# What happened on April 16 in history?

**Date:** April 16  
**Events recorded:** 55  
**Years spanned:** 1457 BC – 2024  
**Full page:** https://thisday.info/events/april/16/

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## Featured Event

**2018** — The New York Times and The New Yorker win the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for breaking news of the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal.

[Read more on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times)

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## Events on this date

- **1457 BC** — Battle of Megiddo: The first battle to have been recorded in what is accepted as relatively reliable detail. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1450s_BC))
- **69** — Defeated by Vitellius' troops at Bedriacum, Roman emperor Otho commits suicide. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AD_69))
- **73** — Masada, a Jewish fortress, falls to the Romans after several months of siege, ending the First Jewish–Roman War. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AD_73))
- **556** — Pope Pelagius I is consecrated following Imperial approval by Emperor Justinian I. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Papacy))
- **682** — Pope Leo II is elected head of the Catholic Church, although he will not be consecrated until 17 August. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_II))
- **1346** — Stefan Dušan, "the Mighty", is crowned Emperor of the Serbs at Skopje, his empire occupying much of the Balkans. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Du%C5%A1an))
- **1520** — The Revolt of the Comuneros begins in Spain against the rule of Charles V. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolt_of_the_Comuneros))
- **1582** — Spanish conquistador Hernando de Lerma founds the settlement of Salta, Argentina. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquistador))
- **1746** — The Battle of Culloden is fought between the French-supported Jacobites and the British Hanoverian forces commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, in Scotland. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Culloden))
- **1780** — Franz Friedrich Wilhelm von Fürstenberg founds the University of Münster. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Friedrich_Wilhelm_von_F%C3%BCrstenberg))
- **1797** — The Spithead mutiny begins, immobilising the Channel fleet. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spithead_and_Nore_mutinies))
- **1799** — French Revolutionary Wars: The Battle of Mount Tabor: Napoleon drives Ottoman Turks across the River Jordan near Acre. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolutionary_Wars))
- **1818** — The United States Senate ratifies the Rush–Bagot Treaty, limiting naval armaments on the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate))
- **1838** — The French Army captures Veracruz in the Pastry War. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Army))
- **1847** — Shooting of a Māori by an English sailor results in the opening of the Wanganui Campaign of the New Zealand Wars. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_people))
- **1853** — The Great Indian Peninsula Railway opens the first passenger rail in India, from Bori Bunder to Thane. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Indian_Peninsula_Railway))
- **1858** — The Wernerian Natural History Society, a former Scottish learned society, is dissolved. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernerian_Natural_History_Society))
- **1862** — American Civil War: Battle at Lee's Mills in Virginia. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War))
- **1862** — American Civil War: The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, a bill ending slavery in the District of Columbia, becomes law. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_Compensated_Emancipation_Act))
- **1863** — American Civil War: During the Vicksburg Campaign, gunboats commanded by acting Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter run downriver past Confederate artillery batteries at Vicksburg. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicksburg_campaign))
- **1878** — The Senate of the Grand Duchy of Finland issues a declaration establishing a city of Kotka on the southern part islands from the old Kymi parish. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_of_Finland))
- **1881** — In Dodge City, Kansas, Bat Masterson fights his last gun battle. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_City%2C_Kansas))
- **1908** — Natural Bridges National Monument is established in Utah. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Bridges_National_Monument))
- **1910** — The oldest indoor ice hockey arena used for the sport in the 21st century, Boston Arena, opens for the first time. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey))
- **1912** — Harriet Quimby becomes the first woman to fly an airplane across the English Channel. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Quimby))
- **1917** — Russian Revolution: Vladimir Lenin returns to Petrograd, Russia, from exile in Switzerland. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Revolution))
- **1919** — Mohandas Gandhi organizes a day of "prayer and fasting" in response to the killing of Indian protesters in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre by the British colonial troops three days earlier. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi))
- **1919** — Polish–Lithuanian War: The Polish Army launches the Vilna offensive to capture Vilnius in modern Lithuania. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish%E2%80%93Lithuanian_War))
- **1922** — The Treaty of Rapallo, pursuant to which Germany and the Soviet Union re-establish diplomatic relations, is signed. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Rapallo_(1922)))
- **1925** — During the Communist St Nedelya Church assault in Sofia, Bulgaria, 150 are killed and 500 are wounded. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism))
- **1941** — World War II: The Italian-German Tarigo convoy is attacked and destroyed by British ships. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II))
- **1941** — World War II: The Nazi-affiliated Ustaše is put in charge of the Independent State of Croatia by the Axis powers after Operation 25 is effected. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usta%C5%A1e))
- **1943** — Albert Hofmann accidentally discovers the hallucinogenic effects of the research drug LSD. He intentionally takes the drug three days later on April 19. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Hofmann))
- **1944** — World War II: Allied forces start bombing Belgrade, killing about 1,100 people. This bombing fell on the Orthodox Christian Easter. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_bombing_of_Yugoslavia_in_World_War_II))
- **1945** — World War II: The Red Army begins the final assault on German forces around Berlin, with nearly one million troops fighting in the Battle of the Seelow Heights. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Army))
- **1945** — World War II:  The United States Army liberates Nazi Sonderlager (high security) prisoner-of-war camp Oflag IV-C (better known as Colditz). ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army))
- **1945** — World War II:  More than 7,000 die when the German transport ship Goya is sunk by a Soviet submarine. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Goya))
- **1947** — An explosion on board a freighter in port causes Texas City in the state of Texas, United States, to catch fire, killing almost 600 people. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_disaster))
- **1947** — Bernard Baruch first applies the term "Cold War" to describe the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Baruch))
- **1948** — The Organization of European Economic Co-operation is formed. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OECD))
- **1961** — In a nationally broadcast speech, Cuban leader Fidel Castro declares that he is a Marxist–Leninist and that Cuba is going to adopt Communism. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidel_Castro))
- **1963** — U.S. civil rights campaigner Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. writes his open letter from Birmingham Jail, sometimes known as "The Negro Is Your Brother", while incarcerated in Birmingham, Alabama, for protesting against segregation. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.))
- **1972** — Apollo program: The launch of Apollo 16 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_program))
- **2001** — India and Bangladesh begin a five-day border conflict, but are unable to resolve the disputes about their border. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh))
- **2003** — The Treaty of Accession is signed in Athens admitting ten new member states to the European Union. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Accession_2003))
- **2007** — Virginia Tech shooting: Seung-Hui Cho murders 32 people and injures 17 before committing suicide. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Tech_shooting))
- **2008** — The U.S. Supreme Court rules in the Baze v. Rees decision that execution by lethal injection does not violate the Eighth Amendment ban against cruel and unusual punishment. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States))
- **2012** — The trial for Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks, begins in Oslo, Norway. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_Anders_Behring_Breivik))
- **2012** — The Pulitzer Prize winners are announced. It was the first time since 1977 that no book won the Fiction Prize. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Pulitzer_Prize))
- **2013** — A 7.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Sistan and Balochistan province, Iran, killing at least 35 people and injuring 117 others. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moment_magnitude_scale))
- **2013** — The 2013 Baga massacre is started when Boko Haram militants engage government soldiers in Baga. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Baga_massacre))
- **2014** — The South Korean ferry MV Sewol capsizes and sinks near Jindo Island, killing 304 passengers and crew and leading to widespread criticism of the South Korean government, media, and shipping authorities. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea))
- **2016** — Ecuador's worst earthquake in nearly 40 years kills 676 and injures more than 230,000. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Ecuador_earthquake))
- **2018** — The New York Times and The New Yorker win the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for breaking news of the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times))
- **2024** — The historic Børsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, is severely damaged by a fire. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%B8rsen))

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## Notable births on April 16

- **2002** — **Sadie Sink** — American actress ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadie_Sink))
- **1996** — **Anya Taylor-Joy** — Argentine-British actress ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anya_Taylor-Joy))
- **1996** — **Taylor Townsend** — American tennis player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taylor_Townsend))
- **1993** — **Chance the Rapper** — American rapper ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chance_the_Rapper))
- **1993** — **Mirai Nagasu** — Japanese-American figure skater ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirai_Nagasu))
- **1992** — **Brian Poe Llamanzares** — Filipino journalist and politician ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Poe_Llamanzares))
- **1991** — **Nolan Arenado** — American baseball player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolan_Arenado))
- **1991** — **Kim Kyung-jung** — South Korean footballer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Kyung-jung))
- **1990** — **Reggie Jackson** — American basketball player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Jackson_(basketball%2C_born_1990)))
- **1990** — **Vangelis Mantzaris** — Greek basketball player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vangelis_Mantzaris))

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## Notable deaths on April 16

- **2026** — **Justin Fairfax** — American lawyer and politician, 41st Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (born 1979) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Fairfax))
- **2026** — **Alex Manninger** — Austrian footballer (born 1977) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Manninger))
- **2025** — **Nora Aunor** — Filipino actress and recording artist (born 1953) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_Aunor))
- **2024** — **Carl Erskine** — American baseball player (born 1926) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Erskine))
- **2024** — **Bob Graham** — American lawyer, author, and politician, 38th governor of Florida (born 1936) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Graham))
- **2021** — **Andrew Peacock** — Australian politician (born 1939) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Peacock))
- **2021** — **Helen McCrory** — British actress (born 1968) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_McCrory))
- **2021** — **Liam Scarlett** — British choreographer (born 1986) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Scarlett))
- **2021** — **John Dawes** — Welsh rugby union player (born 1940) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dawes))
- **2018** — **Harry Anderson** — American actor and magician (born 1952) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Anderson))

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## About this page

This is a machine-readable Markdown summary of [thisday.info/events/april/16/](https://thisday.info/events/april/16/).  
Historical data is sourced from [Wikipedia/Wikimedia](https://www.wikipedia.org) under [CC BY-SA](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).  
Editorial framing and site content © thisday.info.