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 8 Saturday, August 8, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on August 8 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
7
Holidays
1264
War 762 years ago
Mudéjar revolt: Muslim rebel forces took the Alcázar of Jerez de la Frontera after defeating the Castilian garrison.
Muslim rebels captured the Alcázar of Jerez de la Frontera following their victory over the Castilian garrison during the Mudéjar revolt.
History
What happened on August 8
12 verified entries Full timeline
- -685War
Spring and Autumn period: Battle of Qianshi: Upon the death of the previous Duke of Qi, Gongsun Wuzhi, Duke Zhuang of Lu sends an army into the Duchy of Qi to install the exiled Qi prince Gongzi Jiu as the new Duke of Qi, but is defeated at Qianshi by Jiu's brother and rival claimant, the newly inaugurated Duke Huan of Qi.
Duke Zhuang of Lu sends an army to install exiled Prince Gongzi Jiu as Duke of Qi but is defeated at Qianshi by Jiu's brother, the newly inaugurated Duke Huan.
- 870European history
Treaty of Meerssen: King Louis the German and his half-brother Charles the Bald partition the Middle Frankish Kingdom into two larger east and west divisions.
King Louis the German and Charles the Bald divided the Middle Frankish Kingdom into eastern and western parts through the Treaty of Meerssen.
- 1220European history
Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula.
Estonian tribes defeat Swedish forces in the Battle of Lihula.
- 1264War
Mudéjar revolt: Muslim rebel forces took the Alcázar of Jerez de la Frontera after defeating the Castilian garrison.
Muslim rebels captured the Alcázar of Jerez de la Frontera following their victory over the Castilian garrison during the Mudéjar revolt.
- 1503Royalty
King James IV of Scotland marries Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland.
James IV of Scotland marries Margaret Tudor, securing an alliance with England through their familial connection.
- 1576Science
The cornerstone for Tycho Brahe's Uraniborg observatory is laid on the island of Hven.
Tycho Brahe lays the cornerstone for his Uraniborg observatory, marking the beginning of precise astronomical observations.
- 1647War
The Irish Confederate Wars and Wars of the Three Kingdoms: Battle of Dungan's Hill: English Parliamentary forces defeat Irish forces.
English Parliamentary forces defeat Irish forces at the Battle of Dungan's Hill.
- 1648Royalty
Mehmed IV (1648-1687) succeeds Ibrahim I (1640-1648) as Ottoman sultan.
Mehmed IV becomes the new Ottoman sultan, succeeding his brother Ibrahim I.
- 1709Science
Bartolomeu de Gusmão demonstrates the lifting power of hot air in an audience before the king of Portugal in Lisbon, Portugal.
Bartolomeu de Gusmão demonstrates the lifting power of hot air by floating a small paper model before King John V in Lisbon, pioneering lighter-than-air flight.
- 1786World history
Mont Blanc on the French-Italian border is climbed for the first time by Jacques Balmat and Dr. Michel-Gabriel Paccard.
Jacques Balmat and Dr. Michel-Gabriel Paccard reach the summit of Mont Blanc, marking the first ascent of Western Europe's highest peak.
- 1876Technology
Thomas Edison receives a patent for his mimeograph.
Thomas Edison patents his mimeograph, an early duplicating device that uses a stencil and ink to make copies.
- 1974Politics
President Richard Nixon, in a nationwide television address, announces his resignation from the office of the President of the United States effective noon the next day.
Richard Nixon announces his resignation as President in a televised address, effective at noon the following day.
Born today
Famous birthdays on August 8
7 this date All birthdays
Esther Williams
American swimmer and actress
Esther Williams, the American competitive swimmer who set regional and national records before becoming a celebrated actress in Hollywood's aquatic films, was born in 1921.
Born
1921
Died
2013
Godfrey Kneller
German-English painter
1646 – 1723
Roger Penrose
English physicist, mathematician, and philosopher, Nobel Prize laureate
b. 1931 · 95
Sheila Varian
American horse breeder
1937 – 2016
Ken Dryden
Canadian ice hockey player, lawyer, and politician
1947 – 2025
Scott Sandelin
American ice hockey player and coach
b. 1964 · 62
JC Chasez
American singer and dancer
b. 1976 · 50
Music
The number one songs on August 8
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on August 8, 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 8, 1988
The first night baseball game in the history of Chicago's Wrigley Field (game was rained out in the fourth inning).
A night baseball game at Wrigley Field is postponed due to rain after four innings.
Read the story
🔬 Science August 8, 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
7 celebrated today
Ceasefire Day (end of Iran-Iraq War) (Iraqi Kurdistan)
International
This is a list of public holidays in Iraq
Father's Day or Bā bā Day (爸爸節), Bā Bā is Mandarin for "father" and "8-8", or August 8. (Mongolia, Taiwan)
International
Father's Day is a day set aside for honoring one's father, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society
Happiness Happens Day
International
Secret Society of Happy People (SOHP) is an American organization that celebrates the expression of happiness
International Cat Day
International
International Cat Day is a celebration which takes place on 8 August of every year
Namesday of the Queen (Sweden)
International
By an ordinance issued by the government of Sweden, a number of days of the calendar year are designated as official flag flying days when the Swedish flag is flown on all public flagpoles and build
Nane Nane Day (Tanzania)
International
Nane Nane Day on 8 August celebrates to recognize the important contribution of farmers to the national Tanzanian economy
❝
The wisdom acquired with the passage of time is a useless gift unless you share it.
— Esther Williams · born August 8, 1921