1316day.year
The Burgundian and Majorcan claimants of the Principality of Achaea meet in the Battle of Manolada.
In 1316, rival Burgundian and Majorcan forces clashed at the Battle of Manolada over control of the medieval Principality of Achaea in Greece.
The Battle of Manolada was fought between claimants supported by the Burgundian and Majorcan houses vying for the Achaean throne. Taking place near the village of Manolada in the Peloponnese, the engagement decided the fate of the Latin principality established after the Fourth Crusade. Burgundian forces secured a decisive victory, consolidating their domination of the region. The outcome reshaped power dynamics among Western European nobles in Greece. This clash highlighted the fragmentation and feudal rivalries of Frankish Greece in the early 14th century.
1316
Burgundian
Majorcan
Principality of Achaea
Battle of Manolada
1594day.year
Portuguese forces under the command of Pedro Lopes de Sousa begin an unsuccessful invasion of the Kingdom of Kandy during the Campaign of Danture in Sri Lanka.
In 1594, Portuguese troops led by Pedro Lopes de Sousa embarked on the Campaign of Danture but failed to conquer the independent Kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka.
Determined to expand their control in Sri Lanka, the Portuguese launched an expedition against Kandy under Pedro Lopes de Sousa. The invaders faced fierce resistance in the mountainous terrain and underestimated local guerilla tactics. Cut off from supplies and ambushed by Kandyan forces, the Portuguese suffered heavy casualties. The failure at Danture preserved Kandy’s sovereignty and thwarted European domination of the island’s interior. This defeat humbled Portugal’s ambitions and shaped the island’s colonial struggle for decades.
1594
Portuguese
Pedro Lopes de Sousa
Kingdom of Kandy
Campaign of Danture
Sri Lanka
1770day.year
The Battle of Chesma between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire begins.
On July 5, 1770, the naval Battle of Chesma began as Russian and Ottoman fleets clashed in the Aegean Sea during the Russo-Turkish War.
Part of the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774, the Battle of Chesma saw the Russian fleet, under Admirals Spiridov and Elphinstone, confront the Ottoman armada in a tight bay. Russian fireships broke the Ottoman line and set key vessels ablaze, resulting in a decisive Russian victory. The destruction of the Ottoman fleet weakened Ottoman naval power and shifted the balance in the Eastern Mediterranean. This triumph boosted Russian prestige under Catherine the Great and secured maritime access to the Aegean. The battle is celebrated in Russian naval history as a masterpiece of naval tactics.
1770
Battle of Chesma
Russian Empire
Ottoman Empire
1807day.year
In Buenos Aires the local militias repel the British soldiers within the Second English Invasion.
In 1807, the militias of Buenos Aires successfully repelled British forces during the Second English Invasion of the Río de la Plata.
Part of the 1806–1807 British invasions of the River Plate, local criollo militias in Buenos Aires organized under leaders like Santiago de Liniers. Utilizing urban defense tactics and popular resistance, they trapped and defeated British detachments. The victory restored Spanish colonial authority and became a rallying point for local identity. The success of these militias challenged assumptions about Spanish imperial weakness and inspired early independence sentiments. The events laid groundwork for the May Revolution and the eventual drive for Argentine independence.
1807
Buenos Aires
British
Second English Invasion
1809day.year
The Battle of Wagram between the French and Austrian Empires begins.
On July 5, 1809, Napoleon's army engages Austrian forces at Wagram in one of the largest battles of the Napoleonic Wars.
The Battle of Wagram, fought near the Danube River close to Vienna, became a pivotal encounter between the French Empire under Napoleon and the Austrian Army.
Over two days, more than 300,000 troops clashed amidst heavy artillery bombardments and cavalry charges.
Napoleon aimed to crush Austria's resistance and force a favorable peace after setbacks in Tirolean and Hungarian campaigns.
Despite fierce Austrian defense led by Archduke Charles, the French flanking maneuvers broke the enemy lines.
Casualties soared on both sides, with tens of thousands killed or wounded.
The French victory led to the Treaty of Schönbrunn, significantly redrawing the map of Central Europe.
Wagram remains a classic study of Napoleonic tactics and the scale of warfare in the early 19th century.
1809
Battle of Wagram
French
Austrian Empires
1813day.year
War of 1812: Three weeks of British raids on Fort Schlosser, Black Rock and Plattsburgh, New York commence.
In July 1813, British forces launch a three-week raid on American positions along the Niagara frontier during the War of 1812.
On July 5, 1813, British soldiers and allied Native forces began coordinated attacks on Fort Schlosser, Black Rock, and Plattsburgh in New York.
These raids targeted supply depots and frontier settlements to disrupt American logistics and morale.
The operations were part of a larger British strategy to maintain control of the Great Lakes region.
American militia and regular troops struggled to defend scattered outposts against well-organized incursions.
The three-week campaign saw properties burned, supplies seized, and civilians displaced.
Although the raids inflicted damage, they failed to alter the war's overall course, which ended in a stalemate the following year.
1813
War of 1812
British
Fort Schlosser
Black Rock
Plattsburgh, New York
1814day.year
War of 1812: Battle of Chippawa: American Major General Jacob Brown defeats British General Phineas Riall at Chippawa, Ontario.
On July 5, 1814, American Major General Jacob Brown defeats British General Phineas Riall at the Battle of Chippawa in Ontario.
The Battle of Chippawa took place on the Chippawa battlefield near Niagara Falls in Upper Canada.
American forces under Major General Jacob Brown advanced across Chippewa Creek to engage the British regulars.
Despite facing seasoned British troops led by General Phineas Riall, Americans held firm in well-coordinated line infantry tactics.
The sharp musket volleys and timely artillery support forced the British to withdraw in disorder.
This victory boosted American confidence and demonstrated improved discipline among U.S. regulars.
The battle opened the way for further American offensives in the Niagara campaign.
Chippawa became a celebrated example of American military capability during the War of 1812.
1814
Battle of Chippawa
Major General
Jacob Brown
Phineas Riall
Chippawa, Ontario
1833day.year
Lê Văn Khôi along with 27 soldiers stage a mutiny taking over the Phiên An citadel, developing into the Lê Văn Khôi revolt against Emperor Minh Mạng.
Lê Văn Khôi leads a mutiny at the Phiên An citadel in 1833, triggering a widespread revolt against Emperor Minh Mạng.
On July 5, 1833, Lê Văn Khôi, the adopted son of a former Vietnamese mandarin, seized the Phiên An citadel near Huế with 27 soldiers.
The mutiny erupted in opposition to Emperor Minh Mạng's centralizing policies and perceived mistreatment of Khôi's father.
Rebels proclaimed the restoration of the ousted Emperor Gia Long's lineage and sought foreign support.
The insurrection grew into a major revolt drawing peasants, disaffected mandarins, and Christian converts.
Imperial forces besieged the citadel for months, leading to fierce urban and rural skirmishes.
By 1835, the rebellion was crushed with heavy casualties and severe reprisals.
The Lê Văn Khôi revolt revealed deep regional tensions and the challenges of governing Vietnam's diverse populace.
1833
Lê Văn Khôi
Phiên An citadel
Lê Văn Khôi revolt
Minh Mạng
1833day.year
Admiral Charles Napier vanquishes the navy of the Portuguese usurper Dom Miguel at the third Battle of Cape St. Vincent.
British Admiral Charles Napier defeats the Portuguese fleet loyal to Dom Miguel at the Third Battle of Cape St. Vincent in 1833.
The Third Battle of Cape St. Vincent occurred off Portugal's southern coast during the Liberal Wars.
Admiral Sir Charles Napier commanded British naval forces supporting liberal constitutionalists against absolutist Dom Miguel.
Napier's squadron engaged the Miguelist navy in a decisive artillery duel and boarding actions.
Superior British seamanship and firepower routed the opposing fleet, capturing or destroying several ships.
The victory tipped naval supremacy in favor of the liberals, aiding the eventual overthrow of Dom Miguel.
Portugal's civil conflict concluded in 1834, paving the way for a constitutional monarchy.
Napier's intervention remains a notable example of international support for liberal movements in Europe.
Admiral
Charles Napier
Portuguese
usurper
Dom Miguel
Battle of Cape St. Vincent
1940day.year
World War II: Foreign relations of Vichy France are severed with the United Kingdom.
In 1940, Vichy France’s foreign relations with the United Kingdom are severed amid tensions of World War II.
Following France’s armistice with Germany on June 22, 1940, the collaborationist Vichy government faced diplomatic isolation. On July 5, 1940, Vichy France officially cut ties with the United Kingdom, accusing the British of betraying their erstwhile ally. This severance deepened the rift between Free French forces led by Charles de Gaulle, who continued to support Britain, and the Vichy regime. The move complicated Mediterranean strategy and heightened naval clashes, including British attacks on French warships at Mers-el-Kébir. The diplomatic break underscores the fractured loyalties and fierce power struggles that defined early World War II.
1940
World War II
Foreign relations of Vichy France
1941day.year
World War II: Operation Barbarossa: German troops reach the Dnieper river.
German forces reach the Dnieper River on July 5, 1941, during Operation Barbarossa, marking a deep penetration into Soviet territory.
Operation Barbarossa, launched on June 22, 1941, was Nazi Germany’s massive invasion of the Soviet Union. By July 5, German armies had advanced over 200 miles, reaching the strategic Dnieper River in present-day Ukraine. This rapid push threatened major Soviet cities like Kiev and Moscow. However, stretched supply lines and fierce Soviet resistance foreshadowed the grueling battles ahead. The Dnieper marked a natural defensive line that the Red Army would use to slow the German advance. The campaign’s early successes masked the eventual turning point it would become on the Eastern Front.
1941
Operation Barbarossa
German
Dnieper
1943day.year
World War II: An Allied invasion fleet sails for Sicily (Operation Husky, July 10, 1943).
On July 5, 1943, the Allied invasion fleet sets sail for Sicily, launching Operation Husky and initiating the Italian Campaign.
Operation Husky was the Allied amphibious assault aimed at capturing Sicily and opening the Mediterranean sea lanes. On July 5, 1943, hundreds of ships and landing craft departed North African ports, carrying British, American, and Canadian troops. The invasion began five days later with beach landings near Syracuse and Gela. Control of Sicily would cut Axis supply routes to North Africa and pave the way for an invasion of mainland Italy. The operation demonstrated Allied coordination, highlighted airborne tactics, and hastened the downfall of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. It marked a crucial step in weakening Axis control in Europe.
1943
Allied
Sicily
Operation Husky
July 10