1018day.year
Poland and the Holy Roman Empire conclude the Peace of Bautzen.
In 1018, Poland and the Holy Roman Empire signed the Peace of Bautzen, ending years of territorial disputes and establishing a new balance of power.
After decades of border skirmishes, Duke Bolesław I of Poland and Holy Roman Emperor Henry II negotiated terms at Bautzen. The treaty ceded Lusatia and parts of Upper Lusatia to Poland while recognizing imperial authority elsewhere. It marked Poland’s emergence as a regional power and halted costly military campaigns. Trade and diplomatic relations improved as both sides focused on internal consolidation. The agreement laid groundwork for future interactions between Central European states.
1018
Poland
Holy Roman Empire
Peace of Bautzen
1287day.year
King Wareru founds the Hanthawaddy Kingdom, and proclaims independence from the Pagan Kingdom.
In 1287, Wareru established the Hanthawaddy Kingdom and declared independence from the declining Pagan Kingdom, founding a new Burmese polity.
Amid the collapse of the Pagan Empire, Wareru, a regional governor, seized control of Lower Burma and declared himself king. He chose the city of Bago as his capital, laying the foundations of the Hanthawaddy Kingdom. Wareru secured recognition from the Mongol Yuan dynasty, strengthening his rule. His new kingdom became a center of Mon culture and maritime trade. The independence of Hanthawaddy reshaped power dynamics in Southeast Asia for over two centuries.
1287
Wareru
Hanthawaddy Kingdom
Pagan Kingdom
1607day.year
An estimated 200 square miles (51,800 ha) along the coasts of the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary in England are destroyed by massive flooding, resulting in an estimated 2,000 deaths.
In 1607, catastrophic flooding along the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary submerged coastal villages in England, claiming around 2,000 lives.
On a stormy night, exceptionally high tides and gale-force winds overwhelmed sea defenses across southwest England and south Wales. Entire communities were swept away as water surged over natural and man-made barriers. Contemporary accounts describe houses, livestock, and farmland destroyed across a 200-square-mile area. The disaster prompted reassessment of coastal flood defenses and inspired later engineering projects. It remains one of the deadliest recorded floods in British history and a cautionary tale of nature’s power.
1607
Bristol Channel
Severn Estuary
massive flooding
1648day.year
Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster and Osnabrück is signed, ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain.
On January 30, 1648, the Treaties of Münster and Osnabrück were signed, ending the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic.
Negotiated as part of the Peace of Westphalia, the twin treaties formalized Dutch independence after decades of rebellion against Spanish rule. The agreements granted the Dutch Republic sovereignty, lifted blockades, and regulated trade in contested regions. They also redefined European diplomacy by introducing principles of state sovereignty. The peace marked the decline of Spanish Habsburg power and the rise of the Netherlands as a major maritime and commercial power. These treaties reshaped political boundaries and set precedents for modern international law.
1648
Eighty Years' War
Treaty of Münster and Osnabrück
1649day.year
Charles I of England is executed in Whitehall, London.
Charles I was executed on January 30, 1649 at Whitehall, ending his reign and dramatically altering the course of English history.
After months of trial by a specially convened court, King Charles I was found guilty of high treason. His execution outside the Banqueting House in Whitehall marked the first regicide of an English monarch by his own subjects. The event shocked Europe and ushered in the era of the English Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell. It symbolized a temporary victory for parliamentary power over divine-right monarchy. The long-term aftermath included the brief abolition of the monarchy and set the stage for the Restoration in 1660.
1649
Charles I of England
1661day.year
Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, is ritually executed more than two years after his death, on the 12th anniversary of the execution of the monarch he himself deposed.
On January 30, 1661, the exhumed corpse of Oliver Cromwell was ritually executed in a posthumous act of vengeance following the Restoration.
After Charles II regained the throne, Parliament ordered the bodies of Cromwell and two fellow regicides to be exhumed. The mutilated remains were symbolically hanged at Tyburn and then beheaded. Their heads were displayed on spikes outside Westminster Hall as a warning to republicans. This macabre episode reflected deep political and personal vindictiveness during the Restoration. Despite the desecration, Cromwell’s reputation endured, influencing future debates on governance and tyranny.
1661
Oliver Cromwell
Lord Protector
Commonwealth of England
ritually executed
the monarch
1667day.year
The Truce of Andrusovo is signed, ending the Russian-Polish War of 1654-1667
The Truce of Andrusovo was signed on January 30, 1667, ending the long Russian-Polish War and redrawing eastern European borders.
Negotiations between Tsarist Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth concluded at Andrusovo near Smolensk. Under the agreement, Russia retained control of Left-bank Ukraine and Kiev, while Poland kept Right-bank Ukraine. The truce halted over a decade of brutal fighting and shifted the balance of power in Eastern Europe. It also affected the Cossack Hetmanate’s autonomy and trade routes along the Dnieper River. The settlement held for fourteen years and paved the way for later partitions of Poland.
1667
The Truce of Andrusovo
Russian-Polish War of 1654-1667
1789day.year
Tây Sơn forces emerge victorious against Qing armies and liberate the capital Thăng Long.
In 1789, Tây Sơn forces defeated Qing armies and liberated Thăng Long, marking a pivotal moment in Vietnamese resistance.
General Nguyễn Huệ led the Tây Sơn army in a surprise attack on Qing-occupied Thăng Long (modern Hanoi). Despite facing a numerically superior enemy, the Tây Sơn capitalized on local support and superior tactics. Their victory expelled foreign troops and restored Vietnamese sovereignty in the north. This triumph elevated Nguyễn Huệ’s status, eventually leading him to become Emperor Quang Trung. The battle demonstrated the effectiveness of guerrilla warfare and reshaped Vietnam’s political landscape.
1789
Tây Sơn
emerge victorious
Qing
Thăng Long
1806day.year
The original Lower Trenton Bridge (also called the Trenton Makes the World Takes Bridge), which spans the Delaware River between Morrisville, Pennsylvania and Trenton, New Jersey, is opened.
The Lower Trenton Bridge opened in 1806, linking Morrisville, Pennsylvania and Trenton, New Jersey across the Delaware River.
Commissioned to support growing trade and travel, the original bridge provided the first direct road connection between Pennsylvania and New Jersey at Trenton. Known colloquially as the ‘Trenton Makes the World Takes’ bridge after later signage, it became a vital artery for industrial transportation. Its opening facilitated movement of goods, bolstering local economies on both riverbanks. The structure laid the groundwork for future rail and highway expansions in the region. Today, its legacy endures as an icon of early American infrastructure.
1806
Lower Trenton Bridge
Delaware River
Morrisville, Pennsylvania
Trenton, New Jersey
1820day.year
Edward Bransfield sights the Trinity Peninsula and claims the discovery of Antarctica.
In 1820, explorer Edward Bransfield sighted Trinity Peninsula, becoming one of the first to claim discovery of Antarctica.
Serving as an officer in the Royal Navy, Bransfield charted the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula during a surveying mission. His sighting of land at Trinity Peninsula provided early confirmation of the continent’s existence. He documented coastal features and inspired subsequent expeditions by sealers and scientists. Although his achievements were overshadowed by other explorers, Bransfield’s reports enriched naval charts. His voyage contributed to the era of Antarctic exploration, fueling curiosity about Earth’s southernmost frontier.
1820
Edward Bransfield
Trinity Peninsula
Antarctica
1826day.year
The Menai Suspension Bridge, considered the world's first modern suspension bridge, connecting the Isle of Anglesey to the north West coast of Wales, is opened.
The Menai Suspension Bridge, recognized as the world's first modern suspension bridge, opened in 1826 across the Menai Strait, connecting the Isle of Anglesey to mainland North Wales.
In 1826, eminent engineer Thomas Telford inaugurated the Menai Suspension Bridge, recognized as the world's first modern suspension bridge.
Spanning approximately 176 meters across the Menai Strait, it linked the Isle of Anglesey to mainland North Wales for the first time.
Telford's design employed wrought iron chains suspended from tall masonry towers, a pioneering approach in bridge construction.
Prior to its opening, ferry crossings were vulnerable to storms and tides, often causing dangerous delays.
The new crossing drastically reduced travel times and enhanced trade, communication, and mobility in the burgeoning Industrial Revolution.
Today, the Menai Suspension Bridge stands as a testament to early 19th-century engineering ingenuity and innovation.
1826
Menai Suspension Bridge
Isle of Anglesey
1835day.year
In the first assassination attempt against a President of the United States, Richard Lawrence attempts to shoot president Andrew Jackson, but fails and is subdued by a crowd, including several congressmen as well as Jackson himself.
In 1835, Richard Lawrence attempted to assassinate President Andrew Jackson, marking the first such attempt in U.S. history; both of his pistols misfired, and he was quickly overpowered by Jackson and bystanders.
In January 1835, unemployed house painter Richard Lawrence approached President Andrew Jackson as he left a funeral at the U.S. Capitol.
He fired both pistols at close range, but inexplicably both misfired, sparing Jackson's life.
Undeterred, Lawrence lunged at the President again but was subdued by Jackson himself, aided by members of Congress and nearby citizens.
This dramatic incident became the United States' first recorded presidential assassination attempt.
Public and political reaction sparked debates over presidential security and mental health issues.
Though Jackson emerged unscathed physically, the episode led to heightened awareness and eventual reforms in protecting heads of state.
1835
Richard Lawrence
Andrew Jackson