January 23

Today in History
• 638 - Start of Islamic calendar
• 1484 - Parliament of English King Richard III opens, passes Titulus Regis
• 1492 - "Pentateuch" (Jewish holy book) 1st printed
• 1552 - 2nd version of Book of Common Prayer becomes manditory in England
• 1556 - Most deadly earthquake kills 830,000 in Shensi Province, China
• 1571 - Queen Elizabeth I of England opens Royal Exchange in London
• 1789 - Georgetown College was established as the first Catholic college in the U.S
• 1793 - Humane Society of Philadelphia (1st aid society) organized


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Better Business Communication Day
• First Philippine Republic Day
• National Handwriting Day
• National King Day
• National Pie Day
• Parakram Diwas
• Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day
• Wellington Anniversary Day

Birthdays
• 1350 - Vincent Ferrer, Spanish missionary and saint, born in Valencia, Aragon
• 1688 - Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden, born in Stockholm, Sweden
• 1730 - Joseph Hewes, American merchant (Declaration of Independence signer)
• 1737 - John Hancock, was 1st to sign the Declaration of Independence
• 1785 - Carl A. Agardh, Sweden, botanist/bishop of Karlstad
• 1830 - Gaston AA Marquis de Gallifet, French general/Minister of War
• 1855 - John Moses Browning, American weapons manufacturer
• 1887 - Miklos Kallay, premier Hungary, 1942-44