Birthdays in History Dec 30 Ahmed III, 23rd Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1703-30), born in Dobrich, Ottoman Empire (d. 1736) Deaths in History Dec 15 Margaret Cavendish, English poet, playwright and philosopher (early science fiction work The Blazing World), dies at about 50 Dec 28 Joan Blaeu, Dutch cartographer/publisher (Atlas Major), dies at 77 Dec 31 Oliver St John, English statesman and judge 1672 On This Day in History 1674