533day.year
A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarios sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece and Sicily.
In AD 533, Byzantine general Belisarios led a fleet from Constantinople to challenge the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa.
Emperor Justinian I dispatched General Belisarios with a powerful navy and army in 533. The expedition force sailed through Greece and Sicily to secure supply lines. Belisarios landed near modern Tunisia and engaged the Vandal forces. He achieved quick victories in key battles such as the Battle of Ad Decimum. This campaign aimed to restore Roman control over former Western Empire territories. By the end of the year, the Vandals were largely defeated and their kingdom collapsed. This marked the beginning of the Byzantine reconquest of North Africa.
533
Belisarios
attack the Vandals
1307day.year
Külüg Khan is enthroned as Khagan of the Mongols and Wuzong of the Yuan.
In 1307, Külüg Khan was enthroned as Khagan of the Mongol Empire and took the temple name Wuzong as Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty.
Following the death of Temür Khan, Külüg Khan succeeded as supreme ruler of the vast Mongol realm. He took the regnal name Emperor Wuzong and moved the capital to Khanbalik. His reign focused on consolidating central power and promoting Tibetan Buddhism. He enacted policies to restore traditional Mongol privileges and reduce bureaucracy. Under his rule, fiscal reforms were introduced to stabilize the empire's finances. He also patronized the arts and supported construction projects. Despite his brief reign, Wuzong's leadership strengthened the imperial court and influenced later Yuan governance.
1307
Külüg Khan
Khagan
Mongols
Wuzong
Yuan
1529day.year
French forces are driven out of northern Italy by Spain at the Battle of Landriano during the War of the League of Cognac.
In 1529, Spanish forces decisively defeated the French at the Battle of Landriano, driving them out of northern Italy during the War of the League of Cognac.
The Battle of Landriano took place on June 21, 1529, near Pavia in northern Italy. Spain, allied with the Holy Roman Empire, engaged French troops seeking dominance in Italy. Under Cardinal Fernando de Alvarez de Toledo, the Spanish army executed a well-coordinated attack. The French forces were overwhelmed and forced to retreat across the Alps. This victory effectively ended French ambitions in Italy for a generation. It led directly to the Treaty of Cambrai, also known as the 'Ladies' Peace.' The outcome solidified Habsburg influence and reshaped European power dynamics in the Renaissance era.
1529
French
Spain
Battle of Landriano
War of the League of Cognac
1582day.year
Sengoku period: Oda Nobunaga, the most powerful of the Japanese daimyōs, is forced to commit suicide by his own general Akechi Mitsuhide.
On June 21, 1582, the powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga was betrayed by his general Akechi Mitsuhide and forced to commit seppuku at Honnō-ji temple.
During Japan's turbulent Sengoku period, Oda Nobunaga emerged as a dominant daimyō aiming to unify the country. While staying at Honnō-ji temple in Kyoto, he was surprised by a rebellion led by his trusted general, Akechi Mitsuhide. Trapped and outnumbered, Nobunaga chose ritual suicide to avoid capture and dishonor. His death shocked the nation and momentarily halted his unification campaign. Mitsuhide briefly seized power but was defeated shortly after by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi avenged Nobunaga and continued the mission of unification, eventually leading to the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate. The incident remains one of the most dramatic betrayals in Japanese history.
1582
Sengoku period
Oda Nobunaga
daimyōs
forced to commit suicide
Akechi Mitsuhide
1621day.year
Execution of 27 Czech noblemen on the Old Town Square in Prague as a consequence of the Battle of White Mountain.
After the Battle of White Mountain, 27 Czech noblemen were executed in Prague's Old Town Square on June 21, 1621.
The execution of 27 Bohemian nobles on June 21, 1621, was a brutal reprisal following the Habsburg victory at the Battle of White Mountain. The condemned were leaders of the Protestant revolt during the early stages of the Thirty Years' War. In a public spectacle, they were beheaded or quartered before gathered crowds in Old Town Square. This act of retribution aimed to crush dissent and enforce Catholic hegemony in Bohemia. It marked the end of religious tolerance and began decades of Habsburg absolutism. The event left a lasting scar in Czech collective memory and symbolized a turning point in Central European history. Today, memorial crosses in the square commemorate the fallen nobles.
1621
Execution of 27 Czech noblemen
Battle of White Mountain
1734day.year
In Montreal, New France, a slave known by the French name of Marie-Joseph Angélique is put to death, having been convicted of setting the fire that destroyed much of the city.
In 1734, Montreal slave Marie-Joseph Angélique was executed for allegedly setting a major fire that devastated much of the city.
Marie-Joseph Angélique was an enslaved woman brought to New France who was accused of arson in 1734. A fire broke out on April 10 and destroyed large portions of Montreal's wooden buildings. Angélique was tortured and convicted amidst questionable evidence, raising debates about race and justice in colonial Canada. Her execution by hanging on June 21 drew public attention to the harsh realities of slavery in French colonies. Some historians suggest she may have been scapegoated for broader social tensions. Angélique's story has since become a symbol of resistance and a subject of modern research and artistic portrayals. Her life highlights the complexities of power, race, and gender in the 18th century.
1734
Montreal
New France
Marie-Joseph Angélique
1749day.year
Halifax, Nova Scotia, is founded.
Halifax, Nova Scotia, was founded on June 21, 1749, as a strategic British naval settlement on Canada's Atlantic coast.
Commodore Edward Cornwallis established Halifax to secure British control over the vital harbors of Nova Scotia. The new town was laid out with military fortifications and a defensible harbor against French threats. Settlers included soldiers, artisans, and civilians drawn by promises of land and trade. Halifax grew rapidly as a naval base and commercial center for the North Atlantic. It played key roles in later conflicts such as the Seven Years' War and American Revolution. The settlement's planning influenced urban development patterns in British North America. Today, Halifax remains a major city and a living legacy of colonial strategic planning.
1749
Halifax, Nova Scotia
1768day.year
James Otis Jr. offends the King and Parliament in a speech to the Massachusetts General Court.
In 1768, colonial lawyer James Otis Jr. delivered a fiery speech in Massachusetts, condemning British writs of assistance and foreshadowing the American Revolution.
James Otis Jr., a prominent Massachusetts attorney, argued against general search warrants known as writs of assistance on June 21, 1768. In a passionate address to the Massachusetts General Court, he declared that such writs violated colonial rights and English law. His arguments laid intellectual groundwork for the concept of 'no taxation without representation.' Otis's speech rallied colonial opposition to British policies and influenced future revolutionary leaders, including John Adams. Though Otis later suffered mental health struggles, his early advocacy for liberty resonated throughout the colonies. Historians regard this moment as a seminal event in the ideological buildup to the American Revolution. Otis's legacy endures in discussions of civil liberties and government authority.
1768
James Otis Jr.
1788day.year
New Hampshire becomes the ninth state to ratify the Constitution of the United States.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the United States Constitution, ensuring its implementation.
The ratification convention in Exeter, New Hampshire, debated the draft Constitution amid fierce arguments over federal power and individual rights. Delegates narrowly approved the document, making New Hampshire the pivotal ninth state needed to put the Constitution into effect. This ratification activated the new government framework and led to the first U.S. presidential election. Supporters celebrated the promise of a stronger union and clearer separation of powers. Critics feared centralized authority might trample liberties without a Bill of Rights. The momentum from New Hampshire's decision spurred calls for amendments, leading to the adoption of the first ten amendments in 1791. The event cemented the United States' transition from the Articles of Confederation to its enduring constitutional system.
1788
New Hampshire
Constitution of the United States
1791day.year
King Louis XVI of France and his immediate family begin the Flight to Varennes during the French Revolution.
King Louis XVI and his family began their ill-fated Flight to Varennes on June 21, 1791, attempting to escape revolutionary Paris.
Amid rising tensions in revolutionary France, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette decided to flee Paris and rally loyal troops. Disguised in common dress, they departed the Tuileries Palace under cover of darkness. Their route aimed to reach Montmédy, near the Austrian frontier, but delays and poor planning led to their capture at Varennes. The royal family's arrest stunned Europe and shattered any remaining trust between the monarchy and the revolutionaries. News of their flight fueled radical factions and accelerated France's move toward a republic. The incident marked a turning point in the Revolution, leading to the king's trial and eventual execution. The Flight to Varennes remains a dramatic episode illustrating the collapse of royal authority.
1791
Louis XVI of France
Flight to Varennes
1798day.year
Irish Rebellion of 1798: The British Army defeats Irish rebels at the Battle of Vinegar Hill.
At the Battle of Vinegar Hill in 1798, British forces routed Irish rebels in County Wexford, dealing a decisive blow to the uprising.
On June 21, 1798, the Battle of Vinegar Hill was fought near Enniscorthy in County Wexford as part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. British government forces under General Lake attacked the rebels’ fortified camp in one of the largest engagements of the uprising. The numerically superior and better-equipped British troops outflanked the Irish positions, forcing widespread retreat. Rebel casualties were heavy, with thousands killed or captured in the aftermath. This defeat effectively ended organized resistance in the south of Ireland. Although scattered guerrilla actions persisted, the loss at Vinegar Hill marked a turning point in the rebellion. The battle’s legacy lived on as a symbol of Irish resistance against British rule.
1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
Battle of Vinegar Hill
1813day.year
Peninsular War: Wellington defeats Joseph Bonaparte at the Battle of Vitoria.
In 1813, the Duke of Wellington’s allied army defeated French forces led by Joseph Bonaparte at the Battle of Vitoria, a pivotal clash in the Peninsular War.
On June 21, 1813, near Vitoria in northern Spain, the Duke of Wellington’s allied army confronted French forces led by Joseph Bonaparte. Wellington coordinated British, Portuguese, and Spanish troops to attack fortified French positions from multiple directions. Superior logistics and disciplined infantry allowed the allies to break through defensive works and capture key supply depots. French casualties were significant, and Joseph Bonaparte’s army retreated in disarray. The victory opened the way for allied advances toward Madrid and hastened the decline of Napoleonic control in Spain. Vitoria became one of Wellington’s greatest triumphs, showcasing his tactical brilliance. The battle is regarded as a turning point in the Peninsular War.
1813
Peninsular War
Battle of Vitoria