March 30 is the 89th day of the year (90th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 276 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events
- 240 BC - 1st recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet.
- 1282 - The people of Sicily rebel against the Angevin king Charles I, in what becomes known as the Sicilian Vespers.
- 1296 - Edward I sacks Berwick-upon-Tweed, during armed conflict between Scotland and England.
- 1814 - Napoleonic Wars: Sixth Coalition forces march into Paris.
- 1814 - Murat issues the Rimini Declaration which would later inspire Italian Unification.
- 1822 - Florida Territory created in the United States.
- 1842 - Anesthesia is used for the first time in an operation by Dr. Crawford Long.
- 1844 - One of the most important battles of the Dominican War of Independence from Haiti takes place near the city of Santiago de los Caballeros.
- 1855 - Origins of the American Civil War: Bleeding Kansas - "Border Ruffians" from Missouri invade Kansas and force election of a pro-slavery legislature.
- 1856 - The Treaty of Paris (1856) is signed, ending the Crimean War.
- 1858 - Hymen Lipman patents a pencil with an attached eraser.
- 1863 - Danish prince Wilhelm Georg is chosen as King George of Greece.
- 1867 - Alaska is purchased for $7.2 million, about 2 cent/acre ($4.19/km²), by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward. The news media call this Seward's Folly.
- 1870 - Texas is readmitted to the Union following Reconstruction.
- 1870 - Florida territorial government established.
- 1885 - The Battle for Kushka triggers the Pandjeh Incident which nearly gives rise to war between the British Empire and Russian Empire.
- 1909 - The Queensboro Bridge opens, linking Manhattan & Queens.
- 1910 - Mississippi Legislature founded The University of Southern Mississippi.
- 1912 - Sultan Abdelhafid signs the Treaty of Fez, making Morocco a French protectorate.
- 1939 - The Heinkel He 100 fighter sets the world airspeed record of 463 mph.
- 1939 - First flight of the Australian C.A.C. CA-16 Wirraway.
- 1940 - Sino-Japanese War: Japan declares Nanking to be the capital of a new Chinese puppet government, nominally controlled by Wang Ching-wei.
- 1945 - World War II: Soviet Union forces invade Austria and take Vienna, Polish and Soviet forces liberate Gdańsk.
- 1945 - World War II: a defecting German pilot delivers a Messerschmitt Me 262A-1 to Americans.
- 1949 - Riot breaks out in Austurvöllur square in Reykjavík, when Iceland joined NATO.
- 1951 - Remington Rand delivers the first UNIVAC I computer to the United States Census Bureau.
- 1954 - Yonge Street subway line opens in Toronto. It is the first subway in Canada.
- 1961 - The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is signed at New York.
- 1965 - Vietnam War: A car bomb explodes in front of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, killing 22 and wounding 183 others.
- 1972 - Vietnam War: The Easter Offensive begins after North Vietnamese forces cross into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) of South Vietnam.
- 1979 - Airey Neave, a British politician, is killed by a car bomb as he exits the Palace of Westminster. The Irish National Liberation Army claims responsibility.
- 1981 - President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C., hotel by John Hinckley, Jr.
- 1982 - Space Shuttle program: STS-3 Mission completed with the landing of Columbia at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
- 1997 - Five (channel) Begins broadcasting in the UK
- 2006 - Marcos Pontes is the first Brazilian astronaut in space.
- 2006 - UK Terrorism Act 2006 becomes law.
Births
- 1135 - Maimonedes, philosopher (d. 1204)
- 1326 - Ivan II of Russia, Grand Duke of Muscovy (d. 1359)
- 1432 - Mehmed II, Ottoman Sultan (d. 1481)
- 1640 - John Trenchard, English politician (d. 1695)
- 1746 - Francisco Goya, Spanish painter (d. 1828)
- 1750 - John Stafford Smith, English composer (d. 1836)
- 1820 - Anna Sewell, British author (d. 1878)
- 1844 - Paul Verlaine, French poet (d. 1896)
- 1853 - Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter (d. 1890)
- 1857 - Leon Charles Thevenin, French telegraph engineer (d. 1926)
- 1864 - Franz Oppenheimer, German sociologist (d. 1943)
- 1879 - Coen de Koning, Dutch ice skater (d. 1954)
- 1880 - Sean O'Casey, Irish dramatist (d. 1964)
- 1892 - Fortunato Depero, Italian artist (d. 1960)
- 1892 - Erhard Milch, German field marshal (d. 1972)
- 1894 - Sergey Ilyushin, Russian aerospace engineer (d. 1977)
- 1895 - Jean Giono, French author (d. 1970)
- 1899 - Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, Bengali writer (d. 1970)
- 1902 - Brooke Astor, American philanthropist (d. 2007)
- 1902 - Ted Heath, British musician and band leader (d. 1969)
- 1903 - Countee Cullen, American poet (d. 1946)
- 1903 - Joy Ridderhof, American missionary (d. 1984)
- 1904 - Ripper Collins, baseball player (d. 1970)
- 1905 - Albert Pierrepoint, English executioner (d. 1992)
- 1907 - Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte, German Luftwaffe Officer (d. 1994)
- 1910 - Józef Marcinkiewicz, mathematician (d. 1940)
- 1913 - Marc Davis, American animator (d. 2000)
- 1913 - Richard Helms, American CIA director (d. 2002)
- 1913 - Frankie Laine, American singer (d. 2007)
- 1913 - Censu Tabone, President of Malta
- 1914 - Sonny Boy Williamson I, American musician (d. 1948)
- 1919 - McGeorge Bundy, American National Security Advisor (d. 1996)
- 1922 - Turhan Bey, Turkish actor
- 1923 - Milton Acorn, Canadian poet (d. 1986)
- 1926 - Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish entrepreneur
- 1926 - Werner Torkanowsky, German conductor (d. 1992)
- 1927 - Peter Marshall, American game show host
- 1928 - Robert Badinter, French politician
- 1928 - Tom Sharpe, English satirical author
- 1929 - Richard Dysart, American actor
- 1930 - John Astin, American actor
- 1930 - Rolf Harris, Australian artist and entertainer
- 1932 - Ted Morgan, Swiss-born writer
- 1933 - Jean-Claude Brialy, French actor and director (d. 2007)
- 1935 - Karl Berger, German musicologist and musician
- 1935 - Willie Galimore, American football player (d. 1964)
- 1937 - Warren Beatty, American actor and director
- 1940 - Jerry Lucas, American basketball player
- 1941 - Graeme Edge, British musician (Moody Blues)
- 1941 - Wasim Sajjad, President of Pakistan
- 1941 - Bob Smith, former American politician
- 1943 - Ken Forssi, American musician (Love) (d. 1998)
- 1945 - Eric Clapton, British guitarist
- 1945 - Johnnie Walker, British DJ
- 1947 - Ryszard Kotla, Polish travel writer and activist
- 1948 - Mervyn King, British economist
- 1948 - Eddie Jordan Former owner of Jordan Grand Prix
- 1949 - Naomi Sims, American fashion model and businesswoman
- 1949 - Liza Frulla, Quebec politician
- 1950 - Robbie Coltrane, Scottish actor and comedian
- 1951 - Yves Séguin, Quebec politician
- 1952 - Peter Knights, Australian footballer and coach
- 1953 - Cydney Bernard, American film producer
- 1955 - Randy VanWarmer, American singer and songwriter (d. 2004)
- 1956 - Bill Butler, Scottish politician
- 1957 - Paul Reiser, American actor
- 1958 - Maurice LaMarche, Canadian voice actor
- 1959 - Peter Hugh McGregor Ellis, New Zealander convicted child abuser
- 1959 - Sabine Meyer, German clarinetist
- 1961 - Doug Wickenheiser, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 1999)
- 1962 - MC Hammer, American rap musician
- 1962 - Bil Dwyer, American actor
- 1963 - Eli-Eri Moura, Brazilian composer and conductor
- 1964 - Tracy Chapman, American singer
- 1964 - Vlado Bozinovski, Australian former footballer
- 1964 - Dave Ellett, Canadian hockey player
- 1964 - Ian Ziering, American actor
- 1965 - Piers Morgan, British journalist
- 1966 - Joey Castillo, American drummer (Queens of the Stone Age)
- 1966 - Efstratios Grivas, Greek chess grandmaster and author
- 1967 - Christopher Bowman, American figure skater (d. 2008)
- 1967 - Hayashibara Megumi, Japanese voice actress and singer
- 1968 - Donna D'Errico, American actress and model
- 1968 - Celine Dion, Canadian singer
- 1970 - Secretariat, American racehorse (d. 1989)
- 1971 - Mark Consuelos, American actor
- 1971 - Mari Holden, American cycle racer
- 1972 - Mili Avital, Israeli-American actress
- 1973 - Jan Koller, Czech footballer
- 1973 - Matthew Pritchard, Welsh Stuntman
- 1975 - Bahar Soomekh, American actress
- 1976 - Mark McClelland, Northern Irish musician (Degrassi)
- 1976 - Ty Conklin, American ice hockey player
- 1976 - Obadele Thompson, Barbadian athlete
- 1978 - Chris Paterson, Scottish rugby player
- 1979 - Norah Jones, American singer and pianist
- 1979 - Simon Webbe, English singer
- 1980 - Ricardo Osorio, Mexican footballer
- 1980 - Yalin, Turkish singer and songwriter
- 1982 - Jason Dohring, American actor
- 1983 - Jérémie Aliadière, French footballer
- 1983 - Zach Gowen, American professional wrestler
- 1983 - Scott Moffatt, Canadian singer and songwriter
- 1983 - Davis Romero, Panamanian baseball player
- 1983 - Hebe Tian, Taiwanese singer (S.H.E)
- 1984 - Mario Ancic, Croatian tennis player
- 1984 - Anna Nalick, American singer and songwriter.
- 1984 - Samantha Stosur, Australian tennis player
- 1986 - Beni Arashiro, Japanese singer
- 1986 - Sergio Ramos, Spanish footballer
- 1995 - Thomas Batuello, American musician
Deaths
- 1486 - Thomas Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury
- 1526 - Konrad Mutian, German humanist (b. 1471)
- 1540 - Matthäus Lang von Wellenburg, German statesman and Archbishop of Salzburg (b. 1469)
- 1559 - Adam Ries, German mathematician (b. 1492)
- 1587 - Ralph Sadler, English statesman (b. 1507)
- 1662 - François le Métel de Boisrobert, French poet (b. 1592)
- 1707 - Vauban, French architect (b. 1633)
- 1764 - Pietro Locatelli, Italian composer (b. 1695)
- 1783 - William Hunter, Scottish anatomist (b. 1718)
- 1804 - Victor-François, 2nd duc de Broglie, Marshal of France (b. 1718)
- 1806 - Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, English duchess(b. 1757)
- 1840 - Beau Brummell, English celebrity and dandy (b. 1778)
- 1842 - Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, French painter (b. 1755)
- 1879 - Thomas Couture, French painter and teacher (b. 1815)
- 1886 - Joseph-Alfred Mousseau, French Canadian politician (b. 1838)
- 1896 - Charilaos Trikoupis, seven times prime-minister of Greece (b. 1832)
- 1912 - Karl May, German author (b. 1842)
- 1925 - Rudolf Steiner, Austrian philosopher (b. 1861)
- 1936 - Conchita Supervía, Spanish opera singer (b. 1895)
- 1943 - Jan Bytnar, Polish activist (b. 1921)
- 1943 - Maciej Aleksy Dawidowski, Polish activist (b. 1920)
- 1949 - Friedrich Bergius, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1884)
- 1950 - Léon Blum, French prime minister (b. 1872)
- 1959 - Daniil Andreev, Russian writer and mystic (b. 1906)
- 1959 - Riccardo Zanella, president of Free State of Fiume (b. 1875)
- 1965 - Philip Showalter Hench, American physician, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1896)
- 1966 - Maxfield Parrish, American artist (b. 1870)
- 1966 - Newbold Morris, American politician (b. 1902)
- 1967 - Jean Toomer, American writer (b. 1894)
- 1968 - Bobby Driscoll, American actor (b. 1937)
- 1970 - Heinrich Brüning, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1885)
- 1972 - Gabriel Heatter, American radio commentator (b. 1890)
- 1977 - Abdel Halim Hafez, Egyptian singer and actor (b. 1929)
- 1981 - DeWitt Wallace, American publisher (b. 1889)
- 1984 - Karl Rahner, German theologian (b. 1904)
- 1985 - Harold Peary, American actor and singer (heart attack) (b. 1908)
- 1986 - James Cagney, American actor (b. 1899)
- 1988 - Edgar Faure, French politician (b. 1908)
- 1992 - Manolis Andronikos, Greek archeologist, professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (b. 1919)
- 1999 - Gary Morton, American film and television producer (b. 1924)
- 2002 - Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Queen Mother of the United Kingdom (b. 1900)
- 2003 - Michael Jeter, American actor (b. 1952)
- 2003 - Valentin Pavlov, Prime Minister of the Soviet Union (b. 1937)
- 2004 - Alistair Cooke, English-born journalist (b. 1908)
- 2004 - Hubert Gregg, British broadcaster (b. 1914)
- 2004 - Michael King, New Zealand historian (b. 1945)
- 2004 - Timi Yuro, American singer (b. 1940)
- 2005 - Emil Dimitrov, Bulgarian singer (b. 1940)
- 2005 - Robert Creeley, American poet (b. 1926)
- 2005 - Milton Green, American athlete (b. 1913)
- 2005 - Fred Korematsu, American civil rights activist (b. 1919)
- 2005 - O. V. Vijayan, Indian author and cartoonist (b. 1930)
- 2005 - Derrick Plourde, American drummer (b. 1971)
- 2006 - Red Hickey, American football coach (b. 1917)
- 2008 - Dith Pran, The Killing Fields Photographer (b. 1942)
- 2008 - David Leslie, Touring Car Driver (b. 1953)
- 2008 - Richard Lloyd, Racing Car Driver (b. 1945)
Holidays and observances
External links
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