Spanish novelist and poet Miguel de Cervantes was born. His magnum opus, Don Quixote, considered to be the first modern European novel.

In 1902 in Paris French writer, founder and most important representative of naturalism, Emile Zola, dies. His best known works are: Therese Raquin, Nana, and Germinal.

In 1913, Rudolf Diesel, German inventor of the engine driven by gas oil, which is also named after him, dies.

In 1928 Slovenian poet Tone Pavček was born.

MUSIC HISTORY
1963 –At the top of the American charts are The Beatles with their song 'She Loves You'.
1974 – In the No. 1 spot of the British charts is Carl Douglas with the song 'Kung Fu Fighting'.
1995 –No. 1 on the American charts is Simply Red with 'Fairground'.

BORN ON THIS DAY
1935 – American singer Jerry Lee Lewis ('Great Balls Of Fire').
1943 – Spanish singer Manuel Fernandez, who left his seal on the group Los Lobos.