January 16
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christianfeast day:
Pope Benjamin(Coptic), Berard of Carbio, Blaise(Armenian Apostolic), Fursey, Joseph Vaz, Honoratus of Arles, Pope Marcellus I, Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God(Coptic Church), Titian of Oderzo, Eve ofSaint Anthonyobserved with ritual bonfires inSan Bartolomé de Pinares, January 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
An annual observance on January 16 in the Christian liturgical calendar, celebrating the feast days of numerous saints across Coptic, Armenian Apostolic, and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
National Religious Freedom Day(United States)
A U.S. observance on January 16 commemorating the adoption of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.
Teacher's Day (Myanmar)
A national observance in Myanmar celebrating and honoring the contributions of teachers.
Teachers' Day (Thailand)
An annual celebration in Thailand honoring the dedication and achievements of educators on January 16.
Pope Benjamin(Coptic)
The Coptic Orthodox Church commemorates Pope Benjamin, remembered for his steadfast faith and leadership.
Berard of Carbio
A day honoring Berard of Carbio, a Franciscan friar and early missionary martyr.
Blaise(Armenian Apostolic)
The Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates Saint Blaise, renowned for healing and pastoral care.
Fursey
A feast day honoring Saint Fursey, an Irish monk known for his missionary work in East Anglia and visions.
Joseph Vaz
The Catholic Church honors Saint Joseph Vaz, known as the Apostle of Sri Lanka for his missionary zeal.
Events
Hatshepsut dies at the age of 50 and is buried in the Valley of the Kings.
At age 50, Pharaoh Hatshepsut passed away and was laid to rest in Egypt’s famed Valley of the Kings.
Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire.
In 27 BC, Gaius Octavian was proclaimed Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking his rise as the first Roman Emperor.
General Siyaj K'ak' conquers Tikal, enlarging the domain of King Spearthrower Owl of Teotihuacán.
In 378, General Siyaj K'ak' led Teotihuacán forces to conquer the Maya city of Tikal, expanding King Spearthrower Owl’s domain.
Gothic War: The Ostrogoths, under King Totila, conquer Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison.
In 550, King Totila’s Ostrogoths seized Rome by bribing its garrison after a protracted siege during the Gothic War.
Emir Abd-ar-Rahman III establishes the Caliphate of Córdoba.
In 929, Abd-ar-Rahman III declared himself Caliph of Córdoba, elevating Al-Andalus to a political and religious rival of Baghdad.
Crusades: The Council of Nablus is held, establishing the earliest surviving written laws of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.
In 1120, the Council of Nablus convened to create the first surviving laws for the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Edward I permits his mother Eleanor of Provence to expel the Jews from the towns Worcester, Marlborough, Cambridge and Gloucester.
In 1275, King Edward I authorized the expulsion of Jewish communities from several English towns, intensifying medieval anti-Jewish measures.
Saint Marcellus's flood kills at least 25,000 people on the shores of the North Sea.
The Saint Marcellus flood of 1362 unleashed powerful storm tides on the North Sea coast, claiming at least 25,000 lives.
Bigod's Rebellion, an armed insurrection attempting to resist the English Reformation, begins.
Bigod’s Rebellion erupted in 1537 as a Northumbrian uprising against Henry VIII’s religious reforms.
Births
Sheng Zong
Fifth emperor of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty, who ruled from 982 until his death in 1031.
Isaac Komnenos
Byzantine prince and son of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos, notable for his high court rank and later exile.
Edmund Crouchback
English prince and nobleman, founder of the Lancaster branch and served as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
Robert de Vere
English nobleman and favorite of King Richard II, elevated to Duke of Ireland for his loyalty.
René of Anjou
French nobleman, King of Naples, and patron of the arts, known as 'Good King René.'
Johannes Schöner
German astronomer, mathematician, and cartographer, celebrated for producing early printed globes.
Anthony Denny
English courtier and trusted confidant of King Henry VIII.
Bayinnaung
King of the Toungoo dynasty who created the largest empire in Southeast Asia during the 16th century.
Jakobea of Baden
German noblewoman who became Duchess of Jülich-Cleves-Berg through her marriage to Duke John William.
Deaths
Gao Jifu
Gao Jifu was a prominent statesman during the early Tang dynasty, serving as a trusted chancellor under Emperor Taizong and Empress Wu Zetian.
Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ali al-Madhara'i
Abu Bakr Muhammad al-Madhara'i was a leading vizier of the Tulunid state in Egypt, overseeing its finances and administration in the 10th century.
Polyeuctus of Constantinople
Polyeuctus was Patriarch of Constantinople from 956 to 970, remembered for his steadfast defense of Orthodox practices during a turbulent era.
Shinran Shonin
Shinran Shonin was the founder of Jodo Shinshu, a popular branch of Pure Land Buddhism that emphasized faith in Amida Buddha.
Buqa
Buqa was a powerful minister of the Mongol Ilkhanate who played a central role in its administration before his dramatic fall from favor.
Nikephoros Choumnos
Nikephoros Choumnos was a celebrated Byzantine scholar, monk, and statesman who championed classical learning in the Palaiologan era.
Joanna of Châtillon
Joanna of Châtillon was the Duchess of Athens who navigated the complex politics of Frankish Greece in the mid-14th century.
Humphrey de Bohun
Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, was an influential English noble and military leader during the Hundred Years' War.
Muhammed V of Granada
Muhammed V was a Nasrid emir who presided over the cultural and architectural renaissance of the Emirate of Granada in the 14th century.