March 30th in History

1282 - The people of Sicily rebel against the Angevin king Charles I, in what becomes known as the Sicilian Vespers.

1296 - Edward I sacks Berwick-upon-Tweed, during armed conflict between Scotland and England.

1814 - Napoleonic Wars: Sixth Coalition forces march into Paris.

1814 - Joachim Murat issues the Rimini Declaration which would later inspire Italian Unification.


1844 - One of the most important battles of the Dominican War of Independence from Haiti takes place near the city of Santiago de los Caballeros.

1855 - Origins of the American Civil War: Bleeding Kansas – "Border Ruffians" from Missouri invade Kansas and force election of a pro-slavery legislature.

1856 - The Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Crimean War.

1863 - Danish prince Wilhelm Georg is chosen as King George of Greece.



1867 - Alaska is purchased from Russia for $7.2 million, about 2 cent/acre ($4.19/km²), by United States Secretary of State William H. Seward.

1870 - Texas is readmitted to the Union following Reconstruction.

1912 - Sultan Abdelhafid signs the Treaty of Fez, making Morocco a French protectorate.


1940 - Sino-Japanese War: Japan declares Nanking capital of a new Chinese puppet government, nominally controlled by Wang Ching-wei.

1944 - World War II: Allied bombers conduct their most severe bombing run on Sofia, Bulgaria.


1945 - World War II: Soviet Union forces invade Austria and take Vienna; Polish and Soviet forces liberate Gdańsk.

1949 - A riot breaks out in Austurvöllur square in Reykjavík, when Iceland joins NATO.

1965 - Vietnam War: A car bomb explodes in front of the US Embassy, Saigon, killing 22 and wounding 183 others.


1972 - Vietnam War: The Easter Offensive begins after North Vietnamese forces cross into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) of South Vietnam.

1976 - The first Land Day protests are held in Israel/Palestine.

1979 - Airey Neave, a British Member of Parliament, is killed by a car bomb as he exits the Palace of Westminster. The Irish National Liberation Army claims responsibility.

2009 - Twelve gunmen attack the Manawan Police Academy in Lahore, Pakistan

Famous Birthdays


1326 - Ivan II of Russia, Grand Duke of Muscovy

1432 - Mehmed II, Ottoman Sultan

1727 - Tommaso Traetta, composer

1874 - Charles Lightoller, 2nd Officer on the RMS Titanic

1913 - Censu Tabone, 4th President of Malta

1926 - Ingvar Kamprad, entrepreneur, founder of IKEA

1937 - Warren Beatty, actor and director

1942 - Ruben Kun, President of Nauru

1957 - Paul Reiser, actor

1962 - MC Hammer, rapper

1965 - Piers Morgan, journalist and television personality

1976 - Mark McClelland, musician

1979 - Simon Webbe, singer and actor

1986 - Sergio Ramos, footballer

1991 - Kim Grajdek, tennis player