On 31 March in poetry and history
Poets born or who died on this date, plus historical events that happened on this day across history.
610 poets with calendar dates · 6,535 events with calendar dates in the catalogue
2 birthdays · 2 death anniversaries · 5 world events on 31 March
Birthdays
-
Andrew Marvell
31 March 1621 – 16 August 1678 (~57)
Born 31 March 1621 — would have been 405 in 2026
-
Edward FitzGerald
31 March 1809 – 14 June 1883 (~74)
Born 31 March 1809 — would have been 217 in 2026
Death anniversaries
-
-
Charlotte Brontë
21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855 (~39)
Died 31 March 1855 — 171 years ago on this date
World events on this day
-
Death of John Donne
John Donne, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in London, died on March 31, 1631. As the foremost metaphysical poet of his age, Donne left behind a substantial body of sacred and secular verse that would be published posthumously and influence subsequent generations of poets.
-
Invasion of France by Coalition
In 1814, Allied forces invaded France, culminating in a series of military engagements that tested Napoleon's strategic prowess. Despite conducting a brilliant defensive campaign, the relentless pressure from the coalition forces ultimately led to the fall of Paris. This event marked the end of Napoleon's rule and the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy, reshaping the political landscape of Europe.
-
British Factory Act of 1802
The British Factory Act of 1802, known as the Health and Morals of Apprentices Act, was an early legislative response to the harsh realities of industrialization. This act limited the working hours of children in textile mills, reflecting growing concerns about child labor and worker welfare. The act marked a significant step towards labor reform and the eventual establishment of more comprehensive labor rights in Britain.
-
Hinterkaifeck Murders
In 1922, the Hinterkaifeck murders shocked Germany when six members of a Bavarian farm family were brutally killed in their isolated home. The case remains one of the most infamous unsolved murders in German history, capturing public attention and sparking numerous theories and investigations. The Hinterkaifeck murders highlight the complexities of rural crime and the enduring fascination with true crime narratives.
-
Wabash, Indiana becomes the first electrically lit city in the world
On March 31, 1880, the small city of Wabash, Indiana became the first city in the world to be illuminated entirely by electric light when Charles Brush's arc lights were installed above the courthouse square. The four 3,000-candlepower lamps, powered by a Brush dynamo, flooded the town center with brilliant white light visible for miles across the flat Indiana landscape. This dramatic demonstration in a small Midwestern town, rather than a major metropolis, showed that electric lighting was not just for great cities but could transform any community, and Wabash's achievement was reported in newspapers worldwide.