This day in history March 22 often feels like a turning point where old certainties give way to new, sometimes chaotic, realities. The assassination of Severus Alexander in 235 didn’t just end a reign; it sparked a fifty-year crisis that nearly tore the Roman Empire apart. Fast forward to 1945, and the founding of the Arab League on this same date marked a massive shift in Middle Eastern geopolitics.
Important Events That Happened On March 22 In History
106 – Start of the Bostran Era
The Bostran era began, marking the official calendar for the Roman province of Arabia Petraea. This followed the annexation of the Nabataean Kingdom by the Roman Empire under Emperor Trajan, with the city of Bostra serving as a key capital and military hub for the region.
235 – Murder of Severus Alexander
Roman Emperor Severus Alexander was assassinated by his own troops in Moguntiacum. His death ended the Severan dynasty and marked the beginning of the “Crisis of the Third Century,” a fifty-year period of civil war, foreign invasion, and economic collapse that nearly destroyed the Roman Empire.
871 – Battle of Marton
King Æthelred of Wessex and his brother Alfred were defeated by a Danish invasion army at the Battle of Marton. This was one of a series of fierce engagements against the Great Heathen Army. Shortly after this defeat, Æthelred died, leaving Alfred the Great to defend the last remaining English kingdom.
1312 – Dissolution of the Knights Templar
Pope Clement V issued the papal bull Vox in excelso, formally dissolving the Order of the Knights Templar. Under immense pressure from King Philip IV of France, the Pope disbanded the powerful military order, leading to the seizure of their vast assets and the end of their 200-year history.
1622 – Jamestown Massacre
During the Second Anglo-Powhatan War, Algonquian warriors launched a coordinated surprise attack on English settlements around Jamestown, Virginia. They killed 347 settlers—roughly one-third of the colony’s population. The event fundamentally changed the English approach to colonization and warfare in North America.
1739 – Nader Shah Sacks Delhi
The Persian ruler Nader Shah occupied Delhi after defeating the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah. His forces sacked the city and seized an immense amount of treasure, including the legendary Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Noor diamond, effectively breaking the power of the Mughal Empire.
1765 – British Parliament Passes the Stamp Act
In an effort to raise revenue from the American colonies, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act. This required all legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards to carry a tax stamp. The act sparked widespread colonial protests and the cry of “no taxation without representation,” fueling the fire of the American Revolution.
1794 – U.S. Banned Slave Exports
President George Washington signed the Slave Trade Act of 1794. This law prohibited the export of slaves from the United States and barred American citizens from outfitting or building ships intended for the international slave trade, an early legislative step toward abolition.
1873 – Abolition of Slavery in Puerto Rico
The Spanish National Assembly officially abolished slavery in Puerto Rico. While the former slaves were required to enter into three-year labor contracts with their previous owners, the act granted them full civil rights and ended centuries of human bondage on the island.
1894 – First Stanley Cup Competition
The first-ever competition for the Stanley Cup was held in Montreal, Canada. Originally known as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, the trophy was donated by Lord Stanley of Preston to be awarded to Canada’s top amateur ice hockey club. The Montreal Hockey Club emerged as the inaugural winners.
1895 – First Public Movie Demonstration
Brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière gave the first public demonstration of movie film technology in Paris. They used their “Cinématographe” to project a short film of workers leaving a factory, marking a pivotal moment in the birth of the global film industry.
1916 – Yuan Shikai Abdicates
Yuan Shikai, who had attempted to restore the Chinese monarchy by declaring himself the Hongxian Emperor, officially abdicated the throne. Facing widespread internal rebellion and international pressure, he reverted to his role as President, though the move failed to prevent China from fracturing into the Warlord Era.
1933 – Opening of Dachau
The first Nazi concentration camp was opened in Dachau, Germany. Originally designed to hold political opponents of the regime, it served as the model and training ground for all subsequent Nazi camps. It remained in operation for 12 years until liberated by Allied forces.
1945 – Founding of the Arab League
Representatives from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria met in Cairo to adopt the charter of the Arab League. The regional organization was designed to promote economic, cultural, and political cooperation among Arab nations and to coordinate their defense.
1963 – The Beatles Release Debut Album
The Beatles released their first studio album, Please Please Me, in the United Kingdom. Recorded in a single marathon session, the album included hits like “Love Me Do” and “Twist and Shout,” launching “Beatlemania” and forever changing the landscape of popular music.
1972 – Equal Rights Amendment Sent to States
The United States Congress approved the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which sought to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. The amendment was then sent to the individual states for ratification, sparking a decade of intense political debate.
1993 – First Pentium Chips Ship
The Intel Corporation began shipping the first Pentium processors. Featuring a 60 MHz clock speed and a 64-bit data path, the Pentium chip represented a massive leap in computing power, setting a new standard for personal computers throughout the 1990s.
1995 – Space Endurance Record Set
Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov returned to Earth after spending 438 consecutive days aboard the Mir space station. His mission remains the longest single human spaceflight in history, providing vital data on the long-term effects of weightlessness on the human body.
2016 – Brussels Bombings
Three coordinated suicide bombings occurred in Belgium—two at Brussels Airport and one at Maelbeek metro station. The attacks killed 32 people and injured hundreds. The tragedy was the deadliest act of terrorism in Belgian history and led to a massive international security response.
2024 – Crocus City Hall Attack
A brutal mass shooting and bombing occurred at the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, Russia. At least 145 people were killed when gunmen opened fire on a crowd attending a concert. The attack was one of the deadliest in modern Russian history, leading to a period of intense national mourning.
2026 – LaGuardia Airport Collision
Air Canada Express Flight 8646, a CRJ-900, collided with a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The accident resulted in two fatalities, the captain and the co-pilot. This marked a tragic milestone as the first fatal accident involving the Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft model.
Famous People Born on March 22
| Name | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Millikan | American physicist, Nobel Prize winner (electronic charge) | March 22, 1868 – December 19, 1953 |
| Andrew Lloyd Webber | British composer of musical theater | March 22, 1948 – Present |
| Louis L’Amour | American author, best-selling Western writer | March 22, 1908 – June 10, 1988 |
| Braxton Bragg | Confederate general in the American Civil War | March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876 |
| Burton Richter | American physicist, Nobel Prize winner (J/psi particle) | March 22, 1931 – July 18, 2018 |
| James Maurice Gavin | United States general, “the jumping general” | March 22, 1907 – February 23, 1990 |
| Billy Collins | American poet, U.S. Poet Laureate | March 22, 1941 – Present |
| Reese Witherspoon | American actress and producer | March 22, 1976 – Present |
| Anton Raphael Mengs | Bohemian painter, leading early Neoclassicist | March 22, 1728 – June 29, 1779 |
| John II Casimir Vasa | King of Poland (1648–1668) | March 22, 1609 – December 16, 1672 |
| Cheddi Jagan | Prime minister of British Guiana (Guyana) | March 22, 1918 – March 6, 1997 |
| Agnes Martin | Canadian-born American painter | March 22, 1912 – December 16, 2004 |
| Randolph Caldecott | English artist, children’s book illustrator | March 22, 1846 – February 12, 1886 |
| Caroline Norton | English poet and novelist, women’s rights activist | March 22, 1808 – June 15, 1877 |
| Paul Doumer | President of France (1931–1932) | March 22, 1857 – May 6, 1932 |
| Joseph Schildkraut | Austrian-born American actor | March 22, 1895 – January 21, 1964 |
| Lynden Pindling | Prime minister of the Bahamas, “father of the nation” | March 22, 1930 – August 26, 2000 |
| Arthur H. Vandenberg | United States senator, architect of bipartisan foreign policy | March 22, 1884 – April 18, 1951 |
| Elvis Stojko | Canadian figure skater, world champion | March 22, 1972 – Present |
| Lucia dos Santos | Portuguese nun, Fátima visionary | March 22, 1907 – February 13, 2005 |
| Constance Wu | American actress (Fresh Off the Boat) | March 22, 1982 – Present |
| E.D. Hirsch, Jr. | American literary critic and educator | March 22, 1928 – Present |
| Alex Padilla | United States senator from California | March 22, 1973 – Present |
| Gioseffo Zarlino | Italian composer and music theorist | March 22, 1517 – February 14, 1590 |
| John Frederick Kensett | American landscape painter, Hudson River school | March 22, 1816 – December 14, 1872 |
| August Hermann Francke | German Pietist leader, educator, and social reformer | March 22, 1663 – June 8, 1727 |
| Nicholas Monsarrat | English novelist (The Cruel Sea) | March 22, 1910 – August 8, 1979 |
| Virginia Oldoini Verasis, countess di Castiglione | Tuscan noblewoman, political influencer | March 22, 1835 – November 28, 1899 |
| Wolf Blitzer | American journalist, CNN anchor | March 22, 1948 – Present |
| Keegan-Michael Key | American actor and comedian (Key & Peele) | March 22, 1971 – Present |
Famous People Died on March 22
| Name | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Todd | American showman and film producer (Around the World in 80 Days) | June 22, 1909? – March 22, 1958 |
| Jean-Baptiste Lully | Italian-born French composer | November 29, 1632 – March 22, 1687 |
| Stephen Decatur | United States naval officer, War of 1812 hero | January 5, 1779 – March 22, 1820 |
| Werner von Blomberg | German general and minister of war in Nazi Germany | September 2, 1878 – March 22, 1946 |
| Blessed Clemens August, Graf von Galen | German bishop, opponent of Nazism | March 16, 1878 – March 22, 1946 |
| Tange Kenzō | Japanese architect, Pritzker Prize winner | September 4, 1913 – March 22, 2005 |
| Gemini Ganesan | Indian actor, “King of Romance” in Tamil cinema | November 17, 1920 – March 22, 2005 |
| Elgin Baylor | American basketball player, NBA legend | September 16, 1934 – March 22, 2021 |
| William Hanna | American animator, co-creator of Tom and Jerry | July 14, 1910 – March 22, 2001 |
| Walter Lantz | American animator, creator of Woody Woodpecker | April 27, 1899 – March 22, 1994 |
| Karl Wallenda | German-American acrobat, founder of the Flying Wallendas | 1905 – March 22, 1978 |
| Thomas Plantagenet, duke of Clarence | English noble, son of King Henry IV | September 30, 1388 – March 22, 1421 |
| George | King of Bohemia (1458–1471) | April 23, 1420 – March 22, 1471 |
| Thomas Hughes | English jurist and novelist (Tom Brown’s School Days) | October 20, 1822 – March 22, 1896 |
| D. S. Senanayake | First prime minister of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) | October 20, 1884 – March 22, 1952 |
| Song Jiaoren | Chinese politician, founder of the Kuomintang | April 5, 1882 – March 22, 1913 |
| John W. Bricker | American politician, Republican vice-presidential nominee | September 6, 1893 – March 22, 1986 |
| Michele Sindona | Italian financier, convicted fraudster | May 8, 1920 – March 22, 1986 |
| Dave Macon | American country musician and banjo player | October 7, 1870 – March 22, 1952 |
| Olga Knipper-Chekhova | Russian actress, wife of Anton Chekhov | 1869 – March 22, 1959 |
| George Alfred Leon Sarton | Belgian-born American historian of science | August 31, 1884 – March 22, 1956 |
| Louis Dudek | Canadian poet and publisher | February 6, 1918 – March 22, 2001 |
| Pierre Brossolette | French Resistance leader in World War II | January 12, 1903 – March 22, 1944 |
| John Hessin Clarke | Associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court | September 18, 1857 – March 22, 1945 |
| David Samuel Margoliouth | English scholar of Islamic studies | October 17, 1858 – March 22, 1940 |
| René Marqués | Puerto Rican playwright and nationalist | October 4, 1919 – March 22, 1979 |
| John Kempe | English archbishop and statesman | c.1380 – March 22, 1454 |
| Harriette Arnow | American novelist (The Dollmaker) | July 7, 1908 – March 22, 1986 |
| Agnes Arber | British botanist, plant morphologist | February 23, 1879 – March 22, 1960 |
| Rob Ford | Canadian politician, mayor of Toronto | May 28, 1969 – March 22, 2016 |
Observances & Institutional Dates
- World Water Day: An international UN observance focusing on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of water resources.
- Emancipation Day (Puerto Rico): A public holiday celebrating the 1873 abolition of slavery.
- Bihar Day: Celebrating the formation of the state of Bihar in India.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When did the Knights Templar end? The order was formally dissolved by Pope Clement V on March 22, 1312.
- What was the Stamp Act? A British tax on the American colonies passed on March 22, 1765, which helped trigger the American Revolution.
- Who released their first album on this day? The Beatles released Please Please Me on March 22, 1963.
- What is the longest time a human has stayed in space? Valeri Polyakov set the record of 438 days, ending his mission on March 22, 1995.
