January

Information about January

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January is the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days.

January begins (astrologically) with the sun in the sign of Capricorn and ends in the sign of Aquarius. Astronomically speaking, the sun begins in the constellation of Sagittarius and ends in the constellation of Capricornus.

January is named for Janus (Ianuarius), the god of the doorway; the name has its beginnings in Roman mythology, where the Latin word for door (ianua) comes from - January is the door to the year.

Traditionally, the original Roman calendar consisted of 10 months, totalling 304 days, winter being considered a monthless period. Around 713 BC, the semi-mythical successor of Romulus, King Numa Pompilius, is supposed to have added the months of January and February, allowing the calendar to equal a standard lunar year (355 days). The first day of the month is known as New Year's Day. Although March was originally the first month in the old Roman Calendar, January assumed that position beginning in 153 BC when the two consuls, for whom the years were named, began to be chosen on January 1. The reason for this shift of the new year into the dead of winter was to allow the new consuls to complete the elections and ceremonies upon becoming consuls, and still reach their respective consular armies by the start of the campaigning.

Various Christian feast dates were used for the New Year in Europe in the Middle Ages, including March 25 and December 25. However, medieval calendars were displayed in the Roman fashion of twelve columns from January to December. Beginning in the 16th century, European countries began officially making January 1 the start of the New Year once again — sometimes called Circumcision Style because this was the date of the Feast of the Circumcision, being the 8th day from December 25.

Historical names for January include its original Roman designation, Ianuarius, the Saxon term Wulf-monath (meaning wolf month) and Charlemagne's designation Wintarmanoth (winter / cold month). In Finnish, the month is called tammikuu, meaning month of the oak, but the original meaning was the month of the heart of winter, as tammi has initially meant axis or core. This month is in Czech called leden, meaning ice month. The first Monday in January is known as Handsel Monday in Scotland and northern England. In England, the agricultural year began with Plough Sunday on the Sunday after Epiphany.

The Coming of Age day in Japan is the second Monday of January, for those becoming 20 years old in the new calendar year. It is a national holiday. The day has been celebrated since 1948, but fell on January 15 until 1999, when it was moved by the Japanese government in an attempt to lift the economy by making more holidays consecutive.

In the pagan wheel of the year, January ends at or near to Imbolc in the northern hemisphere and Lughnasadh in the southern hemisphere.

It is the middle month of summer in the Southern Hemisphere and the middle of winter in the Northern.

Events in January

Historical Firsts

Monthlong Events

National Poverty Awareness Month - (United States)

Holidays

January symbols

Months and days of the year
January0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
February1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
March0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
April1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
May1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
June1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
July1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
August1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
September1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
October1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
November1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
December    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
January 1 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining. The preceding day is December 31 of the previous year.
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January 2 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 366 - Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers, invading the Roman Empire.

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January 3 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon.

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January 4 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina.

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January 5 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 1463 - Poet François Villon is banned from Paris.

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January 6 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England.

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January 7 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal.

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January 8 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army.

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January 9 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople.

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January 10 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war.

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January 11 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 314 - Pope Miltiades ends his reign as the Pope of Roman Catholicism by dying in power.

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January 12 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events


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January 13 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

It is still celebrated as New Year's Eve by those on the Julian calendar (Old New Year).
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January 14 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

It is celebrated as New Year's Day by those still following the Julian calendar.
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January 15 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah's reign.

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January 16 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events


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January 17 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

  • 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla.

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founded Lima, the capital of Peru.
  • 1562 - Pope Pius IV reopens the Council of Trent for its third and final session.
  • 1670 - Henry Morgan captures Panama.
  • 1701 - Frederick I becomes King of Prussia.
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    • January 19 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events


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    January 20 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    In astrology, it is the cusp day between Capricorn and Aquarius.
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    January 21 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events


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    January 22 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events

    • 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus.

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    January 23 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events

    • 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor.

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    January 24 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events


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      Diwrnod Santes Dwynwen.
    • Tatiana Day, celebrated as the Day of Russian students since 1755, when the Moscow University was founded.
    Note: The date "Jan/25/1994" is "commemorated" as a font-character in the (MS Win98) "HM Phonetic" font (@1994) -- possibly its "birthday".
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    January 26 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events

    • 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France.

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    January 27 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events

    • 98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva.
    • 672 - St.

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    January 28 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events

    • 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The excommunication of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor is lifted.

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    January 29 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events


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    January 30 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

    Events


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