192day.year
Dong Zhuo is assassinated by his adopted son Lü Bu.
In 192, Chinese warlord Dong Zhuo was assassinated by his adopted son Lü Bu, shaking the Han dynasty’s court.
Dong Zhuo rose to power controlling Emperor Xian and ruling through intimidation. His tyranny provoked a coalition of warlords, yet it was Lü Bu who struck the decisive blow. Lü Bu infiltrated Dong Zhuo’s inner circle and murdered him in a daring palace plot. The assassination plunged the Han dynasty into further chaos and factional warfare. This event accelerated the fragmentation of imperial authority, paving the way for the Three Kingdoms period. Historians view the act as both a personal betrayal and a turning point in Chinese history.
192
Dong Zhuo
Lü Bu
760day.year
Fourteenth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet.
In 760, Halley’s Comet completed its fourteenth recorded perihelion passage, captivating medieval sky watchers.
Halley’s Comet follows a roughly 76-year orbit, making its appearances significant milestones in astronomy. Observers in China, the Middle East, and Europe recorded the 760 sighting as an omen of change. These early records helped later astronomers like Edmond Halley predict its periodic return. The comet’s brightness and tail length varied depending on its distance from the Sun. Medieval scholars debated its meaning in astrological and scientific terms. The 760 perihelion reinforced the link between careful observation and celestial mechanics. It remains a celebrated chapter in the history of comet studies.
760
Halley's Comet
853day.year
A Byzantine fleet sacks and destroys undefended Damietta in Egypt.
In 853, a Byzantine naval force attacked and razed the undefended port of Damietta in Egypt.
Under Emperor Michael III, the Byzantine Empire launched a surprise raid on Damietta, a strategic Abbasid port. The fleet sailed from Constantinople and caught the garrison unprepared on May 22. Byzantine sailors plundered goods, burned buildings, and took captives before retreating. The attack showcased Byzantine naval strength and struck a blow at Abbasid maritime commerce. It heightened tensions between the two powers along Mediterranean trade routes. Damietta’s destruction forced local authorities to strengthen coastal defenses. This raid is remembered as a daring episode in Arab-Byzantine conflicts.
853
sacks and destroys
Damietta
Egypt
1176day.year
The Hashshashin (Assassins) attempt to assassinate Saladin near Aleppo.
In 1176, Nizari Ismaili Assassins launched a bold plot to kill Saladin near Aleppo but failed.
The Hashshashin were a secretive sect famed for precise political killings across the Middle East. They targeted Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn, the rising Kurdish leader who unified Muslim forces against the Crusaders. Near Aleppo, an Assassin infiltrated Saladin’s entourage and attempted the murder. Saladin survived unharmed and later retaliated by besieging Assassin strongholds. The botched attempt enhanced the Order’s fearsome reputation. Stories of the event spread throughout Christendom and the Muslim world alike. It remains a striking example of medieval covert warfare and political intrigue.
1176
Assassins
Saladin
Aleppo
1200day.year
King John of England and King Philip II of France sign the Treaty of Le Goulet.
In 1200, King John of England and King Philip II of France signed the Treaty of Le Goulet, redefining their feudal relationship.
After military setbacks in Normandy, John of England negotiated terms with his feudal lord, Philip II. The Treaty of Le Goulet confirmed John’s possession of key territories in exchange for homage and a substantial annual tribute. It granted Philip recognition of his claims in France and established clear boundaries. The agreement temporarily eased Anglo-French tensions but sowed the seeds of future conflict. John’s financial burdens increased as he met treaty obligations. Historians view the treaty as a prelude to the loss of Normandy and the broader struggles that culminated in Magna Carta. Its signing illustrates the complexities of feudal diplomacy.
1200
John of England
Philip II of France
Treaty of Le Goulet
1246day.year
Henry Raspe is elected anti-king of the Kingdom of Germany in opposition to Conrad IV.
In 1246, Henry Raspe was proclaimed anti-king of Germany, challenging Emperor Conrad IV.
The papacy, seeking to weaken the Hohenstaufen dynasty, backed Henry Raspe’s election at Frankfurt. He was declared anti-king in opposition to the legitimate ruler, Conrad IV, son of Frederick II. Henry held court, minted coins, and rallied support among dissatisfied princes. The rivalry plunged the empire into civil war, with shifting alliances and regional skirmishes. His reign lasted less than a year before his sudden death. Although brief, Henry Raspe’s kingship underscored the intense papal-imperial struggle. It highlighted the vulnerability of medieval kingship to factional politics and church influence.
1246
Henry Raspe
anti-king
Kingdom of Germany
Conrad IV
1254day.year
Serbian King Stefan Uroš I and the Republic of Venice sign a peace treaty.
In 1254, King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia and the Republic of Venice concluded a peace treaty, easing Adriatic tensions.
As Venice sought to secure its maritime trade, clashes with Serbian forces threatened key ports. Stefan Uroš I negotiated terms granting Venetian merchants safe passage and trade privileges along the Dalmatian coast. Venice recognized Serbian authority in disputed territories in return. The treaty fostered a period of stability and economic growth for both states. It marked a diplomatic achievement for Serbia’s young monarchy and expanded Venetian influence. The agreement is seen as an early example of balancing regional power through commerce. It shaped Balkan-Adriatic relations for decades.
1254
Serbian King
Stefan Uroš I
Republic of Venice
1370day.year
Brussels massacre: An estimated 13 Jews are murdered and the rest of the Jewish community is banished from Brussels, Belgium, for allegedly desecrating consecrated Host.
In 1370, Brussels witnessed a massacre of Jews and the expulsion of survivors amid accusations of host desecration.
Medieval antisemitic rumors claimed that members of Brussels’ Jewish community desecrated the consecrated Host. On May 22, a mob murdered around thirteen Jews and forced the remainder to leave the city. Civic authorities sanctioned the expulsion, reflecting widespread intolerance across Europe. The massacre devastated local Jewish life and dispersed families to other regions. Chronicles of the event fueled later persecutions and expulsions in the Low Countries. Modern historians view it as a tragic episode of religiously justified violence. The Brussels massacre remains a somber reminder of medieval bigotry.
1370
Brussels massacre
Brussels
Host
1377day.year
Pope Gregory XI issues five papal bulls to denounce the doctrines of English theologian John Wycliffe.
In 1377, Pope Gregory XI condemned John Wycliffe’s reformist teachings by issuing five papal bulls.
John Wycliffe challenged the wealth and authority of the Church, advocating scripture in the vernacular. Pope Gregory XI responded with a series of formal bulls denouncing Wycliffe’s propositions as heretical. The documents reaffirmed clerical privileges and doctrinal orthodoxy. Wycliffe’s followers, later called Lollards, faced excommunication and suppression. The conflict marked an early clash between emerging reformist ideas and papal power. Wycliffe’s critiques foreshadowed aspects of the Protestant Reformation. The 1377 bulls solidified the schism between English reformers and Rome.
1377
Pope Gregory XI
papal bulls
doctrines
theologian
John Wycliffe
1455day.year
Start of the Wars of the Roses: At the First Battle of St Albans, Richard, Duke of York, defeats and captures King Henry VI of England.
On May 22, 1455, the First Battle of St Albans ignited the Wars of the Roses when Yorkist forces captured King Henry VI.
The long-standing rivalries between the Houses of Lancaster and York erupted into open conflict at St Albans. Richard, Duke of York, led his men in a surprise attack against Lancastrian forces loyal to Henry VI. Casualties were light but the symbolic victory was immense: King Henry himself was taken prisoner. The battle demonstrated the fragility of royal authority and the power of rival nobles. It marked the beginning of decades of dynastic warfare that tore England apart. Subsequent battles would see fortunes shift repeatedly between the two houses. The Wars of the Roses reshaped the English monarchy and paved the way for the Tudor dynasty.
1455
Wars of the Roses
First Battle of St Albans
Richard, Duke of York
Henry VI of England
1520day.year
The massacre at the festival of Tóxcatl takes place during the Fall of Tenochtitlan, resulting in turning the Aztecs against the Spanish.
Spanish forces violently disperse Aztec worshippers at the Tóxcatl festival, sparking a fierce backlash against the conquistadors.
In May 1520, tensions between Hernán Cortés's Spanish conquistadors and the Aztec Empire culminated in a brutal massacre at the Tóxcatl festival in Tenochtitlan. Spanish soldiers, fearing an uprising, opened fire on unarmed Aztec nobles and worshippers gathered at the market. Estimates of casualties vary, but the incident dramatically inflamed anti-Spanish sentiment among the Aztecs. The massacre marked a turning point in the Fall of Tenochtitlan, as many Aztecs who had been neutral or allied with the Spanish switched their allegiance. In the aftermath, Aztec forces laid siege to the Spanish and their Tlaxcalan allies, setting the stage for a prolonged and bloody conflict over control of the city.
1520
massacre at the festival of Tóxcatl
Fall of Tenochtitlan
1629day.year
Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II and Danish King Christian IV sign the Treaty of Lübeck ending Danish intervention in the Thirty Years' War.
Emperor Ferdinand II and King Christian IV sign the Treaty of Lübeck to end Danish involvement in the Thirty Years' War.
In 1629, after years of Danish military campaigns failed to secure advantage in the Thirty Years' War, Ferdinand II and Christian IV agreed to negotiate at Lübeck. The Treaty of Lübeck officially ended Denmark’s intervention and restored conquered territories to the Holy Roman Empire. Christian IV renounced claims in Northern Germany and withdrew his forces, while Ferdinand II made concessions to prevent further Danish aggression. The treaty shifted the balance of power, consolidating Habsburg authority in the Empire. This agreement marked a turning point in the war, paving the way for France and Sweden to become primary contestants.
1629
Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II
Danish King
Christian IV
Treaty of Lübeck
Thirty Years' War