378day.year
General Siyaj K'ak' conquers Tikal, enlarging the domain of King Spearthrower Owl of Teotihuacán.
In 378, General Siyaj K'ak' led Teotihuacán forces to conquer the Maya city of Tikal, expanding King Spearthrower Owl’s domain.
General Siyaj K'ak', a military leader from the powerful city-state of Teotihuacán, invaded Tikal in 378 AD.
His conquest represented a major shift in Maya geopolitics and brought the influence of central Mexico to the Maya lowlands.
The victory installed Spearthrower Owl, a ruler with ties to Teotihuacán, on Tikal’s throne.
This event marked the beginning of a new dynasty and an era of architectural and cultural exchange.
Archaeological evidence shows the introduction of Teotihuacán-style talud-tablero architecture at Tikal following the conquest.
The alliance reshaped trade networks and political alliances across the Maya region for decades.
378
Siyaj K'ak'
Tikal
Spearthrower Owl
Teotihuacán
550day.year
Gothic War: The Ostrogoths, under King Totila, conquer Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison.
In 550, King Totila’s Ostrogoths seized Rome by bribing its garrison after a protracted siege during the Gothic War.
During the protracted Gothic War, Ostrogothic King Totila laid siege to Rome in 550 AD.
After months of blockade, Totila persuaded the Isaurian garrison to abandon their post in exchange for a hefty bribe.
This cunning tactic allowed the Ostrogoths to capture the city without extensive bloodshed.
Totila’s occupation restored Gothic control over Rome and momentarily weakened Byzantine influence in Italy.
He sought to win popular support by restoring civic amenities and distributing food to the city’s inhabitants.
Totila’s conquest underscored the shifting power dynamics of post-Roman Western Europe.
550
Gothic War
Ostrogoths
Totila
Isaurian
1537day.year
Bigod's Rebellion, an armed insurrection attempting to resist the English Reformation, begins.
Bigod’s Rebellion erupted in 1537 as a Northumbrian uprising against Henry VIII’s religious reforms.
In January 1537, Sir Francis Bigod led a revolt in Northumberland aiming to resist the English Reformation policies of King Henry VIII.
The uprising followed the earlier Pilgrimage of Grace but lacked widespread support from local gentry and commoners.
Bigod’s poorly planned attack on garrisons and strategic castles failed to mobilize a significant force.
The swift suppression by royal troops resulted in Bigod’s capture and subsequent execution.
This rebellion underscored deep unrest over the dissolution of monasteries and religious change in Tudor England.
Its failure reinforced the Crown’s authority and deterred further large-scale rebellions during Henry’s reign.
1537
Bigod's Rebellion
English Reformation
1757day.year
Forces of the Maratha Empire defeat a 5,000-strong army of the Durrani Empire in the Battle of Narela.
Maratha forces secure a victory against the Durrani Empire at the Battle of Narela in northern India.
During the struggle between the Maratha and Durrani Empires for control over northern India, Maratha forces met the Durrani army near Narela. Led by Maratha generals, the confederacy outmaneuvered and routed the Durrani contingent of 5,000 soldiers. The victory halted Ahmad Shah Durrani's advance toward Delhi. It boosted Maratha confidence and influence in the region. This clash foreshadowed the larger conflict culminating in the Third Battle of Panipat.
1757
Maratha Empire
Durrani Empire
Battle of Narela
1780day.year
American Revolutionary War: Battle of Cape St. Vincent.
Naval clash off Cape St. Vincent between British and Spanish fleets during the American Revolutionary War.
Off the coast of Portugal near Cape St. Vincent, British and Spanish naval squadrons engaged in a fierce encounter during the American Revolutionary War. Admiral Sir George Rodney's fleet intercepted a Spanish convoy attempting to supply troops in the Caribbean. The battle showcased the Royal Navy's tactical innovations and firepower. Despite heavy exchanges, the engagement was indecisive in strategic terms. It underscored the global reach of the conflict and the importance of naval supremacy.
1780
American Revolutionary War
Battle of Cape St. Vincent
1809day.year
Peninsular War: The British defeat the French at the Battle of La Coruña.
British troops under Sir John Moore defeat the French at La Coruña during the Peninsular War.
During the Peninsular War, Sir John Moore led British forces in a strategic retreat through northern Spain in the face of Napoleon's armies. At La Coruña, he organized a rear-guard action that repelled repeated French attacks, allowing most of his troops to embark for safety. Moore was mortally wounded in the battle but his actions ensured the army's escape. The evacuation preserved a core of experienced soldiers for future campaigns. This engagement highlighted the hardships and heroism of the conflict.
1809
Peninsular War
Battle of La Coruña
1878day.year
Russo-Turkish War (1877–78): Battle of Philippopolis: Captain Aleksandr Burago with a squadron of Russian Imperial army dragoons liberates Plovdiv from Ottoman rule.
During the Russo-Turkish War, Captain Aleksandr Burago and his dragoon squadron liberated Plovdiv from Ottoman rule at the Battle of Philippopolis on January 16, 1878.
Part of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, the Battle of Philippopolis saw a daring cavalry raid led by Captain Aleksandr Burago of the Russian Imperial Army. His squadron charged into the city defenses, catching Ottoman forces off guard and securing Plovdiv with minimal casualties. This victory galvanized Bulgarian nationalists and marked a turning point in the liberation of the Balkans from Ottoman rule. It underscored the effectiveness of mobile cavalry tactics and boosted Russian prestige in the region.
1878
Russo-Turkish War (1877–78)
Battle of Philippopolis
Aleksandr Burago
squadron
Russian Imperial
dragoons
liberates Plovdiv
Ottoman rule
1942day.year
The Holocaust: Nazi Germany begins deporting Jews from the Łódź Ghetto to Chełmno extermination camp.
On January 16, 1942, Nazi Germany commenced the deportation of Jews from the Łódź Ghetto to the Chełmno extermination camp, marking one of the first large-scale mass murders of the Holocaust.
The Łódź Ghetto, established in 1940 to confine Jewish communities under brutal conditions, became the site of systematic deportations starting in January 1942. Victims were transported to Chełmno, the first Nazi extermination camp, where they were killed in gas vans. This operation set a horrific precedent for the 'Final Solution' and prefigured the mass killings that would follow at Auschwitz and other camps. Chełmno's role in the genocide underscored the industrial scale and bureaucratic coordination of the Holocaust.
1942
The Holocaust
Łódź Ghetto
Chełmno extermination camp
1945day.year
World War II: Adolf Hitler moves into his underground bunker, the so-called Führerbunker.
On January 16, 1945, Adolf Hitler took residence in the Führerbunker, his fortified underground command center beneath Berlin.
As Allied forces closed in on Berlin during the final months of World War II, Adolf Hitler relocated to the subterranean Führerbunker beneath the Reich Chancellery.
The bunker became the epicenter of Nazi Germany’s last defensive efforts and the site of critical military decisions.
Hitler’s move reflected the dire situation facing the Third Reich as Soviet and Western forces converged on the capital.
The cramped quarters housed Hitler and key members of his inner circle, who persisted in directing a collapsing war effort.
The Führerbunker would later become infamous as the location of Hitler’s last days, culminating in his suicide on April 30, 1945.
Today, the site stands as a stark symbol of the Third Reich’s ultimate downfall.
1945
World War II
Adolf Hitler
Führerbunker
1991day.year
Coalition Forces go to war with Iraq, beginning the Gulf War.
On January 16, 1991, a U.S.-led coalition launched Operation Desert Storm, initiating the combat phase of the Gulf War against Iraq.
Following Iraq’s August 1990 invasion of Kuwait, the United Nations authorized force to expel Iraqi troops.
At 2:00 AM local time, coalition aircraft began intensive air strikes on Iraqi military targets and infrastructure.
The operation aimed to degrade Iraq’s command and control, air defenses, and troop concentrations.
Over the next several weeks, thousands of sorties were flown, shaping the battlefield for a ground offensive.
The air campaign showcased advanced precision-guided munitions and coalition interoperability.
Operation Desert Storm set the stage for the liberation of Kuwait later that February.
1991
Iraq
Gulf War
1992day.year
El Salvador officials and rebel leaders sign the Chapultepec Peace Accords in Mexico City, Mexico ending the 12-year Salvadoran Civil War that claimed at least 75,000 lives.
On January 16, 1992, the government of El Salvador and FMLN rebel leaders signed the Chapultepec Peace Accords in Mexico City, ending a 12-year civil war.
The Chapultepec Peace Accords were formalized at the Mexican National Auditorium in Mexico City.
Representatives of the Salvadoran government and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) agreed to cease hostilities.
The agreement included military reforms, human rights guarantees, and the integration of former combatants into society.
Over 75,000 people had died and thousands more were displaced during the conflict that began in 1980.
United Nations observers monitored the implementation of the accords, helping to stabilize the nation.
The peace process paved the way for democratic elections and lasting political changes in El Salvador.
1992
El Salvador
Chapultepec Peace Accords
Mexico City, Mexico
Salvadoran Civil War
2001day.year
Second Congo War: Congolese President Laurent-Désiré Kabila is assassinated by one of his own bodyguards in Kinshasa.
In 2001, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was assassinated in Kinshasa by his own bodyguard.
On January 16, 2001, amid the turmoil of the Second Congo War, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila was shot dead by a member of his presidential guard in Kinshasa.
His assassination sent shockwaves through the region, threatening to further destabilize a conflict already fueled by foreign interventions and proxy forces.
Kabila had taken power in 1997 after overthrowing Mobutu Sese Seko, but his rule was challenged by rebel factions supported by neighboring countries.
The sudden power vacuum raised fears of renewed violence and interference by Rwanda and Uganda, which backed rival groups.
His 29-year-old son, Joseph Kabila, swiftly succeeded him and negotiated a ceasefire that eventually led to a transitional government.
The event underscored the fragility of leadership in the world's deadliest armed conflict since World War II.
2001
Second Congo War
Congolese
Laurent-Désiré Kabila
assassinated by one of his own bodyguards