Jean-François Champollion
b. 1790
French philologist, orientalist, and scholar
On This Day · The 357th day of the year
December 23
December 23 carries 10 recorded events spanning between 583 and 1984. Maya queen Yohl Ik'nal is crowned ruler of Palenque.
Compiled & reviewed by Roman Tailor · Last reviewed July 13, 2026
What happened on December 23?
December 23 is the 357th day of the year. It marks 10 notable events in history, dated between 583 and 1984. Famous people born on December 23 include Jean-François Champollion, Chet Baker and Helmut Schmidt.
The shape of the day
Few dates reach as far back as December 23: its recorded history runs unusually deep, stretching to 583. Its center of gravity is the 20th century, and politics and nation-building recur.
Capricorn is the sign for December 23 — read more on the Capricorn page, or see December's birthstone & birth flower.
Events
10 notable moments- 583
Yohl Ikʼnal
Maya queen Yohl Ik'nal is crowned ruler of Palenque.
- 1783
George Washington
George Washington resigns as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Maryland.
- 1914
World War I
World War I: Australian and New Zealand troops arrive in Cairo, Egypt.
- 1919
Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919
Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 becomes law in the United Kingdom, allowing women to serve as lawyers, civil servants, and in other professions, as well as to serve on juries.
- 1936
Colombia
Colombia becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.
- 1941
World War II
World War II: After 15 days of fighting, the Imperial Japanese Army occupies Wake Island.
- 1947
Transistor
The transistor is first demonstrated at Bell Laboratories.
- 1948
Japan
Seven Japanese military and political leaders convicted of war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East are executed by Allied occupation authorities at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo, Japan.
- 1970
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo officially becomes a one-party state.
- 1984
Aeroflot Flight 3519
After experiencing an engine fire, Aeroflot Flight 3519 attempts to make an emergency landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport but crashes, killing 110 of the 111 people on board.
Famous birthday twins
Born on December 23Chet Baker
b. 1929
American jazz trumpet player, flugelhorn player, and singer
Helmut Schmidt
b. 1918
German soldier, economist, and politician, 5th Chancellor of Germany
Emperor Zhenzong
b. 968
of Song, emperor of the Song dynasty
Anna J. Harrison
b. 1912
American organic chemist and academic
Tianqi Emperor
b. 1605
Chinese emperor
Alexander I of Russia
b. 1777
Emperor of Russia from 1801 to 1825
Dost Mohammad Khan
b. 1793
emir of Afghanistan
Deaths
- 2024Shyam Benegal
- 2024Dési Bouterse
- 1961Kurt Meyer
- 1834Thomas Robert Malthus
- 1638Barbara Longhi
Holidays & observances
- —Birthday of the Queen Silvia, an official flag flying day (Sweden)
- —Children's Day (South Sudan and Sudan)
- —Christian Feast Day: Abassad (Coptic Church)
- —Christian Feast Day: Behnam, Sarah, and the Forty Martyrs (Coptic Church)
- —Christian Feast Day: Dagobert II
- —Christian Feast Day: John Cantius
- —Christian Feast Day: O Emmanuel
- —Christian Feast Day: Psote (Coptic Church)
Historical facts, event summaries, and biographical lines above are adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. DateLore adds curation, structure, and original editorial commentary. DateLore is not affiliated with the Wikimedia Foundation.
Born on this day?
Make your birthday card.
Drop in your birth year and we'll work out your exact age, the day of the week you were born, your Chinese zodiac, your generation, and the countdown to your next candle.
Please pick a valid date in the past.
—
Years old
—
Days lived
—
Day you were born