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
May 26 Tuesday, May 26, 2026
A curious almanac of what happened on May 26 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
5
Holidays
Royalty 891 years ago
Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain).
Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae, claiming sovereignty over all of Spain.
History
What happened on May 26
12 verified entries Full timeline
- 17World history
Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti, and other German tribes west of the Elbe.
Germanicus celebrates a triumph in Rome for his victories over German tribes west of the Elbe.
- 451War
Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sasanian Empire takes place. The Sasanids defeat the Armenians militarily but guarantee them freedom to openly practice Christianity.
The Sasanian Empire defeats Armenian rebels in battle but grants them the right to freely practice Christianity.
- 866European history
Basil I is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire by Michael III.
Basil I is crowned co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire alongside Michael III.
- 946UK history
England is left temporarily without a monarch after the death of King Edmund I in a street fight, resulting in Edmund's brother Eadred assuming the throne for the minority of Edmund's two sons.
Eadred assumes the English throne following the death of King Edmund I in a street fight.
- 961Royalty
King Otto I elects his six-year-old son Otto II as heir apparent and co-ruler of the East Frankish Kingdom. He is crowned at Aachen, and placed under the tutelage of his grandmother Matilda.
Otto I crowns his six-year-old son Otto II as co-ruler in Aachen, placing him under the care of his grandmother Matilda.
- 1135Royalty
Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae (Emperor of all of Spain).
Alfonso VII of León and Castile is crowned in León Cathedral as Imperator totius Hispaniae, claiming sovereignty over all of Spain.
- 1293Disaster
An earthquake strikes Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan, killing about 23,000.
An earthquake devastates Kamakura, Japan, killing approximately 23,000 people and destroying the city's Great Buddha hall.
- 1328Religion
William of Ockham, the Franciscan Minister-General Michael of Cesena, and two other Franciscan leaders secretly leave Avignon, fearing a death sentence from Pope John XXII.
William of Ockham and three other Franciscans flee Avignon to avoid a death sentence from Pope John XXII.
- 1538Religion
Geneva expels John Calvin and his followers from the city. Calvin lives in exile in Strasbourg for the next three years.
John Calvin is expelled from Geneva and goes into exile in Strasbourg for three years.
- 1573War
The Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a naval engagement in the Eighty Years' War.
A Dutch fleet defeats a Spanish armada in the Battle of Haarlemmermeer, a crucial naval engagement during the Eighty Years' War.
- 1637War
Pequot War: A combined English and Mohegan force under John Mason attacks a village in Connecticut, massacring approximately 500 Pequots.
A combined English and Mohegan force led by John Mason attacks a Pequot village in Connecticut, resulting in the deaths of about 500 Pequots.
- 1783US history
A Great Jubilee Day held at North Stratford, Connecticut, celebrates the end of fighting in the American Revolutionary War.
A Great Jubilee Day in North Stratford celebrates the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War.
Born today
Famous birthdays on May 26
7 this date All birthdays
Hans Freeman
Australian bioinorganic chemist and protein crystallographer
Hans Charles Freeman, the German-born Australian bioinorganic chemist and protein crystallographer known for his work on blue copper proteins and introducing protein crystallography to Australia, was born today in 1929.
Born
1929
Died
2008
Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ
Vietnamese politician, 1st Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam
1908 – 1976
Peggy Lee
American singer-songwriter and actress
1920 – 2002
Inge Borkh
German soprano
1921 – 2018
J. F. Ade Ajayi
Nigerian historian and academic
1929 – 2014
Dayle Haddon
Canadian model and actress
1948 – 2024
Helena Bonham Carter
English actress
b. 1966 · 60
Music
The number one songs on May 26
Across the years Full chart history
Also #1 on this day
- 2026"Rein Me In"— Sam Fender and Olivia Dean
- 2025"Ordinary"— Alex Warren
- 2024"Espresso"— Sabrina Carpenter
- 2023"Miracle"— Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding
- 2022"As It Was"— Harry Styles
- 2021"Body"— Tion Wayne and Russ Millions
Film & TV
At the movies
Box office #1 and premieres All releases
🏆 Sport May 26, 1966
British Guiana gains independence, becoming Guyana.
British Guiana becomes independent and is renamed Guyana.
Read the story
🔬 Science May 26, 1969
Apollo program: Apollo 10 returns to Earth after a successful eight-day test of all the components needed for the forthcoming first crewed Moon landing.
Apollo 10 completes an eight-day mission, testing all components necessary for the upcoming Moon landing.
Read the storyToday is also
Holidays & observances
5 celebrated today
Independence Day, commemorates the declaration of independence of the Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1918 (Georgia)
International
Independence Day is an annual public holiday in Georgia observed on 26 May
Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Guyana from the United Kingdom in 1966.
International
Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a developing country on the northern coast of South America
Mother's Day (Poland)
International
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society
National Paper Airplane Day (United States)
International
National Paper Airplane Day is an unofficial observance, celebrated on May 26 each year in the United States to commemorate the simple aeronautical toy
National Sorry Day (Australia)
International
National Sorry Day, officially the National Day of Healing, is an event held annually in Australia on 26 May commemorating the Stolen Generations
❝
We must be the great arsenal of democracy.
— Franklin D. Roosevelt · born May 26, 1882