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
August 5 Wednesday, August 5, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on August 5 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
3
Holidays
1305
UK history 721 years ago
First Scottish War of Independence: Sir John Stewart of Menteith, the pro-English Sheriff of Dumbarton, successfully manages to capture Sir William Wallace of Scotland, leading to Wallace's subsequent execution by hanging, evisceration, drawing and quartering, and beheading 18 days later.
Scottish sheriff Sir John Stewart of Menteith captures rebel leader William Wallace, who will be executed for high treason in London eighteen days later.
History
What happened on August 5
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 25World history
Guangwu claims the throne as Emperor of China, restoring the Han dynasty after the collapse of the short-lived Xin dynasty.
Guangwu establishes himself as emperor, reclaiming the Han dynasty and ending the Xin dynasty's rule.
- 70World history
Fires resulting from the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem are extinguished.
The fires that raged after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem are finally put out.
- 642War
Battle of Maserfield: Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Northumbria.
Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Northumbria in the Battle of Maserfield.
- 910UK history
The last major Danish army to raid England for nearly a century is defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by the allied forces of Mercia and Wessex, led by King Edward the Elder and Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians.
Danish forces are defeated at the Battle of Tettenhall by combined armies of Mercia and Wessex, ending major Danish raids in England for nearly a century.
- 939European history
The Battle of Alhandic is fought between Ramiro II of León and Abd-ar-Rahman III at Zamora in the context of the Spanish Reconquista. The battle resulted in a victory for the Emirate of Córdoba.
Abd-ar-Rahman III defeats Ramiro II of León in the Battle of Alhandic, securing a victory for the Emirate of Córdoba.
- 1068European history
Byzantine-Norman wars: Italo-Normans begin a nearly-three-year siege of Bari.
The Italo-Normans commence a nearly three-year siege of Bari, the last major Byzantine stronghold in southern Italy.
- 1100UK history
Henry I is crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey.
Henry I is crowned King of England in Westminster Abbey.
- 1192War
Richard I of England defeats Saladin in the battle of Jaffa, which enables him to conclude a favourable treaty for the crusaders.
Richard I defeats Saladin at the Battle of Jaffa, leading to a favorable treaty for Christian crusaders.
- 1278War
Spanish Reconquista: the forces of the Kingdom of Castile initiate the ultimately futile Siege of Algeciras against the Emirate of Granada.
The Kingdom of Castile begins a siege of Algeciras, aiming to reclaim it from the Emirate of Granada but fails to achieve its goal.
- 1305UK history
First Scottish War of Independence: Sir John Stewart of Menteith, the pro-English Sheriff of Dumbarton, successfully manages to capture Sir William Wallace of Scotland, leading to Wallace's subsequent execution by hanging, evisceration, drawing and quartering, and beheading 18 days later.
Scottish sheriff Sir John Stewart of Menteith captures rebel leader William Wallace, who will be executed for high treason in London eighteen days later.
- 1388War
The Battle of Otterburn, a border skirmish between the Scottish and the English in Northern England, is fought near Otterburn.
The Battle of Otterburn is fought near Otterburn, a border skirmish between Scottish and English forces.
- 1460UK history
The Kingdom of Scotland captures Roxburgh, one of the last English strongholds in Scotland, following a siege.
The Kingdom of Scotland captures Roxburgh Castle, reclaiming one of the last English strongholds on Scottish soil after a brief siege.
Born today
Famous birthdays on August 5
7 this date All birthdays
Music
The number one songs on August 5
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on August 5, 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 August 5, 2008
The New England Revolution win the 2008 North American SuperLiga final against the Houston Dynamo.
The New England Revolution defeat the Houston Dynamo to win the North American SuperLiga final.
Read the story
🔬 Science August 5, 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
3 celebrated today
Independence Day (Burkina Faso)
International
This is a list of holidays in Burkina Faso
July Mass Uprising Day (Bangladesh)
International
July Uprising Day, officially known as July Mass Uprising Day, is a national holiday in Bangladesh that is celebrated on 5 August annually from 2025, commemorating the July Uprising
Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian defenders (Croatia)
International
Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian Defenders, commonly shortened to Victory Day, is a public holiday in Croatia that is celebrated annually on 5 August, commemorating the Cr
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The dogma of woman's complete historical subjection to man must be rated as one of the most fantastic myths ever created by the human mind.
— Mary Ritter Beard · born August 5, 1876