What Happened on June 26

  • June

Important Events

  • 363 Roman Emperor Julian is killed during retreat from the Sassanid Empire. General Jovian is proclaimed Emperor by troops on the battlefield.
  • 1794 Battle of Fleurus: major victory by forces of the First French Republic under General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan over the Coalition Army (Great Britain, Hanover, Dutch Republic, and Habsburgs) first use of reconnaissance balloon
  • 1857 The first 62 recipients are awarded the Victoria Cross for valour in the Crimean war by Queen Victoria
  • 1917 1st US troops arrive in France during World War I
  • 2016 Panama Canal's third set of locks opens for commercial traffic, doubling the Canal’s capacity at an estimated cost of $5.25 billion
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June 26 in Film & TV

June 26 in Music

  • 1870 Richard Wagner's opera "Valkyrie", second in his Ring Cycle premieres in Munich, featuring "Ride of the Valkyries"

June 26 in Sport

  • 2017 America's Cup: Emirates Team New Zealand defeat Oracle Team USA 7-1 in Bermuda, Peter Burling (26) youngest ever helmsman

Did You Know?

According to the Lüneburg manuscript, a piper leads 130 children of Hamelin away

On June 26, 1284

Famous Birthdays

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Would You Believe?

The Universal Product Code is scanned for the first time to sell a package of Wrigley's chewing gum at the Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio

On June 26, 1974

Famous Weddings

Famous Divorces

  • 1972 NFL quarterback Johnny Unitas (39) divorces first wife Dorothy Hoelle after nearly 2 decades of marriage
  • 1974 Actress Elizabeth Taylor's 5th divorce from actor Richard Burton
  • 1975 Cher divorces Sonny Bono
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Famous Deaths

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June in History