John William Friso, Prince of Orange was born on August 14, 1687. He is the ancestor of all European
monarchs occupying the throne today. Due to the intermarriage of the European royal houses, many kings and queens are descended from Friso in more than one way.
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| John William Friso, Prince of Orange (1710) by Lancelot Volders |
Basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. was born on August 14, 1959. Magic Johnson earned significant earnings during his career as a point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s. After retiring from basketball due to his HIV diagnosis in 1991, he went on to establish a successful business empire under the name "Magic Johnson Enterprises."
For more August 14 anniversaries, including the first printed book in Europe to bear the name of its printer, the marriage of Daniel Boone and Rebecca Bryan and the stage debut of John Wilkes Booth, the American actor who shot Abraham Lincoln, check out OnThatDay.