April 10 is the 100th day of the year (101st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 265 days remaining until the end of the year.

Events

• 879 – Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks.
• 1407 – the lama Deshin Shekpa visits the Ming Dynasty capital at Nanjing. He is awarded with the title Great Treasure Prince of Dharma.
• 1500 – Ludovico Sforza is captured by the Swiss troops at Novara and is handed over to the French.
• 1606 – The Charter of the Virginia Company of London is established by royal charter by James I of England with the purpose of establishing colonial settlements in North America.
• 1710 – The first law regulating copyright is issued in Great Britain.
• 1741 – War of the Austrian Succession: Prussia defeats Austria in the Battle of Mollwitz.
• 1815 – The Mount Tambora volcano begins its peak eruption period that lasts until July 15.
• 1816 – The United States Government approves the creation of the Second Bank of the United States.
• 1821 – Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople is hanged by the Turks from the main gate of the Patriarchate and his body is thrown into the Bosphorus.
• 1826 – The 10,500 inhabitants of the Greek town Messolonghi start leaving the town after a year's siege by Turkish forces. Very few of them survive.
• 1856 – The Theta Chi Fraternity is founded at Norwich University.
• 1858 – The original Big Ben, a 14.5 tonne bell for the Palace of Westminster is cast in Stockton-on-Tees by Warner's of Cripplegate. This however cracked during testing and was recasted into the 13.76 tonne bell by Whitechapel Bell Foundry and is still in use to date.
• 1864 – Archduke Maximilian of Habsburg is elected emperor of Mexico.
• 1865 – American Civil War: A day after his surrender to Union forces, Confederate General Robert E. Lee addresses his troops for the last time.
• 1866 – The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is founded in New York City by Henry Bergh.
• 1868 – At Arogee in Abyssinia, British and Indian forces defeat an army of Emperor Theodore. While 700 Ethiopians are killed and many more injured, only two die from the British/Indian troops.
• 1869 – José Martí founds the Cuban Revolutionary Party.
• 1874 – The first Arbor Day is celebrated in Nebraska.
• 1887 – On Easter Sunday, Pope Leo XIII authorizes the establishment of The Catholic University of America.
• 1904 – British mystic Aleister Crowley transcribes the third and final chapter of The Book of The Law.
• 1912 – The RMS Titanic leaves port in Southampton, England for her first and only voyage.
• 1916 – The Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) is created in New York City.
• 1919 – Mexican Revolution leader Emiliano Zapata is ambushed and shot dead by government forces in Morelos.
• 1925 – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is first published in New York City, by Charles Scribner's Sons.
• 1933 – New Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps is created.
• 1941 – World War II: The Axis Powers in Europe establish the Independent State of Croatia from occupied Yugoslavia with Ante Pavelić's Ustase fascist insurgents in power.
• 1944 – Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler escape from the Birkenau death camp.
• 1953 – Warner Brothers premieres the first 3-D film, entitled House of Wax.
• 1957 – The Suez Canal is reopened for all shipping after being closed for three months.
• 1959 – Akihito, future Emperor of Japan, weds Michiko.
• 1963 – 129 people die when the submarine USS Thresher sinks at sea.
• 1968 – Shipwreck of the New Zealand inter-island ferry TEV Wahine outside Wellington harbour.
• 1971 – Ping Pong Diplomacy: In an attempt to thaw relations with the United States, the People's Republic of China hosts the U.S. table tennis team for a weeklong visit.
• 1972 – 20 days after he is kidnapped in Buenos Aires, Oberdan Sallustro is executed by communist guerrillas.
• 1972 – Vietnam War: For the first time since November 1967, American B-52 bombers reportedly begin bombing North Vietnam.
• 1973 – A British Vanguard turboprop crashes during a snowstorm at Basel, Switzerland killing 104.
• 1979 – Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak: A tornado lands in Wichita Falls, Texas killing 42 people.
• 1991 – Italian ferry Moby Prince collides with an oil tanker in dense fog off Livorno, Italy killing 140.
• 1991 – A rare tropical storm develops in the Southern Hemisphere near Angola; the first to be documented by satellites.
• 1998 – The Belfast Agreement is signed.
• 2007 – Abortion is legalized in Portugal.

Births

• 1583 – Hugo Grotius, Dutch philosopher and writer (d. 1645)
• 1651 – Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, German mathematician (d. 1708)
• 1656 – René Lepage de Ste-Claire, lord-founder of the town of Rimouski, in New France (d. 1718)
• 1704 – Benjamin Heath, English classical scholar (d. 1766)
• 1713 – John Whitehurst, English clockmaker and scientist (d. 1788)
• 1735 – Button Gwinnett, Signer of the US Declaration of Independence (d. 1777)
• 1755 – Samuel Hahnemann, German physician (d. 1843)
• 1762 – Giovanni Aldini, Italian physicist (d. 1834)
• 1778 – William Hazlitt, English writer (d. 1830)
• 1794 – Matthew C. Perry, American commodore (d. 1858)
• 1796 – James Bowie, American pioneer and soldier (d. 1836)
• 1827 – Lew Wallace, Union general in the American Civil War and novelist (d. 1905)
• 1829 – William Booth, English founder of the Salvation Army (d. 1912)
• 1837 – Forceythe Willson, American poet (d. 1867)
• 1847 – Joseph Pulitzer, American journalist and publisher (d. 1911)
• 1864 – Eugen d'Albert, German composer (d. 1932)
• 1865 – Jack Miner, Canadian conservationist (d. 1944)
• 1867 – George William Russell, Irish nationalist (d. 1935)
• 1868 – George Arliss, English actor (d. 1946)
• 1880 – Montague Summers, English writer (d. 1948)
• 1880 – Mohammed Nadir Shah, Afghan king (d. 1933)
• 1882 – Frances Perkins, American politician (d. 1965)
• 1887 – Bernardo Houssay, Argentine physiologist, Nobel laureate (d. 1971)
• 1891 – Frank Barson, English footballer (d. 1968)
• 1894 – Shri Ghanshyam Das Birla, Indian industrialist (d. 1983)
• 1897 – Ross Youngs, American baseball player (d. 1927)
• 1903 – Claire Boothe Luce, American activist, (d. 1987)
• 1910 – Paul Sweezy, American economist and editor (d. 2004)
• 1911 – Martin Denny, American musician (d. 2005)
• 1912 – Boris Kidrič, Slovenian resistance leader and Communist politician (d. 1953)
• 1913 – Stefan Heym, German author (d. 2001)
• 1915 – Harry Morgan, American actor
• 1917 – Robert Burns Woodward, American chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1979)
• 1918 – Lee Bergere, American actor (d. 2007)
• 1921 – Chuck Connors, American actor (d. 1992)
• 1921 – Sheb Wooley, American actor and singer (d. 2003)
• 1923 – Roger Gaillard, Haitian historian and novelist (d. 2000)
• 1924 – Kenneth Noland, American painter (d. 2010)
• 1925 – Linda Goodman, New York Times bestselling American astrologer and poet (d. 1995)
• 1926 – Junior Samples, American southern comedian (d. 1983)
• 1927 – Marshall Warren Nirenberg, American scientist, Nobel laureate (d. 2010)
• 1929 – Mike Hawthorn, English race car driver (d. 1959)
• 1929 – Max von Sydow, Swedish actor
• 1930 – Claude Bolling, French jazz composer and pianist
• 1930 – Norma Candal, Puerto Rican actor and comedian (d. 2006)
• 1930 – Dolores Huerta, American labor activist
• 1930 – Spede Pasanen, Finnish comedian (d. 2001)
• 1932 – Omar Sharif, Egyptian actor
• 1933 – Rokusuke Ei, Japanese lyricist and author
• 1934 – David Halberstam, American journalist and author (d. 2007)
• 1935 – John A. Bennett, American convicted rapist (d. 1961)
• 1936 – John Madden, American football coach and broadcaster
• 1937 – Bella Akhmadulina, Russian poet
• 1938 – Don Meredith, American football player and broadcaster
• 1939 – Claudio Magris, Italian author
• 1940 – Gloria Hunniford, Northern Irish TV and radio presenter
• 1941 – Paul Theroux, American author
• 1942 – Ian Callaghan, English footballer
• 1942 – Nick Auf der Maur, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 1998)
• 1943 – Andrzej Badeński, Polish athlete
• 1946 – David Angell, American television producer (d. 2001)
• 1947 – Bunny Wailer, Jamaican musician
• 1949 – Daniel Mangeas, French sports commentator
• 1950 – Ken Griffey, Sr., American baseball player
• 1950 – Eddie Hazel, American guitarist (P-Funk and The Temptations) (d. 1992)
• 1950 – Akiko Wada, Japanese singer and television performer
• 1951 – David Helvarg, American journalist and environmental activist
• 1951 – Steven Seagal, American actor
• 1954 – Peter MacNicol, American actor
• 1955 – Lesley Garrett, British soprano
• 1957 – John M. Ford, American science fiction author and poet (d. 2006)
• 1957 – Steven Gustafson, American musician 10,000 Maniacs
• 1958 – Bob Bell, British engineer
• 1958 – Yefim Bronfman, Russian-born pianist
• 1958 – Kenneth Edmonds, American music producer known by his nickname "Babyface"
• 1959 – Davy Carton, Irish musician (Saw Doctors)
• 1959 – Yvan Loubier, Quebec politician
• 1959 – Brian Setzer, American musician (Stray Cats)
• 1960 – Steve Bisciotti, American owner of the Baltimore Ravens
• 1960 – Katrina Leskanich, American musician
• 1960 – Terry Teagle, American basketball player
• 1961 – Nicky Campbell, Scottish TV & radio presenter
• 1961 – Joe Cole (roadie), American roadie (d. 1991)
• 1962 – Steve Tasker, American football player
• 1963 – Warren DeMartini, American musician
• 1963 – Doris Leuthard, member of the Swiss Federal Council
• 1965 – Tim Alexander, American musician
• 1967 – Donald Dufresne, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1967 – David Rovics, American folksinger
• 1968 – Orlando Jones, American actor and comedian
• 1969 – Billy Jayne, American actor
• 1969 – Ekaterini Koffa, Greek sprinter
• 1969 – Mike Mushok, American musician
• 1970 – Matt Barlow, American musician
• 1970 – Enrico Ciccone, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1970 – Leonard Dorin, Canadian boxer
• 1970 – Kenny Lattimore, American singer
• 1970 – Q-Tip, American musician
• 1971 – Al Reyes, Dominican baseball player
• 1971 – Brad William Henke, American actor
• 1972 – Ed Byrne, Irish stand up comedian/voice over artist
• 1973 – Guillaume Canet, French actor and film director
• 1973 – Roberto Carlos, Brazilian footballer
• 1973 – Aidan Moffat, Scottish musician
• 1973 – Christopher Simmons, American designer
• 1974 – Eric Greitens, American former military officer
• 1974 – Petros Passalis, Greek footballer
• 1975 – Chris Carrabba, American singer
• 1976 – Sara Renner, Canadian cross country skier
• 1978 – Sir Christus, Finnish guitarist
• 1979 – Shemekia Copeland, American singer
• 1979 – Rachel Corrie, American activist (d. 2003)
• 1979 – Tsuyoshi Domoto, Japanese artist
• 1979 – Sophie Ellis-Bextor, English singer
• 1979 – Peter Kopteff, Finnish footballer
• 1980 – Sean Avery, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1980 – Charlie Hunnam, British actor
• 1980 – Kasey Kahne, American race-car driver
• 1980 – Bryce Soderberg, American musician
• 1981 – Gretchen Bleiler, American snowboarder
• 1981 – Laura Bell Bundy, American actor
• 1981 – Liz McClarnon, British singer (Atomic Kitten)
• 1981 – Michael Pitt, American actor
• 1981 – Alexei Semenov, Russian ice hockey player
• 1982 – Andre Ethier, American baseball player
• 1982 – Damián Lanza, Ecuadorian footballer
• 1982 – Chyler Leigh, American actress
• 1983 – Ryan Merriman, American actor
• 1983 – Jamie Chung, American actress
• 1984 – Mandy Moore, American singer/actor
• 1984 – Cara DeLizia, American actress
• 1985 – Dion Phaneuf, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1986 – Olivia Borlée, Belgian athlete
• 1986 – Vincent Kompany, Belgian footballer
• 1986 – Ayesha Takia, Indian actress
• 1986 – Fernando Gago, Argentine footballer
• 1987 – Hayley Westenra, New Zealand soprano
• 1988 – Haley Joel Osment, American actor
• 1990 – Ben Amos, English footballer
• 1990 – Lulinha, Brazilian footballer
• 1990 – Alex Pettyfer, English actor
• 1991 – Amanda Michalka, American actress and singer
• 2007 – Princess Ariane of the Netherlands, Dutch princess

Deaths

• 879 – Louis the Stammerer, King of the West Franks (b. 846)
• 948 – King Hugh of Italy
• 1533 – King Frederick I of Denmark (b. 1471)
• 1545 – Costanzo Festa, Italian composer
• 1585 – Pope Gregory XIII (b. 1502)
• 1599 – Gabrielle d'Estrée, mistress of King Henry IV of France (b. 1571)
• 1601 – Mark Alexander Boyd, Scottish poet (b. 1562)
• 1619 – Thomas Jones, Archbishop of Dublin (b. c. 1550)
• 1640 – Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer (b. 1578)
• 1646 – Santino Solari, Swiss architect and sculptor (b. 1576)
• 1704 – William Egon of Fürstenberg, Bishop of Strassburg (b. 1629)
• 1706 – Arthur Chichester, 3rd Earl of Donegall, Irish soldier (b. 1666)
• 1756 – Giacomo Antonio Perti, Italian composer (d. 1661)
• 1760 – Jean Lebeuf, French historian (b. 1687)
• 1786 – John Byron, British naval officer (b. 1723)
• 1806 – Horatio Gates, American Revolutionary War hero (b. 1727)
• 1813 – Joseph-Louis Lagrange, Italian-born mathematician (b. 1736)
• 1823 – Karl Leonhard Reinhold, Austrian philosopher (b. 1757)
• 1882 – Dante Gabriel Rossetti, English poet and painter (b. 1828)
• 1904 – Queen Isabella II of Spain (b. 1830)
• 1909 – Algernon Charles Swinburne, English poet and critic (b. 1837)
• 1910 – Jean Moréas, Greek poet (b. 1856)
• 1919 – Emiliano Zapata, Mexican revolutionary (b. 1879)
• 1920 – Moritz Cantor, German mathematician (b. 1829)
• 1931 – Khalil Gibran, Lebanese poet and painter (b. 1883)
• 1938 – Joe "King" Oliver, American musician (b. 1885)
• 1945 – Charles Nordhoff, English-born writer (b. 1887)
• 1945 – H.N. Werkman, Dutch artist and printer (b. 1882)
• 1954 – Auguste Lumière, French film pioneer (b. 1862)
• 1954 – Oscar Mathisen, Norwegian speed skater (b. 1888)
• 1955 – Teilhard de Chardin, French paleontologist and theologian (b. 1881)
• 1958 – Chuck Willis, American singer and songwriter (b. 1928)
• 1962 – Michael Curtiz, Hungarian-born director (b. 1886)
• 1962 – Stuart Sutcliffe, English musician (The Beatles) (b. 1940)
• 1965 – Lloyd Casner, American race car driver and owner (b. 1928)
• 1965 – Linda Darnell, American actress (b. 1923)
• 1966 – Evelyn Waugh, English writer (b. 1903)
• 1968 – Gustavs Celmins, Latvian politician (b. 1899)
• 1969 – Harley J. Earl, American automobile designer (b. 1893)
• 1975 – Marjorie Main, American actress (b. 1890)
• 1979 – Nino Rota, Italian composer (b. 1911)
• 1980 – Kay Medford, American actress (b. 1914)
• 1983 – Issam Sartawi, senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (assassinated) (b. 1935)
• 1986 – Linda Creed, American songwriter (b. 1948)
• 1991 – Kevin Peter Hall, American actor (b. 1955)
• 1991 – Natalie Schafer, American actress (b. 1900)
• 1992 – Sam Kinison, American comedian (b. 1953)
• 1993 – Chris Hani, South African activist (b. 1942)
• 1994 – Sam B. Hall, American politician (b. 1924)
• 1995 – Morarji Desai, Prime Minister of India (b. 1896)
• 1997 – Michael Dorris, American author (b. 1945)
• 1999 – Heinz Fraenkel-Conrat, German-born biochemist (b. 1910)
• 1999 – Jean Vander Pyl, American voice actress (b. 1919)
• 2000 – Peter Jones, English actor (b. 1920)
• 2000 – Larry Linville, American actor (b. 1939)
• 2000 – Kirsten Rolffes, Danish actress (b. 1928)
• 2003 – Little Eva, American singer (b. 1943)
• 2005 – Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist (b. 1923)
• 2005 – Iakovos, Archbishop of America (b. 1911)
• 2005 – Al Lucas, American football player (b. 1978)
• 2005 – Scott Gottlieb, American drummer (Bleed the Dream) (b. 1970)
• 2007 – Dakota Staton, American singer (b. 1930)
• 2009 – Deborah Digges, American poet (b. 1950)

Holidays and observances

• Saint Fulbert of Chartres
• James, Azadanus and Abdicius
• Saint Paternus
• William of Ockham

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: April 10

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