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

A Daily Dose of History (19 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: The Vandals, led by King Gaiseric, take Carthage in North Africa. King John of England dies at Newark-on-Trent and is succeeded by his nine-year-old son Henry. The Universität Heidelberg holds its first lecture, making it the oldest German university. Hundred Years' War: Three months after the Battle of Castillon, England loses its l...

A Daily Dose of History (18 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Pappus of Alexandria, Greek philosopher, observes an eclipse of the Sun and writes a commentary on The Great Astronomer (Almagest). Dagobert I is crowned King of the Franks. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacks the Church's fo...

A Daily Dose of History (17 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: The English capture King David II of Scotland at Neville's Cross and imprison him for eleven years. An Ottoman army defeats a Hungarian army at the Second Battle of Kosovo. The University of Greifswald is established as the second oldest university in northern Europe. Anti-Catholic posters appear in Paris and other cities supporting...

A Daily Dose of History (16 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Ricimer defeats Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the Western Roman Empire. Empress Wu Zetian ascends to the throne of the Tang dynasty and proclaims herself ruler of the Chinese Empire. Abd ar-Rahman III becomes the eighth Emir of Córdoba. King Otto I defeats a Slavic revolt in what is now Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The Council...

A Daily Dose of History (15 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Following the death of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, Edgar the Ætheling is proclaimed King of England by the Witan; he is never crowned, and concedes power to William the Conqueror two months later. Battle of the Rhyndacus: The Latin emperor Henry of Flanders defeats the Nicaean emperor Theodore I Laskaris. The Siege of Vienna...

A Daily Dose of History (14 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: The Norman conquest of England begins with the Battle of Hastings. Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeats King Edward II of England at the Battle of Old Byland, forcing Edward to accept Scotland's independence. Mary, Queen of Scots, goes on trial for conspiracy against Queen Elizabeth I of England. The General Court of the Massachusett...

A Daily Dose of History (13 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Roman emperor Claudius dies from poisoning under mysterious circumstances. He is succeeded by his adoptive son Nero, rather than by Britannicus, his son with Messalina. Vandals and Alans cross the Pyrenees and appear in Hispania. The present church building at Westminster Abbey is consecrated. Hundreds of the Knights Templar in Franc...

A Daily Dose of History (12 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Battle of Hatfield Chase: King Edwin of Northumbria is defeated and killed by an alliance under Penda of Mercia and Cadwallon of Gwynedd. The Nichiren Shōshū branch of Buddhism is founded in Japan. In the Treaty of Salynas, Lithuania cedes Samogitia to the Teutonic Knights. Chen Yanxiang, the only person from Indonesia known to have...

A Daily Dose of History (11 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: A massive earthquake strikes Aleppo; it is one of the most destructive earthquakes ever. A peace treaty ends the Jin-Song wars. The peerage and clergy restrict the authority of English kings with the Ordinances of 1311. The New Netherland Company applies to the States General of the Netherlands for exclusive trading rights in what is...

A Daily Dose of History (10 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Sten Sture the Elder, the Regent of Sweden, with the help of farmers and miners, repels an attack by King Christian I of Denmark. The crew of Christopher Columbus's ship, the Santa Maria, attempt a mutiny. Roman Catholic forces under Henry I, Duke of Guise, defeat the Protestants, capturing Philippe de Mornay among others. Over 600 P...

A Daily Dose of History (09 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned kings of the Franks. James I of Aragon founds the Kingdom of Valencia. The first known mention of the Prague astronomical clock. The Hangul alphabet is published in Korea. Troops of the Portuguese Empire are defeated on Sri Lanka, bringing an end to the Campaign of Danture. Kepler's Supernova is...

A Daily Dose of History (08 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Constantine I defeats Roman Emperor Licinius, who loses his European territories. The first session of the Council of Chalcedon begins. Frankish forces led by Louis the Younger prevent a West Frankish invasion and defeat emperor Charles II ("the Bald"). Dmitar Zvonimir is crowned King of Croatia. Isabella of Angoulême is crowned Quee...

A Daily Dose of History (07 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Venetian-Genoese wars: The Genoese fleet under a French admiral is defeated by a Venetian fleet at the Battle of Modon. Uppsala University is inaugurated after receiving its corporate rights from Pope Sixtus IV in February the same year. War of the League of Cambrai: Spain defeats Venice. The Battle of Lepanto is fought, and the Otto...

A Daily Dose of History (06 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Rebels decapitate Wang Mang two days after his capital was sacked during a peasant rebellion. Byzantine Empress Eudoxia dies from the miscarriage of her seventh pregnancy. Spain's DeSoto expedition takes over the Apalachee capital of Anhaica for their winter quarters. Euridice, the earliest surviving opera, receives its première perf...

A Daily Dose of History (05 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: King Louis the Pious is crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by the Pope. The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to depose patriarch Photios I. With the signing of the Treaty of Zamora, King Alfonso VII of León and Castile recognises Portugal as a Kingdom. Assassins attempt to kill Venetian statesman and scientist Paolo...

A Daily Dose of History (04 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Otto IV is crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Innocent III. The Byzantine-Venetian War comes to an end. Battle of Lake Poyang: In one of the largest naval battles in history, Zhu Yuanzhang's rebels defeat rival Chen Youliang. Formation of the Holy League of Aragon, the Papal States and Venice against France. The Coverda...

A Daily Dose of History (03 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Roman Emperor Theodosius I concludes a peace treaty with the Goths and settles them in the Balkans. Muhammed VII becomes the twelfth sultan of the Emirate of Granada. The Siege of Leiden is lifted by the Watergeuzen. Qing dynasty naval commander Shi Lang receives the surrender of the Tungning kingdom on Taiwan after the Battle of Pen...

A Daily Dose of History (02 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Theophilos succeeds his father Michael II as Byzantine Emperor. Battle of Andernach: Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, crushes a rebellion against his rule, by a coalition of Eberhard of Franconia and other Frankish dukes. The Battle of Largs is fought between Norwegians and Scots. The Earl of Warwick's rebellion forces King Edward IV of E...

A Daily Dose of History (01 Oct 2024) Today's historical events: Pope Damasus I is consecrated. Edgar the Peaceful becomes king of all England, in succession to Eadwig. Pope John XIII is consecrated. Coronation of Queen Mary I of England. Coronation of Shah Abbas I of Persia. Ahmed III is forced to abdicate as the Ottoman sultan. The city of Tampere, Finland (belonging to Sweden at this time) is f...

A Daily Dose of History (30 Sep 2024) Today's historical events: The Ostrogoths under Theoderic the Great defeat the forces of Odoacer for the second time. The Turgesh drive back an Umayyad invasion of Khuttal, follow them south of the Oxus, and capture their baggage train. A magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes the Caucasus mountains in the Seljuk Empire, causing mass destruction and killing up to 30...

A Daily Dose of History (29 Sep 2024) Today's historical events: Danes capture Canterbury after a siege, taking Ælfheah, archbishop of Canterbury, as a prisoner. Investiture Controversy: Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, is excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX for his failure to participate in the Crusades. The Treaty of Montgomery recognises Llywelyn ap Gruffudd as Prince of Wales, but only as a vas...

A Daily Dose of History (28 Sep 2024) Today's historical events: Pope Pontian resigns. He is exiled to the mines of Sardinia, along with Hippolytus of Rome. Constantius II defeats the usurper Magnentius. Roman usurper Procopius bribes two legions passing by Constantinople, and proclaims himself emperor. Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia is murdered by a group of nobles led by his brother Boleslaus I, w...

A Daily Dose of History (27 Sep 2024) Today's historical events: William the Conqueror and his army set sail from the mouth of the Somme river, beginning the Norman conquest of England. The Battle of Płowce is fought, between the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutonic Order. The Poles are defeated but their leaders escape capture. After the brief Gollub War, the Teutonic Knights sign the Treaty of Mel...

A Daily Dose of History (26 Sep 2024) Today's historical events: Ragenfrid defeats Theudoald at the Battle of Compiègne. William II is crowned King of England, and reigns until 1100. The Golden Bull of Sicily is issued to confirm the hereditary royal title in Bohemia for the Přemyslid dynasty. Friso-Hollandic Wars: Frisians defeat Holland in the Battle of Warns. Serbian-Turkish wars: Ottoman Turks...

A Daily Dose of History (25 Sep 2024) Today's historical events: For the last time, the Roman Senate chooses an emperor; they elect 75-year-old Marcus Claudius Tacitus. Led by Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, the Hasanid branch of the Alids begins the Alid Revolt against the Abbasid Caliphate. In the Battle of Stamford Bridge, Harald Hardrada, the invading King of Norway, is defeated by King Harold II...