Coincidental Births & Deaths of the Greatest

Adams – Jefferson (1826)

It is an interesting fact among trivia fans that John ADAMS (2nd USA President, born in 1735) and his successor, Thomas JEFFERSON (3rd USA President, born in 1743) both died on the same day: 4 July 1826 -- made even more coincidental in that July 4th is also the date celebrated as the birth of the USA, based on the 1775 signing of the Declaration of Independence, which both men had significant roles in creating. But do these trivia buffs know that there have been other dates in which coincidence rears its ugly head regarding the births and deaths of the greatest of famous people? Also, what exactly is a "buff"? And why does coincidence's head need to be so unattractive?

Cervantes – Shakespeare (1616)

One of the best examples of these coincidences pertains to two of the greatest writers in history. Miguel de CERVANTES Saavedra (born 1542), considered to be the greatest writer in the Spanish language; and William SHAKESPEARE (born 1564), considered to be the greatest writer in the English language, both died on 23 April 1616. Coincidentally (?), 23 April is believed to be Shakespeare's birthdate as well.

Shakespeare - Michelangelo – Galileo (1564)

But, wait, there's more! Shakespeare's birth-year (1564) happened to be the same year that MICHELANGELO di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (born 1475), arguably the greatest artist in Italian history, died.

And Michelangelo, an Italian, passed the torch to another Italian, GALILEO di Vincenzo Bonaulti de Galilei, one of the greatest scientists in history. Galileo was born just a few days before Michelangelo died in 1564.

Galileo – Newton (1642)

Coincidentally, Galileo, the scientist, would also pass the torch to another one of the greatest scientists in history, Sir Isaac NEWTON. Galileo died in 1642, the same year Newton was born. Newton died in 1727. I assume that some other great person was probably born in that year, but I think you get the point by now. Within a 78-year period, five persons who reached the pinnacle of accomplishment in their fields shared birth-years and death-years in a remarkably coincidental fashion.