1303day.year
The English are defeated at the Battle of Roslin, in the First War of Scottish Independence.
In 1303, Scottish forces defeated the English at the Battle of Roslin during the First War of Scottish Independence.
The Battle of Roslin took place on February 24, 1303 near Roslin, Scotland. Scottish knights and foot soldiers, led by John Comyn and Simon Fraser, ambushed the English army under Robert Neville. The engagement resulted in a surprising Scottish victory despite being outnumbered. This clash demonstrated the effectiveness of Scottish tactics and bolstered morale among the rebel forces. The victory at Roslin is celebrated as a key moment in Scotland's struggle to maintain its independence from England.
1303
Battle of Roslin
First War of Scottish Independence
1525day.year
A Spanish-Austrian army defeats a French army at the Battle of Pavia.
A Spanish-Austrian coalition decisively defeated the French army at the Battle of Pavia in 1525.
On February 24, 1525, near Pavia in northern Italy, Imperial forces commanded by Charles de Lannoy and Fernando d'Avalos engaged and overwhelmed a French army led by King Francis I. The battle featured innovative Spanish arquebusiers who broke the French heavy cavalry charges. Francis I was captured along with much of his court, marking a turning point in the Italian Wars. The victory secured Habsburg dominance in Italy and shifted the balance of power in Europe. The French defeat weakened Francis's position and led to a period of Habsburg ascendancy. The outcome of Pavia had lasting implications for European diplomacy and warfare.
1525
Spanish-Austrian
Battle of Pavia
1597day.year
The last battle of the Cudgel War takes place on the Santavuori Hill in Ilmajoki, Ostrobothnia.
The final battle of the Finnish Cudgel War took place at Santavuori Hill in 1597, ending the peasant uprising.
On February 24, 1597, the Cudgel War, a peasant revolt against oppressive Swedish nobles, reached its climax at Santavuori Hill near Ilmajoki in Ostrobothnia. Poorly armed Finnish peasants wielding clubs and other improvised weapons faced the better-equipped mercenary forces of the Swedish crown. Despite their bravery, the rebels were decisively defeated, suffering heavy casualties. The crushing of the uprising reaffirmed Swedish control over Finland. The Cudgel War became a symbol of peasant resistance and highlighted the social tensions of late 16th-century Scandinavian society. Monuments at Santavuori Hill later commemorated this dramatic chapter in Finnish history.
1597
Cudgel War
Santavuori Hill
Ilmajoki
Ostrobothnia
1739day.year
Battle of Karnal: The army of Iranian ruler Nader Shah defeats the forces of the Mughal emperor of India, Muhammad Shah.
In 1739, Nader Shah's Persian army decisively defeated the Mughal forces at the Battle of Karnal, leading to the sack of Delhi.
The Battle of Karnal was fought on 24 February 1739 near Karnal in present-day Haryana, India.
Nader Shah, founder of the Afsharid dynasty, led a modernized Persian force against the Mughal Empire under Muhammad Shah.
Despite being outnumbered, the Persian troops used superior tactics and firepower to rout the Mughal army in under three hours.
The victory opened the road to Delhi, which Nader Shah looted extensively, seizing immense treasures including the Peacock Throne and Koh-i-Noor diamond.
The sack of Delhi inflicted a severe blow on Mughal prestige and contributed to the empire's eventual decline.
This battle demonstrated the rising military power of Persia and altered the balance of power in the Indian subcontinent.
1739
Battle of Karnal
Iranian
Nader Shah
Mughal
India
Muhammad Shah
1809day.year
Britain invades and captures the French colony of Martinique.
In 1809, British forces invaded and seized the French-held island of Martinique during the Napoleonic Wars.
On 24 February 1809, a British expeditionary force launched an attack on the French colony of Martinique in the Caribbean.
Under the command of Admiral William Charles Fahie, the British navy blockaded the island's ports and supported ground assaults on key fortifications.
After a brief but decisive campaign, French defenders capitulated and Martinique fell under British control.
The capture of the sugar-rich colony disrupted French trade and strengthened Britain’s strategic position in the West Indies.
Martinique remained under British occupation until it was restored to France by the Treaty of Paris in 1814.
Britain
invades
French
Martinique
1813day.year
Sinking of HMS Peacock by USS Hornet on the Demerara River, Guyana.
In 1813, the USS Hornet sank HMS Peacock on the Demerara River, marking a naval victory for the United States.
On 24 February 1813, during the War of 1812, the American sloop-of-war USS Hornet engaged the British sloop HMS Peacock on the Demerara River near present-day Guyana.
Under the command of Captain James Lawrence, Hornet engaged Peacock in a brief but intense exchange of cannon fire.
After sustaining critical damage, Peacock struck her colors and sank shortly afterward in the river channel.
The victory boosted morale for the young United States Navy and disrupted British naval operations in the region.
Peacock's crew was taken prisoner, and the engagement highlighted the growing competence of American naval forces.
1813
Sinking of HMS Peacock
USS Hornet
Demerara River
Guyana
1826day.year
The signing of the Treaty of Yandabo marks the end of the First Anglo-Burmese War.
In 1826, the Treaty of Yandabo was signed, ending the First Anglo-Burmese War and altering Southeast Asian borders.
The Treaty of Yandabo was signed on 24 February 1826 in the village of Yandabo along the Ayeyarwady River.
This agreement formally ended the First Anglo-Burmese War fought between the British East India Company and the Burmese Empire.
Under its terms, Burma ceded the provinces of Assam, Manipur, Arakan, and Tenasserim to British control.
A war indemnity was imposed on Burma, and British influence in the region was significantly expanded.
The treaty’s outcomes reshaped the political map of Southeast Asia and marked the beginning of British colonial dominance in Burma.
1826
Treaty of Yandabo
First Anglo-Burmese War
1895day.year
Revolution breaks out in Baire, a town near Santiago de Cuba, beginning the Cuban War of Independence; the war ends along with the Spanish–American War in 1898.
A revolution erupts in Baire, sparking the Cuban War of Independence against Spanish colonial rule.
On February 24, 1895, Cuban rebels launched the 'Grito de Baire' uprising against Spanish authorities in eastern Cuba. Led by patriot leaders including José Martí and Máximo Gómez, the revolt marked the start of the Cuban War of Independence. Guerrilla tactics and widespread support challenged Spanish control over the island. The conflict persisted for three years until the Spanish–American War intervened in 1898. The uprising remains a powerful symbol of Cuban national identity and struggle for sovereignty.
1895
Revolution
Santiago de Cuba
Cuban War of Independence
Spanish–American War
1917day.year
World War I: The U.S. ambassador Walter Hines Page to the United Kingdom is given the Zimmermann Telegram, in which Germany pledges to ensure the return of New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona to Mexico if Mexico declares war on the United States.
The Zimmermann Telegram is delivered to the U.S. ambassador, revealing Germany's plan to involve Mexico in WWI.
On February 24, 1917, Ambassador Walter Hines Page received the decrypted Zimmermann Telegram from the British Foreign Office. In the message, Germany proposed a military alliance with Mexico, promising the return of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona if Mexico attacked the United States. The revelation outraged American public opinion and was cited by President Woodrow Wilson as a reason to enter World War I. The telegram showcased the importance of intelligence work and diplomatic transparency. Its disclosure shifted U.S. policy from neutrality to active engagement in the conflict.
1917
World War I
Walter Hines Page
Zimmermann Telegram
New Mexico
Texas
Arizona
1942day.year
Seven hundred ninety-one Romanian Jewish refugees and crew members are killed after the MV Struma is torpedoed by the Soviet Navy.
The MV Struma, carrying Jewish refugees, was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine, resulting in one of the worst maritime disasters of World War II.
The Struma set sail from Romania carrying over 760 Jewish refugees seeking asylum in Palestine but was repeatedly denied entry by British authorities. Immobilized and left in Istanbul for weeks, its engine failed, forcing it to drift in the Black Sea. On this day, a Soviet submarine torpedoed the vessel, killing all but one survivor. The disaster highlighted the desperate plight of refugees and the brutal complexities of wartime naval operations. It remains a tragic symbol of the humanitarian crises triggered by restrictive immigration policies and global conflict.
1942
Romanian Jewish
refugees
MV Struma
torpedoed
Soviet Navy
1942day.year
The Battle of Los Angeles: A false alarm led to an anti-aircraft barrage that lasted into the early hours of February 25.
A panic-induced false alarm sparked a massive anti-aircraft response over Los Angeles during World War II.
In the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack, rumors of an imminent Japanese air raid on California spread rapidly. On this night, a perceived unidentified object triggered coastal defenses, and anti-aircraft batteries fired thousands of rounds into the sky. Searchlights and flares illuminated the darkness, while civilians reported mysterious objects. No enemy planes were ever found, and no enemy damage occurred, but debris and shrapnel caused civilian injuries and property damage. The incident fueled speculation about UFOs and exposed wartime tensions on the home front. It became known as the Battle of Los Angeles, a dramatic example of fear and misunderstanding during a global conflict.
Battle of Los Angeles
false alarm
1943day.year
World War II: First large-scale protest march resulting in clashes with the Axis occupation forces and collaborationist police in Athens against rumours of forced mobilization of Greek workers for work in Germany.
Athenians held a major demonstration against rumored forced labor mobilization by the Axis occupiers.
As the German occupation tightened in Greece, whispers circulated of compulsory conscription of Greek workers to Germany’s armaments factories. On this day, thousands of citizens marched through central Athens, demanding an end to forced deportations and occupation policies. The protest, led by students, workers, and clergy, was the first mass rally against Axis authorities inside the city. Clashes erupted when collaborationist police and German troops opened fire with batons and guns. Although the uprising was suppressed, it marked a turning point in Greek resistance and inspired further acts of defiance throughout occupied Europe. The event underscored the power of civilian protest against totalitarian regimes.
1943
World War II
First large-scale protest march