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
June 29 Monday, June 29, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on June 29 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
4
Holidays
Canadian history 240 years ago
Alexander Macdonell and over five hundred Roman Catholic highlanders leave Scotland to settle in Glengarry County, Ontario.
Alexander Macdonell leads more than five hundred Roman Catholic Scottish Highlanders from Scotland to establish a settlement in Glengarry County, Ontario.
History
What happened on June 29
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 226World history
Cao Rui succeeds his father as emperor of Wei.
Cao Rui ascends to the throne, becoming the new emperor of the state of Wei.
- 1149War
Raymond of Poitiers is defeated and killed at the Battle of Inab by Nur ad-Din Zangi.
Raymond of Poiters is defeated and killed in battle against Nur ad-Din Zangi at Inab.
- 1170Disaster
A major earthquake hits Syria, badly damaging towns such as Hama and Shaizar and structures such as the Krak des Chevaliers and the cathedral of St. Peter in Antioch.
A powerful earthquake devastates Syrian towns including Hama and Shaizar, damaging the Krak des Chevaliers fortress and Antioch's cathedral of St. Peter.
- 1444War
Skanderbeg defeats an Ottoman invasion force at Torvioll.
Skanderbeg defeats an Ottoman army at Torvioll, securing Albanian independence for decades.
- 1457Disaster
The Dutch city of Dordrecht is devastated by fire
A devastating fire destroys much of Dordrecht, a Dutch city.
- 1534Canadian history
Jacques Cartier is the first European to reach Prince Edward Island.
Jacques Cartier becomes the first European to set foot on Prince Edward Island.
- 1620UK history
English crown bans tobacco growing in England, giving the Virginia Company a monopoly in exchange for tax of one shilling per pound.
The English crown bans tobacco growing in England and grants the Virginia Company a monopoly on its production there in exchange for a tax of one shilling per pound.
- 1659War
At the Battle of Konotop the Ukrainian armies of Ivan Vyhovsky defeat the Russians led by Prince Trubetskoy.
Ivan Vyhovsky's Ukrainian army defeats Russian forces led by Prince Trubetskoy at the Battle of Konotop.
- 1764Disaster
One of the strongest tornadoes in history strikes Woldegk, Germany, killing one person while leveling numerous mansions with winds estimated greater than 300 miles per hour (480 km/h).
A powerful tornado with winds over 300 mph strikes Woldegk, Germany, killing one person and destroying numerous mansions.
- 1786Canadian history
Alexander Macdonell and over five hundred Roman Catholic highlanders leave Scotland to settle in Glengarry County, Ontario.
Alexander Macdonell leads more than five hundred Roman Catholic Scottish Highlanders from Scotland to establish a settlement in Glengarry County, Ontario.
- 1864Canadian history
At least 99 people, mostly German and Polish immigrants, are killed in Canada's worst railway disaster after a train fails to stop for an open drawbridge and plunges into the Rivière Richelieu near St-Hilaire, Quebec.
A train plunges into the Rivière Richelieu near St-Hilaire, Quebec, killing at least 99 people, mostly German and Polish immigrants.
- 1972US history
The United States Supreme Court rules in the case Furman v. Georgia that arbitrary and inconsistent imposition of the death penalty violates the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.
The Supreme Court rules in Furman v. Georgia that arbitrary and inconsistent application of the death penalty constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.
Born today
Famous birthdays on June 29
7 this date All birthdays
Robert Laurent
American sculptor and academic
Robert Laurent, the French-American modernist sculptor whose figurative work balanced nature and abstraction, was born today in 1890.
Born
1890
Died
1970
Giacomo Leopardi
Italian poet and philosopher
1798 – 1837
Joan Clos
Spanish anesthesiologist and politician, 116th Mayor of Barcelona
b. 1949 · 77
Ann Veneman
American lawyer and politician, 27th United States Secretary of Agriculture
b. 1949 · 77
Robert Forster
Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist
b. 1957 · 69
Anne-Sophie Mutter
German violinist
b. 1963 · 63
Katherine Jenkins
Welsh soprano and actress
b. 1980 · 46
Music
The number one songs on June 29
Across the years Full chart history
Also #1 on this day
- 2025"Ordinary"— Alex Warren
- 2024"Please Please Please"— Sabrina Carpenter
- 2023"Sprinter"— Dave and Central Cee
- 2022"Running Up That Hill"— Kate Bush
- 2021"Good 4 U"— Olivia Rodrigo
- 2020"Rockstar"— DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
Film & TV
At the movies
Box office #1 and premieres All releases
🏆 Sport June 29, 1995
Mike Tyson knocks out Peter McNeeley in 89 seconds in his comeback fight
After serving three years in prison, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson returned to boxing at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. McNeeley's manager entered the ring to stop the fight, resulting in a disqualification.
Read the story
🔬 Science June 29, 1888
George Edward Gouraud records Handel's Israel in Egypt onto a phonograph cylinder, thought for many years to be the oldest known recording of music.
George Edward Gouraud records Handel's Israel in Egypt onto a phonograph cylinder, believed to be the oldest surviving musical recording.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
4 celebrated today
Engineer's Day (Ecuador)
International
Engineer's Day is observed in several countries on various dates of the year
Independence Day (Seychelles), celebrates the independence of Seychelles from the United Kingdom in 1976.
International
This is a list of public holidays in Seychelles
Veterans' Day (Netherlands)
International
Veteranendag is the Netherlands' annual day of remembrance for the country's servicemen
National Statistics Day (India)
International
Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis OBE, FNA, FASc, FRS was an Indian scientist and statistician
❝
Justice, though due to the accused, is due to the accuser also.
— Benjamin N. Cardozo · born June 29, 1870