Nov. 26 in History: Tutankhamun, Tina Turner, and More
Today is Tuesday, November 26, the 331st day of 2024. With just 35 days remaining in the year, the world marks Buy Nothing Day, Anemia Day, and World Olive Tree Day. In the night sky, the moon wanes toward its new phase, arriving officially on December 1.
Historical Milestones
Tragedy and Terror
On this day in 1967, catastrophic rains devastated Lisbon and its suburbs. The resulting floods claimed approximately 500 lives and left thousands homeless, primarily in the city’s impoverished neighborhoods. In 2008, the world watched in horror as coordinated terrorist attacks struck Mumbai, India. Gunmen targeted high-profile locations, including luxury hotels frequented by Westerners, resulting in the deaths of 78 people and injuring hundreds more.
Unearthing the Past
Modern archaeology saw a landmark moment on this date in 1922 when researchers officially began the opening of Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt, revealing treasures that would captivate the world for a century. Centuries earlier, in 1504, Spain mourned the death of Isabella the Catholic, the visionary queen who unified the nation and ushered in the Renaissance.
Twentieth-Century Turning Points
In 1940, the tides of World War II darkened as Nazi forces forced roughly 500,000 Jews into the newly established Warsaw Ghetto. Decades later, in 1991, the Portuguese representative to the UN stood before the General Assembly to denounce Indonesian violence in East Timor, while over 180 radio stations across Portugal broadcast the harrowing audio of the Santa Cruz cemetery massacre to demand international attention.
Cultural and Sporting Legends
November 26 is the birth anniversary of several cultural titans, including Charles Schulz (1922), the creator of the iconic Peanuts comic strip; the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” Tina Turner (1939); and surrealist playwright Eugene Ionesco (1909).
The sports world remembers Fernando Gomes, the legendary FC Porto striker famously known as “Bibota,” who died on this day in 2022. On a brighter note, Portuguese judoka Telma Monteiro secured gold at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in 2021, and Fernando Santos was named the world’s best national coach in 2019.
Farewells to Great Minds
Recent years have seen the passing of influential figures on this date, including:
- Alberto da Costa e Silva (2023): The Camões Prize-winning historian and Brazil’s leading scholar on African history.
- Irene Cara (2022): The Oscar-winning voice behind the classic hits “Flashdance… What a Feeling” and “Fame.”
- Stephen Sondheim (2021): The legendary American composer and lyricist who reshaped modern musical theater.
- Mário Cesariny de Vasconcelos (2006): The premier figure of Portuguese surrealism in both poetry and painting.
At a Glance: Solar and Lunar Data
The sun rose today at 07:31 and will set at 17:17. In the Port of Lisbon, high tide is expected at 11:55, with low tides occurring at 05:29 and 18:00.
Image: Pexels – Vladyslav Dukhin
