What happened on January 4?

32 sourced historical events are currently published for January 4. Browse the chronology below or filter this date by place and event type. This collection is expanding, not an exhaustive account of the day.

Explore this date

The published January 4 chronology runs from 871 to 2022, a span of 1,151 years. It contains 32 sourced records across 20 countries and 5 event categories. These figures describe the current collection, not all events that occurred on this date.

Start at the earliest published record or jump to the latest. The counts below show where this collection is concentrated.

Most represented topics

  • War & conflict · 10 records
  • Arts & culture · 9 records
  • Disasters · 6 records
  • Politics & society · 6 records

Most represented countries

  • Japan · 9 records
  • United States · 5 records
  • Canada · 2 records
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo · 1 record
  • France · 1 record

Compare events across time

These pairs share a category and calendar date; the pairing does not imply a historical connection.

Some events have more than one location, so country counts can overlap. Read about coverage and source limits.

January 4 historical events

871 — Battle of Reading (871)

The first Battle of Reading was a battle on 4 January 871 at Reading in what is now the English county of Berkshire. It was one of a series of battles, with honours to both sides, that took place following an invasion of the then kingdom of Wessex by an army of Danes led by Bagsecg and Halfdan Ragnarsson in an attempt to conquer Wessex. Both battle and campaign are described in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and this account provides the earliest known written record of the existence of the town of Reading.

Berkshire, United Kingdom · Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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1830 — 1830 Maryland gubernatorial election

The 1830 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on January 4, 1830, in order to elect the governor of Maryland. Democratic nominee and former member of the Maryland House of Delegates Thomas King Carroll was elected by the Maryland General Assembly against incumbent National Republican governor Daniel Martin.

Maryland, United States · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23

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1836 — 1836 Maryland gubernatorial election

The 1836 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on January 4, 1836, in order to elect the Governor of Maryland. Whig nominee and former member of the Maryland House of Delegates Thomas Veazey was elected by the Maryland General Assembly as he ran unopposed.

Maryland, United States · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23

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1849 — Battle of Kassa (1849)

The Battle of Kassa was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 4 January 1849 between Austria and Hungarian Revolutionary Army during the Winter Campaign of the Hungarian War of independence of 1848-1849. The Austrians were led by Lieutenant General Franz Schlik, while the Hungarians were led by General Lázár Mészáros.

Košice, Slovakia · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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1857 — Battle of Macao Fort

The Battle of Macao Fort was fought between British and Chinese forces in the Pearl River, Guangdong, China on 4 January 1857 during the Second Opium War. Macao Fort was located on an islet about 3 miles (4.8 kilometres) south of Canton (Guangzhou).

Guangdong, People's Republic of China · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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1862 — 1862–63 United States Senate elections

The 1862–63 United States Senate elections were held from January 4, 1862, to November 13, 1863. Regularly scheduled elections were held for 20 out of the 70 seats in the United States Senate, and special elections were held in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon, and Rhode Island. The Republican–Union coalition retained their majority despite an unfavorable national environment.

United States · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23

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1866 — Battle of Bagdad

The Battle of Bagdad took place on 4 January 1866, in the town of Bagdad in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, between the Mexican army of the Republic against the army of the Second French and Mexican Empire.

Mexico · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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1886 — January 1886 Calgary municipal election

The January 1886 Calgary municipal election was held on January 4, 1886 to elect a Mayor and four Councillors to sit on the second Calgary Town Council from January 18, 1886 (or April 3, 1886) to October 21, 1886. The second Council was terminated by a special Territorial Ordinance effective October 21, 1886 following an order by local Stipendiary Magistrate Jeremiah Travis.

Calgary, Canada · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23

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1887 — Greek legislative election, 1887

Parliamentary elections were held in Greece on 4 January 1887. Supporters of Charilaos Trikoupis emerged as the largest bloc in Parliament, with 90 of the 150 seats. Following the election Trikoupis remained Prime Minister, having assumed office on 21 May 1886.

Greece · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23

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1892 — 1892 Calgary municipal election

The 1892 Calgary municipal election was scheduled for January 4, 1892 to elect a Mayor and six Councillors to sit on the eighth Calgary Town Council from January 18, 1892 to January 16, 1893.

Calgary, Canada · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23

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1944 — Operation Carpetbagger

Operation Carpetbagger was a World War II operation to provide aerial supply of weapons and other matériel to resistance fighters in France, Italy and the Low Countries by the U.S. Army Air Forces that began on 4 January 1944.

France · Italy · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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1951 — Battle of Uijeongbu (1951)

The Battle of Uijeongbu, also known as the Battle of Uijongbu, was fought between 1 and 4 January 1951, at Uijeongbu, South Korea, as part of the United Nations Command (UN) retreat after the third Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) offensive after entering the Korean War.

South Korea · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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1987 — Amtrak and Conrail trains collide near Chase, Maryland

An Amtrak passenger train collided with Conrail locomotives near Chase, Maryland, on January 4. Sixteen people died. The US National Transportation Safety Board's accident record confirms the date, location and trains involved.

Chase, Maryland, United States · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23

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1990 — Sukkur rail disaster

The Sukkur rail disaster occurred on 4 January 1990 in the village of Sangi, near Sukkur in Sindh, Pakistan, claiming 307 lives. This makes it the deadliest rail accident in the country's history. The Bahauddin Zakaria Express, on an 800-kilometre (500 mi) overnight journey from Multan to Karachi, was significantly over capacity with far more passengers than its 1,408-seat limit. The train was meant to pass through Sangi, but misaligned rail points diverted it into a siding where it collided with a stationary 67-car freight train at a speed of at least 55 kilometres per hour (35 mph).

Pakistan · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23

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1999 — Fingerpoke of Doom

The nickname Fingerpoke of Doom (FPOD) refers to an infamous incident in American professional wrestling which occurred on January 4, 1999 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, during a live broadcast of Nitro, the flagship show of World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The incident occurred during the main event of Nitro, featuring WCW World Heavyweight Champion Kevin Nash, who was the leader of the Wolfpac faction of the New World Order (nWo), and Hollywood Hogan, the leader of the Hollywood faction of the nWo, with whom Nash and his group had been feuding since April 1998 when the original faction split up, and Hogan had retired from wrestling.

Atlanta, United States · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23

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2000 — Åsta accident

The Åsta accident was a railway accident that occurred at 13:12:25 on 4 January 2000 at Åsta in Åmot Municipality, Norway, south of Rena in Østerdalen. A train from Trondheim collided with a local train from Hamar on the Røros Line, resulting in an explosive fire. Nineteen people were killed, while 67 survived the accident.

Norway · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23

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2007 — Operation Definite Victory

Operation Definite Victory (Sinhala: නියතයිි ජය) was a military operation launched by Sri Lankan Special Task Force commandos on January 4, 2007 to evict LTTE rebels from the Kanchikudichcharu and Thoppigala regions of the Ampara District of Sri Lanka. The army had accused the LTTE of carrying out the child abductions in Bakmitiyawa and Ampara, including the abduction of two teachers and 23 Tamil children in December by LTTE cadres when they were returning from extra classes to their homes.

Ampara District, Sri Lanka · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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2007 — Wrestle Kingdom I

Wrestle Kingdom in Tokyo Dome (レッスルキングダム in 東京ドーム, Ressuru Kingudamu in Tōkyō Dōmu) (sequentially known as Wrestle Kingdom I) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event co-produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotions, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2007. It was the 16th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the first held under the new "Wrestle Kingdom" name.

Tokyo, Japan · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23

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2008 — 2008 Los Roques Archipelago Transaven Let L-410 crash

On 4 January 2008, a scheduled domestic Transaven flight from Simón Bolívar International Airport to Los Roques Airport, 118 kilometres (64 nmi) north of the departure airport and over water, radioed that both engines had failed and that they were descending through 910 metres (3,000 ft). The crew was going to attempt a ditching as close as possible to the Los Roques archipelago.

Venezuela · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23

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2008 — Wrestle Kingdom II

Wrestle Kingdom II in Tokyo Dome (レッスルキングダムII in 東京ドーム, Ressuru Kingudamu II in Tōkyō Dōmu) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2008. It was the 17th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the second held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name.

Tokyo, Japan · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23

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2009 — Wrestle Kingdom III

Wrestle Kingdom III in Tokyo Dome (レッスルキングダムIII in 東京ドーム, Ressuru Kingudamu III in Tōkyō Dōmu) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2009. It was the 18th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the third held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name.

Tokyo, Japan · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23

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2010 — Wrestle Kingdom IV

Wrestle Kingdom IV in Tokyo Dome (レッスルキングダムIV in 東京ドーム, Ressuru Kingudamu IV in Tōkyō Dōmu) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2010. It was the 19th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the fourth held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name.

Tokyo, Japan · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23

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2011 — Wrestle Kingdom V

Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome (レッスルキングダムV in 東京ドーム, Ressuru Kingudamu V in Tōkyō Dōmu) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2011. It was the 20th January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the fifth held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name.

Tokyo, Japan · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23

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2012 — Wrestle Kingdom VI

Wrestle Kingdom VI in Tokyo Dome (レッスルキングダムVI in 東京ドーム, Ressuru Kingudamu VI in Tōkyō Dōmu) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2012. It was the 21st January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the sixth held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name.

Tokyo, Japan · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23

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2013 — Wrestle Kingdom 7

Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2013. It was the 22nd January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the seventh held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name. The event featured eleven matches (including two dark matches), five of which were contested for championships.

Tokyo, Japan · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23

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2013 — Kawit shooting

The Kawit shooting was a mass murder that occurred in barangay Tabon 1 in Kawit, Philippines, on January 4, 2013. 41-year-old Ronald Baquiran Bae killed at least eight people and a dog, and wounded twelve other people with a semiautomatic pistol, before he was shot and killed by police.

Philippines · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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2014 — Wrestle Kingdom 8

Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, which took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2014. It was the 23rd January 4 Tokyo Dome Show and the eighth held under the "Wrestle Kingdom" name. Like the previous year, the event aired worldwide on internet pay-per-view (iPPV).

Tokyo, Japan · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23

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2018 — Hennenman–Kroonstad train crash

On 4 January 2018, a passenger train operated by Shosholoza Meyl collided with a truck at a level crossing at Geneva Station between Hennenman and Kroonstad, in the Free State, South Africa. The train derailed, and seven of the twelve carriages caught fire. Twenty-one people were killed and 254 others were injured.

South Africa · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23

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2019 — Koszalin escape room fire

A fire in the ToNiePokój escape room in Koszalin, Poland, on 4 January 2019, killed five teenage customers and injured an adult employee. The deceased, all 15-year-old girls, were celebrating one of the girls' birthdays when a fire, fueled by leaking gas cylinders, broke out in the escape room's waiting area. Since the girls were in a room with no door handle (they were expected to find it as part of a game) and the windows were obstructed by "makeshift walls", they were trapped and died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Poland · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23

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2019 — 2019 Buthidaung raids

The 2019 Buthidaung raids were a series of attacks on January 4, 2019, where militants from Arakan Army simultaneously attacked four Tatmadaw police outposts in villages surrounding Buthidaung, Rakhine State, Myanmar, killing thirteen policemen and injuring nine others.

Myanmar · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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2021 — 2020 J.League Cup final

The 2020 J.League Cup final was an association football match between Kashiwa Reysol and FC Tokyo on 4 January 2021 at Japan National Stadium. It was the 28th edition J.League Cup, organised by the J.League. Kashiwa Reysol were playing in their third J.League Cup final after winning the competition in both of their finals appearances in 1999 and 2013.

Japan · Sport · Checked 2026-09-23

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2022 — Kagogo ambush

On January 4, 2022, militiamen from the Twiganeho-Makanika armed group ambushed a convoy of Congolese soldiers in the village of Kagogo, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Democratic Republic of the Congo · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23

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