Sir Isaac Newton dies (1727), and Tunisia gains independence from France (1956). Born on this day: Ovid, Henrik Ibsen and Carl Reiner. Died: Lev Ivanovich Yashin, Kenny Rogers and Clement III.
32 events, 69 births and 72 deaths on this date.
English polymath Isaac Newton died, leaving behind the Principia, whose 1687 treatise on motion and gravity underpinned physics for centuries until Einstein's relativity superseded parts of it. He also made lasting advances in optics and calculus, the latter developed years before Leibniz.
Godfrey Kneller · Public domainAfter decades of French rule, Tunisia became a sovereign state on this day in 1956. The move ended the protectorate that had governed the country since 1881, and Habib Bourguiba became its leader.
Einstein sent the finished version of his gravity theory, which describes gravity as the bending of space and time, to a German physics journal. Its ideas still underpin modern physics and astronomy.
Ferdinand Schmutzer / Adam Cuerden · Public domain
Wilhelm II removed the man who had built the German Empire, ending Bismarck's nearly two decades at the centre of power. Bismarck had led Prussia through three wars and served as the empire's first chancellor from 1871.
André Bockmann · Public domain
Ovid went on to write the Metamorphoses, a sweeping collection of myths in fifteen books that remains a main guide to classical mythology. Augustus later exiled him to the Black Sea, where he spent his final years.
Lucasaw · CC BY-SA 4.0
A meeting in Ripon, Wisconsin, called for a new party to oppose the Kansas–Nebraska Act and the spread of slavery into American territories. The idea spread quickly across the northern states, and the resulting Republican Party soon became the chief rival to the Democrats.
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Ovid was a Roman poet under Augustus, remembered for the Metamorphoses, a sweeping collection of myths in fifteen books. Exiled to the Black Sea by the emperor, he spent his last years far from Rome.
Lucasaw · CC BY-SA 4.0
Norwegian playwright who pioneered theatrical realism and is often called the father of modern drama. His plays, including A Doll's House and Ghosts, shocked audiences with their frank looks at family life.
Henrik Olrik · Public domain
Carl Reiner was an American writer, director and actor who helped shape early television comedy. He created The Dick Van Dyke Show and directed a run of hit films, including several with Steve Martin.
Louise Palanker from Los Angeles/Santa Barbara, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Yashin was the Soviet goalkeeper who redefined his position by commanding his defence and rushing off his line. Known as the Black Spider, he was the only goalkeeper to win the Ballon d'Or, in 1963.
Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain
Kenny Rogers was an American country singer-songwriter who sold over 100 million records and moved from folk and psychedelic rock with the First Edition to a long solo career. He is best remembered for hits like The Gambler and Lady.
John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Clement III led the Church and the Papal States for barely three years before his death. He ended a long standoff with Rome by letting the city elect its own magistrates, which brought the papacy home after six years away.
French anonymous · Public domain
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