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

Events 574 – Byzantine Emperor Justin II, suffering recurring seizures of insanity, adopts his general Tiberius and proclaims him as Caesar. 927 – The Sajid emir of Adharbayjan, Yusuf ibn Abi’l-Saj is defeated and captured by the Qarmatians near Kufa. 1776 – Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, arranges to enter the American military as… Read More

Events 1240 – Mongol invasion of Rus’: Kyiv under Daniel of Galicia and Voivode Dmytro falls to the Mongols under Batu Khan. 1492 – After exploring island of Cuba for gold, surmising it for Japan, Columbus lands on island similar to Castile, naming it Hispaniola. 1534 – The city of Quito in Ecuador is founded… Read More