A Daily Dose of History: Events on this Day in History

A Daily Dose of History (03 Jan 2025) Today's historical events: The Roman legions on the Rhine refuse to declare their allegiance to Galba, instead proclaiming their legate, Aulus Vitellius, as emperor. Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther in the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem. By the Coonan Cross Oath, the Eastern Church in India cuts itself off from colonial Portuguese tutelage. Benning...

A Daily Dose of History (02 Jan 2025) Today's historical events: The Alemanni cross the frozen Rhine in large numbers, invading the Roman Empire. Mercurius becomes Pope John II, the first pope to adopt a new name upon elevation to the papacy. Reconquista: The Emirate of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain, surrenders. Trunajaya rebellion: Amangkurat II of Mataram and his bodyguards execu...

A Daily Dose of History (01 Jan 2025) Today's historical events: The Senate chooses Pertinax against his will to succeed Commodus as Roman emperor. Saint Telemachus tries to stop a gladiatorial fight in a Roman amphitheatre, and is stoned to death by the crowd. This act impresses the Christian Emperor Honorius, who issues a historic ban on gladiatorial fights. Grand Prince Stephen I of Hungary is...

A Daily Dose of History (31 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gaul. Byzantine general Belisarius completes the conquest of Sicily, defeating the Gothic garrison of Palermo (Panormos), and ending his consulship for the year. Battle of Englefield: The Vikings clash with ealdorman Æthelwulf of Berkshire. The invaders are driven...

A Daily Dose of History (30 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: The second and final edition of the Code of Justinian comes into effect in the Byzantine Empire. Battle of Glenmama: The combined forces of Munster and Meath under king Brian Boru inflict a crushing defeat on the allied armies of Leinster and Dublin near Lyons Hill in Ireland. Granada massacre: A Muslim mob storms the royal palace in...

A Daily Dose of History (29 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Charles the Bald, King of the Franks, is crowned as Holy Roman Emperor Charles II. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II; he subsequently becomes a saint and martyr in the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church. The Battle of Garigliano (1503) was fought...

A Daily Dose of History (28 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: A papal conclave begins, resulting in the election of Pope Boniface I. Alaric II succeeds his father Euric and becomes king of the Visigoths. He establishes his capital at Aire-sur-l'Adour (Southern Gaul). An earthquake destroys the city of Dvin, Armenia. Edward the Confessor's Romanesque monastic church at Westminster Abbey is conse...

A Daily Dose of History (27 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: The second Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is consecrated. The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the conduct of settlers with regard to native Indians in the New World. The Zwickau prophets arrive in Wittenberg, disturbing the peace and preaching the Apocalypse. Second Northern War/the Deluge: Monks at the Jasna Góra...

A Daily Dose of History (26 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Berengar I is elected as king of Italy by the lords of Lombardy. He is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy at Pavia. Battle of Westbroek: An army of 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers raised by David of Burgundy, Bishop of Utrecht, attacks an armed mob of people from nearby Utrecht who were trying to avenge the massacre of the inhabitants o...

A Daily Dose of History (25 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Forces of Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han, under the command of Wu Han, conquer the separatist Chengjia empire, reuniting China. A temple to Sol Invictus is dedicated in Rome by Emperor Aurelian. Roman Emperor Constantine the Great elevates his youngest son Constans to the rank of Caesar. First documentary sign of Christmas celebr...

A Daily Dose of History (24 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Chinese emperor Xiao Yan names Xiao Tong his heir designate.[citation needed] Pope John IV is elected, several months after his predecessor's death. Tang dynasty poet Du Fu departs for Chengdu, where he is hosted by fellow poet Pei Di. The capital of the crusader County of Edessa falls to Imad ad-Din Zengi, the atabeg of Mosul and Al...

A Daily Dose of History (23 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: The Arian Vandal Kingdom ceases its persecution of Nicene Christianity. Chlothar I is crowned King of the Franks. Maya queen Yohl Ik'nal is crowned ruler of Palenque. The Sack of Aleppo as part of the Arab-Byzantine wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops storm the city of Aleppo. Arauco War: Governor of Ch...

A Daily Dose of History (22 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Vespasian is proclaimed Emperor of Rome; his predecessor, Vitellius, attempts to abdicate but is captured and killed at the Gemonian stairs. Pope Innocent I is elected, the only pope to succeed his father in the office. Damghan earthquake: An earthquake near the Persian city of Damghan kills an estimated 200,000 people, the sixth dea...

A Daily Dose of History (21 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: The Roman Senate declares Vespasian emperor of Rome, the last in the Year of the Four Emperors. Pope Honorius II is consecrated, having been elected after the controversial dethroning of Pope Celestine II. After a siege of several weeks, the city of Weinsberg and its castle surrender to Conrad III of Germany. The city of Ryazan is sa...

A Daily Dose of History (20 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Antonius Primus enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor for Nero's former general Vespasian. Richard I of England is captured and imprisoned by Leopold V of Austria on his way home to England after the Third Crusade. The Louisiana Purchase is completed at a ceremony in New Orleans. Peninsular War: The Siege of Zaragoza begins. Sout...

A Daily Dose of History (19 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Henry II of England is crowned at Westminster Abbey. Pope Clement III is elected. Anne, Duchess of Brittany, is married to Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor by proxy. The Battle of Dreux takes place during the French Wars of Religion. The ships Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery depart England carrying settlers who founded, at Ja...

A Daily Dose of History (18 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Kublai Khan renames his empire "Yuan" (元 yuán), officially marking the start of the Yuan dynasty of Mongolia and China. A rebellion breaks out in Alpujarras in response to the forced conversions of Muslims in Spain. Portuguese forces score a military victory over the Kingdom of Kongo at the Battle of Mbumbi in present-day Angola. Ne...

A Daily Dose of History (17 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoths under king Totila plunder the city, by bribing the Byzantine garrison. Romanos I Lekapenos is crowned co-emperor of the underage Constantine VII. Assassination of William I of Normandy. Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud's armies in Delhi are defeated by Timur. Cologne War: Forces under Ernest of Bavaria defeat t...

A Daily Dose of History (16 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Pepin of Herstal, mayor of the Merovingian palace, dies at Jupille (modern Belgium). He is succeeded by his infant grandson Theudoald, while his widow Plectrude holds actual power in the Frankish Kingdom. An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Yanjing, initiating the An Lushan Rebellion during the Tang dynasty of China...

A Daily Dose of History (15 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Vandalic War: Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Tricamarum. Pope Sergius I is elected as a compromise between antipopes Paschal and Theodore. Constantine VIII becomes sole emperor of the Byzantine Empire, 63 years after being crowned co-emperor. Jin-Song wars: Military offic...

A Daily Dose of History (14 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Constantinople is severely damaged by an earthquake, which cracks the dome of Hagia Sophia. Sweet Dew Incident: Emperor Wenzong of the Tang dynasty conspires to kill the powerful eunuchs of the Tang court, but the plot is foiled. St. Lucia's flood: The Zuiderzee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses, killing over 50,000 people. Princ...

A Daily Dose of History (13 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Saint Celestine V resigns the papacy after only five months to return to his previous life as an ascetic hermit. The Council of Trent begins as the embodiment of the Counter-Reformation. Sir Francis Drake sets sail from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage. The Plymouth Colony establishes the system of trial by 12-men jur...

A Daily Dose of History (12 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II's Persian forces, commanded by General Rhahzadh. Maria of Enghien sells the lordship of Argos and Nauplia to the Republic of Venice. Pennsylvania becomes the 2nd state to ratify the US Constitution. American Civil War: USS Cairo sinks on the Yazoo...

A Daily Dose of History (11 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: Emperor Xian of Han is forced to abdicate the throne by Cao Cao's son Cao Pi, ending the Han dynasty. Julian enters Constantinople as sole Roman Emperor. Assassination of the Abbasid caliph al-Mutawakkil by the Turkish guard, who raise al-Muntasir to the throne. Start of the "Anarchy at Samarra". Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phoka...

A Daily Dose of History (10 Dec 2024) Today's historical events: The "Nyköping Banquet": King Birger of Sweden treacherously seizes his two brothers Valdemar, Duke of Finland and Eric, Duke of Södermanland, who were subsequently starved to death in the dungeon of Nyköping Castle. The League of Cambrai is formed by Pope Julius II, Louis XII of France, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Ferdinand...