Events
Pre-1600
*
1527 – Spanish and German troops
sack Rome; many scholars consider this the end of the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
.
*
1536 – The
Siege of Cuzco commences, in which
Incan forces attempt to retake the city of
Cuzco from the Spanish.
*
1541 – King
Henry VIII orders
English-language Bibles be placed in every church. In 1539 the
Great Bible would be provided for this purpose.
*
1542 –
Francis Xavier reaches
Old Goa, the capital of
Portuguese India at the time.
*
1594 – The Dutch city of
Coevorden held by the Spanish,
falls to a Dutch and English force.
1601–1900
*
1659 –
English Restoration
The Stuart Restoration was the reinstatement in May 1660 of the Stuart monarchy in Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland. It replaced the Commonwealth of England, established in January 164 ...
: A
faction of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
removes
Richard Cromwell as
Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and reinstalls the
Rump Parliament.
*
1682 –
Louis XIV of France moves his court to the
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...
.
*
1757 –
Battle of Prague: A
Prussian army fights an Austrian army in
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
during the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
.
* 1757 – The end of
Konbaung–Hanthawaddy War, and the end of Burmese Civil War (1740–1757).
* 1757 – English poet
Christopher Smart is admitted into
St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics in London, beginning
his six-year confinement to
mental asylums.
*
1782 – Construction begins on the
Grand Palace, the royal residence of the
King of Siam in
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
, at the command of King
Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke.
*
1801 – Captain
Thomas Cochrane in the 14-gun
captures the 32-gun
Spanish frigate ''El Gamo''.
*
1835 –
James Gordon Bennett, Sr. publishes the first issue of the ''
New York Herald''.
*
1840 – The
Penny Black postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail). Then the stamp is affixed to the f ...
becomes valid for use in the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the union of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into one sovereign state, established by the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801. It continued in this form until ...
.
*
1857 – The
East India Company disbands the 34th Regiment of
Bengal Native Infantry whose
sepoy Mangal Pandey had earlier revolted against the British in the lead up to the
War of Indian Independence.
*
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 ...
:
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
secedes from the
Union.
*
1863 – American Civil War: The
Battle of Chancellorsville ends with a major defeat of the Union's
Army of the Potomac under
Joseph Hooker by the
Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under
Robert E. Lee.
*
1877 – Chief
Crazy Horse of the
Oglala Lakota surrenders to United States troops in
Nebraska
Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...
.
*
1882 –
Thomas Henry Burke and
Lord Frederick Cavendish are stabbed to death by
Fenian assassins in
Phoenix Park, Dublin.
* 1882 – The
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
passes the
Chinese Exclusion Act.
*
1889 – The
Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the
Universal Exposition in Paris.
1901–present
*
1901 – The first issue of ''
Gorkhapatra,'' the oldest still running state-owned
Nepali newspaper was published.
*
1906 – The
Russian Constitution of 1906 is adopted (on April 23 by the
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar is a solar calendar of 365 days in every year with an additional leap day every fourth year (without exception). The Julian calendar is still used as a religious calendar in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in parts ...
).
*
1910 –
George V becomes King of Great Britain, Ireland, and many overseas territories, on the death of his father,
Edward VII.
*
1915 –
Babe Ruth, then a pitcher for the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
, hits his first major league home run.
* 1915 –
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition: The
SY ''Aurora'' broke loose from its anchorage during a gale, beginning a 312-day ordeal.
*
1916 – Twenty-one Lebanese nationalists are executed in
Martyrs' Square, Beirut by
Djemal Pasha.
* 1916 –
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
ese Emperor
Duy Tân is captured while calling upon the people to rise up against the French, and is later deposed and exiled to
Réunion
Réunion (; ; ; known as before 1848) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France. Part of the Mascarene Islands, it is located approximately east of the isl ...
island.
*
1933 – The
Deutsche Studentenschaft attacked
Magnus Hirschfeld's
Institut für Sexualwissenschaft, later burning many of its books.
*
1935 –
New Deal: Under the authority of the newly-enacted
Federal Emergency Relief Administration, President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...
issues Executive Order 7034 to create the
Works Progress Administration.
*
1937 –
Hindenburg disaster: The
German zeppelin ''Hindenburg'' catches fire and is destroyed within a minute while attempting to dock at
Lakehurst, New Jersey. Thirty-six people are killed.
*
1940 –
John Steinbeck is awarded the
Pulitzer Prize for his novel ''
The Grapes of Wrath''.
*
1941 – At
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 ...
's
March Field,
Bob Hope performs his first
USO show.
* 1941 – The first flight of the
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt.
*
1942 –
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 ...
: On
Corregidor, the last American forces in the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
surrender to the Japanese.
*
1945 – World War II:
Axis Sally delivers her last
propaganda broadcast to
Allied troops.
* 1945 – World War II: The
Prague Offensive, the last major battle of the
Eastern Front, begins.
*
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 ...
–
EDSAC, the first practical electronic digital
stored-program computer, runs its first operation.
*
1954 –
Roger Bannister becomes the first person to run the
mile in
under four minutes.
*
1960 – More than 20 million viewers watch the first televised
royal wedding when
Princess Margaret marries
Antony Armstrong-Jones at
Westminster Abbey.
*
1966 –
Myra Hindley and
Ian Brady are sentenced to
life imprisonment for the
Moors murders in England.
*
1972 –
Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan and Hüseyin İnan are executed in
Ankara
Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
after being convicted of attempting to overthrow the Constitutional order.
*
1975 – During a lull in fighting, 100,000 Armenians gather in Beirut for the
60th anniversary commemorations of the
Armenian genocide.
*
1976
Events January
* January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
– The 6.5
Friuli earthquake affected
Northern Italy with a maximum
Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''), leaving 900–978 dead and 1,700–2,400 injured.
*
1983 – The ''
Hitler Diaries'' are revealed as a hoax after being examined by new experts.
*
1984 – One hundred and three
Korean Martyrs are
canonized by
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
in
Seoul
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
.
*
1988 – All thirty-six passengers and crew were killed when
Widerøe Flight 710 crashed into
Mt. Torghatten in
Brønnøy.
*
1994 –
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
of the United Kingdom and French President
François Mitterrand officiate at the opening of the
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel (), sometimes referred to by the Portmanteau, portmanteau Chunnel, is a undersea railway tunnel, opened in 1994, that connects Folkestone (Kent, England) with Coquelles (Pas-de-Calais, France) beneath the English Channel at ...
.
*
1996 – The body of former
CIA director
William Colby is found washed up on a riverbank in southern
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
, eight days after he disappeared.
*
1997 – The
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the Kingdom of England, English Government's banker and debt manager, and still one ...
is given independence from political control, the most significant change in the bank's 300-year history.
*
1998 –
Kerry Wood strikes out 20
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
to tie the major league record held by
Roger Clemens. He threw a one-hitter and did not walk a batter in his fifth career start.
*1998 –
Steve Jobs of
Apple Inc. unveils the first
iMac.
*
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
– The first elections to the
devolved Scottish Parliament and
Welsh Assembly are held.
*
2001 – During a trip to
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
,
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005.
In his you ...
becomes the first pope to enter a
mosque
A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard.
Originally, mosques were si ...
.
*
2002 – Dutch politician
Pim Fortuyn is
assassinated following a radio-interview at the Mediapark in
Hilversum.
* 2002 – Founding of
SpaceX.
*
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
– The
final episode of the television sitcom
Friends was aired.
*
2010 – In just 36 minutes, the
Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged nearly 1,000 points in what is known as the
2010 Flash Crash.
*
2013 –
Three women, kidnapped and missing for more than a decade, are found alive in
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...
, in the United States.
*
2023 – The
coronation of Charles III and Camilla as
King
King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
and
Queen
Queen most commonly refers to:
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen (band), a British rock band
Queen or QUEEN may also refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Q ...
of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and the other
Commonwealth realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has the same constitutional monarch and head of state as the other realms. The current monarch is King Charles III. Except for the United Kingdom, in each of the re ...
s is held in
Westminster Abbey,
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
.
* 2023 – Eight people are killed and seven injured in
a mass shooting in
Allen, Texas. The perpetrator is killed by a police officer.
Births
Pre-1600
*
973 –
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (died 1024)
*
1464 –
Sophia Jagiellon, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Polish princess (died 1512)
*
1493 –
Girolamo Seripando, Italian theologian and cardinal (died 1563)
*
1501 –
Marcellus II, pope of the Catholic Church (died 1555)
*
1574 –
Innocent X, pope of the Catholic Church (died 1655)
*
1580 –
Charles Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and Montferrat, French noble (died 1637)
1601–1900
*
1635 –
Johann Joachim Becher, German physician and alchemist (died 1682)
*
1668 –
Alain-René Lesage, French author and playwright (died 1747)
*
1680 –
Jean-Baptiste Stuck, Italian-French cellist and composer (died 1755)
*
1713 –
Charles Batteux, French philosopher and academic (died 1780)
*
1714 –
Anton Raaff, German tenor (died 1797)
*
1742 –
Jean Senebier, Swiss pastor and physiologist (died 1809)
*
1758 –
André Masséna, French general (died 1817)
* 1758 –
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; ; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman, widely recognised as one of the most influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. Robespierre ferv ...
, French politician (died 1794)
*
1769 –
Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany (died 1824)
* 1769 –
Jean Nicolas Pierre Hachette, French mathematician and academic (died 1834)
*
1781
Events
January–March
* January – William Pitt the Younger, later Prime Minister of Great Britain, enters Parliament of Great Britain, Parliament, aged 21.
* January 1 – Industrial Revolution: The Iron Bridge opens ...
–
Karl Christian Friedrich Krause, German philosopher and author (died 1832)
*
1797 –
Joseph Brackett, American religious leader and composer (died 1882)
*
1800 –
Roman Sanguszko, Polish general (died 1881)
*
1827 –
Hermann Raster, German-American journalist and politician (died 1891)
*
1836 –
Max Eyth, German engineer and author (died 1906)
*
1843 –
Grove Karl Gilbert, American geologist and academic (died 1918)
*
1848 –
Henry Edward Armstrong, English chemist and academic (died 1937)
*
1851 –
Aristide Bruant, French singer and actor (died 1925)
*
1856 –
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud ( ; ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating psychopathology, pathologies seen as originating fro ...
, Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst (died 1939)
* 1856 –
Robert Peary, American admiral and explorer (died 1920)
*
1861 –
Motilal Nehru, Indian lawyer and politician,
President of the Indian National Congress (died 1931)
*
1868 –
Gaston Leroux, French journalist and author (died 1927)
*
1869 –
Junnosuke Inoue, Japanese businessman and central banker, 8th and 11th Governor of the
Bank of Japan (died 1932)
*
1870 –
Walter Rutherford, Scottish golfer (died 1936)
*
1871 –
Victor Grignard, French chemist and academic,
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (died 1935)
* 1871 –
Christian Morgenstern, German author and poet (died 1914)
*
1872 –
Willem de Sitter, Dutch mathematician, physicist, and astronomer (died 1934)
* 1872 –
Djemal Pasha, Ottoman general (died 1922)
*
1879 –
Bedřich Hrozný, Czech orientalist and linguist (died 1952)
* 1879 –
Hendrik van Heuckelum, Dutch footballer (died 1929)
*
1880 –
Winifred Brunton, English-South African painter and illustrator (died 1959)
* 1880 –
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, German-Swiss painter (died 1938)
*
1883 –
Alberto Collo, Italian actor (died 1955)
*
1895 –
Júlio César de Mello e Souza, Brazilian mathematician and author (died 1974)
* 1895 –
Fidél Pálffy, Hungarian soldier and politician,
Hungarian Minister of Agriculture (died 1946)
* 1895 –
Rudolph Valentino, Italian actor (died 1926)
*
1896 –
Rolf Maximilian Sievert, Swedish physicist and academic (died 1966)
*
1897 –
Paul Alverdes, German author and poet (died 1979)
*
1898 –
Konrad Henlein, Czech soldier and politician (died 1945)
1901–present
*
1902 –
Max Ophüls, German-American director and screenwriter (died 1957)
*
1903 –
Toots Shor, American businessman, founded
Toots Shor's Restaurant (died 1977)
*
1904 –
Moshé Feldenkrais, Ukrainian-Israeli physicist and academic (died 1984)
* 1904 –
Catherine Lacey, English actress (died 1979)
* 1904 –
Harry Martinson, Swedish novelist, essayist, and poet
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (died 1978)
*
1906 –
André Weil, French mathematician and academic (died 1998)
*
1907 –
Peter Barnes, Executed
Irish Republican (died 1940)
* 1907 –
Weeb Ewbank, American football player and coach (died 1998)
*
1911 –
Guy des Cars, French journalist and author (died 1993)
*
1913 –
Carmen Cavallaro, American pianist (died 1989)
* 1913 –
Stewart Granger, English-American actor (died 1993)
*
1915 –
Orson Welles, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1985)
* 1915 –
Theodore H. White, American historian, journalist, and author (died 1986)
*
1916 –
Robert H. Dicke, American physicist and astronomer (died 1997)
*
1918 –
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, emir of
Abu Dhabi and first president of the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
(died 2004)
*
1920 –
Kamisese Mara, Fijian politician, 1st
Prime Minister of Fiji (died 2004)
*
1923 –
Harry Watson, Canadian ice hockey player and coach (died 2002)
*
1924 –
Nestor Basterretxea, Spanish painter and sculptor (died 2014)
* 1924 –
Patricia Helen Kennedy, American socialite, activist, and author (died 2006)
* 1924 –
Denny Wright, English guitarist, composer, and producer (died 1992)
*
1929 –
Rosemary Cramp, English archaeologist and academic (died 2023)
* 1929 –
Paul Lauterbur, American chemist and biophysicist,
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (died 2007)
*
1931 –
Willie Mays, American baseball player and coach (died 2024)
*
1932 –
Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath, English lieutenant and politician (died 2020)
*
1934 –
Richard Shelby, American lawyer and politician
*
1937 –
Rubin Carter, American-Canadian boxer (died 2014)
*
1942 –
Ariel Dorfman, Argentinian author, playwright, and academic
*
1943 –
Andreas Baader, German terrorist, co-founded the
Red Army Faction (died 1977)
* 1943 –
Milton William Cooper, American conspiracy theorist and author (died 2001)
* 1943 –
James Turrell, American sculptor and illustrator
*
1944 –
Masanori Murakami, Japanese baseball player
*
1945 –
Jimmie Dale Gilmore, American country singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and producer
* 1945 –
Bob Seger, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
*
1947 –
Alan Dale, New Zealand actor
* 1947 –
Martha Nussbaum, American philosopher and author
*
1950 –
Jeffery Deaver, American journalist and author
*
1951 –
Samuel Doe, Liberian sergeant and politician, 21st
President of Liberia (died 1990)
*
1952 –
Chiaki Mukai, Japanese physician and astronaut
* 1952 –
Gerrit Zalm
Gerrit Zalm (; born 6 May 1952) is a retired Dutch people, Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and businessman.
Zalm studied Economics at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, obtaining a Master of Economics degree ...
, Dutch economist and politician,
Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands
*
1953 –
Alexander Akimov, Ukrainian
Chernobyl worker (died 1986)
* 1953 –
Tony Blair, British politician,
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
* 1953 –
Graeme Souness, Scottish international footballer and manager
*
1954 –
Dora Bakoyannis, Greek politician, 120th
Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs
*
1955 –
Tom Bergeron, American television host
* 1955 –
John Hutton, Baron Hutton of Furness, English academic and politician,
Secretary of State for Defence
*
1959 –
Charles Hendry, English politician
*
1960 –
Keith Dowding, English political scientist, philosopher, and academic
* 1960 –
Roma Downey, Irish-American actress and producer
* 1960 –
John Flansburgh, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
* 1960 –
Anne Parillaud, French actress
*
1961 –
George Clooney, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
* 1961 –
Tom Hunter, Scottish businessman and philanthropist
* 1961 –
Frans Timmermans, Dutch politician and diplomat,
First Vice President of the European Commission
*
1962 –
Tom Brake, English politician
*
1963 –
Alessandra Ferri, Italian ballerina
*
1965 –
Leslie Hope, Canadian actress, director, producer, and screenwriter
*
1968 –
Lætitia Sadier, French singer and keyboard player
*
1969 –
Jim Magilton, Northern Irish footballer and coach
*
1971 –
Chris Shiflett, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
*
1972 –
Martin Brodeur, Canadian ice hockey player
*
1976
Events January
* January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
–
Iván de la Peña, Spanish footballer
*
1977 –
Mark Eaton, American ice hockey player and coach
* 1977 –
Chantelle Newbery, Australian diver
*
1978 –
John Abraham, American football player
* 1978 –
Tony Estanguet, French slalom canoeist
* 1978 –
Fredrick Federley, Swedish journalist and politician
*
1979
Events
January
* January 1
** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
–
Gerd Kanter, Estonian discus thrower
* 1979 –
Jon Montgomery, Canadian skeleton racer and television host
*
1980 –
Brooke Bennett, American swimmer
* 1980 –
Dimitris Diamantidis, Greek professional basketball player
* 1980 –
Ricardo Oliveira, Brazilian footballer
*
1982 –
Jason Witten, American football player
*
1983 –
Dani Alves, Brazilian footballer
* 1983 –
Gabourey Sidibe, American actress
* 1983 –
Trinley Thaye Dorje, Tibetan religious leader, the 17th
Karmapa Lama
*
1985 –
Chris Paul, American basketball player
*
1986 –
Goran Dragic, Slovenian basketball player
*
1987 –
Dries Mertens, Belgian footballer
* 1987 –
Meek Mill, American rapper
* 1987 –
Gerardo Parra, Venezuelan baseball player and coach
* 1987 –
Adrienne Warren, American actress
*
1988 –
Ryan Anderson, American basketball player
* 1988 –
Dakota Kai, New Zealand professional wrestler
*
1989 –
Dominika Cibulková, Slovak tennis player
* 1989 –
Cameron Heyward, American football player
*
1990 –
Jose Altuve, Venezuelan baseball player
* 1990 –
Péter Gulácsi, Hungarian footballer
*
1992 –
Brendan Gallagher, Canadian ice hockey player
* 1992 –
Baekhyun, South Korean musician and actor
* 1992 –
Jonas Valančiūnas, Lithuanian basketball player
*
1993 –
Gustavo Gómez, Paraguayan footballer
* 1993 –
Naomi Scott, English actress and singer
*
1994 –
Mateo Kovačić, Croatian international footballer
*
1997 –
Maymay Entrata, Filipino model, entertainer and singer-songwriter
* 1997 –
Ranz Kyle, Filipino social media personality and entertainer
* 1997 –
Duncan Scott, Scottish swimmer
*
1998 –
Luigi Mangione, suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
*
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
–
Pato O'Ward, Mexican racing driver
*
2002 –
Cole Palmer, English footballer
* 2002 –
Angel Reese, American basketball player
*
2019 –
Prince Archie of Sussex
Deaths
Pre-1600
*
698 –
Eadberht, bishop of
Lindisfarne
*
850 –
Ninmyō, Japanese emperor (born 808)
*
932 –
Qian Liu, Chinese warlord and king (born 852)
*
988 –
Dirk II, count of
Frisia and
Holland
*
1002 –
Ealdwulf,
Archbishop of York,
Abbot of Peterborough and
Bishop of Worcester
*
1187 –
Ruben III, Prince of Armenia (born 1145)
*
1236 –
Roger of Wendover,
Benedictine monk and
chronicler
*
1471 –
Edmund Beaufort, English commander (born 1438)
*1471 –
Thomas Tresham, Speaker of the House of Commons
*
1475 –
Dieric Bouts, Flemish painter (born 1415)
*
1483 –
Queen Jeonghui, Korean regent (born 1418)
*
1502 –
James Tyrrell, English knight (born 1450)
*
1527 –
Charles III, Duke of Bourbon, Count of Montpensier and Dauphin of Auvergne (born 1490)
*
1540 –
Juan Luís Vives, Spanish scholar (born 1492)
*
1596 –
Giaches de Wert, Flemish-Italian composer (born 1535)
1601–1900
*
1631 –
Sir Robert Cotton, 1st Baronet, of Connington, English historian and politician, founded the
Cotton library (born 1570)
*
1638 –
Cornelius Jansen, Dutch-French bishop and theologian (born 1585)
*
1708 –
François de Laval, French-Canadian bishop (born 1623)
*
1757 –
Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, English politician,
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (born 1683)
* 1757 –
Kurt Christoph Graf von Schwerin, Prussian field marshal (born 1684)
*
1782 –
Christine Kirch, German astronomer and academic (born 1696)
*
1840 –
Francisco de Paula Santander, Colombian general and politician, 4th
President of the Republic of the New Granada (born 1792)
*
1859 –
Alexander von Humboldt, German geographer and explorer (born 1769)
*
1862 –
Henry David Thoreau, American essayist, poet, and philosopher (born 1817)
*
1867 –
Socrates Nelson, American businessman and politician (born 1814)
*
1877 –
Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Swedish-Finnish poet and hymn-writer (born 1804)
*
1882 –
Thomas Henry Burke, Irish civil servant (born 1829)
* 1882 –
Lord Frederick Cavendish, British politician,
Chief Secretary for Ireland (born 1836)
*
1888 –
Abraham Joseph Ash, American rabbi (born c. 1813)
1901–present
*
1905 –
Robert Herbert, English-Australian politician, 1st
Premier of Queensland (born 1831)
*
1907 –
Emanuele Luigi Galizia, Maltese architect and civil engineer (born 1830)
*
1910 –
Edward VII of the United Kingdom (born 1841)
*
1911 –
René Vallon, French aviator (born 1880)
*
1919 –
L. Frank Baum, American novelist (born 1856)
*
1939 –
Konstantin Somov, Russian-French painter and illustrator (born 1869)
*
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 ...
–
Maurice Maeterlinck, Belgian-French poet and playwright,
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
laureate (born 1862)
*
1951 –
Élie Cartan, French mathematician and physicist (born 1869)
*
1952 –
Maria Montessori, Italian-Dutch physician and educator (born 1870)
*
1959 –
Maria Dulęba, Polish actress (born 1881)
* 1959 –
Ragnar Nurkse, Estonian-American economist and academic (born 1907)
*
1961 –
Lucian Blaga, Romanian poet, playwright, and philosopher (born 1895)
*
1963 –
Theodore von Kármán, Hungarian-American mathematician, physicist, and engineer (born 1881)
* 1963 –
Ted Weems, American violinist, trombonist, and bandleader (born 1901)
* 1963 –
Monty Woolley, American raconteur, actor, and director (born 1888)
*
1967 –
Zhou Zuoren, Chinese author and translator (born 1885)
*
1970 –
Alexander Rodzyanko, Russian general (born 1879)
*
1973 –
Ernest MacMillan, Canadian conductor and composer (born 1893)
*
1975 –
József Mindszenty, Hungarian cardinal (born 1892)
*
1980 –
María Luisa Bombal, Chilean writer (born 1910)
*
1983 –
Ezra Jack Keats, American author and illustrator (born 1916)
* 1983 –
Kai Winding, Danish-American trombonist and composer (born 1922)
*
1984 –
Mary Cain, American journalist and politician (born 1904)
* 1984 –
Bonner Pink, English politician (born 1912)
*
1987 –
William J. Casey, American politician, 13th
Director of Central Intelligence (born 1913)
*
1989 –
Earl Blaik, American football player and coach (born 1897)
*
1990 –
Charles Farrell, American actor (born 1900)
*
1991 –
Wilfrid Hyde-White, English actor (born 1903)
*
1992 –
Marlene Dietrich, German-American actress and singer (born 1901)
*
1993 –
Ann Todd, English actress and producer (born 1909)
*
1995 –
Noel Brotherston, Northern Irish footballer (born 1956)
*
2000 –
Gordon McClymont, Australian ecologist and academic (born 1920)
*
2002 –
Murray Adaskin, Canadian violinist, composer, conductor, and educator (born 1906)
* 2002 –
Otis Blackwell, American singer-songwriter and pianist (born 1932)
* 2002 –
Pim Fortuyn, Dutch sociologist, academic, and politician (born 1948)
* 2002 –
Bjørn Johansen, Norwegian saxophonist (born 1940)
*
2003 –
Art Houtteman, American baseball player and journalist (born 1927)
*
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
–
Virginia Capers, American actress and singer (born 1925)
* 2004 –
Philip Kapleau, American monk and educator (born 1912)
* 2004 –
Barney Kessel, American guitarist and composer (born 1923)
*
2006 –
Grant McLennan, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1958)
* 2006 –
Lorne Saxberg, Canadian journalist (born 1958)
*
2007 –
Enéas Carneiro, Brazilian physician and politician (born 1938)
* 2007 –
Curtis Harrington, American actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1926)
*
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
–
Kevin Grubb, American race car driver (born 1978)
*
2010 –
Robin Roberts, American baseball player, coach, and sportscaster (born 1926)
*
2012 –
James R. Browning, American lieutenant, lawyer, and judge (born 1918)
* 2012 –
James Isaac, American director and producer (born 1960)
* 2012 –
Jean Laplanche, French psychoanalyst and author (born 1924)
*
2013 –
Giulio Andreotti, Italian journalist and politician, 41st
Prime Minister of Italy
The prime minister of Italy, officially the president of the Council of Ministers (), is the head of government of the Italy, Italian Republic. The office of president of the Council of Ministers is established by articles 92–96 of the Co ...
(born 1919)
* 2013 –
Severo Aparicio Quispe, Peruvian bishop (born 1923)
* 2013 –
Michelangelo Spensieri, Italian-Canadian lawyer and politician (born 1949)
*
2014 –
Wil Albeda, Dutch economist and politician,
Dutch Minister of Social Affairs (born 1925)
* 2014 –
William H. Dana, American pilot, engineer, and astronaut (born 1930)
* 2014 –
Jimmy Ellis, American boxer (born 1940)
* 2014 –
Billy Harrell, American baseball player and scout (born 1928)
* 2014 –
Antony Hopkins, English pianist, composer, and conductor (born 1921)
* 2014 –
Maria Lassnig, Austrian painter and academic (born 1919)
* 2014 –
Farley Mowat, Canadian environmentalist and author (born 1921)
*
2015 –
Novera Ahmed, Bangladeshi sculptor (born 1930)
* 2015 –
Denise McCluggage, American race car driver and journalist (born 1927)
* 2015 –
Jim Wright, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 56th
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (born 1922)
*
2016 –
Patrick Ekeng, Cameroonian footballer (born 1990)
* 2016 –
Reg Grundy, Australian businessman (born 1923)
*
2021 –
Kentaro Miura, Japanese manga artist (born 1966)
*
2022 –
George Pérez
George Pérez (; June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022) was an American comic book artist and writer, who worked primarily as a penciller. He came to prominence in the 1970s penciling ''Fantastic Four (comic book), Fantastic Four'' and ''The Avengers (c ...
, American comic book artist and writer (born 1954)
*
2024 –
Bernard Pivot, French journalist, interviewer and host (born 1935)
*2024 –
Brian Wenzel, Australian actor (born 1929)
*
Holidays and observances
*Christian
feast day:
**
Dominic Savio
**
Evodius of Antioch (
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
)
**
François de Laval
**
Gerard of Lunel
**
Jacinto Vera (
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
)
**
Lucius of Cyrene
**
Petronax of Monte Cassino
**
St George's Day related observances (
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...
):
***
Day of Bravery, also known as ''Gergyovden'' (
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
)
***
Đurđevdan (
Gorani,
Roma)
***
Yuri's Day in the Spring (
Russian Orthodox Church)
**
St John before the Latin Gate
**
May 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
*
International No Diet Day
*
Martyrs' Day (Lebanon and Syria)
*
National Azulejo Day (
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
)
*The first day of
Hıdırellez (
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
)
References
External links
BBC: On This Day*
Historical Events on May 6
{{months
Days of May