455day.year
Sack of Rome: Vandals enter Rome, and plunder the city for two weeks.
In 455, Vandal forces captured and looted Rome for two weeks, leaving the city in ruins and shocking the Western Roman Empire.
Under King Gaiseric, the Vandals breached Rome's defenses on June 2, 455, exploiting political chaos and weak leadership. Over the next fourteen days, they sacked palaces, temples, and private homes, seizing priceless art, precious metals, and sacred relics. Citizens endured violence, famine, and the destruction of their city as the invaders displayed ruthless efficiency. This event exposed the vulnerability of the once-mighty empire and marked a significant step in its decline. The scale of the pillaging gave rise to the term "vandalism" to describe wanton destruction. The 455 sack remains one of the most dramatic episodes in Rome's storied history.
455
Sack of Rome
Vandals
1098day.year
First Crusade: The first Siege of Antioch ends as Crusader forces take the city; the second siege began five days later.
In 1098, Crusader armies captured Antioch after a grueling eight-month siege, marking a turning point in the First Crusade.
The Siege of Antioch began in October 1097 as Crusader forces attempted to secure a strategic stronghold en route to Jerusalem. By June 2, 1098, after months of starvation, disease, and fierce skirmishes, the Crusaders gained entry with help from an Armenian guard who opened the city gates. The fall of Antioch provided a vital base for supply and troop movements, boosting morale. However, the victory was followed by a desperate reverse siege by a Muslim relief force, creating a precarious situation for the Crusader army. The Crusaders ultimately held the city until reinforcements arrived, cementing their foothold in the Levant. This episode showcased the brutal realities of medieval warfare and the complex alliances of the Crusader states.
1098
First Crusade
Siege of Antioch
1676day.year
Franco-Dutch War: France ensured the supremacy of its naval fleet for the remainder of the war with its victory in the Battle of Palermo.
In 1676, the French navy achieved a decisive victory at the Battle of Palermo, solidifying its dominance in the Mediterranean during the Franco-Dutch War.
On June 2, 1676, off the coast of Sicily, Admiral Abraham Duquesne led the French fleet against a combined Dutch-Spanish armada defending Palermo. Employing superior gunnery and maneuver tactics, the French captured or sank several enemy ships in a sharp engagement. This triumph secured French control over key Mediterranean sea lanes and disrupted alliance logistics. The victory bolstered King Louis XIV’s reputation and showcased France’s growing naval capabilities. It shifted the balance of naval power and influenced future maritime warfare tactics. The Battle of Palermo remains a landmark in 17th-century naval history.
1676
Franco-Dutch War
France
Battle of Palermo
1763day.year
Pontiac's Rebellion: At what is now Mackinaw City, Michigan, Chippewas capture Fort Michilimackinac by diverting the garrison's attention with a game of lacrosse, then chasing a ball into the fort.
In 1763, Chippewa warriors tricked the British garrison at Fort Michilimackinac into a game of lacrosse and seized the fort, sparking Pontiac’s Rebellion.
On June 2, 1763, Ojibwe warriors under the broader leadership of Pontiac used a ruse to gain entry to Fort Michilimackinac in present-day Michigan. They presented a friendly lacrosse match invitation to the British soldiers, who eagerly joined in. When the soldiers chased the ball through the gates, the warriors surged inside, overwhelming the surprised garrison. This bold action marked one of the first victories in Pontiac’s Rebellion, a coordinated uprising against British post-war policies. The rebellion aimed to resist British encroachment on Indigenous lands and the imposition of trade restrictions. British authorities eventually suppressed the uprising, but the conflict led to the Royal Proclamation of 1763, attempting to stabilize frontier relations.
1763
Pontiac's Rebellion
Mackinaw City, Michigan
Chippewas
Fort Michilimackinac
lacrosse
1805day.year
Napoleonic Wars: A Franco-Spanish fleet recaptures from the British the island of Diamond Rock, which guards the entrance to the bay leading to Fort-de-France, Martinique.
A combined Franco-Spanish fleet retakes Diamond Rock from the British, securing control of the strategic entrance to Fort-de-France's harbor in Martinique.
On June 2, 1805, during the Napoleonic Wars, a joint French and Spanish naval squadron targeted the British-held Diamond Rock.
This island, positioned at the southern entrance of Fort-de-France Bay in Martinique, served as a vital strategic outpost.
Lt. Gov. William Robert Keppel commanded the British forces stationed on the rock since early 1804.
After a fierce bombardment and blockade, Franco-Spanish forces compelled Keppel's garrison to surrender.
The recapture restored French and Spanish naval dominance in the Caribbean theater.
It also underscored the importance of controlling small but strategically located islands.
The action had lasting implications for supply lines and colonial defenses.
1805
Napoleonic Wars
Franco
Spanish
recaptures from the British
Diamond Rock
Fort-de-France
1866day.year
The Fenians defeat Canadian forces at Ridgeway and Fort Erie, but the raids end soon after.
Fenian Brotherhood forces achieve battlefield success against Canadian militia at Ridgeway and Fort Erie during the 1866 raids.
On June 2, 1866, members of the Irish-American Fenian Brotherhood clashed with Canadian militia at Ridgeway, Ontario.
The Fenians, aiming to pressure Britain to grant Ireland independence, launched cross-border incursions.
After defeating local forces at Ridgeway, they advanced toward Fort Erie.
Though initially successful, the raids faltered due to logistical challenges and reinforcements.
By early June, the Fenian forces withdrew back across the Niagara River.
These actions heightened security concerns in Canada and influenced its federal unification.
The border raids also strengthened British-Canadian military organization in the face of external threats.
1866
Fenians
Ridgeway
Fort Erie
1941day.year
World War II: German paratroopers murder Greek civilians in the villages of Kondomari and Alikianos.
During World War II, German paratroopers massacre civilians in Kondomari and Alikianos, Crete, marking one of the earliest war crimes in the siege of the island.
On June 2, 1941, in the midst of the Battle of Crete, German Fallschirmjäger troops executed civilian men, women, and children in Kondomari and Alikianos.
These reprisals followed fierce resistance by Cretan civilians and Allied forces in the Kanaris Operation.
The mass killings were among the first documented war crimes of the Second World War.
Witnesses reported summary executions and destruction of villages as a warning to other resisters.
The atrocities shocked the international community and galvanized Cretan resolve.
Memorials in both villages now honor the victims and serve as reminders of wartime brutality.
The events underscore the human cost of occupation and the importance of preserving historical memory.
1941
World War II
paratroopers
Kondomari
Alikianos