What happened on January 1

121 documented historical events happened on January 1, from antiquity to the present day. The best known is this: Galla Placidia was forced by her brother Honorius into marriage with Constantius III, his magister militum. On the same day, in another year: Having been pardoned by Eudokia Makrembolitissa, the regent of the Byzantine Empire, for attempting to usurp the throne, Romanos IV Diogenes married her to become Byzantine emperor. On Almanaccolo every event is listed in chronological order, grouped by century, and links to the Wikipedia article it comes from, so you can always read further or check the source. Alongside the events you find who was born and who died on this date, and which observances are celebrated around the world.

160 people with a Wikipedia article were born on January 1, including Valentina Cortese, Francisco Macías Nguema, Stymie Beard. The list spans every era and every field — art, science, politics, sport, entertainment — ordered by year of birth, from the earliest to the most recent. The six featured people are those most has been written about: the ordering uses the length of their Wikipedia article as an indicator of prominence. For each one you find their occupation, year of birth and a link to the full biography.

125 people with a Wikipedia article died on January 1, including AD 404, Odo of France, Ramiro II of León. The list is in chronological order by year of death and spans all of documented history, from antiquity to the present day. For each person you find their occupation, the year and a link to the Wikipedia biography, where the full story and its sources can be read.

14 observances are celebrated on January 1 around the world: Christian feast day: Basil the Great (Eastern Orthodox Church), Christian feast day: Feast of the Circumcision of Christ Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (Anglican Communion, Lutheran Church), Christian feast day: Fulgentius of Ruspe, Christian feast day: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; and its related observances: World Day of Peace, Christian feast day: January 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics), The last day of Kwanzaa (African Americans). The list gathers national holidays, international days and religious or civil observances falling on this date in different countries, as recorded on Wikipedia. Some are fixed and recur on the same day every year; others depend on the local calendar. Each links to the article explaining its origin and meaning.