January 26

Today in History
• 1531 - Lisbon hit by Earthquake; about 30,000 die
• 1666 - France declares war on England and Munster
• 1699 - Venice, Poland and Austria sign peace treaty with Turkey
• 1784 - Ben Franklin expresses unhappiness over eagle as America's symbol
• 1802 - Congress passes an act calling for a U.S. Capitol library
• 1850 - 1st German-language daily newspaper in U.S. published, New York City
• 1870 - Virginia rejoins US
• 1886 - Karl Benz patents 1st auto with burning motor


Holidays - Traditional and Obscure
• Australia Day
• Basant Panchami
• Duarte Day
• International Environmental Education Day
• NASA's Day of Remembrance
• National Peanut Brittle Day
• Indian Republic Day
• Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement

Birthdays
• 1497 - Emperor Go-Nara of Japan
• 1667 - Henricus Zwaardecroon, Governor-General of Netherlands-Indies
• 1763 - Charles XIV, French marshall, king of Sweden and Norway, 1818-44
• 1771 - Jacob Andries van Braam, colonial director
• 1813 - Juan Pablo Duarte, Dominican founding father
• 1826 - Julia Dent Grant, 1st lady
• 1880 - Douglas MacArthur, American General in World War II
• 1883 - Bindo Maserati, Italian auto engineer and businessman