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

1638 - Maria Theresa of Spain (queen of Louis XIV of France)

1788 - Jacques Boucher de Crèvecœur de Perthes (French archaelogist)

1890 - Elsa Schiaparelli (French couturière)

1928 - Jean Vanier (Canadian humanitarian)

1973 - Ferdinand Coly (Senegalese soccer player)

19?? - Laura K Lawless (American Francophile and French fanatic :-)


Deaths

954 - King Louis IV of France

1197 - Henry II of Champagne

1419 - John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy

1749 - Émilie du Châtelet (French mathematician and physicist)

1983 - Felix Bloch (Swiss-born physicist)


Milestones/Events

506 - Bishops of Visigothic Gaul met in the Council of Agde

1419 - John of Burgundy assassinated by adherents of the Dauphin (future Charles VII of France)

1927 - France's first Davis Cup win (Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet, René Lacoste)

1939 - World War II: Canada declared war on Nazi Germany

1942 - World War II: Re-launch of Allied offensive operations in the Madagascar Campaign

1977 - France: Last execution by guillotine

1990 - Côte d'Ivoire: The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, largest church in Africa, consecrated by Pope John Paul II in Yamoussoukro

2002 - Switzerland joined United Nations


Errors and Omissions

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