Box-office #1
The Empire Strikes Back
1980 · dir. Irvin Kershner
Wide US release on May 23, 1980. Goes on to become the highest-grossing film of the year.
Sci-fiStar Wars $538M worldwide
On this day
July 22 Wednesday, July 22, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on July 22 across the years — history, birthdays, the songs that ruled the charts, the films that packed cinemas, and the science that nudged the world forward.
12
Events
7
Birthdays
1
Holidays
War 728 years ago
Wars of Scottish Independence: Battle of Falkirk: King Edward I of England and his longbowmen defeat William Wallace and his Scottish schiltrons outside the town of Falkirk.
King Edward I of England and his longbowmen decisively defeat William Wallace and his Scottish schiltrons at the Battle of Falkirk.
History
What happened on July 22
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 838War
Battle of Anzen: The Byzantine emperor Theophilos suffers a heavy defeat by the Abbasids.
The Byzantine emperor Theophilos suffers a significant defeat against the Abbasids in the Battle of Anzen.
- 1099Religion
First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre in the newly formed Kingdom of Jerusalem.
- 1209War
Massacre at Béziers: The first major military action of the Albigensian Crusade.
Crusaders sack the French city of Béziers, killing thousands of inhabitants in the opening massacre of the Albigensian Crusade against Cathar heretics.
- 1298War
Wars of Scottish Independence: Battle of Falkirk: King Edward I of England and his longbowmen defeat William Wallace and his Scottish schiltrons outside the town of Falkirk.
King Edward I of England and his longbowmen decisively defeat William Wallace and his Scottish schiltrons at the Battle of Falkirk.
- 1342Disaster
St. Mary Magdalene's flood is the worst such event on record for central Europe.
The St. Mary Magdalene's flood devastates central Europe, marking the worst flooding event in the region's recorded history.
- 1456War
Ottoman wars in Europe: Siege of Belgrade: John Hunyadi, Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary, defeats Mehmet II of the Ottoman Empire.
John Hunyadi leads Hungarian forces to victory against the Ottomans, defeating Sultan Mehmet II in the Siege of Belgrade.
- 1484War
Battle of Lochmaben Fair: A 500-man raiding party led by Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany and James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas are defeated by Scots forces loyal to Albany's brother James III of Scotland; Douglas is captured.
A Scottish raiding party led by Alexander Stewart and James Douglas is defeated by forces loyal to King James III, resulting in Douglas's capture.
- 1587US history
Roanoke Colony: A second group of English settlers arrives on Roanoke Island off North Carolina to re-establish the deserted colony.
A second group of English settlers arrives on Roanoke Island off North Carolina to re-establish the deserted colony.
- 1598Culture
William Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice, is entered on the Stationers' Register. By decree of Queen Elizabeth, the Stationers' Register licensed printed works, giving the Crown tight control over all published material.
The Merchant of Venice is entered on the Stationers' Register, granting the play official licensing by royal decree.
- 1686US history
Albany, New York is formally chartered as a municipality by Governor Thomas Dongan.
Albany is officially chartered as a city by Governor Thomas Dongan.
- 1796US history
Surveyors of the Connecticut Land Company name an area in Ohio "Cleveland" after Gen. Moses Cleaveland, the superintendent of the surveying party.
Moses Cleaveland leads a surveying party that names an area in Ohio "Cleveland" after him.
- 1805War
Napoleonic Wars: War of the Third Coalition: Battle of Cape Finisterre: An inconclusive naval action is fought between a combined French and Spanish fleet under Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve of France and a British fleet under Admiral Robert Calder.
A naval battle off Cape Finisterre ends in indecision, with Admiral Robert Calder's British fleet engaging a combined French-Spanish force commanded by Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve.
Born today
Famous birthdays on July 22
7 this date All birthdays
Rose Kennedy
American philanthropist and Kennedy family matriarch
Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald Kennedy, American philanthropist and matriarch of the Kennedy family, was born today in 1890.
Born
1890
Died
1995
Madame de Brinvilliers
French aristocrat
1630 – 1676
Emma Lazarus
American poet and educator
1849 – 1887
Jack Matthews
American author, playwright, and academic
1925 – 2013
Paul Schrader
American director and screenwriter
b. 1946 · 80
Gilles Duceppe
Canadian politician
b. 1947 · 79
Colin de Grandhomme
Zimbabwean-New Zealand cricketer
b. 1986 · 40
Music
The number one songs on July 22
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #1 on July 22, 1991
"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You"
by Bryan Adams
#1 for 16 weeks
Also #1 on this day
- 2025"Dior"— MK featuring Chrystal
- 2024"Espresso"— Sabrina Carpenter
- 2023"Sprinter"— Dave and Central Cee
- 2022"Afraid to Feel"— LF System
- 2021"Bad Habits"— Ed Sheeran
- 2020"Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)"— Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo
Film & TV
At the movies
Box office #1 and premieres All releases
🏆 Sport July 22, 1990
Greg LeMond, an American road racing cyclist, wins his third Tour de France after leading the majority of the race. It was LeMond's second consecutive Tour de France victory.
Greg LeMond wins his third Tour de France, securing a second consecutive victory in the grueling cycling event.
Read the story
🔬 Science July 22, 1951
Soviet space dogs: Dezik and Tsygan were launched into a sub-orbital spaceflight from Kapustin Yar and became the first dogs to fly in space and the first to safely return.
Dezik and Tsygan became the first dogs to successfully complete a sub-orbital spaceflight and return alive.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
1 celebrated today
Sarawak Independence Day (Sarawak, Malaysia)
International
Sarawak Day, officially known as Sarawak Independence Day is a holiday celebrated on 22 July annually by Sarawak, celebrating the establishment of de facto self-government on 22 July 1963
❝
It has been said that time heals all wounds. I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.
— Rose Kennedy · born July 22, 1890