1199day.year
King Richard I of England is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting in France, leading to his death on April 6.
During the siege of Châlus-Chabrol, King Richard I of England is struck by a crossbow bolt and mortally wounded.
On March 24, 1199, King Richard I led his army against the castle of Châlus in southwestern France. A defender's crossbow bolt pierced his shoulder and became infected. Despite medical attention, the wound festered and led to his death on April 6. Richard's death ended a reign marked by the Third Crusade and strained relations with France. His brother John succeeded him, ushering in a new chapter in English monarchy. The incident highlights the perils of medieval warfare and the fragility of even the most powerful rulers.
1199
Richard I of England
France
April 6
1387day.year
English victory over a Franco-Castilian-Flemish fleet in the Battle of Margate off the coast of Margate.
The English navy decisively defeats a combined Franco-Castilian-Flemish fleet off the coast of Margate.
On March 24, 1387, during the Hundred Years' War, the English fleet intercepted an allied Franco-Castilian-Flemish force near Margate. Commanded by the Earl of Arundel and the Duke of Gloucester, the English ships used longbows and skilled seamanship to rout the attackers. The victory protected the southern English coast from invasion and boosted national morale. It demonstrated England's growing naval capabilities and set a precedent for future maritime engagements. The battle remains a notable example of late medieval naval warfare.
1387
English
Franco
Castilian
Flemish
fleet
Battle of Margate
Margate
1401day.year
Turco-Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus.
Timur's forces capture and plunder Damascus, delivering a devastating blow to the Mamluk Sultanate.
On March 24, 1401, the Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur arrived before the walls of Damascus. After a brief siege, his army overwhelmed the city's defenses and unleashed widespread looting and destruction. Many inhabitants were killed, enslaved, or forced to flee, and significant cultural and religious sites were damaged. The sack marked the peak of Timur's Middle Eastern campaign and weakened the Mamluk Sultanate's prestige. Contemporary accounts describe the brutality of the assault and its long-lasting impact on the region's politics and society.
1401
Turco-Mongol
Timur
Damascus
1794day.year
In Kraków, Tadeusz Kościuszko announces a general uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia, and assumes the powers of the Commander in Chief of all of the Polish forces.
Tadeusz Kościuszko proclaims a national insurrection in Kraków and takes command of Polish forces against Russian and Prussian control.
On March 24, 1794, Polish patriot and military engineer Tadeusz Kościuszko declared a national uprising in Kraków against the occupying forces of Russia and Prussia. He assumed supreme command of the newly organized Polish army and rallied peasants, townspeople, and nobles to the cause. Early victories, such as the Battle of Racławice, demonstrated the insurgents' resolve. Despite heroic resistance, the uprising ultimately succumbed to superior enemy forces. The Kościuszko Uprising left a lasting legacy of Polish nationalism and inspired future movements for independence.
1794
Kraków
Tadeusz Kościuszko
announces
general uprising
Commander in Chief
Polish forces
1869day.year
The last of Tītokowaru's forces surrendered to the New Zealand government, ending his uprising.
In 1869, the forces led by Māori leader Tītokowaru surrendered to the New Zealand government, ending his resistance campaign.
Tītokowaru, a chief of the Ngāti Ruanui iwi, had led a fierce campaign against colonial forces in New Zealand’s Taranaki region. His strategic victories in 1868–1869 posed a significant challenge to the government’s expansionist policies. On March 24, 1869, facing dwindling resources and increasing military pressure, Tītokowaru’s remaining warriors formally surrendered. The end of this uprising marked the conclusion of one of the most determined Māori resistances to land confiscations. The conflict and its resolution had lasting impacts on Māori-Pākehā relations and colonial governance.
1869
Tītokowaru
New Zealand government
his uprising
1922day.year
The McMahon killings take place in Belfast. Six Catholic civilians are shot dead, two others wounded and a female family member assaulted. Police were suspected as being responsible, but no one was prosecuted.
The McMahon killings claimed six Catholic civilians in Belfast amid sectarian violence in 1922, with no one ever prosecuted.
On March 24, 1922, armed men suspected to be members of the police shot dead six Catholic civilians in Belfast, wounding two others and assaulting a family member. The victims were targeted in their homes, underscoring the personal toll of the conflict. This atrocity occurred during the Irish War of Independence and fueled tensions between communities. Despite strong suspicions of police involvement, no arrests or prosecutions followed, deepening mistrust in law enforcement. The killings became emblematic of the era's brutal sectarian conflict and left a lasting legacy on Northern Ireland's troubled history.
1922
McMahon killings
Belfast
1927day.year
Nanking Incident: Foreign warships bombard Nanjing, China, in defence of the foreign citizens within the city.
During the 1927 Nanking Incident, foreign warships bombarded Nanjing to protect their nationals amid growing unrest.
Amid rising tensions in China in March 1927, foreign naval forces opened fire on Nanjing to safeguard their citizens and concessions under attack. Warships from Britain, the United States, Japan, and other powers positioned offshore and targeted inland artillery positions. The bombardment caused significant destruction and civilian casualties, illustrating the volatility of China's political upheaval. This aggressive intervention strained diplomatic relations and highlighted the precarious status of foreigners during the Northern Expedition. The Nanking Incident underscored the challenges faced by the new Chinese Nationalist government in asserting control and protecting civilians.
1927
Nanking Incident
Nanjing
China
1944day.year
German troops massacre 335 Italian civilians in Rome.
German troops massacred 335 Italian civilians in Rome in March 1944 as a brutal reprisal during WWII.
On March 24, 1944, Nazi forces executed 335 Italian men and youths in the Ardeatine Caves outside Rome, retaliating for a partisan attack that killed 33 German soldiers. This horrific massacre saw victims moved from prisons and shot in groups before the caves were blown up to conceal the crime. The reprisal order, given by Field Marshal Kesselring and carried out under SS supervision, violated all norms of warfare. Post-war trials condemned the atrocity as a war crime, and today the site is a national memorial. The Fosse Ardeatine massacre stands as one of the darkest episodes of German occupation in Italy.
1944
German
massacre 335 Italian civilians
Rome
1944day.year
World War II: In an event later dramatized in the movie The Great Escape, 76 Allied prisoners of war begin breaking out of the German camp Stalag Luft III.
Seventy-six Allied prisoners staged the “Great Escape” from Stalag Luft III, digging tunnels beneath the German camp.
In March 1944, 76 Allied airmen executed a meticulously planned breakout from Stalag Luft III in Germany, tunneling over 300 yards to freedom. Known as the “Great Escape,” the operation involved clandestine digging of three tunnels codenamed “Tom,” “Dick,” and “Harry.” Despite careful planning, only three escapees reached neutral territories, while 73 were recaptured. Hitler ordered 50 of the recaptured men executed as a deterrent, sparking international outrage. The event inspired the famous 1963 film “The Great Escape” and remains emblematic of courage and solidarity among POWs.
World War II
The Great Escape
Allied
German camp
Stalag Luft III
1990day.year
Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War ends with last ship of Indian Peace Keeping Force leaving Sri Lanka.
The last Indian Peace Keeping Force ship departs Sri Lanka, marking the end of India's military intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War.
On March 24, 1990, the final contingent of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) withdrew from Sri Lanka after nearly three years of military deployment. The IPKF had been sent under the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka Accord to disarm Tamil militant groups, primarily the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). However, clashes with the LTTE and rising casualties strained India's domestic support for the mission. The withdrawal concluded a controversial chapter in India–Sri Lanka relations and left questions about regional stability. The Sri Lankan Civil War continued until 2009, significantly affecting the island’s political landscape and ethnic relations.
1990
Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War
Indian Peace Keeping Force
Sri Lanka
1999day.year
Kosovo War: NATO began attacks on Yugoslavia without United Nations Security Council (UNSC) approval, marking the first time NATO has attacked a sovereign country.
NATO launched air strikes against Yugoslavia without UN approval, its first attack on a sovereign nation.
On March 24, 1999, NATO commenced Operation Allied Force, bombing targets in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia without a UN Security Council mandate.
The campaign aimed to halt Serbian forces’ actions against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo amid growing humanitarian concerns.
It marked the first time NATO undertook military action against an independent state, raising debates on international law and sovereignty.
The strikes targeted military installations, bridges, and infrastructure to pressure President Slobodan Milošević into negotiations.
Civilian casualties and damage to non-military sites sparked protests across Europe and beyond.
After 78 days of air strikes, Yugoslav forces agreed to withdraw from Kosovo, leading to a NATO-led peacekeeping deployment.
1999
Kosovo War
NATO
Yugoslavia
United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
2018day.year
Syrian civil war: The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and Syrian National Army (SNA) take full control of Afrin District, marking the end of the Afrin offensive.
Turkish and Syrian National Army forces captured Afrin, concluding the months-long Afrin offensive in the Syrian civil war.
On March 24, 2018, the Turkish Armed Forces and Syrian National Army allies officially took control of Afrin in northwest Syria.
Operation Olive Branch had begun in January to dislodge Kurdish-led militias from the region.
Turkish artillery, air strikes, and ground assaults overwhelmed defenders over nearly three months.
The fall of Afrin displaced thousands of Kurdish civilians and raised concerns over human rights abuses.
Turkey established military posts and initiated resettlement of Arab families in the strategic border district.
The operation reshaped the Syrian civil war dynamics and strained Turkey’s relations with other coalition partners.
2018
Syrian civil war
Turkish Armed Forces
Syrian National Army
Afrin District
Afrin offensive