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

1604 - François Hédelin, abbé d'Aubignac (French writer)

1884 - Henri Cornet (French cyclist)

1921 - Maurice Richard (Québécois hockey player)

1931 - François Sengat-Kuo (Cameroonian poet) 1936 - Assia Djebar (Algerian writer and filmmaker)


Deaths

1060 - King Henry I of France

1727 - Victor-Maurice, comte de Broglie (French general)

1997 - Jeanne Calment (at 122 years old, the oldest ever human)


Holidays/Celebrations

Burkina Faso - Revolution Day (national holiday)


Milestones/Events

1578 - Morocco defeated Portugal at the Battle of Al Kasr al Kebir

1693 - Dom Perignon invented of Champagne

1789 - French National Constituent Assembly took oath to end feudalism and abandon their privileges

1914 - World War I: Germany invaded Belgium and therefore the United Kingdom declared war on Germany

1969 - Vietnam War: Jean Sainteny acted as intermediary at his home in Paris during secret peace negotiation between US representative Henry Kissinger and North Vietnamese representative Xuan Thuy

1983 - Thomas Sankara became president of Upper Volta

1984 - Upper Volta changed its name to Burkina Faso

2005 - Announcement that Michaëlle Jean would be Canada's 27th and first black Governor General


Errors and Omissions

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