748day.year
Abbasid Revolution: The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad province Khorasan, marking the consolidation of the Abbasid revolt.
Rebels led by Abu Muslim Khorasani capture the key city of Merv, securing Abbasid control in Khorasan and dealing a decisive blow to the Umayyad regime.
Abu Muslim Khorasani emerged as a key commander for the Abbasids in the province of Khorasan.
On this day, his forces captured the vital city of Merv, dealing a significant blow to Umayyad authority.
Merv was the administrative center of the Umayyad province, and its fall accelerated the collapse of Umayyad control in the region.
The victory strengthened the legitimacy of the Abbasid revolution and attracted further support from local populations.
This event marked an important turning point that paved the way for the establishment of the Abbasid Caliphate in 750 CE.
748
Abbasid Revolution
Hashimi
Abu Muslim Khorasani
Merv
Umayyad
Khorasan
Abbasid
1349day.year
Several hundred Jews are burned to death by mobs while the remaining Jews are forcibly removed from Strasbourg.
Amid Black Death paranoia, mobs in Strasbourg massacre hundreds of Jews and expel the survivors in a tragic act of anti-Semitic violence.
As the Black Death swept through Europe, Jewish communities were falsely accused of poisoning wells.
On February 14, 1349, enraged mobs in Strasbourg attacked the local Jewish population in a brutal pogrom.
Several hundred men, women, and children were burned alive, while the rest were forcibly expelled from the city.
This atrocity exemplifies how fear and scapegoating fueled religious intolerance during medieval crises.
The Strasbourg pogrom stands as one of the earliest and most infamous anti-Semitic massacres in European history.
1349
Jews
burned to death
forcibly removed
Strasbourg
1530day.year
Spanish conquistadores, led by Nuño de Guzmán, overthrow and execute Tangaxuan II, the last independent monarch of the Tarascan state in present-day central Mexico.
Conquistador Nuño de Guzmán topples the Tarascan monarchy, executing Emperor Tangaxuan II and ending indigenous rule in central Mexico.
In 1530, Nuño de Guzmán led a Spanish force into the heart of the Tarascan state in modern-day Michoacán.
Tangaxuan II, the region’s last independent monarch, was captured and put on trial by the Spaniards.
On February 14, Guzmán ordered his execution, extinguishing centuries of local royal lineage.
The conquest allowed Spain to consolidate control over western Mexico and exploit its rich resources.
This marked a turning point in the colonial subjugation and Christianization of Mesoamerica’s indigenous peoples.
1530
Spanish conquistadores
Nuño de Guzmán
Tangaxuan II
Tarascan state
Mexico
1655day.year
The Mapuches launch coordinated attacks against the Spanish in Chile beginning the Mapuche uprising of 1655.
The Mapuche people initiate a widespread revolt against Spanish colonial forces, marking the beginning of the 1655 uprising in Chile.
Longstanding tensions between the indigenous Mapuche and Spanish settlers erupted in early 1655.
On February 14, Mapuche warriors launched simultaneous raids on Spanish forts and settlements across Chile.
The uprising showcased the Mapuche’s strategic coordination and fierce resistance to colonial encroachment.
Spanish authorities struggled to contain the revolt, leading to months of brutal frontier warfare.
The Mapuche Uprising of 1655 became a pivotal episode in the protracted Arauco War, shaping Chile’s colonial history.
1655
Mapuches
Spanish
Mapuche uprising of 1655
1779day.year
American Revolutionary War: The Battle of Kettle Creek is fought in Georgia.
During the American Revolutionary War, Patriot militia clashed with Loyalist forces at the Battle of Kettle Creek in Georgia.
On February 14, 1779, American Patriot militia led by Colonel Andrew Pickens ambushed Loyalist troops at Kettle Creek, turning the tide in Georgia during the Revolutionary War. The Patriots secured a surprising victory that boosted morale and hindered British efforts in the southern colonies. Although small in scale, the engagement demonstrated effective militia tactics and local coordination. The triumph at Kettle Creek encouraged further resistance among colonists and contributed to the eventual American victory. The battle is remembered as a significant moment in the struggle for independence in the Deep South.
1779
American Revolutionary War
Battle of Kettle Creek
Georgia
1779day.year
James Cook is killed by Native Hawaiians near Kealakekua on the Island of Hawaii.
In 1779, British explorer Captain James Cook was killed by Native Hawaiians near Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii Island.
While anchored at Kealakekua Bay on February 14, 1779, Captain James Cook became embroiled in tensions with Native Hawaiians over a stolen boat. A confrontation erupted onshore, and Cook was struck down by islanders defending their community. His death marked the tragic end of his third Pacific voyage and shocked Europe upon his return. Cook’s explorations had mapped vast stretches of the Pacific and expanded European knowledge of the region. The incident highlights the complexities of early encounters between European explorers and Indigenous peoples.
James Cook is killed
Native Hawaiians
Kealakekua
Island of Hawaii
1797day.year
French Revolutionary Wars: Battle of Cape St. Vincent: John Jervis, (later 1st Earl of St Vincent) and Horatio Nelson (later 1st Viscount Nelson) lead the British Royal Navy to victory over a Spanish fleet in action near Gibraltar.
British Admiral John Jervis and Commodore Horatio Nelson defeated a Spanish fleet off Cape St. Vincent during the French Revolutionary Wars in 1797.
On February 14, 1797, the British fleet under Vice-Admiral John Jervis engaged a larger Spanish armada off Cape St. Vincent. Despite being outnumbered, the British employed bold maneuvers led in part by Commodore Horatio Nelson, seizing enemy ships and securing a decisive victory. Jervis was later ennobled as the Earl of St. Vincent, and Nelson’s actions propelled him toward legendary status. The triumph solidified British naval dominance in the Mediterranean during the French Revolutionary Wars. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of innovative leadership and aggressive tactics against established fleets.
1797
French Revolutionary Wars
Battle of Cape St. Vincent
John Jervis, (later 1st Earl of St Vincent)
Horatio Nelson (later 1st Viscount Nelson)
British Royal Navy
Gibraltar
1804day.year
Karađorđe leads the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire.
In 1804, the Serbian leader Karađorđe launched the First Serbian Uprising against Ottoman rule.
On February 14, 1804, Karađorđe Petrović led Serbian rebels in the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire, seeking to end centuries of foreign domination. What began as a revolt against Janissary oppression in the Sanjak of Smederevo grew into a broad movement for national autonomy. The uprising established the foundation for the modern Serbian state and inspired later Balkan liberation efforts. Under Karađorđe’s leadership, the rebels achieved early successes, capturing key towns and rallying widespread support. Although ultimately suppressed in 1813, the insurrection set the stage for Serbia’s eventual independence.
1804
Karađorđe
First Serbian Uprising
Ottoman Empire
1831day.year
Ras Marye of Yejju marches into Tigray and defeats and kills Dejazmach Sabagadis in the Battle of Debre Abbay.
General Ras Marye of Yejju defeated and killed Dejazmach Sabagadis at the Battle of Debre Abbay in 1831.
On February 14, 1831, Ras Marye of Yejju’s forces clashed with Dejazmach Sabagadis at Debre Abbay in northern Ethiopia. Demonstrating superior tactics, Marye’s army routed Sabagadis’s troops and killed their commander, reshaping the power balance in the region. The victory solidified the Yejju dynasty’s influence during the Zemene Mesafint, a period of decentralized rule in Ethiopia. Sabagadis had previously challenged the Yejju regents, and his death quelled dissent among rival nobles. The battle marked a turning point that affected Ethiopian politics for decades to come.
1831
Marye of Yejju
Tigray
Sabagadis
Battle of Debre Abbay
1879day.year
The War of the Pacific breaks out when the Chilean Army occupies the Bolivian port city of Antofagasta.
The Chilean occupation of Antofagasta sparks the War of the Pacific.
On February 14, 1879, the Chilean Army occupied the Bolivian port city of Antofagasta, triggering the War of the Pacific. The conflict pitted Chile against an alliance of Bolivia and Peru over control of nitrate-rich territories in the Atacama Desert. Chilean forces quickly secured key ports, leading to major naval and land engagements over the next five years. The war reshaped the geopolitical landscape of South America, resulting in Chile’s annexation of valuable mineral regions. Bolivia lost its coastal access, becoming a landlocked nation. This war had lasting economic and territorial consequences for all parties involved.
1879
War of the Pacific
Chilean Army
Bolivian
Antofagasta
1900day.year
The British Army begins the Battle of the Tugela Heights in an effort to lift the Siege of Ladysmith.
The Battle of Tugela Heights begins as British forces attempt to relieve the Siege of Ladysmith.
On February 14, 1900, during the Second Boer War, British forces launched the Battle of Tugela Heights in South Africa. General Sir Redvers Buller aimed to break Boer lines and lift the prolonged Siege of Ladysmith. Fighting took place across rugged terrain near the Tugela River, involving coordinated infantry and artillery assaults. The campaign tested British tactical adaptation to guerrilla-style defenses. After weeks of engagement, British troops eventually captured the heights, forcing Boer withdrawal. The victory paved the way for the relief of Ladysmith and signaled a turning point in the war.
1900
British Army
Battle of the Tugela Heights
Siege of Ladysmith
1919day.year
The Polish–Soviet War begins.
The Polish–Soviet War erupts over territorial disputes in Eastern Europe.
On February 14, 1919, military clashes began between the newly independent Second Polish Republic and Soviet Russia, marking the start of the Polish–Soviet War. Tensions arose over control of Ukraine and Belarus in the aftermath of World War I and the Russian Revolution. Both sides launched offensives to secure key cities such as Lviv and Vilnius, leading to shifting front lines. The conflict featured conventional battles and guerrilla tactics across diverse terrain. The war would continue until 1921, ultimately concluding with the Treaty of Riga and significant border changes. It shaped the postwar political map of Eastern Europe.
1919
Polish–Soviet War