
Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on January 3rd?
Discover major events and cultural milestones that happened on this day — organized by year. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
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The town of Helsingborg in Sweden receives its city rights.
French forces under Louis, Duke of Orléans, capture the city of Bordeaux, a significant English stronghold.
The Treaty of Windsor is signed between England and Scotland, establishing peace and a marriage alliance between the two kingdoms.
The Council of Pisa officially opens, attempting to resolve the Western Schism by electing a new pope, Alexander V.
Sultan Murad II of the Ottoman Empire abdicates the throne in favor of his son, Mehmed II.
The Swiss Confederation defeats the Holy League at the Battle of Ravenna in Italy.
Cardinal Wolsey becomes Lord Chancellor of England under Henry VIII.
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey is arrested for high treason in England.
The United East India Company (VOC) conquers Malacca from the Portuguese.
The Dutch East India Company's forces defeat the Portuguese at the Battle of Colombo in Sri Lanka.
Texas is admitted as the 28th state of the United States.
Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic).
British archaeologist Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt's Valley of the Kings.
The Soviet Union announces the collectivization of agriculture, leading to significant upheaval in rural areas.
The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis is founded by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, an adult victim of polio. The foundation was renamed later "The March of Dimes Foundation."
The British Royal Air Force bombs a German seaplane base, marking the first British raid of World War II.
Alaska is admitted into the Union, becoming the 49th U.S. State.
The United States severs diplomatic relations with Cuba as Fidel Castro solidifies his socialist government.
Jack Leon Ruby dies of cancer in a Dallas hospital. Born Jacob Leon Rubenstein, he had been convicted and sentenced to death for murdering Lee Harvey Oswald on November 24, 1963, two days after Oswald was accused of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The conviction was appealed, and he was to be granted a new trial, but Ruby became ill, was diagnosed with cancer, and died of a pulmonary embolism at a Dallas hospital. More
The Mars robotic rover Spirit lands on Mars. Launched on June 10, 2003, lands on March. Its twin, rover, Opportunity, on Mars 21 days later on January 24, 2004. Spirit remained active until March 22, 2010. NASA was not able to regain contact with Spirit and officially concluded its recovery efforts May 25, 2011. More
China successfully lands the Chang'e 4 spacecraft on the far side of the Moon, a first in human space exploration.
A U.S. drone strike kills Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad, escalating tensions between the US and Iran.