Historical Events Oct 9 Mérida is founded in Venezuela Famous Birthdays Oct 12 Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria (1612-18), born in Wiener Neustadt, Austria (d. 1618) Oct 12 Jacques Sirmond, French scholar and Jesuit, born in Riom, France (d. 1651) Famous Deaths Oct 18 Maria, Queen of Hungary as wife of Louis II and Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands (1531-55), dies at 53 Oct 21 Julius Caesar Scaliger, Italian-French physician and scholar (On the Subtlety of Things), dies at 74 Share On Facebook Share On Twitter 1557 History by Year 1559