1448. JOHN PALÆOLOGUS, emperor of Constantinople, died. He reigned 29
years, and resisted the invasion of the Turkish foe, who pressed upon
his borders.
1517. Commencement of the reformation by Martin Luther, who on this day
published his 95 theses against the papal indulgences, &c.
1579. JOHN STADIUS, a German historian and mathematician, died at Paris.
He tarnished his scientific knowledge with astrological calculations.
1659. JOHN BRADSHAW died; celebrated as president of the tribunal which
tried and condemned the king, Charles I. He was afterwards deprived of
his office by Cromwell, to whose usurpations he was opposed; at the
restoration his bones were dug up and hanged at Tyburn.
1665. An act called the "five mile act," passed by the English
parliament, prohibiting nonconforming ministers from going within 5
miles of a town sending a member to parliament. This was to prevent them
entering the pulpits of episcopalians vacated on account of the plague.
1678. From the evidence of Oates and others, the commons of England
passed a resolution that there existed a hellish plot of the papists to
assassinate king Charles.
1732. VICTOR AMADEUS, king of Sardinia and duke of Savoy, died.
1735. General OGLETHORPE re-embarked for America, accompanied by John
Wesley and other missionaries, with several families of settlers.
1751. JAMES LOGAN, governor of Pennsylvania after the death of the
proprietor, died. He was a native of Ireland, distinguished for his
talents and learning, and came to America with Penn.
1760. The foundation stone of Blackfriars bridge over the Thames was
laid.
1765. WILLIAM AUGUSTUS, duke of Cumberland, died. He was the second son
of George II of England, and commanded at many important battles in the
German wars.
1782. LOUIS ELIZABETH DE LA VERGNE, a celebrated French general, died.
He was the friend of learned men, and the author of numerous works.
1793. JEAN PIERRE BRISSOT DE WARVILLE, and 20 others, Girondists,
condemned on the previous day, were guillotined at Paris. They were
generally opposed to the death of the king and the violent and bloody
measures pursued by Marat and Robespierre.
1803. The United States frigate Philadelphia, captain Bainbridge,
grounded on a rock three and a half miles from Tripoli, and was taken
after an action of 4 hours, having thrown over all her guns in the vain
hope of getting off.
1806. Battle of Strelitz; the French general Savery with 600 horse took
the place, and captured the hereditary prince of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
1806. Battle of Anklan; the Bavarians defeated the Prussians under
general Bila, and took him and 4,000 men prisoners.
1806. About this time a revolution took place at St. Domingo; the black
king of Hayti, Dessalines, was killed, and succeeded by Christophe.
1812. The Cossacks under Platoff defeated the French rear guard near
Kolotsk with terrible slaughter.
1812. The French defeated by Witgenstein at Tchasniki, with the loss of
900 killed and 800 taken.
1832. ANTONIO SCARPA, professor of anatomy at Pavia, died, aged 86. He
stood, for nearly half a century, by the common consent of his
countrymen, at the head of anatomy and surgery in Italy.
1838. NOAH WORCESTER, an eminent philanthropist and founder of the
Massachusetts Peace society, died. He was an extraordinary man, and
entirely self-taught. In 1815 he published _A Solemn View of the Custom
of War_, which produced a strong impression, and has been circulated in
different languages in Europe.
1842. SOLOMON HERSCHELL, chief rabbi of the German and Polish Jews in
London, died, aged 82, and was buried with great solemnity. He was a
majestic figure, with a look of one of the old fathers, and an object of
considerable mark in the streets of London.
1847. A quarrel took place between the police in Rio de Janeiro and some
sailors belonging to the United States vessels of war lying in the
harbor. The sailors and an officer were imprisoned, which led to a
serious difficulty between the two governments.
1848. STEPHEN WATTS KEARNEY, the conqueror of New Mexico, died at St.
Louis, aged 54. He had been in the army since 1812, and his character
and bearing as an officer were unsurpassed.
1849. The French cabinet, on being informed that they were wanting in
dignity, resigned their commissions to their president.
1849. A remarkable meteoric stone fell at Charlotte, North Carolina.
1850. Queen ISABELLA opened the Cortez at Madrid in the new palace on
the Plaza de Cervantes.
1855. RIVAS sworn into office as president of Nicaragua, Walker
declining in his favor at Grenada.