March 21

Events

537day.year

Siege of Rome: King Vitiges attempts to assault the northern and eastern city walls, but is repulsed at the Praenestine Gate, known as the Vivarium, by the defenders under the Byzantine generals Bessas and Peranius.

In 537, King Vitiges of the Ostrogoths laid siege to Rome’s northern and eastern walls. His forces were repelled by Byzantine defenders led by Generals Bessas and Peranius at the Praenestine Gate.
The Siege of Rome in 537 was a major engagement of the Gothic War between the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and the Ostrogothic Kingdom. King Vitiges led the Gothic forces in an assault on Rome’s northern and eastern fortifications, aiming to recapture the city. The defenders, commanded by Byzantine generals Bessas and Peranius, focused their defense at the Praenestine Gate, also known as the Vivarium. Intense fighting erupted as siege engines and escalades were met with Greek fire and steadfast resistance. Vitiges’s repeated attempts failed to breach the walls, forcing the siege to stall. This successful defense maintained Byzantine control of Rome and prevented the Ostrogoths from gaining a symbolic victory. The event highlighted the strategic importance of Rome and the resilience of its defenses.
537 Siege of Rome Vitiges city walls Praenestine Gate Vivarium Byzantine Bessas Peranius
630day.year

Emperor Heraclius returns the True Cross, one of the holiest Christian relics, to Jerusalem.

In 630, Byzantine Emperor Heraclius returned the True Cross to Jerusalem after its capture by the Persians. This act restored one of Christianity’s holiest relics to the people of the Holy City.
After recovering the True Cross during campaigns against the Sassanian Persians, Emperor Heraclius made a triumphant entry into Jerusalem in 630. The cross had been seized by the Persians in 614 and its recovery became a symbol of divine favor. Heraclius’s procession through the city was marked by solemn ceremonies and widespread rejoicing among Christian inhabitants. The restored relic was placed in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, reaffirming Jerusalem’s status as a center of Christian pilgrimage. The event reinforced Heraclius’s legitimacy and strengthened relations between the Byzantine state and its church. Historians view this moment as a defining episode in Byzantine religious and political history.
630 Heraclius True Cross relics Jerusalem
717day.year

Battle of Vincy between Charles Martel and Ragenfrid.

Frankish leader Charles Martel defeated the forces of Ragenfrid at the Battle of Vincy. This victory solidified Martel’s control over the Frankish realms.
The Battle of Vincy in 717 was a pivotal clash during the power struggles of the early Frankish kingdoms. Charles Martel, representing the Austrasian faction, confronted Ragenfrid, the mayor of the palace of Neustria, near the modern-day region of Cambrai. Martel achieved a decisive victory, routing the Neustrian forces and capturing their camp. This triumph allowed Charles to assert dominance over the Frankish territories and suppress rival claims. It marked the beginning of the Carolingian ascendancy that would later reshape Western European politics. The outcome of Vincy set the stage for Martel’s later successes, including the Battle of Tours in 732. His consolidation of power laid the groundwork for the eventual establishment of the Carolingian Empire.
717 Battle of Vincy Charles Martel Ragenfrid
1152day.year

Annulment of the marriage of King Louis VII of France and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine.

In 1152, the marriage of France’s King Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine was annulled, reshaping medieval Europe’s balance of power. Eleanor’s subsequent marriage to Henry Plantagenet laid the foundation for the Angevin Empire.
King Louis VII of France and Eleanor of Aquitaine were married in 1137, uniting two of the most powerful domains in western Europe. After fifteen years and no surviving male heir, their marriage was annulled by the Church on grounds of consanguinity. Eleanor immediately married Henry Plantagenet, future Henry II of England, transferring her vast Aquitaine lands under English control. This shift dramatically expanded English influence in France and sowed the seeds of centuries-long conflict between the two kingdoms. The annulment illustrates the medieval interplay between dynastic marriages, papal authority, and territorial politics. It remains a landmark event that reshaped the map of Western Europe and led to the Angevin Empire’s rise.
1152 Louis VII of France Eleanor of Aquitaine
1180day.year

Emperor Antoku accedes to the throne of Japan.

In 1180, Emperor Antoku ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan under the influence of the powerful Taira clan. His reign would be dominated by the rising conflict of the Genpei War.
Emperor Antoku became Japan’s 81st emperor at the age of two following the death of his grandfather Emperor Takakura. He was placed on the throne by his maternal relatives, the Taira clan, who sought to strengthen their political power. Antoku’s reign saw the intensification of rivalry between the Taira and Minamoto clans, culminating in the Genpei War (1180–1185). The young emperor was a symbol of Taira authority and was later taken into battle at the naval Battle of Dan-no-ura. His tragic death in 1185 marked the end of Taira dominance and the rise of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto no Yoritomo. Antoku’s story is remembered as a poignant episode in Japan’s imperial and military history.
1180 Emperor Antoku
1556day.year

On the day of his execution in Oxford, former archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer deviates from the scripted sermon by renouncing the recantations he has made and adds, "And as for the pope, I refuse him, as Christ's enemy, and Antichrist with all his false doctrine."

On the day of his execution in Oxford in 1556, former Archbishop Thomas Cranmer publicly recanted his previous recantations and denounced the Pope as Antichrist. His defiance made him a Protestant martyr.
Thomas Cranmer, the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, was arrested under Mary I’s Catholic restoration and forced to recant his reformist beliefs. Sentenced to death for heresy, he was burned at the stake in Oxford on March 21, 1556. During his sermon on the morning of his execution, Cranmer withdrew his coerced recantations and declared his refusal of papal authority, calling the Pope the Antichrist. His dramatic act of conscience cemented his reputation as a key figure in the English Reformation. According to eyewitness accounts, he publicly thrust his hand into the fire first, emphasizing his unwavering faith. Cranmer’s martyrdom inspired later Protestant writers and contributed to the Elizabethan Religious Settlement. His legacy endures as a symbol of religious conviction and resistance to coercion.
1556 Oxford archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer Antichrist
1788day.year

A fire in New Orleans leaves most of the town in ruins.

A massive fire erupted in New Orleans in 1788, destroying the majority of the town’s buildings. The blaze paved the way for the city’s distinctive architecture during its subsequent reconstruction.
On the night of March 21, 1788, a great fire swept through New Orleans, then a Spanish colonial town. Strong winds and flammable wooden structures allowed the flames to spread rapidly through the French Quarter. Within hours, nearly 850 buildings were consumed, leaving most residents homeless and the colonial administration in disarray. Spanish authorities organized relief efforts, providing temporary housing and materials for rebuilding. The disaster prompted a new wave of urban planning, leading to the use of brick and tile roofing in reconstruction. This transformation gave New Orleans its distinctive Creole architectural style that endures today. The fire remains one of the worst in the city’s history, underscoring its resilience and adaptability.
1788 A fire in New Orleans
1800day.year

With the church leadership driven out of Rome during an armed conflict, Pius VII is crowned Pope in Venice with a temporary papal tiara made of papier-mâché.

With Rome under French occupation, Cardinal Barnaba Chiaramonti was crowned Pope Pius VII in Venice on a temporary papier-mâché tiara. The unusual coronation underscored the turmoil of the era.
After French revolutionary forces drove the papal leadership from Rome, the papal conclave convened in Venice in March 1800. Cardinal Barnaba Chiaramonti was elected as Pope Pius VII but lacked access to the traditional Papal Tiara. A provisional crown made of papier-mâché was fashioned for the ceremony held at St. Mark’s Basilica. Despite its improvised nature, the coronation affirmed the spiritual authority of the papacy during political upheaval. Pius VII later negotiated the Concordat of 1801 with Napoleon, restoring relations between France and the Church. His papacy set precedents for church-state relations in post-revolutionary Europe. The Venice coronation remains a singular event in papal history.
1800 church Rome Pius VII crowned Pope Venice temporary papal tiara made of papier-mâché
1801day.year

The Battle of Alexandria is fought between British and French forces near the ruins of Nicopolis near Alexandria in Egypt.

During the French Revolutionary Wars, British forces led by Sir Ralph Abercromby defeated the French near Alexandria, Egypt. The Battle of Alexandria marked a critical step in the British campaign to expel French troops from Egypt.
On March 21, 1801, British and French armies clashed near the ruins of Nicopolis, outside Alexandria, as part of the Egyptian campaign. General Sir Ralph Abercromby commanded the British expeditionary force sent to oust Napoleon’s troops. The battle involved intense infantry engagements on sandy plains, with heavy casualties on both sides. Abercromby was mortally wounded during the fighting but retained command, and his officers pressed on to secure victory. The French forces eventually withdrew to Alexandria, which surrendered months later. This victory reopened British control of the eastern Mediterranean and cut off French access to India. The campaign had far-reaching consequences for European power dynamics and imperial ambitions.
1801 Battle of Alexandria British French Alexandria Egypt
1804day.year

Code Napoléon is adopted as French civil law.

On March 21, 1804, the Napoleonic Code was adopted as France’s civil law. The Code unified and modernized French legal principles.
The Code Napoléon, also known as the Civil Code of 1804, was enacted to replace the patchwork of feudal laws in post-Revolutionary France. Drafted under the supervision of Napoleon Bonaparte, it emphasized clear legal structure, equality before the law, and the protection of property rights. The Code abolished feudal privileges, codified family law, and regulated contracts and inheritance. It became a model for legal systems across Europe and the Americas, spreading Napoleonic legal principles worldwide. Its concise articles and secular approach marked a departure from ecclesiastical and customary laws. The Code’s enduring influence is evident in many modern civil law jurisdictions. Today, it is regarded as one of Napoleon’s most significant legacies.
1804 Code Napoléon civil law
1814day.year

Napoleonic Wars: Austrian forces repel French troops in the Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube.

In 1814, during the Napoleonic Wars, Austrian forces halted Napoleon's French troops at the Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube.
The Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube took place on March 21, 1814, as part of the Six Days' Campaign in the waning months of the Napoleonic Wars. Austrian and Allied forces engaged the retreating French army in northeastern France. Despite being outnumbered, the Austrian defenders held firm and inflicted significant casualties. The clash forced Napoleon to continue his strategic withdrawal toward Paris. This engagement demonstrated the resilience of the Coalition armies and hastened the final downfall of the French Empire.
1814 Napoleonic Wars Austrian French Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube
1821day.year

Greek War of Independence: Greek revolutionaries seize Kalavryta.

Greek revolutionaries captured the mountain town of Kalavryta, boosting their campaign against Ottoman rule.
On March 21, 1821, insurgent forces in the Greek War of Independence stormed and took control of Kalavryta in the Peloponnese. The seizure of this strategic town disrupted Ottoman communication lines and offered a symbolic victory to the rebels. Fighters secured local support and resources, strengthening their resolve. The success at Kalavryta galvanized further uprisings across the Greek territories. This event marked one of the early triumphs that would eventually lead to Greek independence.
1821 Greek War of Independence Kalavryta