400 years ago today : 6 April 1605, John Stow, English antiquary, died. His most famous work is his Survey of London published in 1598. It is the most authorotative book on Medieval and Tudor London ever produced.

400 years ago today; 8 April 1605 : Philip IV, King of Spain, born. His reign (1621-65) hastened Spain's decline. He lost Portugal which had been conquered by his grandfather and failed to reconquer the Netherlands. 

100 years ago today on 9 April 1905, General Sir Frederick Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford, died. He was the Commander of the British forces during the 9th Kaffir War of 1878 and the Zulu War of 1879. After that campaign which began so disastrously he never held command again. 

200 years ago today on 11 April 1805 an Anglo-Russian Trearty was signed. This marked the beginning of the third coalition against Napoleonic France. By the end of the year Austria, Russia, Sweden and some minor German Principalities had joined the coalition. Fighting began at sea in July and on land in September after a period of uneasy peace lasting from 1801. 

I'm a day late with this.

400 years ago on 13 April 1605 Boris Godunov, Tsar of Russia, died. Born into a minor noble family he was chief Minister to Ivan "the Terrible" and Regent to his feeble-minded son Tsar Theodore I. Upon Theodore's death in 1598 he was appointed Tsar. His reign was marked by a series of severe winters and famines and threats from outside Russia's borders. He died suddenly, possibly murdered, as a rival to the throne approached Moscow with a army backed by the King of Poland.