On This Day

April 1769 in History

Events in History

  • Apr 22 Madame du Barry becomes King Louis XV's "official" mistress

InventionHistoric Invention

Apr 29 Scottish engineer James Watt's patent for a steam engine with a separate condenser enrolled (Patent 913)

Inventor, Engineer and Chemist James Watt
Inventor, Engineer and Chemist
James Watt

Birthdays in History

  • Apr 3 Christian Günther von Bernstorff, Danish-Prussian statesman and diplomat, born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1835)
  • Apr 13 Thomas Lawrence, English portrait painter, born in Bristol, England (d. 1830)
  • Apr 25 Marc Isambard Brunel, French-born English engineer (Thames Tunnel), born in Hacqueville, France (d. 1849)

Deaths in History

  • Apr 3 Gerhard Tersteegen, German evangelist and poet (wrote in blood), dies at 71
  • Apr 20 Pontiac, Ottawa Indian leader, murdered by a Peoria warrior at 48 or 49