December 03
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Abbo of Auxerre, Pope Abraham of Alexandria(Coptic, 6Koiak)), Adrian (Ethernan), Birinus, Cassian of Tangier, Emma (of Lesum or of Bremen), Francis Xavier, BlessedJohann Nepomuk von Tschiderer zu Gleifheim, Zephaniah, December 3 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
A Christian liturgical celebration honoring multiple saints and holy figures, observed on December 3.
Doctors' Day(Cuba)
An annual celebration in Cuba recognizing the vital contributions of medical professionals to public health.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
A UN-designated observance promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities worldwide.
Abbo of Auxerre
Feast day honoring Abbo of Auxerre, a 9th-century bishop known for monastic reform and pastoral leadership.
Pope Abraham of Alexandria(Coptic, 6Koiak))
Feast day celebrating Pope Abraham of Alexandria, a 10th-century Coptic patriarch and theological leader.
Adrian (Ethernan)
Feast day honoring Saint Adrian (Ethernan), early Celtic missionaries celebrated for their evangelistic work.
Birinus
Feast day celebrating Saint Birinus, the 7th-century missionary bishop who baptized the West Saxons.
Cassian of Tangier
Feast day commemorating Saint Cassian of Tangier, a 3rd-century martyr known for his steadfast faith.
Emma (of Lesum or of Bremen)
Feast day honoring Saint Emma of Lesum or Bremen, a 9th-century noblewoman celebrated for her charity.
Events
Pope John X crowns Berengar I of Italy as Holy Roman Emperor (probable date).
On December 3, 915, Pope John X likely crowned Berengar I of Italy as Holy Roman Emperor, reaffirming papal authority and imperial legitimacy in medieval Europe.
American Revolution: USS Alfred becomes the first vessel to fly the Continental Union Flag (precursor to the "Stars and Stripes"); the flag is hoisted by John Paul Jones.
On December 3, 1775, the USS Alfred became the first ship to fly the Continental Union Flag, a precursor to the Stars and Stripes, raised by naval officer John Paul Jones.
War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Wiesloch: Austrian Lieutenant Field Marshal Anton Sztáray defeats the French at Wiesloch.
On December 3, 1799, Austrian forces under Lieutenant Field Marshal Anton Sztáray defeated French troops at the Battle of Wiesloch during the War of the Second Coalition.
War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden: French General Jean Victor Marie Moreau decisively defeats the Archduke John of Austria near Munich. Coupled with First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte's earlier victory at Marengo, this will force the Austrians to sign an armistice and end the war.
On December 3, 1800, French forces under General Jean Victor Marie Moreau crushed Austrian troops at the Battle of Hohenlinden, sealing the defeat of the Second Coalition.
United States presidential election: The Electoral College casts votes for president and vice president that result in a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr.
On December 3, 1800, the U.S. Electoral College vote resulted in a historic tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr for the presidency.
Illinois becomes the 21st U.S. state.
On December 3, 1818, Illinois was admitted to the Union as the 21st state of the United States, expanding national frontier and representation.
The Zollverein (German Customs Union) begins the first regular census in Germany.
On December 3, 1834, the German Customs Union known as the Zollverein conducted its first regular census to collect demographic and economic data.
Battle of the Eureka Stockade: More than 20 gold miners at Ballarat, Victoria, are killed by state troopers in an uprising over mining licences.
On December 3, 1854, the Battle of the Eureka Stockade culminated in a violent clash between gold miners and government troops at Ballarat, Victoria.
Nigeria's first newspaper, missionary Henry Townsend's Iwe Irohin, was published.
On December 3, 1859, Henry Townsend published Iwe Irohin, the first newspaper in Nigeria, pioneering local journalism in West Africa.
Births
King of France from 1380 to 1422, often remembered as Charles the Mad. He ascended the throne at age 11 and ruled during the Hundred Years' War.
Bayezid II
Ottoman Sultan from 1481 to 1512, known for consolidating the empire and promoting religious tolerance.
Nicolaus von Amsdorf
German theologian and early Protestant reformer, a close ally of Martin Luther.
Jan Gruter
Dutch scholar and critic, renowned for his work in classical philology and epigraphy.
Daniel Seghers
Flemish Jesuit lay brother celebrated for his exquisite flower paintings.
John Wallis
English mathematician and cryptographer, author of influential works on algebra and the concept of infinity.
Ludvig Holberg
Norwegian-Danish writer, historian, and playwright known as the ‘Molière of the North.’
Hryhorii Skovoroda
Ukrainian philosopher, poet, and composer celebrated as a father of Ukrainian literature.
Antonio Soler
Spanish composer and music theorist renowned for his keyboard sonatas and theoretical writings.
Deaths
Diocletian
Diocletian was a Roman emperor from 284 to 305 known for his sweeping administrative reforms and the Great Persecution of Christians.
Birinus
Birinus was a French-born bishop who became the first Bishop of Dorchester and helped convert the kingdom of Wessex to Christianity.
Abbo
Abbo served briefly as bishop of Auxerre and was renowned for his monastic scholarship and ecclesiastical reforms.
Siegfried
Siegfried was a Frankish nobleman active in the politics and military affairs of the early medieval East Frankish realm.
Abraham
Abraham was the Coptic pope of Alexandria who led the Egyptian church through a period of political upheaval in the 10th century.
Emma of Lesum
Emma of Lesum was a Saxon countess and saint celebrated for her piety and generous patronage of churches and monasteries.
Saint Osmund was a Norman nobleman who became the first Bishop of Salisbury and authored the influential Sarum liturgy.
Pope Anastasius IV was pontiff from 1153 to 1154 who worked to resolve conflicts between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire.
Odofredus
Odofredus was a medieval Italian jurist and professor renowned for his influential legal commentaries at the University of Bologna.