Calendar date · January

What happened on January 26

On January 26, 661: The Rashidun Caliphate is effectively ended with the assassination of Ali, the last caliph.

Events

49

across history

Notable births

50

Notable deaths

50

Zodiac

Aquarius

Featured moment · 661

The Rashidun Caliphate is effectively ended with the assassination of Ali, the last caliph.

The Rashidun Caliphate was the early Islamic polity led by the first four successive caliphs (lit. "successors"): Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, collectively known as the Rashidun, or "Rightly Guided" caliphs. These early caliphs led the Muslim community from the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 632 CE to the establishment of the succeeding Umayyad Caliphate in 661 CE.

People

Born on January 26

YaYa Gosselin 2009– American actress (born 2009)
The Suleman octuplets 2009– American octuplets conceived via in vitro fertilization
Darya Astakhova 2002– Russian tennis player (born 2002)
Latalia Bevan 2001– Welsh artistic gymnast (born 2001)
Isaac Okoro 2001– Nigerian-American basketball player (born 2001)
Ester Expósito 2000– Spanish actress (born 2000)
Darius Garland 2000– American basketball player (born 2000)
Leonardo Balerdi 1999– Argentine footballer (born 1999)
Travis Etienne 1999– American football player (born 1999)
Show 9 more — notable births on January 26
Moonbin 1998– South Korean singer and actor (1998–2023)
Gedion Zelalem 1997– Professional soccer player
Zakaria Bakkali 1996– Belgian footballer (born 1996)
Hwang Hee-chan 1996– South Korean footballer (born 1996)
Jean-Charles Castelletto 1995– Footballer (born 1995)
Sione Katoa 1995– Tonga international rugby league footballer
Montrezl Harrell 1994– American basketball player (born 1994)
Miguel Borja 1993– Colombian footballer (born 1993)
Lana Clelland 1993– Scottish footballer

People

Died on January 26

Suzanne Massie American scholar of Russian history (1931–2025)
John Altobelli American baseball coach (1963–2020)
Gianna Bryant Daughter of Kobe and Vanessa Bryant (2006–2020)
Kobe Bryant American basketball player (1978–2020)
Mike Connors American actor (1925–2017)
Tam Dalyell Scottish politician (1932–2017)
Lindy Delapenha Jamaican football player and journalist (1927–2017)
Barbara Hale American actress (1922–2017)
Barbara Howard Canadian sprinter (1920–2017)
Show 9 more — notable deaths on January 26
Sahabzada Yaqub Khan Pakistani politician and military officer
Abe Vigoda American actor (1921–2016)
Cleven "Goodie" Goudeau American art director and cartoonist
Tom Uren Australian politician (1921–2015)
Tom Gola American basketball player and politician (1933–2014)
Paula Gruden Slovenian-born Australian poet (1921–2014)
José Emilio Pacheco Mexican poet, essayist, novelist and short story writer (1939–2014)
Christine M. Jones American politician (1929–2013)
Stefan Kudelski Polish audio engineer (1931–2013)

Timeline

Every January 26 on record

  1. 661 The Rashidun Caliphate is effectively ended with the assassination of Ali, the last caliph.

    First Islamic caliphate (632–661)

    The Rashidun Caliphate was the early Islamic polity led by the first four successive caliphs (lit. "successors"): Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, collectively known as the Rashidun, or "Rightly Guided" caliphs. These early caliphs led the Muslim community from the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 632 CE to the establishment of the succeeding Umayyad Caliphate in 661 CE.

  2. 1531 The 6.4–7.1 Mw Lisbon earthquake kills about thirty thousand people.

    Scales to describe earthquake strength

    Seismic magnitude scales are used to describe the overall strength or "size" of an earthquake. These are distinguished from seismic intensity scales that categorize the intensity or severity of ground shaking (quaking) caused by an earthquake at a given location. Magnitudes are usually determined from measurements of an earthquake's seismic waves as recorded on a seismogram.

  3. 1564 The Council of Trent establishes an official distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.

    Roman Catholic Church ecumenical council 1545–1563

    The Council of Trent, held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent, in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. " It was the last time a Catholic ecumenical council was organized outside the city of Rome, and the second time a council was convened in the territory of the Holy Roman Empire.

  4. 1564 The Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeats the Tsardom of Russia in the Battle of Ula during the Livonian War.

    European state (c. 1236–1795)

    The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 partitions of Poland–Lithuania. The state was founded by Lithuanians, who were at the time a polytheistic nation of several united Baltic tribes from Aukštaitija. By 1440 the grand duchy had become the largest European state, controlling an area from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south.

  5. 1641 Reapers' War: Battle of Montjuïc, decisive victory of the Catalan army (with French support) over the Spanish army.

    1640–1659 rebellion to restore an independent Catalonia

    The Reapers' War, also known as the Catalan Revolt or Catalan Revolution, was a conflict that affected the Principality of Catalonia between 1640 and 1659, in the context of the Franco-Spanish War of 1635–1659. Incited by an unrest among the Catalan peasantry and institutions, as well as French diplomatic movements, the war resulted in the establishment of the short-lived Catalan Republic and the subsequent clash of Spanish and French armies on Catalan soil for over a decade.

  6. 1699 For the first time, the Ottoman Empire permanently cedes territory to the Christian powers.
  7. 1700 The 8.7–9.2 Mw Cascadia earthquake takes place off the west coast of North America, as evidenced by Japanese records.
  8. 1765 A 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.)
  9. 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.
  10. 1808 The Rum Rebellion is the only successful (albeit short-lived) armed takeover of the government in New South Wales.
  11. 1837 Michigan is admitted as the 26th U.S. state.
  12. 1841 Gordon Bremer takes formal possession of Hong Kong Island at what is now Possession Point, establishing British Hong Kong.
  13. 1855 Point No Point Treaty is signed in Washington Territory.
  14. 1856 First Battle of Seattle: Marines from the USS Decatur drive off Native American attackers after all-day battle with settlers.
  15. 1861 American Civil War: The state of Louisiana secedes from the Union.
Show 15 earlier entries from January 26
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 1870 Reconstruction Era: Virginia is readmitted to the Union.
  4. 1885 Troops loyal to The Mahdi conquer Khartoum, killing the Governor-General Charles George Gordon.
  5. 1905 The 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.
  6. 1915 The Rocky Mountain National Park is established by an act of the U.S. Congress.
  7. 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.
  8. 1926 The first demonstration of the television by John Logie Baird.
  9. 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.
  10. 1934 The Apollo Theater reopens in Harlem, New York City.
  11. 1934 German–Polish declaration of non-aggression is signed.
  12. 1939 Spanish Civil War: Catalonia Offensive: Troops loyal to nationalist General Francisco Franco and aided by Italy take Barcelona.
  13. 1942 World War II: The first United States forces arrive in Europe, landing in Northern Ireland.
  14. 1945 World War II: Audie Murphy displays valor and bravery in action for which he will later be awarded the Medal of Honor.
  15. 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).

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