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
June 6 Saturday, June 6, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on June 6 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
1513
War 513 years ago
War of the League of Cambrai: In the Battle of Novara, Swiss troops defeat the French under Louis II de la Trémoille, forcing them to abandon Milan; Duke Massimiliano Sforza is restored.
Swiss troops defeat French forces under Louis II de la Trémoille at the Battle of Novara, forcing France to abandon Milan and restoring Duke Massimiliano Sforza.
History
What happened on June 6
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 913Royalty
Constantine VII, the eight-year-old illegitimate son of Leo VI the Wise, becomes nominal ruler of the Byzantine Empire under the regency of a seven-man council headed by Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos, appointed by Constantine's uncle Alexander on his deathbed.
Constantine VII becomes nominal ruler of the Byzantine Empire at eight, governed by a regency council led by Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos.
- 1513War
War of the League of Cambrai: In the Battle of Novara, Swiss troops defeat the French under Louis II de la Trémoille, forcing them to abandon Milan; Duke Massimiliano Sforza is restored.
Swiss troops defeat French forces under Louis II de la Trémoille at the Battle of Novara, forcing France to abandon Milan and restoring Duke Massimiliano Sforza.
- 1523Royalty
Swedish regent Gustav Vasa is elected King of Sweden and, marking a symbolic end to the Kalmar Union, 6 June is designated the country's national day.
Gustav Vasa is elected king, ending the Kalmar Union and establishing June 6 as Sweden's national day.
- 1654Royalty
Swedish Queen Christina abdicated her throne in favour of her cousin Charles Gustav and converted to Catholicism.
Queen Christina of Sweden abdicated in favor of her cousin Charles Gustav, later converting to Catholicism and leaving her Protestant realm.
- 1674World history
Shivaji is crowned as the first Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire at Raigad Fort.
Shivaji is crowned Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire at Raigad Fort, marking the beginning of a powerful Hindu monarchy in India.
- 1762War
Seven Years' War: British forces begin the Siege of Havana and temporarily capture the city.
British forces commence the Siege of Havana, leading to a temporary capture of the city.
- 1859World history
Queensland is established as a separate colony from New South Wales. The date is still celebrated as Queensland Day.
Queensland becomes a separate colony from New South Wales, now commemorated annually as Queensland Day.
- 1892US history
The Chicago "L" elevated rail system begins operation.
The Chicago "L" elevated rail system begins operating, becoming one of the city's iconic transportation methods.
- 1966US history
March Against Fear: African-American civil rights activist James Meredith is wounded in an ambush by white sniper James Aubrey Norvell. Meredith and Norvell are photographed by Jack R. Thornell, whose photo will receive the 1967 Pulitzer Prize in Photography, the last one to be awarded in the category.
James Meredith is wounded during the March Against Fear and his photograph by Jack R. Thornell wins the 1967 Pulitzer Prize in Photography.
- 1976Politics
Chief Minister of Sabah Faud Stephens, Peter Joinud Mojuntin, and several other politicians are killed in a plane crash near Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Malaysia.
Sabah Chief Minister Fuad Stephens, politician Peter Mojuntin, and several other officials die when their plane crashes near Kota Kinabalu International Airport in Malaysia.
- 2017War
Syrian civil war: The Battle of Raqqa begins with an offensive by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to capture the city from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The Syrian Democratic Forces launch an offensive to reclaim Raqqa from the Islamic State.
- 2023War
Russo-Ukrainian War: The Kakhovka Dam is destroyed.
The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam leads to widespread flooding in Ukraine and Russia.
Born today
Famous birthdays on June 6
7 this date All birthdays
🎂 97
James Barnor
Ghanaian photographer
James Barnor, a Ghanaian photographer whose six-decade career capturing street and studio life has found new audiences in recent years, turns 97 today.
Born
1929
Turns 97
today
Peter Carington
6th Baron Carrington, English army officer and politician, 6th Secretary General of NATO
1919 – 2018
Klaus Tennstedt
German conductor
1926 – 1998
Monty Alexander
Jamaican jazz pianist
b. 1944 · 82
Colin Quinn
American comedian and actor
b. 1959 · 67
Steve Vai
American musician
b. 1960 · 66
Sophie Jamal
Canadian endocrinologist involved in scientific misconduct
b. 1966 · 60
Music
The number one songs on June 6
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on June 6, 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 June 6, 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 June 6, 2024
The launch of SpaceX Starship integrated flight test 4 (IFT-4)
SpaceX conducts the integrated flight test 4 (IFT-4) of its Starship vehicle.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
8 celebrated today
D-Day Invasion Anniversary
International
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War
Engineer's Day in Taiwan
International
Engineer's Day is observed in several countries on various dates of the year
Korean Children's Union Foundation Day in North Korea
International
This is a list of public holidays in North Korea
Memorial Day in South Korea
International
Memorial Day or Hyeonchungil (Korean: 현충일) is a South Korean public holiday on the sixth day of June by article 2, subparagraph 8
National Day of Sweden, marking the end of the Kalmar Union and the coronation of King Gustav Vasa
International
National Day of Sweden is the National Day of Sweden, observed annually as a public holiday on 6 June
National Huntington's Disease Awareness Day in the United States
International
Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that is usually inherited