Box-office #1
The Empire Strikes Back
1980 · dir. Irvin Kershner
Wide US release on May 23, 1980. Goes on to become the highest-grossing film of the year.
Sci-fiStar Wars $538M worldwide
On this day
April 3 Friday, April 3, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on April 3 across the years — history, birthdays, the songs that ruled the charts, the films that packed cinemas, and the science that nudged the world forward.
12
Events
7
Birthdays
0
Holidays
1956
Disaster 70 years ago
Hudsonville-Standale tornado: The western half of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan is struck by a deadly F5 tornado.
A devastating F5 tornado strikes the western Lower Peninsula of Michigan, killing 18 people and destroying hundreds of homes in the Hudsonville and Standale areas.
History
What happened on April 3
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 686World history
Maya king Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk' assumes the crown of Calakmul.
Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk' becomes the ruler of Calakmul, a powerful Maya city-state.
- 956Religion
Polyeuctus of Constantinople is elected as patriarch of Constantinople.
Polyeuctus becomes patriarch of Constantinople, beginning a tenure marked by his staunch defense of church independence from imperial authority.
- 1043UK history
Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England.
Edward is crowned King of England, beginning a reign marked by political instability and religious devotion.
- 1077European history
The Patriarchate of Friûl, the first Friulian state, is created.
The Patriarchate of Friûl is established as the first independent Friulian state.
- 1559European history
The second of two treaties making up the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis is signed, ending the Italian Wars.
Spain and France sign the second Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis treaty, ending the Italian Wars and decades of Habsburg-Valois conflict.
- 1589European history
The janissaries revolt in response to the debasement of coins.
The Janissaries rebel against coin debasement, leading to widespread unrest in the Ottoman Empire.
- 1721UK history
Robert Walpole becomes, in effect, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain, though he himself denied that title.
Robert Walpole becomes the de facto first Prime Minister of Great Britain, despite rejecting the official title.
- 1865US history
American Civil War: Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederate States of America.
Union forces capture Richmond, Virginia, ending its role as the Confederate capital.
- 1882US history
American Old West: Robert Ford kills Jesse James.
Robert Ford shoots and kills Jesse James in his home in St. Joseph, Missouri.
- 1956Disaster
Hudsonville-Standale tornado: The western half of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan is struck by a deadly F5 tornado.
A devastating F5 tornado strikes the western Lower Peninsula of Michigan, killing 18 people and destroying hundreds of homes in the Hudsonville and Standale areas.
- 1974Disaster
The 1974 Super Outbreak occurs, the second largest tornado outbreak in recorded history (after the 2011 Super Outbreak). The death toll is 315, with nearly 5,500 injured.
A massive tornado outbreak kills 315 people and injures nearly 5,500 across the central United States.
- 2008Crime
Texas law enforcement cordons off the FLDS's YFZ Ranch. Eventually 533 women and children will be taken into state custody.
Texas authorities take 533 women and children from the Yearning for Zion ranch, operated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Born today
Famous birthdays on April 3
7 this date All birthdays
Ikki Kita
Japanese philosopher and author
Ikki Kita, the Japanese author and political philosopher whose eclectic ideas influenced socialist thought and later earned him the controversial label of ideological father of Japanese fascism, was born today in 1883.
Born
1883
Died
1937
Cyrus K. Holliday
American businessman
1826 – 1900
Jane Goodall
English primatologist and anthropologist
1934 – 2025
Brendan Barber
English trade union leader
b. 1951 · 75
Matthew Goode
English actor
b. 1978 · 48
Yuliya Yefimova
Russian swimmer
b. 1992 · 34
Dylann Roof
American mass murderer
b. 1994 · 32
Music
The number one songs on April 3
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on April 3, 1981
"Stand and Deliver"
by Adam and the Ants
The dandy highwayman spent five weeks at the top — a brash, glam-pop coronation.
#1 for 5 weeks
Also #1 on this day
- 1965"Ticket To Ride"— The Beatles
- 1972"Metal Guru"— T. Rex
- 2003"Make Luv"— Room 5 ft. Oliver Cheatham
Film & TV
At the movies
Box office #1 and premieres All releases
🏆 Sport April 3, 2007
Conventional-Train World Speed Record: A French TGV train on the LGV Est high speed line sets an official new world speed record of 574.8 km/h (159.6 m/s, 357.2 mph).
A French TGV train sets a new world speed record of 574.8 km/h on the LGV Est high-speed line.
Read the story
🔬 Science April 3, 1995
Java 1.0 is unveiled
Sun Microsystems releases a programming language that will become the backbone of enterprise computing and Android.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
0 celebrated today
World Turtle Day
International
Raising awareness for turtle and tortoise conservation.
Lucky Penny Day
United States
Pick one up — your luck for the day.
Labour Day
Jamaica
Public holiday since 1961.
Declaration of Independence Day
South Sudan
National observance.