What happened on April 21? There are more than 233 events that were made this day in history. Here are the important historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
Interesting Facts & Myths About April 21
April 21 is the 112th day of the year 2024. There are 254 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Sunday. This day falls under the 16th week of the year 2024.
On this day in Eldridge, Alabama 35554 sunrise will occur at 06:10 AM and sunset will occur at 07:28 PM (local time).
The zodiac sign of a person born on this day is Taurus. The modern birthstone for this month is Diamond while the mystical birthstone is Opal.
According to the Chinese calendar, there are 283 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year (January 29, 2025).
Is your birthday coming up in two days? Are you not curious to find out who is sharing your special day? Discover all the April 22 famous birthdays. There are fun facts about that day that you must know. (Sponsored link)
Historical Events For April 21
- 43 BCBattle of Mutina: Mark Antony is again defeated in battle by Aulus Hirtius, who is killed. Antony fails to capture Mutina and Decimus Brutus is murdered shortly after.
- 753 BCRomulus and Remus founded Rome (traditional date).
- 900The Laguna Copperplate Inscription: the Honourable Namwaran and his children, Lady Angkatan and Bukah, are granted pardon from all their debts by the Commander and Chief of Tundun, as represented by the Honourable Jayadewa, Lord Minister of Pailah. Luzon, Philippines.
- 1509Henry VIII ascends the throne of England on the death of his father, Henry VII.
- 1519Hernán Cortés lands in Veracruz, Veracruz
- 1792Tiradentes, a revolutionary leading a movement for Brazil’s independence, is hanged, drawn and quartered.
- 1809Two Austrian army corps are driven from Landshut by a First French Empire army led by Napoleon I of France as two French corps to the north hold off the main Austrian army on the first day of the Battle of Eckmühl.
- 1836Texas Revolution: The Battle of San Jacinto – Republic of Texas forces under Sam Houston defeat troops under Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
- 1863Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, declares his mission as “He whom God shall make manifest”.
- 1894Norway formally adopts the Krag-Jørgensen rifle as the main arm of its armed forces, a weapon that would remain in service for almost 50 years.
- 1918World War I: German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, known as “The Red Baron”, is shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme in France.
- 1922The first Aggie Muster is held as a remembrance for fellow Texas A&M graduates who had died in the previous year.
- 1934The “Surgeon’s Photograph”, the most famous photo allegedly showing the Loch Ness Monster, is published in the Daily Mail (in 1999, it is revealed to be a hoax).
- 1941Emmanouil Tsouderos becomes the 132nd Prime Minister of Greece.
- 1942World War II: The most famous (and first international) Aggie Muster is held on the Philippine island of Corregidor, by Brigadier General George F. Moore (with 25 fellow Texas A&M graduates who are under his command), while 1.8 million pounds of shells pounded the island over a 5 hour attack.
- 1945World War II: Soviet Union forces south of Berlin at Zossen attack the German High Command headquarters.
- 1952Secretary‘s Day (now Administrative Professionals’Day) is first celebrated.
- 1960Brasília, Brazil’s capital, is officially inaugurated. At 9:30 am the Three Powers of the Republic are simultaneously transferred from the old capital, Rio de Janeiro.
- 1960Founding of the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith in Washington, D.C.
- 1962The Seattle World’s Fair (Century 21 Exposition) opens. It is the first World’s Fair in the United States since World War II.
- 1963The Universal House of Justice of the Bahá'í Faith is elected for the first time.
- 1964A Transit-5bn satellite fails to reach orbit after launch; as it re-enters the atmosphere, 2.1 lb of radioactive plutonium in its SNAP RTG power source is widely dispersed.
- 1965The 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair opens for its second and final season.
- 1966Rastafari movement: Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Jamaica, an event now celebrated as Grounation Day.
- 1967Greek military junta of 1967–1974: A few days before the general election in Greece, Colonel George Papadopoulos leads a coup d'état, establishing a military regime that lasts for seven years.
- 1970The Hutt River Province Principality secedes from Australia.
- 1975Vietnam War: President of South Vietnam Nguyen Van Thieu flees Saigon, as Xuan Loc, the last South Vietnamese outpost blocking a direct North Vietnamese assault on Saigon, falls.
- 1982Baseball: Rollie Fingers of the Milwaukee Brewers becomes the first pitcher to record 300 saves.
- 1987The Tamil Tigers are blamed for a car bomb that explodes in the Sri Lankan city of Colombo, killing 106 people.
- 1989Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989: In Beijing, around 100,000 students gather in Tiananmen Square to commemorate Chinese reform leader Hu Yaobang.
- 1993The Supreme Court in La Paz, Bolivia, sentences former dictator Luis Garcia Meza to 30 years in jail without parole for murder, theft, fraud and violating the constitution.
- 1994The first discoveries of extrasolar planets are announced by astronomer Alexander Wolszczan.
- 2004Five suicide car bombers target police stations in and around Basra, killing 74 people and wounding 160.
Who Were Born On April 21?
- 1555Ludovico Carracci, Italian painter (d. 1619)
- 1651Blessed Joseph Vaz, Apostle of Ceylon (d. 1711)
- 1652Michel Rolle, French mathematician (d. 1719)
- 1671John Law, Scottish economist (d. 1729)
- 1673Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick, Holy Roman Empire Empress (d. 1742)
- 1713Louis, 4th duc de Noailles, Marshal of France (d. 1793)
- 1729Catherine II of Russia, known as ‘Catherine the Great’(d. 1796)
- 1767Elisabeth of Württemberg, Archduchess of Austria (d. 1790)
- 1774Jean-Baptiste Biot, French physicist (d. 1862)
- 1775Alexander Anderson, American illustrator (d. 1870)
- 1810John Putnam Chapin, American politician (d. 1864)
- 1811Alson Sherman, American politician (d. 1903)
- 1814Angela Georgina Burdett-Coutts, English philanthropist (d. 1906)
- 1816Charlotte Brontë, English author (d. 1855)
- 1837Fredrik Bajer, Danish politician, Nobel laureate (d. 1922)
- 1838John Muir, Scottish-born American environmentalist (d. 1914)
- 1851Charles Barrois, French geologist (d. 1939)
- 1854William Stang, Roman Catholic Bishop (d. 1907)
- 1864Max Weber, German economist and sociologist (d. 1920)
- 1870Edwin S. Porter, American film pioneer (d. 1941)
- 1879Raden Ayu Kartini, Indonesian national figure (d. 1904)
- 1882Percy Williams Bridgman, American physicist, Nobel laureate (d. 1961)
- 1887Joe McCarthy, American baseball manager (d. 1978)
- 1889Paul Karrer, Swiss chemist, Nobel laureate (d. 1971)
- 1898Maurice Wilson, Everest climber, Yorkshire hero (d. 1934)
- 1904Odilo Globocnik, Austrian Nazi (d. 1945)
- 1905Edmund G. “Pat” Brown, Governor of California (d. 1996)
- 1906Stephen Tennant, English socialite (d. 1987)
- 1907Wade Mainer, American singer and banjoist
- 1911Ivan Combe, American inventor (d. 2000)
- 1911Leonard Warren, American opera baritone (d. 1960)
- 1912Marcel Camus, French film director (d. 1982)
- 1914Angelo Savoldi, Italian-American wrestler
- 1914Norman Panama, American screenwriter (d. 2003)
- 1915Anthony Quinn, Mexican-born American actor (d. 2001)
- 1915Garrett Hardin, American ecologist (d. 2003)
- 1918Eddy Christiani, Dutch singer and guitarist
- 1919Don Cornell, American singer (d. 2004)
- 1920Edmund Adamkiewicz, German footballer (d. 1991)
- 1920Ronald Magill, British actor (d. 2007)
- 1923John Mortimer, English barrister and writer (d. 2009)
- 1924Ira Louvin, Country music singer, songwriter, and musician (d. 1965)
- 1925Sir Anthony Mason, former Chief Justice of Australia
- 1926Arthur Rowley, English footballer (d. 2002)
- 1926Elizabeth II, Queen of the Commonwealth realms
- 1927Gerald Flood, British actor (d. 1989)
- 1930Silvana Mangano, Italian actress (d. 1989)
- 1932Elaine May, American comedian
- 1935Charles Grodin, American actor
- 1935Thomas Kean, American politician
- 1936James Dobson, American evangelist
- 1939Helen Prejean, American author and activist
- 1944Adrian Hurley, Australian basketball coach
- 1945Diana Darvey, British actress, singer and dancer (d. 2000)
- 1945Ronnie Tober, Dutch singer
- 1947Barbara Park, American author of children’s books
- 1947Iggy Pop, American musician (The Stooges)
- 1947John Weider, British rock musician (Eric Burdon and the Animals, Family)
- 1948Gary Condit, American politician
- 1948Paul Davis, American singer (d. 2008)
- 1949Patti LuPone, American singer and actress
- 1951Bob Varsha, American motor sports TV commentator
- 1951Michael Hartley Freedman, American mathematician
- 1951Steve Vickers, Canadian hockey player
- 1951Tony Danza, American actor and comedian
- 1954Ebiet G. Ade, Indonesian singer
- 1954James Morrison, American actor
- 1956Phillip Longman, American demographer
- 1957Edward Leslie, American professional wrestler
- 1958Andie MacDowell, American actress
- 1958Michael Zarnock, American author and columnist
- 1958Yoshito Usui, Japanese manga artist
- 1959Arno Pijpers, Dutch football coach
- 1959Jerry Only, American musician (The Misfits)
- 1959Michael Timmins, Canadian musician (Cowboy Junkies)
- 1959Robert Smith, British musician (The Cure)
- 1959Tim Jacobus, American artist (Goosebumps)
- 1960Michel Goulet, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1961Ronald Florijn, Dutch rower (Olympic gold medallist)
- 1962Les Lancaster, American baseball player
- 1963John Cameron Mitchell, American film director
- 1963Ken Caminiti, American baseball player (d. 2004)
- 1963Roy Dupuis, Canadian actor
- 1964Alex Baumann, Canadian swimmer
- 1964Ludmila Engquist, Russian-born Swedish athlete
- 1965Ed Belfour, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1965Fiona Kelleghan, American academic and critic
- 1965Gary Grant, American basketball player
- 1965Karen Foster, American model (Playboy)
- 1966Michael Franti, American musician
- 1968Peter van Vossen, Dutch footballer and football coach
- 1969Robin Meade, American news anchor
- 1969Toby Stephens, British actor
- 1970Glen Hansard, Irish songwriter and actor
- 1970Jeff Anderson, American actor
- 1970Nicole Sullivan, American actress
- 1970Rob Riggle, American comedian
- 1971Alexander Kravchenko, Russian poker player
- 1971Eric Mabius, American actor
- 1971Michael Turner, American comic book artist (d. 2008)
- 1972Gwendal Peizerat, French ice dancer
- 1972Severina Vučković, Croatian singer
- 1973Jonathan Nsenga, Belgian athlete
- 1975Brian J. White, American actor
- 1975Charlie O'Connell, American actor
- 1975Tha Trademarc, American hip hop artist
- 1976Rommel Adducul, Filipino basketball player
- 1976Ronald Vink, Dutch wheelchair tennis player
- 1977Doseone, American rapper
- 1977Jamie Salé, Canadian figure skater
- 1978Branden Steineckert, American drummer (Rancid, The Used)
- 1978Jacob Burns, Australian footballer
- 1978Jukka Nevalainen, Finnish drummer (Nightwish)
- 1979James McAvoy, Scottish actor
- 1979Tobias Linderoth, Swedish footballer
- 1980Jeff Keppinger, American baseball player
- 1980Martin Rosete, Spanish film director and publicist
- 1980Tony Romo, American football player
- 1980Vincent Lecavalier, Canadian hockey player
- 1981Kim Lammers, Dutch field hockey player
- 1981Mads Junker, Danish footballer
- 1981Stephanie Larimore, American model
- 1982Carnell Williams, American football player
- 1983Marco Donadel, Italian footballer
- 1983Paweł Brożek, Polish footballer
- 1983Tarvaris Jackson, American football player
- 1984Shayna Fox, American voice actress
- 1986Alexander Edler, Swedish hockey player
- 1986Audra Cohen, American tennis player
- 1986Mirko Valdifiori, Italian footballer
- 1986Rodney Stuckey, American basketball player
- 1987Eric Devendorf, American basketball player
- 1987Leroy George, Dutch footballer
- 1987Nadif Chowdhury, Bangladeshi cricketer
- 1988Pedro Mosquera Parada, Spanish footballer
- 1988Robbie Amell, Canadian actor
- 1989Carlos Muñoz, Chilean footballer
- 2007Princess Isabella of Denmark
Who Died On April 21?
- 866Bardas, Byzantine noble and minister (b. unknown)
- 1073Pope Alexander II
- 1109Anselm of Canterbury, Archbishop of Canterbury (b. 1033)
- 1142Pierre Abélard, French writer (b. 1079)
- 1329Frederick IV, Duke of Lorraine (b. 1282)
- 1509King Henry VII of England (b. 1457)
- 1551Oda Nobuhide, Japanese warlord (b. 1510)
- 1557Petrus Apianus, German mathematician (b. 1495)
- 1574Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1519)
- 1699Jean Racine, French dramatist (b. 1639)
- 1701Asano Naganori, Japanese warlord (b. 1667)
- 1719Philippe de la Hire, French mathematician and historian (b. 1640)
- 1720Antoine Hamilton, French writer (b. 1646)
- 1722Robert Beverley, Jr., historian of Colonial Virginia (b. 1673)
- 1792Tiradentes, Brazilian revolutionary (b. 1746)
- 1815Joseph Winston, U.S. Congressman from North Carolina (b. 1746)
- 1825Johann Friedrich Pfaff, German mathematician (b. 1765)
- 1852Ivan Nabokov, Russian general (b. 1787)
- 1863Sir Robert Bateson, 1st Baronet, Irish nobility (b. 1782)
- 1868Henry James O'Farrell, Australian would-be assassin of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh
- 1910Mark Twain, American author and humorist (b. 1835)
- 1918Manfred von Richthofen, German pilot (b. 1892)
- 1922Alessandro Moreschi, Italian castrato (b. 1858)
- 1924Eleonora Duse, Italian actress (b. 1858)
- 1930Robert Bridges, English poet (b. 1844)
- 1938Allama Iqbal, Urdu philosopher and poet (b. 1877)
- 1945Walter Model, German field marshal (b. 1891)
- 1946John Maynard Keynes, English economist (b. 1883)
- 1948Aldo Leopold, American ecologist and author (b. 1887)
- 1956Charles MacArthur, American writer (b. 1895)
- 1965Sir Edward Victor Appleton, English physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1892)
- 1971François “Papa Doc” Duvalier, Haitian dictator (b. 1907)
- 1973Arthur Fadden, 13th Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1894)
- 1974Charles “Chic” Harley, American football player (b. 1895)
- 1977Gummo Marx, American actor and comedian (b. 1892)
- 1977Issy Bonn, British actor and musician (b. 1893)
- 1978Sandy Denny, British vocalist (b. 1947)
- 1978Thomas Wyatt Turner, American civil rights advocate and agricultural engineer (b. 1877)
- 1980Aleksandr Oparin, Russian biochemist (b. 1894)
- 1980Sohrab Sepehri, Persian poet and painter (b. 1928)
- 1983Walter Slezak, Austrian actor (b. 1902)
- 1984Hristo Prodanov, Bulgarian mountaineer (b. 1943)
- 1985Foster Hewitt, Canadian radio pioneer (b. 1902)
- 1985Rudi Gernreich, Austrian fashion designer (b. 1922)
- 1985Tancredo de Almeida Neves, Brazil banker and elected president (b. 1910)
- 1986Salah Jaheen, Egyptian poet and cartoonist (b. 1930)
- 1989Princess Dukhye of Korea (b. 1912)
- 1990Erté, French artist (b. 1892)
- 1991Willi Boskovsky, Austrian violinist and conductor (b. 1909)
- 1996Dzhokhar Dudaev, Chechen leader (b. 1944)
- 1996Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder, American bookie and sports broadcaster (b. 1919)
- 1998Jean-François Lyotard, French philosopher and sociologist (b. 1924)
- 1999Charles ‘Buddy’Rogers, American actor and musician (b. 1904)
- 2000Neal Matthews, Jr., American singer (b. 1929)
- 2003Nina Simone, American singer and pianist (b. 1933)
- 2004Mary McGrory, American journalist (b. 1918)
- 2005Gerry Marshall, British racing driver (b. 1941)
- 2006T.K. Ramakrishnan, Indian politician (b. 1922)
- 2006Telê Santana, Brazilian football manager and former player (b. 1931)
- 2007Lobby Loyde, Australian guitarist and songwriter (b. 1941)
- 2008Al Wilson, American singer (b. 1939)
- 2010Gustav Lorentzen, Norwegian singer-songwriter (b. 1947)
- 2010Juan Antonio Samaranch, International Olympic Committee president (b. 1920)
- 2011Catharina Halkes, Dutch theologian and feminist (b. 1920)
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