1312 BC
Mursili II launches a campaign against the Kingdom of Azzi-Hayasa.
Hittite king Mursili II initiates a military campaign against the Kingdom of Azzi-Hayasa in northeastern Anatolia.
Mursili II, ruler of the Hittite Empire, launched a major expedition against the neighboring Kingdom of Azzi-Hayasa around 1312 BC. Azzi-Hayasa, located in the mountainous regions of northeastern Anatolia, posed a persistent challenge to Hittite authority. Mursili’s campaign aimed to secure key trade routes and subdue rebellious local tribes. Ancient Hittite records celebrate this operation as a showcase of military strength and strategic acumen. The victory extended Hittite control further east and reinforced the empire’s dominance in the region for generations.
1312 BC
Mursili II
launches a campaign
Azzi-Hayasa
109day.year
Roman emperor Trajan inaugurates the Aqua Traiana, an aqueduct that channels water from Lake Bracciano, 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of Rome.
Emperor Trajan inaugurates the Aqua Traiana aqueduct, channeling fresh water from Lake Bracciano to Rome.
In AD 109, Roman Emperor Trajan celebrated the completion of the Aqua Traiana, a state-of-the-art aqueduct stretching over 40 kilometers. This engineering marvel transported pristine spring water from Lake Bracciano into Rome’s distribution network. Designed to alleviate chronic water shortages, the aqueduct featured a complex system of tunnels, bridges, and arcades. Its construction demonstrated Rome’s mastery of hydraulic engineering and urban planning. The Aqua Traiana augmented public fountains, baths, and private villas across the capital. Trajan’s project remains a testament to imperial investment in civic infrastructure.
109
Trajan
Aqua Traiana
aqueduct
Lake Bracciano
Rome
474day.year
Julius Nepos forces Roman usurper Glycerius to abdicate the throne and proclaims himself Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
Julius Nepos deposes the usurper Glycerius and proclaims himself Western Roman Emperor.
In AD 474, Julius Nepos, commanding forces from the Eastern Roman Empire, marched into Italy to challenge the usurper Glycerius. Glycerius, installed by Burgundian troops, lacked recognition from Constantinople. Through a combination of diplomacy and military pressure, Nepos forced Glycerius to abdicate without significant bloodshed. Recognized by both East and West, Nepos restored formal authority to the Western throne. His accession highlighted the Eastern Empire’s influence in Italian politics during Rome’s waning years. Julius Nepos’s reign marked one of the final attempts to revive centralized imperial rule in the West.
474
Julius Nepos
Glycerius
Western Roman Empire
637day.year
The Battle of Moira is fought between the High King of Ireland and the Kings of Ulster and Dál Riata. It is claimed to be the largest battle in the history of Ireland.
The Battle of Moira pits the High King of Ireland against the allied kings of Ulster and Dál Riata in the largest engagement of early Irish history.
In AD 637, the Battle of Moira erupted on the plains of County Down as forces loyal to the High King of Ireland clashed with an alliance led by the kings of Ulster and Dál Riata. Chroniclers claim this was the largest recorded battle in early Irish history, possibly involving tens of thousands of warriors. Its causes stemmed from dynastic rivalries and competition for regional supremacy. Fierce combat with spears, swords, and chariots defined the day-long engagement. Though exact outcomes are debated, tradition credits the High King with a hard-fought victory. The battle’s legacy endured in Irish saga literature and influenced power structures across the island.
637
Battle of Moira
High King of Ireland
Ulster
Dál Riata
843day.year
The Vikings sack the French city of Nantes.
Viking raiders sack the city of Nantes, leaving a trail of destruction during the turmoil of 9th-century Francia.
In AD 843, seafaring Viking bands descended upon Nantes, then a key city in the Frankish West. Exploiting the fractured political landscape of the Carolingian realms, the Norsemen breached river defenses and looted churches, homes, and markets. Contemporary accounts describe widespread fires and the capture of prisoners for ransom or slavery. The sack of Nantes exemplified the broader Viking incursions that plagued coastal and riverine settlements across Europe. In its aftermath, local lords fortified their positions, and the Countship of Nantes became a focal point of resistance. The event underscored the vulnerability of early medieval kingdoms to maritime raiders.
843
Nantes
972day.year
Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces, takes place.
Polish forces achieve their first documented victory against German knights at the Battle of Cedynia.
In AD 972, Duke Mieszko I of Poland confronted forces of the Holy Roman Empire near Cedynia, along the Oder River. This clash, known as the Battle of Cedynia, marked the first recorded military triumph of the Piast dynasty. Chronicler Thietmar of Merseburg provides one of the few contemporary accounts of the engagement. Mieszko’s forces successfully repelled the invaders, securing Poland’s western frontier. The victory fortified Mieszko’s rule and enhanced his prestige among neighboring powers. Cedynia remains celebrated as a foundational moment in the emergence of the Polish state.
972
Battle of Cedynia
1128day.year
Battle of São Mamede, near Guimarães: Forces led by Afonso I defeat forces led by his mother Teresa of León and her lover Fernando Pérez de Traba.
Afonso I defeats his mother’s faction at the Battle of São Mamede, paving the way for Portuguese independence.
In AD 1128, on the fields outside Guimarães, forces led by Afonso Henriques clashed with troops loyal to his mother, Countess Teresa of León, and her ally Fernando Pérez de Traba. The Battle of São Mamede stemmed from a dynastic power struggle over the County of Portugal. Afonso’s victory effectively ended his mother’s regency and asserted his authority. This triumph is often regarded as the birth of the Portuguese nation under Afonso I’s leadership. Following the battle, Afonso consolidated his rule and took the title Prince of Portugal. The event set the stage for the Kingdom of Portugal’s formal independence in subsequent decades.
1128
Battle of São Mamede
Guimarães
Afonso I
Teresa of León
Fernando Pérez de Traba
1230day.year
The Siege of Jaén begins, in the context of the Spanish Reconquista.
King Ferdinand III of Castile begins the Siege of Jaén as part of the Spanish Reconquista.
In AD 1230, King Ferdinand III of Castile laid siege to the fortified city of Jaén in Andalusia, targeting the Muslim-controlled stronghold. The Siege of Jaén formed a key component of the broader Reconquista campaign to reclaim Iberian territories. Castilian forces encircled the city walls, employing siege engines and cutting off supply routes. Despite initial resistance, the siege hampered Jaén’s ability to sustain its defenders. Although the city did not capitulate until 1246, the early phases demonstrated Castile’s growing military prowess. Ferdinand’s persistent offensives ultimately reshaped the political map of medieval Spain.
1230
Siege of Jaén
1314day.year
First War of Scottish Independence: The Battle of Bannockburn concludes with a decisive victory by Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce.
Robert the Bruce secures Scottish independence with a decisive victory at the Battle of Bannockburn.
In AD 1314, Robert the Bruce’s army faced King Edward II’s forces near Stirling Castle in a pivotal engagement of the First War of Scottish Independence. The Battle of Bannockburn demonstrated the effectiveness of Scottish schiltron formations against English cavalry. Over two days of fierce combat, the Scots routed the numerically superior English army. Bruce’s victory bolstered Scottish morale and undermined English claims over Scotland. The outcome forced Edward II to lift the siege of Stirling and retreat south of the border. Bannockburn remains celebrated as a symbol of Scottish national identity and military ingenuity.
1314
First War of Scottish Independence
Battle of Bannockburn
Robert the Bruce
1340day.year
Hundred Years' War: Battle of Sluys: The French fleet is almost completely destroyed by the English fleet commanded personally by King Edward III.
King Edward III’s fleet nearly annihilates the French navy at the naval Battle of Sluys.
In AD 1340, during the early phase of the Hundred Years’ War, King Edward III personally commanded an English fleet against the French near the port of Sluys. The naval battle occurred in the narrow channel off the Flemish coast, restricting French maneuverability. English ships, equipped with long-range archers, decimated enemy vessels in close-quarters fighting. The near-total destruction of the French fleet secured English control of the Channel. This victory enabled subsequent troop landings on the continent and shaped the course of the prolonged conflict. The Battle of Sluys stands as one of the first major naval engagements in medieval European warfare.
1340
Hundred Years' War
Battle of Sluys
Edward III
1374day.year
A sudden outbreak of St. John's Dance causes people in the streets of Aachen, Germany, to experience hallucinations and begin to jump and twitch uncontrollably until they collapse from exhaustion.
A sudden outbreak of uncontrollable dancing struck Aachen in 1374, forcing people into hallucinations and convulsions until they collapsed from exhaustion.
In June 1374, an inexplicable phenomenon known as St. John's Dance gripped the inhabitants of Aachen, Germany. Participants experienced vivid hallucinations of dancing and were compelled to leap, twitch, and convulse without respite. Eyewitnesses reported entire crowds in trance-like states, dancing for hours and ignoring their surroundings. Ultimately, exhaustion led them to collapse, suffering severe fatigue and distress. Historians have theorized ergot poisoning or mass psychogenic illness as possible causes, but the exact trigger remains unknown. The incident spread fear across medieval Europe, highlighting the era's anxieties about supernatural forces. Aachen's episode remains the most dramatic recorded case of this mysterious mass hysteria.
1374
St. John's Dance
Aachen
hallucinations
1497day.year
John Cabot lands in North America at Newfoundland leading the first European exploration of the region since the Vikings.
In 1497, John Cabot made the first European landing in mainland North America since the Vikings, establishing England's claim in Newfoundland.
On June 24, 1497, Venetian navigator John Cabot reached the shores of Newfoundland under commission from King Henry VII of England. His expedition marked the first known European exploration of mainland North America since the Norse voyages nearly four centuries earlier. Cabot mapped parts of the coast, documented abundant fisheries, and claimed the lands for the English crown. Although details of his return and later fate remain uncertain, his voyage opened the door to future English colonization and transatlantic trade. Cabot's journey shifted the course of history by expanding European horizons and igniting competition for New World territories.
1497
John Cabot
Newfoundland
Vikings