226day.year
Cao Rui succeeds his father as emperor of Wei.
Cao Rui ascends to the throne of Cao Wei, succeeding his father to lead one of the Three Kingdoms in ancient China.
In 226, upon the death of his father Cao Pi, Cao Rui became the second emperor of the Cao Wei dynasty.
His accession marked a significant moment in the Three Kingdoms period following the fall of the Han dynasty.
As emperor, he implemented administrative reforms to stabilize governance and strengthen the economy.
He was also known for his patronage of literature and interest in Taoist rituals, which influenced court culture.
Under his rule, defense works along the northern and western frontiers were fortified to guard against rival states.
Despite challenges from internal court factions and external threats, Cao Rui maintained relative stability until his untimely death in 239.
226
Cao Rui
Wei
1149day.year
Raymond of Poitiers is defeated and killed at the Battle of Inab by Nur ad-Din Zangi.
Raymond of Poitiers is slain at the Battle of Inab, dealing a severe blow to the Crusader Principality of Antioch.
In 1149, Raymond of Poitiers led a Crusader force to confront Nur ad-Din Zangi near the town of Inab.
Outnumbered and betrayed by local allies, the prince’s army was overwhelmed by Zangi’s troops.
Raymond himself was killed in the fighting, striking a heavy loss for the Principality of Antioch.
The battle shifted the balance of power in the region, emboldening Muslim forces against Crusader states.
Raymond’s death exacerbated political instability and paved the way for further territorial losses.
The aftermath underscored the fragile alliances and persistent conflicts of the Second Crusade era.
1149
Raymond of Poitiers
Battle of Inab
Nur ad-Din Zangi
1170day.year
A major earthquake hits Syria, badly damaging towns such as Hama and Shaizar and structures such as the Krak des Chevaliers and the cathedral of St. Peter in Antioch.
A devastating earthquake strikes Syria in 1170, wrecking historic towns and key Crusader fortresses.
In 1170, a powerful earthquake shook northern Syria, inflicting severe damage on urban centers like Hama and Shaizar.
Iconic structures, including the Krak des Chevaliers fortress and the cathedral of St. Peter in Antioch, were heavily damaged.
The disaster caused widespread destruction of homes, churches, and defenses, with numerous casualties.
Local communities were forced to rebuild amid political tensions of the Crusader period.
The event highlighted the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters in a time of ongoing military and religious conflict.
Reconstruction efforts spanned decades, blending repair of fortifications with reinforcing resilience against future quakes.
1170
major earthquake hits Syria
Hama
Shaizar
Krak des Chevaliers
cathedral of St. Peter
Antioch
1194day.year
Sverre is crowned King of Norway, leading to his excommunication by the Catholic Church and civil war.
Sverre Sigurdsson is crowned King of Norway, triggering his excommunication and sparking a civil war.
In 1194, Sverre Sigurdsson claimed the Norwegian throne, challenging established aristocratic and clerical powers.
His coronation drew immediate ire from Pope Celestine III, resulting in Sverre’s excommunication for defying Church authority.
The conflict gave rise to the Birkebeiner and Bagler factions, igniting a prolonged civil war across Norway.
Sverre proved to be a skilled military leader, rallying support among peasants and lower nobility.
His reign saw ongoing battles, shifting alliances, and efforts to centralize royal authority.
The struggle between secular power and ecclesiastical influence defined Norway’s political landscape for decades.
1194
Sverre
King of Norway
excommunication
Catholic Church
civil war
1444day.year
Skanderbeg defeats an Ottoman invasion force at Torvioll.
Albanian national hero Skanderbeg scores a victory against the Ottoman Empire at Torvioll in 1444.
In June 1444, Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg, led Albanian forces to ambush an Ottoman invasion army at Torvioll.
Using intimate knowledge of the local terrain, Skanderbeg’s troops secured a decisive victory that stunned the Ottoman commanders.
The triumph galvanized the newly formed League of Lezhë, uniting Albanian nobles against foreign domination.
Skanderbeg’s tactics and leadership became celebrated symbols of resistance in the Balkans.
The Battle of Torvioll boosted morale among Christian states and encouraged support from Western Europe.
This victory marked the beginning of Skanderbeg’s two-decade-long campaign against Ottoman expansion.
1444
Skanderbeg
Torvioll
1457day.year
The Dutch city of Dordrecht is devastated by fire
A catastrophic fire engulfs the city of Dordrecht in 1457, reducing much of the medieval town to ashes.
In 1457, the Dutch city of Dordrecht suffered a massive urban fire that swept through its timber buildings.
Much of the medieval city center, including homes, workshops, and warehouses, was destroyed by the blaze.
The city’s vital trade in herring and textiles was disrupted, causing economic hardship for merchants and residents.
Citizens and nearby communities organized relief efforts, while guilds contributed funds for reconstruction.
Architectural rebuilding favored brick and stone to prevent future disasters, reshaping the cityscape.
The fire’s aftermath influenced urban planning in the Netherlands, emphasizing fire-resistant construction.
1457
Dordrecht
1534day.year
Jacques Cartier is the first European to reach Prince Edward Island.
Jacques Cartier becomes the first European explorer to set foot on present-day Prince Edward Island in 1534.
During his second voyage in 1534, French navigator Jacques Cartier sailed into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and landed on Prince Edward Island.
He encountered the island’s indigenous Mi’kmaq people and noted its lush forests and sheltered harbors.
Cartier mapped the coastline, naming the land Île Saint-Jean and documenting resources for future expeditions.
His arrival marked the beginning of France’s interest in the region and set the stage for New France’s expansion.
Cartier’s observations on native customs and geography were recorded in his journals, enriching European knowledge.
The island would later become a key site in colonial competition between European powers.
1534
Jacques Cartier
Prince Edward Island
1613day.year
The Globe Theatre in London, built by William Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, burns to the ground.
The original Globe Theatre in London burns to the ground during a performance in 1613.
On June 29, 1613, the Globe Theatre, home to Shakespeare’s company the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, caught fire during a performance of Henry VIII.
A cannon shot used for special effects ignited the thatched roof, and the wooden structure was quickly engulfed in flames.
Reports indicate a swift collapse of the stage and galleries, but remarkably no fatalities were recorded.
Audiences watched as the iconic playhouse collapsed, marking the end of an era in Elizabethan drama.
The loss prompted the company to rebuild a larger brick-and-mortar Globe the following year.
This event highlighted both the spectacle and the risks of early modern theatre production.
1613
Globe Theatre
William Shakespeare
playing company
Lord Chamberlain's Men
1620day.year
English crown bans tobacco growing in England, giving the Virginia Company a monopoly in exchange for tax of one shilling per pound.
King James I bans tobacco cultivation in England and grants a monopoly to the Virginia Company in 1620.
In 1620, James I issued a royal decree prohibiting tobacco growing in England to protect the profits of overseas colonies.
The Virginia Company received exclusive rights to produce and sell tobacco, paying a tax of one shilling per pound.
This monopoly aimed to boost colonial revenues and encourage settlement in Virginia.
Tobacco quickly became a cash crop central to the economy of the English colonies.
The regulation shaped trade patterns, leading to increased smuggling and disputes over tax enforcement.
It also solidified tobacco’s role as a staple of European consumption and colonial wealth.
1620
tobacco growing in England
Virginia Company
1644day.year
Charles I of England defeats a Parliamentarian detachment at the Battle of Cropredy Bridge.
King Charles I defeats a Parliamentarian detachment at the Battle of Cropredy Bridge in 1644.
In June 1644, during the First English Civil War, King Charles I engaged Parliamentarian forces near Cropredy Bridge in Oxfordshire.
The royal army used a feigned retreat to lure the enemy across the River Cherwell before launching a counterattack.
Charles’s troops achieved a tactical victory, forcing the Parliamentarians to withdraw with heavy losses.
Despite the win, supply issues and the broader strategic situation limited its long-term impact.
The battle demonstrated Charles’s personal leadership but failed to turn the tide of the war.
Subsequent campaigns continued to challenge royal authority across England and Scotland.
1644
Charles I of England
Parliamentarian
Battle of Cropredy Bridge
1659day.year
At the Battle of Konotop the Ukrainian armies of Ivan Vyhovsky defeat the Russians led by Prince Trubetskoy.
At the Battle of Konotop in 1659, Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky's Ukrainian forces achieved a decisive victory over Russian troops under Prince Trubetskoy.
On June 29, 1659, the Uman Alliance forged by Ukrainian hetman Ivan Vyhovsky confronted a Russian expedition led by Prince Trubetskoy near Konotop. Exploiting local alliances and superior tactics, Vyhovsky coordinated Cossack, Tatar, and Polish-Lithuanian forces to encircle the enemy. The battle saw fierce combat across swampy terrain as Muscovite regiments struggled against mobile Cossack cavalry. Russian casualties were heavy and the defeat temporarily halted Moscow's expansionist aims in Ukraine. Historians consider Konotop a landmark in Ukrainian resistance during the period of the Ruin. Although the Ukrainian victory was not fully exploited politically, it remains a symbol of national determination. The battle's legacy influenced subsequent alliances and set a precedent for Cossack military organization.
1659
Battle of Konotop
Ivan Vyhovsky
Prince Trubetskoy
1764day.year
One of the strongest tornadoes in history strikes Woldegk, Germany, killing one person while leveling numerous mansions with winds estimated greater than 300 miles per hour (480 km/h).
One of history's most powerful tornadoes struck Woldegk, Germany in 1764, demolishing mansions and claiming at least one life.
On June 29, 1764, a catastrophic tornado with estimated winds exceeding 300 miles per hour tore through the town of Woldegk in northeastern Germany. The whirlwind ravaged the area, leveling grand manor houses and uprooting trees as it carved a destructive path several miles long. Eyewitnesses described the violent storm as a rolling black wall that obliterated anything in its way. Despite the scale of destruction, records indicate only one confirmed fatality, though many residents were injured or left homeless. Contemporary weather observations were rudimentary, making this tornado one of the earliest scientifically noted supercells. The event remains a benchmark for measuring the strength of historical tornadoes. It also highlights the vulnerability of 18th-century communities to extreme weather phenomena. Modern meteorologists study the Woldegk tornado to understand pre-industrial tornado impacts and warning limitations.
1764
strongest tornadoes in history
Woldegk