843day.year
Triumph of Orthodoxy: Empress Theodora II restores the veneration of icons in the Orthodox churches in the Byzantine Empire.
In 843, Empress Theodora II ended the ban on religious icons in the Byzantine Empire, restoring their veneration across Orthodox churches.
In 843, after decades of iconoclastic conflict, Empress Theodora II convened the Council of Constantinople to overturn the ban on sacred images.
She formally restored the veneration of icons in Orthodox liturgy, reuniting church and state in religious practice.
Icons, once hidden or destroyed, were returned to churches and public worship, reaffirming their spiritual significance.
The "Triumph of Orthodoxy" celebrated the victory of traditionalist bishops and faithful believers.
This decision strengthened imperial authority over religious matters and shaped Eastern Orthodox identity for centuries.
The annual feast of Orthodoxy, observed on the first Sunday of Lent, commemorates this historic restoration.
843
Triumph of Orthodoxy
Theodora II
veneration of icons
Orthodox
Byzantine Empire
1649day.year
The Frondeurs and the French government sign the Peace of Rueil.
The Peace of Rueil was signed in 1649, ending the first phase of the Fronde civil wars in France.
On 11 March 1649, royal negotiators and Frondeur leaders signed the Peace of Rueil outside Paris.
The agreement halted hostilities between the young King Louis XIV’s government and rebellious nobles.
It granted amnesties, restored confiscated estates, and eased tax burdens on certain provinces.
Although temporary, it revealed deep tensions over royal authority and noble privileges.
The Fronde would resume, but Rueil exposed the fragility of French absolutism in its early years.
1649
Frondeurs
Peace of Rueil
1708day.year
Queen Anne withholds Royal Assent from the Scottish Militia Bill, the last time a British monarch vetoes legislation.
Queen Anne withheld Royal Assent from the Scottish Militia Bill in 1708, marking the last British royal veto of legislation.
On 11 March 1708, Queen Anne refused to sanction a Scottish Militia Bill proposed by the newly formed Parliament of Great Britain.
This veto prevented the establishment of a standing militia in Scotland after the Acts of Union.
No subsequent British monarch has exercised a similar veto, making it a unique constitutional moment.
The decision reflected concerns over Jacobite unrest and the balance of power between Crown and Parliament.
It remains a landmark in the evolution of Britain’s parliamentary monarchy.
1708
Queen Anne
Royal Assent
Scottish Militia Bill
British
1784day.year
The signing of the Treaty of Mangalore brings the Second Anglo-Mysore War to an end.
The Treaty of Mangalore was signed in 1784, ending the Second Anglo-Mysore War between Mysore and the British East India Company.
Signed on 11 March 1784, the Treaty of Mangalore concluded the conflict between Tipu Sultan of Mysore and the British East India Company.
The agreement restored captured territories to their pre-war rulers and released prisoners on both sides.
It marked the last occasion on which an Indian ruler negotiated peace directly with the Company on equal terms.
The treaty temporarily checked British expansion in southern India but foreshadowed future hostilities.
Its diplomatic terms influenced subsequent treaties during the era of colonial rivalry.
1784
Treaty of Mangalore
Second Anglo-Mysore War
1848day.year
Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine and Robert Baldwin become the first Prime Ministers of the Province of Canada to be democratically elected under a system of responsible government.
Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine and Robert Baldwin become the first democratically elected Prime Ministers of the Province of Canada under responsible government.
On March 11, 1848, Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine and Robert Baldwin were elected as joint heads of the Province of Canada under a new responsible government system.
This landmark vote introduced the principle that the executive must answer to an elected assembly rather than the colonial governor.
It represented a major advance in British North America’s move toward self-government and parliamentary democracy.
Their collaborative leadership helped bridge French and English-speaking communities and paved the way for confederation.
The reforms they championed influenced Canada’s constitutional evolution and democratic institutions.
Today, their election is remembered as a foundational moment in Canada’s political history.
1848
Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine
Robert Baldwin
Province of Canada
responsible government
1879day.year
Shō Tai formally abdicates his position of King of Ryūkyū, under orders from Tokyo, ending the Ryukyu Kingdom.
King Shō Tai abdicates under Tokyo’s orders, bringing an end to the Ryukyu Kingdom.
On March 11, 1879, King Shō Tai of the Ryukyu Kingdom officially relinquished his throne at the behest of the Meiji government.
The annexation converted the independent kingdom into Okinawa Prefecture, integrating it into modern Japan.
This move reflected Japan’s drive to centralize authority and modernize its territories during the Meiji era.
Ryukyuan aristocracy lost their sovereign powers, and Japanese legal and administrative systems were imposed.
Despite assimilation efforts, Ryukyuan culture and traditions persisted in local customs and language.
The transition remains a key moment in Okinawa’s history and its identity within Japan.
1879
Shō Tai
Ryukyu Kingdom
1941day.year
World War II: United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act into law, allowing American-built war supplies to be shipped to the Allies on loan.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act in 1941, enabling American war supplies to be lent to the Allies during World War II.
On March 11, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Lend-Lease Act into law, marking a decisive step away from US neutrality in World War II.
The legislation authorized the United States to loan military equipment and supplies to Allied nations under threat from Axis forces.
Over the course of the war, billions of dollars' worth of tanks, aircraft, ships, and weapons were transferred to Britain, the Soviet Union, China, and other allies.
Lend-Lease not only bolstered the defense capabilities of these nations but also laid the groundwork for the United States' postwar global leadership.
The program continued until 1945, playing a critical role in sustaining the Allied war effort and hastening the defeat of the Axis powers.
1941
World War II
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Lend-Lease
Allies
1945day.year
World War II: The Empire of Vietnam, a short-lived Japanese puppet state, is established.
In 1945, Japan established the Empire of Vietnam as a puppet state during the closing months of World War II.
On March 11, 1945, Imperial Japan proclaimed the creation of the Empire of Vietnam under Emperor Bao Dai, replacing French colonial rule.
This puppet state was part of Japan's strategy to secure resources and loyalty in Indochina as World War II turned against the Axis.
Although nominally independent, the Empire remained under Japanese military control until Japan's surrender in August.
The short-lived regime fostered Vietnamese nationalist aspirations, indirectly setting the stage for the country's push for true independence.
Following Japan's defeat, the French attempted to reassert authority, leading to the First Indochina War.
The 1945 Empire of Vietnam thus became a key episode in Vietnam's tumultuous path to sovereignty.
Empire of Vietnam
puppet state
1981day.year
Hundreds of students protest in the University of Pristina in Kosovo, then part of Yugoslavia, to give their province more political rights. The protests then became a nationwide movement.
In 1981, student protests at the University of Pristina sparked a wider movement for greater political rights in Kosovo.
On March 11, 1981, hundreds of Albanian students at the University of Pristina protested against discrimination and lack of autonomy within Yugoslavia.
Initial demonstrations centered on demands for better educational facilities and cultural recognition for Kosovo's majority Albanian population.
The authorities' heavy-handed response, including police interventions and arrests, fueled public anger and solidarity.
Protests quickly spread beyond Pristina, evolving into a province-wide movement calling for formal republic status.
This unrest marked a significant early challenge to the Yugoslav federation and presaged tensions that would erupt in the 1990s.
The 1981 demonstrations are remembered as a formative moment in Kosovo's struggle for self-determination.
1981
Kosovo
Yugoslavia
a nationwide movement
1983day.year
Bob Hawke is appointed Prime Minister of Australia.
Bob Hawke is sworn in as Prime Minister of Australia in 1983, beginning a transformative term in office.
On March 11, 1983, Bob Hawke became the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia after a decisive victory by the Labor Party.
A former trade union leader, Hawke was known for his charismatic leadership and consensus-building skills.
His government introduced major economic reforms, including floating the Australian dollar and deregulating the financial sector.
Hawke also advanced social policies, such as universal healthcare initiatives and increased funding for education.
Under his leadership, Australia experienced strong economic growth and a more internationally engaged foreign policy.
Hawke remains one of Australia's longest-serving and most popular prime ministers.
1983
Bob Hawke
Prime Minister of Australia
1985day.year
Mikhail Gorbachev is elected to the position of General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, making Gorbachev the USSR's de facto, and last, head of state.
Mikhail Gorbachev is elected General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party in 1985, becoming the USSR's last leader.
On March 11, 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev was elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, ascending to the nation's highest political office.
At 54, he was the youngest member of the Politburo and brought a reformist vision to the Soviet leadership.
Gorbachev launched policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) aimed at addressing economic stagnation and political rigidity.
His tenure led to increased transparency, greater freedom of expression, and liberalization of the Soviet economy.
These reforms inadvertently accelerated the USSR's dissolution but also helped end the Cold War with the West.
Gorbachev's leadership left a lasting legacy on global politics and the post-Soviet world order.
1985
Mikhail Gorbachev
Soviet Union
1990day.year
Lithuania declares independence from the Soviet Union.
On March 11, 1990, Lithuania boldly declared its independence from the Soviet Union, marking the start of its modern statehood.
On March 11, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania adopted the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania, severing ties with the Soviet Union. This monumental declaration marked the first time a Soviet republic had proclaimed full independence, inspiring other Baltic states to follow. The move triggered international attention and strained relations with Moscow, which initially refused to recognize the breakaway republic. Despite economic sanctions and political pressure, Lithuania maintained its stance and built alliances with Western democracies. The declaration laid the groundwork for international recognition in 1991. It also sparked a nationwide movement of cultural revival and democratic reforms. Over time, Lithuania's bold step proved instrumental in the dissolution of the Soviet Union and reshaped the geopolitical landscape of Eastern Europe.
1990
Lithuania declares independence