363day.year
Roman emperor Julian leaves Antioch with an army of 90,000 to attack the Sasanian Empire, in a campaign which would bring about his own death.
In AD 363, Emperor Julian led 90,000 troops from Antioch to launch a major offensive against the Sasanian Empire, a campaign that ultimately resulted in his death.
Emperor Julian, known for his Hellenic revival, departed Antioch in 363 AD at the head of a formidable army of 90,000 soldiers. His objective was to strike at the heart of the Sasanian Empire and restore Roman dominance in the East. The campaign encountered logistical difficulties as the army traversed harsh Mesopotamian terrain and faced fierce resistance. Despite initial successes, Julian’s forces became isolated from their supply lines and were ambushed near Samarra. During the skirmish, Julian was mortally wounded by enemy archers, causing disarray among his troops. His death led to a hasty peace treaty that ceded territory and ended Roman expansion in the east. The failed expedition underscored the perils of overextension and marked a turning point in Roman-Persian relations.
363
Roman emperor
Julian
Antioch
attack
Sasanian Empire
1046day.year
Nasir Khusraw begins the seven-year Middle Eastern journey which he will later describe in his book Safarnama.
In 1046, Persian scholar Nasir Khusraw embarked on a seven-year journey across the Middle East, later chronicled in his influential travelogue, the Safarnama.
Nasir Khusraw, an Ismaili philosopher and poet, set out from his home in Balkh in 1046 on a pilgrimage and scholarly quest across Persia, Arabia, and Egypt. His travels led him through major cultural centers, where he studied Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and philosophy. The seven-year expedition took him to Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, and Cairo, immersing him in diverse religious and intellectual communities. Khusraw’s observations combined personal reflection with detailed accounts of customs, trade, and scholarship. Upon his return, he composed the Safarnama, a five-volume memoir that offers rich insights into 11th-century Islamic civilization. His work remains a seminal source for historians studying the medieval Islamic world. The journey elevated Khusraw’s reputation as a leading thinker and contributed to the Ismaili community’s intellectual heritage.
1046
Nasir Khusraw
Safarnama
1279day.year
The Livonian Order is defeated in the Battle of Aizkraukle by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
In 1279, the Livonian Order suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the Battle of Aizkraukle.
During the Livonian Crusade, the Livonian Order faced the expanding power of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In March 1279, near Aizkraukle on the Daugava River, a Lithuanian army ambushed the crusader knights. The Order’s forces were overwhelmed by superior Lithuanian tactics and intimate knowledge of local terrain. Many knights were killed or captured, severely weakening the Order’s military presence in the Baltic. The victory bolstered Lithuanian influence and delayed further crusader advances. It also encouraged other Baltic tribes to resist Germanic conquest. The battle is seen as a turning point in the struggle for control of Livonia and the Christianization of the region.
1279
Livonian Order
Battle of Aizkraukle
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
1496day.year
King Henry VII of England issues letters patent to John Cabot and his sons, authorising them to explore unknown lands.
In 1496, King Henry VII granted John Cabot and his sons letters patent to explore and claim new lands beyond Europe.
Seeking to expand English influence and rival Spanish and Portuguese voyages, Henry VII issued letters patent on March 5, 1496, empowering Genoese navigator John Cabot and his sons. The royal commission authorized them to seek unknown territories across the Atlantic and claim them for England. Cabot’s expedition aimed to discover a western route to Asia and access lucrative spice markets. Although the first voyage faced funding and crew challenges, it laid the groundwork for later explorations. In 1497, Cabot reached the coast of Newfoundland, marking England’s first recorded landing on mainland North America. The letters patent symbolized England’s emerging maritime ambitions and set a precedent for future colonial endeavors. Cabot’s voyages ultimately opened the door to English claims in the New World, influencing centuries of exploration and colonization.
1496
Henry VII of England
John Cabot
1616day.year
Nicolaus Copernicus's book On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres is added to the Index of Forbidden Books 73 years after it was first published.
In 1616, the Catholic Church placed Copernicus’s seminal work, On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres, on the Index of Forbidden Books.
Seventy-three years after its publication, Copernicus’s groundbreaking treatise was officially condemned by the Church on March 5, 1616. The Index Librorum Prohibitorum list aimed to suppress writings deemed contrary to Scripture, and Copernicus’s heliocentric theory challenged the geocentric model endorsed by religious authorities. While the book was not entirely banned from private study, prohibitions on public teaching and endorsement were enforced. The decision reflected mounting tensions between emerging scientific discoveries and established theological doctrines. Despite the censure, Copernican ideas continued to spread through scholarly networks across Europe. The event underscored the complexities of intellectual freedom and the Church’s role in regulating knowledge. It also set the stage for later conflicts between scientists and religious institutions, exemplified by the Galileo affair.
1616
Nicolaus Copernicus
On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres
Index of Forbidden Books
1766day.year
Antonio de Ulloa, the first Spanish governor of Louisiana, arrives in New Orleans.
In 1766, Antonio de Ulloa arrived in New Orleans as the first Spanish governor of Louisiana following the Treaty of Paris.
After Spain acquired Louisiana from France in 1763, Antonio de Ulloa was appointed its first Spanish governor and arrived in New Orleans on March 5, 1766. His administration introduced Spanish legal codes, administrative reforms, and efforts to integrate the colony into the Spanish empire. Ulloa faced resistance from French-speaking colonists unaccustomed to Spanish rule and its regulations. Language barriers, cultural differences, and economic tensions complicated his governance. Despite modest improvements in fortifications and trade regulations, his authority remained limited. His tenure was cut short by the Louisiana Rebellion of 1768, when colonists briefly expelled Spanish officials. Ulloa’s arrival marked the beginning of Spanish influence in the Mississippi Valley and set the stage for later territorial disputes.
1766
Antonio de Ulloa
Louisiana
New Orleans
1770day.year
Boston Massacre: Five Americans, including Crispus Attucks, are fatally shot by British troops in an event that would contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War (also known as the American War of Independence) five years later.
In 1770, British troops killed five colonists in the Boston Massacre, an incident that fueled growing unrest leading to the American Revolution.
On March 5, 1770, tensions between British soldiers and Boston residents erupted when colonists began harassing a sentry near the custom house. Amid confusion and verbal abuse, troops fired into the crowd, killing five men, including Crispus Attucks, a man of African and Native American descent. The event was quickly labeled the Boston Massacre by patriot leaders like Samuel Adams to inflame anti-British sentiment. Trials later acquitted most soldiers, but colonial propaganda and engravings by Paul Revere spread outrage throughout the Thirteen Colonies. The massacre became a rallying cry for American patriots, symbolizing British tyranny and injustice. It accelerated the formation of Committees of Correspondence and unified colonial resistance. The incident’s legacy endures as a pivotal moment on the road to the Declaration of Independence.
1770
Boston Massacre
Crispus Attucks
American Revolutionary War
1811day.year
Peninsular War: A French force under the command of Marshal Victor is routed while trying to prevent an Anglo-Spanish-Portuguese army from lifting the Siege of Cádiz in the Battle of Barrosa.
In 1811, during the Peninsular War, Allied forces achieved a key victory at the Battle of Barrosa against Napoleon’s troops.
As part of the Allied effort to lift the Siege of Cádiz, an Anglo-Spanish-Portuguese corps confronted Marshal Victor’s French division at Barrosa Hill on March 5, 1811. Despite being outnumbered and cut off from supplies, the Allies launched a determined assault under General Thomas Graham’s command. Fierce close-quarters combat ensued, and Franco-Spanish coordination faltered when some Spanish units failed to support the attack. The British troops seized Barrosa Hill and held off multiple counterattacks until reinforcements arrived. The French retreat allowed the besieged garrison at Cádiz to remain supplied and resist the siege. Although the victory did not immediately break the siege, it boosted Allied morale and demonstrated the effectiveness of multinational cooperation. The Battle of Barrosa is celebrated as one of the Peninsular War’s most gallant engagements.
1811
Peninsular War
Marshal Victor
Siege of Cádiz
Battle of Barrosa
1824day.year
First Anglo-Burmese War: The British officially declare war on Burma.
In 1824, the British East India Company formally declared war on the kingdom of Burma, initiating the First Anglo-Burmese War.
On March 5, 1824, the British East India Company issued a proclamation of war against the Konbaung dynasty of Burma, citing Burmese incursions and border disputes in Assam and Arakan. It marked the beginning of the largest and most costly conflict in British Indian history. British forces soon attacked Burmese positions along the Bengal frontier, while indigenous levies and Sikh regiments joined the campaign. The war saw fierce fighting in dense jungle terrain and harsh tropical conditions, leading to heavy casualties from combat and disease. The conflict concluded with the Treaty of Yandabo in 1826, forcing Burma to cede Assam, Manipur, Arakan, and Tenasserim to British control. The war had profound effects, reshaping Southeast Asian politics and expanding British influence in the region. The legacy of the First Anglo-Burmese War endures as a testament to imperial rivalry and its human cost.
1824
First Anglo-Burmese War
Burma
1825day.year
Roberto Cofresí, one of the last successful Caribbean pirates, is defeated in combat and captured by authorities.
In 1825, the notorious pirate Roberto Cofresí was defeated in combat and captured, marking one of the last major engagements of Caribbean piracy.
Roberto Cofresí, known as El Tigre del Caribe, had terrorized shipping lanes in the Caribbean during the early 19th century with his swift schooner and daring raids. On March 5, 1825, a coalition of Colombian and Puerto Rican naval forces cornered his vessel off Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. In the ensuing battle, Cofresí’s crew was outgunned and outmaneuvered, forcing him to surrender to authorities. His capture ended a brief but prolific career that had disrupted maritime commerce and challenged Spanish colonial rule. Cofresí was transported to San Juan, tried by court martial, and executed later that year. His legend grew into folklore, with tales of buried treasure and ghostly sightings. The fall of Cofresí symbolized the waning age of piracy in the Caribbean and the region’s transition to more formal naval control.
1825
Roberto Cofresí
pirates
defeated in combat
1836day.year
Samuel Colt established his first factory to produce recently patented production-model revolver, the .34-caliber "Paterson".
Samuel Colt opens his first revolver factory in Paterson, New Jersey, to produce the newly patented .34-caliber Paterson revolver.
Samuel Colt, an American inventor and industrialist, established his first firearms manufacturing facility in Paterson, New Jersey.
Following his 1835 patent for the Colt revolver, Colt sought to produce a reliable repeating handgun that could fire multiple shots without reloading.
On March 5, 1836, he opened his factory to mass-produce the .34-caliber Paterson model.
This venture marked one of the earliest uses of standardized parts in arms manufacturing, laying the groundwork for modern production techniques.
Although the Paterson revolver faced commercial challenges, Colt's factory ultimately revolutionized the firearms industry.
His innovative approach to mass production influenced both military and civilian weapon markets worldwide.
1836
Samuel Colt
revolver
1850day.year
The Britannia Bridge across the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales is opened.
The Britannia Bridge across the Menai Strait between Anglesey and mainland Wales is officially opened.
Designed by engineer Robert Stephenson, the Britannia Bridge featured rectangular iron tubes to carry railway tracks across the Menai Strait.
Spanning over 1,400 feet, it connected the island of Anglesey to mainland Wales, significantly improving transportation.
The bridge's unique tubular construction was a pioneering feat in 19th-century civil engineering.
After nine years of planning and construction, it officially opened on March 5, 1850.
It provided a critical link for the Chester and Holyhead Railway, facilitating faster travel between London and Dublin via Holyhead.
The Britannia Bridge remains an iconic symbol of Victorian-era innovation in bridge design.
1850
Britannia Bridge
Menai Strait
Anglesey