1477day.year
Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is defeated and killed in a conflict with René II, Duke of Lorraine; Burgundy subsequently becomes part of France.
The Battle of Nancy in 1477 saw Charles the Bold face René II of Lorraine.
Charles was defeated and killed, ending Burgundian independence.
In January 1477, the forces of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, met troops led by René II of Lorraine at Nancy.
The battle was brief but decisive, resulting in a clear victory for Lorraine and its Swiss allies.
Charles the Bold fell during the fighting, marking the collapse of Burgundian power and ambitions.
His death allowed King Louis XI of France to claim Burgundian territories and expand French influence.
The outcome reshaped the political landscape of Western Europe and solidified the French crown’s authority.
1477
Battle of Nancy
Charles the Bold
René II, Duke of Lorraine
Burgundy
1675day.year
Battle of Colmar: The French army defeats forces from Austria and Brandenburg.
In 1675, French forces defeated Austrian and Brandenburg troops at Colmar.
The victory strengthened French control along the Rhine frontier.
In January 1675, the French army engaged Austrian and Brandenburg forces near Colmar in Alsace.
Under the leadership of Marshal Turenne, the French executed strategic flanking maneuvers that overwhelmed the enemy.
The battle secured key positions along the Rhine and bolstered France’s defensive lines.
It demonstrated the effectiveness of Louis XIV’s military reforms and expansionist policies.
The outcome reinforced France’s dominance in the region and discouraged further incursions by the Holy Roman Empire.
1675
Battle of Colmar
Brandenburg
1781day.year
American Revolutionary War: Richmond, Virginia, is burned by British naval forces led by former American general Benedict Arnold.
In 1781, British forces under Benedict Arnold burned Richmond, Virginia, during the American Revolutionary War.
The raid aimed to disrupt Patriot resources and morale.
On January 5, 1781, Benedict Arnold, having defected to the British, led a naval expedition up the James River to Richmond.
Arnold’s intimate knowledge of Virginian defenses allowed British forces to strike swiftly and inflict heavy damage.
Warehouses, public buildings, and private homes were set ablaze, causing economic and symbolic blows to the revolutionaries.
The attack provoked outrage among American colonists and galvanized support for the Patriot cause.
Arnold’s actions cemented his legacy as one of the most infamous traitors in American history.
1781
American Revolutionary War
Richmond, Virginia
burned
British
naval forces
Benedict Arnold
1913day.year
First Balkan War: The Battle of Lemnos begins; Greek admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis forces the Turkish fleet to retreat to its base within the Dardanelles, from which it did not venture for the rest of the war.
On January 5, 1913, the Greek fleet under Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis decisively defeated the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lemnos.
The Battle of Lemnos began with Greek ships engaging the Ottoman fleet in the northern Aegean Sea.
Under Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis, Greece employed superior tactics and speed to outmaneuver the enemy.
By midday, the Turkish navy had retreated to the safety of the Dardanelles, never venturing out again during the First Balkan War.
This victory secured Greek control of strategic sea lanes and boosted morale on the Balkan peninsula.
The battle underscored the vital role of naval supremacy in early 20th-century conflicts.
1913
First Balkan War
Battle of Lemnos
Pavlos Kountouriotis
Dardanelles
1976day.year
The Troubles: Gunmen shoot dead ten Protestant civilians after stopping their minibus at Kingsmill in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK, allegedly as retaliation for a string of attacks on Catholic civilians in the area by Loyalists, particularly the killing of six Catholics the night before.
Gunmen kill ten Protestant civilians at Kingsmill, County Armagh, as part of the sectarian violence in Northern Ireland.
On January 5, 1976, gunmen ambushed a minibus at Kingsmill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, killing ten Protestant civilians. The attackers forced passengers off the vehicle, separated Protestants from Catholics, and opened fire. The massacre was claimed as retaliation for recent attacks on Catholic civilians by loyalist paramilitaries. It became one of the deadliest sectarian killings during the Troubles. The atrocity intensified communal tensions and prompted security clampdowns. One passenger survived by feigning death, providing a crucial eyewitness account.
The Troubles
shoot dead ten Protestant civilians
County Armagh
Catholic
Loyalists
killing of six Catholics the night before
1991day.year
Georgian forces enter Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, Georgia, opening the 1991–92 South Ossetia War.
On January 5, 1991, Georgian forces entered Tskhinvali, the administrative center of South Ossetia, igniting the 1991–92 South Ossetia War.
In early 1991, tensions between Georgian authorities and South Ossetian separatists culminated in a military operation.
Georgian units moved into Tskhinvali, the administrative center of South Ossetia, on January 5.
This action marked the beginning of the South Ossetia War, which would last into 1992.
The conflict arose from ethnic and political disputes following the collapse of Soviet power.
Georgian leadership aimed to reassert central control, while local Ossetians sought greater autonomy.
The operation led to fierce clashes and civilian displacement.
International observers condemned the escalation.
Peace talks would intermittently occur but hostilities persisted.
The war left deep scars in Georgian-Ossetian relations and remains a volatile issue in the Caucasus region.
1991
Georgian
Tskhinvali
South Ossetia, Georgia
1991–92 South Ossetia War
1991day.year
Somali Civil War: The United States Embassy to Somalia in Mogadishu is evacuated by helicopter airlift days after the outbreak of violence in Mogadishu.
On January 5, 1991, the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu was airlifted by helicopter amid escalating violence in the Somali Civil War.
As clan warfare erupted in Mogadishu, U.S. diplomats and staff faced grave risk.
On January 5, 1991, military helicopters airlifted the final contingent from the U.S. Embassy compound.
The evacuation followed widespread fighting between government forces and various rebel factions.
This marked one of the earliest foreign diplomatic withdrawals during the Somali Civil War.
The operation underscored the deteriorating security and the collapse of central authority under President Siad Barre.
Embassy personnel were transported to safety aboard U.S. Marine CH-46 helicopters.
The incident presaged further international involvement, including humanitarian and peacekeeping missions.
Somalia would continue to experience instability, leading to U.S. interventions later in the decade.
Somali Civil War
United States Embassy to Somalia
Mogadishu
evacuated by helicopter airlift