Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in History for March 31: In 1492, Spain issued a royal edict advising Jews to either become Catholics, leave the country, or be executed. In 1596, French mathematician and philosopher Rene Descartes was born.

Today in History for April 4: In 1507, Martin Luther was ordained a priest in Erfurt, Germany.

Today in History for April 5: In 1614, in Virginia, Indian chief Powhatan's daughter, Pocahontas, married English colonist John Rolfe. She was one of the first North American native converts to Christianity. She went by the name Lady Rebecca.

Today in History for April 2: In 742, Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, was born. Pope Leo III crowned him Emperor of the Romans on Christmas Day, 800.

Today in Music History for April 5: In 1922, Canadian composer Harry Freedman was born in Lodz, Poland. In 1970, he became the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's first composer-in-residence.

Today in Music History for March 30: In 1913, Frankie Laine, whose jazz-influenced singing style produced dozens of hit records in the '40s and '50s, was born in Chicago.

Today in Music History for April 1: In 1917, Scott Joplin, the ``King of Ragtime,'' died in a mental institution in New York City. Joplin fell into a deep depression -- which eventually led to insanity -- after the failure of his opera ``Treemonisha.

Today in Music History for April 2: In 1872, renowned Canadian soprano Emma Albani made her London debut, singing the role of ``Amina'' in ``La Sonambula.'' In 1939, Motown hitmaker Marvin Gaye was born in Washington, D.C.

Today in History for April 1: In 1548, England's Parliament ordered the publication of the ``Book of Common Prayer.'' In 1564, All Fools' Day is said to have originated when King Charles IX of France changed the calendar.

Today in Music History for April 3: In 1897, German pianist and composer Johannes Brahms died of liver cancer at age 63.