Today in Francophone History

Learn about important dates in French and francophone history: famous birthdays, holidays and celebrations, and other milestones. If the above does not match today's date or you wish to choose a specific date, please click here

To learn more about important dates in French and francophone history, bookmark Today in Francophone History and visit every day!


Birthdays

1775 - Étienne-Louis Malus (French physicist and mathematician)

1838 - Édouard Judas Colonne (French conductor and violinist)


Deaths

1531 - Louis de Brézé, seigneur d'Anet (Marshal of Normandy and husband of Diane de Poitiers)

1692 - Gilles Ménage (French scholar)

1951 - Henri Philippe Pétain (French marshal and leader of Vichy France)

1980 - Sarto Fournier (Mayor of Montréal)

1983 - Georges Auric (French composer)

1999 - King Hassan II of Morocco

2004 - Serge Reggiani (French singer and actor)


Milestones/Events

1632 - Dieppe, France: 300 colonists departed for New France

1840 - The Province of Canada was created by the Act of Union

1881 - Liège, Belgium: The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique, the world's oldest international sport federation, was founded

1945 - The process against Maréchal de France, French general and Head of State of Vichy France, began

1951 - Treaty of Paris: European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was founded

1956 - The Loi Cadre was passed by the French Republic to order French overseas territory affairs

1983 - Gimli, Manitoba: Air Canada flight 143 landed "dead-stick" about halfway through its flight from Montréal to Edmonton

1999 - Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Al-Hassan, was crowned King Mohammed VI of Morroco upon the death of his father


Errors and Omissions

If you believe anything on this page is wrong or missing, please let me know