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
July 9 Thursday, July 9, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on July 9 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
8
Holidays
1357
European history 669 years ago
Emperor Charles IV assists in laying the foundation stone of Charles Bridge in Prague.
Emperor Charles IV assists in laying the foundation stone for Charles Bridge, the iconic Gothic structure that still spans the Vltava River in Prague.
History
What happened on July 9
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 118Royalty
Hadrian, who became emperor a year previously on Trajan's death, makes his entry into Rome.
Hadrian enters Rome as the new emperor following Trajan's death.
- 381Religion
The end of the First Council of Christian bishops convened in Constantinople by the Roman emperor Theodosius I.
The First Council of Constantinople concludes, affirming the Nicene Creed and establishing the divinity of the Holy Spirit as orthodox Christian doctrine.
- 491War
Odoacer makes a night assault with his Heruli guardsmen, engaging Theoderic the Great in Ad Pinetam. Both sides suffer heavy losses, but in the end Theodoric forces Odoacer back into Ravenna.
Odoacer leads a night assault on Theoderic the Great, resulting in heavy casualties and forcing Odoacer to retreat to Ravenna.
- 551Disaster
A major earthquake strikes Beirut, triggering a devastating tsunami that affects the coastal towns of Byzantine Phoenicia, causing thousands of deaths.
A major earthquake in Beirut triggers a tsunami, devastating coastal towns in Byzantine Phoenicia and causing numerous fatalities.
- 660War
Korean forces under general Kim Yu-sin of Silla defeat the army of Baekje in the Battle of Hwangsanbeol.
Korean forces led by General Kim Yu-sin defeat the Baekje army at the Battle of Hwangsanbeol.
- 869Disaster
The 8.4-9.0 Mw Sanriku earthquake strikes the area around Sendai in northern Honshu, Japan. Inundation from the tsunami extended several kilometers inland.
A powerful earthquake strikes northern Honshu, Japan, triggering a devastating tsunami that inundates coastal areas several kilometers inland.
- 969World history
The Fatimid general Jawhar leads the Friday prayer in Fustat in the name of Caliph al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah, thereby symbolically completing the Fatimid conquest of Egypt.
Jawhar leads the Friday prayer in Fustat on behalf of Caliph al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah, marking the Fatimids' conquest of Egypt.
- 1357European history
Emperor Charles IV assists in laying the foundation stone of Charles Bridge in Prague.
Emperor Charles IV assists in laying the foundation stone for Charles Bridge, the iconic Gothic structure that still spans the Vltava River in Prague.
- 1386European history
The Old Swiss Confederacy makes great strides in establishing control over its territory by soundly defeating the Duchy of Austria in the Battle of Sempach.
The Old Swiss Confederacy defeats the Duchy of Austria at the Battle of Sempach, solidifying control over its territory.
- 1401War
Timur attacks the Jalairid Sultanate and destroys Baghdad.
Timur invades the Jalairid Sultanate, leading to the destruction of Baghdad.
- 1572Religion
Nineteen Catholics suffer martyrdom for their beliefs, in the Dutch town of Gorkum.
Nineteen Catholic martyrs are executed in Gorkum for refusing to abandon their faith.
- 1609Religion
Bohemia is granted freedom of religion through the Letter of Majesty by the Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II.
Rudolf II grants religious freedom to Bohemia with the Letter of Majesty.
Born today
Famous birthdays on July 9
7 this date All birthdays
🎂 66
Eduardo Montes-Bradley
Argentine journalist, photographer, and author
Eduardo Montes-Bradley, an Argentine documentary filmmaker whose work focuses on biographical, cultural, and historical subjects, turns 65 today.
Born
1960
Turns 66
today
George F. Durand
Canadian architect
1850 – 1889
Samuel Eliot Morison
American admiral and historian
1887 – 1976
John Archibald Wheeler
American physicist and author
1911 – 2008
Donald Rumsfeld
American captain and politician, 13th United States Secretary of Defense
1932 – 2021
Dean Koontz
American author and screenwriter
b. 1945 · 81
Yordan Letchkov
Bulgarian footballer
b. 1967 · 59
Music
The number one songs on July 9
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on July 9, 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 July 9, 2006
Italy win their fourth World Cup title, defeating France 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
Italy wins its fourth FIFA World Cup title by defeating France 5-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 tie.
Read the story
🔬 Science July 9, 2025
Earth completes its shortest recorded day due to a slight acceleration in rotation, with July 9 lasting approximately 1.3 to 1.6 milliseconds less than 24 hours.
Earth's rotation accelerated slightly, making the planet's shortest recorded day about 1.3 to 1.6 milliseconds shorter than 24 hours.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
8 celebrated today
Arbor Day (Cambodia)
International
Arbor Day is a secular day of observance in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees
Constitution Day (Australia)
International
Constitution Day is a holiday to honour the constitution of a country
Constitution Day (Palau)
International
This is a list of holidays in Palau
Constitutionalist Revolution Day (São Paulo)
International
The Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 was the uprising by the population of the Brazilian state of São Paulo against the Revolution of 1930, when Getúlio Vargas assumed the nation's presidency
Day of the Employees of the Diplomatic Service (Azerbaijan)
International
There are several public holidays in Azerbaijan
Independence Day, celebrates the declaration of independence of the United Provinces of South America by the Congress of Tucumán in 1816. (Argentina)
International
The Independence Day of the Argentine Republic is celebrated every year on July 9