Today in Francophone History

Learn about important dates in French and francophone history: famous birthdays, holidays and celebrations, and other milestones. If the above does not match today's date or you wish to choose a specific date, please click here

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Birthdays

1519 - Theodore Beza (French theologian)

1663 - Jean-Baptiste Massillon (French churchman)

1694 - Jean-Jacques Burlamaqui (Swiss publicist)

1704 - Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens (French writer)

1771 - Eleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours (French chemist)

1774 - François Nicolas Benoît, Baron Haxo (French general)

1906 - Pierre Fournier (French cellist)

1923 - Yves Bonnefoy (French poet and essayist)

1930 - Claude Chabrol (French film director)

1934 - Jean-Pierre Ferland (Québecois singer)

1941 - Julia Kristeva (Bulgarian-French philosopher, psychoanalyst, and novelist)

1958 - Jean Charest (Premier of Québec)


Deaths

1637 - Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc (French astronomer)

1766 - Adrien-Maurice, 3rd duc de Noailles (French soldier)

1894 - Marie François Sadi Carnot (French statesman)

1978 - Robert Charroux (French writer)

2002 - Pierre Werner (Prime Minister of Luxembourg)

2004 - Habib Dodo (general secretary of the Communist Youth of Côte d'Ivoire)


Holidays/Celebrations

Canada - Fête nationale du Québec / la Saint-Jean-Baptiste


Milestones/Events

1340 - Hundred Years' War: Battle of Sluys

1534 - Jacques Cartier made the European discovery of Prince Edward Island

1793 - First republican constitution in France adopted

1812 - Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon's Grande Armée crossed the Neman River, beginning his invasion of Russia

1859 - Battle of Solferino / Battle of the Three Sovereigns - Sardinia and France defeated Austria in northern Italy

1880 - First performance of O Canada, today the national anthem of Canada, at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français

1894 - The IOC decided to hold the Olympic Games every four years

1916 - WWI: Battle of the Somme began with a week long artillery bombardment on the German Line

1918 - First airmail service in Canada from Montréal to Toronto

1940 - France and Italy signed an armistice

1946 - Georges Bidault became Prime Minister of France


Errors and Omissions

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