910day.year
Battle of Augsburg: The Hungarians defeat the East Frankish army under King Louis the Child, using the famous feigned retreat tactic of the nomadic warriors.
In 910, Hungarian cavalry lured the East Frankish forces into a trap at Augsburg, using a daring feigned retreat to secure a crushing victory.
In the early 10th century, nomadic Hungarian forces frequently raided Central Europe. At Augsburg on June 12, 910, they employed a feigned retreat tactic against the East Frankish army led by King Louis the Child. The deceptive retreat lured the Frankish troops into a vulnerable position. Once the pursuers were disorganized, the Hungarians turned and launched a decisive counterattack. The Frankish army was routed, leaving their ruler to retreat in chaos. This victory demonstrated the effectiveness of nomadic cavalry tactics. It also marked a significant blow to East Frankish power and influenced medieval military strategies.
910
Battle of Augsburg
Hungarians
East Frankish
Louis the Child
feigned retreat
1381day.year
Peasants' Revolt: In England, rebels assemble at Blackheath, just outside London.
During the Peasants' Revolt in 1381, thousands of English rebels gathered at Blackheath, poised for confrontation outside London.
In June 1381, leaders of the Peasants' Revolt gathered their forces at Blackheath, on the outskirts of London. Discontent with oppressive taxes and feudal injustices fueled their march toward the capital. The rebel army assembled under banners demanding economic and social reforms. Despite being largely untrained, they posed a formidable threat to royal authority. The gathering at Blackheath set the stage for direct negotiations and subsequent confrontations with King Richard II. This moment became emblematic of popular uprisings in English history. It highlighted the power of grassroots resistance against ruling elites.
1381
Peasants' Revolt
England
Blackheath
1418day.year
Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War: Parisians slaughter sympathizers of Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac, along with all prisoners, foreign bankers, and students and faculty of the College of Navarre.
In 1418, amid the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War, Parisians brutally massacred supporters of Bernard VII and foreign residents.
During the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War in 1418, Parisians turned on supporters of Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac, in a brutal massacre. Mobs slaughtered not only Armagnac sympathizers but also prisoners, foreign bankers, and scholars at the College of Navarre. The violence erupted amid power struggles between rival noble factions and financial desperation in the city. Streets ran with blood as the insurgents sought to consolidate control. This atrocity deepened the rift between Armagnac and Burgundian forces. It also exacerbated instability during the broader Hundred Years' War. The events of June 12 remain a stark example of civil conflict's toll on civilians and institutions.
1418
Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War
Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac
College of Navarre
1429day.year
Hundred Years' War: On the second day of the Battle of Jargeau, Joan of Arc leads the French army in their capture of the city and the English commander, William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk.
Joan of Arc led French forces to capture Jargeau and its English commander during the Hundred Years' War on June 12, 1429.
On the second day of the Battle of Jargeau in 1429, Joan of Arc led French forces to a pivotal victory against the English. Inspired by her visions, she rallied troops and directed the siege of the river town. Under her command, the French stormed the walls and captured key positions. The English commander, William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, was taken prisoner. This triumph bolstered French morale and legitimized Joan's claims of divine guidance. It paved the way for further successes in the Loire campaign. Joan of Arc's leadership at Jargeau became legendary in French national history.
1429
Hundred Years' War
Battle of Jargeau
Joan of Arc
William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk
1653day.year
First Anglo-Dutch War: The Battle of the Gabbard begins, lasting until the following day.
The First Anglo-Dutch War saw the Battle of the Gabbard begin on June 12, 1653, marking a decisive naval engagement.
The Battle of the Gabbard, which began on June 12, 1653, was a key naval engagement in the First Anglo-Dutch War. English fleets under Admiral Robert Blake confronted the Dutch off the Suffolk coast. Superior discipline and gunnery gave the English a decisive advantage. The Dutch suffered heavy losses and were forced to retreat across the sands. This victory strengthened English control of the Channel and disrupted Dutch trade routes. It set the stage for the Navigation Acts and further maritime conflict. The battle demonstrated the growing importance of naval power in 17th-century Europe.
1653
First Anglo-Dutch War
Battle of the Gabbard
1758day.year
French and Indian War: Siege of Louisbourg: James Wolfe's attack at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, commences.
In 1758, British forces led by James Wolfe begin the Siege of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia during the French and Indian War.
In June 1758, Major General James Wolfe led British troops in an assault on the French fort at Louisbourg on Île Royale (now Cape Breton Island).
The fortress was a vital stronghold protecting French interests in North America and a gateway to the St. Lawrence River.
Wolfe’s forces established siege lines and bombarded the walls, facing challenging terrain and staunch French defense.
The operation marked a turning point in the French and Indian War, disrupting French supply lines and weakening their control in the region.
After intense fighting, Louisbourg fell to the British in July, paving the way for further advances toward Quebec.
The siege showcased Wolfe’s tactical skill and foreshadowed his later success at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.
1758
French and Indian War
Siege of Louisbourg
James Wolfe
Louisbourg, Nova Scotia
1772day.year
French explorer Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne and 25 of his men are killed by Māori in New Zealand.
In 1772, French explorer Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne and 25 crew members were killed by local Māori warriors in New Zealand.
French navigator Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne arrived in New Zealand in search of new lands and resources, anchoring at the Bay of Islands.
Initial encounters with Māori were largely peaceful, but tensions rose over misunderstandings and competition for food.
On June 12, a violent clash erupted, resulting in the deaths of du Fresne and 25 of his men.
This tragic incident was one of the earliest recorded European-Māori conflicts and had lasting effects on future interactions.
The event highlighted the risks of early exploration and the complexities of cross-cultural encounters in the Pacific.
Du Fresne’s voyage had significant scientific contributions, including botanical collections, despite its fatal end.
1772
Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne
Māori
New Zealand
1798day.year
Irish Rebellion of 1798: Battle of Ballynahinch.
On June 12, 1798, United Irishmen fought British forces at the Battle of Ballynahinch during the Irish Rebellion of 1798.
The Battle of Ballynahinch was a pivotal engagement in County Down, where United Irish rebels clashed with government troops.
Rebel leader Henry Munro marshaled around 4,000 insurgents who had captured the town prior to the battle.
British forces under General George Nugent launched a coordinated attack, leveraging superior training and artillery support.
After intense fighting, the rebel forces suffered heavy losses and retreated, marking the collapse of the uprising in Ulster.
The battle’s outcome weakened the broader rebellion and led to severe reprisals against suspected insurgents.
Despite defeat, the Irish Rebellion of 1798 became a symbol of the struggle for Irish independence and civic rights.
1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
Battle of Ballynahinch
1813day.year
Capture of USRC Surveyor.
On June 12, 1813, the US Revenue Cutter Surveyor was captured by British forces during the War of 1812.
During the War of 1812, the USRC Surveyor patrolled the Chesapeake Bay to enforce customs laws and support naval operations.
On this day, the cutter encountered a British warship squadron off the Virginia coast and was overwhelmed by a superior force.
Outgunned and outmanned, the Surveyor was forced to surrender after a brief engagement.
The capture deprived the United States of a valuable vessel and demonstrated British naval dominance in the region.
The crew was taken prisoner and the ship was commissioned into the Royal Navy for the remainder of the conflict.
The incident highlighted the challenges faced by American maritime forces against the world’s leading naval power.
1813
Capture of USRC Surveyor
1830day.year
Beginning of the Invasion of Algiers: Thirty-four thousand French soldiers land 27 kilometers west of Algiers, at Sidi Ferruch.
On June 12, 1830, French forces landed at Sidi Ferruch, marking the start of the invasion of Algiers and colonization of Algeria.
The French expeditionary force, commanded by General de Bourmont, set sail to North Africa to secure economic and strategic interests.
Landing at Sidi Ferruch, 27 kilometers west of Algiers, roughly 34,000 troops disembarked without significant resistance.
The operation aimed to punish the Regency of Algiers for perceived piracy and diplomatic slights.
Within weeks, French forces marched on Algiers, capturing the city on July 5 and establishing colonial rule.
This invasion initiated over a century of French presence in Algeria, reshaping the social and political landscape.
The conquest faced periodic resistance but ultimately led to extensive settlement and infrastructure development.
1830
Invasion of Algiers
1864day.year
American Civil War, Overland Campaign: Battle of Cold Harbor: Ulysses S. Grant gives the Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee a victory when he pulls his Union troops from their position at Cold Harbor, Virginia and moves south.
On June 12, 1864, during the Overland Campaign, Union General Ulysses S. Grant withdrew from Cold Harbor, granting a tactical victory to Confederate forces under Robert E. Lee.
The Battle of Cold Harbor was one of the final and bloodiest engagements of Grant’s Overland Campaign.
After heavy Union assaults against entrenched Confederate positions failed, Grant ordered a withdrawal on June 12.
Lee’s army, fortified within earthworks, inflicted severe casualties on Union attackers in earlier assaults.
The retreat solidified Lee’s defensive success and bolstered Confederate morale despite dwindling resources.
Grant’s decision to disengage was criticized for the high human cost and perceived missed opportunity.
Cold Harbor remains emblematic of the brutal stalemate and strategic challenges of trench warfare in the Civil War.
1864
American Civil War
Overland Campaign
Battle of Cold Harbor
Ulysses S. Grant
Robert E. Lee
Cold Harbor, Virginia
1914day.year
Massacre of Phocaea: Turkish irregulars slaughter 50 to 100 Greeks and expel thousands of others in an ethnic cleansing operation in the Ottoman Empire.
On June 12, 1914, Turkish irregular forces massacred Greek inhabitants of Phocaea and expelled thousands during an ethnic cleansing operation in the Ottoman Empire.
The Massacre of Phocaea occurred on June 12, 1914, when Turkish irregulars attacked the town of Phocaea on the Aegean coast. Between 50 and 100 Greeks were killed, and thousands more were forcibly expelled from their homes. The violence was part of broader ethnic tensions in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. Surviving residents fled to nearby islands or were resettled under Ottoman orders. The event foreshadowed further atrocities during World War I and remains a tragic example of early 20th-century ethnic cleansing.
1914
Massacre of Phocaea
ethnic cleansing
Ottoman Empire