March 29
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Armogastes, Berthold of Calabria, Gwynllyw, Jonas and Barachisius, March 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
A Christian feast day in the Eastern Orthodox Church honoring saints Armogastes, Berthold of Calabria, Gwynllyw, Jonas and Barachisius.
Boganda Day(Central African Republic)
Boganda Day is a national holiday in the Central African Republic honoring Barthélemy Boganda, the country's first prime minister and a leading figure in its independence movement.
Commemoration of the 1947 Rebellion(Madagascar)
A day of remembrance in Madagascar honoring the 1947 Uprising against French colonial rule.
National Vietnam War Veterans Day(United States)
National Vietnam War Veterans Day honors the service and sacrifice of Americans who served in the Vietnam War.
Day of the Young Combatant(Chile)
Day of the Young Combatant is a Chilean observance of protest and remembrance for young people killed during the country's political turmoil.
Youth Day(Taiwan)
Youth Day in Taiwan commemorates the 1911 Huanghuagang Uprising and celebrates the contributions of young people to national development.
Armogastes
Feast day honoring Saint Armogastes, commemorated on March 29 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Berthold of Calabria
Feast day of Saint Berthold of Calabria, celebrated on March 29 in the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
Gwynllyw
Feast day of Saint Gwynllyw, a Welsh king turned hermit, observed on March 29 in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Events
The Ottoman Empire under Murad II captures Thessalonica from the Republic of Venice.
In 1430, Murad II leads the Ottoman Empire to seize the strategic port city of Thessalonica from the Republic of Venice.
Battle of Towton: Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Edward IV of England, bringing a temporary stop to the Wars of the Roses.
At the Battle of Towton in 1461, Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret and secures the throne as Edward IV, temporarily ending the Wars of the Roses.
The city of Salvador, Bahia, the first capital of Brazil, is founded.
The city of Salvador, Bahia, is founded in 1549 as the first capital of colonial Brazil.
Treaty of Saint-Germain is signed returning Quebec to French control after the English had seized it in 1629.
The 1632 Treaty of Saint-Germain returns Quebec to French control after English occupation.
King Gustav III of Sweden dies after being shot in the back at a midnight masquerade ball at Stockholm's Royal Opera 13 days earlier.
King Gustav III of Sweden dies in 1792 after being shot at a royal masquerade ball.
Construction is authorized of the Great National Pike, better known as the Cumberland Road, becoming the first United States federal highway.
In 1806, the U.S. authorizes construction of the Great National Pike, the first federal highway.
King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden abdicates after a coup d'état.
King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden abdicates the throne in 1809 following a coup d'état.
At the Diet of Porvoo, Finland's four Estates pledge allegiance to Alexander I of Russia, commencing the secession of the Grand Duchy of Finland from Sweden.
At the 1809 Diet of Porvoo, Finland's Estates swear allegiance to Alexander I, marking Finland's secession from Sweden.
Mexican–American War: United States forces led by General Winfield Scott take Veracruz after a siege.
U.S. forces under General Winfield Scott capture Veracruz in 1847 after a siege.
Births
Arthur I
Medieval Duke of Brittany and grandson of King Henry II of England, remembered for his disputed claim to the English throne.
Santorio Santorio
Italian physician and pioneer of quantitative experimental medicine, credited with inventing the first thermometer.
Ferdinando Fairfax
English general and politician who led Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War and later served in the House of Lords.
John Lightfoot
English priest, scholar, and first Master of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, known for his biblical scholarship and chronologies.
John Ponsonby
Irish politician who served as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and a leading figure in 18th-century Irish governance.
Johann Karl August Musäus
German author best known for his collections of folk tales and pioneering contributions to German literature.
Johann Wilhelm Hässler
German pianist and composer acclaimed for his virtuosic performances and chamber music contributions.
Jean-de-Dieu Soult
French general and statesman who served as a Marshal of the Empire under Napoleon and twice as Prime Minister of France.
Jørgen Jørgensen
Danish adventurer and naval officer known for briefly declaring himself king of Iceland and his varied exploits.
Deaths
Gwynllyw
Gwynllyw was a 5th-century Welsh king who later embraced a religious life and founded churches in southeast Wales.
Pope Stephen IX led the Catholic Church briefly in the 11th century, noted for his reformist efforts and clashes with Roman nobility.
Henry Percy
Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland, was an English nobleman and Lancastrian commander during the Wars of the Roses.
Lionel Welles
Lionel Welles, 6th Baron Welles, was an English nobleman and diplomat who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland before dying in battle.
Tobias Matthew
Tobias Matthew was an English archbishop of York and noted scholar who influenced church and academy in the early 17th century.
Jacob de Gheyn II
Jacob de Gheyn II was a Dutch Golden Age painter and engraver celebrated for his precise still lifes and influential print series.
Nicolaus Bruhns
Nicolaus Bruhns was a Baroque composer, organist, and violinist known for his expressive sonatas and rich organ music.
George Frederick II
George Frederick II was Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach who presided over his principality during the late 17th century.
Thomas Coram
Thomas Coram was an English sea captain turned philanthropist who established London's Foundling Hospital for abandoned children.