This is a list of national days of mourning before 2000. It does not include annual remembrance events.
17th century Country Year Reason Notes16492Death of First known national mourning declaration in history.165330Death of Teodósio, Prince of Brazil1656–1658730Death of King John IV of Portugal2 years of mourning (1 year full mourning, 1 year half mourning).1666–1668730Death of Queen-consort Luisa de Guzmán2 years of mourning (1 year full mourning, 1 year half mourning).1690–1691365Death of Isabel Luísa, Princess of BeiraOne year of mourning (6 months full mourning, 6 months half mourning).
18th century Country Year Reason Notes1706365Death of Catherine of Braganza, Queen-consort of England, Scotland and Ireland and Infanta of Portugal1706–1708730Death of King Peter II of Portugal2 years of mourning (1 year full mourning, 1 year half mourning).1714-1715365Death of Queen Anne, Queen of Great BritainFirst national mourning period that was not from Portugal1750–1752730Death of King John V of Portugal2 years of mourning (1 year full mourning, 1 year half mourning).1754–1755180Death of Queen-consort Maria Anna of Austria1777–1778365Death of King Joseph I of Portugal1 year of mourning (6 months full mourning, 6 months half mourning).1781180Death of Queen-consort Mariana Victoria of Spain6 months of mourning (3 months full mourning, 3 months half mourning).1786–1787365Death of King-consort Peter III of PortugalOne year of mourning (6 months full mourning, 6 months half mourning).1788–1789180Death of José, Prince of Brazil179969Death of first president of the United States George Washington10second national mourning declaration that was not from Portugal.
19th century Country Year Reason Notes1816–1817365Death of Queen Maria I of PortugalOne year of mourning (6 months full mourning, 6 months half mourning).1826–1827365Death of King John VI of Portugal1830180Death of Queen-consort Carlota Joaquina of Spain1834–1835180Death of King Peter IV of Portugal18433Death of first president Guadalupe VictoriaFirst time national mourning was declared by a country in the Americas.1853–1854180Death of Queen Maria II of Portugal6 months of mourning (3 months full mourning, 3 months half mourning).18611Death of PM of Italy Camillo Benso, Count of CavourFirst Italian national mourning declaration.1861–1862180Death of King Peter V of Portugal6 months of mourning (3 months full mourning, 3 months half mourning). 1865 1 Assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln A National Day of Mourning was held on June 1. First American national mourning declaration. 1871 30 Death of Princess Ludwig August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (née Princess Leopoldina of Brazil) 1874 At least 1 Death of president Adolfo BalliviánFirst time national mourning was declared by a South American country. 1881 1 Death of U.S. President James A. GarfieldNational mourning on September 26. 1885 30 Death of president Justo Rufino Barrios 1888 At least 1 Death of German Emperor William IFirst German national mourning declaration.18891Death of Juan Montalvo1889–189090Death of King Luís I of Portugal3 months of mourning (1.5 month full mourning, 1.5 month half mourning). 1890 1 Death of King William IIIFirst Dutch national mourning declaration. 1899 2 Death of Juan M. Fernandez De CordovaNational mourning on March 16–17. 1899 At least 1 Death of presidential candidate Eliodoro Camacho
20th century 1900s Country Year Reason Notes 1900 1 Death of Napoleón TejadaNational mourning on October 1. 1901 11Death of Queen VictoriaState funeral on February 2, 1901. Flags were hoisted to half-mast for the duration of the mourning period. This was the first mourning period to be observed in the UK. 1During the first declaration of mourning in Canada on February 2, all places of business and entertainment were closed until the hour of sunset. 1901 1 Assassination of U.S. President William McKinleyNational mourning on September 19.19011Death of Manuel María SaavedraNational mourning on December 21.19021Death of deputy of Cochabamba Fabio MariscalNational mourning on August 14.1908120Victims of the Lisbon Regicide4 months of mourning (2 months full mourning, 2 months half mourning).1908At least 2Death of first president Tomás Estrada Palma19091Death of first president Manuel Amador GuerreroFirst time national mourning was declared in Panama.
1910s Country Year Reason Notes191030Death of British King Edward VII15 days full mourning, 15 days half mourning.19101Death of Feliciano AbastoflorNational mourning on August 30.19131Death of José María Pino Suárez19151Death of Demetrio GutiérrezNational mourning on September 16.19171Death of Francisco BacaFirst time national mourning was declared in Nicaragua.19181Death of John D. O’RearNational mourning on July 23 with flags at half mast.19191Death of former U.S president Theodore Roosevelt19197Provisions of the Treaty of VersaillesAll public amusements and sports were postponed or cancelled entirely.19193Death of president Manuel FrancoNational mourning starting on June 6.
1920s Country Year Reason Notes19203Provisions of the Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine1921At least 1Death of King Peter I of Serbs, Croats, and SlovenesMourning started on August 17. First time national mourning was declared in Yugoslavia. 1921 3 Death of former president Rafael Antonio GutiérrezFirst time national mourning was declared in El Salvador. 1921 30 Victims of the Coto War 1922 1 Death of Pope Benedict XV 1922 At least 1 Assassination of German Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau 1923 1 Death of U.S. President Warren G. Harding19231Death of Guerra Junqueiro 1924 1 Death of Soviet leader Vladimir LeninFirst time national mourning was announced in the Soviet Union.19241Death of Teófilo Braga 1924 At least 1 Death of former U.S. President Woodrow WilsonFirst Polish national mourning declaration. Wilson called for an independent Polish state in his 1918 Fourteen Points statement.19241Death of Sacadura Cabral 1925 At least 5 Death of President Friedrich Ebert19251Death of João Chagas19263Victims of the El Virilla train accident19281Death of Amadeo MoscosoNational mourning on October 3.19291Victims of a bus crash near Saucé1929At least 1Death of German Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann
1930s Country Year Reason Notes 1930 1 Victims of the 1930 Southern France floods 1930 1 Death of Pablo Sidar EscobarNational mourning on May 15. 1930 1 Victims of the 1930 San Zenón hurricaneNational mourning on October 3 1930 1 Victims of the R101 disasterNational mourning on October 7 1931 1 Death of Eduardo Zapcovic LizárragaNational mourning on September 30. 1932 1 Victims of the 1932 Trujillo uprisingNational mourning on July 15. 1932 3 Death of Tomás Arias 1932 1 Death of Alfredo H. OteroNational mourning on October 9. 1933 At least 1 Victims of a plane crash in Germany (Modern day Poland)Was set to land in Kaunas. Thousands of people went to the funeral. First time national mourning was declared in Lithuania. 1933 2 Death of Daniel Sánchez Bustamante1933At least 2Victims of the Lagny-Pomponne rail accident19341Death of Vasile GoldișNational mourning in February 12. First time national mourning was declared in Romania. 1934 1 Death of former Queen consort Emma 1934 1 Death of former president Luis Miguel Sánchez CerroNational mourning on April 29. 1934 3 Victims of the 1934 Central America hurricane 1934 1 Assassination of Interior Minister Bronisław Pieracki Public shows, concerts, and games were suspended. 1934 1 Death of Duke Henry, prince consort 1934 14 Death of President Paul von HindenburgLongest mourning period to be observed in Germany 1934 180 Assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia and foreign minister Louis Barthou The general folk mourning lasted six months, the deepest until October 25, and the deep until November 21. A number of cultural and musical events were canceled as a sign of respect. This was the longest mourning to be observed in Yugoslavia 30Longest mourning period to be observed in France 1934 3 Death of Martin F. Sosa 1935 3 Death of Polish statesman Józef Piłsudski Public shows, concerts, and games were suspended. 1935 8 Death of Rafael Niera 1935 7Death of Queen Astrid of SwedenFirst time national mourning was declared in Belgium. 1First time national mourning was declared in Brazil. 1935 3 Death of Alberto Gamez 1935 1 Victims of the 1935-1936 protests in Egypt National mourning on November 21. First time national mourning was declared in Egypt. 1936 8 Death of King George V19377Death of former President Tomáš Garrigue MasarykFirst and longest period of mourning observed in Czechoslovakia. 1937 At least 1 Death of Alejandro Vega Matus 1938 1 Victims of a plane crash in Colombia 1938 At least 1 Death of Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Lviv Józef Teodorowicz 1938 3Death of founding leader and president Mustafa Kemal AtatürkSchools and official offices across the country were closed. First time national mourning was declared in Turkey. 1939 1 Death of Jaime MendozaNational mourning on January 28. 1939 9 Death of Pope Pius XIFirst time national mourning was declared in the Vatican City. 3 1On February 14, the day of the Pope's funeral declared a day of national mourning and a day off from work. Flags lowered to mid-mast on all government and public buildings. Schools, offices and theaters were closed. The Irish flag was flown at half-mast over government buildings, on other public buildings in the capital and throughout the country. Theatres were closed, dance postponed and cinemas shut down as a mark of respect. First time national mourning was declared in Ireland.1939At least 2Death of Costanzo Ciano19393Death of Bolivian president Germán BuschAt least 119398Death of Ecuadorian president Aurelio MosqueraFirst time national mourning was declared in Ecuador.319393Death of J. Butler Wright19393Death of Panamanian president Juan Demóstenes ArosemenaFirst time national mourning was declared in the Dominican Republic.At least 1
1940s