December 23

Today in History
• 1569 - St. Philip of Moscow martyred by Ivan the Terrible
• 1620 - French huguenots declare war on King Louis XIII
• 1751 - France sets plan to tax clergymen
• 1776 - Continental Congress negotiates a war loan of $181,500 from France
• 1788 - Maryland votes to cede a 10 mile area for District of Columbia
• 1823 - "Visit from St. Nicholas" by C Moore published in Troy (NY) Sentinel
• 1834 - Joseph Hansom of London receives patent for Hansom cabs
• 1907 - 1st all-steel passengar railroad coach completed, Altoona, Pa


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Birthday of Emperor Akihito
• Festivus
• HumanLight
• Kisan Diwas
• National Christmas Movie Marathon Day
• National Forest Day
• National Pfeffernusse Day
• National Roots Day

Birthdays
• 1544 - Anna, duchess of Saxson/wife of prince Willem of Orange, 1561-71
• 1732 - Richard Arkwright, English industrialist and inventor
• 1750 - Frederik Augustus I of Saxony (1806-27) last Elector of Saxony
• 1777 - Alexander I, tsar of Russia (1801-25)
• 1790 - Jean-Francois Champollion, scolar, deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphics with Rosetta Stone
• 1805 - Joseph Smith, Jr., Sharon Vt, founder, Mormon Church
• 1843 - Richard Conner, American Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient
• 1883 - Hubert M E Pierlot, Belgian advocate/premier, 1939-45