1229day.year
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, declares himself King of Jerusalem in the Sixth Crusade.
During the Sixth Crusade in 1229, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II asserted his claim to the Kingdom of Jerusalem without bloodshed, reshaping crusader diplomacy.
In a rare display of diplomacy during the Crusades, Emperor Frederick II negotiated a peaceful handover of Jerusalem from Muslim control in 1229. Arriving in the Holy Land, he secured terms that allowed Christian pilgrims access to the city's holy sites. On March 18, 1229, Frederick formally crowned himself King of Jerusalem in a ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. His unilateral claim bypassed traditional crusader hierarchies and angered other European nobles. Despite the peaceful transfer, his actions sowed discord among the crusading orders. Frederick's diplomatic success earned him the nickname 'The Wonder of the World' but also cast a long shadow over future crusader unity.
1229
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
King of Jerusalem
Sixth Crusade
1241day.year
First Mongol invasion of Poland: Mongols overwhelm Polish armies in Kraków in the Battle of Chmielnik and plunder the city.
In 1241, during the First Mongol invasion of Poland, Mongol forces crushed Polish armies at the Battle of Chmielnik and ransacked Kraków.
As part of their westward expansion, Mongol armies entered Polish territories in early 1241, aiming to neutralize resistance. On March 18, 1241, they confronted Polish forces near Chmielnik and achieved a decisive victory, overrunning the battlefield with superior tactics. The city of Kraków was soon plundered and burned, causing widespread panic among the local population. Chronicles report the city's fortifications were ill-prepared against the Mongol cavalry. Survivors scattered, and many nobles were captured or killed. This brutal campaign demonstrated Mongol military prowess and left a lasting impact on Central European defenses.
1241
First Mongol invasion of Poland
Mongols
Polish
Kraków
Battle of Chmielnik
1644day.year
The Third Anglo-Powhatan War begins in the Colony of Virginia.
The Third Anglo-Powhatan War erupted in 1644 between English colonists in Virginia and the Powhatan Confederacy, escalating frontier tensions.
After decades of uneasy peace, hostilities reignited between the English settlers of Jamestown and the Powhatan tribes. On March 18, 1644, a coalition of Powhatan warriors launched coordinated attacks on multiple colonial outposts. These surprise assaults resulted in significant casualties among the settlers and triggered a harsh military response. Governor William Berkeley organized reprisal expeditions that fortified English positions and retaliated against indigenous villages. The conflict would span two years, altering the balance of power in the Chesapeake region. Both sides suffered heavy losses before a tenuous peace was brokered, shaping future colonial-Native American relations in North America.
1644
Third Anglo-Powhatan War
Colony of Virginia
1741day.year
New York governor George Clarke's complex at Fort George is burned in an arson attack, starting the New York Conspiracy of 1741.
Arson at Governor Clarke's Fort George sparks the New York Conspiracy of 1741, an alleged slave rebellion.
In March 1741, an arson attack destroyed the residence complex of Governor George Clarke at Fort George in New York City.
This incident ignited fears of a widespread slave uprising and led to the notorious New York Conspiracy trials.
Accused slaves and poor whites faced harsh interrogations, and many were executed or exiled without solid evidence.
The conspiracy trial remains controversial among historians for its reliance on coerced testimonies and panic-driven prosecutions.
The event highlights early colonial tensions around slavery, security, and justice in British America.
1741
George Clarke
Fort George
New York Conspiracy of 1741
1793day.year
Flanders Campaign of the French Revolution, Battle of Neerwinden.
French and Coalition forces clash at the Battle of Neerwinden during the Flanders Campaign.
On March 18, 1793, Austrian and British troops under Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld defeated French Revolutionary forces at Neerwinden.
The battle took place in present-day Belgium as part of the larger Flanders Campaign of the War of the First Coalition.
French General Charles Dumouriez suffered heavy losses, forcing him to retreat and eventually defect to the Austrians.
The defeat exposed weaknesses in the Revolutionary armies and prompted the Committee of Public Safety to reorganize its military strategies.
Neerwinden underscored the volatile early years of revolutionary France and the fierce resistance of European monarchies.
1793
Flanders Campaign
French Revolution
Battle of Neerwinden
1848day.year
Revolutions of 1848: A rebellion arose in Milan which in five days of street fighting drove Marshal Radetzky and his Austrian soldiers from the city.
A popular uprising in Milan expels Austrian forces after five days of intense street fighting.
During the Revolutions of 1848, Milanese citizens revolted against Austrian rule beginning on March 18, 1848.
In just five days of fierce urban combat, they forced Marshal Josef Radetzky’s troops to withdraw to the Quadrilateral fortresses.
The insurrection inspired other Italian states to challenge Habsburg dominance and fueled the broader Risorgimento movement.
Although Austrian power was temporarily disrupted, subsequent military campaigns would eventually restore control.
The Milan uprising remains a symbol of Italian nationalism and struggle for unification.
Revolutions of 1848
rebellion
Milan
Marshal Radetzky
1865day.year
American Civil War: The Congress of the Confederate States adjourns for the last time.
The Confederate Congress holds its final session, effectively ending the Confederate government.
On March 18, 1865, the Congress of the Confederate States convened for the last time in Richmond, Virginia.
Facing military collapse and dwindling resources, the Confederate leadership struggled to pass vital legislation.
The adjournment underscored the imminent fall of Richmond and the nearing conclusion of the Civil War.
Members dispersed as Union forces tightened their grip on the Confederacy, leading to its surrender weeks later.
This final session marks the symbolic end of Confederate political authority and the reunification process of the United States.
1865
American Civil War
Congress of the Confederate States
1871day.year
Declaration of the Paris Commune; President of the French Republic, Adolphe Thiers, orders the evacuation of Paris.
The Paris Commune declares itself as Thiers orders government troops to evacuate the city.
On March 18, 1871, radical municipal leaders in Paris defied French government authorities and proclaimed the Paris Commune.
President Adolphe Thiers responded by ordering the evacuation of French Army units from the city, leaving Paris under Commune control.
This act initiated a brief period of self-governance marked by ambitious social reforms and political experiments.
The Commune’s radical policies included workers’ rights, secular education, and gender equality initiatives.
The uprising would end violently in May during the 'Bloody Week,' but its legacy influenced socialist and anarchist movements worldwide.
1871
Paris Commune
Adolphe Thiers
1901day.year
The Kumasi Mutiny of 1901 begins.
The Kumasi Mutiny, an anti-colonial uprising by African soldiers in the Gold Coast Regiment, erupts against British authority in Ghana.
On March 18, 1901, soldiers of the Gold Coast Regiment rebelled in Kumasi against pay cuts and racial discrimination by British colonial officers.
The uprising saw African troops turn their weapons on British officers, disrupting colonial order in the Ashanti region.
British forces responded swiftly, suppressing the mutiny within days but facing criticism for harsh reprisals.
The event highlighted deep tensions between colonial powers and their recruited soldiers in West Africa.
Though short-lived, the mutiny became a symbol of resistance and foreshadowed later movements for Ghanaian and African independence.
1901
Kumasi Mutiny of 1901
1915day.year
World War I: During the Battle of Gallipoli, three battleships are sunk during a failed British and French naval attack on the Dardanelles.
Allied naval forces attempt to force the Dardanelles during World War I but suffer heavy losses when three battleships sink off Gallipoli.
On March 18, 1915, British and French battleships launched an assault on Ottoman defenses at the Dardanelles Strait during the Gallipoli Campaign.
Their goal was to force a sea route to Constantinople and knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war.
The operation faltered under intense shore fire and well-placed mines, sinking HMS Irresistible, HMS Ocean, and the French battleship Bouvet.
Heavy casualties and damaged vessels forced the Allies to abandon the naval approach and plan a costly land invasion.
This setback marked a turning point in Gallipoli, signaling a protracted and brutal campaign that would last until early 1916.
1915
World War I
Battle of Gallipoli
battleships
naval attack on the Dardanelles
1921day.year
The Kronstadt rebellion is suppressed by the Red Army.
The Kronstadt rebellion, led by sailors demanding political reforms in Soviet Russia, is brutally crushed by the Red Army.
On March 18, 1921, Bolshevik forces stormed the Kronstadt naval fortress, ending a revolt by sailors demanding political freedoms and an end to War Communism.
The rebellion had erupted in protest against harsh economic policies and one-party rule.
Despite widespread sympathy, government troops used artillery and infantry assaults to regain control.
Casualties were heavy on both sides, and surviving rebels faced imprisonment or execution.
The suppression underscored Lenin's determination to maintain authority but deepened disillusionment with the revolution.
Kronstadt rebellion
Red Army
1921day.year
Mongolian Revolution of 1921: The Mongolian People's Army defeated local Chinese forces at Altanbulag, Selenge (then known as Maimachen). This battle was seen as the birthday of the People's Army and completed the expulsion of Chinese militants in Mongolia.
Mongolian revolutionaries defeat Chinese troops at Altanbulag, establishing the Mongolian People's Army and ending foreign occupation.
On March 18, 1921, Mongolian revolutionaries defeated Chinese garrison forces at Altanbulag in northern Mongolia.
This decisive battle expelled Chinese military presence and asserted Mongolian autonomy.
Leaders like Damdin Sükhbaatar and Khatanbaatar Magsarjav organized the People's Army as the new national defense force.
The victory is celebrated as the official founding date of the Mongolian People's Army and a pivotal step toward full independence.
It paved the way for Mongolia's transformation into a people's republic under Soviet influence.
Mongolian Revolution of 1921
Altanbulag, Selenge