On This Day in History — September 13

Highlights of September 13

• 2008 — Five bomb blasts took place in Delhi, India, killing at least 20 people as part of a series of attacks perpetrated by the Indian Mujahideen. Read more
• 2005 — A software bug caused a simulated pandemic in the online video game World of Warcraft, serving as a model for epidemiologists to understand how human interaction influences disease outbreaks. Read more
• 1993 — Nirvana released their third and final studio album, In Utero, which went on to sell more than 15 million copies. Read more
• 1988 — Hurricane Gilbert reached a minimum pressure of 888 mb (26.22 inHg) with sustained flight-level winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), making it the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record at the time. Read more
• 1985 — Super Mario Bros., one of the most influential and best-selling video games in history, was first released in Japan for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Read more
• 1971 — Following a failed coup attempt, Mao Zedong's second-in-command Lin Biao died in a plane crash while attempting to flee China. Read more
• 1964 — South Vietnamese generals Lâm Văn Phát and Dương Văn Đức staged a coup attempt after being demoted by junta leader Nguyễn Khánh. Read more
• 1959 — The Soviet spacecraft Luna 2 (model pictured) struck the Moon, the first spacecraft to reach another celestial body. Read more
• 1937 — Chicago Public Schools began delivering lessons via radio amid to a polio outbreak, marking the first large-scale use of radio broadcasts for distance education. Read more
• 1919 — The Boston police strike ended after four days of rule by the state militia, the deaths of nine people, and accusations that striking officers were "agents of Lenin". Read more
• 1914 — World War I: The French army repulsed a German assault against their positions on high ground near the city of Nancy. Read more
• 1848 — An explosion drove an iron rod through the head of railroad foreman Phineas Gage; his survival and recovery influenced 19th-century discussion of psychology and neuroscience. Read more
• 1814 — War of 1812: Fort McHenry in Baltimore's Inner Harbor was attacked by British forces during the Battle of Baltimore, inspiring Francis Scott Key to write "Defence of Fort McHenry", later used as the lyrics to the United States national anthem. Read more
• 1759 — French and Indian War: British forces won the Battle of the Plains of Abraham near Quebec City, despite General James Wolfe being mortally wounded. Read more
• 1567 — The siege of Inabayama Castle, the final battle in Oda Nobunaga's campaign to conquer Mino Province, began; it culminated in a decisive victory for Nobunaga. Read more
• 1541 — After three years of exile, French theologian John Calvin (pictured) returned to Geneva to reform the church under a system of Christian theology later known as Calvinism. Read more
• 533 — The Byzantines under Belisarius defeated the Vandal King Gelimer at the Battle of Ad Decimum near Carthage, and began the "Reconquest of the West" under Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Read more
• 509 BC — According to Roman tradition, the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus (depicted), the most important temple in ancient Rome, was dedicated. Read more

Events

• 2013 — Taliban insurgents attack the United States consulate in Herat, Afghanistan, with two members of the Afghan National Police reported dead and about 20 civilians injured. Read more
• 2008 — Delhi, India, is hit by a series of bomb blasts, resulting in 30 deaths and 130 injuries. Read more
• 2007 — The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. Read more
• 2007 — The McLaren F1 team are found guilty of possessing confidential information from the Ferrari team, fined $100 million, and excluded from the constructors' championship standings. Read more
• 2001 — Civilian aircraft traffic resumes in the United States after the September 11 attacks. Read more
• 1997 — A German Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 and a United States Air Force Lockheed C-141 Starlifter collide in mid-air near Namibia, killing 33. Read more
• 1993 — Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin shakes hands with Palestine Liberation Organization chairman Yasser Arafat at the White House after signing the Oslo Accords granting limited Palestinian autonomy. Read more
• 1989 — Largest anti-Apartheid march in South Africa, led by Desmond Tutu. Read more
• 1988 — Hurricane Gilbert is the strongest recorded hurricane in the Western Hemisphere, later replaced by Hurricane Wilma in 2005 (based on barometric pressure). Read more
• 1987 — Goiânia accident: A radioactive object is stolen from an abandoned hospital in Goiânia, Brazil, contaminating many people in the following weeks and causing some to die from radiation poisoning. Read more
• 1986 — A magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes Kalamata, Greece with a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), killing at least 20 and causing heavy damage in the city. Read more
• 1985 — Super Mario Bros. is released in Japan for the NES, which starts the Super Mario series of platforming games. Read more
• 1982 — Spantax Flight 995 crashes at Málaga Airport during a rejected takeoff, killing 50 of the 394 people on board. Read more
• 1979 — South Africa grants independence to the "homeland" of Venda (not recognised outside South Africa). Read more
• 1971 — State police and National Guardsmen storm New York's Attica Prison to quell a prison revolt, which claimed 43 lives. Read more
• 1971 — Chairman Mao Zedong's second in command and successor Marshal Lin Biao flees China after the failure of an alleged coup. His plane crashes in Mongolia, killing all aboard. Read more
• 1968 — Cold War: Albania leaves the Warsaw Pact. Read more
• 1964 — South Vietnamese Generals Lâm Văn Phát and Dương Văn Đức fail in a coup attempt against General Nguyễn Khánh. Read more
• 1964 — Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd of 20,000 West Berliners on Sunday, in Waldbühne. Read more
• 1962 — An appeals court orders the University of Mississippi to admit James Meredith, the first African-American student admitted to the segregated university. Read more
• 1956 — The IBM 305 RAMAC is introduced, the first commercial computer to use disk storage. Read more
• 1956 — The dike around the Dutch polder East Flevoland is closed. Read more
• 1953 — Nikita Khrushchev is appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Read more
• 1948 — Deputy Prime Minister of India Vallabhbhai Patel orders the Army to move into Hyderabad to integrate it with the Indian Union. Read more
• 1948 — Margaret Chase Smith is elected United States senator, and becomes the first woman to serve in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the United States Senate. Read more
• 1944 — World War II: Start of the Battle of Meligalas between the Greek Resistance forces of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) and the collaborationist security battalions. Read more
• 1942 — World War II: Second day of the Battle of Edson's Ridge in the Guadalcanal Campaign. U.S. Marines successfully defeat attacks by the Japanese with heavy losses for the Japanese forces. Read more
• 1933 — Elizabeth McCombs becomes the first woman elected to the New Zealand Parliament. Read more
• 1923 — Following a military coup in Spain, Miguel Primo de Rivera takes over, setting up a dictatorship. Read more
• 1922 — The final act of the Greco-Turkish War, the Great Fire of Smyrna, commences. Read more
• 1906 — The Santos-Dumont 14-bis makes a short hop, the first flight of a fixed-wing aircraft in Europe. Read more
• 1900 — Filipino insurgents defeat a small American column in the Battle of Pulang Lupa, during the Philippine–American War. Read more
• 1899 — Mackinder, Ollier and Brocherel make the first ascent of Batian (5,199 m – 17,058 ft), the highest peak of Mount Kenya. Read more
• 1898 — Hannibal Goodwin patents celluloid photographic film. Read more
• 1882 — Anglo-Egyptian War: English forces defeat the Egyptian army in the battle of Tel el-Kebir. Read more
• 1880 — The Basuto Gun War breaks out after the Basuto launch a rebellion against the Cape Colony. Read more
• 1862 — American Civil War: Union soldiers find a copy of Robert E. Lee's battle plans in a field outside Frederick, Maryland. It is the prelude to the Battle of Antietam. Read more
• 1848 — Vermont railroad worker Phineas Gage survives an iron rod 1+1⁄4 inches (3.2 cm) in diameter being driven through his brain; the reported effects on his behavior and personality stimulate discussion of the nature of the brain and its functions. Read more
• 1847 — Mexican–American War: Six teenage military cadets known as Niños Héroes die defending Chapultepec Castle in the Battle of Chapultepec. American troops under General Winfield Scott capture Mexico City in the Mexican–American War. Read more
• 1843 — The Greek Army rebels (OS date: September 3) against the autocratic rule of king Otto of Greece, demanding the granting of a constitution. Read more
• 1814 — In a turning point in the War of 1812, the British fail to capture Baltimore. During the battle, Francis Scott Key composes his poem "Defence of Fort McHenry", which is later set to music and becomes the United States' national anthem. Read more
• 1812 — War of 1812: A supply wagon sent to relieve Fort Harrison is ambushed in the Attack at the Narrows. Read more
• 1808 — Finnish War: In the Battle of Jutas, Swedish forces under Lieutenant General Georg Carl von Döbeln beat the Russians, making von Döbeln a Swedish war hero. Read more
• 1807 — Beethoven's Mass in C major, Op. 86, is premiered, commissioned by Nikolaus I, Prince Esterházy, and displeasing him. Read more
• 1791 — King Louis XVI accepts the new French constitution. Read more
• 1788 — The Congress of the Confederation sets the date for the first presidential election in the United States, and New York City becomes the country's temporary capital. Read more
• 1782 — American Revolutionary War: Franco-Spanish troops launch the unsuccessful "grand assault" during the Great Siege of Gibraltar. Read more
• 1759 — Battle of the Plains of Abraham: the British defeat the French near Quebec City in the Seven Years' War, known in the United States as the French and Indian War. Read more
• 1743 — Great Britain, Austria and the Kingdom of Sardinia sign the Treaty of Worms. Read more
• 1645 — Wars of the Three Kingdoms: Scottish Royalists are defeated by Covenanters at the Battle of Philiphaugh. Read more
• 1609 — Henry Hudson reaches the river that would later be named after him – the Hudson River. Read more
• 1500 — Pedro Álvares Cabral and his Portuguese fleet arrive in Calicut, having crossed both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Read more
• 1437 — Battle of Tangier: a Portuguese expeditionary force initiates a failed attempt to seize the Moroccan citadel of Tangier. Read more
• 1229 — Ögedei Khan is proclaimed Khagan of the Mongol Empire in Kodoe Aral, Khentii: Mongolia. Read more
• 604 — Consecration of pope Sabinian following the death of pope Gregory I earlier that year. Read more
• 533 — Belisarius of the Byzantine Empire defeats Gelimer and the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimum, near Carthage, North Africa. Read more
• 531 — Khosrow I becomes king of the Sassanid Empire following the death of his father Kavad I. He starts negotiations with the Byzantine Empire to end the Iberian War. Read more
• 509 BC — The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on Rome's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September. Read more
• 585 BC — Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, king of Rome, celebrates a triumph for his victories over the Sabines, and the surrender of Collatia. Read more

Born on September 13

• 1999 — Açucena, Brazilian politician Read more
• 1999 — Yeonjun, South Korean singer, songwriter and dancer Read more
• 1998 — Satoshi, Moldovan rapper and singer-songwriter Read more
• 1996 — Adrian Kempe, Swedish ice hockey player Read more
• 1996 — Lili Reinhart, American actress Read more
• 1995 — Joca, Portuguese footballer Read more
• 1995 — Jerry Tollbring, Swedish handball player Read more
• 1994 — Leonor Andrade, Portuguese singer Read more
• 1994 — Anna Karolína Schmiedlová, Slovak tennis player Read more
• 1994 — Cameron Munster, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1994 — Sepp Kuss, American professional cyclist Read more
• 1993 — Niall Horan, Irish singer Read more
• 1993 — Alice Merton, Irish-Canadian singer and songwriter Read more
• 1992 — Darren Waller, American football player Read more
• 1991 — Ksenia Afanasyeva, Russian gymnast Read more
• 1990 — Craig Cunningham, Canadian ice hockey player Read more
• 1990 — Aoi Nakabeppu, Japanese model and actress Read more
• 1990 — Luciano Narsingh, Dutch footballer Read more
• 1989 — Elysée Irié Bi Séhi, Ivorian footballer Read more
• 1989 — Kenny Edwards, New Zealand rugby league player Read more
• 1989 — Jon Mannah, Australian rugby league player (died 2013) Read more
• 1989 — Thomas Müller, German footballer Read more
• 1989 — William Owusu, Ghanaian footballer Read more
• 1988 — Luis Rentería, Panamanian footballer (died 2014) Read more
• 1988 — Keith Treacy, Irish footballer Read more
• 1987 — Edenilson Bergonsi, Brazilian footballer Read more
• 1987 — Jonathan de Guzmán, Canadian-Dutch footballer Read more
• 1987 — Luke Fitzgerald, Irish rugby player Read more
• 1987 — Tsvetana Pironkova, Bulgarian tennis player Read more
• 1986 — Steve Colpaert, Belgian footballer Read more
• 1986 — Derek Hardman, American football player Read more
• 1986 — Kamui Kobayashi, Japanese race car driver Read more
• 1986 — Sean Williams, American basketball player Read more
• 1985 — David Jordan, English singer-songwriter Read more
• 1985 — Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Australian rugby league player Read more
• 1984 — Nabil Abou-Harb, American director, producer, and screenwriter Read more
• 1984 — Baron Corbin, American wrestler Read more
• 1983 — James Bourne, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Read more
• 1983 — Molly Crabapple, American illustrator and journalist Read more
• 1983 — Ryan Del Monte, Canadian ice hockey player Read more

Died on September 13

• 2024 — Wolfgang Gerhardt, German politician (born 1943) Read more
• 2024 — Pravin Gordhan, South African politician (born 1949) Read more
• 2024 — Lex Marinos, Australian actor (born 1949) Read more
• 2024 — Mary McFadden, American fashion designer (born 1938) Read more
• 2022 — Jean-Luc Godard, French-Swiss film director, screenwriter, and film critic (born 1930) Read more
• 2019 — Eddie Money, American musician (born 1949) Read more
• 2017 — Pete Domenici, American politician, senator of New Mexico (born 1932) Read more
• 2016 — Jonathan Riley-Smith, British historian (born 1938) Read more
• 2015 — Vivinho, Brazilian footballer (born 1961) Read more
• 2015 — Erma Bergmann, American baseball player (born 1924) Read more
• 2015 — Brian Close, English cricketer and coach (born 1931) Read more
• 2015 — Moses Malone, American basketball player and sportscaster (born 1955) Read more
• 2014 — Benjamin Adekunle, Nigerian general (born 1936) Read more
• 2014 — Helen Filarski, American baseball player (born 1924) Read more
• 2014 — Milan Galić, Serbian footballer (born 1938) Read more
• 2014 — Frank Torre, American baseball player and manager (born 1931) Read more
• 2013 — Olusegun Agagu, Nigerian politician, 15th Governor of Ondo State (born 1948) Read more
• 2013 — Robert J. Behnke, American biologist and academic (born 1929) Read more
• 2013 — Rick Casares, American football player (born 1931) Read more
• 2013 — Luiz Gushiken, Brazilian trade union leader and politician (born 1950) Read more
• 2012 — William Duckworth, American composer and author (born 1943) Read more
• 2012 — Peter Lougheed, Canadian football player, lawyer, and politician, 10th Premier of Alberta (born 1928) Read more
• 2012 — Edgar Metcalfe, English-Australian actor and director (born 1933) Read more
• 2012 — Ranganath Misra, Indian lawyer and jurist, 21st Chief Justice of India (born 1926) Read more
• 2012 — Lehri, (Actual name:Safirullah Siddiqui), Pakistani comedian and an actor in the Urdu film industry of Pakistan (born 1929) Read more
• 2011 — Walter Bonatti, Italian mountaineer and journalist (born 1930) Read more
• 2009 — Paul Burke, American actor (born 1926) Read more
• 2007 — Whakahuihui Vercoe, New Zealand archbishop (born 1928) Read more
• 2006 — Ann Richards, American educator and politician, 45th Governor of Texas (born 1933) Read more
• 2005 — Toni Fritsch, Austrian footballer (born 1945) Read more
• 2005 — Julio César Turbay Ayala, Colombian lawyer and politician, 25th President of Colombia (born 1916) Read more
• 2004 — Luis E. Miramontes, Mexican chemist, co-invented the birth-control pill (born 1925) Read more
• 2004 — Charlie Brandt, American serial killer (born 1957) Read more
• 2003 — Frank O'Bannon, American publisher, lawyer, and politician, 47th Governor of Indiana (born 1930) Read more
• 2002 — George Stanley, Canadian soldier, historian, and author, designed the Flag of Canada (born 1907) Read more
• 2001 — Johnny Craig, American sailor and illustrator (born 1926) Read more
• 2001 — Jaroslav Drobný, Czech-English ice hockey player and tennis player (born 1921) Read more
• 2001 — Dorothy McGuire, American actress (born 1916) Read more
• 2000 — Betty Jeffrey, Australian nurse and author (born 1908) Read more
• 1999 — Benjamin Bloom, American psychologist and academic (born 1913) Read more

Holidays & observances

Christian feast day: Feast of the Cross (Assyrian Church of the East); Christian feast day: Aimé (Amatus); Christian feast day: Amé (Amatus) of Remiremont; Christian feast day: John Chrysostom; Christian feast day: Marcellinus of Carthage; Christian feast day: Blessed María López de Rivas Martínez; Christian feast day: Maurilius (Maurille) of Angers; Christian feast day: Nectarius of Autun; Christian feast day: Venerius the Hermit; Christian feast day: Wulfthryth (Wilfrida) of Wilton; Christian feast day: September 13 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics); Day of the Programmer, during a non-leap year. (Russia); Día de los Niños Héroes (Mexico); Engineer's Day (Mauritius); Roald Dahl Day (Africa, United Kingdom, Latin America)

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