880day.year
Battle of Lüneburg Heath: King Louis III of France is defeated by the Norse Great Heathen Army at Lüneburg Heath in Saxony.
In 880, King Louis III of France was defeated by the Norse Great Heathen Army at the Battle of Lüneburg Heath in Saxony.
In 880, the Norse Great Heathen Army clashed with the forces of King Louis III at Lüneburg Heath in Saxony. The battle marked a significant defeat for the West Frankish king as Viking forces demonstrated their military prowess. Reports describe fierce fighting on the heath, with the Norse exploiting cavalry and infantry tactics. The loss weakened royal authority in eastern Francia and emboldened future Viking raids. This engagement exemplified the persistent threat of Scandinavian incursions during the ninth century and influenced regional power dynamics for years to come.
880
Battle of Lüneburg Heath
Louis III of France
Great Heathen Army
Lüneburg Heath
Saxony
1141day.year
The Battle of Lincoln, at which Stephen, King of England is defeated and captured by the allies of Empress Matilda.
In 1141, during the Anarchy, King Stephen was defeated and captured at the Battle of Lincoln by forces loyal to Empress Matilda.
On February 2, 1141, the Battle of Lincoln saw the forces of Empress Matilda’s supporters rout the army of King Stephen of England. The confrontation took place near Lincoln Castle, where Matilda’s half-brother Robert of Gloucester led rebel barons. Stephen’s capture in the battle shifted the balance of power in the civil war known as the Anarchy. Matilda momentarily gained the upper hand, although she ultimately failed to secure the crown permanently. The battle underscored the volatility of 12th-century English succession disputes and the role of baronial alliances. It had lasting repercussions for royal authority and the medieval constitutional framework in England.
1141
Battle of Lincoln
Stephen, King of England
Empress Matilda
1438day.year
Nine leaders of the Transylvanian peasant revolt are executed at Torda.
In 1438, nine leaders of the Transylvanian peasant revolt were executed at Torda, quelling the uprising.
On February 2, 1438, authorities in the Kingdom of Hungary executed nine key figures of the Transylvanian peasant revolt at Torda. The peasants had risen against feudal oppression, demanding rights and relief from heavy taxation. The harsh punishment aimed to deter further rebellion and reassert noble control over the region. Historical records describe a public execution that symbolized the ruling class’s dominance and the severe consequences of insurrection. Though the revolt was suppressed, unrest continued to simmer, contributing to later social tensions. The event highlights the complex dynamics between peasant communities and the medieval Hungarian nobility.
1438
Transylvanian peasant revolt
Torda
1461day.year
Wars of the Roses: The Battle of Mortimer's Cross results in the death of Owen Tudor.
In 1461, during the Wars of the Roses, the Battle of Mortimer's Cross led to the death of Owen Tudor.
On February 2, 1461, the Yorkist forces under Edward, Earl of March, faced Lancastrian troops at Mortimer’s Cross in Wales. The battle was marked by foggy conditions, which cleared to reveal a triple comet, later called ‘Tudor’s Star.’ The Yorkists secured a decisive victory, and Owen Tudor, grandfather of the future Henry VII, was killed in combat. This triumph bolstered Edward’s claim to the English throne and paved the way for his coronation as Edward IV. The engagement exemplified the dynastic struggle between York and Lancaster. Owen Tudor’s death symbolized the fading of Lancastrian fortunes and set the stage for the rise of the Tudor dynasty.
1461
Battle of Mortimer's Cross
1645day.year
Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms: Battle of Inverlochy.
In the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, the Battle of Inverlochy was fought in 1645 between Royalist and Covenanter forces in the Scottish Highlands.
On February 2, 1645, James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, led Royalist forces in a surprise attack against Covenanter troops at Inverlochy.
The battle took place under harsh winter conditions, with snow and fog concealing troop movements.
Despite being outnumbered, the Royalists secured a decisive victory, routing the Covenanter army and capturing key officers.
This triumph bolstered Royalist morale and shifted momentum in Scotland’s civil war theatre of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
The Battle of Inverlochy demonstrated Montrose’s tactical brilliance and influenced Scotland's political and religious tensions.
1645
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Battle of Inverlochy
1848day.year
Mexican–American War: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2, 1848, ending the Mexican–American War and ceding large territories to the U.S.
Representatives from Mexico and the United States met at the Basilica of Guadalupe near Mexico City to finalize peace terms on February 2, 1848.
The treaty ended the Mexican–American War, with Mexico ceding territories that became California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
In return, the U.S. paid $15 million and assumed debts owed by Mexico to American citizens.
The agreement also defined the Rio Grande as the boundary for Texas and granted U.S. citizenship rights to Mexicans living in the ceded regions.
The treaty reshaped North America’s political map, fueled debates over slavery in new territories, and set the stage for westward expansion.
1848
Mexican–American War
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
1850day.year
Brigham Young declares war on Timpanogos in the Battle at Fort Utah.
In 1850, Brigham Young led Mormon settlers in a campaign against the Timpanogos tribe at Fort Utah, resulting in significant conflict.
Early in 1850, disputes over land and resources near present-day Provo, Utah, escalated between Mormon pioneers and the Timpanogos tribe.
Brigham Young authorized a militia expedition, leading to the Battle at Fort Utah along the Provo River.
Settler forces besieged the native encampment, forcing a surrender that resulted in casualties and the displacement of many Timpanogos.
This confrontation illustrated the harsh realities of westward expansion and settler-indigenous conflicts in the Utah Territory.
The battle decimated the local tribe’s population and left a lasting impact on regional demographic and power dynamics.
1850
Brigham Young
Timpanogos
Battle at Fort Utah
1868day.year
Pro-Imperial forces capture Osaka Castle from the Tokugawa shogunate and burn it to the ground.
During the Boshin War, pro-Imperial troops seized and destroyed Osaka Castle on February 2, 1868, undermining shogunate power.
In the opening stages of the Boshin War, imperial loyalists sought to dismantle the Tokugawa shogunate’s strongholds.
On February 2, 1868, pro-Imperial forces stormed Osaka Castle, overcoming defenders loyal to the shogunate.
After breaching its walls, the attackers set fire to wooden structures, reducing the historic fortress to ruins.
The castle’s fall marked a symbolic blow against the shogunate and accelerated the Meiji Restoration.
It showcased evolving military tactics and the shift toward centralized imperial authority in modernizing Japan.
1868
capture
Osaka Castle
Tokugawa shogunate
1920day.year
The Tartu Peace Treaty is signed between Estonia and Russia.
On February 2, 1920, Estonia and Soviet Russia signed the Tartu Peace Treaty, formally recognizing Estonian independence.
Negotiated in Tartu, the treaty ended hostilities between the newly proclaimed Republic of Estonia and Soviet Russia following World War I.
Russia renounced claims to Estonian territory and acknowledged Estonia's sovereignty, establishing borders that largely persist today.
The agreement included provisions for minority rights, commerce, and the return of civilian property seized during the conflict.
Estonia gained international legitimacy, enabling its admission to the League of Nations in 1921.
The treaty is celebrated as a foundational moment in Estonian statehood and national identity.
For decades under Soviet occupation, Tartu Peace Treaty's anniversaries served as symbols of legitimacy and independence aspirations.
Since the restoration of independence in 1991, February 2 is remembered as a key diplomatic triumph in Estonia's history.
1920
Tartu Peace Treaty
Estonia
1922day.year
The uprising called the "pork mutiny" starts in the region between Kuolajärvi and Savukoski in Finland.
On February 2, 1922, the "pork mutiny" uprising began in Finland's Kuolajärvi and Savukoski region.
The "pork mutiny" saw a group of Finnish Red supporters and Soviet agents seize livestock and property to support famine-stricken communities.
Occurring along the Finnish-Russian border, the insurgents raided local farms for food and weapons.
Their initial success alarmed authorities in Helsinki and prompted a swift military response to quell the revolt.
Government forces surrounded the rebels and reclaimed control within days, capturing key leaders.
Although brief, the mutiny underscored post-World War I social unrest and ideological conflicts in northern Finland.
The incident earned its name from the large quantities of pork confiscated during the raids.
It remains a curious episode in Finnish history, reflecting tensions between revolutionary ideals and rural life.
pork mutiny
Kuolajärvi
Savukoski
1942day.year
The Osvald Group is responsible for the first, active event of anti-Nazi resistance in Norway, to protest the inauguration of Vidkun Quisling.
Norway's Osvald Group launches its first active sabotage against the Nazi-installed Quisling regime.
On February 2, 1942, the communist-led Osvald Group carried out its first armed operation against Nazi occupation forces in Norway.
The action protested the inauguration of Vidkun Quisling as Minister President under German control.
Led by Asbjørn Sunde, the resistance cell targeted collaborationist symbols through sabotage and guerrilla tactics.
This daring mission signaled a new era of active resistance on Norwegian soil.
The Osvald Group went on to conduct numerous covert actions, becoming one of the most effective underground movements of the war.
Their efforts remain a complex and contested chapter in Norway's WWII history.
1942
Osvald Group
anti-Nazi resistance
inauguration
Vidkun Quisling
1943day.year
World War II: The Battle of Stalingrad comes to an end when Soviet troops accept the surrender of the last organized German troops in the city.
Soviet forces accept the surrender of the last German troops in Stalingrad, ending one of WWII's deadliest battles.
After months of brutal street fighting and encirclement, the German 6th Army at Stalingrad surrendered on February 2, 1943.
The siege, which began in August 1942, devastated the city and resulted in over two million military and civilian casualties.
The Soviet victory marked a major turning point on the Eastern Front, halting Nazi advances into the USSR.
The resilience displayed by Soviet troops and citizens during the battle became a symbol of national endurance.
Stalingrad's outcome shifted strategic momentum towards the Allies and crushed German morale.
It remains one of the most decisive and bloodiest engagements in military history.
1943
World War II
Battle of Stalingrad
Soviet