What Happened on January 10
Important Events
- 49 BC Julius Caesar defies the Roman Senate and crosses the Rubicon, uttering "alea iacta est" (the die is cast), signaling the start of civil war which would lead to his appointment as Roman dictator for life
- 1430 Catholic Order of the Golden Fleece founded in Bruges in celebration of the prosperous and wealthy domains of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy
- 1475 Stephen III of Moldavia defeats the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vaslui
- 1776 "Common Sense" Pamphlet by Thomas Paine published, advocating American independence
- 1839 Tea from India 1st arrives in the United Kingdom
- 1946 UN General Assembly meets for 1st time in London
Jan 10 in Film & TV
- 1999 "The Sopranos", starring James Gandolfini as mobster Tony Soprano, debuts on HBO
Jan 10 in Music
- 1958 Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" reaches #1 on the UK pop charts
Jan 10 in Sport
- 1982 NFC Championship, Candlestick Park, SF: San Francisco 49ers beat Dallas Cowboys, 28-27; "The Catch" - iconic moment in NFL history - Dwight Clark makes fingertip catch for a TD from Joe Montana with 58" remaining; SF goes on to win Super Bowl
Did You Know?
Suffragettes the "Silent Sentinels" first protest outside The White House, in Washington led by Alice Paul and the National Woman's Party
On January 10, 1917
Famous Birthdays
Ethan Allen
(1738 - 1789)Frank James
(1843 - 1915)George Washington Carver
(1864 - 1943)Rod Stewart
76 Years OldGeorge Foreman
72 Years OldJared Kushner
40 Years Old
Would You Believe?
Edward W. Brooke (Sen-R-Mass), takes his seat as the 1st popularly elected African American to the US Senate
On January 10, 1967
Famous Weddings
- 1430 Duke Philip the Good marries Isabella of Portugal
- 1857 Novelist Jules Verne (28) weds Honorine de Viane Morel
- 1870 Deputy sheriff Wyatt Earp (21) weds Urilla Sutherland in Lamar, Texas
Famous Divorces
- 1810 French church annuls marriage of Napoleon I and Empress Joséphine
- 1936 Actress Mary Pickford (44) divorces actor Douglas Fairbanks (52) after 15 years of marriage
- 1967 Actor Christopher Plummer (37) divorces columnist Patricia Lewis after nearly 5 years of marriage
Articles, Photos and Quiz
January in History
A Crackdown on Lovers in New York
New York wasn't always a free and easy city. Time was when not only adultery was a crime, but even looking at a lady in the wrong way could land a guy in trouble.
January 8, 1902World’s First National State Lottery
Lotteries have been around for centuries but on this day the world’s first national state lottery was played out – with fabulous and surprising prizes.
January 11, 1569The Man Who Saved Elton John's Life
Long John Baldry was born on this day - a friend of stars from Rod Stewart to The Beatles and who, in 1969, famously took Elton John aside and saved his life.
January 12, 1941British Museum Opens its Doors
The British Museum opened to visitors on January 15, 1759. Fearing damage to the collections by unruly hordes, nobody was admitted without a ticket.
January 15, 1759