April 21
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Pre-1600

*
753 BC Events By place Europe * April 21: Romulus and Remus legendarily found the city of Rome (according to the calculations of the Roman scholar Varro Reatinus). According to the legend, Romulus and Remus are the sons of Rhea Silvia, daug ...
Romulus Romulus () was the legendary foundation of Rome, founder and King of Rome, first king of Ancient Rome, Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus ...
founds
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
( traditional date). * 43 BCBattle of Mutina:
Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the autoc ...
is again defeated in battle by
Aulus Hirtius Aulus Hirtius (; – 43 BC) was consul of the Roman Republic in 43 BC and a writer on military subjects. He was killed during his consulship in battle against Mark Antony at the Battle of Mutina. Biography He was a legate of Julius Caesar's s ...
, who is killed. Antony fails to capture
Mutina Modena (, , ; egl, label= Modenese, Mòdna ; ett, Mutna; la, Mutina) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. A town, and seat ...
and Decimus Brutus is murdered shortly after. *
900 __NOTOC__ Year 900 ( CM) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Abbasid Caliphate * Spring – Forces under the Transoxianian emir Isma'il ibn Ahmad are ...
– The
Laguna Copperplate Inscription The Laguna copperplate inscription ( tl, Inskripsyon sa binatbat na tanso ng Laguna, literal translation: ''Inscription on flattened copper of Laguna'') is an official acquittance inscribed onto a copper plate in the Shaka year 822 (Gregorian ...
(the earliest known written document found in what is now the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
): the Commander-in-Chief of the
Kingdom of Tondo In early Philippine history, the Tagalog settlement at Tondo (; Baybayin: ) was a major trade hub located on the northern part of the Pasig River delta, on Luzon island.Abinales, Patricio N. and Donna J. Amoroso, State and Society in the Phi ...
, as represented by the Honourable Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pailah, pardons from all debt the Honourable Namwaran and his relations. * 1092 – The
Diocese of Pisa The Archdiocese of Pisa ( la, Archidioecesis Pisana) is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Pisa, Italy.
is elevated to the rank of metropolitan archdiocese by Pope Urban II *
1506 __NOTOC__ Year 1506 ( MDVI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 14 – The classical statue of ''Laocoön and His Sons'' is uneart ...
– The three-day Lisbon Massacre comes to an end with the slaughter of over 1,900 suspected Jews by Portuguese Catholics. * 1509Henry VIII ascends the throne of England on the death of his father, Henry VII. * 1526 – The last ruler of the
Lodi dynasty The Lodi dynasty ( ps, لودي سلسله; fa, سلسله لودی) was an Afghan dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1451 to 1526. It was the fifth and final dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, and was founded by Bahlul Khan Lodi when he ...
, Ibrahim Lodi is defeated and killed by Babur in the First Battle of Panipat.


1601–1900

* 1615 – The
Wignacourt Aqueduct The Wignacourt Aqueduct ( mt, L-Akwedott ta' Wignacourt) is a 17th-century aqueduct in Malta, which was built by the Order of Saint John to carry water from springs in Dingli and Rabat to the newly built capital city Valletta. The aqueduct w ...
is inaugurated in
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
. * 1782 – The city of Rattanakosin, now known internationally as
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 estima ...
, is founded on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River by King
Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharaj (, 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), personal name Thongduang (), also known as Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the first monarch of the reigning Chakri dynasty of Siam (now Thai ...
. * 1789
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...
sworn in as 1st
US Vice President The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice pr ...
(nine days before George Washington) * 1789 –
George Washington's reception at Trenton George Washington's reception at Trenton was a celebration hosted by the Ladies of Trenton social club on April 21, 1789, in Trenton, New Jersey, as George Washington, then president-elect, journeyed from his home at Mount Vernon to his first ...
is hosted by the Ladies of Trenton as he journeys to New York City for his first inauguration. * 1792
Tiradentes Joaquim José da Silva Xavier (; 12 November 1746 – 21 April 1792), known as Tiradentes (), was a leading member of the colonial Brazilian revolutionary movement known as Inconfidência Mineira, whose aim was full independence from Po ...
, a revolutionary leading a movement for Brazil's independence, is
hanged, drawn and quartered To be hanged, drawn and quartered became a statutory penalty for men convicted of high treason in the Kingdom of England from 1352 under Edward III of England, King Edward III (1327–1377), although similar rituals are recorded during the rei ...
. * 1802 – Twelve thousand Wahhabis sack Karbala, killing over three thousand inhabitants. * 1806
Action of 21 April 1806 The action of 21 April 1806 was a minor engagement between a French frigate and British forces off South Africa during the Napoleonic Wars. The Île Bonaparte and Île de France constituted French outposts in the Indian Ocean, from which priva ...
: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast of South Africa. * 1809 – Two Austrian army corps are driven from Landshut by a
First French Empire The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Eu ...
army led by
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
as two French corps to the north hold off the main Austrian army on the first day of the
Battle of Eckmühl The Battle of Eckmühl, fought on 22 April 1809, was the turning point of the 1809 Campaign, also known as the War of the Fifth Coalition. Napoleon I had been unprepared for the start of hostilities on 10 April 1809, by the Austrians under th ...
. * 1821Benderli Ali Pasha arrives in Constantinople as the new Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire; he remains in power for only nine days before being sent into exile. * 1836Texas Revolution: The
Battle of San Jacinto The Battle of San Jacinto ( es, Batalla de San Jacinto), fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day La Porte and Pasadena, Texas, was the final and decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Samuel Houston, the Texan Army engage ...
:
Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...
forces under
Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...
defeat troops under Mexican General
Antonio López de Santa Anna Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (; 21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876),Callcott, Wilfred H., "Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez De,''Handbook of Texas Online'' Retrieved 18 April 2017. usually known as Santa Ann ...
. * 1856
Australian labour movement The Australian labour movement began in the early 19th century and since the late 19th century has included industrial (Australian unions) and political wings (Australian Labor Party). Trade unions in Australia may be organised (i.e., formed) o ...
: Stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne march from the University of Melbourne to Parliament House to achieve an
eight-hour day The eight-hour day movement (also known as the 40-hour week movement or the short-time movement) was a social movement to regulate the length of a working day, preventing excesses and abuses. An eight-hour work day has its origins in the ...
. * 1894 – Norway formally adopts the
Krag–Jørgensen The Krag–Jørgensen is a repeating bolt-action rifle designed by the Norwegians Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jørgensen in the late 19th century. It was adopted as a standard arm by Norway, Denmark, and the United States. About 300 wer ...
bolt-action rifle as the main arm of its armed forces, a weapon that would remain in service for almost 50 years. * 1898
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...
: The United States Navy begins a blockade of
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
n ports. When the
U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...
issued a
declaration of war A declaration of war is a formal act by which one state (polity), state announces existing or impending war activity against another. The declaration is a performative speech act (or the signing of a document) by an authorized party of a nationa ...
on April 25, it declared that a state of war had existed from this date.


1901–present

*
1914 This year saw the beginning of what became known as World War I, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. It als ...
Ypiranga incident: A German arms shipment to Mexico is intercepted by the U.S. Navy near
Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
. * 1918
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
:
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
fighter ace
Manfred von Richthofen Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of ...
, better known as "The Red Baron", is shot down and killed over
Vaux-sur-Somme Vaux-sur-Somme (, literally ''Vaux on Somme''; pcd, Veux-su-Sonme) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. History Vaux-sur-Somme is notable as the place where famous flying ace Manfred von Richthofen, ...
in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. * 1926
Al-Baqi cemetery ''Jannat al-Baqīʿ'' ( ar, ٱلْبَقِيْع, "The Baqi'") is the oldest and the first Islamic cemetery of Medina in the Hejazi region of present-day Saudi Arabia. It is located to the southeast of the Prophet's Mosque, which contains the gr ...
, former site of the mausoleum of four Shi'a Imams, is leveled to the ground by
Wahhabis Wahhabism ( ar, ٱلْوَهَّابِيَةُ, translit=al-Wahhābiyyah) is a Sunni Islamic revivalist and fundamentalist movement associated with the reformist doctrines of the 18th-century Arabian Islamic scholar, theologian, preacher, and ...
. * 1934 – The "Surgeon's Photograph", the most famous photo allegedly showing the
Loch Ness Monster The Loch Ness Monster ( gd, Uilebheist Loch Nis), affectionately known as Nessie, is a creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or mor ...
, is published in the ''
Daily Mail The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper and news websitePeter Wilb"Paul Dacre of the Daily Mail: The man who hates liberal Britain", ''New Statesman'', 19 December 2013 (online version: 2 January 2014) publish ...
'' (in 1994, it is revealed to be a hoax). *
1945 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. Januar ...
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
:
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
forces south of Berlin at
Zossen Zossen (; hsb, Sosny) is a German town in the district of Teltow-Fläming in Brandenburg, about south of Berlin, and next to the Bundesstraße 96, B96 highway. Zossen consists of several smaller municipalities, which were grouped together in 200 ...
attack the German High Command headquarters. * 1948
United Nations Security Council Resolution 47 The United Nations Security Council Resolution 47, adopted on 21 April 1948, concerns the resolution of the Kashmir conflict. After hearing arguments from both India and Pakistan, the Council increased the size of the UN Commission created by t ...
relating to
Kashmir conflict The Kashmir conflict is a territorial conflict over the Kashmir region, primarily between India and Pakistan, with China playing a third-party role. The conflict started after the partition of India in 1947 as both India and Pakistan claim ...
is adopted. * 1952
Secretary's Day Administrative Professionals Day (also known as Secretaries Day or Admin Day) is a day observed yearly in a small number of countries. It is not a public holiday in any of them. In some countries, it falls within Administrative Professionals Week ...
(now Administrative Professionals' Day) is first celebrated. * 1958
United Airlines Flight 736 United Air Lines Flight 736 was a scheduled transcontinental passenger service flown daily by United Airlines between Los Angeles and New York City. On April21, 1958, the airliner assigned to the flight, a Douglas DC-7 with 47 on board, was fl ...
collides with a
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
fighter jet near
Arden, Nevada Arden, Nevada was an unincorporated community in Clark County, Nevada. The area is now part of the town of Enterprise. Located about southwest of Las Vegas, the area is experiencing rapid growth in housing development on land formerly owned by th ...
in what is now Enterprise, Nevada. * 1960
Brasília Brasília (; ) is the federal capital of Brazil and seat of government of the Federal District. The city is located at the top of the Brazilian highlands in the country's Central-West region. It was founded by President Juscelino Kubitsche ...
, Brazil's capital, is officially inaugurated. At 09:30, the Three Powers of the Republic are simultaneously transferred from the old capital,
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
. * 1962 – The
Seattle World's Fair The Century 21 Exposition (also known as the Seattle World's Fair) was a world's fair held April 21, 1962, to October 21, 1962, in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States.World's Fair A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...
in the United States since World War II. *
1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...
– The first election of the
Universal House of Justice The Universal House of Justice ( fa, بیت‌العدل اعظم) is the nine-member supreme ruling body of the Baháʼí Faith. It was envisioned by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, as an institution that could legislate o ...
is held, marking its establishment as the supreme governing institution of the
Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...
. * 1964 – A Transit-5bn satellite fails to reach orbit after launch; as it re-enters the atmosphere, of radioactive
plutonium Plutonium is a radioactive chemical element with the symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, and forms a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibi ...
in its
SNAP Snap or SNAP may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Snap'', the original release title for the 2013 film ''Enter the Dangerous Mind'' *''Snap'' (TV series), a CITV programme * ''The Stanly News and Press'', a newspaper in Albemarle, North Carol ...
RTG power source is widely dispersed. *
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...
– The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair opens for its second and final season. * 1966
Rastafari movement Rastafari, sometimes called Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control o ...
:
Haile Selassie Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...
of
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
visits
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
, an event now celebrated as
Grounation Day Grounation Day (April 21) is an important Rastafari holy day, second only to Coronation Day (November 2). It is celebrated in honour of Haile Selassie's 1966 visit to Jamaica. Visit of Selassie to Jamaica Haile Selassie had already met with se ...
. * 1967 – A few days before the
general election A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
in Greece, Colonel
George Papadopoulos George Demetrios Papadopoulos (; born August 19, 1987) is an author and former member of the foreign policy advisory panel to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. On October 5, 2017, Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to a felony charge of mak ...
leads a
coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
, establishing a
military regime A military dictatorship is a dictatorship in which the military exerts complete or substantial control over political authority, and the dictator is often a high-ranked military officer. The reverse situation is to have civilian control of the m ...
that lasts for seven years. *
1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
– Astronauts John Young (astronaut), John Young and Charles Duke fly Apollo 16's Apollo Lunar Module to the Moon's surface, the fifth NASA Apollo Program crewed lunar landing. *1975 – Vietnam War: President of South Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Thiệu flees Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon, as Xuân Lộc District, Xuân Lộc, the last South Vietnamese outpost blocking a direct North Vietnamese assault on Saigon, falls. *1977 – ''Annie (musical), Annie'' opens on Broadway theatre, Broadway. *1982 – Baseball: Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers becomes the first pitcher to record 300 saves. *1985 – The compound of the militant group The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord surrenders to federal authorities in Arkansas after a two-day government siege. *1987 – The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Tamil Tigers are blamed for a car bomb that detonates in the Sri Lankan capital city of Colombo, killing 106 people. *1989 – Tiananmen Square protests of 1989: In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang. *1993 – The Supreme Court in La Paz, Bolivia, sentences former dictator Luis García Meza to 30 years in jail without parole for murder, theft, fraud and violating the constitution. *2004 – Five suicide car bombers 21 April 2004 Basra bombings, target police stations in and around Basra, killing 74 people and wounding 160. *2010 – The controversial Kharkiv Pact (Russian Ukrainian Naval Base for Gas Treaty) is signed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev; it was unilaterally terminated by Russia on March 31, 2014. *2012 – Two trains are involved in a Sloterdijk train collision, head-on collision near Sloterdijk, Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, injuring 116 people. *2014 – The American city of Flint, Michigan switches its water source to the Flint River (Michigan), Flint River, beginning the ongoing Flint water crisis which has caused lead poisoning in up to 12,000 people, and 15 deaths from Legionnaires disease, ultimately leading to criminal indictments against 15 people, five of whom have been charged with involuntary manslaughter. *2019 – 2019 Sri Lanka bombings, Eight bombs explode at churches, hotels, and other locations in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday; more than 250 people are killed. *2021 – Indonesian Navy submarine KRI Nanggala (402) sinks in the Bali Sea during a military drill, killing all 53 on board.


Births


Pre-1600

*1132 – Sancho VI of Navarre, Sancho VI, king of Navarre (d. 1194) *1488 – Ulrich von Hutten, German religious reformer (d. 1523) *1523 – Marco Antonio Bragadin, Venetian lawyer and military officer (d. 1571) *1555 – Ludovico Carracci, Italian painter and etcher (d. 1619)


1601–1900

*1619 – Jan van Riebeeck, Dutch founder of Cape Town (d. 1677) *1630 – Pieter Gerritsz van Roestraten, Dutch-English painter (d. 1700) *1631 – Francesco Maidalchini, Catholic cardinal (d. 1700) *1642 – Simon de la Loubère, French mathematician, poet, and diplomat (d. 1729) *1651 – Joseph Vaz, Sri Lankan priest, missionary, and saint (d. 1711) *1652 – Michel Rolle, French mathematician and academic (d. 1719) *1671 – John Law (economist), John Law, Scottish economist (d. 1729) *1673 – Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d. 1742) *1713 – Louis de Noailles, French general (d. 1793) *1730 – Antonín Kammel, Czech violinist and composer (d. 1788) *1752 – Pierre-Alexandre-Laurent Forfait, French engineer, hydrographer, and politician, List of Naval Ministers of France, French Minister of Marine and the Colonies (d. 1807) * 1752 – Humphry Repton, English gardener and author (d. 1818) *1774 – Jean-Baptiste Biot, French physicist, astronomer, and mathematician (d. 1862) *1775 – Alexander Anderson (illustrator), Alexander Anderson, Scottish-American illustrator and engraver (d. 1870) *1783 – Reginald Heber, English priest (d. 1821) ; re-printed 2015 by Facsimile Publisher and distributed by Gyan Books, New Delhi. *1790 – Manuel Blanco Encalada, Spanish-Chilean admiral and politician, 1st President of Chile (d. 1876) *1810 – John Putnam Chapin, American politician, 10th Mayor of Chicago (d. 1864) *1811 – Alson Sherman, American merchant and politician, 8th Mayor of Chicago (d. 1903) *1814 – Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts, English art collector and philanthropist (d. 1906) *1816 – Charlotte Brontë, English novelist and poet (d. 1855) *1837 – Fredrik Bajer, Danish lieutenant and politician, Nobel Peace Prize, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1922) *1838 – John Muir, Scottish-American environmentalist and author (d. 1914) *1854 – William Stang, German-American bishop (d. 1907) *1864 – Max Weber, German economist and sociologist (d. 1920) *1868 – Alfred Henry Maurer, American painter (d. 1932) * 1868 – Mary Rogers Miller, American author and educator (d. 1971) *1870 – Edwin Stanton Porter, American director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1941) *1874 – Vincent Scotto, French composer and actor (d. 1952) *1882 – Percy Williams Bridgman, American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1961) *1885 – Tatu Kolehmainen, Finnish runner (d. 1967) *1887 – Joe McCarthy (manager), Joe McCarthy, American baseball manager (d. 1978) *1889 – Marcel Boussac, French businessman (d. 1980) * 1889 – Paul Karrer, Russian-Swiss chemist and academic, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1971) * 1889 – Efrem Zimbalist, Efrem Zimbalist, Sr., Russian-American violinist, composer, and conductor (d. 1985) *1892 – Freddie Dixon, English motorcycle racer and racing driver (d. 1956) *1893 – Romeo Bertini, Italian runner (d. 1973) * 1898 – Maurice Wilson, English soldier, pilot, and mountaineer (d. 1934) *1899 – Randall Thompson, American composer and academic (d. 1984)


1901–present

*1903 – Luis Saslavsky, Argentinian director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1995) *1904 – Jean Hélion, French painter (d. 1987) * 1904 – Odilo Globocnik, Italian-Austrian SS officer (d. 1945) *1905 – Pat Brown, American lawyer and politician, 32nd Governor of California (d. 1996) *1911 – Ivan Combe, American businessman, developed Clearasil (d. 2000) * 1911 – Kemal Satır, Turkish physician and politician (d. 1991) *1912 – Eve Arnold, Russian-American photojournalist (d. 2012) * 1912 – Marcel Camus, French director and screenwriter (d. 1982) *1913 – Norman Parkinson, English photographer (d. 1990) *
1914 This year saw the beginning of what became known as World War I, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. It als ...
– Angelo Savoldi, Italian-American wrestler and promoter, co-founded International World Class Championship Wrestling (d. 2013) *1915 – Garrett Hardin, American ecologist, author, and academic (d. 2003) * 1915 – Anthony Quinn, Mexican-American actor (d. 2001) *1916 – Estella B. Diggs, American businesswoman and politician (d. 2013) * 1918 – Eddy Christiani, Dutch singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2016) *1919 – Don Cornell, American singer (d. 2004) * 1919 – Roger Doucet, Canadian tenor (d. 1981) * 1919 – Licio Gelli, Italian financer (d. 2015) *1922 – Alistair MacLean, Scottish novelist and screenwriter (d. 1987) * 1922 – Allan Watkins, Welsh-English cricketer (d. 2011) *1923 – John Mortimer, English lawyer and author (d. 2009) *1924 – Ira Louvin, American singer-songwriter and mandolin player (d. 1965) *1925 – Anthony Mason (judge), Anthony Mason, Australian soldier and judge, 9th Chief Justice of Australia * 1925 – John Swinton of Kimmerghame, English general and politician, Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire (d. 2018) * 1926 – Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and List of titles and honours of Queen Elizabeth II, her other realms (d. 2022) * 1926 – Arthur Rowley, English footballer, manager and cricketer (d. 2002) *1927 – Ahmed Arif, Turkish poet and author (d. 1991) *1928 – Jack Evans (ice hockey), Jack Evans, Welsh-Canadian ice hockey player and coach (d. 1996) *1930 – Hilda Hilst, Brazilian author, poet, and playwright (d. 2004) * 1930 – Silvana Mangano, Italian actress (d. 1989) * 1930 – Dieter Roth, German-Swiss illustrator and sculptor (d. 1998) * 1930 – Jack Taylor (referee), Jack Taylor, English footballer and referee (d. 2012) *1931 – Morgan Wootten, American high school basketball coach (d. 2020) *1932 – Slide Hampton, African-American trombonist and composer * 1932 – Elaine May, American actress, comedian, director, and screenwriter * 1932 – Angela Mortimer, English tennis player *1933 – Edelmiro Amante, Filipino lawyer and politician (d. 2013) * 1933 – Easley Blackwood, Jr., American pianist, composer, and educator * 1933 – Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Iraqi patriarch (d. 2014) *1935 – Charles Grodin, American actor and talk show host (d. 2021) * 1935 – Thomas Kean, American academic and politician, 48th Governor of New Jersey *1936 – James Dobson, American evangelist, psychologist, and author, founded Focus on the Family * 1936 – Reg Fleming, Canadian-American ice hockey player (d. 2009) *1937 – Gary Peters (baseball), Gary Peters, American baseball player * 1937 – Ben Zinn, Israeli-born American academic and former international soccer player *1939 – John McCabe (composer), John McCabe, English pianist and composer (d. 2015) * 1939 – Sister Helen Prejean, American nun, activist, and author * 1939 – Reni Santoni, American actor (d. 2020) *1940 – Jacques Caron, Canadian ice hockey player and coach * 1940 – Souleymane Cissé (film director), Souleymane Cissé, Malian director, producer, and screenwriter *1941 – David L. Boren, American lawyer and politician, 21st Governor of Oklahoma *1942 – Geoffrey Palmer (politician), Geoffrey Palmer, New Zealand politician, 33rd Prime Minister of New Zealand *
1945 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. Januar ...
– Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, Indian cricketer and umpire * 1945 – Mark Wainberg, Canadian researcher and HIV/AIDS activist (d. 2017) * 1945 – Diana Darvey, English actress, singer and dancer (d. 2000) *1947 – Al Bumbry, American baseball player * 1947 – Iggy Pop, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor * 1947 – John Weider, English bass player * 1948 – Gary Condit, American businessman and politician * 1948 – Paul Davis (singer), Paul Davis, American singer-songwriter and musician (d. 2008) * 1948 – Josef Flammer, Swiss ophthalmologist * 1948 – Dieter Fromm, German runner *1949 – Patti LuPone, American actress and singer *1950 – Shivaji Satam, Indian actor *1951 – Tony Danza, American actor and producer * 1951 – Michael Freedman, American mathematician and academic * 1951 – Bob Varsha, American sportscaster * 1951 – Steve Vickers (ice hockey), Steve Vickers, Canadian ice hockey player * 1952 – Gerald Early, American author and academic * 1952 – Cheryl Gillan, British businesswoman and politician, Secretary of State for Wales (d. 2021) *1953 – John Brumby, Australian politician, 45th Premier of Victoria *1954 – Ebiet G. Ade, Indonesian singer-songwriter and guitarist * 1954 – James Morrison (actor), James Morrison, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter *1955 – Murathan Mungan, Turkish author, poet, and playwright *1956 – Peter Kosminsky, English director, producer, and screenwriter * 1956 – Phillip Longman, German-American demographer and journalist *1957 – Hervé Le Tellier, French linguist and author * 1957 – Herbert Wetterauer, German painter, sculptor, and author * 1958 – Andie MacDowell, American model, actress, and producer * 1958 – Yoshito Usui, Japanese illustrator (d. 2009) * 1958 – Michael Zarnock, American author *1959 – Tim Jacobus, American illustrator and painter * 1959 – Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith, English singer-songwriter and guitarist *1961 – David Servan-Schreiber, French physician, neuroscientist, and author (d. 2011) *
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...
– Fiona Kelleghan, American academic, critic and librarian *1969 – Toby Stephens, English actor *1971 – Michael Turner (comics), Michael Turner, American author and illustrator (d. 2008) *1973 – Steve Backshall, English naturalist, writer, and television presenter *1977 – Gyula Koi, Hungarian scholar and educator *1979 – Virginie Basselot, French chef * 1979 – James McAvoy, Scottish actor *1980 – Tony Romo, American football player and announcer *1983 – Tarvaris Jackson, American football player (d. 2020) *1988 – Ricky Berens, American swimmer * 1988 – Jencarlos Canela, American singer-songwriter and actor * 1996 – Arianne Hartono, Dutch tennis player


Deaths


Pre-1600

* 234 – Emperor Xian of Han, Chinese emperor (b. 181) * 586 – Liuvigild, king of the Visigoths * 847 – Odgar, Frankish archbishop of Mainz * 866 – Bardas, ''de facto'' regent of the Byzantine Empire * 941 – Bajkam, ''de facto'' regent of the Abbasid Caliphate *1073 – Pope Alexander II *1109 – Anselm of Canterbury, Italian-English archbishop and saint (b. 1033) *1136 – Stephen, Count of Tréguier Breton noblemen (b. c. 1058/62) *1142 – Peter Abelard, French philosopher and theologian (b. 1079) *1213 – Maria of Montpellier, Lady of Montpellier, Queen of Aragon (b. 1182) *1329 – Frederick IV, Duke of Lorraine (b. 1282) *1400 – John Wittlebury, English politician (b. 1333) * 1509 – Henry VII of England (b. 1457) *1557 – Petrus Apianus, German mathematician and astronomer (b. 1495) *1574 – Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1519) *1591 – Sen no Rikyū, Japanese exponent of the tea ceremony (b. 1522)


1601–1900

*1650 – Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi, Japanese samurai (b. 1607) *1668 – Jan Boeckhorst, Flemish painter (b. c. 1604) *1699 – Jean Racine, French playwright and poet (b. 1639) *1719 – Philippe de La Hire, French mathematician and astronomer (b. 1640) *1720 – Antoine Hamilton, Irish-French soldier and author (b. 1646) *1722 – Robert Beverley, Jr., English historian and author (b. 1673) *1736 – Prince Eugene of Savoy (b. 1663) *1740 – Thomas Tickell, English poet and author (b. 1685) *1758 – Francesco Zerafa, Maltese architect (b. 1679) *1815 – Joseph Winston, American soldier and politician (b. 1746) *1825 – Johann Friedrich Pfaff, German mathematician and academic (b. 1765) *1852 – Ivan Nabokov, Russian general (b. 1787) *1863 – Sir Robert Bateson, 1st Baronet, Irish politician (b. 1782) *1900 – Vikramatji Khimojiraj, Indian ruler (b. 1819)


1901–present

*1910 – Mark Twain, American novelist, humorist, and critic (b. 1835) * 1918
Manfred von Richthofen Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (; 2 May 1892 – 21 April 1918), known in English as Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a fighter pilot with the German Air Force during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of ...
, German captain and pilot (b. 1892) *1924 – Eleonora Duse, Italian actress (b. 1858) *1930 – Robert Bridges, English poet and author (b. 1844) *1932 – Friedrich Gustav Piffl, Bohemian cardinal (b. 1864) *1938 – Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Pakistani National philosopher and poet (b. 1877) *1941 – Fritz Manteuffel, German gymnast (b. 1875) *
1945 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. Januar ...
– Walter Model, German field marshal (b. 1891) *1946 – John Maynard Keynes, English economist and philosopher (b. 1883) * 1948 – Aldo Leopold, American ecologist and author (b. 1887) * 1952 – Leslie Banks, American actor, director and producer (b. 1890) *1954 – Emil Leon Post, Polish-American mathematician and logician (b. 1897) *1956 – Charles MacArthur, American playwright and screenwriter (b. 1895) *
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...
– Edward Victor Appleton, English-Scottish physicist and academic, Nobel Prize in Physics, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1892) *1971 – François Duvalier, Haitian physician and politician, 40th President of Haiti (b. 1907) *1973 – Arthur Fadden, Australian accountant and politician, 13th Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1894) * 1973 – Kemal Tahir, Turkish journalist and author (b. 1910) *1977 – Gummo Marx, American vaudevillian and talent agent (b. 1893) *1978 – Sandy Denny, English singer-songwriter (b. 1947) * 1978 – Thomas Wyatt Turner, American biologist and academic (b. 1877) *1980 – Alexander Oparin, Russian biochemist and academic (b. 1894) * 1980 – Sohrab Sepehri, Iranian poet and painter (b. 1928) *1983 – Walter Slezak, Austrian-American actor and singer (b. 1902) *1984 – Marcel Janco, Romanian-Israeli artist (b. 1895) * 1984 – Hristo Prodanov, Bulgarian engineer and mountaineer (b. 1943) *1985 – Rudi Gernreich, Austrian-American fashion designer, created the monokini (b. 1922) * 1985 – Tancredo Neves, Brazilian banker and politician, Prime Minister of Brazil (b. 1910) *1986 – Marjorie Eaton, American painter and actress (b. 1901) * 1986 – Salah Jahin, Egyptian poet, playwright, and composer (b. 1930) *1987 – Gustav Bergmann, Austrian-American philosopher from the Vienna Circle (b. 1906) *1990 – Erté, Russian-French illustrator (b. 1892) *1991 – Willi Boskovsky, Austrian violinist and conductor (b. 1909) *1992 – Väinö Linna, Finnish author (b. 1920) *1996 – Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Pakistani cricketer (b. 1925) * 1996 – Jimmy Snyder (sports commentator), Jimmy Snyder, American sportscaster (b. 1919) *1998 – Jean-François Lyotard, French sociologist and philosopher (b. 1924) *1999 – Buddy Rogers (actor), Buddy Rogers, American actor (b. 1904) *2003 – Nina Simone, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and activist (b. 1933) *2010 – Gustav Lorentzen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1947) * 2010 – Juan Antonio Samaranch, Spanish businessman, seventh President of the International Olympic Committee (b. 1920) * 2010 – Kanagaratnam Sriskandan, Sri Lankan-English engineer and civil servant (b. 1930) *2011 – Catharina Halkes, Dutch theologian and academic (b. 1920) *2012 – Doris Betts, American author and academic (b. 1932) *2013 – Shakuntala Devi, Indian mathematician and astrologer (b. 1929) * 2013 – Leopold Engleitner, Austrian Holocaust survivor, author, and educator (b. 1905) *2014 – George H. Heilmeier, American engineer (b. 1936) * 2014 – Win Tin, Burmese journalist and politician, co-founded the National League for Democracy (b. 1930) *2016 – Prince (musician), Prince, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (b. 1958) *2017 – Ugo Ehiogu, English footballer (b. 1972) *2018 – Nabi Tajima, Japanese supercentenarian (b. 1900) *2019 – Polly Higgins, Scottish barrister, author and environmental lobbyist (b. 1968)


Holidays and observances

* Christian Calendar of saints, feast day: **Abdecalas **Anastasius Sinaita **Anselm of Canterbury **Beuno **Conrad of Parzham **Holy Infant of Good Health **Shemon Bar Sabbae **Wolbodo **April 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) *Civil Services of India#Civil Services Day, Civil Service Day (India) *
Grounation Day Grounation Day (April 21) is an important Rastafari holy day, second only to Coronation Day (November 2). It is celebrated in honour of Haile Selassie's 1966 visit to Jamaica. Visit of Selassie to Jamaica Haile Selassie had already met with se ...
(Rastafari) *Public holidays in Mexico#Civic holidays, Heroic Defense of Veracruz (Mexico) *Public holidays in North Korea, Kang Pan-sok's Birthday (North Korea) *Kartini Day (Indonesia) *Public holidays in Russia, Local Self Government Day (Russia) *National Tea Day (United Kingdom) *Arbor day#Kenya, National Tree Planting Day (Kenya) *San Jacinto Day (Texas) *King's Official Birthday#Other countries and territories, Queen or King's Official Birthday (Falkland Islands) *Public holidays in Brazil, Tiradentes' Day (Brazil) *Vietnam Book Day (Vietnam)


References


Sources

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External links


BBC: On This Day
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Historical Events on April 21
{{months Days of the year April