106day.year
Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea.
Arabia Petraea began using the Bostran era calendar in 106 AD, establishing a new system of regional dating.
The Bostran era was introduced under the rule of Emperor Trajan after the conquest of Nabataea. It counted years from the annexation and was named after the city of Bostra. This system was used in official documents and inscriptions across the province. It coexisted with other regional eras in the Roman Empire. The calendar played a crucial role in administration and taxation. It remained in use for several centuries. Inscriptions referencing the Bostran era help archaeologists date archaeological finds. Its introduction reflects Rome’s efforts to integrate annexed territories.
106
Bostran era
Arabia Petraea
235day.year
Roman emperor Severus Alexander is murdered, marking the start of the Crisis of the Third Century.
The assassination of Emperor Severus Alexander in 235 AD sparks the Crisis of the Third Century.
After a military defeat on the Rhine frontier, discontent among the legions led to the murder of Severus Alexander. His death removed the last ruler of the Severan dynasty. The Empire plunged into a period of civil wars, rapid imperial turnover, and external invasions. Known as the Crisis of the Third Century, this era nearly brought Rome to collapse. Over 50 emperors and usurpers claimed the throne in the next fifty years. Economic turmoil, plagues, and barbarian incursions further destabilized the state. This crisis reshaped the Empire’s military and political structures. It set the stage for Diocletian’s later reforms.
235
Severus Alexander
Crisis of the Third Century
1312day.year
Vox in excelso: Pope Clement V dissolves the Order of the Knights Templar.
In 1312, Pope Clement V issues the papal bull Vox in excelso, formally dissolving the Knights Templar.
After years of suppression and trials orchestrated by King Philip IV, Pope Clement V issued Vox in excelso at the Council of Vienne. The bull officially disbanded the Order of the Knights Templar across Christendom. Templar assets were transferred to the Knights Hospitaller, while many former members faced persecution. The dissolution responded to accusations of heresy, financial misconduct, and political pressure. Vox in excelso extinguished the Templars’ centuries-long military and financial influence. It reshaped medieval power structures and the distribution of crusading resources. The fate of the Templars became the subject of legends and speculation for centuries. This event highlights the interplay between papal authority and royal ambition.
1312
Vox in excelso
Pope Clement V
Order of the Knights Templar
1508day.year
Ferdinand II of Aragon commissions Amerigo Vespucci chief navigator of the Spanish Empire.
Ferdinand II names Amerigo Vespucci chief navigator of the Spanish Empire in 1508, elevating his role in New World exploration.
Recognizing Vespucci’s navigational skill and reports of new lands, Ferdinand II granted him the title of piloto mayor. This appointment charged Vespucci with planning voyages, training pilots, and improving navigational charts. He helped standardize maritime practices and facilitated further transatlantic expeditions. Vespucci’s accounts of his travels contributed to the use of his name for the New World continents. As chief navigator, he oversaw map corrections and the dissemination of geographical knowledge. His role exemplified the Crown’s investment in exploration during the Age of Discovery. The position strengthened Spain’s imperial ambitions and maritime supremacy. Vespucci’s work laid foundations for modern cartography and global navigation.
1508
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Amerigo Vespucci
Spanish Empire
1621day.year
The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony, led by governor John Carver, sign a peace treaty with Massasoit, sachem of the Wampanoags; Squanto serves as an interpreter between the two sides.
Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony sign a peace treaty with Massasoit of the Wampanoags in 1621, with Squanto as interpreter.
After months of tension, Governor John Carver negotiated a mutual defense and non-aggression pact with Massasoit Ousamequin. Squanto’s knowledge of both languages and customs was crucial in facilitating the agreement. The treaty helped ensure the survival of the fledgling colony through shared provisions and military support. This alliance lasted over half a century, allowing both groups to maintain relative peace. It became a foundation for future colonial-indigenous relations in New England. The treaty’s terms included that neither party would harm the other and would aid in defense. Plymouth sources celebrated this event as a divine blessing. The agreement influenced subsequent treaties and alliances in colonial America.
1621
Pilgrims
Plymouth Colony
John Carver
peace treaty
Massasoit
sachem
Wampanoags
Squanto
1765day.year
The British Parliament passes the Stamp Act that introduces a tax to be levied directly on its American colonies.
The British Parliament enacted the Stamp Act, imposing direct taxes on printed materials in the American colonies.
On March 22, 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act to raise revenue from its American colonies. The law required that many types of printed documents carry a revenue stamp. This measure sparked widespread protest and was seen by colonists as taxation without representation. It catalyzed colonial unity and resistance, leading to organized boycotts of British goods. The opposition contributed directly to the growing independence movement. The Stamp Act was eventually repealed but had indelibly shaped colonial attitudes toward British rule.
1765
British Parliament
Stamp Act
American colonies
1794day.year
The Slave Trade Act of 1794 bans the export of slaves from the United States, and prohibits American citizens from outfitting a ship for the purpose of importing slaves.
The United States passed the Slave Trade Act, banning the export of slaves and the outfitting of vessels for the slave trade.
In 1794, Congress enacted the Slave Trade Act, becoming the first federal law to restrict the transatlantic slave trade. The act prohibited U.S. citizens from fitting ships for the purpose of transporting slaves. Though it did not abolish slavery itself, it aimed to curb American involvement in the international slave market. Enforcement measures included ship inspections and severe penalties for violators. The legislation reflected growing abolitionist sentiments in the young republic. It laid important groundwork for later anti-slavery laws and the eventual end of the slave trade in 1808.
1794
Slave Trade Act of 1794
ship for the purpose of importing slaves
1829day.year
In the London Protocol, the three protecting powers (United Kingdom, France and Russia) establish the borders of Greece.
The London Protocol formally defined the borders of the newly independent Greece.
On March 22, 1829, the London Protocol was signed by Britain, France, and Russia to establish Greece’s borders. The agreement recognized Greek autonomy after years of revolution against Ottoman rule. It set the boundaries along the Gulf of Corinth, the Aspropotamos River, and the Gulf of Arta. The protocol balanced the interests of the Great Powers while supporting Greek aspirations. It paved the way for the Treaty of Constantinople in 1832. This diplomatic milestone marked a key step in the creation of the modern Greek state.
1829
London Protocol
United Kingdom
France
Russia
Greece
1871day.year
In North Carolina, William Woods Holden becomes the first governor of a U.S. state to be removed from office by impeachment.
William Woods Holden became the first U.S. governor removed from office by impeachment.
On this date in 1871, North Carolina Governor William Woods Holden was impeached and removed from office. The state legislature charged him with unlawful suspension of civil rights in the Kirk-Holden War. His actions targeted the Ku Klux Klan but sparked controversy over executive power. Holden’s impeachment highlighted tensions during Reconstruction in the post-Civil War South. It underscored the fragility of civil liberties and the complexities of restoring order. No other American governor had faced such a fate until many years later.
1871
North Carolina
William Woods Holden
governor
impeachment
1873day.year
The Spanish National Assembly abolishes slavery in Puerto Rico.
The Spanish National Assembly abolished slavery in Puerto Rico.
On March 22, 1873, the Spanish National Assembly officially ended legal slavery in Puerto Rico. The measure freed thousands of enslaved people on the island under Spanish colonial rule. It was part of broader liberal reforms following the Glorious Revolution in Spain. While compensation was provided to former slaveholders, the act marked a major social transformation. Emancipation reshaped Puerto Rican society and economy. It provided a foundation for future civil rights movements on the island.
1873
Spanish National Assembly
slavery in Puerto Rico
1913day.year
Mystic Phan Xích Long, the self-proclaimed Emperor of Vietnam, is arrested for organising a revolt against the colonial rule of French Indochina, which was nevertheless carried out by his supporters the following day.
Self-proclaimed Emperor Phan Xích Long is arrested in Saigon for plotting a revolt against French colonial rule.
In 1913, Phan Xích Long, a mystic who crowned himself Emperor of Vietnam, attracts followers with promises of independence from France.
Colonial authorities in Saigon arrest him on charges of sedition and conspiracy against French Indochina.
Despite his detention, loyalists launch an uprising the next day, underlining tensions in the protectorate.
The revolt is swiftly crushed, but Phan Xích Long's actions energize future nationalist movements.
His arrest marks an early flashpoint in Vietnam's long struggle for self-rule.
1913
Phan Xích Long
Emperor of Vietnam
French Indochina
1916day.year
Yuan Shikai abdicates as Emperor of China, restoring the Republic and returning to the Presidency.
Yuan Shikai steps down as emperor, restoring the Republic of China and resuming the presidency.
After declaring himself Emperor of China in 1915, Yuan Shikai faces widespread opposition from military leaders and provinces.
On 22 March 1916, he formally relinquishes the imperial title, ending the brief Empire of China.
His abdication restores the republic first established in 1912 after the Xinhai Revolution.
Yuan resumes the role of provisional president, attempting to stabilize a nation riven by fragmentation.
This pivotal decision underscores the challenges of uniting China under a single government.
1916
Yuan Shikai
Emperor of China
Republic
Presidency