May 18

Events - Wars & Conflicts

1096day.year

First Crusade: Around 800 Jews are massacred in Worms, Germany.

In 1096, around 800 Jews were massacred in Worms, Germany, during the anti-Jewish violence of the First Crusade.
Amid the fervor of the First Crusade, the city of Worms became the site of one of the earliest and most tragic episodes of crusader violence in Europe. Between May 18 and 20, 1096, mobs of crusaders and local rioters attacked the Jewish ghetto, slaughtering around 800 men, women, and children. Many Jews chose martyrdom over forced baptism, seeking refuge in a local synagogue which was later set ablaze. This massacre foreshadowed further atrocities along the Rhine and marked a dark chapter in Jewish-Christian relations. The events at Worms would resonate through history as a harbinger of medieval anti-Semitic persecution.
1096 First Crusade massacred in Worms, Germany
1268day.year

The Principality of Antioch, a crusader state, falls to the Mamluk Sultan Baibars in the Siege of Antioch.

In 1268, Mamluk Sultan Baibars captured the Principality of Antioch, ending the crusader state’s four-decade presence.
The siege of Antioch culminated in February 1268 when Sultan Baibars led Mamluk forces against the longstanding crusader stronghold. The fall of Antioch marked the end of nearly two centuries of Latin Christian rule established after the First Crusade. Baibars ordered the city’s defenses breached, resulting in a brutal sack that decimated the population and destroyed fortifications. This victory solidified Mamluk control over Syria and shifted the balance of power in the Levant. The loss of Antioch demoralized the remaining crusader states, presaging further Mamluk advances. The event underscored the waning influence of Western powers in the Near East.
1268 Principality of Antioch crusader state Mamluk Sultan Baibars Siege of Antioch
1291day.year

Fall of Acre, the end of Crusader presence in the Holy Land.

The fall of Acre in 1291 marked the end of the Crusader era in the Holy Land.
Acre had stood as the last major stronghold of the Crusader states since the late 12th century. In May 1291, Sultan Al-Ashraf Khalil led the Mamluk army in a decisive siege, breaching medieval fortifications with powerful siege engines. After intense fighting, the defenders were overwhelmed and the city was captured on May 18. The fall of Acre forced the evacuation of the remaining European inhabitants and ended over two centuries of Latin Christian rule east of the Mediterranean. This pivotal event shifted the focus of crusading efforts back to Europe and left a lasting legacy in Christian and Muslim histories.
1291 Fall of Acre Crusader Holy Land
1302day.year

Bruges Matins, the nocturnal massacre of the French garrison in Bruges by members of the local Flemish militia.

In 1302, Flemish insurgents executed a surprise attack on the French garrison in Bruges, known as the Bruges Matins.
The Bruges Matins were a pre-dawn massacre on May 18, 1302, when local Flemish militias rose against the occupying French forces in the city. Sparked by resentment over heavy taxation and French dominance in Flanders, the insurgents stormed the garrison and killed hundreds of soldiers. The revolt was orchestrated by leaders such as Pieter de Coninck and symbolized the growing assertiveness of the urban merchant class. The uprising precipitated the larger Franco-Flemish conflict and led directly to the Battle of the Golden Spurs later that year. The event became emblematic of regional resistance against foreign rule.
1302 Bruges Matins Bruges Flemish
1388day.year

During the Battle of Buyur Lake, General Lan Yu leads a Ming army forward to crush the Mongol hordes of Tögüs Temür, the Khan of Northern Yuan.

At the Battle of Buyur Lake in 1388, Ming General Lan Yu delivered a crushing defeat to the Northern Yuan hordes.
On May 18, 1388, General Lan Yu led a well-disciplined Ming army against the forces of Tögüs Temür, the Khan of the Northern Yuan dynasty. The Mongol army, long a threat to the newly established Ming dynasty, was caught off guard by Lan Yu’s strategic deployment and superior numbers. The Ming forces achieved a decisive victory, capturing or killing large portions of the enemy and dispersing the remainder. Tögüs Temür was pursued into exile, weakening the Mongol presence in Inner Asia. This triumph secured China’s northern borders and demonstrated the Ming dynasty’s growing military prowess. The battle remains a notable example of early Ming consolidation.
1388 Battle of Buyur Lake Lan Yu Ming Tögüs Temür Northern Yuan
1565day.year

The Great Siege of Malta begins, in which Ottoman forces attempt and fail to conquer Malta.

The Great Siege of Malta began in 1565, as the Ottoman Empire launched a massive assault on the Knights Hospitaller.
On May 18, 1565, Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent dispatched a formidable force to capture Malta, home to the Knights of St. John. The island’s defenders, under Grand Master Jean de Valette, repelled wave after wave of assaults despite being heavily outnumbered. The siege saw brutal combat at key fortifications such as Fort St. Elmo and Birgu, with both sides suffering immense casualties. After three months of ferocious fighting and dwindling supplies, the Ottomans lifted the siege, marking a turning point in Mediterranean power dynamics. Malta’s successful defense halted Ottoman expansion in the West and became celebrated as a symbol of Christian resistance.
1565 Great Siege of Malta Ottoman Malta
1756day.year

The Seven Years' War begins when Great Britain declares war on France.

On May 18, 1756, Britain declared war on France, igniting the global conflict known as the Seven Years’ War.
The formal declaration of war by Britain against France marked the start of the Seven Years’ War, a conflict that spanned Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. Allied states joined both sides, transforming regional disputes into a worldwide struggle for imperial dominance. In North America, the war fueled the French and Indian War, reshaping colonial territories. European theaters witnessed shifting alliances and large-scale battles between Prussia, Austria, and their partners. The conflict’s outcome redrew maps and influenced the future of global colonial empires.
1756 Seven Years' War Great Britain France
1794day.year

Battle of Tourcoing during the Flanders Campaign of the War of the First Coalition.

The Battle of Tourcoing on May 18, 1794, saw French Revolutionary forces defeat an Austro-British army during the Flanders Campaign.
As part of the War of the First Coalition, French troops under Generals Pichegru and Moreau launched a coordinated assault near Tourcoing. Allied Austro-British forces, confident in their numbers, were surprised by the French counterattack and suffered heavy casualties. The victory bolstered French morale and secured their hold on northern France. It demonstrated the effectiveness of mass conscription and revolutionary zeal against professional armies. Tourcoing became emblematic of France’s rise as a military power in the Revolutionary era.
1794 Battle of Tourcoing Flanders Campaign War of the First Coalition
1803day.year

Napoleonic Wars: The United Kingdom revokes the Treaty of Amiens and declares war on France.

On May 18, 1803, Britain terminated the brief peace of the Treaty of Amiens and declared war on Napoleonic France.
After only a year of peace following the Treaty of Amiens, Britain and France returned to hostilities due to unresolved colonial and political tensions. British Foreign Secretary Lord Hawkesbury announced the resumption of war, marking the start of the Napoleonic Wars. The renewed conflict saw Britain leverage its naval supremacy to blockade French ports and disrupt commerce. Key battles like Trafalgar and Austerlitz would define the era’s military narrative. The declaration underscored the fragility of peace in the post-Revolutionary European landscape.
1803 Napoleonic Wars Treaty of Amiens
1811day.year

Battle of Las Piedras: The first great military triumph of the revolution of the Río de la Plata in Uruguay led by José Artigas.

On May 18, 1811, José Artigas led local revolutionary forces to victory at the Battle of Las Piedras, a key win in Uruguay’s fight for independence.
In the early stages of the Río de la Plata revolutionary movements, José Artigas organized militia units to challenge Spanish colonial troops. At Las Piedras, a smaller rebel force used strategic positioning to outflank and rout the royalist soldiers. The triumph galvanized support for independence across the region and elevated Artigas as a national leader. It paved the way for further uprisings along the Uruguay River and the eventual formation of Banda Oriental. The battle remains a cornerstone of Uruguay’s national identity and is celebrated annually.
1811 Battle of Las Piedras Río de la Plata Uruguay José Artigas
1863day.year

American Civil War: Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant begin the Siege of Vicksburg during the Vicksburg campaign in order to take full control of the Mississippi River.

Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant began the Siege of Vicksburg on May 18, 1863, aiming to control the Mississippi River during the American Civil War.
Vicksburg was the Confederacy’s last major stronghold on the Mississippi River.\nGrant initiated the siege after several unsuccessful direct assaults.\nUnion troops encircled the city, cutting off supplies and subjecting residents to constant bombardment.\nCivilian hardships mounted as food ran scarce and conditions deteriorated inside Vicksburg.\nOn July 4, 1863, the city surrendered, granting the Union full control of the Mississippi.\nThe victory split the Confederacy and was a turning point in the war.\nGrant’s success at Vicksburg cemented his reputation as a leading Union general.
1863 American Civil War Union Ulysses S. Grant Siege of Vicksburg Vicksburg campaign Mississippi River
1917day.year

World War I: The Selective Service Act of 1917 is passed, giving the President of the United States the power of conscription.

The Selective Service Act of 1917 was enacted on May 18, giving the U.S. President authority to draft soldiers for World War I.
As the United States prepared to enter World War I, Congress passed the Selective Service Act.\nSigned into law on May 18, 1917, it required men aged 21 to 30 to register for military conscription.\nThe Act granted the President power to call up citizens for service through a draft lottery.\nBy war’s end, over 2.8 million men had been drafted under its provisions.\nThis marked the first peacetime conscription in U.S. history.\nThe law faced legal challenges but was upheld by the Supreme Court.\nThe Selective Service system shaped the structure of the American military in the 20th century.
1917 World War I Selective Service Act of 1917 President of the United States conscription