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Old clock in sand with the words: It Happend in April

Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on April 18th?

Discover major events and cultural milestones that happened on this day — organized by year. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.

1076 CE, April 18

The Synod of Worms condemns Pope Gregory VII and excommunicates Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor.

1152 CE, April 18

Eleanor of Aquitaine marries Henry Plantagenet, who later becomes King Henry II of England.

1277 CE, April 18

Pope Nicholas III is elected as the 188th pope.

1284 CE, April 18

The Statute of Rhuddlan establishes English rule in Wales under King Edward I.

1440 CE, April 18

Christopher of Bavaria is appointed King of Denmark.

1622 CE, April 18

A Powhatan Indian attack on Jamestown in Virginia results in the deaths of hundreds of English settlers.

1775 CE, April 18

Paul Revere and William Dawes ride from Boston to Lexington warning of British troop movements, marking the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

1806 CE, April 18

The UK and Russia sign the Treaty of London, forming an alliance against Napoleon.

1853 CE, April 18

The first train crosses the Indian Peninsula from Bombay to Thane.

1906 CE, April 18

The devastating San Francisco earthquake strikes, killing thousands and causing widespread destruction and fires. More than 3,000 people died, and 80% of the city was destroyed. The death toll remains the greatest loss of life from a natural disaster in California's history and high on the lists of American disasters. More

1923 CE, April 18

The Yankee Stadium, one of the most iconic sports venues, opens in the Bronx, New York City.

1942 CE, April 18

The Doolittle Raid, also known the Tokyo Raid, takes place. 16 B-25B Mitchell medium bombers, each with a crew of five, were launched from the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet, in the Pacific Ocean. They flew without fighter escorts planning to continue westward to land in China. after bombing the military and industrial targets.
The damage to Japanese military caused was minimal. Killing around 50 people and injuring 400. However the raid had major psychological effects. In the United States, it raised morale. In Japan, it raised fear and doubt about the ability of military leaders to defend the home islands. Doolittle received the Medal of Honor and was promoted two ranks to Brigadier general. More

1956 CE, April 18

American actress Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier III of Monaco.

1958 CE, April 18

A Federal Court decides to release Poet Ezra Pound from the St. Elizabeth Hospital for the criminally insane, where he had been interned for 13 years since his arrest in Italy in 1945 on charges for treason. After his release, Pounds returned to Europe. He died in 1972. More

1980 CE, April 18

Zimbabwe gains independence from Britain, ending white minority rule.

1983 CE, April 18

A suicide bomber detonated a one-half-ton pickup truck laden with 2,000 pounds of TNT near the front of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 63 people, including 17 Americans. It was the deadliest attack on a U.S. diplomatic mission to date, and changed the way the U.S. Department of State secured its resources and executed its missions overseas. More

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