12th Dalai Lama

  • April 25 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 404 BC – Admiral Lysander and King Pausanias of Sparta blockade Athens and bring the Peloponnesian War to a successful conclusion.
    • 775 – The Battle of Bagrevand puts an end to an Armenian rebellion against the Abbasid Caliphate. Muslim control over Transcaucasia is solidified and its Islamization begins, while several major Armenian nakharar families lose power and their remnants flee to the Byzantine Empire.
    • 799 – After mistreatment and disfigurement by the citizens of Rome, pope Leo III flees to the Frankish court of king Charlemagne at Paderborn for protection.
    • 1134 – The name Zagreb was mentioned for the first time in the Felician Charter relating to the establishment of the Zagreb Bishopric around 1094.
    • 1607 – Eighty Years’ War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar.
    • 1644 – The Chongzhen Emperor, the last Emperor of Ming dynasty China, commits suicide during a peasant rebellion led by Li Zicheng.
    • 1707 – A coalition of Britain, the Netherlands and Portugal is defeated by a Franco-Spanish army at Almansa (Spain) in the War of the Spanish Succession.
    • 1792 – Highwayman Nicolas J. Pelletier becomes the first person executed by guillotine.
    • 1792 – “La Marseillaise” (the French national anthem) is composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle.
    • 1804 – The western Georgian kingdom of Imereti accepts the suzerainty of the Russian Empire.
    • 1829 – Charles Fremantle arrives in HMS Challenger off the coast of modern-day Western Australia prior to declaring the Swan River Colony for the United Kingdom.
    • 1846 – Thornton Affair: Open conflict begins over the disputed border of Texas, triggering the Mexican–American War.
    • 1849 – The Governor General of Canada, Lord Elgin, signs the Rebellion Losses Bill, outraging Montreal’s English population and triggering the Montreal Riots.
    • 1859 – British and French engineers break ground for the Suez Canal.
    • 1862 – American Civil War: Forces under U.S. Admiral David Farragut demand the surrender of the Confederate city of New Orleans, Louisiana.
    • 1864 – American Civil War: The Battle of Marks’ Mills.
    • 1882 – French and Vietnamese troops clashed in Tonkin, when Commandant Henri Rivière seized the citadel of Hanoi with a small force of marine infantry.
    • 1898 – Spanish–American War: The United States declares war on Spain.
    • 1901 – New York becomes the first U.S. state to require automobile license plates.
    • 1915 – World War I: The Battle of Gallipoli begins: The invasion of the Turkish Gallipoli Peninsula by British, French, Indian, Newfoundland, Australian and New Zealand troops, begins with landings at Anzac Cove and Cape Helles.
    • 1916 – Anzac Day is commemorated for the first time on the first anniversary of the landing at ANZAC Cove.
    • 1920 – At the San Remo conference, the principal Allied Powers of World War I adopt a resolution to determine the allocation of Class “A” League of Nations mandates for administration of the former Ottoman-ruled lands of the Middle East.
    • 1938 – U.S. Supreme Court delivers its opinion in Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins and overturns a century of federal common law.
    • 1940 – Merkið, the flag of the Faroe Islands is approved by the British occupation government.
    • 1944 – The United Negro College Fund is incorporated.
    • 1945 – Elbe Day: United States and Soviet troops meet in Torgau along the River Elbe, cutting the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany in two.
    • 1945 – Liberation Day (Italy): The Nazi occupation army surrenders and leaves Northern Italy after a general partisan insurrection by the Italian resistance movement; the puppet fascist regime dissolves and Benito Mussolini is captured after trying to escape. This day was set as a public holiday to celebrate the Liberation of Italy.
    • 1945 – United Nations Conference on International Organization: Founding negotiations for the United Nations begin in San Francisco.
    • 1945 – The last German troops retreat from Finland’s soil in Lapland, ending the Lapland War. Military acts of Second World War end in Finland.
    • 1951 – Korean War: Assaulting Chinese forces are forced to withdraw after heavy fighting with UN forces, primarily made up of Australian and Canadian troops, at the Battle of Kapyong.
    • 1953 – Francis Crick and James Watson publish “Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid” describing the double helix structure of DNA.
    • 1954 – The first practical solar cell is publicly demonstrated by Bell Telephone Laboratories.
    • 1959 – The Saint Lawrence Seaway, linking the North American Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean, officially opens to shipping.
    • 1960 – The United States Navy submarine USS Triton completes the first submerged circumnavigation of the globe.
    • 1961 – Robert Noyce is granted a patent for an integrated circuit.
    • 1972 – Vietnam War: Nguyen Hue Offensive: The North Vietnamese 320th Division forces 5,000 South Vietnamese troops to retreat and traps about 2,500 others northwest of Kontum.
    • 1974 – Carnation Revolution: A leftist military coup in Portugal overthrows the authoritarian-conservative Estado Novo regime and establishes a democratic government.
    • 1975 – As North Vietnamese forces close in on the South Vietnamese capital Saigon, the Australian Embassy is closed and evacuated, almost ten years to the day since the first Australian troop commitment to South Vietnam.
    • 1981 – More than 100 workers are exposed to radiation during repairs of at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant in Japan.
    • 1982 – Israel completes its withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula per the Camp David Accords.
    • 1983 – Cold War: American schoolgirl Samantha Smith is invited to visit the Soviet Union by its leader Yuri Andropov after he read her letter in which she expressed fears about nuclear war.
    • 1983 – Pioneer 10 travels beyond Pluto’s orbit.
    • 1986 – Mswati III is crowned King of Swaziland, succeeding his father Sobhuza II.
    • 1988 – In Israel, John Demjanjuk is sentenced to death for war crimes committed in World War II.
    • 1990 – Violeta Chamorro takes office as the President of Nicaragua, the first woman to hold the position.
    • 2001 – Michele Alboreto is killed while testing an Audi R8 at the Lausitzring in Germany.
    • 2004 – The March for Women’s Lives brings between 500,000 and 800,000 protesters, mostly pro-choice, to Washington D.C. to protest the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, and other restrictions on abortion.
    • 2005 – The final piece of the Obelisk of Axum is returned to Ethiopia after being stolen by the invading Italian army in 1937.
    • 2005 – Bulgaria and Romania sign accession treaties to join the European Union.
    • 2007 – Boris Yeltsin’s funeral: The first to be sanctioned by the Russian Orthodox Church for a head of state since the funeral of Emperor Alexander III in 1894.
    • 2015 – Nearly 9,100 are killed after a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Nepal.

    Births on April 25

    • 1214 – Louis IX of France (d. 1270)
    • 1228 – Conrad IV of Germany (d. 1254)
    • 1284 – Edward II of England (d. 1327)
    • 1287 – Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, English politician, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (d. 1330)
    • 1502 – Georg Major, German theologian and academic (d. 1574)
    • 1529 – Francesco Patrizi, Italian philosopher and scientist (d. 1597)
    • 1599 – Oliver Cromwell, English general and politician, Lord Protector of Great Britain (d. 1658)
    • 1621 – Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery, English soldier and politician (d. 1679)
    • 1666 – Johann Heinrich Buttstett, German organist and composer (d. 1727)
    • 1694 – Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, English architect and politician, Lord High Treasurer of Ireland (d. 1753)
    • 1710 – James Ferguson, Scottish astronomer and author (d. 1776)
    • 1723 – Giovanni Marco Rutini, Italian composer (d. 1797)
    • 1725 – Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel, English admiral and politician (d. 1786)
    • 1767 – Nicolas Oudinot, French general (d. 1847)
    • 1770 – Georg Sverdrup, Norwegian philologist and academic (d. 1850)
    • 1776 – Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh (d. 1857)
    • 1843 – Princess Alice of the United Kingdom (d. 1878)
    • 1849 – Felix Klein, German mathematician and academic (d. 1925)
    • 1850 – Luise Adolpha Le Beau, German composer and educator (d. 1927)
    • 1851 – Leopoldo Alas, Spanish author, critic, and academic (d. 1901)
    • 1854 – Charles Sumner Tainter, American engineer and inventor (d. 1940)
    • 1862 – Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon, English ornithologist and politician, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (d. 1933)
    • 1868 – John Moisant, American pilot and engineer (d. 1910)
    • 1871 – Lorne Currie, French-English sailor (d. 1926)
    • 1872 – C. B. Fry, English cricketer, footballer, educator, and politician (d. 1956)
    • 1873 – Walter de la Mare, English poet, short story writer, and novelist (d. 1956)
    • 1873 – Howard Garis, American author, creator of the Uncle Wiggily series of children’s stories (d. 1962)
    • 1874 – Guglielmo Marconi, Italian businessman and inventor, developed Marconi’s law, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1937)
    • 1874 – Ernest Webb, English-Canadian race walker (d. 1937)
    • 1876 – Jacob Nicol, Canadian publisher, lawyer, and politician (d. 1958)
    • 1878 – William Merz, American gymnast and triathlete (d. 1946)
    • 1882 – Fred McLeod, Scottish golfer (d. 1976)
    • 1887 – Kojo Tovalou Houénou, Beninese lawyer and critic (d. 1936)
    • 1892 – Maud Hart Lovelace, American author (d. 1980)
    • 1896 – Fred Haney, American baseball player, coach, and manager (d. 1977)
    • 1897 – Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (d. 1965)
    • 1900 – Gladwyn Jebb, English politician and diplomat, Secretary-General of the United Nations (d. 1996)
    • 1900 – Wolfgang Pauli, Austrian-Swiss-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1958)
    • 1902 – Werner Heyde, German psychiatrist and academic (d. 1964)
    • 1902 – Mary Miles Minter, American actress (d. 1984)
    • 1903 – Andrey Kolmogorov, Russian mathematician and academic (d. 1987)
    • 1905 – George Nepia, New Zealand rugby player and referee (d. 1986)
    • 1906 – William J. Brennan Jr., American colonel and Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court (d. 1997)
    • 1908 – Edward R. Murrow, American journalist (d. 1965)
    • 1909 – William Pereira, American architect, designed the Transamerica Pyramid (d. 1985)
    • 1910 – Arapeta Awatere, New Zealand interpreter, military leader, politician, and murderer (d. 1976)
    • 1911 – Connie Marrero, Cuban baseball player and coach (d. 2014)
    • 1912 – Earl Bostic, African-American saxophonist (d. 1965)
    • 1913 – Nikolaos Roussen, Greek captain (d. 1944)
    • 1914 – Ross Lockridge Jr., American author and academic (d. 1948)
    • 1915 – Mort Weisinger, American journalist and author (d. 1978)
    • 1916 – Jerry Barber, American golfer (d. 1994)
    • 1917 – Ella Fitzgerald, American singer (d. 1996)
    • 1917 – Jean Lucas, French racing driver (d. 2003)
    • 1918 – Graham Payn, South African-born English actor and singer (d. 2005)
    • 1918 – Gérard de Vaucouleurs, French-American astronomer and academic (d. 1995)
    • 1918 – Astrid Varnay, Swedish-American soprano and actress (d. 2006)
    • 1919 – Finn Helgesen, Norwegian speed skater (d. 2011)
    • 1921 – Karel Appel, Dutch painter and sculptor (d. 2006)
    • 1923 – Francis Graham-Smith, English astronomer and academic
    • 1923 – Melissa Hayden, Canadian ballerina (d. 2006)
    • 1923 – Albert King, African-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (d. 1992)
    • 1924 – Ingemar Johansson, Swedish race walker (d. 2009)
    • 1924 – Franco Mannino, Italian pianist, composer, director, and playwright (d. 2005)
    • 1924 – Paulo Vanzolini, Brazilian singer-songwriter and zoologist (d. 2013)
    • 1925 – Tony Christopher, Baron Christopher, English trade union leader and businessman
    • 1925 – Sammy Drechsel, German comedian and journalist (d. 1986)
    • 1925 – Louis O’Neil, Canadian academic and politician (d. 2018)
    • 1926 – Johnny Craig, American author and illustrator (d. 2001)
    • 1926 – Gertrude Fröhlich-Sandner, Austrian politician (d. 2008)
    • 1926 – Patricia Castell, Argentine actress (d. 2013)
    • 1927 – Corín Tellado, Spanish author (d. 2009)
    • 1927 – Albert Uderzo, French author and illustrator (d. 2020)
    • 1928 – Cy Twombly, American-Italian painter and sculptor (d. 2011)
    • 1929 – Yvette Williams, New Zealand long jumper, shot putter, and discus thrower (d. 2019)
    • 1930 – Paul Mazursky, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 2014)
    • 1930 – Godfrey Milton-Thompson, English admiral and surgeon (d. 2012)
    • 1930 – Peter Schulz, German lawyer and politician, Mayor of Hamburg (d. 2013)
    • 1931 – Felix Berezin, Russian mathematician and physicist (d. 1980)
    • 1931 – David Shepherd, English painter and author (d. 2017)
    • 1932 – Nikolai Kardashev, Russian astrophysicist (d. 2019)
    • 1932 – Meadowlark Lemon, African-American basketball player and minister (d. 2015)
    • 1932 – Lia Manoliu, Romanian discus thrower and politician (d. 1998)
    • 1933 – Jerry Leiber, American songwriter and producer (d. 2011)
    • 1933 – Joyce Ricketts, American baseball player (d. 1992)
    • 1934 – Peter McParland, Northern Irish footballer and manager
    • 1935 – Bob Gutowski, American pole vaulter (d. 1960)
    • 1935 – Reinier Kreijermaat, Dutch footballer (d. 2018)
    • 1936 – Henck Arron, Surinamese banker and politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Republic of Suriname (d. 2000)
    • 1938 – Roger Boisjoly, American aerodynamicist and engineer (d. 2012)
    • 1938 – Ton Schulten, Dutch painter and graphic designer
    • 1939 – Tarcisio Burgnich, Italian footballer and manager
    • 1939 – Michael Llewellyn-Smith, English academic and diplomat
    • 1939 – Robert Skidelsky, Baron Skidelsky, English historian and academic
    • 1939 – Veronica Sutherland, English academic and British diplomat
    • 1940 – Al Pacino, American actor and director
    • 1941 – Bertrand Tavernier, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1942 – Jon Kyl, American lawyer and politician
    • 1943 – Tony Christie, English singer-songwriter and actor
    • 1944 – Len Goodman, English dancer
    • 1944 – Mike Kogel, German singer-songwriter
    • 1944 – Stephen Nickell, English economist and academic
    • 1944 – Bruce Ponder, English geneticist and cancer researcher
    • 1945 – Stu Cook, American bass player, songwriter, and producer
    • 1945 – Richard C. Hoagland, American theorist and author
    • 1945 – Björn Ulvaeus, Swedish singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1946 – Talia Shire, American actress
    • 1946 – Peter Sutherland, Irish lawyer and politician, Attorney General of Ireland
    • 1946 – Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Russian colonel, lawyer, and politician
    • 1947 – Johan Cruyff, Dutch footballer and manager (d. 2016)
    • 1947 – Jeffrey DeMunn, American actor
    • 1948 – Mike Selvey, English cricketer and sportscaster
    • 1948 – Yu Shyi-kun, Taiwanese politician, 39th Premier of the Republic of China
    • 1949 – Vicente Pernía, Argentinian footballer and race car driver
    • 1949 – Dominique Strauss-Kahn, French economist, lawyer, and politician, French Minister of Finance
    • 1949 – James Fenton, English poet, journalist and literary critic
    • 1950 – Donnell Deeny, Northern Irish lawyer and judge
    • 1950 – Steve Ferrone, English drummer
    • 1950 – Peter Hintze, German politician (d. 2016)
    • 1950 – Valentyna Kozyr, Ukrainian high jumper
    • 1951 – Ian McCartney, Scottish politician, Minister of State for Trade
    • 1952 – Ketil Bjørnstad, Norwegian pianist and composer
    • 1952 – Vladislav Tretiak, Russian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1952 – Jacques Santini, French footballer and coach
    • 1953 – Ron Clements, American animator, producer, and screenwriter
    • 1953 – Gary Cosier, Australian cricketer
    • 1953 – Anthony Venables, English economist, author, and academic
    • 1954 – Melvin Burgess, English author
    • 1954 – Randy Cross, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1954 – Róisín Shortall, Irish educator and politician
    • 1955 – Américo Gallego, Argentinian footballer and coach
    • 1955 – Parviz Parastui, Iranian actor and singer
    • 1955 – Zev Siegl, American businessman, co-founded Starbucks
    • 1956 – Dominique Blanc, French actress, director, and screenwriter
    • 1956 – Abdalla Uba Adamu, Nigerian professor, media scholar
    • 1957 – Theo de Rooij, Dutch cyclist and manager
    • 1958 – Fish, Scottish singer-songwriter
    • 1958 – Misha Glenny, British journalist
    • 1959 – Paul Madden, English diplomat, British High Commissioner to Australia
    • 1959 – Daniel Kash, Canadian actor and director
    • 1959 – Tony Phillips, American baseball player (d. 2016)
    • 1960 – Paul Baloff, American singer (d. 2002)
    • 1960 – Robert Peston, English journalist
    • 1960 – Bruce Redman, Australian director, producer, and critic
    • 1961 – Dinesh D’Souza, Indian-American journalist and author
    • 1961 – Miran Tepeš, Slovenian ski jumper
    • 1962 – Foeke Booy, Dutch footballer and manager
    • 1963 – Joy Covey, American businesswoman (d. 2013)
    • 1963 – Dave Martin, English footballer
    • 1963 – David Moyes, Scottish footballer and manager
    • 1963 – Bernd Müller, German footballer and manager
    • 1963 – Paul Wassif, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1964 – Hank Azaria, American actor, voice artist, comedian and producer
    • 1964 – Andy Bell, English singer-songwriter
    • 1965 – Eric Avery, American bass player and songwriter
    • 1965 – Mark Bryant, American basketball player and coach
    • 1965 – John Henson, American puppeteer and voice actor (d. 2014)
    • 1966 – Diego Domínguez, Argentinian-Italian rugby player
    • 1966 – Femke Halsema, Dutch sociologist, academic, and politician
    • 1966 – Darren Holmes, American baseball player and coach
    • 1966 – Erik Pappas, American baseball player and coach
    • 1967 – Angel Martino, American swimmer
    • 1968 – Vitaliy Kyrylenko, Ukrainian long jumper
    • 1968 – Thomas Strunz, German footballer
    • 1969 – Joe Buck, American sportscaster
    • 1969 – Martin Koolhoven, Dutch director and screenwriter
    • 1969 – Jon Olsen, American swimmer
    • 1969 – Darren Woodson, American football player and sportscaster
    • 1969 – Renée Zellweger, American actress and producer
    • 1970 – Jason Lee, American skateboarder, actor, comedian and producer
    • 1971 – Sara Baras, Spanish dancer
    • 1971 – Brad Clontz, American baseball player
    • 1973 – Carlota Castrejana, Spanish triple jumper
    • 1973 – Fredrik Larzon, Swedish drummer
    • 1973 – Barbara Rittner, German tennis player
    • 1975 – Jacque Jones, American baseball player and coach
    • 1976 – Gilberto da Silva Melo, Brazilian footballer
    • 1976 – Tim Duncan, American basketball player
    • 1976 – Breyton Paulse, South African rugby player
    • 1976 – Rainer Schüttler, German tennis player and coach
    • 1977 – Constantinos Christoforou, Cypriot singer-songwriter
    • 1977 – Ilias Kotsios, Greek footballer
    • 1977 – Marguerite Moreau, American actress and producer
    • 1977 – Matthew West, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor
    • 1978 – Matt Walker, English swimmer
    • 1980 – Ben Johnston, Scottish drummer and songwriter
    • 1980 – James Johnston, Scottish bass player and songwriter
    • 1980 – Daniel MacPherson, Australian actor and television host
    • 1980 – Bruce Martin, New Zealand cricketer
    • 1980 – Kazuhito Tadano, Japanese baseball player
    • 1980 – Alejandro Valverde, Spanish cyclist
    • 1981 – Dwone Hicks, American football player
    • 1981 – Felipe Massa, Brazilian racing driver
    • 1981 – John McFall, English sprinter
    • 1981 – Anja Pärson, Swedish skier
    • 1982 – Brian Barton, American baseball player
    • 1982 – Monty Panesar, English cricketer
    • 1982 – Marco Russo, Italian footballer
    • 1983 – Johnathan Thurston, Australian rugby league player
    • 1983 – DeAngelo Williams, American football player
    • 1984 – Robert Andino, American baseball player
    • 1984 – Isaac Kiprono Songok, Kenyan runner
    • 1985 – Giedo van der Garde, Dutch racing driver
    • 1986 – Alexei Emelin, Russian ice hockey player
    • 1986 – Thin Seng Hon, Cambodian Paralympic athlete
    • 1986 – Gwen Jorgensen, American triathlete
    • 1986 – Claudia Rath, German heptathlete
    • 1987 – Razak Boukari, Togolese footballer
    • 1987 – Jay Park, American-South Korean singer-songwriter and dancer
    • 1987 – Johann Smith, American soccer player
    • 1988 – James Sheppard, Canadian ice hockey player
    • 1989 – Marie-Michèle Gagnon, Canadian skier
    • 1989 – Michael van Gerwen, Dutch darts player
    • 1989 – Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, one of the highest-ranking spiritual leaders in Tibet
    • 1990 – Jean-Éric Vergne, French racing driver
    • 1990 – Taylor Walker, Australian footballer
    • 1991 – Alex Shibutani, American ice dancer
    • 1993 – Alex Bowman, American race car driver
    • 1993 – Daniel Norris, American baseball player
    • 1994 – Omar McLeod, Jamaican hurdler
    • 1995 – Lewis Baker, English footballer
    • 1996 – Mack Horton, Australian swimmer
    • 1997 – Julius Ertlthaler, Austrian footballer

    Deaths on April 25

    • 501 – Rusticus, saint and archbishop of Lyon (b. 455)
    • 775 – Smbat VII Bagratuni, Armenian prince
    • 775 – Mushegh VI Mamikonian, Armenian prince
    • 908 – Zhang Wenwei, Chinese chancellor
    • 1074 – Herman I, Margrave of Baden
    • 1077 – Géza I of Hungary (b. 1040)
    • 1185 – Emperor Antoku of Japan (b. 1178)
    • 1217 – Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia
    • 1228 – Queen Isabella II of Jerusalem (b. 1212)
    • 1243 – Boniface of Valperga, Bishop of Aosta
    • 1264 – Roger de Quincy, 2nd Earl of Winchester, medieval English nobleman; Earl of Winchester (b. 1195)
    • 1295 – Sancho IV of Castile (b. 1258)
    • 1342 – Pope Benedict XII (b. 1285)
    • 1397 – Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, English nobleman
    • 1472 – Leon Battista Alberti, Italian author, poet, and philosopher (b. 1404)
    • 1516 – John Yonge, English diplomat (b. 1467)
    • 1566 – Louise Labé, French poet and author (b. 1520)
    • 1566 – Diane de Poitiers, mistress of King Henry II of France (b. 1499)
    • 1595 – Torquato Tasso, Italian poet and songwriter (b. 1544)
    • 1605 – Naresuan, Siamese King of Ayutthaya Kingdom (b. c. 1555)
    • 1644 – Chongzhen Emperor of China (b. 1611)
    • 1660 – Henry Hammond, English cleric and theologian (b. 1605)
    • 1690 – David Teniers the Younger, Flemish painter and educator (b. 1610)
    • 1744 – Anders Celsius, Swedish astronomer, physicist, and mathematician (b. 1701)
    • 1770 – Jean-Antoine Nollet, French minister, physicist, and academic (b. 1700)
    • 1800 – William Cowper, English poet (b. 1731)
    • 1840 – Siméon Denis Poisson, French mathematician and physicist (b. 1781)
    • 1873 – Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy, Russian painter and sculptor (b. 1783)
    • 1875 – 12th Dalai Lama (b. 1857)
    • 1878 – Anna Sewell, English author (b. 1820)
    • 1890 – Crowfoot, Canadian tribal chief (b. 1830)
    • 1891 – Nathaniel Woodard, English priest and educator (b. 1811)
    • 1892 – Henri Duveyrier, French explorer (b. 1840)
    • 1892 – Karl von Ditmar, Estonian-German geologist and explorer (b. 1822)
    • 1906 – John Knowles Paine, American composer and educator (b. 1839)
    • 1911 – Emilio Salgari, Italian journalist and author (b. 1862)
    • 1913 – Joseph-Alfred Archambeault, Canadian bishop (b. 1859)
    • 1915 – Frederick W. Seward, American journalist, lawyer, and politician, 6th United States Assistant Secretary of State (b. 1830)
    • 1919 – Augustus D. Juilliard, American businessman and philanthropist (b. 1836)
    • 1923 – Louis-Olivier Taillon, Canadian lawyer and politician, 8th Premier of Quebec (b. 1840)
    • 1928 – Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel, Russian general (b. 1878)
    • 1941 – Salih Bozok, Turkish commander and politician (b. 1881)
    • 1943 – Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, Russian director, producer, and playwright (b. 1858)
    • 1944 – George Herriman, American cartoonist (b. 1880)
    • 1944 – Tony Mullane, Irish-American baseball player (b. 1859)
    • 1944 – William Stephens, American engineer and politician, 24th Governor of California (b. 1859)
    • 1945 – Huldreich Georg Früh, Swiss composer (b. 1903)
    • 1961 – Robert Garrett, American discus thrower and shot putter (b. 1875)
    • 1970 – Anita Louise, American actress (b. 1915)
    • 1972 – George Sanders, English actor (b. 1906)
    • 1973 – Olga Grey, Hungarian-American actress (b. 1896)
    • 1974 – Gustavo R. Vincenti, Maltese architect and developer (b. 1888)
    • 1975 – Mike Brant, Israeli singer and songwriter (b.1947)
    • 1976 – Carol Reed, English director and producer (b. 1906)
    • 1976 – Markus Reiner, Israeli engineer and educator (b. 1886)
    • 1982 – John Cody, American cardinal (b. 1907)
    • 1983 – William S. Bowdern, American priest and author (b. 1897)
    • 1988 – Carolyn Franklin, American singer-songwriter (b. 1944)
    • 1988 – Clifford D. Simak, American journalist and author (b. 1904)
    • 1990 – Dexter Gordon, American saxophonist, composer, and actor (b. 1923)
    • 1992 – Yutaka Ozaki, Japanese singer-songwriter (b. 1965)
    • 1995 – Art Fleming, American game show host (b. 1925)
    • 1995 – Ginger Rogers, American actress, singer, and dancer (b. 1911)
    • 1995 – Lev Shankovsky, Ukrainian military historian (b. 1903)
    • 1996 – Saul Bass, American graphic designer and director (b. 1920)
    • 1998 – Wright Morris, American author and photographer (b. 1910)
    • 1999 – Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, Irish journalist and author (b. 1914)
    • 1999 – Roger Troutman, American singer-songwriter and producer (b. 1951)
    • 2000 – Lucien Le Cam, French mathematician and statistician (b. 1924)
    • 2000 – David Merrick, American director and producer (b. 1911)
    • 2001 – Michele Alboreto, Italian racing driver (b. 1956)
    • 2002 – Lisa Lopes, American rapper and dancer (b. 1971)
    • 2003 – Samson Kitur, Kenyan runner (b. 1966)
    • 2004 – Thom Gunn, English-American poet and academic (b. 1929)
    • 2005 – Jim Barker, American politician (b. 1935)
    • 2005 – Swami Ranganathananda, Indian monk and educator (b. 1908)
    • 2006 – Jane Jacobs, American-Canadian journalist, author, and activist (b. 1916)
    • 2006 – Peter Law, Welsh politician and independent member of parliament (b. 1948)
    • 2007 – Alan Ball Jr., English footballer and manager (b. 1945)
    • 2007 – Arthur Milton, English footballer and cricketer (b. 1928)
    • 2007 – Bobby Pickett, American singer-songwriter (b. 1938)
    • 2008 – Humphrey Lyttelton, English trumpet player, composer, and radio host (b. 1921)
    • 2009 – Bea Arthur, American actress and singer (b. 1922)
    • 2010 – Dorothy Provine, American actress and singer (b. 1935)
    • 2010 – Alan Sillitoe, English novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet (b. 1928)
    • 2011 – Poly Styrene, British musician (b. 1957)
    • 2012 – Gerry Bahen, Australian footballer (b. 1929)
    • 2012 – Denny Jones, American rancher and politician (b. 1910)
    • 2012 – Moscelyne Larkin, American ballerina and educator (b. 1925)
    • 2012 – Louis le Brocquy, Irish painter and illustrator (b. 1916)
    • 2013 – Brian Adam, Scottish biochemist and politician (b. 1948)
    • 2013 – Jacob Avshalomov, American composer and conductor (b. 1919)
    • 2013 – György Berencsi, Hungarian virologist and academic (b. 1941)
    • 2013 – Rick Camp, American baseball player (b. 1953)
    • 2014 – Dan Heap, Canadian priest and politician (b. 1925)
    • 2014 – William Judson Holloway Jr., American soldier, lawyer, and judge (b. 1923)
    • 2014 – Earl Morrall, American football player and coach (b. 1934)
    • 2014 – Tito Vilanova, Spanish footballer and manager (b. 1968)
    • 2014 – Stefanie Zweig, German journalist and author (b. 1932)
    • 2015 – Jim Fanning, American-Canadian baseball player and manager (b. 1927)
    • 2015 – Matthias Kuhle, German geographer and academic (b. 1948)
    • 2015 – Don Mankiewicz, American screenwriter and novelist (b. 1922)
    • 2015 – Mike Phillips, American basketball player (b. 1956)
    • 2016 – Tom Lewis, Australian politician, 33rd Premier of New South Wales (b. 1922)
    • 2018 – Madeeha Gauhar, Pakistani actress, playwright and director of social theater, and women’s rights activist (b. 1956)
    • 2019 – John Havlicek, American basketball player (b. 1940)

    Holidays and observances on April 25

    • Anniversary of the First Cabinet of Kurdish Government (Iraqi Kurdistan)
    • Anzac Day (Australia, New Zealand)
    • Arbor Day (Germany)
    • Christian feast day:
      • Giovanni Battista Piamarta
      • Major Rogation (Western Christianity)
      • Mark the Evangelist
      • Maughold
      • Philo and Agathopodes
      • Anianus of Alexandria
      • April 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • DNA Day
    • Flag Day (Faroe Islands)
    • Freedom Day (Portugal)
    • Liberation Day (Italy)
    • Liberation Day (South Georgia)
    • Military Foundation Day (North Korea)
    • Parental Alienation Awareness Day
    • Red Hat Society Day
    • Sinai Liberation Day (Egypt)
    • World Malaria Day
  • January 26 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

    • 661 – The Rashidun Caliphate is effectively ended with the assassination of Ali, the last caliph.
    • 945 – The co-emperors Stephen and Constantine are overthrown and forced to become monks by Constantine VII, who becomes the sole emperor of the Byzantine Empire.
    • 1500 – Vicente Yáñez Pinzón becomes the first European to set foot on Brazil.
    • 1531 – The 6.4–7.1 Mw Lisbon earthquake kills about thirty thousand people.
    • 1564 – The Council of Trent establishes an official distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
    • 1564 – The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Tsardom of Russia in the Battle of Ula during the Livonian War.
    • 1565 – Battle of Talikota, fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan sultanates, leads to the subjugation, and eventual destruction of the last Hindu kingdom in India, and the consolidation of Islamic rule over much of the Indian subcontinent.
    • 1699 – For the first time, the Ottoman Empire permanently cedes territory to the Christian powers.
    • 1700 – The 8.7–9.2 Mw Cascadia earthquake takes place off the west coast of North America, as evidenced by Japanese records.
    • 1736 – Stanislaus I of Poland abdicates his throne.
    • 1788 – The British First Fleet, led by Arthur Phillip, sails into Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) to establish Sydney, the first permanent European settlement on Australia. Commemorated as Australia Day.
    • 1808 – The Rum Rebellion is the only successful (albeit short-lived) armed takeover of the government in New South Wales.
    • 1837 – Michigan is admitted as the 26th U.S. state.
    • 1838 – Tennessee enacts the first prohibition law in the United States.
    • 1841 – James Bremer takes formal possession of Hong Kong Island at what is now Possession Point, establishing British Hong Kong.
    • 1855 – Point No Point Treaty is signed in Washington Territory.
    • 1856 – First Battle of Seattle. Marines from the USS Decatur drive off American Indian attackers after all day battle with settlers.
    • 1861 – American Civil War: The state of Louisiana secedes from the Union.
    • 1863 – American Civil War: General Ambrose Burnside is relieved of command of the Army of the Potomac after the disastrous Fredericksburg campaign. He is replaced by Joseph Hooker.
    • 1863 – American Civil War: Governor of Massachusetts John Albion Andrew receives permission from the Secretary of War to raise a militia organization for men of African descent.
    • 1870 – Reconstruction Era: Virginia rejoins the Union.
    • 1885 – Troops loyal to The Mahdi conquer Khartoum, killing the Governor-General Charles George Gordon.
    • 1905 – The world’s largest diamond ever, the Cullinan weighing 3,106.75 carats (0.621350 kg), is found at the Premier Mine near Pretoria in South Africa.
    • 1911 – Glenn Curtiss flies the first successful American seaplane.
    • 1915 – The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of the U.S. Congress.
    • 1918 – Finnish Civil War: A group of Red Guards hangs a red lantern atop the tower of Helsinki Workers’ Hall to symbolically mark the start of the war.
    • 1920 – Former Ford Motor Company executive Henry Leland launches the Lincoln Motor Company which he later sold to his former employer.
    • 1926 – The first demonstration of the television by John Logie Baird.
    • 1930 – The Indian National Congress declares 26 January as Independence Day or as the day for Poorna Swaraj (“Complete Independence”) which occurred 17 years later.
    • 1934 – The Apollo Theater reopens in Harlem, New York City.
    • 1934 – German-Polish Non-Aggression Pact is signed.
    • 1939 – Spanish Civil War: Catalonia Offensive: Troops loyal to nationalist General Francisco Franco and aided by Italy take Barcelona.
    • 1942 – World War II: The first United States forces arrive in Europe landing in Northern Ireland.
    • 1945 – World War II: The Red Army begins encircling the German Fourth Army near Heiligenbeil in East Prussia, which will end in destruction of the 4th Army two months later.
    • 1945 – World War II: Audie Murphy displays valor and bravery in action for which he will later be awarded the Medal of Honor.
    • 1949 – The Hale telescope at Palomar Observatory sees first light under the direction of Edwin Hubble, becoming the largest aperture optical telescope (until BTA-6 is built in 1976).
    • 1950 – The Constitution of India comes into force, forming a republic. Rajendra Prasad is sworn in as its first President of India. Observed as Republic Day in India.
    • 1952 – Black Saturday in Egypt: rioters burn Cairo’s central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.
    • 1956 – the Soviet Union cedes Porkkala back to Finland.
    • 1961 – John F. Kennedy appoints Janet G. Travell to be the first woman Physician to the President.
    • 1962 – Ranger 3 is launched to study the Moon. The space probe later misses the moon by 22,000 miles (35,400 km).
    • 1965 – Hindi becomes the official language of India.
    • 1972 – JAT Fight 367 is destroyed by a terrorist bomb, killing 27 of the 28 people on board the DC-9. Flight attendant Vesna Vulović survives with critical injuries.
    • 1980 – Egypt–Israel relations are formally established.
    • 1986 – The Ugandan government of Tito Okello is overthrown by the National Resistance Army, led by Yoweri Museveni.
    • 1991 – Mohamed Siad Barre is removed from power in Somalia, ending centralized government, and is succeeded by Ali Mahdi.
    • 1992 – Boris Yeltsin announces that Russia will stop targeting United States cities with nuclear weapons.
    • 1998 – Lewinsky scandal: On American television, U.S. President Bill Clinton denies having had “sexual relations” with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
    • 2001 – The 7.7 Mw Gujarat earthquake shakes Western India with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), leaving 13,805–20,023 dead and about 166,800 injured.
    • 2009 – Rioting breaks out in Antananarivo, Madagascar, sparking a political crisis that will result in the replacement of President Marc Ravalomanana with Andry Rajoelina.
    • 2015 – An aircraft crashes at Los Llanos Air Base in Albacete, Spain, killing 11 people and injuring 21 others.
    • 2020 – A Sikorsky S-76B flying from John Wayne Airport to Camarillo Airport crashes in Calabasas, 30 miles west of Los Angeles, killing all nine people on board including former five time NBA champion Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant.

    Births on January 26

    • 183 – Lady Zhen, wife of Cao Pi (d. 221)
    • 1436 – Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset, Lancastrian military commander (d. 1464)
    • 1467 – Guillaume Budé, French scholar (d. 1540)
    • 1495 – Emperor Go-Nara of Japan (d. 1557)
    • 1541 – Florent Chrestien, French poet and translator (d. 1596)
    • 1549 – Jakob Ebert, German theologian (d. 1614)
    • 1582 – Giovanni Lanfranco, Italian painter (d. 1647)
    • 1595 – Antonio Maria Abbatini, Italian composer (d. 1679)
    • 1624 – George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d. 1705)
    • 1657 – William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1737)
    • 1708 – William Hayes, English organist, composer, and conductor (d. 1777)
    • 1714 – Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, French sculptor and educator (d. 1785)
    • 1715 – Claude Adrien Helvétius, French philosopher (d. 1771)
    • 1716 – George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville, English general and politician, Secretary of State for the Colonies (d. 1785)
    • 1722 – Alexander Carlyle, Scottish minister and author (d. 1805)
    • 1763 – Charles XIV John of Sweden (d. 1844)
    • 1781 – Ludwig Achim von Arnim, German poet and author (d. 1831)
    • 1813 – Juan Pablo Duarte, Dominican philosopher and poet (d. 1876)
    • 1824 – Emil Czyrniański, Polish chemist (d. 1888)
    • 1832 – George Shiras, Jr., American lawyer and jurist (d. 1924)
    • 1842 – François Coppée, French poet and author (d. 1908)
    • 1852 – Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, Italian-French explorer (d. 1905)
    • 1857 – 12th Dalai Lama (d. 1875)
    • 1861 – Louis Anquetin, French painter (d. 1932)
    • 1864 – József Pusztai, Slovene-Hungarian poet and journalist (d. 1934)
    • 1866 – John Cady, American golfer (d. 1933)
    • 1877 – Kees van Dongen, Dutch painter (d. 1968)
    • 1878 – Dave Nourse, English-South African cricketer and coach (d. 1948)
    • 1880 – Douglas MacArthur, American general, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1964)
    • 1885 – Michael Considine, Irish-Australian politician (d. 1959)
    • 1885 – Harry Ricardo, English engineer and academic (d. 1974)
    • 1885 – Per Thorén, Swedish figure skater (d. 1962)
    • 1887 – François Faber, French-Luxembourgian cyclist (d. 1915)
    • 1887 – Marc Mitscher, American admiral and pilot (d. 1947)
    • 1887 – Dimitris Pikionis, Greek architect and academic (d. 1968)
    • 1891 – Frank Costello, Italian-American mob boss (d. 1973)
    • 1891 – August Froehlich, German priest and martyr (d. 1942)
    • 1891 – Wilder Penfield, American-Canadian neurosurgeon and academic (d. 1976)
    • 1892 – Bessie Coleman, American pilot (d. 1926)
    • 1893 – Giuseppe Genco Russo, Italian mob boss (d. 1976)
    • 1899 – Günther Reindorff, Russian-Estonian graphic designer and illustrator (d. 1974)
    • 1900 – Karl Ristenpart, German conductor (d. 1967)
    • 1902 – Menno ter Braak, Dutch author (d. 1940)
    • 1904 – Ancel Keys, American physiologist and nutritionist (d. 2004)
    • 1904 – Seán MacBride, Irish lawyer and politician, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1988)
    • 1905 – Charles Lane, American actor and singer (d. 2007)
    • 1905 – Maria von Trapp, Austrian-American singer (d. 1987)
    • 1907 – Henry Cotton, English golfer (d. 1987)
    • 1907 – Dimitrios Holevas, Greek priest and philologist (d. 2001)
    • 1908 – Jill Esmond, English actress (d. 1990)
    • 1908 – Rupprecht Geiger, German painter and sculptor (d. 2009)
    • 1908 – Stéphane Grappelli, French violinist (d. 1997)
    • 1910 – Jean Image, Hungarian-French animator, director, and screenwriter (d. 1989)
    • 1911 – Polykarp Kusch, German-American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1993)
    • 1911 – Norbert Schultze, German composer and conductor (d. 2002)
    • 1913 – Jimmy Van Heusen, American pianist and composer (d. 1990)
    • 1914 – Dürrüşehvar Sultan, Imperial Princess of the Ottoman Empire (d. 2006)
    • 1915 – William Hopper, American actor (d. 1970)
    • 1917 – Louis Zamperini, American runner and captain (d. 2014)
    • 1918 – Nicolae Ceaușescu, Romanian dictator, 1st President of Romania (d. 1989)
    • 1918 – Philip José Farmer, American author (d. 2009)
    • 1919 – Valentino Mazzola, Italian footballer (d. 1949)
    • 1919 – Bill Nicholson, English footballer and manager (d. 2004)
    • 1919 – Hyun Soong-jong, South Korean politician, 24th Prime Minister of South Korea (d. 2020)
    • 1920 – Hans Holzer, Austrian-American paranormal researcher and author (d. 2009)
    • 1921 – Eddie Barclay, French record producer, founded Barclay Records (d. 2005)
    • 1921 – Akio Morita, Japanese businessman, co-founded Sony (d. 1999)
    • 1922 – Michael Bentine, English actor and screenwriter (d. 1996)
    • 1922 – Seán Flanagan, Irish footballer and politician, 7th Irish Minister for Health (d. 1993)
    • 1922 – Gil Merrick, English footballer (d. 2010)
    • 1923 – Patrick J. Hannifin, American admiral (d. 2014)
    • 1923 – Anne Jeffreys, American actress and singer (d. 2017)
    • 1924 – Alice Babs, Swedish singer and actress (b. 1924)
    • 1924 – Annette Strauss, American philanthropist and politician, Mayor of Dallas (d. 1998)
    • 1925 – David Jenkins, English bishop and theologian (d. 2016)
    • 1925 – Joan Leslie, American actress (d. 2015)
    • 1925 – Paul Newman, American actor, activist, director, race car driver, and businessman, co-founded Newman’s Own (d. 2008)
    • 1925 – Ben Pucci, American football player and sportscaster (d. 2013)
    • 1925 – Claude Ryan, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 2004)
    • 1926 – Farman Fatehpuri, Pakistani linguist and scholar (d. 2013)
    • 1926 – Joseph Bacon Fraser, Jr., American architect and businessman, co-founded the Sea Pines Company (d. 2014)
    • 1927 – José Azcona del Hoyo, Honduran businessman and politician, President of Honduras (d. 2005)
    • 1927 – Bob Nieman, American baseball player and scout (d. 1985)
    • 1927 – Hubert Schieth, German footballer and manager (d. 2013)
    • 1928 – Roger Vadim, French actor and director (d. 2000)
    • 1929 – Jules Feiffer, American cartoonist, playwright, screenwriter, and educator
    • 1934 – Roger Landry, Canadian businessman and publisher (d. 2020)
    • 1934 – Charles Marowitz, American director, playwright, and critic (d. 2014)
    • 1934 – Huey “Piano” Smith, American pianist and songwriter
    • 1934 – Bob Uecker, American baseball player, sportscaster and actor
    • 1935 – Corrado Augias, Italian journalist and politician
    • 1935 – Henry Jordan, American football player (d. 1977)
    • 1935 – Paula Rego, Portuguese-born British visual artist
    • 1936 – Sal Buscema, American illustrator
    • 1937 – Joseph Saidu Momoh, Sierra Leonean soldier and politician, 2nd President of Sierra Leone (d. 2003)
    • 1937 – Francisco Gonzales, former 1960 Summer Olympics yachting team member and murderer
    • 1938 – Henry Jaglom, English-American director and screenwriter
    • 1940 – Séamus Hegarty, Irish bishop
    • 1940 – Frank Large, English footballer, centre forward and cricketer (d. 2003)
    • 1943 – César Gutiérrez, Venezuelan baseball player and manager (d. 2005)
    • 1943 – Jack Warner, Trinidadian businessman and politician
    • 1944 – Angela Davis, American activist, academic, and author
    • 1944 – Jerry Sandusky, American football coach and criminal
    • 1945 – Jacqueline du Pré, English cellist (d. 1987)
    • 1945 – David Purley, English race car driver (d. 1985)
    • 1946 – Christopher Hampton, Portuguese-English director, screenwriter, and playwright
    • 1946 – Gene Siskel, American journalist and film critic (d. 1999)
    • 1946 – Susan Friedlander, American mathematician
    • 1947 – Patrick Dewaere, French actor and composer (d. 1982)
    • 1947 – Les Ebdon, English chemist and academic
    • 1947 – Redmond Morris, 4th Baron Killanin, Irish director, producer, and production manager
    • 1947 – Michel Sardou, French singer-songwriter and actor
    • 1948 – Alda Facio, Costa Rican jurist, writer and teacher
    • 1949 – Jonathan Carroll, American author
    • 1949 – David Strathairn, American actor
    • 1950 – Jörg Haider, Austrian lawyer and politician, Governor of Carinthia (d. 2008)
    • 1951 – David Briggs, Australian guitarist, songwriter, and producer
    • 1951 – Andy Hummel, American singer-songwriter and bass player (d. 2010)
    • 1951 – Anne Mills, English economist and academic
    • 1953 – Alik L. Alik, Micronesian politician, 7th Vice President of the Federated States of Micronesia
    • 1953 – Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Danish politician and diplomat, 39th Prime Minister of Denmark
    • 1953 – Lucinda Williams, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1954 – Kim Hughes, Australian cricketer
    • 1955 – Eddie Van Halen, Dutch-American guitarist, songwriter, and producer
    • 1957 – Road Warrior Hawk, American wrestler (d. 2003)
    • 1958 – Anita Baker, American singer-songwriter
    • 1958 – Ellen DeGeneres, American comedian, actress, and talk show host
    • 1961 – Wayne Gretzky, Canadian ice hockey player and coach
    • 1961 – Tom Keifer, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1962 – Guo Jian, Chinese-Australian painter, sculptor, and photographer
    • 1962 – Tim May, Australian cricketer
    • 1962 – Oscar Ruggeri, Argentinian footballer and manager
    • 1963 – José Mourinho, Portuguese footballer and manager
    • 1963 – Simon O’Donnell, Australian footballer, cricketer, and sportscaster
    • 1963 – Tony Parks, English footballer and manager
    • 1963 – Andrew Ridgeley, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
    • 1964 – Adam Crozier, Scottish businessman
    • 1965 – Thomas Östros, Swedish businessman and politician
    • 1965 – Natalia Yurchenko, Russian gymnast and coach
    • 1966 – Kazushige Nagashima, Japanese baseball player and sportscaster
    • 1967 – Anatoly Komm, Russian chef and businessman
    • 1967 – Col Needham, English businessman, co-founded Internet Movie Database
    • 1968 – Jupiter Apple, Brazilian singer-songwriter, film director, and actor (d. 2015)
    • 1969 – George Dikeoulakos, Greek-Romanian basketball player and coach
    • 1970 – Kirk Franklin, American singer-songwriter and producer
    • 1973 – Larissa Lowing, Canadian artistic gymnast
    • 1973 – Melvil Poupaud, French actor, director, and screenwriter
    • 1973 – Brendan Rodgers, Northern Irish footballer and manager
    • 1973 – Mayu Shinjo, Japanese author and illustrator
    • 1977 – Vince Carter, American basketball player
    • 1977 – Justin Gimelstob, American tennis player and coach
    • 1978 – Corina Morariu, American tennis player and sportscaster
    • 1981 – José de Jesús Corona, Mexican footballer
    • 1981 – Gustavo Dudamel, Venezuelan violinist, composer, and conductor
    • 1981 – Juan José Haedo, Argentinian cyclist
    • 1981 – Colin O’Donoghue, Irish actor
    • 1982 – Reggie Hodges, American football player
    • 1983 – Petri Oravainen, Finnish footballer
    • 1983 – Eric Werner, American ice hockey player
    • 1984 – Ryan Hoffman, Australian rugby league player
    • 1984 – Iain Turner, Scottish footballer
    • 1984 – Luo Xuejuan, Chinese swimmer
    • 1985 – Heather Stanning, English rower
    • 1986 – Gerald Green, American basketball player
    • 1986 – Kim Jae-joong, South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, director and designer.
    • 1986 – Mustapha Yatabaré, French-Malian footballer
    • 1987 – Sebastian Giovinco, Italian footballer
    • 1988 – Dimitrios Chondrokoukis, Greek high jumper
    • 1989 – MarShon Brooks, American basketball player
    • 1989 – Emily Hughes, American figure skater
    • 1990 – Sergio Pérez, Mexican race car driver
    • 1990 – Peter Sagan, Slovak professional cyclist
    • 1990 – Nina Zander, German tennis player
    • 1991 – Tom Meechan, English footballer
    • 1992 – Sasha Banks, American professional wrestler
    • 1993 – Lana Clelland, Scottish footballer
    • 1993 – Florian Thauvin, French footballer
    • 1995 – Sione Katoa, New Zealand rugby league player
    • 1997 – Gedion Zelalem, German-born American soccer player
    • 2001 – Latalia Bevan, Welsh artistic gymnast

    Deaths on January 26

    • 724 – Yazid II, Umayyad caliph (b. 687)
    • 738 – John of Dailam, Syrian monk and saint (b. 660)
    • 910 – Luo Yin, Chinese statesman and poet
    • 946 – Eadgyth, Queen consort of Germany (b.c 910)
    • 1186 – Ismat ad-Din Khatun, wife of Saladin
    • 1390 – Adolph IX, Count of Holstein-Kiel (b.c 1327)
    • 1567 – Nicholas Wotton, English courtier and diplomat (b. 1497)
    • 1568 – Lady Catherine Grey, Countess of Hertford (b. 1540)
    • 1620 – Amar Singh I, ruler of Mewar (b. 1559)
    • 1630 – Henry Briggs, English mathematician and astronomer (b. 1556)
    • 1636 – Jean Hotman, Marquis de Villers-St-Paul, French diplomat (b. 1552)
    • 1641 – Lawrence Hyde, English lawyer (b. 1562)
    • 1697 – Georg Mohr, Danish mathematician and theorist (b. 1640)
    • 1744 – Ludwig Andreas von Khevenhüller, Austrian field marshal (b. 1683)
    • 1750 – Albert Schultens, Dutch philologist and academic (b. 1686)
    • 1779 – Thomas Hudson, English painter (b. 1701)
    • 1795 – Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, German harpsichord player and composer (b. 1732)
    • 1799 – Gabriel Christie, Scottish general (b. 1722)
    • 1823 – Edward Jenner, English physician and immunologist (b. 1749)
    • 1824 – Théodore Géricault, French painter and lithographer (b. 1791)
    • 1831 – Sangolli Rayanna, Indian soldier (b. 1798)
    • 1831 – Anton Delvig, Russian poet and journalist (b. 1798)
    • 1849 – Thomas Lovell Beddoes, English poet, playwright, and physician (b. 1803)
    • 1855 – Gérard de Nerval, French poet and translator (b. 1808)
    • 1860 – Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient, opera singer (b. 1804)
    • 1869 – Duncan Gordon Boyes, English soldier; Victoria Cross recipient (b. 1846)
    • 1870 – Victor de Broglie, French politician, 9th Prime Minister of France (b. 1785)
    • 1885 – Edward Davy, English-Australian physician and engineer (b. 1806)
    • 1885 – Charles George Gordon, English general and politician (b. 1833)
    • 1886 – David Rice Atchison, American general and politician (b. 1807)
    • 1887 – Anandi Gopal Joshi, One of the first female Indian physicians (b. 1865)
    • 1891 – Nicolaus Otto, German engineer, invented the Internal combustion engine (b. 1833)
    • 1893 – Abner Doubleday, American general (b. 1819)
    • 1895 – Arthur Cayley, English mathematician and academic (b. 1825)
    • 1904 – Whitaker Wright, English businessman (b. 1846)
    • 1926 – John Flannagan, American priest and academic (b. 1860)
    • 1932 – William Wrigley, Jr., American businessman, founded the Wrigley Company (b. 1861)
    • 1942 – Felix Hausdorff, German mathematician and academic (b. 1868)
    • 1943 – Harry H. Laughlin, American sociologist and eugenicist (b. 1880)
    • 1943 – Nikolai Vavilov, Russian botanist and geneticist (b. 1887)
    • 1946 – Oskar Kallas, Estonian linguist and diplomat (b. 1868)
    • 1946 – Adriaan van Maanen, Dutch-American astronomer and academic (b. 1884)
    • 1947 – Grace Moore, American soprano and actress (b. 1898)
    • 1948 – Kâzım Karabekir, Turkish general and politician, 5th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (b. 1882)
    • 1948 – Fred Conrad Koch, American biochemist and endocrinologist (born 1876)
    • 1948 – John Lomax, American musicologist and academic (b. 1867)
    • 1952 – Khorloogiin Choibalsan, Mongolian general and politician, 12th Prime Minister of Mongolia (b. 1895)
    • 1953 – Athanase David, Canadian lawyer and politician (b. 1882)
    • 1957 – Helene Costello, American actress (b. 1906)
    • 1962 – Lucky Luciano, Italian-American mob boss (b. 1897)
    • 1968 – Merrill C. Meigs, American publisher (b. 1883)
    • 1973 – Edward G. Robinson, Romanian-American actor (b. 1893)
    • 1975 – Donald Sheldon, American bush pilot (b. 1921)
    • 1976 – João Branco Núncio, Portuguese bullfighter (b. 1901)
    • 1977 – Filopimin Finos, Greek production manager and producer, founded Finos Film (b. 1908)
    • 1979 – Nelson Rockefeller, American businessman and politician, 41st Vice President of the United States (b. 1908)
    • 1980 – Simon Kapwepwe, Zambian politician, 2nd Vice President of Zambia (b. 1922)
    • 1983 – Bear Bryant, American football player and coach (b. 1913)
    • 1985 – Kenny Clarke, American jazz drummer and bandleader (b. 1914)
    • 1990 – Bob Gerard, English race car driver and businessman (b. 1914)
    • 1990 – Lewis Mumford, American sociologist and historian (b. 1895)
    • 1992 – José Ferrer, Puerto Rican-American actor (b. 1912)
    • 1993 – Jan Gies, Dutch businessman and humanitarian (b. 1905)
    • 1993 – Robert Jacobsen, Danish sculptor and painter (b. 1912)
    • 1993 – Jeanne Sauvé, Canadian journalist and politician, 23rd Governor General of Canada (b. 1922)
    • 1996 – Georg Alexander, Duke of Mecklenburg (b. 1921)
    • 1996 – Harold Brodkey, American author and academic (b. 1930)
    • 1996 – Frank Howard, American football player and coach (b. 1909)
    • 1996 – Henry Lewis, American bassist and conductor (b. 1932)
    • 1997 – Jeane Dixon, American astrologer and psychic (b. 1904)
    • 2000 – Don Budge, American tennis player and coach (b. 1915)
    • 2000 – Kathleen Hale, English author and illustrator (b. 1898)
    • 2000 – A. E. van Vogt, Canadian-American author (b. 1912)
    • 2001 – Al McGuire, American basketball player and coach (b. 1928)
    • 2003 – Valeriy Brumel, Russian high jumper (b. 1942)
    • 2003 – Hugh Trevor-Roper, English historian and academic (b. 1917)
    • 2003 – George Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie, Scottish banker and politician, Secretary of State for Scotland (b. 1931)
    • 2004 – Fred Haas, American golfer (b. 1916)
    • 2006 – Khan Abdul Wali Khan, Pakistani politician (b. 1917)
    • 2007 – Gump Worsley, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1929)
    • 2008 – Viktor Schreckengost, American sculptor and designer (b. 1906)
    • 2010 – Louis Auchincloss, American novelist and essayist (b. 1917)
    • 2011 – David Kato Kisule, Ugandan teacher and LGBT rights activist, considered a father of Uganda’s gay rights movement (b. 1964)
    • 2011 – Charlie Louvin, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1927)
    • 2012 – Roberto Mieres, Argentinian race car driver (b. 1924)
    • 2013 – Christine M. Jones, American educator and politician (b. 1929)
    • 2013 – Stefan Kudelski, Polish-Swiss engineer, invented the Nagra (b. 1929)
    • 2013 – Padma Kant Shukla, Indian physicist and academic (b. 1950)
    • 2013 – Shōtarō Yasuoka, Japanese author (b. 1920)
    • 2014 – Tom Gola, American basketball player, coach, and politician (b. 1933)
    • 2014 – Paula Gruden, Slovenian-Australian poet and translator (b. 1921)
    • 2014 – José Emilio Pacheco, Mexican poet and author (b. 1939)
    • 2014 – Ralph T. Troy, American banker and politician (b. 1935)
    • 2015 – Cleven “Goodie” Goudeau, American art director and cartoonist (b. 1932)
    • 2015 – Tom Uren, Australian soldier and politician (b. 1921)
    • 2016 – Sahabzada Yaqub Khan, Pakistani politician and diplomat, 14th Pakistani Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1920)
    • 2016 – Abe Vigoda, American actor (b. 1921)
    • 2017 – Mike Connors, American actor (b. 1925)
    • 2017 – Tam Dalyell, Scottish politician (b. 1932)
    • 2017 – Lindy Delapenha, Jamaican footballer and sports journalist (b. 1927)
    • 2017 – Barbara Hale, American actress (b. 1922)
    • 2020 – John Altobelli, American college baseball coach (b. 1963)
    • 2020 – Kobe Bryant, American basketball player (b. 1978)

    Holidays and observances on January 26

    • Christian feast day:
      • Alberic
      • Founders of Cîteaux (Alberic of Cîteaux, Robert of Molesme, Stephen Harding)
      • Blessed Gabriele Allegra
      • Paula
      • Timothy and Titus
      • January 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    • Australia Day (Australia)
    • Duarte Day (Dominican Republic)
    • Engineer’s Day (Panama)
    • International Customs Day
    • Liberation Day (Uganda)
    • Republic Day (India)