurer (b.
1741)
*
1794 -
Guillaume-Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, French statesman (executed) (b.
1721)
*
1850 -
William Wordsworth, English poet (b.
1770)
*
1889 -
Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly, French writer (b.
1808)
*
1895 -
Carl Ludwig, German physician (b.
1815)
*
1915 -
Rupert Brooke, English poet (b.
1887).
*
1936 -
Teresa de la Parra, Venezuelan writer (b.
1889)
*
1951 -
Charles G. Dawes,
Vice President of the United States, recipient of the
Nobel Peace Prize (b.
1865)
*
1952 -
Julius Freed, American inventor and banker (b.
1887)
*
1975 -
William Hartnell, English actor (b.
1908)
*
1979 -
Blair Peach, New Zealand-born anti-fascist (b.
1946)
*
1983 -
Buster Crabbe, American swimmer and actor (b.
1908)
*
1984 -
Red Garland, American jazz pianist (b.
1923)
*
1985 -
Sam Ervin, American politician (b.
1896)
*
1986 -
Harold Arlen, American composer (b.
1905)
* 1986 -
Jim Laker, English cricketer (b.
1922)
* 1986 -
Otto Preminger, Austrian-born film director (b.
1906)
*
1990 -
Paulette Goddard, American actress (b.
1911)
*
1991 -
Johnny Thunders, American musician (b.
1952)
*
1992 -
Satyajit Ray, Indian filmmaker (b.
1921)
*
1993 -
César Chávez, American labor activist (b.
1927)
*
1995 -
Howard Cosell, American sports journalist (b.
1918)
* 1995 -
John C. Stennis, U.S. Senator from Mississippi (b.
1904)
*
1996 -
P. L. Travers, Australian author (b.
1899)
*
1997 -
Denis Compton, English cricketer (b.
1918)
*
1998 -
James Earl Ray, American assassin (b.
1928)
*
2003 -
James H. Critchfield, American Central Intelligence agent (b.
1917)
* 2003 -
Fernand Fonssagrives, French photographer (b.
1910)
*
2005 - Sir
Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Premier of Queensland (b.
1911)
* 2005 -
Al Grassby, Australian immigration minister (b.
1928)
* 2005 - Sir
John Mills, English actor (b.
1908)
* 2005 -
Romano Scarpa, Italian-born comic artist (b.
1927)
* 2005 -
Earl Wilson, baseball player (b.
1934)
* 2006 -
Johnnie Checketts, New Zealand fighter ace and war hero (b.
1912)
*
UNESCO International Day of the Book in honor of Shakespeare's and Cervantes's death on April 23, 1616.
*
Catalonia - Lover's Day. Men receive a book as a gift from their romantic interest, while women receive roses. The book is in honor of Shakespeare's and Cervantes's death on April 23, 1616.
*
Turkey -
National Sovereignty and Children's Day (
1920)
*
Israel -
Yom Ha'atzma'ut (Israeli Independence Day) for
2007: (the observed date of this
national holiday is determined by the
Jewish Calendar).
*Independence Day for the
Conch Republic*National
Beer Day in
GermanyLiturgical feasts
*Feast Day of
Saint George:
**Patron saint and
National Day of
England**Patron saint of the Spanish region of
Aragón**Celebrated as
St. Jordi's Day in
Catalonia, presents of books and roses. See above.
**
Jurgi festival, in ancient
Latvia*
Saint Adalbert of Prague*
Saint Gerard (d.1138)
*
BBC: On This DayApril 22 -
April 24 -
March 23 -
May 23 –
listing of all days
