Historical events for
Friday, 16 October 2026

Noah Webster, an American lexicographer born in 1758, is best known for creating the famous dictionary “Webster’s Dictionary”, which standardized the spelling of American English and profoundly influenced education in the United States.

Oscar Wilde, a writer of Irish origin born in 1854, is one of the most striking figures in British literature. Author of classics such as “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and “The Ballad of Reading Prison”, he is remembered for his brilliance and witty style.

American playwright, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1936

Angela Lansbury, British actress born in 1925, known for iconic roles in films and television, such as "Murder, She Wrote", and for a notable career that spanned several decades.

Günter Grass (1927-2015) was one of the most important post-war German writers and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1999. Author of "The Tin Drum," his work explored the complexities of German history and identity with magical realism and deep social conscience.

Li Xi (b. 1956) heads the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, China’s most powerful internal control body. With a history of governing strategic provinces like Guangdong, he is the highest official responsible for maintaining ideological purity and fighting corruption, ensuring the Party remains cohesive and aligned with central leadership.

Tim Robbins, an American actor and director born in 1958, is known for iconic roles in films such as “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Mystic River”, in addition to his work as a social activist.

Michael Peter Balzary, known worldwide as Flea (b. 1962), is a virtuoso Australian-American bassist. Co-founder of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, his complex, visceral, and funk-anchored bass lines constitute the backbone of the group's unmistakable sound.

Charles Leclerc, born in 1997 in Monaco, is a Formula 1 driver who races for the Ferrari team. Leclerc is known for his talent and competitiveness, having achieved several victories and podiums throughout his career in the main category of world motorsport.

In 1311, the extinction of the Templar Order led to the creation of the Portuguese Order of Christ, an organization that maintained the Templar legacy and played an important role in Portugal's maritime expansion.

On October 16, 1769, Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo was elevated to Marquis of Pombal, in recognition of his work as a statesman, particularly for the reforms he implemented after the 1755 earthquake.

On this day in 1793, Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, was beheaded by guillotine during the French Revolution. He was 37 years old and his tragic end symbolizes the collapse of the French monarchy in the face of the revolutionary movement.

On October 16, 1907, Guglielmo Marconi inaugurated the wireless telegraph service between Europe and the United States, revolutionizing transatlantic communication and marking an important advance in telecommunications.

In 1919, a Breguet XIV plane landed in Amadora, Lisbon, completing the first flight between Paris and Lisbon. Aviators António Maya and Lello Portela covered 1,248 kilometers in 8 hours and 27 minutes, with stops in Bordeaux and Madrid.

On October 16th, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque's Day is celebrated, a French Catholic virgin and mystic canonized in 1920, known for her visions of Jesus Christ and for spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

World Food Day is celebrated on October 16th, marking the founding of FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) in 1945. The date aims to raise awareness about the eradication of hunger and the importance of ensuring healthy and sustainable food for all.

FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, was founded on October 16, 1945, with the aim of combating hunger and promoting food security at a global level.

World Anesthesiology Day began to be celebrated in 1960 by the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA), to commemorate the first successful anesthesia, administered in 1846 by William T. G. Morton. This event highlights the crucial role of anesthesiology in modern medicine.

On October 16, 1973, the UN General Assembly recognized the PAIGC as the legitimate representative of the people of Guinea-Bissau, condemning the Portuguese colonial occupation and reinforcing support for the country's independence.

Karol Wojtyla, Polish cardinal and archbishop of Krakow, was elected Pope on October 16, 1978, adopting the name John Paul II. He was the first Polish pope and the first non-Italian in more than 400 years.

On October 16, 1985, the mortal remains of the writer Fernando Pessoa were transferred to the cloisters of the Jerónimos Monastery, in Lisbon, honoring one of the greatest poets in the Portuguese language.

In 1989, a ban on international trade in elephant ivory, meat and skin was passed in an attempt to protect elephant species threatened by poaching.

On October 16, 1998, Parque das Nações was officially opened in Lisbon, after Expo 98. This modern space has become one of the city's main leisure and cultural spots, with iconic buildings and green areas.

World Spine Day began to be celebrated in 2000, with the aim of promoting spinal health and preventing problems such as back pain. The initiative is from the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) and has the support of the WHO.

World Bread Day began to be celebrated in 2006 by the International Union of Bakers and Confectioners (UIBC), highlighting the importance of bread as an essential and universal food. The date promotes the history and culture of this food and honors the work of bakers.

On October 16, 2016, developer Eugen Rochko launched Mastodon, an open-source and decentralized microblogging social network that drove the innovative concept of the "Fediverse".

On October 16, 2017, Substack was launched, a monetization platform that revitalized the newsletter format, allowing independent authors to build sustainable communities around their content.