- 1275 John II, Duke of Brabant (d. 1312)
Cosimo de Medici
1389 Cosimo de Medici, Italian banker and de facto ruler of Florence and patron of the arts, born in Florence (d. 1464)
Cosimo de Medici
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
1627 Jacques-Benigne bossuet, French bishop and writer (Louis XIV court preacher), born in Dijon, France (d. 1704)
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
- 1643 Solomon Stoddard, American Puritan clergyman, born in Boston (d. 1729)
- 1657 Sophia Alekseyevna, Regent of Russia (1682-89), born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1704)
- 1696 Alfonso Liguori, Italian bishop and theologian, born in Marianella, Campania, Kingdom of Naples (d. 1787)
- 1719 Abraham Gotthelf Kästner, German mathematician, born in Leipzig, Electorate of Saxony (d. 1800)
Samuel Adams
1722 Samuel Adams, American revolutionary (Boston Massacre-Tea Party) and politician (Lt Gov-Mass, 1789-94), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1803)
Samuel Adams
Agustín de Iturbide
1783 Agustin I de Iturbide, General and 1st Emperor of Mexico (1822-23), born in Valladolid, Michoacán, Mexico (d. 1824)
Agustín de Iturbide
- 1792 George Cruikshank, English caricaturist and illustrator (Grimms' Fairy Tales), born in London, England (d. 1878)
- 1803 Samuel Francis DuPont, American Rear Admiral (Union Navy), born in Bayonne, New Jersey (d. 1865)
- 1805 George Müller, Prussian Christian evangelist and orphanage builder, born in Kroppenstedt, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1898)
- 1809 Raphael Semmes, American Rear Admiral (Confederate Navy), born in Charles County, Maryland (d. 1877)
Hiram R. Revels
1817 Hiram R. Revels, 1st African American US Senator, born in Fayetteville, North Carolina (d. 1901)
Hiram R. Revels
- 1821 Henri-Frédéric Amiel, Swiss writer (Grains de Mil), born in Geneva, Switzerland (d. 1881)
- 1824 William "Bull" Nelson, American Major General (Union Army), born in Maysville, Kentucky (d. 1862)
- 1830 William Babcock Hazen, American Major General (Union Army), born in West Hartford, Vermont (d. 1887)
- 1835 John Murray Corse, American politician and Major General (Union Army), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 1893 [or 4/27])
- 1838 Anthony Modderman, Dutch politician (Minister of Justice, 1879-83), born in Winschoten, Netherlands (d. 1885)
- 1840 Alfred Thayer Mahan, American naval officer (Influence of Sea Power), born in West Point, New York (d. 1914)
Thomas Nast
1840 Thomas Nast, German political cartoonist of late 1800s America, born in Landau, Germany (d. 1902)
Thomas Nast
- 1842 Alphonse François Renard, Belgian geologist, born in Ronse, Belgium (d. 1903)
- 1843 Gaston Tarry, French mathematician, born in Villefranche de Rouergue, Aveyron, France (d. 1913)
- 1858 Þorsteinn Erlingsson, Icelandic poet (Pyrnar), born in Iceland (d. 1914)
- 1862 Louis Botha, 1st Prime Minister of South Africa (1910-19), born in Greytown, South Africa (d. 1919)
- 1864 Alexander Cohen, Dutch anarchist and author, born in Leeuwarden, Netherlands (d. 1961)
- 1864 Andrej Hlinka, Slovak politician and Catholic priest, born in Liptó County, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary (d. 1938)
- 1866 Tryggve Andersen, Norwegian writer (Fra Cancelliraadens Dage), born in Ringsaker, Norway (d. 1920)
- 1866 Eurosia Fabris, Italian Catholic (model of holiness in the daily life of a Catholic family), born in Quinto Vicentino, Italy (d. 1932)
- 1867 Rosa Lewis, English chef and owner (Cavandish Hotel London), born in Leyton, Essex (d. 1952)
- 1871 Grazia Deledda, Italian author (Nobel 1926), born in Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy (d. 1936)
- 1879 Hans Hahn, Austrian mathematician, born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (d. 1934)
- 1885 Harry Blackstone Sr., American magician, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1965)
- 1893 Joannes Cornelissen, Dutch historian (Hooft & Tacitus)
- 1894 Lothar von Richthofen, German pilot, born in Kleinburg, Germany (d. 1922)
- 1896 Sam Ervin, American politician (U.S. Senator from North Carolina) and Watergate committee chairman, born in Morganton, North Carolina (d. 1985)
- 1905 Vjekoslav Kaleb, Croatian writer (Splendor of the Fabric), born in Tisno, Croatia (d. 1996)
- 1906 William Empson, English poet and critic (Milton's God), born in Hawdon, Yorkshire, England (d. 1984)
- 1906 Jim Thompson, American author (The Killer Inside Me), born in Anadarko, Oklahoma (d. 1977)
Bhagat Singh
1907 Bhagat Singh, Indian freedom fighter, born in Jaranwala Tehsil, Punjab (d. 1931)
Bhagat Singh
- 1908 Shiv Verma, Indian revolutionary soldier (d. 1997)
- 1910 Giles Playfair, English writer, born in Kensington, London (d. 1996)
- 1911 Peter Doig, British Labour Party politician, born in Lochgelly, Fife, Scotland (d. 1996)
- 1912 Gerben Wagenaar, Dutch resistance fighter and communist, born in Amsterdam (d. 1993)
- 1912 Mary Grierson, Welsh botanical artist, born in Bangor, Wales (d. 2012)
- 1913 Albert Ellis, American psychologist, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2007)
- 1916 Samuel S. Stratton, American politician (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York), born in Yonkers, New York (d. 1990)
- 1916 Frank Handlen, American artist
- 1917 Louis Auchincloss, Lawrence NY, lawyer/novelist (Watchfires)
- 1918 Malcolm Shepherd [2nd Baron Shepherd], Politician (L) and Leader of the House of Lords (1974-76), born in Blackburn, Lancashire (d. 2001)
- 1918 Martin Ryle, Britain, radio astronomer/astronomer royal (1972-82)
- 1919 Charles H Percy, (Sen-R-Ill)
- 1919 Jayne Meadows, American actress (Dark Delusion, David and Bathsheba) and wife of Steve Allen, born in Wuchang, Hubei, China (d. 2015)
- 1919 James H. Wilkinson, American mathematician (d. 1986)
- 1920 J K Gill, president (Saatchi & Saatchi)
- 1921 Dennis Nineham, British theologian, (d. 2016)
- 1922 Arthur Penn, director (Miracle Worker, Bonnie & Clyde), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 1924 Bernard Waber, American author, (d. 2013)
- 1924 Fred Singer, American scientist
- 1924 Josef Skvorecky, Czechoslovakia, writer and publisher (End of the Nylon Age, The Cowards) (d. 2012)
- 1925 Robert Edwards, Batley, Yorkshire, physiologist (IVF pioneer, Nobel 2010), (d. 2013)
- 1927 Eli van der Merwe Louw, South African minister of Transport/Manpower
- 1927 Steve Stavro, Canadian businessman (d. 2006)
- 1928 G H Martin, British keeper of Public Records
- 1928 Margaret Rule, consultant (Mary Rose Trust)
- 1930 Roger Birch, Chief Constable (Sussex)
- 1931 Gerald Warner, deputy secretary (Cabinet Office)
- 1932 Peter Holmes, CEO (Shell Transport & Trading Company
- 1932 Oliver E. Williamson, American economist
- 1932 Yash Chopra, Indian director, (d. 2012)
- 1933 Rodney Cotterill, Danish-English physicist (d. 2007)
- 1934 DAER Peake, CEO (Kleinwort Benson Group)
- 1936 Yuri Nikolayevich Stepanov, Russian cosmonaut
- 1938 Alexander Graham, Lord Mayor of London
- 1939 Jim Ross Lightfoot, (Rep-R-Iowa, 1985- )
- 1939 Nicholas Haslam, English interior designer, born in Amersham
- 1939 Carol Lynn Pearson, American poet and writer
- 1941 Serge Ménard, Québécois politician
- 1942 Tessa Blackstone "the Red Baroness", British politician and educator, born in Bures
- 1943 Anna Gael, [Gyarmarthy], Lady Weymouth, born in Budapest, Hungary
- 1943 Amedeo, 5th Duke of Aosta, Italian aristocrat
- 1944 IDG Garnett, British Vice-Admiral, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (NATO)
- 1945 Jack Goldstein, Canadian-born artist (d. 2003)
- 1945 Kay Ryan, American poet (Hide and Seek), born in San Jose, California
- 1946 Peter H Kostmayer, (Rep-D-PA, 1977-81, 83- )
- 1946 Ronald Fox, senior partner (Fox Williams)
- 1946 T.C. Cannon, Kiowa/Caddo artist (d. 1978)
- 1947 Jacques Wallage, sociologist/Dutch undersecretary of Education
- 1947 Mary Jo White, American lawyer and Chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, born in Kansas City, Missouri
- 1948 Michael Houlihan, director (Horniman Museum & Gardens)
- 1948 John K. Reed, American coral biologist
- 1949 Graham Richardson, Australian politician
- 1951 Jim Shooter, American comic book writer
- 1951 Paul Craig, British law professor
- 1952 Doemitri Dorin Prunariu, Romania, cosmonaut (Soyuz 40)
- 1952 Didier Dubois, French mathematician
- 1953 Diane Abbott, British politician (L) 1st black woman elected to UK parliament, born in London
- 1953 Mata Amritanandamayi, Indian religious leader
- 1954 Ray Hadley, Australian radio broadcaster
- 1955 Thelma Aldana, Guatemalan judge and 11th Guatemalan Attorney General, born in Gualán, Zacapa
- 1960 Nick della Casa, British Brazilian Argentine cameraman (Emmy Award)
- 1960 Barron Lerner, American physician and historian
- 1961 Irvine Welsh, Scottish writer
- 1965 Alexis Stewart, American radio personality, born in New York City
- 1965 Bernard Lord, Premier of New Brunswick
- 1966 Stephanie D Wilson, astronaut, born in Boston, Massachusetts
- 1970 Yoshiharu Habu, Japanese professional shogi player
- 1972 Craig L. Rice, American Politician
- 1976 Matt Harding, American video game developer
- 1981 Sophie Crumb, American comics artist
- 1984 Paul Bevan, Australian rules footballer
- 1996 Iman bint Al Abdullah II, princess of Jordan
September in History
'I Have Heard The Voice of Adolf Hitler . . .'
Hitler's speech threatening Czechoslovakia was broadcast on this day. Among those listening to the ‘mad dog of Europe’ was a journalist in an American hotel.
September 26, 1938
Fear as First Passenger Train Reaches 15mph
The steam engine Locomotion No. 1 took passengers for a ride on this day – the first in the world to do so and, for at least one person, at frightening speed.
September 27, 1825
And God Created Brigitte Bardot . . .
Brigitte Bardot, a leading sex symbol of the 1950s and 1960s, was born on this day. Such was her fame that she became widely known simply by her initials – BB.
September 28, 1934
Major Effect of a Miniature Portrait
He fought many a battle but the warrior Clive of India, born on this day, was brought to his knees by a small picture of a beautiful woman.
September 29, 1725