173day.year
Marcomannic Wars: The Roman army in Moravia is encircled by the Quadi, who have broken the peace treaty (171). In a violent thunderstorm emperor Marcus Aurelius defeats and subdues them in the so-called "miracle of the rain".
In 173 AD during the Marcomannic Wars, the Quadi in Moravia encircle a Roman army, but a sudden storm aids Emperor Marcus Aurelius in defeating them in the legendary "miracle of the rain".
In 173 AD, during the Marcomannic Wars, the Quadi tribe shattered a two-year-old peace treaty and trapped a Roman army in Moravia.
Caught in a fierce thunderstorm, Emperor Marcus Aurelius rallied his legions as torrents of rain disrupted the Quadi lines.
Ancient chroniclers praised this deluge as the "miracle of the rain," crediting divine intervention for Rome’s salvation.
Seizing the moment, Aurelius ordered a counterattack that routed the besiegers and secured the frontier.
The episode enhanced his reputation as both philosopher and general, solidifying his legacy in Roman history.
173
Marcomannic Wars
Roman army
Moravia
Quadi
171
thunderstorm
Marcus Aurelius
631day.year
Emperor Taizong of Tang sends envoys to the Xueyantuo bearing gold and silk in order to seek the release of Chinese prisoners captured during the transition from Sui to Tang.
In 631, Emperor Taizong of Tang dispatched envoys laden with gold and silk to the Xueyantuo to negotiate the release of Chinese captives taken during the Sui-Tang transition.
In the early years of the Tang dynasty, Emperor Taizong sought to heal the wounds left by the collapse of the Sui.
He sent emissaries bearing lavish gifts of gold, silk, and valuables to the Xueyantuo confederation north of China.
Their mission was to secure the freedom of Chinese prisoners captured amidst the dynastic upheaval.
This act of diplomatic generosity showcased Taizong’s strategic use of soft power.
Successful negotiations strengthened Tang authority, stabilized the northern frontier, and fostered regional trade.
631
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Xueyantuo
transition from Sui to Tang
786day.year
A Hasanid Alid uprising in Mecca is crushed by the Abbasids at the Battle of Fakhkh.
In 786, Abbasid forces crushed a Hasanid Alid revolt at the Battle of Fakhkh near Mecca, extinguishing a major challenge to their rule.
In the late 8th century, Hasanid descendants of Ali mounted a challenge against Abbasid authority in Mecca.
The confrontation at Fakhkh saw Abbasid forces decisively defeat the Alid rebels, ending the uprising.
Survivors fled north, reshaping the political and sectarian landscape of the caliphate.
The defeat reaffirmed Abbasid supremacy and curtailed Alid ambitions for decades.
This battle deepened the fissures between Sunni and Shia factions in the Islamic world.
786
Hasanid
Alid
Mecca
Abbasids
Battle of Fakhkh
980day.year
Vladimir the Great consolidates the Kievan realm from Ukraine to the Baltic Sea. He is proclaimed ruler (knyaz) of all Kievan Rus'.
In 980, Vladimir the Great unified territories from modern Ukraine to the Baltic Sea, earning the title knyaz of all Kievan Rus' and founding a powerful medieval state.
Upon ascending the throne in Kiev, Vladimir embarked on a bold campaign to unite the eastern Slavs.
He extended his influence from the Dnieper River to the Baltic shores, annexing rival principalities.
Crowned knyaz of all Kievan Rus', he centralized governance and strengthened legal structures.
This unification facilitated increased trade, cultural exchange, and set the stage for later Christianization.
Vladimir’s reign marked the emergence of a cohesive East Slavic polity in medieval Europe.
980
Vladimir the Great
Kievan
Ukraine
Baltic Sea
knyaz
Kievan Rus'
1011day.year
Lombard Revolt: Greek citizens of Bari rise up against the Lombard rebels led by Melus and deliver the city to Basil Mesardonites, Byzantine governor (catepan) of the Catepanate of Italy.
In 1011, Greek citizens of Bari rose against Lombard rebels and restored the city to Byzantine rule under Governor Basil Mesardonites.
During the Lombard revolt in southern Italy, the Greek-speaking inhabitants of Bari rejected the rule of insurgent leader Melus.
They opened the gates to Basil Mesardonites, the Byzantine catepan, reestablishing imperial control.
The swift action thwarted Lombard plans for an independent duchy in Apulia.
Byzantine forces reinforced their presence, launching a counterstrike against nearby rebel strongholds.
The episode underscored Bari’s strategic importance in the tug of war between Byzantines and Lombards.
1011
Lombard Revolt
Bari
Lombard
Melus
Basil Mesardonites
catepan
Catepanate of Italy
1118day.year
Roger of Salerno, Prince of Antioch, captures Azaz from the Seljuk Turks.
In 1118, Roger of Salerno, Prince of Antioch, seized the fortress of Azaz from the Seljuk Turks, strengthening Crusader defenses in the region.
Amid the volatile frontier of the Crusader states, Roger of Salerno led a determined campaign north of Antioch.
He captured the strategic fortress of Azaz, wresting it from Seljuk control.
This victory secured supply lines and bolstered the principality’s northern defenses.
Roger’s success demonstrated Latin military prowess and deterred immediate Turkish counterattacks.
Azaz would remain a key stronghold in the shifting battles of the Latin East.
1118
Roger of Salerno
Prince of Antioch
Azaz
Seljuk Turks
1157day.year
Albert I of Brandenburg, also called The Bear (Ger: Albrecht der Bär), becomes the founder of the Margraviate of Brandenburg, Germany and the first margrave.
In 1157, Albert I 'the Bear' founded the Margraviate of Brandenburg, becoming its first margrave and shaping northeastern Germany’s medieval landscape.
Albert I of Brandenburg, nicknamed 'the Bear', consolidated his family’s territories along the Elbe River.
He established the Margraviate of Brandenburg as a key principality within the Holy Roman Empire.
As its first margrave, he instituted feudal structures to govern and defend the frontier lands.
Under his leadership, German settlers and knights began the eastward expansion known as the Ostsiedlung.
This foundation would later evolve into one of Central Europe’s most influential dynastic states.
1157
Albert I of Brandenburg
Margraviate
Brandenburg
margrave
1345day.year
The megas doux Alexios Apokaukos, chief minister of the Byzantine Empire, is lynched by political prisoners.
In 1345, Byzantine chief minister Alexios Apokaukos was lynched by political prisoners, a vivid moment in the empire’s civil turmoil.
During the Byzantine civil war of 1341-1347, megas doux Alexios Apokaukos rose to prominence as the empire’s powerful minister.
His harsh policies and loyalist purges earned him many enemies among the nobility and imprisoned aristocrats.
On 11 June 1345, a group of political prisoners stormed the palace and brutally murdered him.
His violent end intensified the civil conflict, further destabilizing Byzantine governance.
The lynching became a stark symbol of the era’s ruthless court intrigues and factional violence.
1345
megas doux
Alexios Apokaukos
Byzantine Empire
1429day.year
Hundred Years' War: Start of the Battle of Jargeau.
On 11 June 1429, during the Hundred Years' War, French forces commenced the Battle of Jargeau, a key victory linked to Joan of Arc's Loire campaign.
As part of Joan of Arc's drive to lift the siege of Orléans, French forces advanced toward Jargeau along the Loire.
On 11 June 1429, they launched coordinated assaults on the town’s fortifications, overwhelming its English garrison.
The capture of Jargeau boosted French morale and solidified support for the Dauphin’s cause.
This triumph paved the way for the eventual relief of Orléans and a series of victories in central France.
The battle marked a turning point in the Hundred Years' War, shifting momentum to the French side.
1429
Hundred Years' War
Battle of Jargeau
1488day.year
Battle of Sauchieburn: Fought between rebel Lords and James III of Scotland, resulting in the death of the king.
In 1488, the Battle of Sauchieburn saw Scottish rebel lords defeat King James III, leading to his death and a shift in royal power.
Long-standing tensions between King James III and his nobles erupted into armed conflict near Stirling.
On 11 June 1488, rebel forces engaged the royal army on the slopes of Sauchieburn.
During the brawl, James III was killed—accounts differ on whether in battle or while fleeing.
His demise elevated his son, James IV, to the throne under the guidance of the victorious nobles.
This clash reshaped Scotland’s political landscape, increasing noble influence over the monarchy.
1488
Battle of Sauchieburn
James III of Scotland
1509day.year
Henry VIII of England marries Catherine of Aragon.
Henry VIII marries Catherine of Aragon, forming a pivotal alliance between England and Spain.
On June 11, 1509, the newly crowned King Henry VIII of England took Catherine of Aragon as his queen consort. The marriage ceremony at Greenwich Palace was lavishly celebrated with tapestries, banquets, and pageantry befitting a Tudor monarch. Catherine was the widow of Henry’s elder brother, Arthur, and her Spanish heritage linked England to one of the most powerful European dynasties. Their union was intended to strengthen diplomatic ties and discourage French influence on the continent. Over the next two decades, Catherine’s role as queen influenced English court culture and patronage of the arts. The marriage also set in motion dramatic religious and political upheavals, as Henry eventually sought an annulment that contributed to his break with the Catholic Church.
1509
Henry VIII of England
Catherine of Aragon
1559day.year
Don Tristan de Luna y Arellano sails for Florida with party of 1,500, intending to settle on gulf coast (Vera Cruz, Mexico).
Spanish explorer Tristan de Luna leads a bold expedition to colonize Florida’s Gulf Coast.
On June 11, 1559, Don Tristan de Luna y Arellano departed Mexico City with a fleet carrying 1,500 soldiers, settlers, and supplies bound for Florida’s Pensacola Bay. The expedition aimed to secure Spain’s claim to the Gulf Coast and to found a permanent colony to rival French and English encroachments. A powerful hurricane struck the fleet shortly after arrival, sinking many ships and scattering survivors along the shore. With dwindling provisions, disease, and hostile encounters, the settlement struggled to survive for less than two years. Despite Luna’s efforts to rescue the colony, the outpost was ultimately abandoned in 1561. The failed endeavor is remembered as one of the earliest European attempts to colonize North America’s southeastern coast.
1559
Don Tristan de Luna