✦ DateLore

On This Day · The 85th day of the year

March 26

A look at March 26 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Bernard Katz and Larry Page, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

♈ZodiacAries ◈BirthstoneAquamarine ❀Birth flowerDaffodil
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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 1991

    Singapore Airlines Flight 117

    Singapore Airlines Flight 117 is hijacked by four Pakistani terrorists and diverted to Changi Airport.

    1991 aircraft hijacking in
  2. 1975

    Biological Weapons Convention

    The Biological Weapons Convention comes into force.

    1975 treaty that comprehensively
  3. 1917

    World War I

    World War I: First Battle of Gaza: British troops are halted after 17,000 Turks block their advance.

    1914–1918 global conflict
  4. 1913

    First Balkan War

    First Balkan War: Bulgarian forces capture Adrianople.

    1912–1913 war between the
  5. 1896

    Brunner Mine disaster

    An explosion at the Brunner Mine near Greymouth, New Zealand, kills 65 coal miners in the country's worst industrial accident.

    1896 mining accident in
  6. 1885

    Métis

    The Métis people of the District of Saskatchewan under Louis Riel begin the North-West Rebellion against Canada.

    Mixed Indigenous ethnic group
  7. 1812

    Gerrymandering

    A political cartoon in the Boston-Gazette coins the term "gerrymander" to describe oddly shaped electoral districts designed to help incumbents win reelection.

    Form of political manipulation
  8. 1484

    William Caxton

    William Caxton prints his translation of Aesop's Fables.

    English merchant and printer
  9. 1169

    Saladin

    Saladin becomes the emir of Egypt.

    Founder of the Ayyubid
  10. 590

    Maurice (emperor)

    Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire.

    Roman emperor from 582
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Famous birthday twins

Born on March 26

Bernard Katz

b. 1911

German-English biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate

Larry Page

b. 1973

American computer scientist and businessman, co-founder of Google

Sandra Day O'Connor

b. 1930

American lawyer and jurist

Emma Laine

b. 1986

Finnish tennis player

Leonard Nimoy

b. 1931

American actor

Hwang Sun-won

b. 1915

North Korean author and poet

Park Won-soon

b. 1956

South Korean lawyer and politician, 35th Mayor of Seoul

Diana Ross

b. 1944

American singer-songwriter, producer, and actress

Deaths

  • 2005James Callaghan, English lieutenant and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  • 1995Eazy-E, American rapper and producer
  • 1923Sarah Bernhardt, French actress and screenwriter
  • 1902Cecil Rhodes, English-South African colonialist, businessman and politician, 6th Prime Minister of the Cape Colony
  • 1827Ludwig van Beethoven, German pianist and composer
  • 908Emperor Ai of Tang, emperor of the Tang Dynasty

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast days: Barontius and Desiderius
  • —Christian feast days: Castulus
  • —Christian feast days: Emmanuel and companions
  • —Christian feast days: Felicitas
  • —Christian feast days: Harriet Monsell (Church of England)
  • —Christian feast days: Larissa
  • —Christian feast days: Ludger
  • —Christian feast days: Maddalena Caterina Morano

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