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August 9 is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 144 days remain until the end of the year.

Events

• 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus and Pompey flees to Egypt.
• 378 - Gothic War: Battle of Adrianople - A large Roman army led by Emperor Valens is defeated by the Visigoths in present-day Turkey. Valens is killed along with over half of his army.
• 681 - Bulgaria is founded as a Khanate on the south bank of the Danube, after defeating the Byzantine armies of Emperor Constantine IV south of the Danube delta.
• 1048 - Pope Damasus II dies in Rome, after reigning for only 23 days.
• 1173 - Construction of the Tower of Pisa begins, and it takes two centuries to complete.
• 1329 - Quilon the first Indian Diocese was erected by Pope John XXII and Jordanus catalani de Severac was appointed the first Bishop
• 1483 - Opening of the Sistine Chapel
• 1666 - Rear Admiral Robert Holmes leads a raid on the Dutch island of Terschelling, destroying 150 merchant ships in the Vlie estuary, and pillaging the town of West-Terschelling, an act later knkown as "Holmes's Bonfire".
• 1810 - Napoleon annexes Westphalia as part of the First French Empire.
• 1842 - Webster-Ashburton Treaty is signed, establishing the United States-Canada border east of the Rocky Mountains.
• 1862 - American Civil War: Battle of Cedar Mountain - At Cedar Mountain, Virginia, Confederate General Stonewall Jackson narrowly defeats Union forces under General John Pope.
• 1877 - Indian Wars: Battle of Big Hole - A small band of Nez Percé Indians clash with the United States Army.
• 1892 - Thomas Edison receives a patent for a two-way telegraph.
• 1902 - Edward VII is crowned king of the United Kingdom.
• 1907 - The first Boy Scout encampment concludes at Brownsea Island in Southern England.
• 1936 - Summer Olympic Games: Games of the XI Olympiad: Jesse Owens wins his fourth gold medal at the games becoming the first American to win four medals in one Olympiad.
• 1942 - Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi is arrested in Bombay by British forces, launching the Quit India Movement.
• 1942 - World War II: Battle of Savo Island - Allied naval forces protecting their amphibious forces during the initial stages of the Battle of Guadalcanal are surprised and defeated by an Imperial Japanese Navy cruiser force.
• 1944 - The United States Forest Service and the Wartime Advertising Council release posters featuring Smokey Bear for the first time.
• 1945 - World War II: Nagasaki is devastated when an atomic bomb, "Fat Man", is dropped by the United States B-29 Bockscar. 70,000 people are killed instantly.
• 1965 - Singapore seceded from Malaysia and gained independence.
• 1965 - A fire at a Titan missile base near Little Rock, Arkansas kills 53 construction workers.
• 1969 - Members of a cult led by Charles Manson brutally murder pregnant actress Sharon Tate (wife of Roman Polanski), coffee heiress Abigail Folger, Polish actor Wojciech Frykowski, men's hairstylist Jay Sebring, and recent high-school graduate Steven Parent at 10050 Cielo Drive in Los Angeles, California.
• 1974 - As a direct result of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon becomes the first President of the United States to resign from office. His Vice President, Gerald Ford, becomes president.
• 1993 - The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan loses a 38-year hold on national leadership.
• 1999 - Russian President Boris Yeltsin fires his Prime Minister, Sergei Stepashin, and for the fourth time fires his entire cabinet.
• 1999 - The Diet of Japan enacts a law establishing the Hinomaru and Kimi Ga Yo as the official national flag and national anthem.
• 2001 - US President George W. Bush announces his support for federal funding of limited research on embryonic stem cells.

Births

• 1201 - Arnold Fitz Thedmar, English chronicler (d. 1274)
• 1593 - Izaak Walton, English angler (d. 1683)
• 1631 - John Dryden, English Poet Laureate (d. 1700)
• 1648 - Johann Michael Bach, German composer (d. 1694)
• 1653 - John Oldham, English poet (d. 1683)
• 1669 - Eudoxia Lopukhina, Tsarina of Russia (d. 1731)
• 1674 - František Maxmilián Kaňka, Czech architect (d. 1766)
• 1722 - Augustus William, Prince of Prussia (d. 1758)
• 1726 - Francesco Cetti, Italian Jesuit scientist (d. 1778)
• 1757 - Thomas Telford, Scottish civil engineer (d. 1834)
• 1776 - Amedeo Avogadro, Italian chemist (d. 1856)
• 1783 - Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna of Russia (d. 1801)
• 1797 - Charles Robert Malden, British naval officer (d. 1855)
• 1805 - Joseph Locke, English railway and civil engineer (d. 1860)
• 1809 - William Barret Travis, commander at Battle of the Alamo
• 1845 - André Bessette, Canadian religious figure (d. 1937)
• 1847 - Maria Victoria al Pozzo della Cisterna, queen consort of Spain (d. 1876)
• 1871 - Leonid Andreyev, Russian writer (d. 1919)
• 1872 - Archduke Joseph August of Austria, Austrian field marshal (d. 1962)
• 1874 - Reynaldo Hahn, Venezuelan composer and conductor (d. 1947)
• 1875 - Albert Ketèlbey, English pianist, conductor and composer (b. 1959)
• 1896 - Jean Piaget, Swiss psychologist (d. 1980)
• 1896 - Erich Hückel, German physicist (d. 1980)
• 1899 - P. L. Travers, Australian author (d. 1996)
• 1901 - Charles Farrell, American actor (d. 1990)
• 1902 - Zino Francescatti, French violinist (d. 1991)
• 1909 - Adam von Trott zu Solz, German diplomat (d. 1944)
• 1911 - William Alfred Fowler, American physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate (d. 1996)
• 1911 - Eddie Futch, American boxing trainer (d. 2001)
• 1914 - Tove Jansson, Finnish author (Moomins) (d. 2001)
• 1914 - Ferenc Fricsay, Hungarian conductor (d. 1963)
• 1914 - Joe Mercer, English footballer (d. 1990)
• 1919 - Joop den Uyl, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (d. 1987)
• 1919 - Ralph Houk, American baseball player and manager
• 1920 - Enzo Biagi, Italian journalist and writer
• 1921 - J. James Exon, American politician, (d. 2005)
• 1921 - Ernest Angley, televangelist
• 1922 - Philip Larkin, English poet (d. 1985)
• 1925 - David A. Huffman, creator of Huffman coding (d. 1999)
• 1927 - Daniel Keyes, American author
• 1927 - Robert Shaw, English actor (d. 1978)
• 1928 - Bob Cousy, American. basketball player
• 1930 - Jacques Parizeau, Quebec economist and politician
• 1931 - Mário Zagallo, Brazilian football coach and player
• 1931 - Chuck Essegian, American baseball player
• 1932 - John Gomery, Canadian jurist
• 1933 - Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, Japanese television personality and children's author
• 1936 - Julián Javier, American baseball player
• 1936 - Patrick Tse Yin, Hong Kong film director
• 1938 - Leonid Kuchma, Ukrainian politician
• 1938 - Rod Laver, Australian tennis player
• 1939 - Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy, former President of the European Commission
• 1939 - Brito, Brazilian footballer
• 1940 - Beverlee McKinsey, American actress
• 1942 - Tommie Agee, American baseball player (d. 2001)
• 1942 - David Steinberg, Canadian comedian
• 1943 - Ken Norton, American boxer
• 1944 - Sam Elliott, American actor
• 1945 - Posy Simmonds, English cartoonist
• 1946 - Jim Kiick, American football player
• 1947 - Barbara Mason, American soul singer
• 1948 - Bill Campbell, American baseball player
• 1949 - Jonathan Kellerman, American writer
• 1952 - Prateep Ungsongtham Hata, Thai politician
• 1955 - John E. Sweeney, American politician
• 1955 - Peter Schmuck, American sportswriter
• 1957 - Melanie Griffith, American actress
• 1959 - Kurtis Blow, American rapper
• 1959 - Stuart Hughes, Canadian actor
• 1961 - Brad Gilbert, American tennis player
• 1961 - John Key, New Zealand politician
• 1961 - Amy Stiller, American actress
• 1962 - Kevin Mack, American football player
• 1962 - Louis Lipps, American football player
• 1963 - Whitney Houston, American diva and actress
• 1964 - Brett Hull, Canadian-born hockey player
• 1964 - Hoda Kotb, American television news anchor
• 1967 - Deion Sanders, American football player
• 1968 - Gillian Anderson, American actress
• 1968 - Eric Bana, Australian actor
• 1968 - Karyn Parsons, American actress
• 1968 - Sam Fogarino, American musician
• 1968 - McG, American film producer and director
• 1969 - Divine Brown, American convicted felon
• 1969 - Troy Percival, baseball player
• 1970 - Rod Brind'Amour, hockey player
• 1970 - Chris Cuomo, American TV journalist
• 1970 - Thomas Lennon, American actor
• 1970 - Arion Salazar, American musician (Third Eye Blind)
• 1971 - Davide Rebellin, Italian cyclist
• 1971 - Mack 10, American rapper
• 1971 - James Kim, technology reporter (d. 2006)
• 1972 - Juanes, Colombian singer
• 1972 - A-Mei, Taiwanese singer
• 1973 - Kevin McKidd, Scottish actor
• 1973 - Filippo Inzaghi, Italian footballer
• 1974 - Mahesh Babu, Indian film actor
• 1974 - Derek Fisher, American basketball player
• 1974 - Matt Morris, American baseball player
• 1974 - Kirill Reznik, American politician
• 1974 - Nicola Stapleton, English actress
• 1975 - Mike Lamb, American baseball player
• 1975 - Robbie Middleby, Australian soccer player
• 1976 - Jessica Capshaw, American actress
• 1976 - Rhona Mitra, English actress
• 1977 - Jason Frasor, American baseball player
• 1977 - Chamique Holdsclaw, American basketball player
• 1977 - Adewale Ogunleye, American football player
• 1977 - Mikael Silvestre, French footballer
• 1978 - Audrey Tautou, French actress
• 1980 - Ryu Seung-beom, South Korean actor
• 1982 - Tyson Gay, American sprinter
• 1982 - Danieal Manning, American football player
• 1983 - Ashley Johnson, American actress
• 1983 - Shane O'Brien, Canadian hockey player
• 1984 - Paul Gallagher, Scottish footballer
• 1985 - Luca Filippi, Italian racing driver
• 1985 - Hayley Peirsol, American swimmer
• 1985 - JaMarcus Russell, American football player
• 1986 - Vanessa Morley, American actress
• 1989 - Stefano Okaka Chuka, Italian footballer
• 1990 - Adelaide Kane, Australian actress

Deaths

• 117 - Trajan, Roman Emperor (b. 53)
• 378 - Valens, Roman Emperor (killed in battle) (b. 328)
• 803 - Byzantine Empress Irene (b. 752)
• 1107 - Emperor Horikawa of Japan (b. 1079)
• 1173 - Najm ad-Din Ayyub, father of Saladin
• 1250 - King Eric IV of Denmark (b. 1216)
• 1534 - Cardinal Cajetan, Italian theologian (b. 1470)
• 1601 - Michael the Brave, Prince of Wallachia (b. 1558)
• 1634 - William Noy, English jurist (b. 1577)
• 1720 - Simon Ockley, English orientalist (b. 1678)
• 1744 - James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, English patron of the arts (b. 1673)
• 1816 - Johann August Apel, German jurist and writer (b. 1771)
• 1837 - Xavier Sigalon, French painter (b. 1787)
• 1886 - Samuel Ferguson, Northern Irish poet and artist (b. 1810)
• 1919 - Ruggiero Leoncavallo, Italian composer (b. 1857)
• 1942 - Edith Stein, (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) (executed) (b. 1891)
• 1945 - Harry Hillman, American athlete (b. 1881)
• 1945 - Robert Hampton Gray, last Canadian Victoria Cross recipient (b. 1917)
• 1957 - Carl Clauberg, Nazi doctor (b. 1898)
• 1962 - Hermann Hesse, German-born writer, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1877)
• 1967 - Joe Orton, English writer (b. 1933)
• 1969 - Cecil Frank Powell, British physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1903)
• 1969 - Abigail Folger, American heiress (murdered) (b. 1943)
• 1969 - Wojciech Frykowski, Polish writer (murdered) (b. 1936)
• 1969 - Jay Sebring, American hair stylist (murdered) (b. 1933)
• 1969 - Sharon Tate, American actress (murdered) (b. 1943)
• 1969 - Steven Parent, American student (murdered) (b. 1951)
• 1974 - Bill Chase, American trumpet player and bandleader (b. 1934)
• 1975 - Dmitri Shostakovich, Russian composer (b. 1906)
• 1979 - Walter O'Malley, baseball executive (b. 1903)
• 1985 - Clive Churchill, Australian rugby league footballer (b. 1927)
• 1988 - Giacinto Scelsi, Italian composer (b. 1905)
• 1990 - Joe Mercer, English footballer (b. 1914)
• 1995 - Jerry Garcia, American musician (Grateful Dead) (b. 1942)
• 1996 - Sir Frank Whittle, invented the jet engine (b. 1907)
• 1999 - Fouad Serageddin, Egyptian politician (b. 1910)
• 2000 - John Harsanyi, Hungarian-born economist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1920)
• 2000 - Nicholas Markowitz-kidnapped and murder by Jesse James Hollywood (b. 1984)
• 2002 - Paul Samson, British guitarist (Samson) (b. 1953)
• 2002 - Peter Neville, anarchist, sociologist, and peace activist
• 2003 - Ray Harford, English footballer and manager (b. 1945)
• 2003 - Gregory Hines, American actor and dancer (b. 1946)
• 2003 - Jacques Deray, French film director (b. 1929)
• 2003 - Chester Ludgin, American baritone (b. 1925)
• 2004 - Robert Lecourt, French politician and president of the European Court of Justice (b. 1908)
• 2004 - Tony Mottola, American guitarist (b. 1918)
• 2004 - David Raksin, American film director (b. 1912)
• 2005 - Matthew McGrory, American actor (b. 1973)
• 2005 - Judith Rossner, American novelist (b. 1935)
• 2006 - James van Allen, American physicist (b. 1914)
• 2006 - Philip E. High, science fiction author (b. 1914)
• 2007 - Joe O'Donnell, American documentary photographer, photojournalist (b. 1922)

Holidays and observances

• Singapore: National Day
• National Women's Day in South Africa
• International Day of the World's Indigenous People
• Baltimore, Maryland: Official "Frank Zappa Day" in honor of the Baltimore-born composer and musician (born 1940, died 1993).
• Feast day of the great martyr Saint Panteleimon in Russian Orthodox Church

Roman Catholicism

• Saint Firmus and Saint Rusticus
• Saint Jean Vianney
• Saint Nathy (David), bishop of Achonry
• Saint Romanus, martyr (Romanus Ostiarius, died 258)
• Saint Secundianus and companions, martyrs

External links

• BBC: On This Day
• The New York Times: On This Day
• On This Day in Canada

• August