On This Day in History

January 24

Try searching: king | independence | constitution | protest | royal | science
⏮️ Previous Day Next Day ⏭️
2011
Politics

Death of King Leka I of Albania in Exile

Leka I, heir to the Albanian throne and political exile, died in Tirana. Though he never ruled, he remained a symbolic figure in Albania’s monarchical history and post-communist transition.

📍 Tirana, Albania

Politics Albania Monarchy
1991
Politics

Giulio Andreotti Becomes Prime Minister of Italy (3rd Term)

Giulio Andreotti began his third term as Prime Minister of Italy, continuing his influential and controversial political career during a period of corruption scandals and institutional reform.

📍 Rome, Italy

Politics Italy Postwar Europe
1989
Tragedy

Earthquake Devastates Manzini Region in Swaziland

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck near Manzini in Swaziland (now Eswatini), causing casualties and infrastructure damage in one of the most significant seismic events in southern Africa.

📍 Manzini, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)

Tragedy Africa Natural Disaster
1986
Science

Voyager 2 Spacecraft Flies by Uranus

NASA's Voyager 2 became the first spacecraft to fly past Uranus, sending back detailed images and data that vastly expanded human knowledge of the distant gas giant and its moons.

📍 Uranus (space)

Science NASA Space Exploration
1984
Invention

Apple Inc. Introduces the Macintosh Computer

Apple launched the Macintosh, the first successful mass-market computer with a graphical user interface and mouse. Its introduction revolutionized personal computing and user-centered design.

📍 Cupertino, California, United States

Invention Technology Apple
1968
Politics

US Supreme Court Rules in Terry v. Ohio

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Terry v. Ohio, ruling that police could stop and frisk suspects with reasonable suspicion, shaping modern search and seizure law.

📍 Washington, D.C., United States

Politics Law United States
1965
Politics

Winston Churchill Dies at Age 90

Sir Winston Churchill, Britain’s wartime prime minister and a central figure in 20th-century history, died in London. He led the UK through World War II and later received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

📍 London, United Kingdom

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
Politics WWII United Kingdom
1946
Politics

UN General Assembly Holds First Meeting

The United Nations General Assembly met for the first time in London, with 51 nations in attendance. This event marked the beginning of formal international collaboration under the new postwar world order.

📍 London, United Kingdom

Politics United Nations Postwar Era
1924
Politics

Turkish Parliament Formally Abolishes Caliphate Titles

The Turkish Grand National Assembly passed reforms removing all remaining privileges and titles associated with the Ottoman caliphate, completing a major step in Atatürk's secularization of the state.

📍 Ankara, Turkey

Politics Turkey Secularism
1920
Politics

Treaty of Tartu Signed Between Soviet Russia and Estonia

The Treaty of Tartu was signed between Soviet Russia and Estonia, officially recognizing Estonia's independence and ending hostilities from the Estonian War of Independence.

📍 Tartu, Estonia

Politics Soviet Union Baltic States
1915
Politics

Alaska Becomes a U.S. Territory

The U.S. Congress formally reorganized Alaska as a U.S. territory with a legislature, enabling greater local governance ahead of its eventual statehood in 1959.

📍 Washington, D.C., United States / Alaska Territory

Politics United States Territories
1910
Culture

First Boy Scout Troop Chartered in the United States

The first official Boy Scout troop in the United States was chartered in Burnside, Kentucky, shortly after the Scouting movement began spreading from Britain, emphasizing youth leadership and outdoor education.

📍 Burnside, Kentucky, United States

Culture Youth United States
1908
Culture

Robert Baden-Powell Begins Writing 'Scouting for Boys'

British Army officer Robert Baden-Powell began publishing 'Scouting for Boys', which laid the foundation of the global Scouting movement and youth leadership training programs worldwide.

📍 London, United Kingdom

Culture Youth Education
1888
Invention

Ernst Heinkel Born, Pioneer of Jet Aircraft

German aircraft designer Ernst Heinkel was born. He would later develop the He 178, the world’s first turbojet-powered aircraft, significantly advancing aviation technology during the 20th century.

📍 Grunbach, German Empire

Invention Aviation Germany
1848
Exploration

Californian Gold Rush Begins With Discovery at Sutter's Mill

James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California, igniting the California Gold Rush. The event brought hundreds of thousands to the region and transformed the U.S. economy and westward expansion.

📍 Coloma, California, United States

Exploration United States Gold Rush
1824
Culture

Death of Théodore Géricault, Pioneer of French Romanticism

Théodore Géricault, best known for his painting 'The Raft of the Medusa,' died at age 32. He played a key role in the emergence of French Romanticism and influenced generations of artists.

📍 Paris, France

Culture Art France
1775
Culture

German Philosopher Friedrich von Schelling Born

Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling, a major figure in German idealism and Romantic philosophy, was born. His work influenced existentialism and later philosophical movements.

📍 Leonberg, Duchy of Württemberg

Culture Philosophy Germany
1547
Politics

King Henry VIII of England Dies

King Henry VIII of England died at age 55, ending a reign marked by religious upheaval and the creation of the Church of England. His rule reshaped English monarchy and the Reformation in Europe.

📍 Whitehall Palace, London, United Kingdom

Politics Religion England
929
Politics

Caliphate of Córdoba Proclaimed in Islamic Spain

Abd al-Rahman III proclaimed himself Caliph of Córdoba, establishing an independent caliphate in al-Andalus and signaling a golden age of Islamic culture, science, and architecture in medieval Spain.

📍 Córdoba, Al-Andalus (modern Spain)

Politics Islamic History Spain
41
Politics

Caligula Assassinated, Claudius Becomes Roman Emperor

Roman Emperor Caligula was assassinated by members of the Praetorian Guard, ending a reign of excess and cruelty. His uncle Claudius was declared emperor shortly after, ushering in a new phase of the Roman Empire.

📍 Rome, Roman Empire

Politics Ancient Rome Assassination