1796 – Catherine the Great [Catherine II], German-born Empress of Russia (1762-96) who expanded the Russian empire, dies of a stroke at 67
1822 – Hendrik van Stralen, Secretary of Interior of the Netherlands, dies at 71
1822 – Claude-Louis Berthollet, French chemist, dies at 73
1944 – Walter Guinness, Lord Moyne, Anglo-Irish politician, British prefect (Middle-East), assassinated by Jewish terrorists at 64
1955 – Cornelis GN de Vooys, translator, dies at 82
1972 – Billy Murcia, Colombian born American rocker (New York Dolls), chokes to death at 21
2001 – Anthony Shaffer, English dramatist (Sleuth), dies at 75
2006 – Federico (Fico) López, Puerto Rican basketball player, dies of a heart attack at 44
2007 – Hank Thompson, American country music singer (The Brazos Valley Boys), dies at 82
2014 – Rick Rosas, American session and touring bassist (Neil Young; Joe Walsh; Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young), dies of a heart attack at 65