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
January 23 Friday, January 23, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on January 23 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
1793
European history 233 years ago
Second Partition of Poland.
Russia and Prussia carve up large portions of Poland in the Second Partition, reducing the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to a fraction of its former territory.
History
What happened on January 23
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 393World history
Roman emperor Theodosius I proclaims his eight-year-old son Honorius co-emperor.
Theodosius I proclaims his eight-year-old son Honorius as co-emperor.
- 971War
Using crossbows, Song dynasty troops soundly defeat a war elephant corps of the Southern Han at Shao.
Song dynasty forces use crossbows to successfully repel and defeat the war elephants of the Southern Han.
- 1229Religion
The episcopal seat is moved from Nousiainen to Koroinen (located near the current centre of Turku) by the permission of Pope Gregory IX. The date is starting to be considered as the founding of Turku.
The episcopal seat moves from Nousiainen to Koroinen, marking the beginning of Turku's establishment.
- 1264UK history
In the conflict between King Henry III of England and his rebellious barons led by Simon de Montfort, King Louis IX of France issues the Mise of Amiens, a one-sided decision in favour of Henry that later leads to the Second Barons' War.
King Louis IX of France issues the Mise of Amiens, ruling decisively for King Henry III against rebellious barons led by Simon de Montfort, ultimately provoking the Second Barons' War.
- 1368World history
Zhu Yuanzhang proclaims himself the Hongwu Emperor, beginning the Ming dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang declares himself the Hongwu Emperor, establishing the Ming dynasty.
- 1571Royalty
The Royal Exchange opens in London.
The Royal Exchange, a central London marketplace for merchants and traders, officially opens, establishing England's first purpose-built center for commerce.
- 1579European history
The Union of Utrecht forms a Protestant republic in the Netherlands.
The Union of Utrecht is signed, forming a Protestant republic in the Dutch provinces.
- 1656Science
Blaise Pascal publishes the first of his Lettres provinciales.
Blaise Pascal publishes the first of his "Lettres provinciales," a series critiquing Jesuit practices.
- 1793European history
Second Partition of Poland.
Russia and Prussia carve up large portions of Poland in the Second Partition, reducing the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to a fraction of its former territory.
- 1795War
After crossing the frozen Zuiderzee, the French cavalry capture 14 Dutch ships and 850 guns, in a rare occurrence of surrender of naval vessels to land forces.
French cavalry captures 14 Dutch ships and 850 guns after crossing the frozen Zuiderzee.
- 1870US history
In Montana, U.S. cavalrymen kill 173 Native Americans, mostly women and children, in what becomes known as the Marias Massacre.
Cavalrymen from the U.S. army kill 173 Native Americans, mostly women and children, in the Marias Massacre.
- 1922Science
The first successful treatment with insulin is given to 14-year-old diabetic Leonard Thompson.
Dr. Frederick Banting administers the first successful insulin injection to Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old diabetic patient.
Born today
Famous birthdays on January 23
7 this date All birthdays
Tanya Savicheva
Russian child diarist
Tanya Savicheva, the Soviet child diarist who documented the deaths of her family members during the siege of Leningrad in World War II, was born in 1930.
Born
1930
Died
1944
Gertrude B. Elion
American biochemist and pharmacologist, Nobel Prize laureate
1918 – 1999
Jock R. Anderson
Australian economist and academic
b. 1941 · 85
David Arnold
English composer
b. 1962 · 64
Kevin Mawae
American football player and coach
b. 1971 · 55
Doutzen Kroes
Dutch model and actress
b. 1985 · 41
XXXTentacion
American rapper
1998 – 2018
Music
The number one songs on January 23
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on January 23, 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 January 23, 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 23, 1922
The first successful treatment with insulin is given to 14-year-old diabetic Leonard Thompson.
Dr. Frederick Banting administers the first successful insulin injection to Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old diabetic patient.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
3 celebrated today
Bounty Day (Pitcairn Islands)
International
Bounty Day is a holiday on both Pitcairn Island, destination of the Bounty mutineers, and on Norfolk Island
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Jayanti (Assam, Orissa, Tripura, and West Bengal, India)
International
Netaji Jayanti or Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti, officially known as Parakram Diwas or Parakram Divas, is a national event celebrated in India to mark the birthday of the prominent Indian freedom
World Freedom Day (Taiwan and South Korea)
International
The World League for Freedom and Democracy (WLFD) is an international non-governmental organization of anti-communist politicians and groups