What are the important events that happened on January 18? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
January 18: Facts & Myths About This Day
January 18 is the 18th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 348 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Thursday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is January 5, 2024 – a Thursday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 473,760 hours has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘octadecagon’ day.
Capricorn is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Garnet is the modern birthstone for this month. Emerald is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 23 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,045 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
Do people and celebrities interest you? Discover all the January 18 famous birthdays who share your special day. Learn some fun facts about your birthday! (Sponsored link)
January 18 Historical Events
- 532 –Nika riots in Constantinople fail.
- 1126 –Emperor Huizong abdicates the Chinese throne in favour of his son Emperor Qinzong.
- 1486 –King Henry VII of England marries Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV.
- 1591 –King Naresuan of Siam kills Crown Prince Minchit Sra of Burma in single combat, for which this date is now observed marked as Royal Thai Armed Forces day.
- 1701 –Frederick I becomes King of Prussia.
- 1896 –The X-ray machine is exhibited for the first time.
- 1944 –Soviet forces liberate Leningrad, effectively ending a three year Nazi siege, known as the Siege of Leningrad.
- 1960 –Capital Airlines Flight 20 crashes into a farm in Charles City County, Virginia, killing all 50 aboard, the third fatal Capital Airlines crash in as many years.
- 1974 –A Disengagement of Forces agreement is signed between the Israeli and Egyptian governments, ending conflict on the Egyptian front of the Yom Kippur War.
- 1990 –Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry is arrested for drug possession in an FBI sting.
Who were born on January 18?
- 1641 –François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois, French war minister (d. 1691)
- 1880 –Paul Ehrenfest, Austrian physicist (d. 1933)
- 1904 –Cary Grant, English actor (d. 1986)
- 1908 –Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (d. 1972)
- 1935 –Gad Yaacobi, Israeli minister (d. 2007)
- 1941 –David Ruffin, American singer (The Temptations) (d. 1991)
- 1961 –Mark Messier, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1965 –Dave Attell, American writer and comedian
- 1969 –Dave Bautista, American professional wrestler
- 1983 –Samantha Mumba, Irish singer and actress
Who died on January 18?
- 1886 –Baldassare Verazzi, Italian painter (b. 1819)
- 1940 –Kazimierz Tetmajer, Polish writer (b. 1865)
- 1963 –Hugh Gaitskell, English politician (b. 1906)
- 1966 –Kathleen Norris, American writer (b. 1880)
- 1967 –Goose Tatum, American basketball player (b. 1921)
- 1971 –Virgil Finlay, American horror illustrator (b. 1914)
- 1978 –Hasan Askari, Pakistani philosopher and writer (b. 1919)
- 1978 –Walter H. Thompson, English Scotland Yard detective (b. 1890)
- 1995 –Adolf Butenandt, German chemist, Nobel laureate (b. 1903)
- 1997 –Paul Tsongas, American politician (b. 1941)
Holy Toledo! Did you know that coffee and word games are an excellent combination to sharpen your vocabulary? Let’s give it a quick spin. Within 30 seconds, how many words can you think of from these letters NREPOXAPAEJJH? Check your answers here: Word search NREPOXAPAEJJH. (Sponsored by WordFinder.Cafe)