410day.year
The Southern Yan capital of Guanggu falls to the Jin dynasty general Liu Yu, ending the Southern Yan dynasty.
In 410, Jin general Liu Yu captured the Southern Yan capital of Guanggu, marking the end of the Southern Yan dynasty.
In the turbulent era of the Sixteen Kingdoms, the Southern Yan state held its capital at Guanggu (modern Qingzhou). In early 410, the Jin dynasty general Liu Yu launched a swift campaign against Southern Yan. After a fierce siege, his forces breached the city defenses and brought the dynasty to a sudden end. The fall of Guanggu consolidated Liu Yu's military reputation and paved his way to founding the Liu Song dynasty. This conquest highlighted the fragility of splinter states during a chaotic period in China's north. Surviving nobles either submitted or fled, sealing the fate of Southern Yan.
410
Southern Yan
falls to
Jin dynasty
Liu Yu
1065day.year
The Great German Pilgrimage is attacked on Good Friday by Beduin bandits, suffering heavy losses.
On Good Friday in 1065, the Great German Pilgrimage was ambushed by Bedouin bandits, resulting in severe casualties among the pilgrims.
In early 1065, thousands of German pilgrims set out for Jerusalem on the Great German Pilgrimage. On Good Friday, Bedouin bandits ambushed the column near the Dead Sea. The unarmed pilgrims suffered heavy casualties and had their belongings looted. Survivors fled into narrow gorges, sharing harrowing accounts of violence and desperate flight. The massacre sent shockwaves across Europe, exposing the perils of distant pilgrimage. The tragedy prompted calls for armed escorts and foreshadowed the militarized crusading movements to come.
1065
Great German Pilgrimage
Good Friday
Beduin
1410day.year
The Yongle Emperor of Ming China launches the first of his military campaigns against the Mongols, resulting in the fall of the Mongol khan Bunyashiri.
In 1410, the Yongle Emperor launched his first major military campaign against the Mongols, leading to the defeat of Khan Bunyashiri.
After seizing the Ming throne, Emperor Yongle prioritized securing China’s northern borders from Mongol raids. In March 1410, he personally oversaw the dispatch of large Ming armies into the steppes. The campaign targeted the forces of Khan Bunyashiri, ruler of the Eastern Mongols. Superior Ming strategy, disciplined troops, and logistical planning led to decisive victories. Bunyashiri’s horde was routed, and the khan was forced to flee, weakening Mongol influence. The expedition bolstered Yongle’s prestige and established a precedent for future northern campaigns. It also reinforced the significance of the Great Wall as an imperial defense line.
1410
Yongle Emperor
Ming China
his military campaigns against the Mongols
Bunyashiri
1519day.year
Hernán Cortés, entering province of Tabasco, defeats Tabascan Indians.
Conquistador Hernán Cortés secures a decisive victory in Tabasco by defeating the Tabascan Indians.
On March 25, 1519, Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés and his forces entered the province of Tabasco. They engaged the Tabascan Indians and achieved a decisive victory that provided vital supplies and local allies. This encounter marked a turning point in Cortés's expedition towards the Aztec Empire. The victory boosted his standing among the Spanish crown's officials and fostered strategic alliances with indigenous groups. It laid the groundwork for his future campaigns in New Spain and the eventual fall of Tenochtitlán.
1519
Hernán Cortés
Tabasco
1708day.year
A French fleet anchors nears Fife Ness as part of the planned French invasion of Britain.
A French naval force anchors off Fife Ness in Scotland as part of a planned invasion during the War of the Spanish Succession.
On March 25, 1708, a fleet assembled by King Louis XIV of France anchored off Fife Ness on Scotland’s coast. The naval force, commanded by René Duguay-Trouin and Claude de Forbin, aimed to support a Jacobite uprising and destabilize Britain’s war effort. Although the fleet landed troops and supplies, adverse weather and lack of local support forced its withdrawal. The planned invasion ultimately never materialized into a full-scale conflict. This episode underscored the ongoing political and military tensions between France and Britain during the early 18th century.
1708
Fife Ness
planned French invasion of Britain
1770day.year
Daskalogiannis leads the people of Sfakia in the first Greek uprising against the Ottoman rule
Daskalogiannis leads the first recorded Greek uprising in Sfakia against Ottoman rule, signaling early resistance in Crete.
On March 25, 1770, Daskalogiannis, a local Cretan leader, led the people of Sfakia in an armed revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Motivated by harsh taxation and oppression, the insurgents sought to achieve local autonomy. Although initial skirmishes showed promise, the uprising was crushed by Ottoman forces later that year. Daskalogiannis was captured, tortured, and executed, becoming a martyr figure in Greek history. This revolt foreshadowed the wider Greek War of Independence that would erupt decades later.
1770
Daskalogiannis
Sfakia
Ottoman
1776day.year
American Revolutionary War – American Patriots conduct a Raid on Tybee Island, primarily seeking to capture runaway slaves who sought refuge with British forces stationed there.
American Patriots launch a raid on Tybee Island to recapture enslaved individuals who had sought refuge with British forces.
On March 25, 1776, American Patriot forces launched a raid on Tybee Island, Georgia, targeting escaped enslaved people who had aligned themselves with the British. The British had offered freedom to those who fled Patriot masters, recruiting them into their ranks. Patriot troops aimed to reclaim both the fugitives and strategic positions around Savannah. While the raid achieved mixed results, it highlighted the central role of slavery and promises of emancipation in the Revolutionary conflict. The incident reflects how both sides leveraged the issue of enslavement for military and moral advantage during the war.
1776
American Revolutionary War
American Patriots
Raid on Tybee Island
1821day.year
Greek War of Independence: Traditional date of the start of the Greek War of Independence. The war had actually begun on 23 February 1821 (Julian calendar).
The traditional date of the Greek War of Independence is marked on 25 March 1821, though the struggle began earlier.
In 1821, Greek revolutionaries rose against Ottoman rule in a movement that would last until 1832.
Although hostilities began on 23 February by the Julian calendar, 25 March is celebrated as the symbolic start of the uprising.
Greek national leaders convened, raised the banner of revolution, and sought independence after centuries of Ottoman domination.
The struggle inspired philhellenism across Europe and drew volunteers and resources from abroad.
After years of fierce battles and diplomacy, the Treaty of Constantinople in 1832 recognized Greece as a sovereign state.
Today, 25 March is observed as Greek Independence Day alongside the Feast of the Annunciation in the Orthodox calendar.
1821
Greek War of Independence
23 February
Julian calendar
1865day.year
American Civil War: In Virginia during the Siege of Petersburg, Confederate forces temporarily capture Fort Stedman from the Union before being repulsed.
Confederate forces briefly captured Fort Stedman during the Siege of Petersburg on 25 March 1865.
At dawn on March 25, 1865, Major General John B. Gordon led a surprise assault on Fort Stedman outside Petersburg, Virginia.
Confederate troops overwhelmed the Union garrison and secured the fort in a daring operation.
Union forces quickly organized a counterattack and regained control by evening.
This engagement was one of the last major offensives by the Confederacy in the American Civil War.
The failed attack depleted Confederate resources and morale as General Lee’s defenses weakened.
1865
American Civil War
Virginia
Siege of Petersburg
Confederate
Fort Stedman
Union
1919day.year
The Tetiev pogrom occurs in Ukraine, becoming the prototype of mass murder during the Holocaust.
A violent pogrom in the Ukrainian town of Tetiev sees dozens of Jews killed, foreshadowing the mass atrocities of the Holocaust.
Amid the chaos of the Russian Civil War, local militias attacked the Jewish quarter of Tetiev, looting homes and synagogues.
Contemporary reports estimated that between 40 and 100 Jewish residents were brutally murdered over a two-day rampage.
Survivors later testified that the violence displayed chilling levels of organization and brutality.
Historians regard Tetiev as an early demonstration of tactics that would be refined into state-sponsored genocide in World War II.
The pogrom underscores the vulnerability of civilian populations during conflicts and remains a tragic precursor to the Holocaust.
1919
Tetiev pogrom
Holocaust
1941day.year
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia joins the Axis powers with the signing of the Tripartite Pact.
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia signs the Tripartite Pact, officially joining the Axis alliance in World War II.
Under pressure from Germany and Italy, Regent Prince Paul agreed to the pact in a bid to preserve Yugoslav sovereignty.
The decision sparked outrage among nationalist officers, who staged a coup d’état two days later.
Hitler responded by launching Operation Punishment, invading Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941.
The swift conquest shattered the kingdom, leading to occupation and brutal reprisals against civilians.
The pact episode underscored the fragile balance small nations faced between Nazi demands and popular resistance.
1941
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Axis powers
Tripartite Pact
1971day.year
The Army of the Republic of Vietnam abandon an attempt to cut off the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos.
South Vietnam’s army aborts its operation to sever the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos in 1971, illustrating challenges of interdicting enemy supply lines.
In March 1971, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam launched Operation Lam Son to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail, a vital supply route for North Vietnamese forces.
Faced with dense jungle terrain, effective anti-aircraft defenses, and extended logistical lines, ARVN forces were forced to withdraw.
The mission’s failure highlighted the resilience and adaptability of communist supply networks running through Laos.
It underscored the difficulties of conventional forces combating guerilla warfare tactics in hostile environments.
The trail remained a key conduit for North Vietnam until the war’s conclusion.
1971
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
abandon an attempt
Ho Chi Minh trail
Laos