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
December 30 Wednesday, December 30, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on December 30 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
4
Holidays
1419
War 607 years ago
Hundred Years' War: Battle of La Rochelle.
English forces under the Earl of Salisbury capture La Rochelle after a ten-month siege, securing a strategic port in western France.
History
What happened on December 30
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 534European history
The second and final edition of the Code of Justinian comes into effect in the Byzantine Empire.
The second and final edition of the Code of Justinian takes effect, completing Emperor Justinian I's legal reforms.
- 999European history
Battle of Glenmama: The combined forces of Munster and Meath under king Brian Boru inflict a crushing defeat on the allied armies of Leinster and Dublin near Lyons Hill in Ireland.
Brian Boru's forces from Munster and Meath defeat the alliance of Leinster and Dublin near Lyons Hill.
- 1066European history
Granada massacre: A Muslim mob storms the royal palace in Granada, crucifies Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela and massacres most of the Jewish population of the city.
A Muslim mob invades the royal palace in Granada, crucifying Jewish vizier Joseph ibn Naghrela and killing much of the city's Jewish population.
- 1419War
Hundred Years' War: Battle of La Rochelle.
English forces under the Earl of Salisbury capture La Rochelle after a ten-month siege, securing a strategic port in western France.
- 1460War
Wars of the Roses: Lancastrians kill the 3rd Duke of York and win the Battle of Wakefield.
The Lancastrians defeat the Yorkists at the Battle of Wakefield, killing Richard Plantagenet, the 3rd Duke of York.
- 1641European history
Reapers' War: Louis XIII of France swears the Catalan constitutions, being appointed Count of Barcelona and thus establishing the personal union of the Principality of Catalonia with the Kingdom of France.
Louis XIII swears the Catalan constitutions, becoming Count of Barcelona and uniting Catalonia with France.
- 1702US history
Queen Anne's War: James Moore, Governor of the Province of Carolina, abandons the Siege of St. Augustine.
James Moore, Governor of the Province of Carolina, withdraws from the siege of St. Augustine during Queen Anne's War.
- 1890US history
Following the Wounded Knee Massacre, the United States Army and Lakota warriors face off in the Drexel Mission Fight.
Lakota warriors clash with U.S. Army troops near Pine Ridge Reservation following the Wounded Knee Massacre.
- 1896Sports
Canadian ice hockey player Ernie McLea scores the first hat-trick in Stanley Cup play, and the Cup-winning goal as the Montreal Victorias defeat the Winnipeg Victorias 6-5.
Ernie McLea scores the first Stanley Cup hat-trick and the winning goal as the Montreal Victorias beat the Winnipeg Victorias 6-5.
- 1916Royalty
The last coronation in Hungary is performed for King Charles IV and Queen Zita.
King Charles IV and Queen Zita are crowned in Budapest's Matthias Church, marking Hungary's final royal coronation.
- 1993Politics
Israel establishes diplomatic relations with Vatican City and also upgrades to full diplomatic relations with Ireland.
Israel establishes diplomatic relations with Vatican City and upgrades its ties with Ireland to full embassy level.
- 2009War
A suicide bomber kills nine people at Forward Operating Base Chapman, a key facility of the Central Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan.
A suicide bombing at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Afghanistan kills nine people, including six CIA officers.
Born today
Famous birthdays on December 30
7 this date All birthdays
🎂 31
V
South Korean singer
South Korean singer V, born Kim Tae-hyung, turns 31 today; he debuted with BTS in 2013 and has released solo tracks including "Stigma," "Singularity," and "Inner Child."
Born
1995
Turns 31
today
Ulrik of Denmark
Danish prince-bishop
1578 – 1624
John Hartford
American singer-songwriter and fiddler
1937 – 2001
William J. Fallon
American admiral
b. 1944 · 82
James Kahn
American author, screenwriter, and producer
b. 1947 · 79
Carl Ouellet
Canadian wrestler and sportscaster
b. 1967 · 59
Nick Symmonds
American runner
b. 1983 · 43
Music
The number one songs on December 30
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on December 30, 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 December 30, 1896
Canadian ice hockey player Ernie McLea scores the first hat-trick in Stanley Cup play, and the Cup-winning goal as the Montreal Victorias defeat the Winnipeg Victorias 6-5.
Ernie McLea scores the first Stanley Cup hat-trick and the winning goal as the Montreal Victorias beat the Winnipeg Victorias 6-5.
Read the story
🔬 Science December 30, 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
4 celebrated today
Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province (Slovakia)
International
Remembrance Days in Slovakia are working days
Rizal Day (Philippines)
International
Rizal Day is a Philippine national holiday commemorating life and works of José Rizal, a national hero of the Philippines
The fifth day of Kwanzaa (United States)
International
Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day
The sixth of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)
International
The Twelve Days of Christmas, or Twelve Days of Christmastide, is the festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity of Jesus