Events
Pre-1600
*
532 –
Nika riots
The Nika riots (), Nika revolt or Nika sedition took place against Byzantine emperor Justinian I in Constantinople over the course of a week in 532 AD. They are often regarded as the most violent riots in the city's history, with nearly half of ...
in
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
: A quarrel between supporters of different
chariot
A chariot is a type of vehicle similar to a cart, driven by a charioteer, usually using horses to provide rapid Propulsion, motive power. The oldest known chariots have been found in burials of the Sintashta culture in modern-day Chelyabinsk O ...
teams—the Blues and the Greens—in the
Hippodrome
Hippodrome is a term sometimes used for public entertainment venues of various types. A modern example is the Hippodrome which opened in London in 1900 "combining circus, hippodrome, and stage performances".
The term hippodroming refers to fr ...
escalates into violence.
*
630 –
Conquest of Mecca
The conquest of Mecca ( , alternatively, "liberation of Mecca") was a military campaign undertaken by Muhammad and Companions of the Prophet, his companions during the Muslim–Quraysh War. They led the early Muslims in an advance on the Quray ...
:
Muhammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
and his followers conquer the city, and the
Quraysh
The Quraysh () are an Tribes of Arabia, Arab tribe who controlled Mecca before the rise of Islam. Their members were divided into ten main clans, most notably including the Banu Hashim, into which Islam's founding prophet Muhammad was born. By ...
association of clans surrenders.
*
930 –
Sack of Mecca
The Sack of Mecca occurred on 11 January 930, when the Qarmatians of Eastern Arabia, Bahrayn sacked the Muslim holy city amidst the rituals of the Hajj pilgrimage.
The Qarmatians, a radical Isma'ili sect established in Bahrayn since the turn of ...
by the
Qarmatians
The Qarmatians (; ) were a militant Isma'ili Shia movement centred in Al-Ahsa in Eastern Arabia, where they established a religious state in 899 CE. Its members were part of a movement that adhered to a syncretic branch of Sevener Ismaili ...
.
*
1055 –
Theodora is crowned empress of the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
.
*
1158
Year 1158 (Roman numerals, MCLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* Autumn – Emperor Manuel I Komnenos sets out from Constantinople at the head of an expedition ...
–
Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia becomes King of
Bohemia
Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...
.
*
1569 – First recorded
lottery
A lottery (or lotto) is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find som ...
in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
.
1601–1900
*
1654
Events
January–March
* January 6 – In India, Jaswant Singh of Marwar (in the modern-day state of Rajasthan) is elevated to the title of Maharaja by Emperor Shah Jahan.
* January 11 – Arauco War – Battle of Río B ...
–
Arauco War
The Arauco War was a long-running conflict between colonial Spaniards and the Mapuche people, mostly fought in the Araucanía region of Chile. The conflict began at first as a reaction to the Spanish conquerors attempting to establish cities a ...
: A Spanish army
is defeated by local
Mapuche-Huilliches as it tries to cross
Bueno River
The Bueno River (Spanish: ''Río Bueno'') is a river in southern Chile. It originates in Ranco Lake and like most of Chile rivers it drains into the Pacific Ocean at the southern boundary of the Valdivian Coastal Reserve. Its lower flow forms t ...
in
Southern Chile.
*
1759 – The first American
life insurance
Life insurance (or life assurance, especially in the Commonwealth of Nations) is a contract
A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typical ...
company, the Corporation for Relief of Poor and Distressed Presbyterian Ministers and of the Poor and Distressed Widows and Children of the Presbyterian Ministers (now part of
Unum Group), is incorporated in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
.
*
1787 –
William Herschel
Frederick William Herschel ( ; ; 15 November 1738 – 25 August 1822) was a German-British astronomer and composer. He frequently collaborated with his younger sister and fellow astronomer Caroline Herschel. Born in the Electorate of Hanover ...
discovers Titania and
Oberon
Oberon () is a king of the fairy, fairies in Middle Ages, medieval and Renaissance literature. He is best known as a character in William Shakespeare's play ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', in which he is King of the Fairies and spouse of Titania ...
, two
moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
s of
Uranus
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. It is a gaseous cyan-coloured ice giant. Most of the planet is made of water, ammonia, and methane in a Supercritical fluid, supercritical phase of matter, which astronomy calls "ice" or Volatile ( ...
.
*
1805
After thirteen years the First French Empire abolished the French Republican Calendar in favour of the Gregorian calendar.
Events
January–March
* January 11 – The Michigan Territory is created.
* February 7 – King Anouvong become ...
– The
Michigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan. Detroit ...
is created.
*
1820
Events
January–March
*January 1 – A constitutionalist military insurrection at Cádiz leads to the summoning of the Spanish Parliament to meet on March 7, becoming the nominal beginning of the "Trienio Liberal" in History of Spain (1 ...
– The
Great Savannah Fire of 1820 destroys over 400 buildings in
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Brita ...
.
*
1851
Events
January–March
* January 11 – Hong Xiuquan officially begins the Taiping Rebellion in China, one of the bloodiest revolts that would lead to 20 million deaths.
* January 15 – Christian Female College, modern-d ...
–
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a civil war in China between the Qing dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The conflict lasted 14 years, from its outbreak in 1850 until the fall of ...
:
Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan (1 January 1814 – 1 June 1864), born Hong Huoxiu and with the courtesy name Renkun, was a Chinese revolutionary and religious leader who led the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing dynasty. He established the Taiping Heavenly K ...
proclaims the
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, or the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace (1851–1864), was a theocratic monarchy which sought to overthrow the Qing dynasty. The Heavenly Kingdom, or Heavenly Dynasty, was led by Hong Xiuquan, a Hakka man from Guan ...
, starting the
Jintian Uprising
The Jintian Uprising was an armed revolt formally declared by Hong Xiuquan, founder and leader of the God Worshippers, on 11 January 1851 during the late Qing dynasty of China. The uprising was named after the rebel base in Jintian, a town i ...
.
China: A New History
', John King Fairbank and Merle Goldman. Harvard, 2006.
*
1861 –
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
:
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
secedes from the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
*
1863
Events
January
* January 1 – Abraham Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation during the third year of the American Civil War, making the abolition of slavery in the Confederate States of America an official war goal. The signing ...
– American Civil War: The three-day
Battle of Arkansas Post concludes as General
John McClernand and Admiral
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter (June 8, 1813 – February 13, 1891) was a United States Navy admiral (United States), admiral and a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the U.S. Navy. Promoted as the second U.S. Navy officer ...
capture Fort Hindman and secure control over the
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...
for the
Union.
* 1863 – American Civil War:
encounters and sinks the off Galveston Lighthouse in
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
.
*
1879 – The
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in present-day South Africa from January to early July 1879 between forces of the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Two famous battles of the war were the Zulu victory at Battle of Isandlwana, Isandlwana and th ...
begins.
1901–present
*
1908 –
Grand Canyon National Monument is created.
*
1912
This year is notable for Sinking of the Titanic, the sinking of the ''Titanic'', which occurred on April 15.
In Albania, this leap year runs with only 353 days as the country achieved switching from the Julian to Gregorian Calendar by skippin ...
– Immigrant textile workers in
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen, Massachusetts, Methuen ...
,
go on strike when wages are reduced in response to a mandated shortening of the work week.
*
1914
This year saw the beginning of what became known as the First World War, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip ...
– The
''Karluk'', flagship of the
Canadian Arctic Expedition,
sinks after being crushed by ice.
*
1917
Events
Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix.
January
* January 9 – WWI – Battle of Rafa: The last substantial Ottoman Army garrison on the Sinai Peninsula is captured by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force's ...
– The
Kingsland munitions factory explosion occurs as a result of
sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, government, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, demoralization (warfare), demoralization, destabilization, divide and rule, division, social disruption, disrupti ...
.
*
1922 –
Leonard Thompson becomes the first person to be injected with insulin.
*
1923
In Greece, this year contained only 352 days as 13 days was skipped to achieve the calendrical switch from Julian to Gregorian Calendar. It happened there that Wednesday, 15 February ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Thursday, 1 March ' ...
–
Occupation of the Ruhr
The occupation of the Ruhr () was the period from 11 January 1923 to 25 August 1925 when French and Belgian troops occupied the Ruhr region of Weimar Republic Germany.
The occupation of the heavily industrialized Ruhr district came in respons ...
: Troops from
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
occupy the
Ruhr
The Ruhr ( ; , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr Area, sometimes Ruhr District, Ruhr Region, or Ruhr Valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 1,160/km2 and a populati ...
area to force
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
to make its
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
reparation payments.
*
1927
Events January
* January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the BBC, British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith, 1st Baron Reith, John Reith becomes the first ...
–
Louis B. Mayer
Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1884Mayer maintained that he was born in Minsk on July 4, 1885. According to Scott Eyman, the reasons may have been:
* Mayer's father gave different dates for his birthplace at different times, so ...
, head of film studio
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
(MGM), announces the creation of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., with the stated goal of adva ...
, at a banquet in
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
.
*
1935
Events
January
* January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims.
* January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...
–
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart ( ; July 24, 1897 – January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer. On July 2, 1937, she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. During her li ...
becomes the first person to fly solo from
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
to
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.
*
1942
The Uppsala Conflict Data Program project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 4.62 million. However, the Correlates of War estimates that the prior year, 1941, was th ...
–
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
:
Japanese forces
capture Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the Federated Malay States.
* 1942 – World War II: Japanese forces attack
Tarakan in
Borneo
Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an area of , and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda ...
,
Netherlands Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which declared independence on 17 August 1945. Following the Indonesian War of Independe ...
(
Battle of Tarakan)
*
1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 � ...
– The
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
agrees to the
Sino-British New Equal Treaty and the
Sino-American New Equal Treaty.
* 1943 – Italian-American anarchist
Carlo Tresca is assassinated in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.
*
1946
1946 (Roman numerals, MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1946th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 946th year of the 2nd millennium, the 46th year of the 20th centur ...
–
Enver Hoxha
Enver Halil Hoxha ( , ; ; 16 October 190811 April 1985) was an Albanian communist revolutionary and politician who was the leader of People's Socialist Republic of Albania, Albania from 1944 until his death in 1985. He was the Secretary (titl ...
, Secretary General of the
Communist Party of Albania, declares the
People's Republic of Albania
The People's Socialist Republic of Albania, () was the Marxist-Leninist state that existed in Albania from 10 January 1946 to the 29 April 1991. Originally founded as the People's Republic of Albania from 1946 to 1976, it was governed by the P ...
with himself as head of state.
*
1949
Events
January
* January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025
* January 2 – Luis ...
– The first "networked" television broadcasts took place as
KDKA-TV
KDKA-TV (channel 2), branded CBS Pittsburgh, is a television station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is owned and operated by the CBS television network through its CBS News and Stations division alongside WPKD-TV (channel 19), a ...
in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
goes on the air connecting the east coast and mid-west programming.
*
1957
Events January
* January 1 – The Saarland joins West Germany.
* January 3 – Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch.
* January 5 – South African player Russell Endean becomes the first batsman to be Dismissal (cricke ...
– The
African Convention is founded in
Dakar, Senegal.
*
1959
Events
January
* January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance.
* January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...
– 36 people are killed when
Lufthansa Flight 502 crashes on approach to
Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport in Brazil.
*
1961 –
Throgs Neck Bridge over the
East River
The East River is a saltwater Estuary, tidal estuary or strait in New York City. The waterway, which is not a river despite its name, connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island, ...
, linking
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
's boroughs of
The Bronx
The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
and
Queens
Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
, opens to road traffic.
*
1962
The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War.
Events January
* January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...
–
Cold War
The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
: While tied to its pier in
Polyarny, the
Soviet submarine B-37 is destroyed when fire breaks out in its torpedo compartment.
* 1962 – An avalanche on
Huascarán in
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
causes around 4,000 deaths.
*
1964
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...
–
Surgeon General of the United States
The surgeon general of the United States is the operational head of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government of the United States. T ...
Dr.
Luther Terry, M.D., publishes the landmark report ''
Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service'' saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking national and worldwide anti-smoking efforts.
*
1966
Events January
* January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko.
* January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
– The
Tbilisi Metro
The Tbilisi Metro ( ka, თბილისის მეტროპოლიტენი, tr) is a rapid transit system in the Georgia (country), Georgian capital Tbilisi. Opened on 11 January 1966, it was the List of metro systems in the Soviet ...
is opened.
*
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
–
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was the eastern province of Pakistan between 1955 and 1971, restructured and renamed from the province of East Bengal and covering the territory of the modern country of Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Burma, wit ...
renames itself
Bangladesh
Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
.
*
1973
Events January
* January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union.
* January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
–
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
owners vote in approval of the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
adopting the
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. Unlike other players in a team's lineup, they generally only play as an offensive player and usually do not play defense as ...
position.
*
1983
1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call.
Events January
* January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
–
United Airlines Flight 2885 crashes after takeoff from
Detroit Metropolitan Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is the primary international airport serving Detroit and its Metro Detroit, surrounding metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Romulus, Michigan, Romulus, a Detroit suburb ...
, killing three.
[ ]
Copy at
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is a private university focused on aviation and aerospace programs based in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, United States. It is the largest accredited university system specializing in ...
.
*
1986 – The
Gateway Bridge, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia is officially opened.
*
1994
The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations.
In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
– The
Irish Government announces the end of a 15-year broadcasting ban on the
IRA and its political arm
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin ( ; ; ) is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The History of Sinn Féin, original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffit ...
.
*
1995
1995 was designated as:
* United Nations Year for Tolerance
* World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War
This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
– 51 people are killed in a
plane crash in
María La Baja, Colombia.
*
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
–
Space Shuttle program
The Space Shuttle program was the fourth human spaceflight program carried out by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which accomplished routine transportation for Earth-to-orbit crew and cargo from 1981 to 2011. Its ...
:
STS-72 launches from the
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC, originally known as the NASA Launch Operations Center), located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of the NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) ten NASA facilities#List of field c ...
marking the start of the 74th
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable launch system, reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. ...
mission and the 10th flight of ''
Endeavour''.
*
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
– Over 100 people are killed in the
Sidi-Hamed massacre in
Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
.
*
2003
2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater.
In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War.
Demographic ...
–
Illinois Governor George Ryan commutes the death sentences of 167 prisoners on
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
's death row based on the
Jon Burge scandal.
*
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
– One French soldier and 17 militants are killed in a
failed attempt to free a French hostage in
Bulo Marer,
Somalia
Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
.
*
2020
The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
–
COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei: Municipal health officials in
Wuhan
Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...
announce the first recorded death from
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
.
Births
Pre-1600
*
347 –
Theodosius I
Theodosius I ( ; 11 January 347 – 17 January 395), also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395. He won two civil wars and was instrumental in establishing the Nicene Creed as the orthodox doctrine for Nicene C ...
, Roman emperor (died 395)
*
889 –
Abd-ar-Rahman III
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Ḥakam al-Rabdī ibn Hishām ibn Abd al-Rahman I, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Dākhil (; 890–961), or simply ʿAbd al-Raḥmān III, was the Umayyad dyna ...
, first
Caliph of Córdoba
A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
(died 961)
*
1113
Year 1113 ( MCXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* Spring – Siege of Nicaea: Malik Shah, Seljuk ruler of the Sultanate of Rum, sends an expedition through Bi ...
–
Wang Chongyang, Chinese religious leader and poet (died 1170)
*
1209 –
Möngke Khan
Möngke Khan (also Möngke Khagan or Möngke; 11 January 120911 August 1259) was the fourth khagan of the Mongol Empire, ruling from 1 July 1251 to 11 August 1259. He was the first Khagan from the Toluid line, and made significant reforms to im ...
, Mongolian emperor (died 1259)
*
1322
Year 1322 ( MCCCXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.
Events January – March
* January 3 – Charles IV the Fair, the last member of the House of Capet and younger brother of King Philip V, becomes ...
–
Emperor Kōmyō of Japan (died 1380)
*
1359
Year 1359 ( MCCCLIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.
Events
January–December
* May 25 – The French States-General repudiates the terms of the Second Treaty of London, signed earlier in the year ...
–
Emperor Go-En'yū of Japan (died 1393)
*
1395
Year 1395 ( MCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 1395th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 395th year of the 2nd millennium, the 95th yea ...
–
Michele of Valois, daughter of Charles VI of France (died 1422)
*
1503 –
Parmigianino
Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (11 January 150324 August 1540), also known as Francesco Mazzola or, more commonly, as Parmigianino (, , ; "the little one from Parma"), was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker active in Florence, Rome, ...
, Italian artist (died 1540)
*
1589 –
William Strode, English politician (died 1666)
*
1591 –
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, KB, PC (; 11 January 1591 – 14 September 1646) was an English Parliamentarian and soldier during the first half of the 17th century. With the start of the Civil War in 1642, he became the first Captai ...
, English general and politician,
Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire (died 1646)
1601–1900
*
1624 –
Bastiaan Govertsz van der Leeuw, Dutch painter (died 1680)
*
1630 –
John Rogers, English-American minister, physician, and academic (died 1684)
*
1638
Events January–March
* January 4
**A naval battle takes place in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Goa in South India as a Netherlands fleet commanded by Admiral Adam Westerwolt decimates the Portuguese fleet.
**A fleet of 80 Spanis ...
–
Nicolas Steno
Niels Steensen (; Latinized to Nicolas Steno or Nicolaus Stenonius; 1 January 1638 – 25 November 1686 ) was a Danish scientist, a pioneer in both anatomy and geology who became a Catholic bishop in his later years. He has been beatified ...
, Danish bishop and anatomist (died 1686)
*
1642
Events
January–March
* January 4 – King Charles I of England, accompanied by soldiers, arrives at a session of the Long Parliament and attempts to arrest his chief opponents, the Five Members, John Hampden, Arthur Haselri ...
–
Johann Friedrich Alberti
Johann Friedrich Alberti (11 January 1642 – 14 June 1710) was a German composer and organist.
Alberti was born in Tönning, Schleswig. He received his musical training in Leipzig from Werner Fabricius and in Dresden from Vincenzo Albrici ...
, German organist and composer (died 1710)
*
1650 –
Diana Glauber, Dutch-German painter (died 1721)
*
1671
Events
January–March
* January 1 – The Criminal Ordinance of 1670, the first attempt at a uniform code of criminal procedure in France, goes into effect after having been passed on August 26, 1670.
* January 5 – The ...
–
François-Marie, 1st duc de Broglie, French general and diplomat (died 1745)
*
1755 –
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the first U.S. secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795 dur ...
, Nevisian-American general, economist and politician, 1st
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
(died 1804)
*
1757
Events
January–March
* January 2 – Seven Years' War: The British East India Company Army, under the command of Robert Clive, captures Calcutta, India.
* January 5 – Robert-François Damiens makes an unsuccessful assa ...
–
Samuel Bentham
Brigadier General Sir Samuel Bentham (11 January 1757 – 31 May 1831) was an England, English mechanical engineering, mechanical engineer and naval architect credited with numerous innovations, particularly related to naval architecture, incl ...
, English engineer and architect (died 1831)
*
1760
Events
January–March
* January 9 – Battle of Barari Ghat: Afghan forces defeat the Marathas.
* January 22 – Seven Years' War – Battle of Wandiwash, India: British general Sir Eyre Coote is victorious over th ...
–
Oliver Wolcott Jr.
Oliver Wolcott Jr. (January 11, 1760 – June 1, 1833) was an American politician and judge. He was the second United States Secretary of the Treasury, a judge of the United States circuit court, United States Circuit Court for the Second Circuit ...
, American lawyer and politician, 2nd
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...
, 24th
Governor of Connecticut
The governor of Connecticut is the head of government of Connecticut, and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state, state's Connecticut Military Department, military forces. The Governor (United States), governor has a duty to enforce state laws, ...
(died 1833)
*
1777
Events
January–March
* January 2 – American Revolutionary War – Battle of the Assunpink Creek: American general George Washington's army repulses a British attack by Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis, in a second ...
–
Vincenzo Borg, Maltese merchant and rebel leader (died 1837)
*
1786
Events
January–March
* January 3 – The third Treaty of Hopewell is signed between the United States and the Choctaw.
* January 6 – The outward bound East Indiaman '' Halsewell'' is wrecked on the south coast of Englan ...
–
Joseph Jackson Lister, English physicist (died 1869)
*
1788
Events
January–March
* January 1 – The first edition of ''The Times'', previously ''The Daily Universal Register'', is published in London.
* January 2 – Georgia ratifies the United States Constitution, and becomes the fourth U.S ...
–
William Thomas Brande, English chemist and academic (died 1866)
*
1800
As of March 1 ( O.S. February 18), when the Julian calendar acknowledged a leap day and the Gregorian calendar did not, the Julian calendar fell one day further behind, bringing the difference to 12 days until February 28 ( O.S. February 16), ...
–
Ányos Jedlik
Ányos István Jedlik (1800 – 1895) was a Hungarian inventor, engineer, physicist, and Benedictine priest. He was also a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and author of several books. He is considered by Hungarians and Slovaks to b ...
, Hungarian physicist and engineer (died 1895)
*
1807 –
Ezra Cornell
Ezra Cornell (; January 11, 1807 – December 9, 1874) was an American businessman, politician, academic, and philanthropist. He was the founder of Western Union and a co-founder of Cornell University. He also served as president of the New York ...
, American businessman and philanthropist, founded
Western Union
The Western Union Company is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Denver, Denver, Colorado.
Founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York, the co ...
and
Cornell University
Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
(died 1874)
*
1814
Events January
* January 1 – War of the Sixth Coalition – The Royal Prussian Army led by Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher crosses the Rhine.
* January 3
** War of the Sixth Coalition – Siege of Cattaro: French gar ...
–
James Paget, English surgeon and pathologist (died 1899)
* 1814 – Socrates Nelson, American businessman and politician (died 1867)
*1815 – John A. Macdonald, Scottish-Canadian lawyer and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Canada (died 1891)
*1825 – Bayard Taylor, American poet, author, and critic (died 1878)
*1839 – Eugenio María de Hostos, Puerto Rican lawyer, philosopher, and sociologist (died 1903)
*1842 – William James, American psychologist and philosopher (died 1910)
*1843 – Adolf Eberle, German painter (died 1914)
*1845 – Albert Victor Bäcklund, Swedish mathematician and physicist (died 1912)
*1850 – Joseph Charles Arthur, American pathologist and mycologist (died 1942)
*1852 – Constantin Fehrenbach, German lawyer and politician, 4th List of Chancellors of Germany#Weimar Republic (Reichskanzler) (1919–1933), Chancellor of Weimar Germany (died 1926)
*1853 – Georgios Jakobides, Greek painter and sculptor (died 1932)
*1856 – Christian Sinding, Norwegian pianist and composer (died 1941)
*1857 – Fred Archer (jockey), Fred Archer, English jockey (died 1886)
*1858 – Harry Gordon Selfridge, American-English businessman, founded Selfridges (died 1947)
*1859 – George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, English politician, 35th Governor-General of India (died 1925)
*1864 – Thomas Dixon, Jr., American minister, lawyer, and politician (died 1946)
*1867 – John Ernest Adamson, English educationalist and Director of Education of the Colony of Transvaal (died1950)
*1867 – Edward B. Titchener, English psychologist and academic (died 1927)
*1868 – Cai Yuanpei, Chinese philosopher, academic, and politician (died 1940)
*1870 – Alexander Stirling Calder, American sculptor and educator (died 1945)
*1872 – G. W. Pierce, American physicist and academic (died 1956)
*1873 – John Callan O'Laughlin, American soldier and journalist (died 1949)
*1875 – Reinhold Glière, Russian composer and academic (died 1956)
*1876 – Elmer Flick, American baseball player (died 1971)
* 1876 – Thomas Hicks (athlete), Thomas Hicks, American runner (died 1952)
*1878 – Theodoros Pangalos (general), Theodoros Pangalos, Greek general and politician, List of heads of state of Greece, President of Greece (died 1952)
*1885 – Alice Paul, American activist and suffragist (died 1977)
*1886 – George Zucco, British actor (died 1960)
*1887 – Aldo Leopold, American ecologist and author (died 1948)
*1888 – Joseph B. Keenan, American jurist and politician (died 1954)
*1889 – Calvin Bridges, American geneticist and academic (died 1938)
*1890 – Max Carey, American baseball player and manager (died 1976)
* 1890 – Oswald de Andrade, Brazilian poet and critic (died 1954)
*1891 – Andrew Sockalexis, American runner (died 1919)
*1893 – Ellinor Aiki, Estonian painter (died 1969)
* 1893 – Charles Fraser (rugby league), Charles Fraser, Australian rugby league player and coach (died 1981)
* 1893 – Anthony M. Rud, American journalist and author (died 1942)
*1895 – Laurens Hammond, American engineer and businessman, founded the Hammond Clock Company (died 1973)
*1897 – Bernard DeVoto, American historian and author (died 1955)
* 1897 – August Heissmeyer, German SS officer (died 1979)
*1899 – Eva Le Gallienne, English-American actress, director, and producer (died 1991)
1901–present
*1901 – Kwon Ki-ok, Korean pilot (died 1988)
*1902 – Maurice Duruflé, French organist and composer (died 1986)
*1903 – Alan Paton, South African author and activist (died 1988)
*1905 – Clyde Kluckhohn, American anthropologist and theorist (died 1960)
*1906 – Albert Hofmann, Swiss chemist and academic, discoverer of LSD (died 2008)
*1907 – Pierre Mendès France, French lawyer and politician, 142nd List of Prime Ministers of France, Prime Minister of France (died 1982)
* 1907 – Abraham Joshua Heschel, Polish-American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher (died 1972)
*
1908 – Lionel Stander, American actor and activist (died 1994)
*1910 – Arthur Lambourn, New Zealand rugby player (died 1999)
* 1910 – Shane Paltridge, Australian soldier and politician (died 1966)
*1911 – Tommy Duncan, American singer-songwriter (died 1967)
* 1911 – Nora Heysen, Australian painter (died 2003)
* 1911 – Zenkō Suzuki, Japanese politician, 70th Prime Minister of Japan (died 2004)
*
1912
This year is notable for Sinking of the Titanic, the sinking of the ''Titanic'', which occurred on April 15.
In Albania, this leap year runs with only 353 days as the country achieved switching from the Julian to Gregorian Calendar by skippin ...
– Don "Red" Barry, American actor, producer, and screenwriter (died 1980)
*1913 – Karl Stegger, Danish actor (died 1980)
*1915 – Luise Krüger, German javelin thrower (died 2001)
* 1915 – Paddy Mayne, British colonel and lawyer (died 1955)
*1916 – Bernard Blier, Argentinian-French actor (died 1989)
*
1917
Events
Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix.
January
* January 9 – WWI – Battle of Rafa: The last substantial Ottoman Army garrison on the Sinai Peninsula is captured by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force's ...
– John Robarts, Canadian lawyer and politician, 17th Premier of Ontario (died 1982)
*1918 – Robert C. O'Brien (author), Robert C. O'Brien, American author and journalist (died 1973)
* 1918 – Spencer Walklate, Australian rugby league player and soldier (died 1945)
*1920 – Mick McManus (wrestler), Mick McManus, English wrestler (died 2013)
*1921 – Gory Guerrero, American wrestler and trainer (died 1990)
* 1921 – Juanita M. Kreps, American economist and politician, 24th United States Secretary of Commerce (died 2010)
*
1923
In Greece, this year contained only 352 days as 13 days was skipped to achieve the calendrical switch from Julian to Gregorian Calendar. It happened there that Wednesday, 15 February ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Thursday, 1 March ' ...
– Jerome Bixby, American author and screenwriter (died 1998)
* 1923 – Ernst Nolte, German historian and philosopher (died 2016)
* 1923 – Carroll Shelby, American race car driver, engineer, and businessman, founded Carroll Shelby International (died 2012)
*1924 – Roger Guillemin, French-American physician and endocrinologist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2024)
* 1924 – Sam B. Hall, Jr., American lawyer, judge, and politician (died 1994)
* 1924 – Slim Harpo, American blues singer-songwriter and musician (died 1970)
*1925 – Grant Tinker, American television producer, co-founded MTM Enterprises (died 2016)
*1926 – Lev Dyomin, Russian colonel, pilot, and astronaut (died 1998)
*1928 – David L. Wolper, American director and producer (died 2010)
*1929 – Dmitri Bruns, Estonian architect and theorist (died 2020)
*1930 – Ron Mulock, Australian lawyer and politician, 10th Deputy Premier of New South Wales (died 2014)
* 1930 – Rod Taylor, Australian-American actor and screenwriter (died 2015)
*1931 – Betty Churcher, Australian painter, historian, and curator (died 2015)
* 1931 – Mary Rodgers, American composer and author (died 2014)
*1932 – Alfonso Arau, Mexican actor and director
*1933 – Goldie Hill, American country singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2005)
*1934 – Jean Chrétien, Canadian lawyer and politician, 20th Prime Minister of Canada
* 1934 – Mitchell Ryan, American actor (died 2022)
*1936 – Eva Hesse, German-American sculptor and educator (died 1970)
*1937 – Felix Silla, Italian character actor, circus performer, voice artist, and stuntman (died 2021)
*1938 – Arthur Scargill, English miner, activist, and politician
*1939 – Anne Heggtveit, Canadian alpine skier
*1940 – Andres Tarand, Estonian geographer and politician, 10th Prime Minister of Estonia
*1941 – Gérson, Brazilian footballer
*
1942
The Uppsala Conflict Data Program project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 4.62 million. However, the Correlates of War estimates that the prior year, 1941, was th ...
– Bud Acton, American basketball player
* 1942 – Clarence Clemons, American saxophonist and actor (died 2011)
*1944 – Mohammed Abdul-Hayy, Sudanese poet and academic (died 1989)
* 1944 – Shibu Soren, Indian politician, 3rd Chief Minister of Jharkhand
*1945 – Christine Kaufmann, German actress, author, and businesswoman (died 2017)
*
1946
1946 (Roman numerals, MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1946th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 946th year of the 2nd millennium, the 46th year of the 20th centur ...
– Naomi Judd, American singer-songwriter and actress (died 2022)
* 1946 – Tony Kaye (musician), Tony Kaye, English progressive rock keyboard player and songwriter
* 1946 – John Piper (theologian), John Piper, American theologian and author
*1947 – Hamish Macdonald (rugby player), Hamish Macdonald, New Zealand rugby player
*1948 – Fritz Bohla, German footballer and manager
* 1948 – Joe Harper (footballer), Joe Harper, Scottish footballer and manager
* 1948 – Wajima Hiroshi, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 54th Makuuchi#Yokozuna, Yokozuna (died 2018)
* 1948 – Madeline Manning, American runner and coach
* 1948 – Terry Williams (drummer), Terry Williams, Welsh drummer
*
1949
Events
January
* January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025
* January 2 – Luis ...
– Daryl Braithwaite, Australian singer-songwriter
* 1949 – Chris Ford, American basketball player and coach (died 2023)
* 1949 – Mohammad Reza Rahimi, Iranian lawyer and politician, 2nd Vice President of Iran
*1951 – Charlie Huhn, American rock singer and guitarist
* 1951 – Willie Maddren, English footballer and manager (died 2000)
* 1951 – Philip Tartaglia, Scottish archbishop (died 2021)
*1952 – Bille Brown, Australian actor and playwright (died 2013)
* 1952 – Ben Crenshaw, American golfer and architect
* 1952 – Michael Forshaw, Australian lawyer and politician
* 1952 – Diana Gabaldon, American author
* 1952 – Lee Ritenour, American guitarist, composer, and producer
*1953 – Graham Allen (politician), Graham Allen, English politician, Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
* 1953 – Kostas Skandalidis, Greek engineer and politician, Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food (Greece), Greek Minister of Agricultural Development and Food
*1954 – Jaak Aaviksoo, Estonian physicist and politician, 26th Minister of Defence (Estonia), Estonian Minister of Defence
* 1954 – Kailash Satyarthi, Indian engineer, academic, and activist, Nobel Peace Prize, Nobel Prize laureate
*1956 – David Grant (rugby league), David Grant, Australian rugby league player (died 1994)
* 1956 – Big Bank Hank, American rapper (died 2014)
* 1956 – Robert Earl Keen, American singer-songwriter
* 1956 – Phyllis Logan, Scottish actress
*
1957
Events January
* January 1 – The Saarland joins West Germany.
* January 3 – Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch.
* January 5 – South African player Russell Endean becomes the first batsman to be Dismissal (cricke ...
– Darryl Dawkins, American basketball player and coach (died 2015)
* 1957 – Peter Moore (Australian rules footballer), Peter Moore, Australian rules footballer and coach
* 1957 – Bryan Robson, English footballer and manager
*1958 – Vicki Peterson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
*
1959
Events
January
* January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance.
* January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...
– Brett Bodine, American NASCAR driver
* 1959 – Rob Ramage, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
*
1961 – Jasper Fforde, English author
* 1961 – Lars-Erik Torph, Swedish racing driver (died 1989)
* 1961 – Karl von Habsburg, Austrian politician, Head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine
*
1962
The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War.
Events January
* January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...
– Chris Bryant, Welsh politician, Minister of State for Europe
* 1962 – Kim Coles, American actress and comedian
* 1962 – Susan Lindauer, American journalist and activist
* 1962 – Brian Moore (rugby union), Brian Moore, English rugby player
*1963 – Tracy Caulkins, American-Australian swimmer
* 1963 – Jason Connery, Italian-born British actor and director
* 1963 – Petra Schneider, German swimmer
*
1964
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...
– Albert Dupontel, French actor and director
* 1964 – Ralph Recto, Filipino lawyer and politician
*1965 – Mascarita Sagrada, Mexican wrestler
* 1965 – Aleksey Zhukov, Russian footballer and coach
*
1966
Events January
* January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko.
* January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
– Marc Acito, American author and screenwriter
*1967 – Michael Healy-Rae, Irish politician
*1968 – Anders Borg, Swedish economist and politician, Minister for Finance (Sweden), Swedish Minister for Finance
* 1968 – Tom Dumont, American guitarist and producer
* 1968 – Steve Mavin, Australian rugby league player
*1969 – Manny Acta, Dominican-American baseball player, coach, manager, and sportscaster
*1970 – Manfredi Beninati, Italian painter and sculptor
* 1970 – Chris Jent, American basketball player and coach
* 1970 – Malcolm D. Lee, American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor
* 1970 – Ken Ueno, American composer
*1971 – Mary J. Blige, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress
* 1971 – Jeff Orford, Australian rugby league player
*
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
– Christian Jacobs, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
* 1972 – Anthony Lledo, Danish composer
* 1972 – Amanda Peet, American actress and playwright
*
1973
Events January
* January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union.
* January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
– Rahul Dravid, Indian cricketer
* 1973 – Rockmond Dunbar, American actor
*1974 – Roman Görtz, German footballer
* 1974 – Cody McKay, Canadian baseball player
* 1974 – Jens Nowotny, German footballer
*1975 – Rory Fitzpatrick, American ice hockey player
* 1975 – Dan Luger, English rugby player and coach
* 1975 – Matteo Renzi, Italian politician, 56th Prime Minister of Italy
*1976 – Efthimios Rentzias, Greek basketball player
*1977 – Shamari Buchanan, American football player
* 1977 – Anni Friesinger-Postma, German speed skater
* 1977 – Shane Kelly (rugby league), Shane Kelly, Australian rugby league player
* 1977 – Olexiy Lukashevych, Ukrainian long jumper
*1978 – Vallo Allingu, Estonian basketball player
* 1978 – Holly Brisley, Australian actress
* 1978 – Michael Duff (footballer), Michael Duff, Irish footballer
* 1978 – Emile Heskey, English footballer
*1979 – Darren Lynn Bousman, American director and screenwriter
* 1979 – Michael Lorenz (footballer), Michael Lorenz, German footballer
* 1979 – Terence Morris, American basketball player
* 1979 – Siti Nurhaliza, Malaysian singer-songwriter and businesswoman
* 1979 – Henry Shefflin, Irish hurler
*1980 – Josh Hannay, Australian rugby league player and coach
* 1980 – Damien Wilkins, American basketball player
*1982 – Tony Allen (basketball), Tony Allen, American basketball player
* 1982 – Clint Greenshields, Australian-French rugby league player
* 1982 – Blake Heron, American actor (died 2017)
* 1982 – Son Ye-jin, South Korean actress
*
1983
1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call.
Events January
* January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...
– André Myhrer, Swedish skier
* 1983 – Ted Richards, Australian rules footballer
* 1983 – Adrian Sutil, German racing driver
*1984 – Kevin Boss, American football player
* 1984 – Dario Krešić, Croatian footballer
* 1984 – Matt Mullenweg, American web developer and businessman, co-created WordPress
* 1984 – Stijn Schaars, Dutch footballer
* 1984 – Glenn Stewart, Australian rugby league player
*1985 – Dennis Dixon, American football player
* 1985 – Newton Faulkner, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
* 1985 – Aja Naomi King, American actress
*1987 – Scotty Cranmer, American BMX rider
* 1987 – Danuta Kozák, Hungarian sprint canoer
* 1987 – Daniel Semenzato, Italian footballer
* 1987 – Jamie Vardy, English footballer
* 1987 – Kim Young-kwang (actor), Kim Young-kwang, South Korean actor and model
*1988 – Epiphanny Prince, American-Russian basketball player
*1989 – Demario Davis, American football player
* 1989 – Kane Linnett, Australian rugby league player
*1990 – Malik Jackson (defensive lineman), Malik Jackson, American football player
*1991 – Andrea Bertolacci, Italian footballer
*1992 – Dani Carvajal, Spanish footballer
* 1992 – Lee Seung-hoon (rapper), Lee Seung-hoon, South Korean rapper and dancer
*1993 – Chris Boucher (basketball), Chris Boucher, Saint Lucian-Canadian basketball player
* 1993 – Park Junghwan, South Korean Go player
* 1993 – Michael Keane (footballer, born 1993), Michael Keane, English footballer
* 1993 – Will Keane, Irish footballer
*
1995
1995 was designated as:
* United Nations Year for Tolerance
* World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War
This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
– Nick Solak, American baseball player
*
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
– Leroy Sané, German footballer
*1997 – Cody Simpson, Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
*
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
– Thomas Mikaele, New Zealand rugby league player
*1999 – Jeanette Hegg Duestad, Norwegian sport shooter
* 1999 – Lim Sung-jin, South Korean volleyball player
* 1999 – Brandon Wakeham, Australian-Fijian rugby league player
*2000 – Lee Chae-yeon (singer, born 2000), Chaeyeon, South Korean singer-songwriter
*2002 – Elly De La Cruz, Dominican baseball player
Deaths
Pre-1600
*AD 140, 140 – Pope Hyginus, Bishop of Rome (born 74)
* 705 – Pope John VI (born 655)
* 782 – Emperor Kōnin of Japan (born 709)
* 812 – Staurakios, Byzantine emperor
* 844 – Michael I Rangabe, Byzantine emperor (born 770)
* 887 – Boso of Provence, Frankish Nobility, nobleman
* 937 – Empress Cao (Li Siyuan's wife), Cao, empress of Later Tang
* 937 – Li Chongmei, prince of Later Tang
* 937 – Li Congke, emperor of Later Tang (born 885)
* 937 – Empress Liu (Li Congke's wife), Liu, empress of Later Tang
*
1055 – Constantine IX Monomachos, Byzantine emperor (born 1000)
*1068 – Egbert I, Margrave of Meissen
*1083 – Otto of Nordheim (born 1020)
*1266 – Swietopelk II, Duke of Pomerania
*1344 – Thomas Charlton (bishop), Thomas Charlton, Bishop of Hereford and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
*1372 – Eleanor of Lancaster, English noblewoman (born 1318)
*1396 – Isidore Glabas, Metropolitan bishop of Thessalonica (bornc. 1341)
*1397 – Skirgaila, Grand Duke of Lithuania
*1494 – Domenico Ghirlandaio, Italian painter (born 1449)
*1495 – Pedro González de Mendoza, Spanish cardinal (born 1428)
*1546 – Gaudenzio Ferrari, Italian painter and sculptor (born c. 1471)
*1554 – Min Bin, king of Arakan (born 1493)
1601–1900
*1641 – Juan Martínez de Jáuregui y Aguilar, Spanish poet and painter (born 1583)
*1696 – Charles Albanel, French priest, missionary, and explorer (born 1616)
*1703 – Johann Georg Graevius, German scholar and critic (born 1632)
*1713 – Pierre Jurieu, French priest and theologian (born 1637)
*1735 – Danilo I, Metropolitan of Cetinje (born 1670)
*1753 – Hans Sloane, Irish-English physician and academic (born 1660)
*
1757
Events
January–March
* January 2 – Seven Years' War: The British East India Company Army, under the command of Robert Clive, captures Calcutta, India.
* January 5 – Robert-François Damiens makes an unsuccessful assa ...
– Louis Bertrand Castel, French mathematician and philosopher (born 1688)
*1762 – Louis-François Roubiliac, French-English sculptor (born 1695)
*1763 – Caspar Abel, German poet, historian, and theologian (born 1676)
*1771 – Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens, French philosopher and author (born 1704)
*
1788
Events
January–March
* January 1 – The first edition of ''The Times'', previously ''The Daily Universal Register'', is published in London.
* January 2 – Georgia ratifies the United States Constitution, and becomes the fourth U.S ...
– François Joseph Paul de Grasse, French admiral (born 1722)
*1791 – William Williams Pantycelyn, Welsh composer and poet (born 1717)
*1798 – Heraclius II of Georgia (born 1720)
*1801 – Domenico Cimarosa, Italian composer and educator (born 1749)
*1824 – Thomas Mullins, 1st Baron Ventry, Anglo-Irish politician and peer (born 1736)
*1836 – John Molson, Canadian businessman, founded the Molson, Molson Brewing Company (born 1763)
*1843 – Francis Scott Key, American lawyer, author, and songwriter (born 1779)
*1866 – Gustavus Vaughan Brooke, Irish actor (born 1818)
* 1866 – John Woolley (educator), John Woolley, English minister and academic (born 1816)
*1867 – Stuart Donaldson, English-Australian businessman and politician, 1st Premier of New South Wales (born 1812)
*1882 – Theodor Schwann, German physiologist and biologist (born 1810)
*1891 – Georges-Eugène Haussmann, French urban planner (born 1809)
1901–present
*1902 – Johnny Briggs (cricketer), Johnny Briggs, English cricketer and rugby player (born 1862)
*1904 – William Sawyer (politician), William Sawyer, Canadian merchant and politician (born 1815)
*
1914
This year saw the beginning of what became known as the First World War, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip ...
– Carl Jacobsen, Danish brewer and philanthropist (born 1842)
*1920 – Steinar Schjøtt, Norwegian philologist and lexicographer (born 1844)
*
1923
In Greece, this year contained only 352 days as 13 days was skipped to achieve the calendrical switch from Julian to Gregorian Calendar. It happened there that Wednesday, 15 February ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Thursday, 1 March ' ...
– Constantine I of Greece (born 1868)
*1928 – Thomas Hardy, English novelist and poet (born 1840)
*1929 – Elfrida Andrée, Swedish organist, composer, and conductor (born 1841)
*1931 – James Milton Carroll, American pastor, historian, and author (born 1852)
*1937 – Nuri Conker, Turkish colonel and politician (born 1882)
*1941 – Emanuel Lasker, German mathematician, philosopher, and chess player (born 1868)
*1944 – Galeazzo Ciano, Italian politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Italy), Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1903)
*1947 – Eva Tanguay, Canadian singer (born 1879)
*1952 – Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, French general (born 1889)
* 1952 – Aureliano Pertile, Italian tenor and educator (born 1885)
*1953 – Noe Zhordania, Georgian journalist and politician, Prime Minister of Georgia (born 1868)
* 1953 – Roberta Fulbright, American businesswoman (born1874)
*1954 – Oscar Straus (composer), Oscar Straus, Austrian composer (born 1870)
*
1957
Events January
* January 1 – The Saarland joins West Germany.
* January 3 – Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch.
* January 5 – South African player Russell Endean becomes the first batsman to be Dismissal (cricke ...
– Robert Garran, Australian lawyer and politician, Solicitor-General of Australia (born 1867)
*
1961 – Elena Gerhardt, German soprano and actress (born 1883)
*1963 – Arthur Nock, English-American scholar, theologian, and academic (born 1902)
*1965 – Wally Pipp, American baseball player (born 1893)
*
1966
Events January
* January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko.
* January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
– Alberto Giacometti, Swiss sculptor and painter (born 1901)
* 1966 – Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indian academic and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of India (born 1904)
*1968 – Moshe Zvi Segal, Israeli linguist and scholar (born 1876)
*1969 – Richmal Crompton, English author and educator (born 1890)
*
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
– Padraic Colum, Irish poet and playwright (born 1881)
*1975 – Max Lorenz (tenor), Max Lorenz, German tenor and actor (born 1901)
*1980 – Barbara Pym, English author (born 1913)
*1981 – Beulah Bondi, American actress (born 1889)
*1985 – Edward Buzzell, American actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1895)
* 1985 – William McKell, Australian lawyer and politician, 12th Governor-General of Australia (born 1891)
*
1986 – Sid Chaplin, English author and screenwriter (born 1916)
* 1986 – Andrzej Czok, Polish mountaineer (born 1948)
*1987 – Albert Ferber, Swiss-English pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1911)
*1988 – Pappy Boyington, American colonel and pilot, Medal of Honor recipient (born 1912)
* 1988 – Isidor Isaac Rabi, Polish-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1898)
*1989 – Ray Moore (broadcaster), Ray Moore, English radio host (born 1942)
*1990 – Carolyn Haywood, American author and illustrator (born 1898)
*1991 – Carl David Anderson, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1905)
*
1994
The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations.
In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
– Helmut Poppendick, German physician (born 1902)
*
1995
1995 was designated as:
* United Nations Year for Tolerance
* World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War
This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
– Josef Gingold, Belarusian-American violinist and educator (born 1909)
* 1995 – Onat Kutlar, Turkish author and poet (born 1936)
* 1995 – Lewis Nixon III, Lewis Nixon, U.S. Army captain (born 1918)
* 1995 – Theodor Wisch, German general (born 1907)
*
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
– Roger Crozier, Canadian-American ice hockey player (born 1942)
*1999 – Fabrizio De André, Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1940)
* 1999 – Naomi Mitchison, Scottish author and poet (born 1897)
* 1999 – Brian Moore (novelist), Brian Moore, Irish-Canadian author and screenwriter (born 1921)
*2000 – Ivan Combe, American businessman, invented Clearasil (born 1911)
* 2000 – Bob Lemon, American baseball player and manager (born 1920)
* 2000 – Betty Archdale, English-Australian cricketer and educator (born 1907)
*2001 – Denys Lasdun, English architect, co-designed the Royal National Theatre (born 1914)
*2002 – Henri Verneuil, French-Armenian director and playwright (born 1920)
*
2003
2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater.
In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War.
Demographic ...
– Jože Pučnik, Slovenian sociologist and politician (born 1932)
*2004 – Spalding Gray, American actor, writer, and performance artist (born 1941)
*2007 – Solveig Dommartin, French-German actress (born 1961)
* 2007 – Robert Anton Wilson, American psychologist, author, poet, and playwright (born 1932)
*2008 – Edmund Hillary, New Zealand mountaineer and explorer (born 1919)
* 2008 – Carl Karcher, American businessman, co-founded Carl's Jr. (born 1917)
*2010 – Miep Gies, Austrian-Dutch humanitarian (born 1909)
* 2010 – Éric Rohmer, French director, screenwriter, and critic (born 1920)
*2011 – David Nelson (actor), David Nelson, American actor, director, and producer (born 1936)
*2012 – Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, Iranian physicist and academic (born 1980)
* 2012 – Gilles Jacquier, French journalist and photographer (born 1968)
* 2012 – Edgar Kaiser, Jr, American-Canadian businessman and philanthropist (born 1942)
* 2012 – Wally Osterkorn, American basketball player (born 1928)
* 2012 – Steven Rawlings, English astrophysicist, astronomer, and academic (born 1961)
* 2012 – David Whitaker (composer), David Whitaker, English composer and conductor (born 1931)
*
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
– Guido Forti, Italian businessman, founded the Forti, Forti Racing Team (born 1940)
* 2013 – Nguyễn Khánh, Vietnamese general and politician, 3rd Leaders of South Vietnam, President of South Vietnam (born 1927)
* 2013 – Mariangela Melato, Italian actress (born 1941)
* 2013 – Tom Parry Jones, Welsh chemist, invented the breathalyzer (born 1935)
* 2013 – Alemayehu Shumye, Ethiopian runner (born 1988)
* 2013 – Aaron Swartz, American programmer and activist (born 1986)
*2014 – Keiko Awaji, Japanese actress (born 1933)
* 2014 – Muhammad Habibur Rahman, Indian-Bangladeshi jurist and politician, List of Prime Ministers of Bangladesh, Prime Minister of Bangladesh (born 1928)
* 2014 – Chai Trong-rong, Taiwanese educator and politician (born 1935)
* 2014 – Ariel Sharon, Israeli general and politician, 11th Prime Minister of Israel (born 1928)
*2015 – Jenő Buzánszky, Hungarian footballer and coach (born 1925)
* 2015 – Anita Ekberg, Swedish-Italian model and actress (born 1931)
* 2015 – Chashi Nazrul Islam, Bangladeshi director and producer (born 1941)
* 2015 – Vernon Benjamin Mountcastle, American neuroscientist and academic (born 1918)
*2016 – Monte Irvin, American baseball player (born 1919)
* 2016 – David Margulies, American actor (born 1937)
*2017 – Adenan Satem, Malaysian politician and Chief Minister of Sarawak, Malaysia (born 1944)
*2018 – Edgar Ray Killen, American murderer (born 1925)
*2019 – Michael Atiyah, British-Lebanese mathematician (born 1929)
*2023 – Carole Cook, American actress and singer (born 1924)
Holidays and observances
* Children's Day (Tunisia)
* Christian feast day:
** Anastasius of Suppentonia (Roman Catholic)
** Leucius of Brindisi (Roman Catholic)
** Paulinus II of Aquileia
** Pope Hyginus
** Theodosius the Cenobiarch
** Thomas of Cori
** Vitalis of Gaza (Roman Catholic)
** January 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
* Eugenio María de Hostos Day (Puerto Rico)
* Public holidays in Morocco, Independence Resistance Day (Morocco)
* Kagami biraki (Japan)
* National Human Trafficking Awareness Day (
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
)
* Republic Day (Albania)
* Carmentalia (January 11th and January 15th) (Rome)
* Prithvi Jayanti (Nepal)
References
External links
BBC: On This Day*
Historical Events on January 11
{{months
Days of January