Today in History: Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi fled the country in 1979

The following are some of the major list of notable events that occurred on January 16 throughout history:

27 BC – Octavian becomes Augustus: On January 16, 27 BC, Gaius Octavian was formally renamed Augustus by the Roman Senate. This decree marked Octavian’s transformation from the triumphant general of the Republic into Rome’s first emperor. It effectively ended the Roman Republic and inaugurated the Roman Empire under his rule as princeps (first citizen).

1547 – Ivan the Terrible crowned Tsar: On January 16, 1547, Ivan IV of Russia (Ivan the Terrible) was crowned “tsar and grand prince of all Russia”. Ivan was the first Russian ruler to assume the title “tsar,” signaling the elevation of Moscow from a principality to a self-styled empire. This coronation marked the formal beginning of the Tsardom of Russia and set a precedent for centuries of autocratic rule by Russian tsars.

1556 – Charles V abdicates Spanish throne: On January 16, 1556, Emperor Charles V renounced his claim to the Spanish crown. He abdicated the Spanish and Sicilian thrones in favor of his son Philip II (formally transferring control of Spain’s global empire), while retaining only the Holy Roman Empire’s German territories. This high-profile abdication signaled the end of Charles’s nearly 40-year reign over Spain and ushered in Philip II’s long rule.

1605 – Don Quixote published: On January 16, 1605, the first part of Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote was published. Considered the first modern novel, Don Quixote introduced the iconic knight-errant character and had a profound impact on Western literature. Its publication is celebrated as a cultural milestone, marking a new era in narrative fiction.

1865 – Sherman’s “40 acres” order: On January 16, 1865, Union General William T. Sherman issued Special Field Orders No. 15, redistributing land in the post–Civil War South into 40-acre plots for newly freed African Americans. Famously known as the “40 acres and a mule” order, it was an ambitious Reconstruction measure aimed at resettlement of formerly enslaved people. (The order was later revoked, but it symbolized early efforts to provide civil rights and land reform for freed slaves.)

1945 – Hitler retreats to bunker: On January 16, 1945, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler took refuge in his underground Führerbunker beneath the Reich Chancellery in Berlin. Facing the imminent fall of the Third Reich, Hitler’s move into the fortified bunker marked the final phase of World War II in Europe. He remained there until his suicide in April 1945, and this event symbolized the collapse of Nazi Germany’s war effort.

1979 – Iranian Shah flees the country: On January 16, 1979, amid the Iranian Revolution, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was forced to flee Iran. His departure came after mass protests and a military mutiny against his rule. This flight paved the way for Ayatollah Khomeini’s return from exile and the establishment of the Islamic Republic. The end of the Shah’s reign dramatically altered Middle Eastern geopolitics and marked the overthrow of Iran’s monarchy.

1991 – Persian Gulf War begins: At 11:00 p.m. Central Europe Time on January 16, 1991 (00:00 Jan 17 Kuwait time), the U.S.-led coalition launched Operation Desert Storm, the air and missile assault against Iraqi forces in Kuwait. This offensive marked the start of the Persian Gulf War. Within weeks, coalition airpower and ground operations expelled Iraq’s invading army from Kuwait, significantly reshaping Middle East power dynamics.

1992 – Salvadoran Peace Accords signed: On January 16, 1992, the Chapultepec Peace Accords were signed in Mexico City. This UN-brokered agreement between the government of El Salvador and the FMLN guerrilla coalition formally ended El Salvador’s 12-year civil war. The accords included provisions for demobilization of combatants and political reforms, laying the foundation for lasting peace and democracy in El Salvador.

2006 – Sirleaf sworn in as Liberia’s President: On January 16, 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was inaugurated as President of Liberia. She became the first elected female head of state in African history. Sirleaf’s election was hailed as a landmark for women’s political leadership on the continent and helped stabilize Liberia after its civil wars.