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26th April

All events from this date in history

12
Events
8
Birthdays
5
Deaths

The Chernobyl disaster occurs in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

On 26 April 1986, reactor 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, located near Pripyat, Ukraine, exploded. With dozens of direct casualties and thousands of health complications stemming from the…

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World War I: Italy secretly signs the Treaty of London pledging to join the Allied Powers.

World War I, or the First World War, also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Central Powers. Major areas of conflict included Europe and the…

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Battle of Beaumont during the Flanders Campaign of the War of the First Coalition.

The Battle of Beaumont-en-Cambrésis 26 April 1794 was an action forming part of a multi-pronged attempt to relieve the besieged fortress of Landrecies, during the Flanders Campaign of the French…

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World War II: Battle of Bautzen: Last successful German tank-offensive of the war and last noteworthy victory of the Wehrmacht.

The Battle of Bautzen was one of the last battles of the Eastern Front during World War II in Europe. It was fought on the extreme southern flank of the Spremberg-Torgau Offensive, seeing days of…

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Paul von Hindenburg defeats Wilhelm Marx in the second round of the German presidential election to become the first directly elected head of state of the Weimar Republic.

Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg was a German military officer and statesman who led the Imperial German Army during World War I and later became President of Germany from…

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South Africa begins its first multiracial election, which is won by Nelson Mandela's African National Congress.

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. Its nine provinces are bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres of coastline that stretches along…

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Following weeks of bombardment, the city of Tripoli falls to the Mamluks under Qalawun. The Mamluks massacre all men they find and enslave the women and children.

The Fall of Tripoli was the capture and destruction of the Crusader state of the County of Tripoli by the Mamluk Sultanate based in Cairo. The battle occurred in 1289 and was an important event in…

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SS Ideal X, the world's first successful container ship, leaves Port Newark, New Jersey, for Houston, Texas.

SS Ideal X, a converted World War II T-2 oil tanker, was the first commercially successful container ship.

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In Libya, amendments to the constitution transform Libya (United Kingdom of Libya) into one national unity (Kingdom of Libya) and allow for female participation in elections.

Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad to the south,…

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World War II:  Heinrich Kreipe is captured by Allied commandos in occupied Crete.

World War II, or the Second World War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated. Tanks and aircraft played major…

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First Barbary War: United States Marines capture Derne under the command of First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon.

The First Barbary War (1801–1805), also known as the Tripolitan War and the Barbary Coast War, was a conflict during the 1801–1815 Barbary Wars, in which the United States fought against Ottoman…

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Michael R. Harrison served as division chief in pediatric surgery at the Children's Hospital at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) for over 20 years, where he established the first…

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Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
1910Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer who received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature "as a tribute to his noble, magnificent and versatile poetry, which has…

Phoebe Snow
2011Phoebe Snow

Phoebe Snow was an American roots music singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for her hit 1974 and 1975 songs "Poetry Man" and "Harpo's Blues", and her credited guest vocals on…

893Chen Jingxuan

Chen Jingxuan (陳敬瑄) was a general of the Tang dynasty of China, who came to control Xichuan Circuit (西川), headquartered in modern Chengdu, Sichuan by virtue of his being an older…

Carmine Coppola
1991Carmine Coppola

Carmine Valentino Coppola was an American composer, flutist, pianist, and songwriter who contributed original music to the films The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Apocalypse…

John Somers, 1st Baron Somers
1716John Somers, 1st Baron Somers

John Somers, 1st Baron Somers, was an English jurist and Whig statesman. Somers first came to national attention in the trial of the Seven Bishops where he was on their defence…

Gian Paolo Lomazzo
1538
Gian Paolo Lomazzo
Gian Paolo Lomazzo was an Italian artist and writer on art. Praised as a painter, Lomazzo wrote about artistic practice and art theory after…
Paul-Émile Léger
1904
Paul-Émile Léger
Paul-Émile Léger was a Canadian Catholic prelate, educator, missionary, and humanitarian. A member of the Society of Saint-Sulpice, he served as…
Gary Wright
1943
Gary Wright
Gary Malcolm Wright was an American musician and composer best known for his 1976 hit songs "Dream Weaver" and "Love Is Alive". Wright's breakthrough…
Carol Burnett
1933
Carol Burnett
Carol Creighton Burnett is an American comedian, actress, singer and writer. Burnett has played dramatic and comedic roles on stage and screen. She…
John Isner
1985
John Isner
John Robert Isner is an American former professional tennis player. He was ranked as high as world No. 8 in singles and No. 14 in doubles by the…
Joan Chen
1961
Joan Chen
Joan Chen is a Chinese-born American actress and film director. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including four Taipei Golden Horse Awards…
Giancarlo Esposito
1958
Giancarlo Esposito
Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito is an American actor and director. He rose to prominence for his portrayal of Gus Fring in the AMC crime drama…
Michael Smith (chemist)
1932
Michael Smith (chemist)
Michael Smith was a British-Canadian biochemist and businessman. He shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Kary Mullis for his work in…
26th April in History — The Chernobyl disaster occurs in the Ukrainian Soviet S