On this day: December 4th
Credit/Source: Wikipedia
771 Austrasian king Carloman I died and left his brother Charlemagne as sole king of the Francia.
963 The lay Protonotary apostolic is elected pope and takes the name Pope Leo VIII, being consecrated on 6 December after ordination.
1110 An army led by Baldwin I of Jerusalem and Sigurd the Crusader of Norway captures Siege of Sidon at the end of the First Crusade.
1259 Kings Louis IX of France and Henry III of England agree to the Treaty of Paris (1259), in which Henry renounces his claims to French-controlled territory on continental Europe (including Normandy) in exchange for Louis withdrawing his support for English rebels.
1563 The final session of the Council of Trent is held nearly 18 years after the body held its first session on December 13, 1545.
1619 Thirty-eight colony arrive at Berkeley Hundred, Colony of Virginia. The group's charter proclaims that the day "be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God."
1623 50 Christians are executed in Edo (Tokyo), Japan, during the Great Martyrdom of Edo.
1676 The Battle of Lund, becomes the bloodiest battle in Scandinavian history.
1745 Charles Edward Stuart's army reaches Derby, its furthest point during the Jacobite rising of 1745.
1783 At Fraunces Tavern in New York City, U.S. General George Washington Fraunces Tavern # Washington's farewell to his officers.
1786 Mission Santa Barbara is dedicated (on the feast day of Saint Barbara).
1791 The first edition of ''The Observer'', the world's first Sunday newspaper, is published.
1804 The United States House of Representatives Impeachment of Samuel Chase articles of impeachment against Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Samuel Chase.
1829 In the face of fierce local opposition, British Governor-General of India Lord William Bentinck issues a regulation declaring that anyone who abets Sati (practise) in Bengal Presidency is guilty of culpable homicide.
1861 American Civil War: The 109 Electoral College (Confederate States) of the several states of the Confederate States of America unanimously 1861 Confederate States presidential election Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederate States of America and Alexander H. Stephens as Vice President of the Confederate States of America.
1863 American Civil War: Confederate General James Longstreet lifts his unsuccessful Siege of Knoxville of Knoxville, Tennessee after failing to capture the city.
1864 American Civil War: Sherman's March to the Sea: Union (American Civil War) cavalry forces defeat Confederate cavalry in the Battle of Waynesboro, Georgia, opening the way for General William Tecumseh Sherman's army to approach the coast.
1865 North Carolina ratifies 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, followed two days later by Georgia (U.S. state), and Slavery in the United States were legally free within two weeks.
1867 Former Minnesota farmer Oliver Hudson Kelley founds the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry (better known today as National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry).
1872 The American brigantine is discovered drifting in the Atlantic. Her crew is never found.
1875 Notorious New York City politician Boss Tweed escapes from prison; he is later recaptured in Spain.
1881 The first edition of the ''Los Angeles Times'' is published.
1893 First Matabele War: A patrol of 34 British South Africa Company soldiers is Shangani Patrol by more than 3,000 Northern Ndebele people warriors on the Shangani River in Matabeleland.
1906 Alpha Phi Alpha the first intercollegiate Greek lettered fraternity for African-Americans was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
1909 In Canadian football, the 1st Grey Cup game is played. The University of Toronto Toronto Varsity Blues defeat the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club, 26–6.
1909 The Montreal Canadiens ice hockey club, the oldest surviving professional hockey franchise in the world, is founded as a charter member of the National Hockey Association.
1917 The Senate of Finland submits to the Parliament of Finland a proposal for the form of government of the Republic of Finland and issued a communication to Parliament declaring the independence of Finland.
1918 U.S. President Woodrow Wilson sails for the World War I peace talks in Palace of Versailles, becoming the first President of the United States to travel to Europe while in office.
1919 Ukrainian War of Independence: The Polonsky conspiracy is initiated, with an attempt to assassinate the high command of the Revolutionary Insurgent Army of Ukraine.
1928 Cosmo Gordon Lang was enthroned as the Archbishop of Canterbury, the first bachelor to be appointed in 150 years.
1939 World War II: is struck by a naval mine (laid by ) off the Scottish coast and is laid up for repairs until August 1940.
1942 World War II: Carlson's patrol during the Guadalcanal Campaign ends.
1943 World War II: In Kingdom of Yugoslavia, resistance leader Marshal Josip Broz Tito proclaims a Democratic Federal Yugoslavia.
1943 World War II: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt closes down the Works Progress Administration, because of the high levels of wartime employment in the United States.
1945 By a vote of 65–7, the United States Senate approves United States United States and the United Nations in the United Nations. (The UN had been established on October 24, 1945.)
1948 Chinese Civil War: The SS Kiangya, carrying Nationalist government refugees from Shanghai, explodes in the Huangpu River.
1949 Sir Duncan George Stewart, governor of the Crown Colony of Sarawak, was fatally stabbed by a member of the Rukun 13.
1950 Korean War: Jesse L. Brown (the 1st African-American Naval aviator) is killed in action during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.
1950 Korean War: Associated Press photographer Max Desfor photographs hundreds of Korean refugees crossing a downed bridge in the Taedong River: 1951 Pulitzer Prize winner ''Flight of Refugees Across Wrecked Bridge in Korea''.
1956 The Million Dollar Quartet (Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash) get together at Sun Studio for the first and last time.
1964 Free Speech Movement: Police arrest over 800 students at the University of California, Berkeley, following their takeover and sit-in at the administration building in protest of the Regents of the University of California' decision to forbid protests on UC property.
1965 Launch of Gemini 7 with crew members Frank Borman and Jim Lovell. The Gemini 7 spacecraft was the passive target for the first crewed space rendezvous performed by the crew of Gemini 6A.
1969 Black Panther Party members Fred Hampton and Mark Clark (Black Panther) are shot and killed during a raid by 14 Chicago police officers.
1971 The PNS Ghazi, a Pakistan Navy submarine, sinks during the course of the Indo-Pakistani Naval War of 1971.
1971 During a concert by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention at the Montreux Casino, an audience member fires a flare gun into the ceiling, causing a fire that destroys the venue. The incident served as the inspiration for Deep Purple's 1973 song Smoke on the Water.
1974 Martinair Flight 138 crashes into the Saptha Kanya mountain range in Maskeliya, Sri Lanka, killing 191.
1977 Jean-Bédel Bokassa, president of the Central African Republic, crowns himself Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire.
1977 Malaysian Airline System Flight 653 is hijacked and crashes in Tanjong Kupang, Johor, killing 100.
1978 Following the Moscone–Milk assassinations, Dianne Feinstein becomes San Francisco's first female Mayor of San Francisco.
1979 The Hastie fire in Kingston upon Hull kills three schoolboys and eventually leads police to arrest Bruce George Peter Lee.
1981 South Africa grants independence to the Ciskei "Bantustan" (not recognized by any government outside South Africa).
1982 The China adopts its current constitution of the People's Republic of China.
1983 United States Navy aircraft from USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and USS Independence (CV-62) attack Syrian missile sites in Lebanon in response to an Grumman F-14 Tomcat being fired on by an 9K32 Strela-2. One A-6 Intruder and LTV A-7 Corsair II are shot down. One American pilot is killed, one is rescued, and Bobby Goodman
1984 Sri Lankan civil war: Sri Lankan Army soldiers 1984 Mannar massacre 107–150 civilians in Mannar, Sri Lanka.
1986 The MV ''Amazon Venture'' oil tanker begins leaking oil while at the port of Savannah in the United States, resulting in Amazon Venture oil spill of approximately .
1991 Terry A. Anderson is released after seven years in captivity as a hostage in Beirut; he is the last and longest-held American hostage in Lebanon.
1991 Pan American World Airways ceases its operations after 64 years.
1992 Somali Civil War: President George H. W. Bush orders 28,000 U.S. troops to Somalia in Horn of Africa.
1998 The ''Unity Module'', the second module of the International Space Station, is launched.
2005 Tens of thousands of people in Hong Kong December 2005 protest for democracy in Hong Kong and call on the Hong Kong Government to allow universal suffrage.
2006 Jena Six assault a white teenager in Jena, Louisiana.
2014 Caucasus Emirate 2014 Grozny clashes three Law enforcement in Russia at a traffic circle before taking an empty school and a "press house" in Grozny. Ten state forces die with 28 injured in gun battles ending with ten insurgents killed.
2015 A 2015 Cairo restaurant fire is thrown into a restaurant in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, killing 17 people.
2017 The Thomas Fire starts near Santa Paula, California in California. It eventually became the largest List of California wildfires to date after burning in Ventura County, California and Santa Barbara County, California Counties.
2021 Semeru on the Indonesian island of Java 2021 Semeru eruption, killing at least 68 people.
AD 34 Persius, Roman poet (d. 62)
846 Hasan al-Askari 11th Imam of Twelver Shia Islam (d. 874)
1428 Bernard VII, Lord of Lippe (d. 1511)
1506 Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche (d. 1558)
1555 Heinrich Meibom (poet), German poet and historian (d. 1625)
1575 The Nun of Monza, Italian nun (d. 1650)
1580 Samuel Argall, English adventurer and naval officer (d. 1626)
1585 John Cotton (minister), English-American minister and theologian (d. 1652)
1595 Jean Chapelain, French poet and critic (d. 1674)
1647 Daniel Eberlin, German composer (d. 1715)
1660 André Campra, French composer and conductor (d. 1744)
1667 Michel Pignolet de Montéclair, French composer and educator (d. 1737)
1670 John Aislabie, English politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (d. 1742)
1713 Gasparo Gozzi, Italian playwright and critic (d. 1786)
1727 Johann Gottfried Zinn, German anatomist and botanist (d. 1759)
1777 Juliette Récamier, French businesswoman (d. 1849)
1795 Thomas Carlyle, Scottish-English historian, philosopher, and academic (d. 1881)
1798 Jules Armand Dufaure, French lawyer and politician, 33rd Prime Minister of France (d. 1881)
1817 Nikoloz Baratashvili, Georgian poet and author (d. 1845)
1835 Samuel Butler (novelist), English author and critic (d. 1902)
1844 Franz Xavier Wernz, German religious leader, 25th Superior General of the Society of Jesus (d. 1914)
1861 Hannes Hafstein, Icelandic poet and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Iceland (d. 1922)
1865 Edith Cavell, English nurse, humanitarian, and saint (Anglicanism) (d. 1915)
1867 Stanley Argyle, Australian politician, 32nd Premier of Victoria (d. 1940)
1868 Jesse Burkett, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 1953)
1875 Agnes Forbes Blackadder, Scottish medical doctor (d. 1964)
1875 Joe Corbett, American baseball player and coach (d. 1945)
1875 Rainer Maria Rilke, Austrian-Swiss poet and author (d. 1926)
1877 Morris Alexander, South African politician (d. 1946)
1881 Erwin von Witzleben, Polish-German field marshal (d. 1944)
1882 Constance Davey, Australian psychologist (d. 1963)
1883 Katharine Susannah Prichard, Australian author and playwright (d. 1969)
1884 R. C. Majumdar, Indian historian (d. 1980)
1887 Winifred Carney, Irish suffragist, trade unionist, and Irish republican (d. 1943)
1892 Francisco Franco, Spanish general and dictator, List of Prime Ministers of Spain (d. 1975)
1892 Liu Bocheng, Chinese commander and politician (d. 1986)
1893 Herbert Read, English poet and critic (d. 1968)
1895 Feng Youlan, Chinese philosopher and academic (d. 1990)
1897 Robert Redfield, American anthropologist of Mexico (d. 1958)
1899 Karl-Günther Heimsoth, German physician and politician (d. 1934)
1899 Charlie Spencer, English footballer and manager (d. 1953)
1903 Cornell Woolrich, American author (d. 1968)
1904 Albert Norden, German journalist and politician (d. 1982)
1908 Alfred Hershey, American bacteriologist and geneticist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureate (d. 1997)
1910 Alex North, American composer and conductor (d. 1991)
1910 R. Venkataraman, Indian lawyer and politician, 6th President of India (d. 2009)
1912 Pappy Boyington, American colonel and pilot, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1988)
1913 Mark Robson (film director), Canadian-American director and producer (d. 1978)
1914 Rudolf Hausner, Austrian painter and sculptor (d. 1995)
1914 Claude Renoir, French cinematographer (d. 1993)
1915 Eddie Heywood, American pianist and composer (d. 1989)
1916 Ely Jacques Kahn Jr., American journalist and author (d. 1994)
1919 I. K. Gujral, Indian poet and politician, 12th Prime Minister of India (d. 2012)
1920 Nadir Afonso, Portuguese painter and architect (d. 2013)
1920 Michael Bates (actor), English actor (d. 1978)
1920 Jeanne Manford, American educator and activist, co-founded PFLAG (d. 2013)
1921 Deanna Durbin, Canadian actress and singer (d. 2013)
1923 Charles Keating, American lawyer and financier (d. 2014)
1923 Eagle Keys, American-Canadian football player and coach (d. 2012)
1923 John Krish, English director and screenwriter (d. 2016)
1924 John C. Portman Jr., American architect, designed the Renaissance Center and Tomorrow Square (d. 2017)
1925 Albert Bandura, Canadian-American psychologist and academic (d. 2021)
1926 Ned Romero, American actor and opera singer (d. 2017)
1929 Şakir Eczacıbaşı, Turkish pharmacist, photographer, and businessman (d. 2010)
1930 Ronnie Corbett, Scottish actor and comedian (d. 2016)
1930 Jim Hall (musician), American guitarist and composer (d. 2013)
1931 Alex Delvecchio, Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and manager
1931 Wally George, American radio and television host (d. 2003)
1932 Roh Tae-woo, South Korean general and politician, 6th President of South Korea (d. 2021)
1933 Horst Buchholz, German actor (d. 2003)
1933 Wink Martindale, American game show host and producer
1933 Dick Ricketts, American baseball and basketball player (d. 1988)
1934 Bill Collins (television presenter), Australian film critic and author (d. 2019)
1934 Victor French, American actor and director (d. 1989)
1935 Paul O'Neill (politician), American businessman and politician, 72nd United States Secretary of the Treasury (d. 2020)
1936 Freddy Cannon, American singer and guitarist
1936 John Giorno, American poet and performance artist (d. 2019)
1937 Max Baer Jr., American actor, director, and producer
1938 Andre Marrou, American lawyer and politician
1938 Yvonne Minton, Australian-English soprano and actress
1939 Stephen W. Bosworth, American academic and diplomat, United States Ambassador to South Korea (d. 2016)
1939 Joan Brady (writer), American-British author (d. 2024)
1940 Gerd Achterberg, German footballer and manager
1940 Gary Gilmore, American murderer (d. 1977)
1941 Marty Riessen, American tennis player and coach
1942 Bob Mosley, American singer-songwriter and bass player
1944 Chris Hillman, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1944 Anna McGarrigle, Canadian musician and singer-songwriter
1944 François Migault, French race car driver (d. 2012)
1944 Dennis Wilson, American singer-songwriter, producer, and drummer (d. 1983)
1945 Roberta Bondar, Canadian neurologist, academic, and astronaut
1946 Karina (Spanish singer), Spanish singer/actress
1947 Jane Lubchenco, American ecologist, academic, and diplomat
1948 Southside Johnny, American singer-songwriter
1949 Jeff Bridges, American actor
1949 Jock Stirrup, Baron Stirrup, English air marshal and politician
1950 Bjørn Kjellemyr, Norwegian bassist and composer
1951 Gary Rossington, American guitarist (d. 2023)
1951 Patricia Wettig, American actress and playwright
1953 Rick Middleton, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster
1953 Jean-Marie Pfaff, Belgian footballer and manager
1954 Tony Todd, American actor (d. 2024)
1955 Philip Hammond, English businessman and politician, former Chancellor of the Exchequer
1955 Dave Taylor (ice hockey), Canadian-American ice hockey player and manager
1955 Cassandra Wilson, American singer-songwriter and producer
1956 Nia Griffith, Welsh educator and politician, former Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
1956 Bernard King, American basketball player and sportscaster
1957 Raul Boesel, Brazilian race car driver and radio host
1957 Eric S. Raymond, American computer programmer and author
1957 Lee Smith (baseball), American baseball player
1958 Sergei Starikov, Russian ice hockey player and coach
1960 David Green (baseball), Nicaraguan-American baseball player
1960 Glynis Nunn, Australian heptathlete and hurler
1961 Frank Reich, American football player and coach
1961 Naomi Robson, American-Australian television host
1962 Vinnie Dombroski, American singer-songwriter and musician
1962 Gary Freeman (rugby league), New Zealand rugby league player, coach, and sportscaster
1962 Nixon Kiprotich, Kenyan runner
1962 Kevin Richardson (footballer), English footballer and manager
1963 Sergey Bubka, Ukrainian pole vaulter
1963 Nigel Heslop, English rugby player
1964 Scott Hastings (rugby union), Scottish rugby player and sportscaster
1964 Chelsea Noble, American actress
1964 Marisa Tomei, American actress
1965 Álex de la Iglesia, Spanish director, producer, and screenwriter
1965 Shaun Hollamby, English race car driver and businessman
1965 Ulf Kirsten, German footballer and manager
1966 Fred Armisen, American actor and musician
1966 Andy Hess, American bass player
1966 Suzanne Malveaux, American journalist
1966 Suzette M. Malveaux, American lawyer and academic
1967 Guillermo Amor, Spanish footballer and manager
1968 Tahir Dawar, Pakistani police officer and Pashto poet (d. 2018)
1969 Dionne Farris, American singer-songwriter, producer and actress
1969 Jay-Z, American rapper, producer, actor, and co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records
1969 Plum Sykes, English journalist and author
1970 Kevin Sussman, American actor and comedian
1971 Shannon Briggs, American boxer and actor
1972 Jassen Cullimore, Canadian ice hockey player
1972 Yūko Miyamura, Japanese voice actress and singer
1973 Tyra Banks, American model, actress, and producer
1973 Frank Boeijen (keyboardist), Dutch keyboard player
1973 Mina Caputo, American singer-songwriter and keyboard player
1973 Michael Jackson (footballer, born 1973), English footballer and manager
1973 Steven Menzies, Australian rugby league player
1973 Kate Rusby, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1973 Corliss Williamson, American basketball player and coach
1974 Tadahito Iguchi, Japanese baseball player
1976 Kristina Groves, Canadian speed skater
1976 Betty Lennox, American basketball player
1977 Ajit Agarkar, Indian cricketer
1977 Darvis Patton, American sprinter
1977 Morten Veland, Norwegian guitarist and songwriter
1978 Jaclyn Victor, Malaysian singer and actress
1979 Ysabella Brave, American singer-songwriter
1979 Jay DeMerit, American soccer player
1980 Brian Cook (basketball), American basketball player
1980 Viktor (wrestler), Canadian wrestler and manager
1981 Brian Vandborg, Danish cyclist
1982 Nathan Douglas, English triple jumper
1982 Waldo Ponce, Chilean footballer
1982 Ho-Pin Tung, Dutch-Chinese race car driver
1982 Nick Vujicic, Australian evangelist
1983 Jimmy Bartel, Australian footballer
1983 Chinx, American rapper (d. 2015)
1984 Lindsay Felton, American actress
1984 Marco Giambruno, Italian footballer
1984 Anna Petrakova, Russian basketball player
1984 Jelly Roll (singer), American singer and rapper
1984 Joe Thomas (offensive tackle), American football player
1985 Andrew Brackman, American baseball player
1985 Stephen Dawson, Irish footballer
1985 Carlos Gómez, Dominican baseball player
1986 Kaija Udras, Estonian skier
1986 Martell Webster, American basketball player
1987 Orlando Brown (actor), American actor and rapper
1988 Yeng Constantino, Filipina singer and songwriter
1988 Andriy Pylyavskyi, Ukrainian footballer
1990 Lukman Haruna, Nigerian footballer
1990 Blake Leary, Australian rugby league player
1990 Igor Sjunin, Estonian triple jumper
1991 Duje Dukan, Croatian basketball player
1991 André Roberson, American basketball player
1991 Max Holloway, American mixed martial artist
1991 Reality Winner, American intelligence specialist convicted of espionage
1992 Robin Bruyère, Belgian politician
1992 Peta Hiku, New Zealand rugby league player
1992 Jean-Claude Iranzi, Rwandan footballer
1992 Jin (singer), South Korean singer, songwriter and actor
1992 Joe Musgrove, American baseball player
1992 Blake Snell, American baseball player
1994 Gabriel Lundberg, Danish basketball player
1996 Ivan Belikov, Russian footballer
1996 Diogo Jota, Portuguese footballer
1996 Sebastián Vegas, Chilean footballer
1999 Kim Do-yeon (singer), South Korean singer and actress
2003 Jackson Holliday, American baseball player
530 BC Cyrus the Great, king of Persia (b. 600 BC)
749 John of Damascus, Syrian priest and saint (b. 676)
771 Carloman I, Frankish king (b. 751)
870 Suairlech ind Eidnén mac Ciaráin, Irish bishop
1075 Anno II, German archbishop and saint (b. 1010)
1131 Omar Khayyám, Persian poet, astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher (b. 1048)
1214 William the Lion, Scottish king (b. 1143)
1260 Aymer de Valence (bishop), Bishop of Winchester (b. 1222)
1270 Theobald II of Navarre (b. 1238)
1334 Pope John XXII (b. 1249)
1340 Henry Burghersh, English bishop and politician, Lord Chancellor (b. 1292)
1341 Janisław (archbishop of Gniezno), Archbishop of Gniezno
1408 Valentina Visconti, Duchess of Orléans, wife of Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans
1456 Charles I, Duke of Bourbon (b. 1401)
1459 Adolphus VIII, Count of Holstein (b. 1401)
1576 Georg Joachim Rheticus, Austrian-Slovak mathematician and cartographer (b. 1514)
1585 John Willock, Scottish minister and reformer (b. 1515)
1603 Maerten de Vos, Flemish painter and draughtsman (b. 1532)
1609 Alexander Hume, Scottish poet (b. 1560)
1637 Nicholas Ferrar, English trader (b. 1592)
1642 Cardinal Richelieu, French cardinal and politician, List of Prime Ministers of France (b. 1585)
1649 William Drummond of Hawthornden, Scottish poet (b. 1585)
1679 Thomas Hobbes, English philosopher and theorist (b. 1588)
1680 Thomas Bartholin, Danish physician, mathematician, and theologian (b. 1616)
1696 Empress Meishō of Japan (b. 1624)
1732 John Gay, English poet and playwright (b. 1685)
1798 Luigi Galvani, Italian physician, physicist, and philosopher (b. 1737)
1828 Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool, English politician, List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom (b. 1770)
1839 John Leamy (merchant), Irish–American merchant (b. 1757)
1841 David Daniel Davis, Welsh-English physician and academic (b. 1777)
1845 Gregor MacGregor, Scottish soldier and explorer (b. 1786)
1850 William Sturgeon, English physicist, invented the electric motor (b. 1783)
1893 John Tyndall, Irish-English physicist and chemist (b. 1820)
1897 Griffith Rhys Jones, Welsh conductor (b. 1834)
1902 Charles Dow, American journalist and publisher, co-founded the Dow Jones & Company (b. 1851)
1926 Ivana Kobilca, Slovenian painter (b. 1861)
1933 Stefan George, German-Swiss poet and translator (b. 1868)
1935 Johan Halvorsen, Norwegian violinist, composer, and conductor (b. 1864)
1935 Charles Richet, French physiologist and academic, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureate (b. 1850)
1938 Tamanishiki San'emon, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 32nd Yokozuna (sumo) (b. 1903)
1942 Juhan Kukk, Estonian politician, 3rd Head of State of Estonia (b. 1885)
1942 Fritz Löhner-Beda, Jewish Austrian librettist, lyricist and writer (b. 1883)
1944 Roger Bresnahan, American baseball player and manager (b. 1879)
1945 Thomas Hunt Morgan, American geneticist and biologist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureate (b. 1866)
1945 Richárd Weisz, Hungarian Olympic champion wrestler (b. 1879)
1948 Frank Benford, American physicist and engineer (b. 1883)
1950 Jesse L. Brown, 1st African-American Naval aviator (b. 1926)
1954 George Shepherd, 1st Baron Shepherd, 1st Baron Shepherd (b. 1881)
1955 József Galamb, Hungarian-American engineer (b. 1881)
1963 Constance Davey, Australian psychologist (b. 1882)
1967 Bert Lahr, American actor (b. 1895)
1969 Fred Hampton, American Black Panthers activist (b. 1948)
1971 Shunryū Suzuki, Japanese-American monk and educator, founded the San Francisco Zen Center (b. 1904)
1975 Hannah Arendt, German-American historian, theorist, and academic (b. 1906)
1976 Tommy Bolin, American guitarist and songwriter (b. 1951)
1976 Benjamin Britten, English pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1913)
1976 W. F. McCoy, Irish soldier, lawyer, and politician (b. 1886)
1980 Francisco de Sá Carneiro, Portuguese lawyer and politician, 111th Prime Minister of Portugal (b. 1934)
1980 Stanisława Walasiewicz, Polish-American runner (b. 1911)
1980 Don Warrington (Canadian football), Canadian football player (b. 1948)
1981 Jeanne Block, American psychologist (b. 1923)
1984 Jack Mercer, American animator, screenwriter, voice actor, and singer (b. 1910)
1987 Arnold Lobel, American author and illustrator (b. 1933)
1987 Rouben Mamoulian, Georgian-American director and screenwriter (b. 1897)
1988 Osman Achmatowicz, Polish chemist and academic (b. 1899)
1992 Henry Clausen, American lawyer and author (b. 1905)
1993 Margaret Landon, American missionary and author (b. 1903)
1993 Frank Zappa, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1940)
1999 Rose Bird, American academic and judge, 25th Chief Justice of California (b. 1936)
2000 Henck Arron, Surinamese banker and politician, 1st List of Prime Ministers of Suriname # Prime Ministers of the Republic of Suriname (b. 1936)
2003 Iggy Katona, American race car driver (b. 1916)
2004 Elena Souliotis, Greek soprano and actress (b. 1943)
2005 Errol Brathwaite, New Zealand soldier and author (b. 1924)
2005 Gregg Hoffman, American film producer (b. 1963)
2006 K. Ganeshalingam, Sri Lankan accountant and politician, Mayor of Colombo (b. 1938)
2006 Ross A. McGinnis, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1987)
2007 Pimp C, American rapper (b. 1973)
2009 Liam Clancy, Irish singer, actor, and guitarist (b. 1935)
2010 King Curtis Iaukea, American wrestler (b. 1937)
2011 Sonia Pierre, Haitian-Dominican activist (b. 1965)
2011 Sócrates, Brazilian footballer and manager (b. 1954)
2011 Hubert Sumlin, American singer and guitarist (b. 1931)
2012 Vasily Belov, Russian author, poet, and playwright (b. 1932)
2012 Jack Brooks (American politician), American colonel, lawyer, and politician (b. 1922)
2012 Miguel Calero, Colombian footballer and manager (b. 1971)
2012 Anthony Deane-Drummond, English general (b. 1917)
2013 Joana Raspall i Juanola, Spanish author and poet (b. 1913)
2014 Claudia Emerson, American poet and academic (b. 1957)
2014 V. R. Krishna Iyer, Indian lawyer and judge (b. 1914)
2014 Vincent L. McKusick, American lawyer and judge (b. 1921)
2014 Jeremy Thorpe, English lawyer and politician (b. 1929)
2015 Bill Bennett, Canadian lawyer and politician, 27th Premier of British Columbia (b. 1932)
2015 Robert Loggia, American actor and director (b. 1930)
2015 Yossi Sarid, Israeli journalist and politician, 15th Ministry of Education (Israel) (b. 1940)
2016 Patricia Robins, British writer and WAAF officer (b. 1921)
2017 Shashi Kapoor, Indian actor (b. 1938)
2022 Bob McGrath, American singer and actor (b. 1932)
2022 Patrick Tambay, French race car driver (b. 1949)
Christian feast day:
- St. Ada
- Anno II
- Saint Barbara, and its related observances:
- Barbórka, Miners' Day in Poland
- Eid il-Burbara, a holiday similar to Halloween in honor of Saint Barbara. (Russia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian National Authority, Syria, Turkey)
- Bernardo degli Uberti
- Clement of Alexandria (Anglicanism, Eastern Catholicism)
- Giovanni Calabria
- John of Damascus
- Maruthas of Martyropolis
- Nicholas Ferrar (Anglicanism)
- Osmund (bishop of Salisbury)
- Sigiramnus
- December 4 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Navy Day (India)
Thai Environment Day (Thailand)
Tupou I Day (Tonga)
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/4 BBC: On This Day]
[https://www.onthisday.com/events/december/4 Historical Events on December 4]