987day.year
Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II.
In 987, Byzantine generals Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros launched a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II.
In 987, two powerful members of the Byzantine military aristocracy, Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, rose in revolt against Emperor Basil II. They commanded troops across Anatolia, challenging the central authority in Constantinople. Their uprising marked a critical test for Basil II's early rule, as skirmishes and sieges spread through key provinces. The rebellion drew regional magnates into conflict and required diplomatic as well as military responses. Its eventual suppression solidified Basil II's control and shaped the future of Byzantine governance.
987
Bardas Phokas the Younger
Bardas Skleros
wide-scale rebellion
Basil II
1756day.year
Guaraní War: The leader of the Guaraní rebels, Sepé Tiaraju, is killed in a skirmish with Spanish and Portuguese troops.
In 1756, Guaraní War leader Sepé Tiaraju was killed during a skirmish with Spanish and Portuguese forces.
During the Guaraní War on February 7, 1756, Sepé Tiaraju, the charismatic leader of the Guaraní rebels, fell in battle against combined Spanish and Portuguese troops. The conflict arose over the fate of Jesuit missions in South America after the Treaty of Madrid reassigned territory. Tiaraju's resistance galvanized indigenous communities defending their lands and way of life. His death in a remote frontier skirmish marked a turning point, weakening the uprising. The Guaraní War highlighted the clash between colonial ambitions and native autonomy in the 18th-century Americas.
1756
Guaraní War
Guaraní
Sepé Tiaraju
1783day.year
American Revolutionary War: French and Spanish forces lift the Great Siege of Gibraltar.
In 1783, French and Spanish forces lifted the Great Siege of Gibraltar, ending a seven-year blockade during the American Revolutionary War.
On February 7, 1783, French and Spanish forces officially lifted the Great Siege of Gibraltar, ending one of the longest blockades in military history. The siege had begun in 1779 as part of the global conflict tied to the American Revolutionary War. Despite repeated assaults and cut-off supply lines, the British garrison held the fortress against superior numbers. The siege's end reaffirmed British control over Gibraltar and shaped post-war negotiations. The episode demonstrated the strategic importance of Gibraltar and the resilience of its defenders.
1783
American Revolutionary War
Great Siege of Gibraltar
1807day.year
Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon finds Bennigsen's Russian forces taking a stand at Eylau. After bitter fighting, the French take the town, but the Russians resume the battle the next day.
In 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon's forces captured Eylau after fierce fighting, only for the Russians to renew the battle the next day.
On February 7, 1807, part of the War of the Fourth Coalition, Napoleon encountered Russian General Bennigsen's troops entrenched at Eylau. After brutal and close-quarters combat in freezing conditions, the French army seized the town. Despite this tactical gain, high casualties on both sides prevented a decisive victory. The Russian forces regrouped and resumed the fight on February 8, leading to the indecisive Battle of Eylau. The engagement exposed the toll of winter warfare and shaped Napoleon's strategic decisions in the campaign.
1807
Napoleonic Wars
Bennigsen's
Eylau
1813day.year
In the action of 7 February 1813 near the Îles de Los, the frigates Aréthuse and Amelia batter each other, but neither can gain the upper hand.
Inconclusive naval skirmish between French frigate Aréthuse and British frigate Amelia off the Îles de Los during the Napoleonic Wars.
On February 7, 1813, near the Îles de Los off West Africa, the French frigate Aréthuse and the British frigate Amelia engaged in a fierce exchange of broadsides.
Despite heavy cannon fire, neither vessel achieved a decisive advantage.
The action reflected the global reach of Napoleonic naval conflict as both sides protected vital trade routes.
After hours of combat, both ships withdrew with damage but no clear victor.
The encounter highlighted the tactical challenges of single-ship engagements at sea.
Casualties were moderate, but the fight boosted morale among their respective crews.
1813
action of 7 February 1813
Îles de Los
frigates
Aréthuse
Amelia
1842day.year
Battle of Debre Tabor: Ras Ali Alula, Regent of the Emperor of Ethiopia defeats warlord Wube Haile Maryam of Semien.
Ras Ali Alula secures victory over Wube Haile Maryam at the Battle of Debre Tabor, consolidating power in Ethiopia's Zemene Mesafint era.
On February 7, 1842, Ethiopian Regent Ras Ali Alula defeated warlord Wube Haile Maryam of Semien at Debre Tabor.
This decisive engagement occurred during the Zemene Mesafint, or Era of Princes, when regional lords vied for control.
Ali Alula's victory weakened Wube's influence in northern Ethiopia and solidified the Regent's authority.
The battle reshaped alliances and set the stage for future centralization under Emperor Tewodros II.
Local civilians experienced the conflict's disruption, as armies foraged supplies across the countryside.
Debre Tabor remains a symbol of shifting power dynamics in 19th-century Ethiopian history.
1842
Battle of Debre Tabor
Ali Alula
Emperor of Ethiopia
Wube Haile Maryam
1900day.year
Second Boer War: British troops fail in their third attempt to lift the Siege of Ladysmith.
British forces fail in their third attempt to lift the Siege of Ladysmith during the Second Boer War.
On February 7, 1900, British troops launched another offensive to relieve the besieged town of Ladysmith in South Africa.
Facing entrenched Boer riflemen and challenging terrain, the attack faltered under heavy fire.
The unsuccessful assault resulted in significant British casualties and stalled relief efforts.
The prolonged siege tested both sides' endurance and strategic resolve in the broader Second Boer War.
Morale in Ladysmith dipped as supplies dwindled, while Boer forces celebrated their defensive stand.
The eventual relief in March would be hailed as a turning point in the conflict.
1900
Second Boer War
British
third attempt
Siege of Ladysmith
1943day.year
World War II: Imperial Japanese Navy forces complete the evacuation of Imperial Japanese Army troops from Guadalcanal during Operation Ke, ending Japanese attempts to retake the island from Allied forces in the Guadalcanal Campaign.
During Operation Ke in February 1943, Japanese naval forces evacuated their troops from Guadalcanal, ending attempts to retake the island in a pivotal WWII campaign.
Operation Ke was executed under the cover of night from February 1 to 7, 1943, to withdraw thousands of Japanese soldiers from Guadalcanal. The Imperial Japanese Navy employed fast warships and destroyers to ferry troops off the island while evading Allied air and naval patrols. This withdrawal concluded a grueling six-month Guadalcanal Campaign, which had inflicted heavy casualties on both sides. The Allies secured a strategic foothold in the Pacific, and Japan's failed counteroffensive shifted momentum in the Allies' favor. The operation highlighted Japan's logistical challenges and the growing dominance of Allied naval air power. Guadalcanal became a turning point in World War II, paving the way for subsequent island-hopping campaigns toward Japan.
1943
World War II
Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Army
Guadalcanal
Operation Ke
Allied
Guadalcanal Campaign
1944day.year
World War II: In Anzio, Italy, German forces launch a counteroffensive during the Allied Operation Shingle.
On February 7, 1944, German forces launched a powerful counteroffensive against Allied troops at Anzio, Italy, during Operation Shingle.
Operation Shingle began in January 1944 as an Allied amphibious landing aimed at bypassing the Gustav Line. After initial progress inland, Allied forces dug in north of Anzio, awaiting a push toward Rome. On February 7, German units under Field Marshal Kesselring counterattacked with infantry, armor, and heavy artillery. The surprise offensive threatened to cut Allied troops off from their beachhead and supply lines. Fierce resistance, combined with air support, prevented a complete German breakthrough. The ensuing battle bogged down into entrenched warfare, delaying the Allied advance on the Italian mainland for months. The Anzio engagement underscored the difficulties of amphibious operations against well-prepared defenses.
1944
Anzio
Operation Shingle
1951day.year
Korean War: More than 700 suspected communist sympathizers are massacred by South Korean forces.
In February 1951, South Korean troops executed over 700 suspected communist sympathizers during the Korean War, in one of the conflict's most tragic incidents.
Amid heightened tensions and fears of guerrilla activity, South Korean Army units detained suspected leftist civilians in western Korea. On February 7, 1951, more than 700 detainees were summarily executed without trial. The massacre was part of a broader campaign of political repression against perceived communist collaborators. Survivor testimonies and later investigations uncovered mass graves and evidence of systematic killings. International observers condemned the atrocity, but it remained overshadowed by frontline battles. The incident deepened divisions within Korean society and left a lasting scar on the nation’s collective memory.
1951
Korean War
are massacred
South Korean forces
1991day.year
The Troubles: The Provisional IRA launches a mortar attack on 10 Downing Street in London, the headquarters of the British government.
On February 7, 1991, the Provisional IRA launched a mortar attack on 10 Downing Street in London. The bold assault highlighted the IRA’s campaign during the Troubles.
In the early hours of February 7, 1991, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) fired homemade mortars at the British Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street. Although the attack caused limited structural damage and no fatalities, it underscored the IRA’s capability to strike at the heart of the British government. The assault heightened security measures across London and led to increased vigilance around key political sites. The IRA described the action as retaliation for British policies in Northern Ireland, while the government condemned it as an act of terrorism. Public reaction was one of shock, followed by renewed calls for peace talks. The incident remains a stark example of the violence that plagued relations during the Troubles era.
The Troubles
Provisional IRA
a mortar attack
10 Downing Street
1995day.year
Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, is arrested in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, was arrested in Islamabad on February 7, 1995. His capture was a major victory in the fight against terrorism.
On February 7, 1995, Pakistani authorities, acting on intelligence provided by U.S. agencies, arrested Ramzi Yousef in Islamabad. Yousef had planned and executed the February 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City, which killed six people and injured over a thousand. His capture involved cooperation between the FBI, CIA, and Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Prosecutors in the United States later charged Yousef with terrorism, conspiracy, and murder. In 1997, he was convicted and received multiple life sentences. The arrest of Yousef was hailed internationally as a key breakthrough in counterterrorism efforts during the 1990s.
1995
Ramzi Yousef
1993 World Trade Center bombing
Islamabad, Pakistan