598day.year
Avar–Byzantine wars: The Avars lift the siege at the Byzantine stronghold of Tomis. Their leader Bayan I retreats north of the Danube River after the Avaro-Slavic army is decimated by the plague.
In 598, the Avars lifted their siege of the Byzantine fortress at Tomis but were struck by a devastating plague that forced leader Bayan I to retreat across the Danube.
In 598, the Avars besieged the Byzantine fortress of Tomis on the Black Sea coast, seeking to expand their influence. Byzantine defenders withstood the siege until a lethal outbreak of plague struck the Avaro–Slavic army. Thousands of warriors perished in the epidemic, causing panic and disorder. Seizing the moment, Byzantine forces counterattacked to contain the weakened besiegers. Overwhelmed by disease and losses, Bayan I ordered a withdrawal north of the Danube River. The failed siege marked a turning point in the Avar–Byzantine Wars, halting Avar advances into Byzantine lands. This episode highlights the dramatic impact of disease on medieval military campaigns.
598
Avar–Byzantine wars
Avars
siege
Byzantine
Tomis
Bayan I
Danube River
Avaro
Slavic
plague
1282day.year
The people of Sicily rebel against the Angevin king Charles I, in what becomes known as the Sicilian Vespers.
In 1282, Sicilians rose in violent revolt against Angevin rule in what became known as the Sicilian Vespers.
On March 30, 1282, during evening prayers on Easter Monday, residents of Palermo and surrounding towns initiated an uprising against King Charles I of Anjou. The revolt was fueled by resentment toward heavy taxation and foreign dominance. Thousands of French soldiers and officials were killed or expelled in a wave of popular anger. The insurrection quickly spread across the island, plunging Sicily into chaos. It triggered the War of the Sicilian Vespers, drawing in Aragon and other Mediterranean powers. The conflict reshaped the political landscape of Italy and altered the balance of power in the western Mediterranean. The Sicilian Vespers remain a defining symbol of resistance against oppression.
1282
Sicily
Angevin
king
Charles I
Sicilian Vespers
1296day.year
Edward I sacks Berwick-upon-Tweed, during armed conflict between Scotland and England.
In 1296, King Edward I of England captured and sacked the fortified town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, striking a decisive blow in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
In March 1296, as part of his campaign to subdue Scotland, Edward I led an English army to besiege Berwick-upon-Tweed, a strategic port on the border. After bombarding the town walls, the English forces breached the defenses and entered the settlement. What followed was a brutal sack, with widespread looting and massacres of civilians. Estimates suggest thousands of inhabitants were killed as Edward sought to intimidate Scottish resistance. The fall of Berwick shocked the Scots and demonstrated the ferocity of medieval siege warfare. By capturing this key stronghold, Edward established a firm foothold for further incursions into Scotland. The event remains one of the most infamous episodes in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
1296
Edward I
sacks
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Scotland
England
1844day.year
One of the most important battles of the Dominican War of Independence from Haiti takes place near the city of Santiago de los Caballeros.
In 1844, a pivotal battle of the Dominican War of Independence was fought near Santiago de los Caballeros, securing Dominican freedom from Haitian rule.
During the early phase of the Dominican War of Independence, rebel forces clashed with Haitian troops near Santiago de los Caballeros on March 30, 1844. Dominican patriots secured a decisive victory that bolstered the fledgling nation’s confidence. Local militias repelled the Haitian advance and maintained control over the fertile Cibao Valley. Despite their limited numbers, Dominican fighters used knowledge of the terrain to outmaneuver their opponents. The triumph at Santiago paved the way for further consolidation of independence across the island. News of the victory ignited support for the new republic and demonstrated the determination of the Dominican people to resist Haitian rule. This battle remains a celebrated landmark in the nation’s founding history.
1844
important battles
Dominican War of Independence
Haiti
Santiago de los Caballeros
1856day.year
The Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Crimean War.
On March 30, 1856, diplomats signed the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the Crimean War and reshaping the balance of power in Europe.
The Crimean War drew Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia against Russia in a costly conflict marked by the Siege of Sevastopol and groundbreaking medical efforts. Negotiations began in January 1856, and on March 30, the Treaty of Paris was signed in France. The accord demilitarized the Black Sea, affirmed Ottoman territorial integrity, and constrained Russian naval ambitions. It represented a victory for the allied powers and a temporary check on Russian expansion. The treaty reshaped diplomatic alignments and set precedents for international peace settlements.
1856
Treaty of Paris
Crimean War
1885day.year
The Battle for Kushka triggers the Panjdeh Incident which nearly gives rise to war between the Russian and British Empires.
On March 30, 1885, a confrontation at Kushka sparked the Panjdeh Incident, bringing Russia and the British Empire to the brink of war over Central Asian influence.
The Panjdeh Incident occurred within the broader 'Great Game' rivalry between Tsarist Russia and British-controlled India. Russian troops advanced into Afghan territory and clashed with local forces near the oasis of Kushka. Britain's vehement protests over the siege of Panjdeh nearly provoked full-scale war. Diplomatic negotiations eventually defused the crisis, but the episode underscored the strategic importance of Central Asia. Subsequent boundary commissions formalized borders between Afghanistan and the Russian Empire. The incident remains a classic example of imperial brinkmanship in the 19th century.
1885
Battle for Kushka
Panjdeh Incident
Russian
British Empires
1918day.year
Beginning of the bloody March Events in Baku and other locations of Baku Governorate.
On this day in 1918, inter-ethnic violence known as the March Events erupts across Baku Governorate, igniting widespread massacres.
On March 30, 1918, tensions in Baku Governorate exploded into deadly conflict, marking the start of the March Events. Bolshevik forces and Armenian Dashnak militias clashed with local Azerbaijani groups in a brutal purge. Over several days, massacres claimed the lives of thousands of civilians on all sides. The violence devastated communities and deepened ethnic divides in the Caucasus. Historical grievances and political maneuvers by the collapsing Russian Empire fueled the bloodshed. The March Events remain a tragic chapter in Azerbaijani and Armenian history.
1918
March Events
Baku
Baku Governorate
1940day.year
Second Sino-Japanese War: Japan declares Nanking capital of a new Chinese puppet government, nominally controlled by Wang Jingwei.
Japan proclaims Nanking as the capital of a puppet regime led by Wang Jingwei during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
On March 30, 1940, Imperial Japan officially declared Nanking the capital of the Reorganized National Government of China, a puppet state headed by Wang Jingwei. Formed under Japanese auspices, the regime aimed to legitimize occupation and undermine Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist government. It struggled for popular support, widely viewed by Chinese citizens as collaborators. The declaration deepened divisions within China and intensified the brutality of the ongoing Sino-Japanese War. Wang Jingwei’s regime persisted until Japan’s defeat in 1945, leaving a controversial legacy in modern Chinese history.
1940
Second Sino-Japanese War
Nanking
Chinese puppet government
Wang Jingwei
1944day.year
World War II: Allied bombers conduct their most severe bombing run on Sofia, Bulgaria.
Allied bombers execute their most intense single-day raid on Sofia, Bulgaria during World War II.
On March 30, 1944, Allied air forces launched the heaviest bombing raid ever carried out on Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital, striking military installations and industrial targets. The raid aimed to erode Bulgaria’s capacity to support Axis operations on the Eastern Front. Over 150 bombers participated, dropping hundreds of tons of explosives amid heavy anti-aircraft resistance. While strategic objectives were partially met, civilian areas also suffered damage, causing significant noncombatant casualties. The intense raid underscored the expanding reach of Allied strategic bombing and contributed to Bulgaria’s later withdrawal from the Axis alliance.
1944
World War II
Allied
bombing run
Sofia
Bulgaria
1944day.year
Out of 795 Lancasters, Halifaxes and Mosquitos sent to attack Nuremberg, 95 bombers do not return, making it the largest RAF Bomber Command loss of the war.
The RAF suffers its worst loss of World War II as 95 bombers fail to return from a mass raid on Nuremberg.
On the night of March 30, 1944, 795 RAF Lancasters, Halifaxes, and Mosquitos took off for a daring raid against Nuremberg’s industrial heart. Encountering fierce German flak and night fighter interceptions over moonlit skies, 95 bombers were lost—the greatest single-night loss for RAF Bomber Command. Crews faced navigational challenges amid citywide fires and anti-aircraft defenses. The mission highlighted the perils of deep-penetration bombing raids and prompted tactical changes within Allied air strategy. The bravery and sacrifice of these airmen became emblematic of the high cost of strategic bombing campaigns.
Lancasters
Halifaxes
Mosquitos
attack Nuremberg
1945day.year
World War II: Soviet forces invade Austria and capture Vienna. Polish and Soviet forces liberate Danzig.
Soviet troops invade Austria, seizing Vienna, while Polish and Soviet forces liberate Danzig as World War II nears its end.
On March 30, 1945, Soviet Red Army units crossed into Austria, initiating the Battle of Vienna and swiftly capturing the Austrian capital after intense urban combat. Simultaneously, Polish and Soviet troops stormed Danzig (now Gdańsk), ending years of Nazi occupation. These twin offensives marked the collapse of German defenses on the Eastern Front and accelerated the end of World War II in Europe. The liberation of Danzig foreshadowed postwar territorial realignments in Central Europe. In Austria, the Soviet occupation zone was later established, influencing the nation’s postwar recovery and political division.
1945
Soviet forces
capture Vienna
Polish
liberate Danzig
1965day.year
Vietnam War: A car bomb explodes in front of the United States Embassy, Saigon, killing 22 and wounding 183 others.
A car bomb detonates outside the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, killing 22 and injuring 183 amid the Vietnam War.
On March 30, 1965, a Viet Cong car bomb exploded near the main gate of the United States Embassy in Saigon, killing 22 civilian and military personnel and wounding 183 others. The attack underscored the increasing sophistication and boldness of communist guerrilla operations in South Vietnam’s capital. It prompted a swift tightening of embassy security and fueled public debate in the United States over its escalating involvement in the Vietnam War. The bombing became a grim symbol of the conflict’s reach into diplomatic circles and civilian areas. In response, U.S. officials reinforced air and ground operations, deepening America’s military commitment in the region.
1965
Vietnam War
car bomb
United States Embassy, Saigon