1097day.year
The Siege of Nicaea begins during the First Crusade.
In 1097, Crusader forces commence the Siege of Nicaea, the first major target in Anatolia during the First Crusade.
In May 1097, a coalition of Western European forces under leaders such as Bohemond of Taranto and Godfrey of Bouillon laid siege to Nicaea, the Seljuk capital in Anatolia.
The city’s formidable walls and strategic position on Lake Askanias made it a vital objective to secure a passage for Crusader armies toward Jerusalem.
After weeks of blockade and skirmishes, Byzantine generals negotiated a secret surrender with the Seljuk defenders, handing the city to Emperor Alexios I Komnenos.
The fall of Nicaea on June 19 boosted the Crusaders’ morale and underscored the complex alliance between Western knights and the Byzantine Empire.
This victory opened the road to Iconium and laid the groundwork for subsequent battles at Dorylaeum and Antioch.
The siege demonstrated the blend of military might and diplomatic maneuvering characteristic of the First Crusade.
1097
Siege of Nicaea
First Crusade
1264day.year
Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured and forced to sign the Mise of Lewes, making Simon de Montfort the effective ruler of England.
At the Battle of Lewes in 1264, rebel barons led by Simon de Montfort defeat and capture King Henry III, enforcing the Mise of Lewes and shifting power to de Montfort.
On May 14, 1264, rebellious English barons under Simon de Montfort confronted King Henry III’s forces near Lewes in Sussex.
De Montfort’s army achieved a decisive victory, capturing the king and his heir Prince Edward.
The ensuing Mise of Lewes compelled Henry III to accept baronial reforms and acknowledge de Montfort as the realm’s de facto ruler.
Simon de Montfort used his new authority to call the first elected parliament in 1265, inviting commoners alongside nobles.
Although de Montfort’s reign was brief, his actions laid the foundation for the development of representative government in England.
The Battle of Lewes marked a pivotal moment in the struggle between royal authority and the rights of the nobility.
1264
Battle of Lewes
Henry III of England
Mise of Lewes
Simon de Montfort
1465day.year
During the 1465 Moroccan revolution which overthrows the Marinid dynasty, the Jewish mellah is attacked by the population of Fez, though the extent of the massacre is debated.
In 1465, during a revolt that ended Marinid rule in Morocco, the Jewish mellah of Fez suffered violence and looting amid popular unrest.
In May 1465, discontented citizens of Fez rose against the ineffective Marinid sultans, ending centuries of dynastic rule.
Amid the chaos, the city’s Jewish quarter—the mellah—was targeted by mobs who looted homes and attacked inhabitants.
Historical accounts vary on the scale of the violence, with estimates ranging from disorderly plunder to widespread massacre.
The uprising installed Abd al-Haqq II’s vizier Abu Zakariya Yahya as ruler, inaugurating a period of political fragmentation.
The events of 1465 had lasting impacts on Jewish-Muslim relations in Fez, shaping communal dynamics for generations.
The revolt and its aftermath illustrate the volatility of late medieval North African politics and the vulnerabilities of minority communities.
1465
1465 Moroccan revolution
Marinid dynasty
mellah
1509day.year
Battle of Agnadello: In northern Italy, French forces defeat the Republic of Venice.
At the Battle of Agnadello in 1509, French armies under King Louis XII rout Venetian forces, shifting the balance in the War of the League of Cambrai.
On May 14, 1509, during the War of the League of Cambrai, King Louis XII of France confronted Venetian troops near the village of Agnadello.
The French cavalry executed a powerful charge that broke the Venetian center, resulting in a crushing defeat.
Venice lost control of key territories in Lombardy, undermining its power in northern Italy.
The victory strengthened France’s influence in the region and encouraged other states to challenge Venetian dominance.
Despite temporary setbacks, Venice later recovered through diplomatic maneuvering and alliances.
The battle exemplified Renaissance-era warfare and heralded a period of shifting alliances among Italian city-states.
1509
Battle of Agnadello
1747day.year
War of the Austrian Succession: A British fleet under Admiral George Anson defeats the French at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre.
In 1747, Admiral George Anson leads a British fleet to victory over France at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre during the War of the Austrian Succession.
On May 14, 1747, British Admiral George Anson intercepted a French convoy off the coast of Spain near Cape Finisterre.
Anson’s squadron captured or destroyed several ships, crippling France’s naval logistics during the war.
The victory bolstered British maritime dominance and disrupted French supplies to their colonies.
It also secured vital trade routes for Britain and weakened France’s naval aspirations.
The battle underscored the strategic importance of naval power in 18th-century global conflicts.
Anson’s success contributed to Britain’s eventual favorable position in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.
1747
War of the Austrian Succession
Admiral George Anson
First Battle of Cape Finisterre
1863day.year
American Civil War: During the Vicksburg campaign, Union forces drive Confederates under Joseph E. Johnston out of Jackson, Mississippi in the Battle of Jackson.
Union forces expel Confederates under General Johnston from Jackson, Mississippi, during the Vicksburg campaign.
On May 14, 1863, Union troops assaulted Jackson, Mississippi, as part of General Ulysses S. Grant's Vicksburg campaign. Facing Confederate forces led by General Joseph E. Johnston, the attackers aimed to cut off reinforcements. Fierce skirmishes erupted in and around the city, testing Union artillery and infantry tactics. Despite stubborn Confederate resistance, Johnston withdrew to preserve his army. The fall of Jackson denied the Confederacy a critical rail hub and supply center. This victory strengthened Grant's siege of Vicksburg, which would capitulate in July. The strategic success at Jackson shifted momentum in favor of the Union in the Western Theater.
1863
American Civil War
Vicksburg campaign
Union
Confederates
Joseph E. Johnston
Jackson, Mississippi
Battle of Jackson
1868day.year
Boshin War: The Battle of Utsunomiya Castle ends as former Tokugawa shogunate forces withdraw northward.
Former Tokugawa forces retreat northward after the Battle of Utsunomiya Castle, marking a turning point in the Boshin War.
On May 14, 1868, the Battle of Utsunomiya Castle concluded with the withdrawal of Tokugawa shogunate forces. Fighting erupted as imperial troops advanced toward Edo, seeking to end shogunal rule. The defenders, led by local samurai, held out briefly before retreating to continue resistance in northern provinces. This engagement demonstrated the declining power of the Tokugawa and the rising imperial army's momentum. The fall of key positions around Utsunomiya opened the path to Edo and the eventual Meiji Restoration. Although sporadic skirmishes continued, the battle marked a decisive shift toward imperial control. Japan's political landscape would soon transform, ushering in modern reforms.
1868
Boshin War
Battle of Utsunomiya Castle
1915day.year
The May 14 Revolt takes place in Lisbon, Portugal.
The May 14 Revolt erupts in Lisbon as republican officers attempt to overthrow the government of Portugal.
The May 14 Revolt erupted in Lisbon when dissident military officers and republican activists attempted to overthrow the government.
The rebels aimed to restore full parliamentary governance and challenge the provisional regime of President Pimenta de Castro.
Barricades were erected in the city center as troops loyal to the government confronted the insurgents.
After several hours of fighting, government forces suppressed the uprising.
The revolt highlighted deep divisions within Portuguese politics and fueled ongoing instability.
In its aftermath, calls for democratic reforms grew louder across the nation.
Although short-lived, the May 14 Revolt left a lasting mark on Portugal's republican movement.
1915
May 14 Revolt
Lisbon, Portugal
1931day.year
Five unarmed civilians are killed in the Ådalen shootings, as the Swedish military is called in to deal with protesting workers.
Swedish military intervention in the Ådalen shootings results in the deaths of five unarmed civilians during a labor protest.
On May 14, 1931, Swedish troops fired on striking workers during the Ådalen shootings.
The unarmed demonstrators were protesting for better wages and working conditions.
At least five civilians were killed and several others wounded by military gunfire.
The incident sparked national outrage and debates over the use of military force in civil disputes.
It led to legal and political reforms limiting military intervention in domestic affairs.
A memorial was later erected in Ådalen to honor those who lost their lives.
The shootings remain a pivotal moment in Sweden's labor history.
1931
Ådalen shootings
1940day.year
World War II: Rotterdam, Netherlands is bombed by the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany despite a ceasefire, killing about 900 people and destroying the historic city center.
Nazi Germany bombs Rotterdam despite a ceasefire, killing hundreds and devastating the historic city center.
On May 14, 1940, the German Luftwaffe bombed Rotterdam despite an agreed ceasefire.
In a devastating air raid, approximately 800 to 900 civilians were killed.
The bombing destroyed much of Rotterdam's historic city center, leaving a vast area in ruins.
The attack prompted the Dutch government to surrender the next day to avoid further loss.
It became one of the first major examples of terror bombing in World War II.
Reconstruction efforts after the war transformed Rotterdam into a modern city.
The raid remains a poignant reminder of civilian suffering in armed conflict.
1940
World War II
Rotterdam
bombed
Luftwaffe
Nazi Germany
1943day.year
World War II: A Japanese submarine sinks AHS Centaur off the coast of Queensland.
A Japanese submarine torpedoes and sinks the hospital ship AHS Centaur off Queensland's coast during World War II.
A Japanese submarine torpedoed the Australian hospital ship AHS Centaur on May 14, 1943, off the coast of Queensland.
Despite its prominent markings, the vessel sank within minutes, resulting in 268 deaths, including nurses and medical orderlies.
Only 64 survivors were rescued after drifting in lifeboats and rafts.
The attack was widely condemned as a war crime against a protected vessel.
News of the sinking sparked outrage in Australia and contributed to anti-Japanese sentiment.
Investigations and survivor testimonies later shed light on the tragic event.
The Centaur tragedy remains an enduring symbol of wartime atrocities at sea.
1943
AHS Centaur
Queensland
1948day.year
Israel is declared to be an independent state and a provisional government is established. Immediately after the declaration, Israel is attacked by the neighboring Arab states, triggering the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel proclaimed its independence, forming a provisional government, which was immediately challenged by neighboring Arab states.
The declaration of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948 marked the end of the British Mandate for Palestine and the birth of a new nation.
David Ben-Gurion read the proclamation of independence in Tel Aviv, establishing a provisional government and new national institutions.
Almost immediately, armies from Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon, and Iraq entered the former mandate territory, beginning the Arab–Israeli War.
The ensuing conflict involved large-scale military campaigns and shaped the Middle East's political landscape for decades.
By early 1949, Israel had secured armistice agreements, solidifying its territorial gains but leaving deep-seated tensions that persist today.
1948
Israel is declared to be an independent state
1948 Arab–Israeli War