John II of France

John II, called John the Good, was King of France from 1350 until his death in 1364. When he came to power, France faced several disasters: the Black Death, which killed nearly one-third to one-half of its population; popular revolts known as Jacqueries; free companies of routiers who plundered the country; and English aggression that resulted in catastrophic military losses, including the Battle of Poitiers of 1356, in which John was captured.

26 April 1319

Born on the same birth day (26 April): Alberto Quintano • Anne McLaren • Eric Campbell (actor) • Frederick Law Olmsted • I. M. Pei • Jessica Lynch • John Grierson • John Isner • José María López • Jules and Gédéon Naudet • Ludwig Wittgenstein • Novlene Williams-Mills • Samantha Cristoforetti • Steve Lombardozzi • Virgil Trucks • Xenophon Zolotas