947day.year
The Later Han is founded by Liu Zhiyuan. He declares himself emperor.
General Liu Zhiyuan proclaims himself emperor and founds the Later Han dynasty in 947.
During the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Liu Zhiyuan emerged as a key military governor in northern China. On March 10, 947, he declared the establishment of the Later Han dynasty at Kaifeng and assumed the imperial title. His accession sought to restore Han Chinese rule and centralize authority after years of fragmentation. Liu implemented military reforms, land grants to veteran soldiers, and fiscal policies to revive the war-torn economy. Although his reign was brief, it marked a significant step toward reunifying China and set administrative precedents for subsequent dynasties.
947
Later Han
Liu Zhiyuan
1629day.year
Charles I dissolves the Parliament of England, beginning the eleven-year period known as the Personal Rule.
King Charles I dissolves the English Parliament, initiating the Eleven Years' Personal Rule in 1629.
Amid growing disputes over taxation and royal prerogative, King Charles I dismissed the English Parliament on March 10, 1629. Opting to govern without parliamentary consent, he began a period historians refer to as the 'Eleven Years' Tyranny' or Personal Rule. During this time, Charles relied on non-parliamentary revenue methods such as ship money and royal monopolies. His actions alienated Puritans and landed gentry who objected to arbitrary taxation and perceived abuses of power. The absence of parliamentary oversight deepened political tensions and contributed to the constitutional crises that led to the English Civil War.
1629
Charles I
Parliament of England
Personal Rule
1661day.year
French "Sun King" Louis XIV begins his personal rule of France after the death of his premier, the Cardinal Mazarin.
Louis XIV assumes personal control of the French government after Cardinal Mazarin’s death in 1661.
Following the death of his chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin, on March 10, 1661, Louis XIV took full command of France at the age of twenty-two. Embracing absolute monarchy, he centralized authority and diminished the influence of the high nobility. Louis initiated reforms to strengthen the royal bureaucracy and reorganized the military into a standing professional army. He also became a patron of the arts, commissioning projects that glorified his reign and France’s prestige. This decision laid the groundwork for the Sun King’s long and impactful rule, defined by grandeur and centralization of state power.
1661
Louis XIV
France
Mazarin
1735day.year
An agreement between Nader Shah and Russia is signed near Ganja, Azerbaijan and Russian troops are withdrawn from occupied territories.
Nader Shah and Russia sign a treaty near Ganja in 1735, ending Russian occupation of Azerbaijani territories.
On March 10, 1735, Persian ruler Nader Shah and emissaries of Empress Anna of Russia concluded the Treaty of Ganja near the city of Ganja. The agreement required Russian forces to withdraw from territories they had occupied in the Caucasus during previous conflicts. In exchange, Russia secured favorable trading rights and diplomatic recognition of its northern borders. The treaty reaffirmed Persian sovereignty over key regions of modern-day Azerbaijan. It highlighted Nader Shah’s diplomatic skill in balancing relations with powerful neighbors and stabilizing his realm after extensive military campaigns.
1735
Nader Shah
Ganja, Azerbaijan
1830day.year
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army is created.
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army is established in 1830 to serve Dutch colonial interests in Southeast Asia.
On 10 March 1830, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) was created by royal decree to secure and expand Dutch colonial rule in the East Indies. Composed of European officers and indigenous soldiers, the KNIL played a central role in military campaigns throughout the archipelago. The formation provided a permanent colonial force distinct from the metropolitan Dutch army. It engaged in conflicts such as the Java War and later the Aceh War, shaping the region's history. Over a century of service, the KNIL influenced political and social structures across Southeast Asia. Its legacy remains complex, reflecting both colonial ambitions and local resistance. The army was disbanded following Indonesian independence in 1950.
1830
Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
1831day.year
The French Foreign Legion is created by Louis Philippe, the King of France, from the foreign regiments of the Kingdom of France.
Louis Philippe forms the French Foreign Legion in 1831, consolidating foreign regiments under one unit.
On 10 March 1831, King Louis Philippe I established the French Foreign Legion by merging various foreign volunteer regiments within the French Army. The new unit was designed to attract foreign recruits for service in France’s colonial campaigns, offering them anonymity and a path to French citizenship. Initially deployed to protect French interests in Algeria, the Legion quickly earned a reputation for discipline and toughness. Over time, the Foreign Legion became renowned for its distinctive traditions and esprit de corps, drawing volunteers from across Europe and beyond. Its storied history includes campaigns in North Africa, Indochina, and both World Wars. Today, the Legion remains an elite component of the French Armed Forces, symbolizing sacrifice and camaraderie.
1831
French Foreign Legion
Louis Philippe
Kingdom of France
1848day.year
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is ratified by the United States Senate, ending the Mexican0101American War.
The U.S. Senate ratifies the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, officially ending the Mexican–American War.
On 10 March 1848, the United States Senate ratified the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, formally concluding the Mexican–American War. The treaty ceded vast territories in the present-day American Southwest, including California, New Mexico, and Arizona, to the United States for $15 million. Negotiated in February 1848, it established the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico. Ratification in the Senate followed contentious debates over slavery and expansionism. President James K. Polk proclaimed the treaty ratified on 17 February, but formal Senate approval solidified America's continental ambitions. The treaty reshaped North America’s political landscape and fueled debates over the extension of slavery. Its legacy continues to influence U.S.-Mexico relations and regional identities.
1848
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
United States Senate
Mexican0101American War
1909day.year
By signing the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, Thailand relinquishes its sovereignty over the Malay states of Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu, which become British protectorates.
Thailand signs the 1909 Anglo-Siamese Treaty, ceding control of several Malay states to Britain.
On 10 March 1909, Siam and the United Kingdom concluded the Anglo-Siamese Treaty, redefining colonial boundaries in Southeast Asia. Under the agreement, Siam relinquished sovereignty over the Malay states of Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu to British protection. The treaty aimed to resolve longstanding territorial disputes and strengthen British influence on the Malay Peninsula. It marked a strategic diplomatic compromise by Siam to preserve its independence amid colonial pressures. The cession reshaped the political map and influenced the modern borders of Thailand and Malaysia. While controversial, the treaty helped avert military conflict and established a framework for future relations. Its legacy endures in the region's complex colonial history.
1909
Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909
Thailand
sovereignty
Malay states
Kedah
Kelantan
Perlis
Terengganu
British protectorates
1922day.year
Mahatma Gandhi is arrested in India, tried for sedition, and sentenced to six years in prison, only to be released after nearly two years for an appendicitis operation.
Mahatma Gandhi was arrested and tried for sedition in British India in 1922. He was sentenced to six years in prison but released early due to appendicitis.
On March 10, 1922, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was arrested by British authorities in India on charges of sedition for publishing inflammatory articles in his journal.
Tried in Ahmedabad, Gandhi was sentenced to six years in prison for his nonviolent resistance against colonial rule.
His arrest sparked widespread protests and increased support for the Indian independence movement.
The austere conditions of his imprisonment drew attention to the injustices of British colonial rule.
After serving nearly two years, Gandhi fell ill with acute appendicitis in June 1924.
Concerned for his health, the British authorities granted him bail for medical treatment.
His temporary release allowed him to regain health, and he continued to lead India’s struggle for self-rule.
1922
Mahatma Gandhi
sedition
appendicitis
1949day.year
Mildred Gillars ("Axis Sally") is convicted of treason.
American broadcaster Mildred Gillars, known as "Axis Sally", is convicted of treason for Nazi propaganda broadcasts.
On March 10, 1949, Mildred Gillars—better known by her wartime nickname “Axis Sally”—was convicted of treason in a U.S. federal court.
Gillars had remained in Germany after the outbreak of World War II and broadcast Nazi propaganda messages aimed at undermining Allied morale.
Prosecutors presented evidence that her English-language radio shows encouraged desertion and spread disinformation.
The conviction marked one of the few treason trials in U.S. history.
Gillars was sentenced to a lengthy prison term, though she served only part of her sentence before release.
Her case remains a notable example of wartime propaganda and its legal repercussions in peacetime America.
1949
Mildred Gillars
Axis Sally
treason
1952day.year
Fulgencio Batista leads a successful coup in Cuba.
Fulgencio Batista seizes power in Cuba through a military coup, establishing a new authoritarian regime.
On March 10, 1952, Cuban army chief Fulgencio Batista orchestrated a bloodless military coup just weeks before scheduled presidential elections.
Batista declared martial law, dissolved the constitution, and suspended political parties.
His takeover ended a period of democratic governance and ushered in two decades of authoritarian rule.
Under Batista’s regime, corruption and repression increased, while U.S. investors maintained strong economic interests on the island.
The coup set the stage for mounting opposition, including the eventual rise of Fidel Castro’s revolutionary movement.
Batista’s actions dramatically altered Cuba’s political landscape and influenced Cold War dynamics in the Caribbean.
1952
Fulgencio Batista
successful
coup
Cuba
1966day.year
Military Prime Minister of South Vietnam Nguyễn Cao Kỳ sacks rival General Nguyễn Chánh Thi, precipitating large-scale civil and military dissension in parts of the nation.
South Vietnamese leader Nguyễn Cao Kỳ dismisses General Nguyễn Chánh Thi, triggering civil and military unrest.
On March 10, 1966, Air Marshal Nguyễn Cao Kỳ, the military prime minister of South Vietnam, relieved General Nguyễn Chánh Thi of his command of I Corps.
This decision sparked widespread protests and clashes between rival military factions in central Vietnam.
Supporters of Thi, popular among local soldiers and civilians, viewed the removal as an affront to regional autonomy.
The ensuing unrest exposed rifts within the South Vietnamese leadership amid the ongoing Vietnam War.
U.S. advisers grew concerned about political instability weakening the anti-communist war effort.
The episode highlighted the fragility of South Vietnam’s government and the complexities of military rule.
1966
South Vietnam
Nguyễn Cao Kỳ
Nguyễn Chánh Thi
large-scale civil and military dissension