January 26Birthdays & History

On this day: January 26 in history

Oldest first. Tap a year to see it on the World Chronicle timeline.

1. 661The Rashidun Caliphate is effectively ended with the assassination of Ali, the last caliph.Middle East
2. 1531The 6.4–7.1 Mw Lisbon earthquake kills about thirty thousand people.Europe
3. 1564The Council of Trent establishes an official distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.Europe
4. 1564The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Tsardom of Russia in the Battle of Ula during the Livonian War.Europe
5. 1641Reapers' War: Battle of Montjuïc, decisive victory of the Catalan army (with French support) over the Spanish army.Europe
6. 1699For the first time, the Ottoman Empire permanently cedes territory to the Christian powers.Middle East
7. 1700The 8.7–9.2 Mw Cascadia earthquake takes place off the west coast of North America, as evidenced by Japanese records.North AmericaAsia
8. 1765A British naval expedition arrives at and names Port Egmont in the Falkland Islands, founding a settlement there eight days later. (Arrival was 15 January 1765 O.S.)EuropeLatin America
9. 1788The 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.EuropeOceania
10. 1808The Rum Rebellion is the only successful (albeit short-lived) armed takeover of the government in New South Wales.Europe
11. 1837Michigan is admitted as the 26th U.S. state.North America
12. 1841Gordon Bremer takes formal possession of Hong Kong Island at what is now Possession Point, establishing British Hong Kong.AsiaEurope
13. 1855Point No Point Treaty is signed in Washington Territory.North America
14. 1856First Battle of Seattle: Marines from the USS Decatur drive off Native American attackers after all-day battle with settlers.North America
15. 1861American Civil War: The state of Louisiana secedes from the Union.North America
16. 1863American 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.North America
17. 1863American 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.North AmericaAfrica
18. 1870Reconstruction Era: Virginia is readmitted to the Union.North America
19. 1885Troops loyal to The Mahdi conquer Khartoum, killing the Governor-General Charles George Gordon.Africa
20. 1905The world's largest diamond ever, the Cullinan, which weighs 3,106.75 carats (0.621350 kg), is found at the Premier Mine near Pretoria in South Africa.Africa
21. 1915The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of the U.S. Congress.North America
22. 1918Finnish 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.Europe
23. 1926The first demonstration of the television by John Logie Baird.Europe
24. 1930The Indian National Congress declares 26 January as Independence Day or as the day for Poorna Swaraj ("Complete Independence") which occurred 17 years later.AsiaNorth America
25. 1934The Apollo Theater reopens in Harlem, New York City.North America
26. 1934German–Polish declaration of non-aggression is signed.Europe
27. 1939Spanish Civil War: Catalonia Offensive: Troops loyal to nationalist General Francisco Franco and aided by Italy take Barcelona.Europe
28. 1942World War II: The first United States forces arrive in Europe, landing in Northern Ireland.North AmericaEurope
29. 1945World War II: Audie Murphy displays valor and bravery in action for which he will later be awarded the Medal of Honor.Europe
30. 1949The 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).North America
31. 1950The Constitution of India comes into force, forming a republic. Rajendra Prasad is sworn in as the first President of India. Observed as Republic Day in India.Asia
32. 1952Black Saturday in Egypt: rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.Middle EastEurope
33. 1956Soviet Union cedes Porkkala back to Finland.Europe
34. 1959The 41-acre (17 ha) Chain Island is listed for sale by the California State Lands Commission, with a minimum bid of $5,226.North America
35. 1962Ranger 3 is launched to study the Moon. The space probe later misses the Moon by 22,000 miles (35,400 km).World
36. 1966The three Beaumont children disappear from a beach in Glenelg, South Australia, resulting in one of the country's largest-ever police investigations.Oceania
37. 1972JAT Flight 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.Europe
38. 1974Turkish Airlines Flight 301 crashes during takeoff from Izmir Cumaovası Airport (now İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport), killing 66 of the 73 people on board the Fokker F28 Fellowship.Middle East
39. 1986The Ugandan government of Tito Okello is overthrown by the National Resistance Army, led by Yoweri Museveni.Africa
40. 1991Mohamed Siad Barre is removed from power in Somalia, ending centralized government, and is succeeded by Ali Mahdi.Africa
41. 1998Lewinsky scandal: On American television, U.S. President Bill Clinton denies having had "sexual relations" with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.North America
42. 2001The 7.7 Mw Gujarat earthquake shakes Western India, leaving 13,805–20,023 dead and about 166,800 injured.Asia
43. 2001Diane Whipple, a lacrosse coach, is killed in a dog attack in San Francisco. The resulting court case clarified the meaning of implied malice murder.North America
44. 2009Nadya Suleman gives birth to the world's first surviving octuplets.North America
45. 2009Rioting breaks out in Antananarivo, Madagascar, sparking a political crisis that will result in the replacement of President Marc Ravalomanana with Andry Rajoelina.Africa
46. 2015An aircraft crashes at Los Llanos Air Base in Albacete, Spain, killing 11 people and injuring 21 others.Europe
47. 2015Syrian civil war: The People's Protection Units (YPG) recaptures the city of Kobanî from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), marking a turning point in the Siege of Kobanî.Middle East
48. 2020A 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 five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant.North AmericaAsia
49. 2021Protesters and farmers storm the Red Fort near Delhi, clashing with police. One protester is killed and more than 80 police officers are injured.Asia

Source: Wikipedia "January 26" / CC BY-SA 4.0