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
October 25 Sunday, October 25, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on October 25 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
6
Holidays
1747
War 279 years ago
War of the Austrian Succession: A British fleet under Admiral Edward Hawke defeats the French at the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre.
Admiral Edward Hawke leads a British fleet to victory over the French in the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre during the War of the Austrian Succession.
History
What happened on October 25
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 473European history
Emperor Leo I acclaims his grandson Leo II as Caesar of the East Roman Empire.
Emperor Leo I proclaims his grandson Leo II as Caesar, naming him heir to the East Roman Empire.
- 1147War
Seljuk Turks defeat German crusaders under Conrad III at the Battle of Dorylaeum.
The Seljuk Turks defeat a German crusader army led by Conrad III at the Battle of Dorylaeum during the Second Crusade.
- 1147European history
Reconquista: After a siege of four months, crusader knights conquer Lisbon.
Crusader knights capture Lisbon after a four-month siege, marking a significant victory in the Reconquista.
- 1415European history
Hundred Years' War: Henry V of England, with his lightly armoured infantry and archers, defeats the heavily armoured French cavalry in the Battle of Agincourt.
Henry V defeats the French at the Battle of Agincourt with lightly armed English infantry and archers.
- 1616World history
Dutch sea-captain Dirk Hartog makes the second recorded landfall by a European on Australian soil, at the later-named Dirk Hartog Island off the West Australian coast.
Dirk Hartog becomes the second European to set foot on Australian soil, landing on what is now called Dirk Hartog Island.
- 1747War
War of the Austrian Succession: A British fleet under Admiral Edward Hawke defeats the French at the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre.
Admiral Edward Hawke leads a British fleet to victory over the French in the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre during the War of the Austrian Succession.
- 1760UK history
King George III succeeds to the British throne on the death of his grandfather George II.
King George III ascends to the British throne upon the death of his grandfather, George II.
- 1812War
War of 1812: The American frigate, USS United States, commanded by Stephen Decatur, captures the British frigate HMS Macedonian.
Stephen Decatur commands the USS United States in capturing the British frigate HMS Macedonian, a significant American naval victory in the War of 1812.
- 1854War
The Battle of Balaclava takes place during the Crimean War. It is soon memorialized in verse as The Charge of the Light Brigade.
The Charge of the Light Brigade is commemorated in Alfred Tennyson's poem after the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War.
- 1924UK history
The Zinoviev letter, which Zinoviev himself denied writing, is published in the Daily Mail; the Labour party would later blame this letter for the Conservatives' landslide election win four days later.
The Zinoviev letter is published in the Daily Mail, leading to a Conservative landslide victory four days later.
- 1945World history
Fifty years of Japanese administration of Taiwan formally ends when the Republic of China assumes control.
The Republic of China takes over administrative control of Taiwan from Japan.
- 2023Crime
A mass shooting occurs in two locations in Lewiston, Maine. 18 people are killed and 13 more injured.
A mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, leaves 18 dead and 13 injured.
Born today
Famous birthdays on October 25
7 this date All birthdays
Karl Olivecrona
Swedish lawyer and philosopher
Karl Olivecrona, Swedish legal philosopher and professor known for his work on Scandinavian legal realism and the psychological foundations of law, was born in 1897.
Born
1897
Died
1980
Take Ionescu
Romanian politician, diplomat, journalist and lawyer
1858 – 1922
Karl Polanyi
Austro-Hungarian economist and historian
1886 – 1964
Tyrus Wong
Chinese-American artist
1910 – 2016
Marion Ross
American actress
b. 1928 · 98
Zelmo Beaty
American basketball player and coach
1939 – 2013
Roy Lynes
English keyboardist and singer
b. 1943 · 83
Music
The number one songs on October 25
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on October 25, 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 October 25, 1989
The first leg of the 1989 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira is held at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal.
Benfica defeats Porto 2, 1 in the first leg of the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira at Estádio da Luz.
Read the story
🔬 Science October 25, 1968
Soyuz 2 is launched.
Soyuz 2 lifts off from Baikonur Cosmodrome, marking a significant mission in the Soviet space program.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
6 celebrated today
Armed Forces Day (Romania)
International
An Armed Forces Day, alongside its branch-specific variants often referred to as Army or Soldier's Day, Navy or Sailor's Day, and Air Force or Aviator's Day, is a holiday dedicated to honoring the arm
Day of the Basque Country (Basque Country)
International
A national day is a day on which celebrations mark the statehood or nationhood of a state or its people
Republic Day (Kazakhstan)
International
Republic Day, observed on October 25, is a Public holiday in Kazakhstan, celebrating the declaration of sovereignty of the Kazakh SSR from the Soviet Union
Retrocession Day and the memorial day for the Battle of Guningtou ( Taiwan)
International
Retrocession Day, officially called the Taiwan Retrocession Day and the Anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou in Taiwan and the Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration in mainland China, is a publi
Sovereignty Day (Slovenia)
International
Sovereignty Day is a public holiday in Slovenia, celebrated on 25 October
Thanksgiving Day (Grenada)
International
This is a list of holidays in Grenada