Calendar date · April

What happened on April 21

On April 21, -753: Romulus founds Rome (traditional date).

Events

53

across history

Notable births

50

Notable deaths

50

Zodiac

Taurus

Featured moment · -753

Romulus founds Rome (traditional date).

Romulus was the legendary founder and first king of Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus and his contemporaries. Although many of these traditions incorporate elements of folklore, and it is not clear to what extent a historical figure underlies the mythical Romulus, the events and institutions ascribed to him were central to the myths surrounding Rome's origins and cultural traditions.

People

Born on April 21

Hyein 2008– South Korean singer (born 2008)
Princess Isabella of Denmark 2007– Danish princess (born 2007)
Xavi Simons 2003– Dutch footballer (born 2003)
Choi Hyun-suk 1999– South Korean rapper and singer (born 1999)
Jarrett Allen 1998– American basketball player (born 1998)
Mikel Oyarzabal 1997– Spanish footballer (born 1997)
Arianne Hartono 1996– Dutch tennis player (born 1996)
Ludwig Augustinsson 1994– Swedish footballer (born 1994)
Isco 1992– Spanish footballer (born 1992)
Show 9 more — notable births on April 21
Joc Pederson 1992– American baseball player (born 1992)
Nikki Cross 1989– Scottish professional wrestler (born 1989)
Ricky Berens 1988– American swimmer (born 1988)
Jencarlos Canela 1988– American actor (born 1988)
Tarvaris Jackson 1983– American football player (1983–2020)
Kim Wall 1983– British sprinter (born 1983)
Tony Romo 1980– American football player and television analyst (born 1980)
Virginie Basselot 1979– French chef (born 1979)
James McAvoy 1979– Scottish actor (born 1979)

People

Died on April 21

Pope Francis (born 1936) Head of the Catholic Church from 2013 to 2025
Terry A. Anderson American journalist (1947–2024)
Polly Higgins Scottish barrister, author, and environmental lobbyist (1968–2019)
Nabi Tajima Japanese supercentenarian
Ugo Ehiogu English football player and coach (1972–2017)
Prince American musician and actor (1958–2016)
George H. Heilmeier American engineer and businessman (1936-2014)
Win Tin Burmese writer and political prisoner (12 March 1929 – 21 April 2014)
Shakuntala Devi Indian writer and mental calculator (1929–2013)
Show 9 more — notable deaths on April 21
Leopold Engleitner Austrian Holocaust survivor
Doris Betts American writer
Catharina Halkes Dutch theologian and feminist (1920-2011)
Gustav Lorentzen Musical artist
Juan Antonio Samaranch President of the IOC from 1980 to 2001
Kanagaratnam Sriskandan Sri Lankan-English engineer and civil servant (born 1930)
Zhang Chunqiao Member of the Gang of Four (1917–2005)
Nina Simone American singer-songwriter (1933–2003)
Buddy Rogers American actor and musician (1904–1999)

Timeline

Every April 21 on record

  1. -753 Romulus founds Rome (traditional date).

    King of Rome from 753 to 716 BC

    Romulus was the legendary founder and first king of Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus and his contemporaries. Although many of these traditions incorporate elements of folklore, and it is not clear to what extent a historical figure underlies the mythical Romulus, the events and institutions ascribed to him were central to the myths surrounding Rome's origins and cultural traditions.

  2. -43 Battle of Mutina: Mark Antony is again defeated in battle by Aulus Hirtius, who is killed. Antony fails to capture Mutina and Decimus Brutus is murdered shortly after.

    Battle in 43 BC between Senatorial and Triumvir forces

    The Battle of Mutina took place on 21 April 43 BC between the forces loyal to the Senate under consuls Gaius Vibius Pansa and Aulus Hirtius, supported by the forces of Caesar Octavian, versus the forces of Mark Antony which were besieging the troops of Decimus Brutus. The latter, one of Caesar's assassins, held the city of Mutina in Cisalpine Gaul.

  3. 900 The Laguna Copperplate Inscription (the earliest known written document found in what is now the Philippines): the Commander-in-Chief of the Kingdom of Tondo, as represented by the Honourable Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pailah, pardons from all debt the Honourable Namwaran and his relations.

    900 inscription found in the Philippines

    The Laguna Copperplate Inscription is an official acquittance certificate inscribed onto a copper plate in the Shaka year 822. It is the earliest-known, extant, calendar-dated document found within the Philippines.

  4. 1092 The Diocese of Pisa is elevated to the rank of metropolitan archdiocese by Pope Urban II.

    Metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in western Italy

    The Archdiocese of Pisa is a Latin Church metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Pisa, Italy. It was founded in the 4th century and elevated to the dignity of an archdiocese on 21 April 1092 by Pope Urban II. The seat of the bishop is the cathedral of the Assumption in the Piazza del Duomo.

  5. 1506 The three-day Lisbon Massacre comes to an end with the slaughter of over 1,900 suspected Jews by Portuguese Catholics.

    1506 antisemitic riot in the Kingdom of Portugal

    On 19 April 1506, a crowd of churchgoers in Lisbon attacked and killed several people in the congregation whom they suspected were Jews. The violence escalated into a city-wide, antisemitic riot that killed between 500 and 4,000 "New Christians", the name for Jews who had been forcibly converted to Christianity.

  6. 1509 Henry VIII ascends the throne of England on the death of his father, Henry VII.
  7. 1526 The last ruler of the Lodi dynasty, Ibrahim Lodi, is defeated and killed by Babur in the First Battle of Panipat.
  8. 1615 The Wignacourt Aqueduct is inaugurated in Malta.
  9. 1782 The city of Rattanakosin, now known internationally as Bangkok, is founded on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke.
  10. 1789 John Adams sworn in as first US Vice President (nine days before George Washington).
  11. 1789 George Washington's reception at Trenton is hosted by the Ladies of Trenton as he journeys to New York City for his first inauguration.
  12. 1792 Tiradentes, a revolutionary leading a movement for Brazil's independence, is hanged, drawn and quartered.
  13. 1796 War of the First Coalition: In the climax of the Montenotte Campaign, Napoleon Bonaparte decisively defeats the army of Piedmont at the Battle of Mondovi, leading to Piedmont's surrender a week later and decisively turning the Italian campaign in France's favor.
  14. 1802 Twelve thousand Wahhabis sack Karbala, killing over three thousand inhabitants.
  15. 1806 Action of 21 April 1806: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast of South Africa.
Show 15 earlier entries from April 21
  1. 1809 Two Austrian army corps are driven from Landshut by a First French Empire army led by Napoleon as two French corps to the north hold off the main Austrian army on the first day of the Battle of Eckmühl.
  2. 1821 Benderli 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.
  3. 1836 Texas Revolution: The Battle of San Jacinto: Republic of Texas forces under Sam Houston defeat troops under Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
  4. 1856 Australian labour movement: Stonemasons and building workers on building sites around Melbourne march from the University of Melbourne to Parliament House to achieve an eight-hour day.
  5. 1894 Norway formally adopts the Krag–Jørgensen bolt-action rifle as the main arm of its armed forces, a weapon that would remain in service for almost 50 years.
  6. 1898 Spanish–American War: The United States Navy begins a blockade of Cuban ports. When the U.S. Congress issued a declaration of war on April 25, it declared that a state of war had existed from this date.
  7. 1914 Ypiranga incident: A German arms shipment to Mexico is intercepted by the U.S. Navy near Veracruz.
  8. 1918 World War I: German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, better known as "The Red Baron", is shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme in France.
  9. 1926 Al-Baqi cemetery, former site of the mausoleum of four Shi'a Imams, is leveled to the ground by Wahhabis.
  10. 1934 The "Surgeon's Photograph", the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch Ness Monster, is published in the Daily Mail (in 1994, it is revealed to be a hoax).
  11. 1945 World War II: Soviet forces south of Berlin at Zossen attack the German High Command headquarters.
  12. 1946 The U.S. Weather Bureau records that a tornado which struck Timber Lake, South Dakota was 4 miles (6.4 km), among the widest tornadoes on record.
  13. 1948 United Nations Security Council Resolution 47 relating to Kashmir conflict is adopted.
  14. 1950 The Nainital wedding massacre occurs, killing 22 members of the Harijan caste.
  15. 1952 Secretary's Day (now Administrative Professionals' Day) is first celebrated.

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