437day.year
Emperor Valentinian III begins his reign over the Western Roman Empire. His mother Galla Placidia ends her regency, but continues to exercise political influence at the court in Rome.
Emperor Valentinian III officially begins his rule over the Western Roman Empire in 437, ending his mother Galla Placidia’s formal regency while she continues to wield power behind the scenes.
At just six years old, Valentinian III was proclaimed emperor of the Western Roman Empire, succeeding his father Constantius III.
His mother, Galla Placidia, formally ended her regency on this day but remained a powerful figure in Roman politics and administration.
The transition marked a pivotal moment in the empire’s late history as factions vied for control over the young emperor.
Galla Placidia’s political acumen ensured stability during Valentinian’s minority, enabling her to negotiate with barbarian leaders and secure grain supplies for Rome.
Valentinian’s reign would later face pressures from Visigoths, Vandals, and internal power struggles that shaped the empire’s trajectory.
437
Valentinian III
Western Roman Empire
Galla Placidia
regency
political
Rome
626day.year
Li Shimin, the future Emperor Taizong of Tang, ambushes and kills his rival brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng in the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
In 626, Prince Li Shimin executed the Xuanwu Gate coup against his brothers, securing his path to become Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty.
Fearing he would be sidelined in the line of succession, Li Shimin launched a preemptive ambush at Xuanwu Gate on July 2, 626.
He personally led forces that killed his elder brother Li Jiancheng and younger brother Li Yuanji.
The decisive action eliminated his main rivals and forced their supporters into submission.
With the court in shock, Li Shimin ascended the throne as Emperor Taizong and embarked on reforms that would usher in a golden age of the Tang Dynasty.
The incident remains one of the most dramatic palace coups in Chinese history and shaped the future of imperial rule.
626
Li Shimin
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Li Yuanji
Li Jiancheng
Xuanwu Gate Incident
706day.year
In China, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang inters the bodies of relatives in the Qianling Mausoleum, located on Mount Liang outside Chang'an.
In 706, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang organized the burial of his family members in the Qianling Mausoleum on Mount Liang, establishing a grand imperial crypt near Chang'an.
Emperor Zhongzong commissioned the Qianling Mausoleum for his father Gaozong, mother Wu Zetian, and other relatives, interring their bodies on July 2, 706.
Situated on Mount Liang, the mausoleum was chosen for its auspicious feng shui and panoramic views of the Wei River plain.
Construction had begun years earlier, showcasing the Tang Dynasty’s architectural innovation and wealth.
The complex features elaborately carved stone steles, spirit ways guarded by mythical creatures, and richly decorated chamber walls.
Today, Qianling Mausoleum stands as one of China’s best-preserved imperial tombs, offering insights into Tang funerary art and ceremonies.
706
China
Emperor Zhongzong of Tang
Qianling Mausoleum
Mount Liang
Chang'an
866day.year
Battle of Brissarthe: The Franks led by Robert the Strong are defeated by a joint Breton-Viking army.
In 866, Frankish forces under Robert the Strong were ambushed and defeated by a combined Breton and Viking army at the Battle of Brissarthe.
On July 2, 866, Count Robert the Strong led Frankish troops to intercept raiders from Brittany allied with Viking forces.
The combined enemy force outmaneuvered the Franks, drawing them into a trap near Brissarthe.
The ensuing battle was fierce, and Robert perished along with many of his men.
This defeat exposed West Francia’s eastern borders to further incursions and highlighted the challenges of defending against mobile raiders.
The loss undermined Carolingian authority and foreshadowed the growing power of local warlords.
866
Battle of Brissarthe
Franks
Robert the Strong
Breton
Viking
936day.year
King Henry the Fowler dies in his royal palace in Memleben. He is succeeded by his son Otto I, who becomes the ruler of East Francia.
On July 2, 936, King Henry the Fowler passed away at Memleben, and his son Otto I succeeded him as ruler of East Francia, founding the Ottonian dynasty.
Henry the Fowler, known for uniting the German duchies and defending against Magyar raids, died in his Memleben palace.
His death marked the end of a reign characterized by military reform and consolidation of royal power.
Otto I, his eldest son, was immediately recognized as king and inherited his father’s political and military agenda.
Under Otto’s leadership, East Francia would evolve into the Holy Roman Empire and achieve new heights of authority.
The transition underscored the continuity and stability of the Saxon-Liudolfing dynasty in medieval Europe.
936
Henry the Fowler
royal palace
Memleben
Otto I
East Francia
963day.year
The Byzantine army proclaims Nikephoros II Phokas Emperor of the Romans on the plains outside Cappadocian Caesarea.
In 963, troops of the Byzantine Empire acclaimed General Nikephoros II Phokas as emperor during a ceremony outside Caesarea in Cappadocia.
After successful campaigns in the East, Nikephoros II Phokas was celebrated by his soldiers and proclaimed emperor on July 2, 963.
The proclamation took place on the plains near Cappadocian Caesarea, amid fanfare and military honors.
His rise marked the dominance of the military elite in Byzantine politics and a renewed focus on frontier defense.
Emperor Nikephoros would continue aggressive offensives against Arab forces and fortify the empire’s eastern borders.
His reign combined martial vigor with strict fiscal policies to sustain long-term military engagement.
963
Byzantine army
Nikephoros II Phokas
Emperor of the Romans
Cappadocian Caesarea
1298day.year
The Battle of Göllheim is fought between Albert I of Habsburg and Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg.
On July 2, 1298, Albert I of Habsburg defeated and killed King Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg at the Battle of Göllheim, securing his claim to the German throne.
The rival claimants Albert I of Habsburg and King Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg met in battle near Göllheim.
Albert’s forces achieved a decisive victory, and Adolf was killed during the fighting.
Adolf’s death ended his brief rule as King of the Romans and led the electors to choose Albert as the new German king.
This conflict highlighted the elective nature of the medieval German monarchy and the ambitions of the Habsburg family.
Albert’s triumph at Göllheim laid the foundation for the Habsburgs’ long-standing influence in European politics.
1298
Battle of Göllheim
Albert I of Habsburg
Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg
1494day.year
The Treaty of Tordesillas is ratified by Spain.
In 1494, Spain formally ratified the Treaty of Tordesillas, dividing newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal along a meridian in the Atlantic.
Originally signed on June 7, 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas was ratified by the Spanish crown on July 2.
The agreement, mediated by Pope Alexander VI, drew an imaginary line 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde islands.
Territories west of the line were assigned to Spain, while Portugal received lands to the east, including parts of Africa and Asia.
This demarcation shaped the pattern of European colonial expansion and competition in the New World.
The treaty’s legacy endures in the linguistic and cultural divisions of the Americas centuries later.
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
1504day.year
Bogdan III the One-Eyed becomes Voivode of Moldavia.
On July 2, 1504, Bogdan III the One-Eyed ascended as Voivode of Moldavia, inheriting a principality caught between Ottoman and Polish-Lithuanian ambitions.
Bogdan III, son of the famed Stephen the Great, took the Moldavian throne despite his moniker earned in battle.
His accession followed the death of his father and occurred amid pressures from the Ottoman Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Bogdan sought to maintain Moldavia’s autonomy through strategic marriages and cautious diplomacy.
He balanced tributary obligations to the Ottomans while safeguarding the rights of the local boyar class.
His reign set the stage for the principality’s continued struggle to preserve independence in Eastern Europe.
1504
Bogdan III the One-Eyed
Voivode
Moldavia
1555day.year
Ottoman Admiral Turgut Reis sacks the Italian city of Paola.
In 1555, the Ottoman admiral Turgut Reis led a successful raid on the Italian city of Paola, showcasing Ottoman naval power in the Mediterranean.
Turgut Reis, known to Europeans as Dragut, was a formidable corsair and admiral in the Ottoman navy.
On July 2, 1555, he launched a swift assault on Paola, breaching its defenses and plundering the town.
The raid underscored the reach of Ottoman maritime forces and the vulnerabilities of coastal settlements.
Captured goods and slaves were transported back to Ottoman ports, enriching the empire’s treasury.
This action was part of a wider pattern of corsair raids that defined naval warfare in the 16th century Mediterranean.
1555
Turgut Reis
Paola
1561day.year
Menas, emperor of Ethiopia, defeats a revolt in Emfraz.
Emperor Menas of Ethiopia swiftly crushes a rebellion in Emfraz, consolidating his authority in the region.
In 1561, Menas, who had ascended to the Ethiopian throne amidst regional turmoil, faced a revolt in the strategic city of Emfraz. The rebellion threatened to undermine his fragile rule and disrupt vital trade routes along the Red Sea. Menas mobilized loyal troops and launched a decisive campaign against the insurgents. The victory at Emfraz restored stability and demonstrated his military prowess. This triumph paved the way for a period of relative peace and strong central governance in Ethiopia.
1561
Menas, emperor of Ethiopia
Emfraz
1582day.year
Battle of Yamazaki: Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeats Akechi Mitsuhide.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi avenges Oda Nobunaga’s death by defeating Akechi Mitsuhide at Yamazaki, securing his rise to power.
In July 1582, shortly after the assassination of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi marshaled his forces against the usurper Akechi Mitsuhide at the Battle of Yamazaki. The engagement was swift and decisive, with Hideyoshi’s troops outmaneuvering the rebel forces along the slopes of Mount Tennōzan. Mitsuhide’s defeat and subsequent death marked the collapse of his brief rebellion. This victory allowed Hideyoshi to consolidate control over central Japan, laying the foundation for his eventual unification of the country under the Toyotomi regime.
1582
Battle of Yamazaki
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Akechi Mitsuhide