1258day.year
The Siege of Baghdad ends with the surrender of the last Abbasid caliph to Hulegu Khan, a prince of the Mongol Empire.
The Mongol conquest of Baghdad culminates in the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate under Hulegu Khan.
Hulegu Khan’s forces breach the city walls of Baghdad after a grueling siege, ending centuries of Abbasid rule. The city is systematically looted and many of its famed scholars and libraries are destroyed. This event marks the collapse of the Islamic Golden Age’s political center. The last caliph, al-Musta'sim, surrenders and is subsequently executed. The devastating sack of Baghdad reshapes power in the Middle East and accelerates the shift of intellectual patrimony.
1258
Siege of Baghdad
Abbasid caliph
Hulegu Khan
Mongol Empire
1306day.year
In front of the high altar of Greyfriars Church in Dumfries, Robert the Bruce murders John Comyn, sparking the revolution in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Robert the Bruce kills his rival John Comyn, igniting a pivotal phase of the Wars of Scottish Independence.
In the sanctuary of Greyfriars Church at Dumfries, Robert the Bruce confronts John Comyn over competing claims to the Scottish crown. The dispute escalates into violence, and Bruce stabs Comyn, later declaring himself King of Scots. This act breaks the fragile unity among Scottish nobles and provokes English retaliation. Bruce’s bold murder radically alters the struggle for Scottish sovereignty. It leads to his excommunication but solidifies his reputation as a fierce leader.
1306
Dumfries
Robert the Bruce
John Comyn
Wars of Scottish Independence
1355day.year
The St Scholastica Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead in two days.
A deadly riot erupts in Oxford between university students and townspeople, resulting in dozens of deaths.
Tensions between undergraduates and local residents erupt on St Scholastica’s Day, fueled by a tradition of revelry. Over two days, fights escalate from tavern brawls to street battles, leaving at least 63 scholars and around 30 locals dead. The crown intervenes to curb the violence and impose heavy fines on the city. The riot highlights deep social divides in medieval England and prompts reforms in town-gown relations. Its legacy endures in Oxford’s history of academic rivalry and civic order.
1355
St Scholastica Day riot
Oxford
1502day.year
Vasco da Gama sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal, on his second voyage to India.
Vasco da Gama sets sail from Lisbon on his second expedition to India, seeking to expand Portugal’s spice trade network.
Eight years after his landmark voyage, da Gama launches a fleet of six ships from Lisbon bound for Calicut. Fueled by the promise of lucrative spices and strengthened diplomatic ties, he aims to solidify Portugal’s foothold in the Indian Ocean. The expedition faces challenges including storms, scurvy, and encounters with rival merchants. His journey underscores the fiercely competitive nature of early modern maritime exploration. This voyage significantly contributes to Portugal’s emerging maritime empire and global trade dominance.
1502
Vasco da Gama
Lisbon
second voyage
1567day.year
Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, is found strangled following an explosion at the Kirk o' Field house in Edinburgh, Scotland, a suspected assassination.
Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, is found murdered in a suspected political assassination.
Following a mysterious blast at the Kirk o' Field, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley is discovered dead in the garden, his body showing signs of strangulation. His tumultuous marriage to Mary had soured amid political and religious tensions. Rumors swirl around a conspiracy involving the queen’s close associates, casting a shadow over her reign. The scandal undermines Mary's authority and contributes to her eventual downfall. Darnley’s death remains one of Scotland’s most notorious royal mysteries.
1567
Lord Darnley
Mary, Queen of Scots
Kirk o' Field house
Edinburgh
1712day.year
Huilliches in Chiloé rebel against Spanish encomenderos.
The Huilliche people of Chiloé rebel against Spanish encomenderos, resisting colonial oppression.
Enraged by brutal labor demands and abuses under the encomienda system, Huilliche communities rise up in revolt. The 1712 rebellion spreads swiftly across the archipelago, targeting Spanish estates and authorities. Though ultimately suppressed by colonial forces, the uprising marks a significant assertion of indigenous rights. It disrupts the colonial economy and forces reforms to reduce encomienda abuses. The revolt becomes a symbol of resilience in Chile’s indigenous history.
1712
Huilliches in Chiloé rebel
encomenderos
1763day.year
French and Indian War: The Treaty of Paris ends the war and France cedes Quebec to Great Britain.
The Treaty of Paris ends the French and Indian War, ceding Quebec from France to Britain.
Signed in 1763, the treaty concludes years of conflict between European powers on North American soil. France cedes vast territories, including Canada and lands east of the Mississippi, to Great Britain. Spain exchanges Florida for Louisiana, reshaping colonial holdings in the Americas. The agreement alters the balance of power and stokes colonial American resentment over war debts. These seeds of discontent contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolution a decade later.
1763
French and Indian War
Treaty of Paris
Quebec
1814day.year
Napoleonic Wars: The Battle of Champaubert ends in French victory over the Russians and the Prussians.
French forces achieve victory at the Battle of Champaubert, pushing back Russian and Prussian armies during the War of the Sixth Coalition.
As part of Napoleon’s 1814 campaign, Marshal Ney’s corps engages and defeats isolated Allied detachments near Champaubert. The triumph temporarily halts the enemy advance on Paris and boosts French morale. Despite the tactical success, overwhelming Allied numbers eventually force France into retreat. The battle exemplifies Napoleon’s strategic skill even in the twilight of his empire. It remains a notable clash in the closing chapter of the Napoleonic Wars.
1814
Napoleonic Wars
Battle of Champaubert
Russians
Prussians
1840day.year
Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom marries Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
Queen Victoria weds Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, beginning a beloved royal partnership that shapes an era.
On February 10, 1840, the young queen marries her German cousin in a grand ceremony at London’s Chapel Royal. The union sparks public fascination and celebrates a new era of royal domesticity. Prince Albert’s influence extends to arts, science, and social reform throughout Victoria’s reign. Together, they produce nine children and establish a model for Victorian family life. Their partnership leaves a lasting legacy on Britain’s monarchy and cultural ideals.
1840
Queen Victoria
Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
1846day.year
First Anglo-Sikh War: Battle of Sobraon: British defeat Sikhs in the final battle of the war.
British forces defeat Sikh forces at the Battle of Sobraon, concluding the First Anglo-Sikh War.
The climactic battle sees British troops storm Sikh entrenchments on the eastern bank of the Sutlej River. Fierce combat and strategic artillery placements break the Sikh lines, resulting in heavy casualties. The victory forces Lahore to seek peace and cede territory in the Treaty of Lahore. This defeat significantly weakens the Sikh Confederacy and expands British influence in the Punjab. The battle’s outcome paves the way for eventual annexation of the region.
1846
First Anglo-Sikh War
Battle of Sobraon
1861day.year
Jefferson Davis is notified by telegraph that he has been chosen as provisional President of the Confederate States of America.
Jefferson Davis receives word via telegraph of his election as provisional President of the Confederate States of America on February 10, 1861.
As several Southern states seceded following Abraham Lincoln's election, the newly formed Confederate States held a provisional congress to choose their leader. Jefferson Davis, a former U.S. Senator and Secretary of War, was selected to guide the breakaway nation. The telegraph notification underscored the vital role of emerging communications technologies in 19th-century politics. Davis's presidency would span the entirety of the Civil War, defining Confederate strategy and diplomacy. His leadership was marked by controversies over states' rights and military appointments. This appointment symbolized the Confederacy's resolve to establish a separate national identity.
1861
Jefferson Davis
President of the Confederate States of America
1862day.year
American Civil War: A Union naval flotilla destroys the bulk of the Confederate Mosquito Fleet in the Battle of Elizabeth City on the Pasquotank River in North Carolina.
Union naval forces annihilate most of the Confederate Mosquito Fleet at the Battle of Elizabeth City on February 10, 1862.
As part of the Union's blockade strategy, a naval flotilla advanced up the Pasquotank River to engage Confederate gunboats. The Confederate Mosquito Fleet, a small but vital force for coastal defense, faced overwhelming firepower and superior maneuverability. After intense shelling and close-quarters combat, the bulk of the fleet was destroyed or captured. This victory secured Union control of eastern North Carolina waters and disrupted Confederate supply lines. The battle highlighted the growing importance of naval power in the Civil War. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of combined operations between army and naval units.
1862
American Civil War
Union
Mosquito Fleet
Battle of Elizabeth City
Pasquotank River
North Carolina