On This Day in History – January 30

Major Events

• 9 CE – Germanic tribes led by Arminius defeat Roman legions at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, a major blow to Roman expansion in northern Europe.
• 1649 – King Charles I of England is executed for treason, permanently altering the balance of power between monarchy and Parliament.
• 1806 – The original Lower Trenton Bridge is opened in the United States.
• 1847 – Yerba Buena is officially renamed San Francisco, marking the city’s transformation during the Gold Rush era.
• 1889 – Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, and his lover Baroness Mary Vetsera are found dead in the Mayerling Incident.
• 1911 – Glenn H. Curtiss demonstrates the first successful seaplane flight.
• 1933 – Adolf Hitler is appointed Chancellor of Germany, a turning point in world history.
• 1948 – Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated in New Delhi, India.
• 1969 – The Beatles perform their final public concert on the rooftop of Apple Records in London.
• 2020 – The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Famous Birthdays

• 133 – Didius Julianus, Roman Emperor (d. 193)
• 1882 – Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States (d. 1945)
• 1925 – Douglas Engelbart, American inventor (d. 2013)
• 1930 – Gene Hackman, American actor
• 1941 – Dick Cheney, American politician
• 1951 – Phil Collins, English musician
• 1958 – Brett Butler, American baseball player
• 1974 – Christian Bale, English actor
• 1981 – Elijah Wood, American actor

Notable Deaths

• 1649 – Charles I, King of England (b. 1600)
• 1889 – Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria (b. 1858)
• 1948 – Mahatma Gandhi, Indian independence leader (b. 1869)
• 1972 – Pete Duel, American actor (b. 1940)
• 1991 – John Bardeen, American physicist (b. 1908)
• 2006 – Coretta Scott King, American civil rights leader (b. 1927)
• 2012 – Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish entrepreneur (b. 1926)
• 2019 – Dick Miller, American actor (b. 1928)
• 2022 – Leonard Williams, American jazz musician (b. 1942)

Holidays

• Martyrs’ Day – India
• School Day of Nonviolence and Peace – Observed internationally
• National Croissant Day – United States

Fun Facts

• The Beatles’ rooftop performance inspired the final scenes of the documentary Let It Be.
• Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination led to global mourning and tributes.
• Phil Collins is one of the few artists to achieve major success as both a solo performer and band member.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt served an unprecedented four terms as U.S. president.
• The renaming of San Francisco helped define the city’s modern identity.
• January 30 has repeatedly marked pivotal turning points in political history.