1492day.year
The Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella enter Granada at the conclusion of the Granada War.
Ferdinand and Isabella enter Granada, marking the end of the Granada War and the completion of the Reconquista.
On January 6, 1492, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile triumphantly entered Granada, the last Muslim stronghold on the Iberian Peninsula. This marked the conclusion of the Granada War, which had lasted over a decade. The Catholic Monarchs received the keys to the city from Emir Muhammad XII, symbolizing the surrender of Muslim rule. The fall of Granada ended centuries of Islamic governance in Spain and unified the kingdoms under Christian rule. In the aftermath, policies of religious conversion and expulsion reshaped Spain’s cultural landscape. The conquest of Granada elevated Spain’s status among European powers and helped finance Christopher Columbus’s voyages later that year. This historic entry heralded the dawn of a unified Spanish monarchy and the rise of a global empire.
1492
Ferdinand and Isabella
Granada War
1641day.year
Arauco War: The first Parliament of Quillín is celebrated, putting a temporary hold on hostilities between Mapuches and Spanish in Chile.
The first Parliament of Quillín is held, temporarily halting the Arauco War in Chile.
On January 6, 1641, Spanish authorities and Mapuche leaders convened the first Parliament of Quillín in the Ñuble River valley of Chile. This diplomatic assembly aimed to negotiate a peace during the long-standing Arauco War. Both sides agreed to a temporary cessation of hostilities and the return of captured territories. The parliament established terms for prisoner exchanges, trade, and territorial boundaries. It represented a rare moment of mutual recognition between colonial authorities and indigenous communities. Although the peace proved fragile and fighting resumed in later years, the Parliament of Quillín set a precedent for colonial diplomacy. The event highlighted the complex interactions that shaped Chile's colonial frontier.
1641
Arauco War
Parliament of Quillín
Mapuches
1781day.year
In the Battle of Jersey, the British defeat the last attempt by France to invade Jersey in the Channel Islands.
On January 6, 1781, British defenders repelled a French invasion at the Battle of Jersey, marking the final French attempt to seize the Channel Islands.
On January 6, 1781, a French expeditionary force landed on Jersey, aiming to seize the island and divert British resources.
The British garrison, under Lieutenant Colonel Francis Peirson, quickly marshaled defenders to confront the invaders in St. Helier.
In the ensuing street battle, Peirson was fatally shot, but his officers rallied under his example and counterattacked.
By day's end, the French were routed and forced to withdraw to their ships, ending the last French attempt to invade Jersey.
This victory secured British control of the Channel Islands and became a celebrated moment in Jersey's military heritage.
Today, the battle is commemorated with monuments and reenactments highlighting its bravery and significance.
1781
Battle of Jersey
Channel Islands
1809day.year
Combined British, Portuguese and colonial Brazilian forces begin the Invasion of Cayenne during the Napoleonic Wars.
On January 6, 1809, British, Portuguese, and Brazilian colonial troops launched an expedition to capture Cayenne from Napoleonic France, marking a rare New-World campaign in the wider conflict.
In the context of the Napoleonic Wars, Portugal's royal family had relocated to Brazil in 1808, forging a unique alliance with Britain.
On January 6, 1809, a combined force of British, Portuguese, and colonial Brazilian troops embarked on an expedition to capture French-held Cayenne in South America.
Transported across the Atlantic by the Royal Navy, the army landed on the coast of French Guiana and advanced toward the capital.
Despite challenging terrain and tropical climate, the allied forces pressed on, besieging Cayenne in early March.
The city surrendered on March 19, 1809, marking a rare colonial victory in the Americas during the European conflicts.
This campaign demonstrated the global reach of the Napoleonic Wars and the growing military cooperation between Britain and Portugal.
1809
Invasion of Cayenne
Napoleonic Wars
1900day.year
Second Boer War: Having already besieged the fortress at Ladysmith, Boer forces attack it, but are driven back by British defenders.
In 1900, during the Second Boer War, Boer forces attacked the besieged British fortress at Ladysmith but were repelled by steadfast defenders.
On January 6, 1900, Boer commandos launched a bold assault on the British garrison in Ladysmith, aiming to breach the defenses and force a surrender. The Boers sought to cut off vital supply lines and break the garrison’s morale. British troops, entrenched behind makeshift fortifications, held firm with disciplined rifle and artillery fire. Despite repeated offensives and tactical positioning, the Boer attacks failed to penetrate the fortress walls. The successful defense bolstered British morale and underscored the tenacity of Ladysmith’s defenders. This clash foreshadowed a prolonged conflict that would reshape power dynamics in Southern Africa over the next two years.
1900
Second Boer War
besieged
Ladysmith
Boer
British
1951day.year
Korean War: Beginning of the Ganghwa massacre, in the course of which an estimated 200–1,300 South Korean communist sympathizers are slaughtered.
The Ganghwa massacre began during the Korean War, with hundreds of alleged communist sympathizers killed by South Korean forces on Ganghwa Island.
Amid the intense conflict of the Korean War, South Korean military and police units launched an operation on Ganghwa Island on January 6, 1951. They detained civilians suspected of supporting North Korea's communist regime. Over several days, at least 200 and possibly up to 1,300 individuals were summarily executed. Archives and survivor testimonies later revealed systematic abuses and cover-ups. The massacre highlights the war's brutal impact on civilian populations and remains a painful chapter in South Korea's history.
1951
Korean War
Ganghwa massacre
1967day.year
Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and ARVN troops launch "Operation Deckhouse Five" in the Mekong River delta.
US Marine Corps and ARVN forces launched Operation Deckhouse Five in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War.
On January 6, 1967, United States Marine Corps and Army of the Republic of Vietnam forces commenced Operation Deckhouse Five in the Mekong River delta. This combined amphibious and heliborne assault targeted Viet Cong supply routes and base areas. Over the course of the operation, allied troops encountered dense terrain and well-entrenched opponents. Although the mission achieved some tactical gains and captured enemy equipment, it yielded limited strategic impact. Operation Deckhouse Five underscored the challenges of riverine and jungle warfare during the Vietnam conflict.
1967
Vietnam War
United States Marine Corps
ARVN
Operation Deckhouse Five
Mekong
1993day.year
Indian Border Security Force units kill 55 Kashmiri civilians in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir, in revenge after militants ambushed a BSF patrol.
In 1993, Indian Border Security Force troops killed 55 Kashmiri civilians in Sopore in retaliation for an ambush.
The Kashmir region had been embroiled in insurgency and heavy security presence for years.
On January 6, 1993, militants ambushed an Indian Border Security Force (BSF) patrol near Sopore.
In retaliation, BSF troops opened fire on civilian houses, killing 55 Kashmiri residents.
The incident fueled outrage and intensified the cycle of violence between locals and security forces.
Human rights groups condemned the massacre as a violation of international humanitarian law.
It remains one of the deadliest reprisal attacks in the history of the Kashmir conflict.
1993
Border Security Force
kill 55 Kashmiri civilians
Sopore
Jammu and Kashmir
2012day.year
Twenty-six people are killed and 63 wounded when a suicide bomber blows himself up at a police station in Damascus.
In 2012, a suicide bomber attacked a police station in Damascus, killing 26 people and wounding 63.
Syria’s civil war intensified in early 2012 with frequent attacks on government facilities.
On January 6, a suicide bomber targeted a police station in Damascus.
The explosion killed 26 people, including police officers and civilians, while wounding 63 others.
The assault represented a bold challenge to the Assad regime’s control of the capital.
State media blamed armed opposition groups, fueling further crackdowns.
The attack underscored the conflict’s descent into sectarian violence and urban warfare.
2012
blows himself up
Damascus