April 4

Today in History
• 1081 - Alexius I Comnenus occupies Byzantine throne
• 1406 - University of Basle in Swizerland forms
• 1541 - Ignatius of Loyola becomes 1st superior-general of Jesuits
• 1558 - Czar Ivan IV gives parts of North-Russia to fur traders
• 1581 - Frances Drake completes circumnavigation of world
• 1668 - English king James II publishes Declaration of Indulgence
• 1818 - Congress decided U.S. flag is 13 red and white stripes and 20 stars
• 1850 - City of Los Angeles incorporated


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• 404 Day
• Holy Tuesday
• International Carrot Day
• Mahavir Jayanti
• National School Librarian Day
• SAAM Day of Action
• Senegal Independence Day
• World Rat Day

Birthdays
• 0188 - Caracalla, Marcus Aureiius Antoniius, Roman emperor, 211-17
• 1492 - Ambrosius Blarer, German reformer
• 1593 - Edward Nicholas, statesman (Secretary of State to Charles I and Charles II)
• 1772 - Nachman of Breslov, Ukrainian founder of Breslov Hasidut
• 1802 - Dorothea Dix, U.S., aroused interest in treatment of mental inmates
• 1821 - Linus Yale, U.S., portrait painter and inventor, Yale cylinder lock
• 1823 - Karl Wilhelm Siemens, inventor, laid undersea cables
• 1881 - Charles Funk, born in Ohio, Encylopediest, Funk and Wagnalls