March 04
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Adrian of Nicomedia, Casimir, Felix of Rhuys, Giovanni Antonio Farina(Catholic Church), BlessedHumbert III, Count of Savoy(Roman Catholic Church), Paul Cuffee(Episcopal Church), Peter of Pappacarbone, BlessedZoltán Meszlényi, March 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
An annual Christian observance honoring several saints including Adrian of Nicomedia, Casimir, and others.
St Casimir's Day(PolandandLithuania)
A feast day celebrating Saint Casimir, patron of Poland and Lithuania, known for his piety and charity.
World Obesity Day
An international awareness day highlighting the global challenge of obesity and promoting healthier lifestyles.
Adrian of Nicomedia
Feast day of Adrian of Nicomedia, a Roman soldier and Christian martyr reputedly executed for his faith.
Casimir
Commemoration of Saint Casimir, patron saint of Poland and Lithuania, celebrated for his kindness and devotion.
Felix of Rhuys
Feast day of Saint Felix of Rhuys, an 11th-century abbot who revived monastic life in Brittany.
Giovanni Antonio Farina(Catholic Church)
Memorial of Bishop Giovanni Antonio Farina, a 19th-century educator and founder of religious teaching congregations.
BlessedHumbert III, Count of Savoy(Roman Catholic Church)
Memorial of Blessed Humbert III of Savoy, known for his charity and peacemaking in 12th-century Europe.
Paul Cuffee(Episcopal Church)
Commemoration of Paul Cuffee, an 18th-century African-American entrepreneur and advocate for education and emigration.
Events
Nero, later to become Roman emperor, is given the title princeps iuventutis (head of the youth).
In AD 51, Nero, the future Roman emperor, is granted the title princeps iuventutis, marking his early rise within the imperial hierarchy.
Martyrdom of Saint Adrian of Nicomedia.
In 306, Adrian of Nicomedia, a Roman imperial guard, is martyred for his Christian faith and later venerated as a saint.
Yang Jian declares himself Emperor Wen of Sui, ending the Northern Zhou and beginning the Sui dynasty.
In 581, Yang Jian proclaims himself Emperor Wen of Sui, marking the transition from the Northern Zhou to the Sui dynasty in China.
Croatian Knez Trpimir I issues a statute, a document with the first known written mention of the Croats name in Croatian sources.
In 852, Knez Trpimir I issues the first known Croatian legal statute, containing the earliest recorded mention of the Croats in their native sources.
Translation of the relics of martyr Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, Prince of the Czechs.
In 938, the relics of Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, are solemnly translated to a new shrine, enhancing his veneration as patron of the Czech lands.
Frederick I Barbarossa is elected King of Germany.
Frederick I Barbarossa is elected King of Germany in 1152, beginning his storied reign within the Holy Roman Empire.
The Battle of the Sit River begins two centuries of Mongol horde domination of Rus.
The Battle of the Sit River on March 4, 1238, sees Mongol forces decisively defeat the Rus' principalities, ushering in two centuries of domination.
Ramathibodi becomes King of Siam.
In 1351, Ramathibodi I ascends the throne of Ayutthaya, laying the foundations of the Siamese kingdom’s golden age.
Władysław II Jagiełło (Jogaila) is crowned King of Poland.
On March 4, 1386, Grand Duke Jogaila of Lithuania is crowned Władysław II Jagiełło, King of Poland, marking the Polish–Lithuanian union's beginnings.
Births
Liu Zhiyuan
Chinese military leader who established the Later Han Dynasty during the Five Dynasties period.
Al-Musabbihi
Fatimid-era historian and court official known for his vivid accounts of caliphal life.
Blanche of Castile
Queen consort of France who governed as regent and secured the realm during her son's minority.
Henry the Navigator
Portuguese prince who sponsored voyages that expanded European exploration along Africa's coast.
George
German margrave who ruled Brandenburg-Ansbach during the early Reformation period.
Francesco de Layolle
Italian Renaissance composer and organist celebrated for his sacred and secular works.
Elisabeth of Hesse
German princess who became Electress of Saxony and influenced religious and cultural life.
Hindal Mirza
Mughal prince and governor who was known for his service under his brother Humayun.
Henry Carey
English nobleman and courtier who served as Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth I.
Deaths
Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia
A Christian couple martyred during Roman persecution for refusing to renounce their faith.
Landry of Sées
A 5th-century bishop known for his pastoral care and dedication to the poor in Normandy.
Pelagius I
Pope from 556 to 561, recognized for his charity and efforts to restore churches after the Gothic Wars.
Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah
Founder of the Fatimid Caliphate who established the ruling dynasty in North Africa.
Stephen III
King of Hungary from 1162 to 1172 who defended his realm against Byzantine and Holy Roman ambitions.
Saladin
Military leader who united Muslim forces and recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187.
Joan of England
English princess who served as Queen Consort of Scotland through her marriage to Alexander II.
Yuri II
Grand Prince of Vladimir whose reign was marked by both consolidation and conflict with neighboring states.
Daniel of Moscow
Founder of the Muscovite ducal line who established Moscow as a political center.