Happy Birthday August 23

Louis XVI of France was born Louis-Auguste in the Palace of Versailles on August 23, 1754. He was the second son of Louis, the Dauphin of France, and the grandson of Louis XV of France. He became the French Dauphin upon the death of his father from tuberculosis and succeeded to the throne upon the death of his grandfather when he was 19 years old. Louis' indecisiveness and conservatism contributed to the crisis that brought on the French Revolution and the abolition of the monarchy.

Zoologist and naturalist Georges Cuvier was born in Montbeliard, France on August 23, 1769 to Jean George Cuvier, a lieutenant in the Swiss Guards and Anne Clémence Chatel. His fascination with natural history was ignited by an encounter at the age of 10 with a copy of Gesner's Historiae Animalium. He laid the foundations of the sciences of comparative anatomy and paleontology through his work in comparing living animals with fossils.

For more August 23 anniversaries, including King George III's Proclamation of Rebellion, the marriage of markswoman Annie Oakley and Frank Butler, and the unveiling of The Little Mermaid sculpture in Copenhagen harbor, check out OnThatDay.