986day.year
Louis V becomes the last Carolingian king of West Francia after the death of his father, Lothaire.
Louis V ascends the throne of West Francia in 986 as the last ruler of the Carolingian dynasty.
Following the death of his father Lothaire, 18-year-old Louis V became king of West Francia in March 986.
His accession marked the end of Carolingian rule that had dominated Frankish lands for centuries.
Known as Louis the Do-Nothing, his brief reign lasted only a year before his untimely death.
With no heirs, his passing paved the way for the rise of the Capetian dynasty under Hugh Capet.
The dynastic transition reshaped the political landscape of medieval France.
986
Louis V
Carolingian
West Francia
Lothaire
1444day.year
Skanderbeg organizes a group of Albanian nobles to form the League of Lezhë.
Skanderbeg unites Albanian nobles to form the League of Lezhë in 1444, launching organized resistance against the Ottomans.
On March 2, 1444, George Castrioti Skanderbeg convened Albanian chieftains at the Lezhë assembly.
They established the League of Lezhë, the first collective political and military alliance among Albanian principalities.
This coalition aimed to coordinate defense and resist the encroaching Ottoman Empire.
Skanderbeg's leadership provided a unifying figure for diverse regional lords and strengthened their military efforts.
The league endured for several decades, symbolizing early Albanian unity and national identity.
1444
Skanderbeg
Albanian
League of Lezhë
1458day.year
George of Poděbrady is chosen as the king of Bohemia.
George of Poděbrady is elected king of Bohemia in 1458, rising as a prominent Hussite leader.
Following the death of King Ladislaus the Posthumous, George of Poděbrady was chosen as Bohemia's ruler on March 2, 1458.
His election marked the first time a member of the Hussite nobility ascended to the Bohemian throne.
George sought to maintain religious peace between Catholic and Hussite factions within the kingdom.
His reign saw efforts to consolidate Bohemian lands and avert external threats, notably from the Habsburgs.
He later proposed a European peace congress, foreshadowing ideas of continental diplomacy.
1458
George of Poděbrady
Bohemia
1484day.year
The College of Arms is formally incorporated by Royal Charter signed by King Richard III of England.
King Richard III grants a royal charter incorporating the College of Arms in 1484, formalizing English heraldry.
On March 2, 1484, Richard III of England formalized the College of Arms by royal charter.
This institution unified officers of arms responsible for granting and maintaining coats of arms.
It provided an official heraldic authority for managing genealogical records and ceremonial functions.
The charter affirmed the crown's control over heraldry and established enduring traditions.
The College of Arms remains the centre of heraldic and genealogical practice in England to this day.
1484
College of Arms
Royal Charter
Richard III of England
1807day.year
The U.S. Congress passes the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, disallowing the importation of new slaves into the country.
In 1807, the U.S. Congress enacts the Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves, halting the transatlantic slave trade to the young nation.
Congress passes the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, which takes effect in 1808 and bars the legal entry of enslaved people.
The legislation reflects growing anti-slave sentiments and international pressure to end the trade.
However, it does not abolish slavery itself, allowing domestic trafficking to continue.
Enforcement challenges arise along vast coastlines, leading to smuggling and legal ambiguities.
The act marks a significant step in America's complex path toward emancipation and civil rights.
1807
U.S. Congress
Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves
slaves
1815day.year
Signing of the Kandyan Convention treaty by British invaders and the leaders of the Kingdom of Kandy.
In 1815, British forces and leaders of the Kingdom of Kandy sign the Kandyan Convention, ending native rule in the central highlands of Sri Lanka.
The Kandyan Convention formalizes the surrender of the independent Kingdom of Kandy to British colonial authorities.
Negotiated in Kandy's capital, the treaty guarantees certain rights for local chiefs under British rule.
It marks the end of over two millennia of Sinhala monarchical governance in the island's central highlands.
The agreement opens the region to colonial administration, plantation agriculture, and missionary activity.
This pivotal moment ushers in British Ceylon and reshapes Sri Lanka's political and social landscape.
1815
Kandyan Convention
Kingdom of Kandy
1836day.year
Texas Revolution: The Declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico is adopted.
On March 2, 1836, delegates at Washington-on-the-Brazos adopt the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico.
At the Convention of 1836, Texian leaders convene at Washington-on-the-Brazos to sever ties with Mexico and establish a republic.
They outline grievances against Mexican President Santa Anna and assert their right to self-governance.
The declaration proclaims Texas an independent nation, laying groundwork for its own government and laws.
This act escalates the Texas Revolution and leads to key battles like the Alamo and San Jacinto.
Texas operates as a sovereign republic until its annexation by the United States in 1845.
1836
Texas Revolution
Declaration of independence
Republic of Texas
1855day.year
Alexander II becomes Tsar of Russia.
In 1855, Alexander II ascends to the Russian throne as Tsar following the death of his father, Nicholas I.
Following the death of his father, Nicholas I, Alexander II is proclaimed Emperor of Russia in 1855.
His accession comes amid the Crimean War and widespread calls for modernization.
Alexander II later becomes known as the 'Tsar Liberator' for emancipating serfs in 1861.
He enacts judicial, military, and local government reforms that reshape Russian society.
His reign marks a departure from autocratic stagnation, even as tensions simmer under the surface.
1855
Alexander II
Tsar
1867day.year
The U.S. Congress passes the first Reconstruction Act.
In 1867, U.S. Congress passes the first Reconstruction Act, setting the framework for reintegrating Southern states after the Civil War.
The Reconstruction Act of 1867 divides the former Confederacy into five military districts under Union control.
It requires Southern states to draft new constitutions guaranteeing African American male suffrage.
The act reflects Radical Republican efforts to secure civil and political rights for freedmen.
It also stipulates ratification of the 14th Amendment as a condition for readmission to Congress.
This legislation shapes the turbulent post-war era and lays groundwork for future civil rights advances.
1867
Reconstruction Act
1877day.year
Just two days before inauguration, the U.S. Congress declares Rutherford B. Hayes the winner of the 1876 U.S. presidential election even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote.
The U.S. Congress resolves the disputed 1876 election by declaring Rutherford B. Hayes the winner despite Samuel J. Tilden's popular vote victory.
After the 1876 U.S. presidential election left 20 electoral votes in dispute, a congressional commission was formed to break the deadlock. Two days before his scheduled inauguration, Congress voted to award these votes to Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, overturning Democrat Samuel J. Tilden's popular vote majority. The Compromise of 1877 ended Reconstruction efforts in the South and fueled controversy over democratic process integrity. Supporters viewed it as a pragmatic solution to a national crisis, while critics condemned it as a political bargain that undermined voter will. This decision shaped the future of federal authority and civil rights enforcement in the post–Civil War United States.
1877
Rutherford B. Hayes
1876 U.S. presidential election
Samuel J. Tilden
1882day.year
Queen Victoria narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by Roderick Maclean in Windsor.
Queen Victoria narrowly avoids an assassination attempt by Roderick Maclean at Windsor Castle.
In 1882, during the late Victorian era, Queen Victoria faced a sudden threat when Roderick Maclean aimed a pistol at her carriage outside Windsor Castle. The weapon malfunctioned, sparing the monarch in a dramatic moment that stunned the nation. The incident led to reinforced security measures for the royal family and heightened public awareness of assassination risks. Maclean was subsequently arrested and declared insane, prompting reforms in the treatment of criminal mental health. This event underscored the vulnerabilities of public figures and influenced future protective protocols for British royalty.
1882
Queen Victoria
Roderick Maclean
1901day.year
The U.S. Congress passes the Platt Amendment limiting the autonomy of Cuba, as a condition of the withdrawal of American troops.
The U.S. Congress enacts the Platt Amendment, restricting Cuban sovereignty under conditions for American troop withdrawal.
Following the Spanish–American War, the U.S. Congress passed the Platt Amendment in 1901 to define the terms of American involvement in Cuba's affairs. The legislation barred Cuba from entering foreign treaties without U.S. consent, permitted U.S. military intervention, and required naval base leases on the island. This amendment was a condition for the withdrawal of U.S. troops after the war and shaped the U.S.–Cuba relationship for decades. Critics in Cuba decried the loss of full sovereignty, while proponents argued it provided stability and protection. The Platt Amendment's legacy influenced Cuban politics until its repeal in 1934 and remains a symbol of American imperialism.
Platt Amendment
Cuba