✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 210th day of the year

July 29

A look at July 29 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Harry Mulisch and Dag Hammarskjöld, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 2005

    Eris (dwarf planet)

    Astronomers announce their discovery of the dwarf planet Eris.

    Most massive dwarf planet
  2. 1981

    Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer

    A worldwide television audience of around 750 million people watch the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

    1981 British royal wedding
  3. 1967

    Caracas

    During the fourth day of celebrating its 400th anniversary, the city of Caracas, Venezuela is shaken by an earthquake, leaving approximately 500 dead.

    Capital and largest city
  4. 1950

    Korean War

    Korean War: After four days, the No Gun Ri Massacre ends when the US Army 7th Cavalry Regiment is withdrawn.

    1950–1953 conflict in Korean
  5. 1921

    Adolf Hitler

    Adolf Hitler becomes leader of the National Socialist German Workers' Party.

    Dictator of Germany from
  6. 1914

    Cape Cod Canal

    The Cape Cod Canal opened.

    Waterway in Massachusetts
  7. 1818

    Augustin-Jean Fresnel

    French physicist Augustin Fresnel submits his prizewinning "Memoir on the Diffraction of Light", precisely accounting for the limited extent to which light spreads into shadows, and thereby demolishing the oldest objection to the wave theory of light.

    French optical physicist (1788–1827)
  8. 1693

    Nine Years' War

    War of the Grand Alliance: Battle of Landen: France wins a victory over Allied forces in the Netherlands.

    War between France and
  9. 1567

    James VI and I

    The infant James VI is crowned King of Scotland at Stirling.

    King of Scotland from
  10. 1014

    Byzantine–Bulgarian wars

    Byzantine–Bulgarian wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat on the Bulgarian army, and his subsequent treatment of 15,000 prisoners reportedly causes Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria to die of a heart attack less than three months later, on October 6.

    Conflicts in the Balkans
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Famous birthday twins

Born on July 29

Harry Mulisch

b. 1927

Dutch author, poet, and playwright

Dag Hammarskjöld

b. 1905

Swedish economist and diplomat, 2nd Secretary-General of the United Nations, Nobel Prize Laureate

Fernando Alonso

b. 1981

Spanish race car driver

Benito Mussolini

b. 1883

Italian fascist revolutionary and politician, 27th Prime Minister of Italy

Budd Boetticher

b. 1916

American director, producer, and screenwriter

Rochus Misch

b. 1917

German SS officer

Erich Priebke

b. 1913

German war criminal, leader of the 1944 Ardeatine massacre

Peter Schreier

b. 1935

German tenor and conductor

Deaths

  • 1994Dorothy Hodgkin, Egyptian-English biochemist and biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1890Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter and illustrator
  • 1856Robert Schumann, German composer and critic
  • 1095Ladislaus I of Hungary, King of Hungary from 1077 to 1095
  • 238Pupienus, Roman emperor
  • 238Balbinus, Roman emperor

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Lazarus of Bethany
  • —Christian feast day: Lupus of Troyes
  • —Christian feast day: Martha of Bethany (Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran Church)
  • —Christian feast day: Mary of Bethany
  • —Christian feast day: Olaf II of Norway
  • —Christian feast day: Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrix
  • —Christian feast day: July 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • —Earliest day on which Somer's Day can fall, while August 4 is the latest; celebrated on Friday before the first Monday in August. (Bermuda)

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