April 12: First day of Passover (Judaism, 2025); Third Month Fair begins in southwest China (2025); Cosmonautics Day in Russia; Yuri's Night NATO F-15 fighter aircraft during Operation Deny Flight 627 – King Edwin of Northumbria was baptised by Bishop Paulinus of York. 1204 – Troops of the Fourth Crusade entered Constantinople and began a sack of the city, temporarily dissolving the Byzantine Empire. 1910 – SMS Zrínyi, one of the last pre-dreadnoughts built by the Austro-Hungarian Navy, was launched in Trieste. 1980 – Samuel Doe took control of Liberia in a coup d'etat, overthrowing President William Tolbert and ending over 130 years of national democratic presidential succession. 2014 – A fire broke out near Valparaíso, Chile, eventually destroying at least 2,500 homes and leaving approximately 11,000 people homeless. Vladislaus I, Duke of Bohemia (d. 1125)Nicola Amati (d. 1684)Zelia Nuttall (d. 1933) More anniversaries: April 11 April 12 April 13 Archive By email List of days of the year About