312. Battle of Saxa Rubra, and overthrow of the tyrant Maxentius, by
Constantine. The whole race of Maxentius was extirpated, and the
prætorian guards abolished at Rome.
900. ALFRED (_the Great_), king of England, died, aged 51, in the 28th
year of his reign. To him is ascribed the mode of trial by jury.
1216. The crown and other regalia of England being lost, Henry III was
crowned with a plain circle of gold on his temples.
1485. RODOLPHUS AGRICOLA, a Dutch author, died. He was one of the most
learned men of his age.
1541. Great storm accompanied by an earthquake, at Algiers, which
destroyed 86 Spanish ships and 15 galleys with their crews, belonging to
a powerful fleet fitted out for the reduction of that place by the
emperor Charles V. He was compelled to raise the siege and return to his
own dominions.
1572. Earl Mar, regent of Scotland, died, and was succeeded by Morton.
1592. AUGIER GHISLEN BUSBEQUIUS, a celebrated Flemish ambassador, died.
He was learned and venerated.
1597. ALDUS MANUTIUS, an eminent Venitian printer, died. He was the
third of a line of illustrious printers, celebrated for the elegance and
correctness of their editions, and in his youth bid fair to excel his
predecessors. But he met with reverses, and was compelled to sell the
excellent library collected by his ancestors, of 80,000 volumes, to
maintain himself. He wrote several learned works.
1646. WILLIAM DOBSON, an English painter, died. He was drawn from
obscurity by Vandyke, after which he rose to great celebrity; but
becoming addicted to pleasure before he had acquired a fortune, he
became involved, and died at the age of 36.
1652. WILLIAM MEAD, an English physician, died, aged 149.
1652. Action between the English fleet under Blake and Penn, and the
Dutch fleet under De Witt and De Ruyter. Three ships of the latter were
destroyed and one taken.
1670. JOHN HACKET, an English prelate, died; eminent for his learning
and exemplary virtues.
1681. Algiers bombarded by the French fleet under admiral Duquesne and
Bernard Renaud. It is said that bomb vessels were first used on this
occasion, being the invention of Renaud, who had five of them built.
1685. MICHAEL LE TELLIER, a French statesman, died. He had sufficient
influence with the king, Louis XIV, to procure the revocation to the
edict of Nantes. He lived to triumph in the cruel measures which
followed but a few days.
1687. JAMES ATKINS, a learned Scottish bishop, died. He wrote against
the presbyterians, but his writings are now almost unknown.
1699. Pope INNOCENT XII died.
1701. WILLIAM PENN granted a charter of privileges to Pennsylvania and
the counties, now state of Delaware, in which the liberty of conscience
was fully recognized.
1703. JOHN WALLIS, an eminent English divine and mathematician, died.
His works are numerous; and though his theological writings are
respectable, yet it is from his mathematical labors that he derives a
lasting celebrity.
1704. JOHN LOCKE, the illustrious English philosopher, died.
1708. GEORGE of Denmark, husband of Anne, queen of England, died; "an
illustrious instance of conjugal affection among the great."
1710. EZEKIEL SPANHEIM died; an eminent Swiss writer on history and
antiquities.
1740. ANNA IWANOWNA, empress of Russia, died.
1741. BALTHAZAR GIBERT, a French writer, died. He was 50 years professor
of rhetoric at the college of Mazarin.
1746. Earthquake at Lima, by which that city and the port of Callao were
destroyed. The sea first receded, then rushed upon the shore, carrying
everything before it. Of 23 ships in the harbor 19 were sunk, and 4
carried a considerable way up the country, and Callao became a part of
the ocean.
1748. Gov. CLINTON signed the bill reviving the act to raise £1,800 by
lottery, to build a college.
1776. Battle of White Plains. The brunt of this battle was sustained by
the troops under McDougal, 600 men, who nobly sustained their post,
though deserted by 4 regiments of militia, who fled on the approach of
the British light horse. Both armies laid on their arms awaiting another
attack.
1788. First court held at Plattsburgh, Clinton county, N. Y.
1791. GEORGE LOUIS OEDER, an eminent German physician and botanist,
died.
1792. JOHN SMEATON, an eminent English mechanic and engineer, died;
celebrated as the builder of the Eddystone lighthouse.
1793. Hurricane on the island of Cuba; several vessels driven out to
sea, and 520 houses in Havana totally destroyed.
1800. ARTEMAS WARD, the first major-general in the American
revolutionary army, died. He graduated at Harvard, was subsequently a
member of congress, and noted for incorruptible integrity.
1806. CHARLOTTE SMITH, an English poetess and novelist, died. She long
enjoyed great popularity.
1806. Battle of Prentzlow, in Brandenburg; the Prussian army of 16,000
compelled to surrender to the French under Murat. This was the remnant
of the king's guard which escaped from the battle of Jena, and included
several princes.
1823. WASSIL WASSILIJEWITSCH CAPNIST, a Russian counselor of state,
died. He is better known as a poet and dramatic writer, in which he is
entitled to much praise.
1838. The Mormons, comprising about 700 men under arms, with their
leaders, surrendered at Far-West, Missouri, to a body of 3,000 militia,
under Gen. Atchinson. The whole number captured was 5,000, miserably
destitute of the means of subsistence.
1844. The Royal Exchange at London opened in an imposing manner, the
queen being present and presiding at the ceremony.
1848. HARRISON GRAY OTIS, a Massachusetts statesman, died, aged 83;
having filled with distinguished success the principal political offices
in the gift of the people of the state.
1848. WINDISCHGRATZ, besieging the city of Vienna, entered the suburbs
and began an attack; a succession of conflicts ensued, which lasted
several days before the city was completely mastered.
1849. DAVID B. DOUGLAS, an eminent civil and military engineer, died at
Geneva, N. Y., aged 56. He distinguished himself in the war of 1812,
before he was 21 years of age. He was a man of extensive and varied
learning.
1851. A meeting of cotton planters was held at Macon, Georgia, to devise
ways and means to prevent fluctuations in the price of cotton. Little
harmony of views or concord of action was manifested.
1854. A fire at Cleveland, Ohio, consumed property to the amount of
$2,000,000.
1854. The Turks in the principalities attacked the Russians, and after a
contest of two hours compelled them to cross the Danube and destroy the
bridges.