MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY

2002: Swedish children's writer Astrid Lindgren—who was best known for her works involving Pippi Longstocking, a freckle-faced red-haired nine-year-old who incarnates every child's dream of freedom and power—died in Stockholm. [Take our classic children's books quiz.]

1958: Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, whose father founded the company LEGO in Denmark, filed for a Danish patent (later granted) for a toy building block that became hugely popular around the world. [ Test your knowledge of pop culture.]

1955: French politician Nicolas Sarkozy, who served as president of France (2007–12), was born in Paris. [How much do you know about France?]

1912: American painter Jackson Pollock, a leading exponent of Abstract Expressionism who received widespread publicity and serious recognition for the radical poured, or “drip,” technique he used to create his major works, was born. [ Sort fact from fiction in our artists and painters quiz.]

1871: The French capital, Paris, fell following a four-month siege during the Franco-German War. [Take our quiz about warfare.]

1813: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was published anonymously and enjoyed immediate success, thanks in part to the popularity of the central character, Elizabeth Bennet, who was reportedly Austen's own favourite among all her heroines. [ Test your knowledge of Jane Austen.]