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
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
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
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
1930day.year
The Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng launches the failed Yên Bái mutiny in hope of overthrowing French protectorate over Vietnam.
Vietnamese nationalists of the VNQDD stage the Yên Bái mutiny against French colonial rule on February 10, 1930.
Inspired by earlier uprisings, members of the Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng attempted a coordinated seizure of French military posts around Yên Bái. Their aim was to spark a nationwide revolt and end the French protectorate over northern Vietnam. Despite early successes, the poorly armed rebels were quickly overwhelmed by colonial forces. The mutiny's failure led to harsh reprisals, mass arrests, and executions of party leaders. It marked a turning point, pushing many Vietnamese toward more radical and communist-led independence movements. Though unsuccessful, the revolt remains a symbol of early resistance against colonial oppression.
1930
Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng
Yên Bái mutiny
French protectorate over Vietnam
1936day.year
Second Italo-Abyssinian War: Italian troops launch the Battle of Amba Aradam against Ethiopian defenders.
Italian forces begin the Battle of Amba Aradam against Ethiopian defenders on February 10, 1936.
Under orders from Benito Mussolini, the Italian army advanced into northern Ethiopia, targeting the stronghold at Amba Aradam. Rugged terrain and well-prepared Ethiopian troops under Ras Mulugeta presented fierce resistance. Despite heavy artillery and aerial bombardment, Italian forces faced significant challenges in the highlands. The battle demonstrated modern warfare's brutality, including the use of chemical weapons. Ethiopian defenders fought bravely but were eventually overwhelmed by superior firepower. This clash underscored the global tensions leading up to World War II and the shortcomings of collective security.
1936
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
Italian
Battle of Amba Aradam
Ethiopian
1939day.year
Spanish Civil War: The Nationalists conclude their conquest of Catalonia and seal the border with France.
Nationalist forces complete the capture of Catalonia and close the French border on February 10, 1939.
After months of fierce fighting, Franco's Nationalist troops drove Republican forces out of Catalonia, culminating in the fall of Barcelona weeks earlier. On February 10, they sealed crossing points into France to prevent Republican refugees from escaping. The closure marked the effective end of organized resistance in northeastern Spain. Thousands sought refuge across the Pyrenees, facing harsh winter conditions and internment. The Nationalist triumph foreshadowed the imminent fall of Madrid and the end of the civil war. This event highlighted the humanitarian crises and political repercussions of the conflict in pre–World War II Europe.
1939
Spanish Civil War
Nationalists
conquest of Catalonia
1943day.year
World War II: Attempting to completely lift the Siege of Leningrad, the Soviet Red Army engages German troops and Spanish volunteers in the Battle of Krasny Bor.
In 1943, Soviet forces launched a fierce assault at Krasny Bor to break the Siege of Leningrad, facing staunch German and Spanish defenses.
By early 1943, Leningrad had endured a year-long siege that had driven its inhabitants to the brink of starvation. On February 10, Soviet units of the Red Army attacked the German-held town of Krasny Bor as part of the larger Operation Polar Star. The defenders included the Spanish Blue Division fighting alongside Wehrmacht soldiers. Despite achieving initial gains, Soviet troops encountered intense artillery and counterattacks that halted their advance. Casualties were heavy on both sides, underscoring the brutality of the Eastern Front. Although the siege was not fully broken until the following year, the battle demonstrated both the resilience of Leningrad’s defenders and the determination of the Soviet offensive.
1943
World War II
Siege of Leningrad
Soviet Red Army
German
Spanish
Battle of Krasny Bor
1984day.year
Kenyan soldiers kill an estimated 5,000 ethnic Somali Kenyans in the Wagalla massacre.
In 1984, Kenyan troops massacred thousands of ethnic Somali Kenyans during the Wagalla massacre in northeastern Kenya.
On the night of February 10, 1984, Kenyan security forces detained thousands of ethnic Somalis in Wagalla, Wajir County, under the guise of preventing insurgent activity. Detainees were held in uncovered pits without food, water, or sanitation. Over the following days, soldiers executed many prisoners, resulting in an estimated 5,000 deaths. The massacre was part of broader tensions following the Shifta insurgency, where Somalis sought secession in the 1960s and 1970s. For decades, the Kenyan government denied the scale of the atrocity until official investigations acknowledged the killings. The Wagalla massacre remains a painful chapter in Kenya’s history and a call for justice and reconciliation.
1984
Kenyan soldiers
Wagalla massacre