December 23
December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, leaving eight days until the end of the year.[1] The date marks several consequential moments in history, including the signing of the Federal Reserve Act by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in 1913, which created the Federal Reserve System as the nation's central bank to manage monetary policy and financial stability.[2] In 1783, George Washington resigned his commission as commander in chief of the Continental Army before the Continental Congress in Annapolis, Maryland, demonstrating his deference to civilian authority and setting a precedent against military rule in the nascent United States.[1] Other defining occurrences include the Japanese capture of Wake Island from U.S. forces in 1941 during World War II's Pacific campaign, highlighting early Axis successes, and the death in 2013 of Mikhail Kalashnikov, the Soviet engineer who designed the AK-47 assault rifle, a weapon that armed conflicts worldwide for decades.[3][4] Births on this day encompass figures like Joseph Smith in 1805, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, and Akihito in 1933, emperor of Japan from 1989 to 2019 who symbolized national reconciliation after wartime defeat.[1] While not tied to major global holidays, December 23 precedes Christmas celebrations in many cultures and has been observed for minor customs, such as the secular Festivus popularized in American media.[1]Events
Pre-1600
In 558, Childebert I, Merovingian king of Paris (r. 511–558), died in Paris at approximately age 62.[5] As the third son of Clovis I, he expanded Frankish territory by conquering parts of Burgundy and Spain during joint campaigns with his brothers, incorporating Thuringia and other regions into the realm through military conquests.[5] On December 23, 1588, Henri I de Lorraine, 3rd Duke of Guise (1550–1588), was assassinated at the Château de Blois by order of King Henry III during the Estates General assembly.[6] Known as "Le Balafré" for a facial scar from the Siege of Orléans, he led the Catholic League against Huguenots in the French Wars of Religion, orchestrating the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572 and defeating royal forces at the Battle of Dormans in 1575.[6] His death, by stabbing from the king's guards, escalated factional violence, contributing to Henry III's own assassination months later and the eventual rise of Henry IV.[6]1601–1900
- 1688 – King James II of England, facing deposition during the Glorious Revolution, fled from Rochester to France, effectively abdicating the throne to his daughter Mary and son-in-law William of Orange.[7]
- 1690 – Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed recorded the first observation of Uranus from Greenwich Observatory, mistakenly identifying it as the star 34 Tauri due to its slow apparent motion.[8]
- 1783 – George Washington, following the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolutionary War, formally resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in a speech to Congress at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, emphasizing civilian control over the military.[9][10]
- 1888 – Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, amid a psychotic episode exacerbated by tensions with Paul Gauguin and personal despair, severed his left ear with a razor in Arles, France, and presented the bandaged remnant to a local woman.[11][12]
1901–present
Hideki Tōjō, Prime Minister of Japan from 1941 to 1944 and a key architect of its involvement in World War II, was executed by hanging on December 23, 1948, at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo following conviction for war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East.[13][14] Lavrentiy Beria, Soviet politician who served as head of the NKVD secret police under Joseph Stalin and oversaw mass repressions, was executed by firing squad on December 23, 1953, in Moscow after a closed trial convicting him of treason, terrorism, and anti-Soviet activity.[15][16] Victor Borge, Danish-American comedian and pianist known for blending classical music with humor in performances spanning over 75 years, died of heart failure on December 23, 2000, at his home in Greenwich, Connecticut, at age 91.[17][18] Billy Barty, American actor and advocate for people with dwarfism who founded the Little People of America organization, died of heart failure on December 23, 2000, in Glendale, California, at age 76.[19] P. V. Narasimha Rao, Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996 who initiated economic liberalization reforms, died on December 23, 2004, in New Delhi at age 83 from complications related to prolonged illness including heart issues.[20][21] Joan Didion, American essayist, novelist, and pioneer of New Journalism whose works like Slouching Towards Bethlehem dissected American culture and personal grief, died of complications from Parkinson's disease on December 23, 2021, in New York City at age 87.[22][23] Angus MacInnes, Canadian actor best known for roles including General Crix Madine in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, died on December 23, 2024, at age 77.[24]Births
Pre-1600
In 558, Childebert I, Merovingian king of Paris (r. 511–558), died in Paris at approximately age 62.[5] As the third son of Clovis I, he expanded Frankish territory by conquering parts of Burgundy and Spain during joint campaigns with his brothers, incorporating Thuringia and other regions into the realm through military conquests.[5] On December 23, 1588, Henri I de Lorraine, 3rd Duke of Guise (1550–1588), was assassinated at the Château de Blois by order of King Henry III during the Estates General assembly.[6] Known as "Le Balafré" for a facial scar from the Siege of Orléans, he led the Catholic League against Huguenots in the French Wars of Religion, orchestrating the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572 and defeating royal forces at the Battle of Dormans in 1575.[6] His death, by stabbing from the king's guards, escalated factional violence, contributing to Henry III's own assassination months later and the eventual rise of Henry IV.[6]1601–1900
- 1688 – King James II of England, facing deposition during the Glorious Revolution, fled from Rochester to France, effectively abdicating the throne to his daughter Mary and son-in-law William of Orange.[7]
- 1690 – Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed recorded the first observation of Uranus from Greenwich Observatory, mistakenly identifying it as the star 34 Tauri due to its slow apparent motion.[8]
- 1783 – George Washington, following the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolutionary War, formally resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in a speech to Congress at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, emphasizing civilian control over the military.[9][10]
- 1888 – Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, amid a psychotic episode exacerbated by tensions with Paul Gauguin and personal despair, severed his left ear with a razor in Arles, France, and presented the bandaged remnant to a local woman.[11][12]
1901–present
Hideki Tōjō, Prime Minister of Japan from 1941 to 1944 and a key architect of its involvement in World War II, was executed by hanging on December 23, 1948, at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo following conviction for war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East.[13][14] Lavrentiy Beria, Soviet politician who served as head of the NKVD secret police under Joseph Stalin and oversaw mass repressions, was executed by firing squad on December 23, 1953, in Moscow after a closed trial convicting him of treason, terrorism, and anti-Soviet activity.[15][16] Victor Borge, Danish-American comedian and pianist known for blending classical music with humor in performances spanning over 75 years, died of heart failure on December 23, 2000, at his home in Greenwich, Connecticut, at age 91.[17][18] Billy Barty, American actor and advocate for people with dwarfism who founded the Little People of America organization, died of heart failure on December 23, 2000, in Glendale, California, at age 76.[19] P. V. Narasimha Rao, Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996 who initiated economic liberalization reforms, died on December 23, 2004, in New Delhi at age 83 from complications related to prolonged illness including heart issues.[20][21] Joan Didion, American essayist, novelist, and pioneer of New Journalism whose works like Slouching Towards Bethlehem dissected American culture and personal grief, died of complications from Parkinson's disease on December 23, 2021, in New York City at age 87.[22][23] Angus MacInnes, Canadian actor best known for roles including General Crix Madine in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, died on December 23, 2024, at age 77.[24]Deaths
Pre-1600
In 558, Childebert I, Merovingian king of Paris (r. 511–558), died in Paris at approximately age 62.[5] As the third son of Clovis I, he expanded Frankish territory by conquering parts of Burgundy and Spain during joint campaigns with his brothers, incorporating Thuringia and other regions into the realm through military conquests.[5] On December 23, 1588, Henri I de Lorraine, 3rd Duke of Guise (1550–1588), was assassinated at the Château de Blois by order of King Henry III during the Estates General assembly.[6] Known as "Le Balafré" for a facial scar from the Siege of Orléans, he led the Catholic League against Huguenots in the French Wars of Religion, orchestrating the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572 and defeating royal forces at the Battle of Dormans in 1575.[6] His death, by stabbing from the king's guards, escalated factional violence, contributing to Henry III's own assassination months later and the eventual rise of Henry IV.[6]1601–1900
- 1688 – King James II of England, facing deposition during the Glorious Revolution, fled from Rochester to France, effectively abdicating the throne to his daughter Mary and son-in-law William of Orange.[7]
- 1690 – Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed recorded the first observation of Uranus from Greenwich Observatory, mistakenly identifying it as the star 34 Tauri due to its slow apparent motion.[8]
- 1783 – George Washington, following the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolutionary War, formally resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in a speech to Congress at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, emphasizing civilian control over the military.[9][10]
- 1888 – Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, amid a psychotic episode exacerbated by tensions with Paul Gauguin and personal despair, severed his left ear with a razor in Arles, France, and presented the bandaged remnant to a local woman.[11][12]