Historical events for
Wednesday, 13 May 2026

D. João VI (born May 13, 1767, and died March 10, 1826), nicknamed "the Clement", was the 27th King of Portugal. His long and complex reign was heavily marked by the strategic transfer of the court to Brazil during the French Invasions, redefining global Lusophone history.

Brian Patrick Carroll (b. 1969), globally known by the pseudonym Buckethead, is a brilliant American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He is revered for his exceptional avant-garde technique and vast musical production, crossing genres from progressive metal to funk and ambient.

Li Andersson (b. 1987) is an influential Finnish politician and leader of the Left Alliance. Considered one of the most brilliant and articulate speakers in her country, she achieved the rare feat of turning her party into a highly competitive mass force, fiercely defending equality and social justice.

On May 13, 1917, three children (Lúcia dos Santos, Jacinta and Francisco Marto) witness the first of six apparitions of the Virgin Mary at Cova da Iria. The event transformed Fátima into one of the largest and most influential Catholic pilgrimage centers globally.

Central liturgical celebration of the Catholic Church in Portugal, marking the date of the first Marian apparition to the three shepherd children at Cova da Iria, annually gathering hundreds of thousands of pilgrims.

The imposing Monument to the Marquis of Pombal is officially inaugurated, located in the center of the eponymous square in Lisbon. The work honors Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, the central figure in the capital's reconstruction after the devastating 1755 earthquake.

Pope John Paul II beatifies siblings Francisco and Jacinta Marto at the Sanctuary of Fátima. The liturgical act officially recognized the heroic virtues of the two visionaries, consolidating the Polish pontiff's deep connection to the Marian message in Portugal.

During the centenary commemorations of the apparitions, Pope Francis officially canonizes the Marto siblings. They thus became the youngest non-martyr saints in the history of the Catholic Church, before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of faithful.

Sport Lisboa e Benfica makes history in Portuguese football by winning their first four-peat (tetracampeonato). The red team sealed their fourth consecutive national title with a resounding 5 to 0 victory against Vitória de Guimarães at the Estádio da Luz.

Salvador Sobral, performing the song "Amar pelos Dois" (composed by his sister Luísa Sobral), secures Portugal's first-ever victory at the Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv. The intimate ballad broke the absolute points record in the competition's history.