What happened on December 12 ?

1298 - Archduke Albert II of Austria (d. 1358)

1418 - Archduke Albert VI of Austria (d. 1463)

1574 - Anne of Denmark, wife of James I of England (d. 1619)

1610 - Saint Vasilije (d. 1671)

1712 - Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine, Austrian military leader (d. 1780)

1724 - Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood, British admiral (d. 1816)

1745 - John Jay, 1st Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1829)

1779 - Madeline Sophie Barat, French saint (d. 1865)

1783 - Ner Alexander Middleswarth, American politician (d. 1865)

1786 - William L. Marcy, American statesman (d. 1857)

1799 - Karl Briullov, Russian painter (d. 1852)

1805 - William Lloyd Garrison, American abolitionist (d. 1879)

1806 - Stand Watie, American Confederate general and Cherokee leader (d. 1871)

1821 - Gustave Flaubert, French writer (d. 1880)

1863 - Edvard Munch, Norwegian expressionist painter (d. 1944)

1864 - Paul Elmer More, American critic and essayist (d. 1937)

1866 - Alfred Werner, German chemist and Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1919)

1870 - Walter Benona Sharp, American oil baron (d. 1912)

1875 - Gerd von Rundstedt, German field marshal (d. 1953)

1876 - Alvin Kraenzlein, American athlete and Olympic gold medalist (d. 1928)

1887 - Kurt Atterberg, Swedish composer (d. 1974)

1892 - Herman Poto?nik Noordung, Austro-Hungarian-born rocket engineer (d. 1929)

1893 - Edward G. Robinson, American actor (d. 1973)

1900 - Sammy Davis, Sr., American dancer (d. 1988)

1903 - Dagmar Nordstrom, American composer and pianist (d. 1976)

1903 - Yasujiro Ozu, Japanese film director (d. 1963)

1904 - Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg, magazine editor and socialite (d. 1981)

1905 - MÃ nes Sperber, Austro-Hungarian-born writer (d. 1984)

1914 - Patrick O'Brian (Richard Patrick Russ), British author (d. 2000)

1915 - Frank Sinatra, American singer and actor (d. 1998)

1918 - Joe Williams, American singer (d. 1999)

1919 - Olivia Barclay, British astrologer (d. 2001)

1923 - Bob Barker, American television game show host

1924 - Ed Koch, Mayor of New York City

1927 - Honor Blackman, British actress

1927 - Robert Noyce, American inventor (d. 1990)

1928 - Chinghiz Aitmatov, Soviet-born Kyrgyz writer

1929 - John Osborne, British dramatist (d. 1994)

1929 - Toshiko Akiyoshi, Japanese musician

1930 - Bill Beutel, American Journalist (d. 2006)

1931 - Lionel Blair, British actor, choreographer, tap dancer and television presenter

1932 - Bob Pettit, American basketball player

1934 - Miguel de la Madrid, President of Mexico

1938 - Connie Francis, American singer

1940 - Sharad Pawar, Indian politician

1940 - Dionne Warwick, American singer

1943 - Dickey Betts, American guitarist and singer (The Allman Brothers)

1943 - Grover Washington, Jr., American saxophonist (d. 1999)

1946 - Emerson Fittipaldi, Brazilian racing driver and Formula 1 World Champion

1949 - Rajnikanth (Shivaji Rao Gaekwad), Indian actor

1952 - Cathy Rigby, American gymnast and actress

1956 - Johan Van der Velde, Dutch cyclist

1957 - Sheila E., American musician

1962 - Tracy Austin, American tennis player

1964 - Terry Brunk, Professional wrestler who uses the stage name "Sabu"

1966 - Royce Gracie, Brazilian martial artist

1967 - John Randle, American football player

1968 - Laurie Williams, Indian cricket player

1970 - Jennifer Connelly, American actress

1970 - Madchen Amick, American actress

1972 - Hank Williams III, American country/punk singer/songwriter, grandson of Hank Williams

1974 - Rey Mysterio, Jr., American wrestler

1974 - Nolberto Solano, Peruvian footballer

1975 - Mayim Bialik, American actress

1976 - Dan Hawkins, British guitarist (The Darkness)

1977 - Orlando Hudson, American baseball player

1977 - Bridget Hall, American supermodel

1978 - Monica Barladeanu, Romanian actress

1978 - Evren Genis, Turkish composer

1979 - Garrett Atkins, American baseball player

1979 - Nate Clements, American football player

1981 - Jeret Peterson, American aerial skier

1981 - Yuvraj Singh, Indian cricket player

1981 - Stephen Warnock, British footballer

1982 - Dmitry Tursunov, Russian tennis player

1983 - Katrina Elam, American singer

1983 - Brad Smith, American football player

1989 - Harry Eden, British actor