Events 1577 – Sir Francis Drake sets sail from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage. 1623 – The Plymouth Colony establishes the system of trial by 12-men jury in the American colonies. 1636 – The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians, a date now considered the… Read More

Events 627 – Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II’s Persian forces, commanded by General Rhahzadh. 1862 – American Civil War: USS Cairo sinks on the Yazoo River. 1901 – Guglielmo Marconi receives the first transatlantic radio signal (the letter “S” [***] in Morse Code), at Signal Hill in… Read More

Events 220 – Emperor Xian of Han is forced to abdicate the throne by Cao Cao’s son Cao Pi, ending the Han dynasty. 361 – Julian enters Constantinople as sole Roman Emperor. Start of the “Anarchy at Samarra”. 1282 – Battle of Orewin Bridge: Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales, is killed… Read More

Events 1508 – The League of Cambrai is formed by Pope Julius II, Louis XII of France, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Ferdinand II of Aragon as an alliance against Venice. 1652 – Defeat at the Battle of Dungeness causes the Commonwealth of England to reform its navy. 1665 – The Royal Netherlands Marine… Read More

Events 536 – Gothic War: The Byzantine general Belisarius enters Rome unopposed; the Gothic garrison flees the capital. 730 – Battle of Marj Ardabil: The Khazars annihilate an Umayyad army and kill its commander, al-Jarrah ibn Abdallah al-Hakami. Date is Old Style; the date in the New Style modern calendar is 19 December. 1775 –… Read More

Events 395 – Later Yan is defeated by its former vassal Northern Wei at the Battle of Canhe Slope. 757 – Du Fu returns to Chang’an as a member of Emperor Xuanzong’s court, after having escaped the city during the An Lushan Rebellion. 1432 – The first battle between the forces of Švitrigaila and Sigismund… Read More