624day.year
The Battle of Badr, the first major battle between the Muslims and Quraysh.
The Battle of Badr in 624 CE was the first major pitched battle between Muhammad’s followers and the Quraysh of Mecca.
In 624 CE, the nascent Muslim community under the Prophet Muhammad faced a formidable Quraysh army near the wells of Badr. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Muslim force demonstrated exceptional discipline and tactical skill. The battle was fought over control of vital water sources and trade routes. Its outcome was a decisive victory for the Muslims and a turning point in the early Islamic expansion. News of the triumph at Badr boosted the morale of the Muslim community and attracted new converts. The battle’s legacy endures as a foundational event in Islamic history and is commemorated annually by many Muslim traditions.
624
Battle of Badr
1323day.year
Siege of Warangal: Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq sends an expeditionary army led by his son, Muhammad bin Tughluq, to the Kakatiya capital Warangal – after ruler Prataparudra has refused to make tribute payments. He besieges the city and finally, after a campaign of 8 months, Prataparudra surrenders on November 9.
Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq dispatched an army led by his son Muhammad bin Tughluq to besiege the Kakatiya capital Warangal in 1323 after the ruler Prataparudra refused to pay tribute, leading to an eight-month siege and eventual surrender.
In early 1323, Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate aimed to secure tribute payments from the wealthy Kakatiya kingdom of Warangal. He appointed his son, Muhammad bin Tughluq, to lead the expeditionary force southward. Prataparudra, the Kakatiya ruler, refused to remit tribute, prompting a protracted siege of the fortified capital. The Delhi forces surrounded Warangal, cut off supplies, and engaged in artillery bombardment lasting eight months. On November 9, 1323, the exhausted defenders surrendered and agreed to pay tribute to the Sultan. The fall of Warangal expanded the Delhi Sultanate’s influence deeper into peninsular India. This campaign foreshadowed Muhammad bin Tughluq’s later ambitious but controversial rule.
1323
Siege of Warangal
Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq
Warangal
Prataparudra
tribute
November 9
1567day.year
The Battle of Oosterweel, traditionally regarded as the start of the Eighty Years' War.
The 1567 Battle of Oosterweel, often seen as the opening engagement of the Eighty Years’ War, pitted Dutch rebels against Spanish Habsburg forces in the Low Countries.
In March 1567, a small force of Dutch rebels under Hendrik van Pallandt faced a larger army of Spanish troops near Oosterweel, close to Antwerp. The clash marked the first major military encounter of the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule. Despite initial resistance, the lightly armed rebels were overwhelmed by the disciplined Spanish infantry and cavalry. The defeat at Oosterweel signaled the beginning of open warfare in the Low Countries. It galvanized support for the rebel cause among local Protestant communities. The brutal suppression by Spanish authorities further inflamed tensions and led to wider uprisings. The Eighty Years’ War that followed would eventually result in the independence of the Dutch Republic.
1567
Battle of Oosterweel
Eighty Years' War
1591day.year
At the Battle of Tondibi in Mali, Moroccan forces of the Saadi dynasty, led by Judar Pasha, defeat the Songhai Empire, despite being outnumbered by at least five to one.
At the Battle of Tondibi in 1591, Moroccan Saadi forces led by Judar Pasha defeated the larger Songhai Empire, demonstrating superior tactics and gunpowder weaponry.
In March 1591, the Saadi dynasty of Morocco launched an expedition across the Sahara to challenge the wealthy Songhai Empire. Judar Pasha commanded a force equipped with firearms and light cavalry at the battle of Tondibi near Gao. Although outnumbered at least five to one by the traditional Songhai troops, the Moroccans leveraged superior firepower and disciplined tactics. The Songhai forces, lacking comparable guns and artillery, were unable to withstand the volleys of muskets and cannon. The decisive Moroccan victory led to the collapse of the Songhai political structure. Following the battle, the Saadi dynasty established control over key trans-Saharan trade routes. The fall of the Songhai Empire marked the end of one of Africa’s greatest medieval kingdoms.
1591
Battle of Tondibi
Mali
Moroccan
Saadi dynasty
Judar Pasha
Songhai Empire
1697day.year
Nojpetén, capital of the last independent Maya kingdom, falls to Spanish conquistadors, the final step in the Spanish conquest of Guatemala.
In 1697, Spanish conquistadors captured Nojpetén, the last independent Maya capital, completing the conquest of the Petén region in Guatemala.
Nojpetén, located on an island in Lake Petén Itzá, served as the capital of the final independent Maya kingdom. In March 1697, a Spanish expedition led by Martín de Urzúa Ataíde launched an amphibious assault on the city. The conquest involved a combination of naval bombardment and a direct landing, overcoming the Maya defenders. With the fall of Nojpetén, the Spanish crown asserted full control over the Petén region. This marked the end of over sixteen centuries of classic Maya civilization in the Guatemalan lowlands. The conquest also opened the interior jungles to Spanish missionary activity and colonial settlement.
1697
Nojpetén
Maya
conquistadors
Spanish conquest of Guatemala
1741day.year
The Battle of Cartagena de Indias (part of the War of Jenkins' Ear) begins.
The Battle of Cartagena de Indias began in 1741 as part of the War of Jenkins’ Ear, featuring a major British siege against Spanish defenses in present-day Colombia.
In March 1741, a large British fleet commanded by Admiral Edward Vernon arrived off the fortified port of Cartagena de Indias on the Caribbean coast of New Granada. The siege aimed to break Spanish control over this vital trading hub during the War of Jenkins’ Ear. Despite overwhelming numerical superiority, the British forces struggled against well-prepared Spanish defenses designed by engineer Blas de Lezo. Tropical diseases, logistical challenges, and fierce resistance inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers. After several weeks of intense fighting, the British abandoned the siege and withdrew. The failure at Cartagena secured Spain’s colonial holdings in the region and bolstered the reputation of Blas de Lezo. The battle remains a celebrated episode in Colombian and Spanish military history.
1741
Battle of Cartagena de Indias
War of Jenkins' Ear
1811day.year
A French and Italian fleet is defeated by a British squadron off the island of Vis in the Adriatic during the Napoleonic Wars.
During the Napoleonic Wars in 1811, a British squadron defeated a French and Italian fleet near the island of Vis in the Adriatic.
The battle took place on March 13, 1811, in the Adriatic Sea near the island of Vis. A British squadron under Admiral William Hoste engaged a combined French and Italian fleet commanded by Commodore Bernard Dubourdieu. Using superior tactics and gunnery, the British forces managed to rout the enemy and capture several vessels. This victory further solidified British control of the Adriatic and disrupted Napoleonic supply routes in the region. It demonstrated the Royal Navy’s naval prowess and hindered French attempts to reinforce their positions in the Balkans. The outcome bolstered Allied morale and contributed to the eventual decline of French influence in the Adriatic.
1811
is defeated
Vis
Adriatic
Napoleonic Wars
1848day.year
The German revolutions of 1848–1849 begin in Vienna.
On March 13, 1848, the first uprisings of the German revolutions began in Vienna.
On March 13, 1848, the first uprisings of the German revolutions of 1848–1849 erupted in Vienna. Citizens and students took to the streets demanding liberal reforms, constitutional rights, and national unification. Barricades were erected, and the Austrian military initially hesitated to suppress the demonstrators. These events marked the beginning of a wave of revolutions that spread across the German states and Europe. Although ultimately crushed, the revolutions of 1848 planted the seeds for future political and social change. The Vienna uprising inspired liberals and nationalists, highlighting growing discontent with autocratic rule.
1848
German revolutions of 1848–1849
1884day.year
The Siege of Khartoum begins. It lasts until January 26, 1885.
The Siege of Khartoum began in 1884 when Mahdist forces surrounded the city.
The Siege of Khartoum began on March 13, 1884, when Mahdist forces encircled the Sudanese capital. General Charles Gordon, commanding the Egyptian garrison, faced mounting pressure as supplies dwindled. The siege persisted through harsh heat and relentless attacks, becoming one of the most famous episodes of colonial conflict in Africa. Relief efforts from Britain were delayed, heightening international debate over imperial policy. After months of resistance, Khartoum fell on January 26, 1885, resulting in Gordon’s death and Mahdist victory. The siege had lasting effects on British-Sudanese relations and imperial strategy in the region.
1884
Siege of Khartoum
1900day.year
British forces occupy Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, during the Second Boer War.
On March 13, 1900, British troops occupied Bloemfontein in the Orange Free State during the Boer War.
On March 13, 1900, British troops occupied Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State, during the Second Boer War. The fall of the city marked a major strategic victory for the British Empire in South Africa. President Martinus Steyn and Boer forces withdrew, leading to a shift toward guerrilla warfare. The occupation disrupted Boer administrative structures and supply lines. Bloemfontein remained under British control until the end of the war, shaping the region’s post-war governance. The event underscored the changing tactics and harsh realities of colonial warfare.
1900
Bloemfontein
Orange Free State
Second Boer War
1940day.year
The Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union officially ends after the signing of the Moscow Peace Treaty.
The Moscow Peace Treaty formally ends the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union.
Following months of fierce fighting along the Karelian Isthmus, Finland and the USSR signed the Moscow Peace Treaty on March 13, 1940. The agreement forced Finland to cede territory including parts of Karelia and islands in the Gulf of Finland to the Soviet Union. Although Finland retained its sovereignty, the loss reshaped its border defenses and national psyche. Casualties on both sides were heavy, reflecting the harsh winter conditions and strategic importance of the region. The treaty brought an uneasy peace and set the stage for future conflicts during World War II.
1940
Winter War
Finland
Soviet Union
Moscow Peace Treaty
1943day.year
The Holocaust: German forces liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Kraków.
German troops carry out the liquidation of the Jewish ghetto in Kraków during the Holocaust.
On March 13, 1943, Nazi forces began the final operation to liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Kraków, Poland. More than 15,000 Jewish residents were deported to the Belzec extermination camp or sent to forced labor sites. The operation was overseen by SS units and marked one of the many brutal actions of the Nazi Final Solution on the Eastern Front. Survivors faced deplorable conditions and widespread violence as they were rounded up. This tragic event exemplifies the systematic genocide inflicted on Europe’s Jewish population during World War II.
1943
The Holocaust
German
Jewish ghetto in Kraków