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January 10Across the years

8 selected records · Newest first

1927

Arts & Culture · January 10

Fritz Lang's futuristic film Metropolis is released in Germany.

Friedrich Christian Anton Lang, better known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked in Germany and later the United States. One of the best-known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute. He has been cited as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time.

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1901

Science & Discovery · January 10

The first great Texas oil gusher is discovered at Spindletop in Beaumont, Texas.

Texas is a state in the United States. Located in the south-central part of the country, it borders Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. It also borders Mexico along the Rio Grande, and has a coastline on the Gulf of Mexico. Covering 268,596 square miles (695,660 km2) and with an estimated population of over 31.7 million residents in 2025, it is the second-largest state by both area and population. Texas is nicknamed the "Lone Star State" for the single star depicted on the Republic of Texas flag in 1836 during the Texas war for independence from Mexico, symbolizing Texans' enduring independent spirit and distinct national identity. The lone star design was originally flown in 1819 during the Long Expedition, an early attempt to liberate Texas from Spanish imperial rule.

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1538

Historical Figures · January 10

Birth of Louis of Nassau

Born: Louis of Nassau (died 1574).

Louis of Nassau was a Dutch nobleman, the third son of William I, Count of Nassau-Siegen and Juliana of Stolberg, and the younger brother of Prince William of Orange Nassau.

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1430

Historical Events · January 10

Philip the Good, the Duke of Burgundy, establishes the Order of the Golden Fleece, the most prestigious,…

Philip the Good, the Duke of Burgundy, establishes the Order of the Golden Fleece, the most prestigious, exclusive, and expensive order of chivalry in the world.

Philip III, also known as Philip the Good, was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death in 1467. He was a member of a cadet line of the House of Valois, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonged. During his reign, the Burgundian State reached the apex of its prosperity and prestige, and became a leading centre of the arts.

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1218

Historical Figures · January 10

Death of Hugh I

Died: Hugh I, king of Cyprus.

Hugh I was the king of Cyprus from 1205 until his death. He was nine when he succeeded his father, King Aimery, and his brother-in-law Walter of Montbéliard ruled the kingdom as regent. Sometime between 1208 and 1211, Hugh married Alice of Champagne, with whom he had three children. After reaching the age of majority and assuming personal rule in 1210, he fell out with Walter, who fled to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Hugh reversed Walter's policies, making peace with the Seljuqs of Rum and siding with the Armenians in the War of the Antiochene Succession. Pope Innocent III rebuked him for his hostility to the king of Jerusalem, John of Brienne, and for interfering in church appointments. Hugh embarked on the Fifth Crusade in late 1217, but died of an illness in Tripoli soon after. His infant son, Henry I, succeeded him under Queen Alice's tutelage.

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236

Ancient Civilizations · January 10

Pope Fabian succeeds Anterus to become the twentieth pope of Rome.

Pope Fabian was the bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church from 10 January 236 until his death on 20 January 250, succeeding Anterus. A dove is said to have descended on his head to mark him as the Holy Spirit's unexpected choice to become the next pope. He was succeeded by Cornelius.

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Ancient Civilizations · January 10

The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of…

The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the dynasty and the beginning of his own, the Xin dynasty.

The Han dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China established by Liu Bang, and preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) and the interregnum known as the Chu–Han Contention (206–202 BC). It was succeeded by the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD) and also briefly interrupted by the Xin dynasty (9–23 AD) established by the usurping regent Wang Mang. It is thus separated into two periods—the Western Han and the Eastern Han (25–220 AD). The Han dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history, impacting Chinese identity in later periods. The majority ethnic group of modern China refer to themselves as the "Han people", while spoken Chinese and written Chinese are referred to respectively as the "Han language" and "Han characters".

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49 BCE

Historical Events · January 10

Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signalling the start of civil war.

Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general, statesman, and author who was the dictator of the Roman Republic almost continuously from 49 BC until his assassination in 44 BC. A member of the First Triumvirate, he led the Roman armies through the Gallic Wars and defeated his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil war. He consolidated power and was titled as dictator perpetuo in 44 BC, helping create the political conditions that led to the collapse of the Roman Republic and the emergence of the Roman Empire. For his role in these events, he is regarded as one of history's most influential figures.

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