April 18
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Apollonius the Apologist, Corebus, Cyril VI of Constantinople(Eastern Orthodox Church), Eleutherius and Antia, Galdino della Sala, Molaise of Leighlin, Perfectus, April 18 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
A day in the Eastern Orthodox Church commemorating several saints, including Apollonius the Apologist, Corebus, and Cyril VI of Constantinople.
Army Day(Iran)
A national observance in Iran honoring the establishment and achievements of the Iranian Army.
Coma Patients' Day(Poland)
A day in Poland dedicated to raising awareness and support for coma patients and their families.
Friend's Day(Brazil)
A Brazilian celebration of friendship, encouraging people to honor their friends with messages and gatherings.
Independence Day(Zimbabwe)
Zimbabwe’s national holiday commemorating its independence from British colonial rule in 1980.
International Day For Monuments and Sites
Also known as World Heritage Day, this international observance promotes the protection of cultural heritage sites around the world.
Invention Day(Japan)
A Japanese observance promoting innovation and the spirit of invention.
Victory over the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of the Ice(Russia;Julian Calendar)
Commemorates Alexander Nevsky’s 1242 victory over the Teutonic Knights on Lake Peipus.
World Amateur Radio Day
An annual global celebration of amateur radio’s contributions to communication and emergency response.
Events
King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The patrician Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days.
King Æthelred I of Northumbria was murdered in Corbridge by his own nobles, leading to the brief reign and abdication of Osbald.
Peace of Ferrara between Republic of Venice, Duchy of Milan, Republic of Florence and House of Gonzaga: ending of the second campaign of the Wars in Lombardy fought until the Treaty of Lodi in 1454, which will then guarantee the conditions for the development of the Italian Renaissance.
The 1428 Peace of Ferrara ended the second campaign of the Wars in Lombardy, paving the way for the later Treaty of Lodi.
The cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica is laid.
In 1506, the cornerstone of the current St. Peter's Basilica was laid in Vatican City, marking the beginning of a landmark Renaissance project.
Bona Sforza is crowned as queen consort of Poland.
Bona Sforza was crowned Queen Consort of Poland on April 18, 1518, strengthening ties between Poland and Italy.
Trial of Martin Luther begins its second day during the assembly of the Diet of Worms. He refuses to recant his teachings despite the risk of excommunication.
Martin Luther continued to stand firm on April 18, 1521, at the Diet of Worms, refusing to recant his teachings.
Bostonians rise up in rebellion against Sir Edmund Andros.
In 1689, residents of Boston rose against Sir Edmund Andros in a colonial revolt that deposed the unpopular governor.
Real Academia de la Historia ("Royal Academy of History") is founded in Madrid.
The Royal Academy of History (Real Academia de la Historia) was founded in Madrid in 1738 to study and preserve Spanish history.
American Revolution: The British Army advances up the Charles River in Massachusetts to destroy supplies of American militias, while Paul Revere and other riders rapidly warn the countryside.
During the American Revolution on April 18, 1775, British troops moved to seize colonial arms, while Paul Revere warned militias of their approach.
Three-Fifths Compromise: The first instance of black slaves in the United States of America being counted as three-fifths of persons (for the purpose of taxation), in a resolution of the Congress of the Confederation. This was later adopted in the 1787 Constitution.
On April 18, 1783, the Congress of the Confederation adopted the Three-Fifths Compromise, counting enslaved individuals as three-fifths for taxation purposes.
Births
Gratian
Roman emperor who co-ruled the Western Roman Empire from 367 to 383 AD, known for rejecting traditional religious titles and leading campaigns against Germanic tribes.
K'an II
Maya king of Calakmul who reigned for over three decades and expanded his city's influence during the Classic period.
Al-Wathiq
Abbasid caliph from 842 to 847, noted for his patronage of scientists and poets and his continuation of the Islamic inquisition (mihna).
Ippolita Maria Sforza
Italian noblewoman and Renaissance patron, daughter of the Sforza dynasty, remembered for her letters and support of humanist scholars.
Lucrezia Borgia
Daughter of Pope Alexander VI, noted Renaissance noblewoman, political diplomat, and patron of the arts, often remembered for her complex legacy.
King of Navarre from 1517 until 1555, who defended his realm's independence and engaged with emerging Reformation ideas.
William Harrison
English clergyman and chronicler best known for his 'Description of England', a pioneering survey of Elizabethan society published in 1577.
Thomas Middleton
Prolific English Jacobean playwright and poet, celebrated for dark comedies and tragedies such as 'The Changeling' and 'Women Beware Women'.
Ahmed I
Ottoman sultan from 1603 to 1617 who began construction of the iconic Blue Mosque and sought peace with Persia and the Habsburgs.
Deaths
Agallianos Kontoskeles
Byzantine military commander who led a notable revolt against imperial authority in the early 8th century.
Perfectus
Spanish monk who was martyred for his faith in the 9th century.
Dionysius II
Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch in the early 10th century.
Fujiwara no Atsutada
Heian-period Japanese court noble and waka poet, active in the early 10th century.
Stephen Lekapenos
Byzantine prince who served as co-emperor alongside his father in the 10th century.
Theobald of Bec
Norman-born Archbishop of Canterbury who shaped the English church in the 12th century.
Galdino della Sala
Italian archdeacon of Milan who was later canonized as a saint.
John III
German nobleman who ruled Nassau-Siegen in the early 15th century.
John Leland
English poet and antiquarian celebrated for his pioneering surveys of England and Wales.