April 02
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Abundius of Como, Amphianus of Lycia, Æbbe the Younger, Bronach of Glen-Seichis(Irish martyrology), Francis of Paola, Francisco Coll Guitart, Henry Budd(Anglican Church of Canada), Nicetius of Lyon, Pedro Calungsod, Theodosia of Tyre, Urban of Langres, April 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
A day in the Christian calendar honoring a diverse group of saints and martyrs commemorated on April 2.
International Children's Book Day(International)
A global celebration promoting children's literature and the joy of reading on Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday.
Thai Heritage Conservation Day(Thailand)
An annual Thai observance dedicated to preserving and celebrating the nation's cultural heritage.
Unity of Peoples of Russia and Belarus Day(Belarus)
A Belarusian public holiday celebrating the close ties between the peoples of Russia and Belarus.
World Autism Awareness Day(International)
A global day to raise awareness, understanding, and acceptance of people on the autism spectrum.
Malvinas Day(Argentina)
An Argentine public holiday honoring veterans and fallen soldiers of the 1982 Falklands War.
Abundius of Como
Feast day of Saint Abundius of Como, a 5th-century bishop revered for his leadership in the early Church.
Amphianus of Lycia
Feast day of Saint Amphianus of Lycia, an early Christian martyr celebrated in Eastern traditions.
Æbbe the Younger
Feast day of Saint Æbbe the Younger, a 7th-century Northumbrian abbess known for her piety and leadership.
Events
Having spotted land on March 27, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León comes ashore on what is now the U.S. state of Florida, landing somewhere between the modern city of St. Augustine and the mouth of the St. Johns River.
Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León makes the first recorded European landing in Florida, marking Spain's claim to the region.
J. S. Bach's cantata Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, BWV 6, is first performed in Leipzig on Easter Monday.
J. S. Bach's cantata 'Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden' (BWV 6) premieres on Easter Monday in Leipzig.
Commodore William James captures the Maratha fortress of Suvarnadurg on the west coast of India.
British Commodore William James captures the Maratha fortress of Suvarnadurg on India's west coast, asserting British naval power.
The Coinage Act is passed by Congress, establishing the United States Mint.
The United States Congress enacts the Coinage Act to establish the U.S. Mint and standardize the national currency.
Ludwig van Beethoven leads the premiere of his First Symphony in Vienna.
Ludwig van Beethoven conducts the premiere of his First Symphony in Vienna, marking his emergence as a symphonic composer.
French Revolutionary Wars: In the Battle of Copenhagen a British Royal Navy squadron defeats a hastily assembled, smaller, mostly-volunteer Dano-Norwegian Navy at high cost, forcing Denmark out of the Second League of Armed Neutrality.
In the Battle of Copenhagen, the British Royal Navy defeats the Dano-Norwegian fleet, breaking the Second League of Armed Neutrality.
American Civil War: The largest in a series of Southern bread riots occurs in Richmond, Virginia.
The largest Southern bread riot erupts in Richmond, Virginia, as residents protest severe food shortages during the American Civil War.
American Civil War: Defeat at the Third Battle of Petersburg forces the Army of Northern Virginia and the Confederate government to abandon Richmond, Virginia.
Union breakthrough at the Third Battle of Petersburg forces the evacuation and fall of Richmond, signaling the imminent end of the Civil War.
Canadian Cree warriors attack the village of Frog Lake, killing nine.
Cree warriors attack the settlement of Frog Lake in Alberta, killing nine and escalating the North-West Rebellion of 1885.
Births
Emperor Xian of Han
The last emperor of China's Han dynasty, whose reign saw the dynasty's collapse and the rise of warlord rule.
Charlemagne
King of the Franks who united much of Western Europe and was crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor.
John Corvinus
Illegitimate son of King Matthias Corvinus who served as a Hungarian prince and military commander.
French princess who became Queen of Spain and was admired for her grace and cultural patronage.
Cornelis de Houtman
Dutch navigator who pioneered the sea route from Europe to Indonesia, launching Dutch trade in the East Indies.
Pietro Della Valle
Italian nobleman and explorer whose detailed travel writings captured the cultures of the Middle East and South Asia.
Mary of Jesus of Ágreda
Spanish Franciscan abbess and mystic writer known for her visionary works and letters.
Francesco Maria Grimaldi
Italian scientist who discovered the diffraction of light and contributed to early studies in geometry and acoustics.
Maria Sibylla Merian
Pioneering naturalist and artist who documented insect metamorphosis and tropical biodiversity.
Deaths
Second Imam of Shia Islam and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, revered for his piety and leadership.
Æbbe the Younger
9th-century Frankish abbess known for her leadership of a monastic community.
Muflih al-Turki
8th-century Abbasid general of Turkic origin who commanded caliphal armies.
Yuan Dezhao
10th-century Chinese chancellor who served during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
Bardas Skleros
10th-century Byzantine general who led a major revolt against the imperial government.
Baldwin I
First King of Jerusalem and a key leader of the Crusader states after the First Crusade.
Henrik Harpestræng
13th-century Danish author known for writing influential botanical and medical texts.
Richard
Younger brother of King Henry III who became 1st Earl of Cornwall and was elected King of the Romans.
King of Bohemia and Duke of Carinthia during the early 14th century.