Happy Birthday September 13

Cesare Borgia was born on September 13, 1475, in Subiaco, near Rome, Italy, the illegitimate son of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia (later Pope Alexander VI) and Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was a member of the powerful and infamous Borgia family. Cesare Borgia is famous for his role as a ruthless military leader and politician during the Italian Renaissance, and as the inspiration for Machiavelli's The Prince.

Samuel Wilson, the source of the personification of the United States was born on September 13, 1766. During the War of 1812, Samuel Wilson, a meat-packer from Troy, New York was shipping meat to the government, which was stamped "U.S. Beef." Soldiers fighting in the war with Great Britain began to call this beef Uncle Sam's beef. The character and legend of Uncle Sam grew and his story was enhanced by cartoonist Thomas Nast. In time it became an accepted nickname for the United States government.

Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg was born in Vienna on September 13, 1874. Almost entirely self-taught as a composer, Schoenberg modeled his early work on the traditionally opposed German Romantic styles of Brahms and Wagner. Gradually Schoenberg’s music changed. It became so chromatic that it was no longer in any key at all. When Schoenberg conducted the Vienna Concert Society in a concert of expressionist music on March 31, 1913, it so shocked the audience that they began to riot.

Schoenberg

Theodore Jr. Roosevelt was born to Theodore Roosevelt and Edith Carow on September 13, 1887, He  was known for his World War II service. Despite having a heart condition and arthritis that forced him to use a cane, he led the first wave of landings at Utah Beach on D-Day, becoming the only general to land with his soldiers that day, for which he received the Medal of Honor.

For more September 13 anniversaries, including the first rhinoceros to be exhibited in the US, the first person killed by a motor vehicle accident in the US, and the release of Super Mario Bros, check out OnThatDay.