1241day.year
Batu Khan defeats Béla IV of Hungary at the Battle of Mohi.
In 1241, Mongol commander Batu Khan's forces delivered a crushing blow to King Béla IV of Hungary at the Battle of Mohi, opening the gates of Central Europe to widespread devastation.
The Battle of Mohi saw Batu Khan lead a highly mobile Mongol army against Hungarian defenders along the Sajó River. The encounter resulted in a total rout of King Béla IV's forces, with heavy casualties on both sides. Surviving Hungarian troops retreated in disarray, allowing the Mongols to advance deeper into Central Europe. Contemporary chronicles recount the speed and ferocity of the Mongol horse archers and their tactical feigned retreats. In the aftermath, King Béla IV fled to Austria and later worked to rebuild his shattered realm. Mohi remains one of the most significant battles of the Mongol westward expansion.
1241
Batu Khan
Béla IV of Hungary
Battle of Mohi
1512day.year
War of the League of Cambrai: Franco-Ferrarese forces led by Gaston de Foix and Alfonso I d'Este win the Battle of Ravenna against the Papal-Spanish forces.
In 1512, Franco-Ferrarese troops under Gaston de Foix and Alfonso I d'Este won a fierce victory over Papal-Spanish forces at the Battle of Ravenna during the War of the League of Cambrai.
In April 1512, the combined armies of France and Ferrara under Gaston de Foix and Alfonso I d'Este confronted Papal-Spanish forces near Ravenna. Despite heavy losses, the Franco-Ferrarese emerged victorious in brutal close-quarters combat. The engagement featured deadly artillery exchanges and cavalry charges that presaged modern warfare. Tragically, Gaston de Foix was killed in action, dampening the strategic gains of the French. Logistical challenges and shifting alliances prevented a direct march on Milan despite the win. The Battle of Ravenna underscored the deadly complexity of the Italian Wars and reshaped power dynamics in northern Italy.
1512
War of the League of Cambrai
Gaston de Foix
Alfonso I d'Este
Battle of Ravenna
1544day.year
Italian War of 1542–46: A French army defeats Habsburg forces at the Battle of Ceresole, but fails to exploit its victory.
In 1544, French forces routed Habsburg troops at the Battle of Ceresole during the Italian War of 1542–46, yet failed to leverage their triumph.
Amid the Italian War of 1542–46, French and Habsburg armies clashed near Ceresole in Piedmont. The French infantry, supported by Swiss mercenaries, delivered a decisive blow to the Habsburg centre. Heavy casualties forced the Habsburg forces into a hasty retreat. Despite clear victory on the battlefield, French commanders hesitated to pursue further operations or seize Milan. Logistical limitations and diplomatic considerations prevented any major follow-up. The battle demonstrated the rising importance of disciplined infantry tactics in Renaissance warfare.
1544
Italian War of 1542–46
Habsburg
Battle of Ceresole
1809day.year
Battle of the Basque Roads: Admiral Lord Gambier fails to support Captain Lord Cochrane, leading to an incomplete British victory over the French fleet.
In the 1809 Battle of the Basque Roads, Captain Lord Cochrane's daring fireship attack was undermined by Admiral Lord Gambier's indecision, yielding an incomplete British victory.
Amid the Napoleonic Wars, the British Royal Navy sought to neutralize the French Atlantic fleet anchored off the Ile-dAix. Captain Thomas Cochrane led a bold fireship and explosion vessel assault that trapped several French ships. Failing to provide adequate support, Admiral Lord Gambier hesitated to press the attack fully. This caution allowed many French vessels to escape and sparked a fierce controversy, culminating in a public court martial. The engagement showcased Cochrane's unconventional naval tactics and highlighted tensions within British command. Although partially successful, the battle prompted reforms in naval strategy and leadership.
1809
Battle of the Basque Roads
Lord Gambier
Lord Cochrane
1814day.year
The Treaty of Fontainebleau ends the War of the Sixth Coalition against Napoleon Bonaparte, and forces him to abdicate unconditionally for the first time.
The Treaty of Fontainebleau in 1814 forced Napoleon to abdicate unconditionally, ending the War of the Sixth Coalition and paving the way for the Bourbon Restoration.
After a series of defeats across Europe, Napoleon Bonaparte was compelled to negotiate terms with coalition powers at Fontainebleau. The treaty, signed on April 11, 1814, stipulated his unconditional abdication and exile to the island of Elba. Coalition armies entered Paris shortly before, securing the fall of his empire. The agreement brought an end to the War of the Sixth Coalition and temporarily restored the Bourbon monarchy under Louis XVIII. Napoleon retained the title of Emperor but lost all real authority, marking his first exile. Though the peace proved brief, it set the stage for his return during the Hundred Days.
1814
Treaty of Fontainebleau
War of the Sixth Coalition
Napoleon Bonaparte
1856day.year
Second Battle of Rivas: Juan Santamaría burns down the hostel where William Walker's filibusters are holed up.
In 1856, Juan Santamaría bravely set ablaze the hostel sheltering William Walker's filibusters during the Second Battle of Rivas, securing a pivotal victory for Central American defenders.
In the midst of William Walker's filibuster invasion of Nicaragua, Costa Rican forces engaged the mercenaries at Rivas. Under heavy enemy fire, drummer Juan Santamaría volunteered to ignite the dormitory where the filibusters were entrenched. His selfless act saved countless allied lives but cost him his own. The blaze forced Walker's troops to retreat, preventing further advance into Costa Rican territory. Santamaría's sacrifice became a rallying point for national unity and his memory is honoured annually as Costa Rica's foremost folk hero. The Second Battle of Rivas remains a defining moment in Central American resistance to foreign aggression.
1856
Second Battle of Rivas
Juan Santamaría
William Walker
filibusters
1945day.year
World War II: American forces liberate the Buchenwald concentration camp.
American troops liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp, freeing thousands of prisoners from Nazi oppression.
In the early hours of April 11, 1945, the United States Third Army reached Buchenwald in central Germany, discovering the horrifying conditions endured by inmates. The liberators found emaciated survivors, mass graves, and evidence of brutal medical experiments conducted by SS physicians. Prisoners of many nationalities, religions, and political backgrounds had suffered starvation, forced labor, and rampant disease. The American soldiers provided medical aid, food, and clothing, documenting the atrocities for the world to see. Photographs and firsthand testimonies from Buchenwald played a crucial role in raising global awareness of the Holocaust. The camp’s liberation remains a powerful symbol of the Allies’ fight against totalitarianism and genocide. Commemorations often honor both the survivors and the liberators who ended one of history’s darkest chapters.
1945
World War II
Buchenwald concentration camp
1951day.year
Korean War: President Truman relieves Douglas MacArthur of the command of American forces in Korea and Japan.
President Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur of his command in Korea, ending a high-profile dispute over wartime strategy.
On April 11, 1951, amid rising tensions over conduct of the Korean War, U.S. President Harry S. Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur of his Far East command. MacArthur, a decorated World War II hero, had openly challenged administration policies, advocating an expansion of the war into China. The dismissal highlighted the principle of civilian control over the military in American democracy. The decision sent shockwaves through the public and Congress, where MacArthur still enjoyed significant popularity. In his farewell address to Congress, the general famously warned of a ‘policy of limited war.’ Truman’s move cemented his authority but also sparked a fierce national debate on the scope of the Cold War. The episode remains a landmark case study in civil-military relations.
1951
Korean War
relieves Douglas MacArthur
1955day.year
The Air India Kashmir Princess is bombed and crashes in a failed assassination attempt on Zhou Enlai by the Kuomintang.
In April 1955, the Air India Kashmir Princess was bombed in a Kuomintang plot to assassinate Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. The crash occurred in the South China Sea, killing 16 people.
The Kashmir Princess, chartered to carry delegates to the Bandung Conference, took off from Hong Kong on April 10, 1955. Agents of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) had secretly planted a time bomb aboard the flight. On April 11, the device detonated mid-air, causing the aircraft to plunge into the South China Sea near Mi Zui Island. Sixteen passengers and crew lost their lives, while several others were rescued from the water. Premier Zhou Enlai avoided the scheme by traveling on a different plane, sparking international outrage. The incident intensified post-war tensions between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan). Investigations led to greater scrutiny of aviation security protocols and diplomatic repercussions for covert actions in the Cold War era.
1955
Air India
Kashmir Princess
Zhou Enlai
Kuomintang
1968day.year
A failed assassination attempt on Rudi Dutschke, leader of the German student movement, leaves Dutschke suffering from brain damage.
German student leader Rudi Dutschke survived an assassination attempt, suffering severe brain injuries that rallied support for the 1968 protest movement.
On April 11, 1968, Rudi Dutschke, a leading figure in the Socialist German Student Union (SDS), was shot three times by right-wing extremist Josef Bachmann on Berlin’s Kurfürstendamm. Dutschke sustained critical brain wounds and endured a prolonged recovery process marked by physical and cognitive challenges. The attack prompted massive student demonstrations against conservative media outlets accused of inciting political violence. Clashes with police broke out in several cities, intensifying the New Left movement in West Germany. Dutschke’s survival and steadfast commitment to social justice made him an enduring symbol of youth activism. His experiences influenced political discourse on freedom of expression and governmental accountability. Although his health never fully recovered, Dutschke continued to advocate for radical change, leaving a lasting impact on European protest culture.
Rudi Dutschke
German student movement
1982day.year
American-Israeli reservist Alan Harry Goodman carried out a mass shooting at the Dome of the Rock, killing two Palestinians and injured at least seven others.
American-Israeli reservist Alan Harry Goodman opened fire at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, killing two Palestinians and wounding others.
On April 11, 1982, Alan Harry Goodman, an American-Israeli reservist, carried out a mass shooting at the Islamic holy site of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem’s Old City. Goodman fired into a crowd of worshippers, killing two Palestinians and injuring at least seven people. The attack heightened tensions between Israeli and Palestinian communities amid an already volatile period in the region. Israeli authorities arrested Goodman, who cited political motives linked to the ongoing conflict. The incident underscored the vulnerability of sacred sites and deepened international concern over violence in Jerusalem.
1982
carried out a mass shooting
Dome of the Rock
2002day.year
The Ghriba synagogue bombing by al-Qaeda kills 21 in Tunisia.
On April 11, 2002, al-Qaeda suicide bombers struck the historic El Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba, Tunisia, killing 21 worshippers during a Jewish pilgrimage.
The attack targeted one of the oldest Jewish temples in North Africa during the annual Lag BaOmer festival. Two suicide bombers detonated explosives at the site, causing widespread devastation in the crowded courtyard. Among the 21 victims were local and international pilgrims, while dozens more were injured. al-Qaeda claimed responsibility, marking the group’s first major strike in the Maghreb region. The bombing shocked Tunisia, a country long considered immune from global terrorism. Authorities launched an extensive investigation, leading to arrests and increased security measures at religious sites. The tragedy highlighted the growing reach of international terror networks beyond the Middle East.
2002
Ghriba synagogue bombing
al-Qaeda
Tunisia