On this day

January 13 Tuesday, January 13, 2026

A curious almanac of what happened on January 13 across the years — history, birthdays, the songs that ruled the charts, the films that packed cinemas, and the science that nudged the world forward.

Events

Birthdays

Holidays

Read today's stories The #1 songs

1793

European history 233 years ago

Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville, representative of Revolutionary France, is lynched by a mob in Rome.

Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville, French diplomat representing Revolutionary France, is lynched by a Roman mob opposed to the Revolution's anti-Catholic policies.

Read the full story →

History

What happened on January 13

12 verified entries Full timeline

-27

Octavian transfers the state to the free disposal of the Roman Senate and the people. He receives Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years.

Octavian transfers power to the Roman Senate and people but retains control over Spain, Gaul, and Syria for a decade.

World history
532

The Nika riots break out, during the racing season at the Hippodrome in Constantinople, as a result of discontent with the rule of the Emperor Justinian I.

Rioters in Constantinople revolt against Emperor Justinian I during a chariot race at the Hippodrome.

European history
1435

Sicut Dudum, forbidding the enslavement by the Spanish of the Guanche natives in Canary Islands who had converted, or were converting to, Christianity, is promulgated by Pope Eugene IV.

Pope Eugene IV issues Sicut Dudum, prohibiting the enslavement of Guanche natives in the Canary Islands who have converted or are converting to Christianity.

World history
1547

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, is sentenced to death for treason, on the grounds of having quartered his arms to make them similar to those of the King, Henry VIII of England.

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, is sentenced to death for treason after quartering his coat of arms in a manner resembling King Henry VIII's royal heraldry.

UK history
1793

Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville, representative of Revolutionary France, is lynched by a mob in Rome.

Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville, French diplomat representing Revolutionary France, is lynched by a Roman mob opposed to the Revolution's anti-Catholic policies.

European history
1797

French Revolutionary Wars: A naval battle between a French ship of the line and two British frigates off the coast of Brittany ends with the French vessel running aground, resulting in over 900 deaths.

A French ship of the line sinks after battling two British frigates off Brittany, causing more than 900 fatalities.

European history
1822

The design of the Greek flag is adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus.

The Greek flag's design is adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus.

World history
1895

First Italo-Ethiopian War: The war's opening battle, the Battle of Coatit, occurs; it is an Italian victory.

Italian forces win the Battle of Coatit, marking the beginning of the First Italo-Ethiopian War.

War
1991

Soviet Union troops attack Lithuanian independence supporters in Vilnius, killing 14 people and wounding around 1,000 others.

Soviet troops attack demonstrators supporting Lithuanian independence in Vilnius, resulting in 14 deaths and over 1,000 injuries.

War
1993

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is signed.

Ninety-five countries sign the Chemical Weapons Convention, aiming to eliminate chemical weapons globally.

World history
2003

208996 Achlys was discovered by Chad Trujillo and Michael E. Brown at Palomar Observatory.

Chad Trujillo and Michael E. Brown discover the dwarf planet 208996 Achlys at Palomar Observatory.

Science
2004

Uzbekistan Airways Flight 1154 crashes while landing at Tashkent International Airport, killing 37.

Uzbekistan Airways Flight 1154 crashes during landing at Tashkent International Airport, killing 37 people.

Disaster

See all 12 events on January 13 →

Born today

Famous birthdays on January 13

7 this date All birthdays

🎂 80

Eero Koivistoinen

Finnish saxophonist, composer, and conductor

Eero Koivistoinen, Finnish jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator who launched his career in the mid-1960s, turns 80 today.

Ernestine Rose

American suffragist, abolitionist, and freethinker

1810 – 1892

Clark Ashton Smith

American poet, sculptor, painter, and author

1893 – 1961

Barry Bishop

American mountaineer, photographer, and scholar

1932 – 1994

Jay McInerney

American novelist and critic

b. 1955 · 71

Stephen Hendry

Scottish snooker player and journalist

b. 1969 · 57

Rune Eriksen

Norwegian guitarist and composer

b. 1975 · 51

Music

The number one songs on January 13

Across the years Full chart history

🇬🇧 #1 on January 13, 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

Listen on Spotify ↗ Apple Music ↗

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

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

🏆 Sport

January 13, 1982

Aston Villa shock Bayern Munich for the European Cup

In Rotterdam, late substitute Peter Withe scores the winner as Villa lift the trophy on their first attempt.

Read the story

🔬 Science

January 13, 2003

208996 Achlys was discovered by Chad Trujillo and Michael E. Brown at Palomar Observatory.

Chad Trujillo and Michael E. Brown discover the dwarf planet 208996 Achlys at Palomar Observatory.

Read the story

Today is also

Holidays & observances

8 celebrated today

Constitution Day (Mongolia)

International

Constitution Day is a holiday to honour the constitution of a country

Democracy Day (Cape Verde)

International

This is a list of holidays in Cape Verde

Gluten-free diet day

International

A gluten-free diet (GFD) is a nutritional plan that strictly excludes gluten, which is a mixture of prolamin proteins found in wheat, as well as barley, rye, and oats

Liberation Day (Togo)

International

Public holidays in Togo are days when workers in the Togolese Republic get the day off work

Old New Year's Eve (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Serbia, Montenegro, Republic of Srpska, North Macedonia), and its related observances: Malanka (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus)

International

Malanka is a Ukrainian folk holiday celebrated on 31 December, which is New Year's Eve in accordance with the Gregorian calendar

Sidereal winter solstice's eve celebrations in South and Southeast Asian cultures; the last day of the six-month Dakshinayana period (see January 14): Bhogi (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu)

International

Bhogi is the first day of the four-day Sankranti festival

January 2026

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Jump to any date Year view →

Quiz of the day

Which event occurred in 1793 involving Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville?

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Did you know

In 27 BCE, Octavian transferred state control to the Roman Senate and people while retaining Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years.

❝

If you don't read, you don't think. Plain and simple.

— Joan Collins · born January 13, 1933

May 2026

January 13 Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Were you born on January 13?

Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville, representative of Revolutionary France, is lynched by a mob in Rome.

What happened on January 13

Octavian transfers the state to the free disposal of the Roman Senate and the people. He receives Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years.

The Nika riots break out, during the racing season at the Hippodrome in Constantinople, as a result of discontent with the rule of the Emperor Justinian I.

Sicut Dudum, forbidding the enslavement by the Spanish of the Guanche natives in Canary Islands who had converted, or were converting to, Christianity, is promulgated by Pope Eugene IV.

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, is sentenced to death for treason, on the grounds of having quartered his arms to make them similar to those of the King, Henry VIII of England.

Nicolas Jean Hugon de Bassville, representative of Revolutionary France, is lynched by a mob in Rome.

French Revolutionary Wars: A naval battle between a French ship of the line and two British frigates off the coast of Brittany ends with the French vessel running aground, resulting in over 900 deaths.

The design of the Greek flag is adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus.

First Italo-Ethiopian War: The war's opening battle, the Battle of Coatit, occurs; it is an Italian victory.

Soviet Union troops attack Lithuanian independence supporters in Vilnius, killing 14 people and wounding around 1,000 others.

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is signed.

208996 Achlys was discovered by Chad Trujillo and Michael E. Brown at Palomar Observatory.

Uzbekistan Airways Flight 1154 crashes while landing at Tashkent International Airport, killing 37.

Famous birthdays on January 13

Eero Koivistoinen

Ernestine Rose

Clark Ashton Smith

Barry Bishop

Jay McInerney

Stephen Hendry

Rune Eriksen

The number one songs on January 13

"Stand and Deliver"

"Bette Davis Eyes"

At the movies

The Empire Strikes Back

Aston Villa shock Bayern Munich for the European Cup

208996 Achlys was discovered by Chad Trujillo and Michael E. Brown at Palomar Observatory.

Holidays & observances

Constitution Day (Mongolia)

Democracy Day (Cape Verde)

Gluten-free diet day

Liberation Day (Togo)

Old New Year's Eve (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Serbia, Montenegro, Republic of Srpska, North Macedonia), and its related observances: Malanka (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus)

Sidereal winter solstice's eve celebrations in South and Southeast Asian cultures; the last day of the six-month Dakshinayana period (see January 14): Bhogi (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu)