# On this day: April 27

April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years), with 248 days left until the end of the year.

## April 27 in one line

Headline entries for April 27, from Wikipedia: in 2005, The Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger airliner, made its maiden flight from Toulouse, France; born 1822: Ulysses S. Grant, American general and politician, 18th President of the United States (died 1885); died 1521: Ferdinand Magellan, Portuguese sailor and explorer (born 1480). In 2026 it is a Monday, in 2027 a Tuesday.

## Events on April 27

- 395 Aelia Eudoxia married Byzantine emperor Arcadius without the knowledge or consent of Rufinus, the Praetorian prefect who had intended for his own daughter to wed the emperor. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aelia_Eudoxia)
- 630 Shahrbaraz usurped the throne of the Sasanian Empire from Ardashir III, but was himself killed six weeks later. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahrbaraz)
- 1521 Battle of Mactan: Explorer Ferdinand Magellan is killed by natives in the Philippines led by chief Lapulapu. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapulapu)
- 1522 Four Years' War: The combined forces of Spain and the Papal States defeated a French and Venetian army at the Battle of Bicocca. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bicocca)
- 1650 Wars of the Three Kingdoms: Covenanter forces defeated the Royalists at the Battle of Carbisdale near the village of Culrain, Scotland. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carbisdale)
- 1667 Blind and impoverished, John Milton sells Paradise Lost to a printer for £10, so that it could be entered into the Stationers' Register. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Milton)
- 1777 American Revolutionary War: British Army regulars defeated Patriot militias in the Battle of Ridgefield, galvanizing resistance in the Connecticut Colony. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ridgefield)
- 1805 First Barbary War: U.S. Marines engaged forces of the Barbary Coast at the Battle of Derna in Tripoli, marking the first recorded land battle by the United States on foreign soil. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Derna_(1805))
- 1810 Ludwig van Beethoven composed his Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor, better known as "Für Elise" , one of his most popular compositions. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%BCr_Elise)
- 1848 The French National Assembly under Victor Schœlcher proclaims the abolition of slavery within France and it's colonies following the February Revolution. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Sch%C5%93lcher)
- 1904 Chris Watson became the first prime minister of Australia from the Australian Labor Party. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Watson)
- 1911 The Second Canton Uprising took place but was suppressed in Guangzhou, China. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Guangzhou_Uprising)
- 1936 The trilogy The Adventure Girls, by the children's author Clair Blank, was copyrighted by A. L. Burt. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_Girls)
- 1945 World War II: The photograph Raising the Flag on the Three-Country Cairn was taken after German troops withdrew to Norway at the end of the Lapland War. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_the_Flag_on_the_Three-Country_Cairn)
- 1949 In response to the treatment of Lorenzo Gamboa under the White Australia policy, the Philippine House of Representatives passed a bill banning Australians from the country. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorenzo_Gamboa)
- 1961 Prime Minister Milton Margai led the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate to independence from the United Kingdom. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Margai)
- 1965 Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation: British forces repelled a surprise Indonesian attack on a base at Plaman Mapu in Sarawak. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Plaman_Mapu)
- 1967 The Expo 67 world's fair opened in Montreal, with 62 nations participating and more than 50 million visitors ultimately attending. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_67)
- 1985 The black-ball final, one of the most famous snooker matches in history, began between Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_World_Snooker_Championship_final)
- 1986 The city of Pripyat and surrounding areas are evacuated due to the Chernobyl disaster. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster)
- 1989 The April 27 demonstrations, student-led protests responding to the April 26 Editorial, during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_27_demonstrations)
- 1993 Thirty people died, including players and staff of the Zambia football team and the crew, in a plane crash en route to play a World Cup qualifying match against Senegal. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Zambia_national_football_team_plane_crash)
- 1997 American spree killer Andrew Cunanan murdered Jeffrey Trail, a former friend and a Gulf War veteran, who became the first victim of Cunanan's killing spree. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Trail)
- 2005 The Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger airliner, made its maiden flight from Toulouse, France. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A380)
- 2011 During the most active day of the 2011 Super Outbreak 218 tornadoes killed 317 people across 16 U.S. states. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Super_Outbreak)
- 2012 Unknown perpetrators carried out a series of four bombings in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Dnipropetrovsk_explosions)

## Born on April 27

- 1593 Mumtaz Mahal, Mughal empress buried at the Taj Mahal (died 1631) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumtaz_Mahal)
- 1701 Charles Emmanuel III, King of Sardinia (died 1773) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Emmanuel_III)
- 1759 Mary Wollstonecraft, English philosopher, historian, and novelist (died 1797) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wollstonecraft)
- 1791 Samuel Morse, American painter and inventor, co-invented the Morse code (died 1872) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Morse)
- 1820 Herbert Spencer, English biologist, anthropologist, sociologist, and philosopher (died 1903) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Spencer)
- 1822 Ulysses S. Grant, American general and politician, 18th President of the United States (died 1885) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_S._Grant)
- 1891 Sergei Prokofiev, Russian pianist, composer, and conductor (died 1953) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Prokofiev)
- 1910 Chiang Ching-kuo, Chinese politician, 3rd President of the Republic of China (died 1988) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Ching-kuo)
- 1927 Coretta Scott King, African-American activist and author (died 2006) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coretta_Scott_King)
- 1932 Anouk Aimée, French actress (died 2024) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anouk_Aim%C3%A9e)
- 1932 Casey Kasem, American disc jockey, radio celebrity, and voice actor; co-created American Top 40 (died 2014) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Kasem)
- 1935 Theodoros Angelopoulos, Greek director, producer, and screenwriter (died 2012) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theo_Angelopoulos)
- 1941 Fethullah Gülen, Turkish preacher and theologian (died 2024) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fethullah_G%C3%BClen)
- 1948 Frank Abagnale Jr., American security consultant and criminal [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Abagnale)
- 1955 Eric Schmidt, American engineer and businessman [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Schmidt)
- 1967 Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willem-Alexander_of_the_Netherlands)
- 1969 Cory Booker, African-American lawyer and politician [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cory_Booker)
- 1976 Sally Hawkins, English actress [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Hawkins)
- 1986 Dinara Safina, Russian tennis player [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinara_Safina)
- 1988 Lizzo, American singer and rapper [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lizzo)
- 1989 Lars Bender, German footballer [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lars_Bender)
- 1991 Lara Gut, Swiss skier [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lara_Gut-Behrami)

## Died on April 27

- 1521 Ferdinand Magellan, Portuguese sailor and explorer (born 1480) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Magellan)
- 1605 Pope Leo XI (born 1535) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XI)
- 1882 Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet and philosopher (born 1803) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson)
- 1915 Alexander Scriabin, Russian pianist and composer (born 1872) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Scriabin)
- 1936 Karl Pearson, English mathematician and academic (born 1857) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Pearson)
- 1937 Antonio Gramsci, Italian sociologist, linguist, and politician (born 1891) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Gramsci)
- 1938 Edmund Husserl, Czech mathematician and philosopher (born 1859) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Husserl)
- 1965 Edward R. Murrow, American journalist (born 1908) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_R._Murrow)
- 1972 Kwame Nkrumah, Ghanaian politician, 1st President of Ghana (born 1909) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwame_Nkrumah)
- 1989 Konosuke Matsushita, Japanese businessman, founded Panasonic (born 1894) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dnosuke_Matsushita)
- 1992 Olivier Messiaen, French organist and composer (born 1908) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_Messiaen)
- 1998 Carlos Castaneda, Peruvian-American anthropologist and author (born 1925) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Castaneda)
- 2002 Ruth Handler, American inventor and businesswoman, created the Barbie doll (born 1916) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Handler)
- 2007 Mstislav Rostropovich, Russian cellist and conductor (born 1927) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mstislav_Rostropovich)

## Holidays and observances

- Christian feast days: Assicus [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assicus)
- Christian feast days: Floribert of Liège [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floribert_of_Li%C3%A8ge)
- Christian feast days: John of Constantinople [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Constantinople)
- Christian feast days: Liberalis of Treviso [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalis_of_Treviso)
- Christian feast days: Blessed María Antonia Bandrés Elósegui [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_Antonia_Bandr%C3%A9s_El%C3%B3segui)
- Christian feast days: Blessed Osanna of Cattaro [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osanna_of_Cattaro)
- Christian feast days: Pedro Armengol [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Armengol)
- Christian feast days: Pollio [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollio_of_Cybalae)
- Christian feast days: Virgin of Montserrat, co-patroness of Catalonia [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_of_Montserrat)
- Christian feast days: Zita [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zita)
- Christian feast days: Origen Adamantius [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origen)
- Christian feast days: April 27 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_27_(Eastern_Orthodox_liturgics))
- Day of Russian Parliamentarism (Russia) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Russia)
- Day of the Uprising Against the Occupying Forces (Slovenia) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Slovenia)
- Flag Day (Moldova) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Moldova)
- Freedom Day (South Africa) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Day_(South_Africa))
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Sierra Leone from United Kingdom in 1961. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Sierra_Leone)
- Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Togo from France in 1960. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_Togo)
- King's Day (Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten) (celebrated on April 26 if April 27 falls on a Sunday) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koningsdag)
- National Veterans' Day (Finland) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Veterans'_Day)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — “April 27”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_27) — events, births, deaths and observances (text under CC BY-SA 4.0) (checked 2026-10-15)
- [Wikipedia — “Selected anniversaries/April 27”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Selected_anniversaries/April_27) — the anniversaries editors chose for the date and the article each one is about (checked 2026-10-15)
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/) — in how many language editions each entry's own article exists, used to fill the lists (CC0) (checked 2026-10-15)
- [vacanza/holidays (open-source holiday rules, MIT licence)](https://github.com/vacanza/holidays) — holiday rules used to build the lists (checked 2026-10-15)

The events, births, deaths and observances above are from the English Wikipedia article [“April 27”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_27) and the articles it links to ([authors and history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_27?action=history)), retrieved 2026-10-15 through the Wikimedia “On this day” feed. They are licensed under [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/); this selection is shared under the same licence. Every anniversary that Wikipedia's editors selected for April 27 stays on the list; the remaining places, up to 26 events, 22 births and 14 deaths, go to the entries whose own article — about the event itself, or else the person or thing it is about — appears in the most language editions (counted from Wikidata); an article about a person or thing, which covers far more than one day, counts half. An entry with no article of its own counts, also at half, by the least covered article it links, and one that links only places counts for nothing. Each list runs by year, and the wording is unchanged apart from removing references to pictures, audio and video.

## April 27 in the calendar

| Year | Weekday | ISO week | Moon (UTC) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026 | Monday | 2026-W18 | 🌔 Waxing Gibbous |
| 2027 | Tuesday | 2027-W17 | 🌖 Waning Gibbous |
| 2028 | Thursday | 2028-W17 | 🌒 Waxing Crescent |
| 2029 | Friday | 2029-W17 | 🌔 Waxing Gibbous |
| 2030 | Saturday | 2030-W17 | 🌘 Waning Crescent |

Moon phases are for the day in UTC; at the edges of a phase your local date can differ.

## Public holidays on April 27

- [🇳🇿 New Zealand](https://whathappen.today/holidays/new-zealand/): Anzac Day (day off in lieu) (2026)
- [🇿🇦 South Africa](https://whathappen.today/holidays/south-africa/): Freedom Day (2026 and 2027)

[Today's holidays in 28 countries →](https://whathappen.today/holidays/)

## Nearby dates

[← April 26](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/april-26/) · [April 28 →](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/april-28/)

[All 366 days](https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/)

Last updated: 15 October 2026

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Web page: https://whathappen.today/on-this-day/april-27/