43 BC
Battle of Mutina: Mark Antony is again defeated in battle by Aulus Hirtius, who is killed. Antony fails to capture Mutina and Decimus Brutus is murdered shortly after.
In 43 BC, Mark Antony's attempt to seize Mutina ends in defeat by Aulus Hirtius, who is later killed, and the subsequent murder of Decimus Brutus.
The battle was part of the power struggle following Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BC.
Senate forces under Consuls Aulus Hirtius and Gaius Vibius Pansa confronted Mark Antony's legions besieging Mutina.
Hirtius secured a defensive line and launched a surprise attack that forced Antony to retreat.
Despite his victory, Hirtius was killed during the fighting, leaving the Senate leaders in turmoil.
Antony's failure to capture Mutina weakened his position in the emerging Second Triumvirate.
Not long after, Decimus Brutus, who had defended Mutina, was murdered by agents likely allied with Antony.
43 BC
Battle of Mutina
Mark Antony
Aulus Hirtius
Mutina
Decimus Brutus
1506day.year
The three-day Lisbon Massacre comes to an end with the slaughter of over 1,900 suspected Jews by Portuguese Catholics.
The three-day Lisbon Massacre ends with the brutal killing of over 1,900 suspected Jews by Portuguese Catholics.
Between April 19 and 21, 1506, a wave of violent anti-Jewish rioting swept through Lisbon.
Fueled by religious fervor and false rumors, Portuguese Catholics attacked suspected Jewish households on Holy Monday.
By the end of the three-day massacre, more than 1,900 men, women, and children had been slaughtered.
The mob violence was partly tolerated by local authorities, reflecting widespread anti-Semitic sentiment.
King Manuel I later issued edicts to quell the unrest but did not punish the perpetrators.
The massacre foreshadowed the forced conversions and expulsions that would soon follow.
1506
Lisbon Massacre
1526day.year
The last ruler of the Lodi dynasty, Ibrahim Lodi is defeated and killed by Babur in the First Battle of Panipat.
Babur defeats and kills Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, marking the end of the Lodi dynasty and the rise of the Mughal Empire.
On April 21, 1526, the armies of Babur clashed with Ibrahim Lodi's forces at Panipat in northern India.
Babur employed innovative tactics and artillery, overcoming the numerically superior Lodi army.
Ibrahim Lodi was killed in the battle, ending over a century of Lodi dynasty rule.
The victory paved the way for the establishment of the Mughal Empire under Babur.
Panipat became a landmark in military history for its use of gunpowder and field fortifications.
The battle reshaped the subcontinent's political landscape for centuries to come.
1526
Lodi dynasty
Ibrahim Lodi
Babur
First Battle of Panipat
1796day.year
War of the First Coalition: In the climax of the Montenotte Campaign, Napoleon Bonaparte decisively defeats the army of Piedmont at the Battle of Mondovi, leading to Piedmont's surrender a week later and decisively turning the Italian campaign in France's favor.
Napoleon Bonaparte wins a decisive victory at the Battle of Mondovì in Italy, forcing Piedmont to surrender and shifting the First Coalition war in France’s favor.
During the Montenotte Campaign on April 21, 1796, General Napoleon Bonaparte led the French Army to a critical victory over the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont at the Battle of Mondovì. Facing entrenched Austrian-allied forces, Napoleon executed bold maneuvers that outflanked the enemy and secured the key town of Mondovì. The defeat shattered Piedmontese morale and prompted the Kingdom to negotiate an armistice just days later. This triumph marked a turning point in the Italian theater of the War of the First Coalition, showcasing Napoleon’s tactical brilliance. The success at Mondovì paved the way for French dominance in northern Italy and elevated Napoleon’s reputation as one of history’s great military commanders.
1796
War of the First Coalition
Montenotte Campaign
Napoleon Bonaparte
Battle of Mondovi
1802day.year
Twelve thousand Wahhabis sack Karbala, killing over three thousand inhabitants.
In a devastating assault, Wahhabi forces sack the holy city of Karbala, resulting in the massacre of over three thousand inhabitants.
On April 21, 1802, approximately twelve thousand followers of the Wahhabi movement attacked the Shiite holy city of Karbala in present-day Iraq. The assault involved the looting of shrines, destruction of religious sites, and the killing of more than three thousand men, women, and children. Karbala was revered as the site of the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, making the attack a profound religious atrocity. The sacking intensified sectarian tensions within the Ottoman Empire and fueled long-lasting animosities between Sunni and Shia communities. This event remains one of the most tragic chapters in the history of sectarian conflict in the Middle East.
1802
sack Karbala
1806day.year
Action of 21 April 1806: A French frigate escapes British forces off the coast of South Africa.
A French frigate successfully evades a British blockade off the Cape of Good Hope during the Napoleonic Wars.
On April 21, 1806, during the Napoleonic Wars, a French frigate slipped past British blockaders off the Cape of Good Hope in a tense nighttime maneuver. Under the command of its captain, the ship exploited poor visibility and skillful seamanship to evade multiple British warships. The Royal Navy had been attempting to cut off French maritime communications to their Indian Ocean territories. This daring escape preserved French naval capabilities in the region and frustrated British efforts to assert dominance along the southern African coast. The engagement highlighted the strategic value of intelligence and surprise in naval warfare.
1806
Action of 21 April 1806
1809day.year
Two Austrian army corps are driven from Landshut by a First French Empire army led by Napoleon as two French corps to the north hold off the main Austrian army on the first day of the Battle of Eckmühl.
French forces under Napoleon drive Austrian corps from Landshut on the first day of the Battle of Eckmühl, a key engagement in the War of the Fifth Coalition.
On April 21, 1809, the opening clash of the Battle of Eckmühl saw Emperor Napoleon's French army launch a coordinated assault against Austrian positions around Landshut in Bavaria. Two French corps in the north held off the main Austrian army, allowing Napoleon to concentrate his forces on dislodging two isolated Austrian corps. The fighting drove the Austrians from their strongholds, setting the stage for further French advances. This victory enhanced Napoleon’s strategic grip on southern Germany and weakened Austrian resistance. The Battle of Eckmühl exemplified Napoleon’s mastery of rapid troop movements and decisive engagement, foreshadowing the tactical innovations that would define the Napoleonic Wars.
1809
Landshut
First French Empire
Napoleon
Battle of Eckmühl
1836day.year
Texas Revolution: The Battle of San Jacinto: Republic of Texas forces under Sam Houston defeat troops under Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
Texian forces under Sam Houston rout Mexican troops led by Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto, securing Texas independence.
During the Texas Revolution on April 21, 1836, the Republic of Texas army commanded by General Sam Houston launched a surprise midday attack on Mexican forces stationed near the San Jacinto River. In just eighteen minutes, the vastly outnumbered Texians overwhelmed troops under General Antonio López de Santa Anna, inflicting heavy casualties and capturing the Mexican president. The decisive victory ended major combat operations and forced Santa Anna to sign the Treaties of Velasco, securing Texas’s independence. The battle’s success was attributed to Houston’s cunning tactics, the element of surprise, and the spirited resolve of his volunteers. The Battle of San Jacinto remains celebrated as the defining moment that established the short-lived Republic of Texas.
1836
Texas Revolution
Battle of San Jacinto
Republic of Texas
Sam Houston
Antonio López de Santa Anna
1898day.year
Spanish–American War: The United States Navy begins a blockade of Cuban ports. When the U.S. Congress issued a declaration of war on April 25, it declared that a state of war had existed from this date.
On April 21, 1898, the U.S. Navy initiated a blockade of Cuban ports, marking a decisive escalation in the Spanish–American War.
The Spanish–American War ignited tensions between the United States and Spain over Cuba's independence.
On April 21, 1898, the U.S. Navy established a blockade of key Cuban ports, severely disrupting Spanish supply routes.
This bold action showcased American naval strength and aimed to isolate Spanish forces stationed on the island.
When Congress declared war on April 25, it backdated the formal state of war to April 21, legitimizing the blockade.
The operation played a critical role in hastening the end of the conflict and cementing the U.S. as an emerging world power.
The blockade set a precedent for modern naval strategy and underscored the importance of sea control.
1898
Spanish–American War
Cuban
U.S. Congress
declaration of war
1914day.year
Ypiranga incident: A German arms shipment to Mexico is intercepted by the U.S. Navy near Veracruz.
On April 21, 1914, the U.S. Navy intercepted the SS Ypiranga near Veracruz, seizing a German arms shipment bound for Mexico and straining diplomatic ties.
In April 1914, the United States intervened in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution.
On April 21, the U.S. Navy seized the SS Ypiranga, a German vessel carrying weapons for rebel forces.
The interception highlighted America's resolve to influence regional affairs amid growing global conflict.
Although Mexico was officially neutral, the incident sparked diplomatic protests from Berlin and Mexico City.
The Ypiranga affair underscored the strategic importance of naval power and foreshadowed deeper foreign involvement in Mexico.
1914
Ypiranga incident
Veracruz
1918day.year
World War I: German fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, better known as "The Red Baron", is shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme in France.
On April 21, 1918, German ace Manfred von Richthofen, 'The Red Baron', was shot down and killed over Vaux-sur-Somme in France.
Manfred von Richthofen, nicknamed 'The Red Baron', was the top scoring fighter pilot of World War I with 80 confirmed victories.
On April 21, 1918, he engaged enemy aircraft and ground fire over Vaux-sur-Somme and was fatally wounded.
His death sent shockwaves through both German and Allied forces, marking the loss of a legendary aviator.
The Baron's red aircraft and chivalrous conduct made him a folk hero on both sides of the conflict.
His final flight and demise have fueled historical debate and popular myth for over a century.
Richthofen's legacy endures as an icon of early aerial warfare and the golden age of combat aviation.
1918
World War I
German
Manfred von Richthofen
Vaux-sur-Somme
France
1926day.year
Al-Baqi cemetery, former site of the mausoleum of four Shi'a Imams, is leveled to the ground by Wahhabis.
On April 21, 1926, Wahhabi forces demolished the historic Al-Baqi cemetery in Medina, obliterating the mausoleums of four revered Shi'a Imams.
Al-Baqi is one of Islam's oldest burial grounds, housing the tombs of significant figures including four Shi'a Imams.
On April 21, 1926, followers of the austere Wahhabi movement leveled its ornate mausoleums in pursuit of religious reform.
The destruction erased centuries of architectural and spiritual heritage cherished by Muslims worldwide.
Neighboring countries protested the act, but it cemented the Saudi state's strict interpretation of Islam.
Al-Baqi's razing remains a poignant reminder of sectarian tensions and the fragility of cultural monuments.
Pilgrims and historians continue to commemorate the loss and advocate for preservation of Islamic heritage.
1926
Al-Baqi cemetery
four Shi'a Imams
leveled to the ground
Wahhabis