This day in History - February 8

436 Historic Events for February 8
1691 Death Carlo Rainaldi, composer, dies at 79
1693 Event William and Mary college is 2nd college chartered in US
1708 Birth Vaclav Jan Kopriva, composer
1709 Death Giuseppi Torelli, Italian composer, dies at 50
1712 Birth L Joseph de Montcalm de Saint-V‚ran, French general in America
1725 Death Peter I "the Great" Romanov, czar of Russia (1682-1725), dies at 52
1735 Event 1st opera in US "Flora," opens in Charleston, SC
1740 Death Clement XII, [Lorenzo Corsini], blind Pope (1730-40), dies at 87
1741 Birth Andre-Ernest-Modeste Gretry, composer
1743 Event Comet C/1743 C1 approaches within 0.0390 AUs of Earth
1744 Event French/Spanish fleet leaves Toulon
1749 Death Jan van Huysum, Dutch still life painter, dies at 66
1750 Event Minor earthquake in London
1764 Birth Joseph Leopold von Eybler, Austrian composer
1771 Death Augusta von Saxen-Gotha, German prince Frederick Louis of Wales, dies
1775 Event Leidse U 400th anniversary dinner
1776 Event Wolfgang von Goethes' "Stella," premieres in Hamburg
1789 Birth Ludwig Wilhelm Maurer, composer
1795 Birth Friedlieb F Runge, German chemist (Chinoline)
1795 Birth Moritz G [Moses] Saphir, Hungarian journalist/serial writer
1797 Death Johann Friedrich Doles, composer, dies at 81
1801 Death Johann Chrysostomus Drexel, composer, dies at 43
1802 Event Simon Willard patents banjo clock
1807 Birth Franciscus J van Vree, Dutch Catholic foreman
1807 Event Napoleon defeats Russians in battle of Eylau