1344day.year
The Siege of Algeciras, one of the first European military engagements where gunpowder was used, comes to an end.
The Siege of Algeciras ends, noted as one of Europe's earliest uses of gunpowder artillery.
In 1344, the protracted Siege of Algeciras ended after eleven months.
It was among the first European battles to employ gunpowder artillery.
The siege pitted Castilian forces against the Muslim-held city in southern Spain.
Its conclusion secured a strategic port for Castile during the Reconquista.
The use of cannons represented a shift towards gunpowder warfare in Europe.
Algeciras became a vital naval base for future military campaigns.
1344
Siege of Algeciras
1351day.year
Combat of the Thirty: Thirty Breton knights call out and defeat thirty English knights.
Thirty Breton knights defeat their English counterparts in the famous Combat of the Thirty.
In 1351, the Combat of the Thirty saw thirty Breton knights challenge and defeat thirty English knights.
This chivalric contest took place during the Hundred Years' War in Ploërmel, Brittany.
The duel was fought under a code of honor, capturing medieval notions of knighthood.
It became legendary for its display of bravery and martial skill.
The event was celebrated in chronicles and ballads, symbolizing chivalric ideals.
1351
Combat of the Thirty
Breton
1697day.year
Safavid government troops take control of Basra.
Safavid troops captured Basra in 1697, securing Persia's access to the Persian Gulf.
In 1697, Safavid forces captured the strategic port city of Basra from the Ottoman Empire.
The takeover secured Persia's access to the Persian Gulf and trade routes.
Basra's fall disrupted regional power balance and boosted Safavid commerce.
The occupation marked a key moment in the long-running Ottoman-Safavid conflicts.
Control of Basra would change hands several times in the following decades.
1697
Safavid
take control of Basra
1885day.year
The Métis people of the District of Saskatchewan under Louis Riel begin the North-West Rebellion against Canada.
In 1885, the Métis under Louis Riel launched the North-West Rebellion in western Canada to protest federal policies.
The North-West Rebellion began when Louis Riel led the Métis of Saskatchewan in armed resistance against the Canadian government.
Concerned over the sale of their lands and lack of political representation, the Métis sought to defend their rights and culture.
The uprising took place in the District of Saskatchewan, then part of the Northwest Territories.
Riel and his followers established a provisional government, hoping to negotiate with Ottawa.
The Canadian government responded by sending militia forces, leading to a series of skirmishes and battles.
Although ultimately suppressed, the rebellion highlighted the struggle of minority groups in Canada and shaped federal policy toward Indigenous peoples.
1885
Métis
District of Saskatchewan
Louis Riel
North-West Rebellion
Canada
1913day.year
First Balkan War: Bulgarian forces capture Adrianople.
In 1913, Bulgarian forces captured the strategic city of Adrianople (now Edirne) during the First Balkan War.
The capture of Adrianople on March 26, 1913, marked a key victory for Bulgaria in the First Balkan War.
Bulgarian troops besieged the city, cutting off Ottoman supply lines and bombarding its defenses.
After weeks of siege, the Ottoman garrison surrendered, handing over one of the empire's most important fortresses.
The fall of Adrianople significantly weakened Ottoman influence in the Balkans.
The victory boosted Bulgarian morale and coalition confidence among the Balkan League allies.
Despite this success, disputes among the allies soon led to the Second Balkan War later that year.
1913
First Balkan War
Bulgarian
capture
Adrianople
1917day.year
World War I: First Battle of Gaza: British troops are halted after 17,000 Turks block their advance.
In 1917's First Battle of Gaza, British forces were repelled by Turkish defenders, halting the Allied advance in Palestine.
The First Battle of Gaza began on March 26, 1917, as part of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I.
British Empire troops launched an attack on Ottoman positions around Gaza, intending to break the coastal defensive line.
Despite initial advances, approximately 17,000 Turkish reinforcements counterattacked.
The British troops were forced to withdraw after suffering heavy casualties.
The battle exposed logistical challenges and command disputes within the British forces.
Although unsuccessful, the engagement set the stage for a second battle and eventual British capture of Gaza later that year.
1917
World War I
First Battle of Gaza
Turks
1939day.year
Spanish Civil War: Nationalists begin their final offensive of the war.
In 1939, Nationalist forces launched their final offensive in the Spanish Civil War, sealing the Republican government's downfall.
The final Nationalist offensive of the Spanish Civil War commenced on March 26, 1939.
Under General Francisco Franco, Nationalist troops advanced rapidly across southern Spain.
Republican defenses collapsed amid low morale and internal divisions.
The offensive led directly to the fall of Madrid and the end of major hostilities.
The victory established Franco's dictatorship, which lasted until 1975.
The battle's outcome shaped Spain's political landscape for decades.
1939
Spanish Civil War
Nationalists
final offensive
1942day.year
World War II: The first female prisoners arrive at Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.
During World War II, the first female prisoners were sent to Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland on March 26, 1942.
On March 26, 1942, the first group of female prisoners arrived at Auschwitz, the Nazi regime's largest extermination and labor camp.
Forced from occupied territories, they faced immediate selection and dehumanizing conditions.
Prisoners were stripped of their identities, tattooed with numbers, and subjected to grueling forced labor.
Women endured medical experiments and routine brutality as part of the camp's systematic terror.
This arrival marked an expansion of gender-based persecution within the Holocaust.
The suffering of these women exemplifies the pervasive cruelty inflicted by the Nazi regime.
Their stories remain a powerful testament to resilience and the horrors of genocide.
1942
World War II
Auschwitz
concentration camp
German-occupied Poland
1945day.year
World War II: The Battle of Iwo Jima ends as the island is officially secured by American forces.
The Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the bloodiest Pacific Theater conflicts, concluded on March 26, 1945, when American forces secured the island.
On March 26, 1945, American Marines and soldiers declared Iwo Jima secured after nearly six weeks of fierce combat.
The battle began on February 19, 1945, with an amphibious assault against heavily fortified Japanese defenses.
Mount Suribachi's iconic flag-raising symbolized hope but came at a tremendous human cost.
Both sides suffered over 20,000 casualties, including thousands of American and Japanese soldiers.
Securing Iwo Jima provided a critical air base for Allied forces for subsequent operations.
The battle's intensity and strategic value have since made it one of World War II's most remembered engagements.
1945
Battle of Iwo Jima
1971day.year
East Pakistan, then province of Pakistan, declares its independence from Pakistan to form Bangladesh; the Bangladesh's War of Independence begins.
On March 26, 1971, East Pakistan declared itself independent as Bangladesh, triggering the Bangladesh War of Independence against West Pakistan.
On March 26, 1971, political leaders in East Pakistan proclaimed the independent nation of Bangladesh.
Following disputed elections and military crackdowns, this declaration ignited a brutal liberation war.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's leadership galvanized Bengali nationalists seeking cultural and political autonomy.
The conflict led to widespread atrocities and a humanitarian crisis, drawing international concern.
Neighboring India provided support to Bangladeshi forces, influencing the war's outcome.
Bangladesh ultimately gained independence in December 1971, reshaping South Asian geopolitics.
1971
East Pakistan
Pakistan
declares its independence
Bangladesh
Bangladesh's War of Independence
1991day.year
Singapore Airlines Flight 117 is hijacked by four Pakistani terrorists and diverted to Changi Airport.
Singapore Airlines Flight 117 was hijacked by four Pakistani terrorists and diverted to Changi Airport.
On March 26, 1991, Singapore Airlines Flight 117, en route from Mumbai to Singapore, was commandeered by four gunmen demanding the release of political prisoners. The aircraft landed at Changi Airport where a tense standoff ensued. Singaporean commandos stormed the plane and killed the hijackers within minutes, rescuing all 118 passengers and crew unharmed. The swift operation showcased Singapore’s commitment to counterterrorism and set a precedent for handling future hijackings. It remains one of the most successful anti-hijacking operations in aviation history.
Singapore Airlines Flight 117
Changi Airport
1998day.year
During the Algerian Civil War, the Oued Bouaicha massacre sees fifty-two people, mostly infants, killed with axes and knives.
The Oued Bouaicha massacre saw fifty-two villagers killed during the Algerian Civil War.
In the early hours of March 26, 1998, armed militants attacked the village of Oued Bouaicha in northeastern Algeria. Fifty-two people, many of them children and infants, were brutally murdered with axes and knives. The assault was part of a wave of violence that engulfed Algeria during its decade-long civil war. Government forces later discovered the victims, and the atrocity drew international condemnation. The massacre highlighted the conflict’s human cost and intensified calls for peace and reconciliation in Algeria.
1998
Algerian Civil War
Oued Bouaicha massacre