Historical events for
Friday, 21 August 2026

D. Afonso VI, was born in Lisbon and became King of Portugal, ruling during a troubled period in Portuguese history.

D. Afonso VI (born August 21, 1643, and died September 12, 1683) was the twenty-second King of Portugal. Although with physical limitations, his reign secured crucial military victories in the Restoration War before he was deposed by his brother.

Count Basie, born in 1906, was a renowned American jazz orchestra leader and pianist, influential in the development of swing jazz and still considered one of the great names in world jazz.

Friz Freleng, born in 1906, was an American animator and director, known for his work creating iconic characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and others from the Looney Tunes universe.

Artur Varatojo, born on August 21, 1926 in Lisbon, was a respected figure in Portuguese cultural circles. He passed away on October 28, 2006, at Hospital Santa Cruz in Carnaxide.

Janet Baker, English opera singer, one of the most important performers of the 20th century.

Kenny Rogers, born in 1938, was an American singer and songwriter, famous for his contributions to country music and for hits such as "The Gambler" and "Islands in the Stream".

Carrie-Anne Moss (b. 1967) is a talented Canadian actress. She immortalized herself as the formidable heroine Trinity in "The Matrix", but her brilliance extends to independent cinema classics like the intricate "Memento" and psychologically complex, acclaimed series like "Jessica Jones".

Serj Tankian (b. 1967) is an incisive Armenian-American singer, musician, and activist. His frantic, operatic vocal range fused with the deep political messages of System of a Down, catapulting avant-garde metal to the top of global charts.

Commemoration of the conquest of Ceuta by Portugal in 1415, an important milestone in Portuguese overseas expansion.

French invasions: The Battle of Vimeiro ends, where Portuguese-British forces defeat Junot's French troops.

The Bank of Lisbon, the institution that was the origin of the Bank of Portugal, opens its doors to the public.

Liberal Wars: Attempt at an absolutist pronouncement by the Royal Police Guard, in Lisbon.

Leonardo Da Vinci's painting "Mona Lisa" is stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris. It will remain unknown for two years.

SATA, an Azorean airline, is created, which plays a crucial role in air connections between the Azores and the continent.

Jorge Carlos Fonseca is elected President of Cape Verde, in the second round of the presidential elections.

Celebration of the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, honoring the victims and survivors of terrorism.

Celebration of the Day of Saint Pius X, Pope who was canonized in 1954.

Beginning of the Festas da Nossa Senhora da Agonia, celebrated in Viana do Castelo, includes ethnographic processions, land and river processions, and street decoration with carpets of flowers. This pilgrimage dates back to the 18th century and is one of the most famous in the region and the country.