Historical Events
Famous Birthdays
- Dec 1 Castil-Blaze [François Henri Joseph Blaze], French composer and music critic, born in Cavaillon, France (d. 1857)
- Dec 7 Allan Cunningham, Scottish poet and author, born in Keir, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland (d. 1842)
- Dec 13 Archduke Louis of Austria, 14th child of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II and Feldmarschal-Leutnant of Austrian Imperial Army, born in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (now Italy) (d. 1864)
- Dec 14 Maria Antonia of Naples and Sicily, Princess of Asturias, born in Caserta Palace, Caserta, Naples (d. 1806)
- Dec 19 Marcus Morton, 16th and 18th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1864)
- Dec 24 Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia, born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 1803)
- Dec 30 Dorothea Lieven, Russian-born correspondent of Czars and Empresses (held influential salons in London and Paris), born in Riga (d. 1857)
Famous Deaths
Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784)
Dec 5 American poet who was both the second published African-American poet and first published African-American woman, dies in Boston at 31
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
Dec 13 English scholar and lexicographer (A Dictionary of the English Language), dies at 75
