January 21
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Babinden(Bulgaria,Serbia)
Babinden is a centuries-old festival in Bulgaria and Serbia that honors midwives and new mothers. It features music, flowers, and playful rituals to celebrate childbirth and women's health.
Christianfeast day:
Agnes, Demiana(Coptic Church), Fructuosus, John Yi Yun-il(one of TheKorean Martyrs), Meinrad of Einsiedeln, January 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
January 21 is the feast day for several Christian saints across Western, Eastern Orthodox, and Coptic traditions.
Errol Barrow Day(Barbados)
Errol Barrow Day is a national holiday in Barbados commemorating the birthday of the nation's first Prime Minister.
Flag Day (Quebec)
Flag Day in Quebec commemorates the first official raising of the Fleurdelisé, the provincial flag, in 1948.
Grandmother's Day(Poland)
Grandmother’s Day in Poland is a special occasion honoring grandmothers and their role in families.
Lady of Altagracia Day(Dominican Republic)
Lady of Altagracia Day is a national holiday in the Dominican Republic celebrating the patroness of the nation.
Lincoln Alexander Day(Canada)
Lincoln Alexander Day is an annual provincial holiday in Ontario honoring the achievements of the first Black Member of Parliament and Lieutenant Governor.
National Hugging Day(United States)
National Hugging Day is an informal holiday promoting the warmth and health benefits of hugging.
Agnes
Saint Agnes's feast day on January 21 honors the young Roman martyr celebrated in Western Christian traditions.
Events
Following the Battle of Bakhamra between Alids and Abbasids near Kufa, the Alid rebellion ends with the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa.
In 763, the Alid rebellion against the Abbasid Caliphate comes to an end after the Battle of Bakhamra near Kufa, marked by the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa.
The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded when Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, George Blaurock, and about a dozen others baptize each other in the home of Manz's mother in Zürich, breaking a thousand-year tradition of church-state union.
In 1525, Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, and fellow reformers perform the first adult baptisms in Zürich, founding the Swiss Anabaptist Movement and challenging church-state unity.
Following the Affair of the Placards, the French king leads an anti-Protestant procession through Paris.
In 1535, King Francis I of France leads an anti-Protestant procession in Paris in response to the Affair of the Placards, intensifying the crackdown on reformers.
Sweden and Prussia sign the Treaty of Stockholm.
On January 21, 1720, Sweden and Prussia sign the Treaty of Stockholm, concluding their hostilities and reshaping Northern European alliances after the Great Northern War.
The Teatro Filarmonico in Verona is destroyed by fire, as a result of a torch being left behind in the box of a nobleman after a performance. It is rebuilt in 1754.
On January 21, 1749, a torch left in a nobleman’s box ignites the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona, reducing the famed opera house to ashes; it is rebuilt five years later.
Abdul Hamid I becomes Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and Caliph of Islam.
On January 21, 1774, Abdul Hamid I ascends to the Ottoman throne and is proclaimed Sultan and Caliph, steering the empire through post-war recovery and reforms.
The first American novel, The Power of Sympathy or the Triumph of Nature Founded in Truth by William Hill Brown, is printed in Boston.
In 1789, William Hill Brown’s The Power of Sympathy is published in Boston as the first American novel, pioneering a new era of national literature.
After being found guilty of treason by the French National Convention, Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine.
On January 21, 1793, King Louis XVI of France is executed by guillotine after a treason conviction, signaling the radical phase of the French Revolution.
The Ashantis defeat British forces in the Gold Coast during the First Anglo-Ashanti War.
On January 21, 1824, Ashanti warriors secure a major victory over British forces in the Gold Coast, marking the outset of the First Anglo-Ashanti War.
Births
Alexander
Heir to the Scottish throne in the 13th century, son of King Alexander III.
Galeazzo I Visconti
Medieval ruler who established the Visconti dynasty's control over Milan.
King of France from 1364 to 1380, known as Charles the Wise.
Giovanni Poggio
Italian cardinal and papal diplomat active during the Renaissance.
Matsudaira Tadamasa
Japanese daimyō and samurai leader during the early Edo period.
Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz
Dutch nobleman and military leader who governed Nassau-Dietz.
Melchiorre Cafà
Maltese Baroque sculptor known for his dynamic religious works.
Antonio Molinari
Italian Baroque painter celebrated for his vivid Venetian landscapes and religious scenes.
Adriaen van der Werff
Renowned Dutch Baroque painter famous for his refined allegorical and historical scenes.
Deaths
Yazdegerd I
Yazdegerd I was the eleventh king of the Sassanid Empire, ruling from AD 399 to 420. He is remembered for his diplomatic efforts and relative tolerance toward religious minorities.
Epiphanius of Pavia
5th-century Italian bishop and saint who led the church in Pavia with devotion and charity.
Erchanger
Early 10th-century Duke of Swabia who navigated the volatile politics of medieval Germany.
Liu Zhijun
10th-century Chinese general renowned for his strategic acumen during the Five Dynasties era.
Yang Pu
Last emperor of the Wu kingdom during China’s Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
An Chongrong
10th-century Chinese general and military governor in the Five Dynasties period.
Yang Tan
10th-century Chinese general and governor who defended and administered frontier territories.
22nd pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1099 to 1118 during the Investiture Controversy.
Agnes II
12th-century imperial abbess who led Quedlinburg Abbey with spiritual and temporal authority.