955day.year
Battle of Lechfeld: Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor defeats the Magyars, ending 50 years of Magyar invasion of the West.
In 955, Emperor Otto I decisively defeated Magyar raiders at the Battle of Lechfeld, ending decades of invasions into Western Europe.
The battle took place near Augsburg on August 10, 955, and is considered a turning point in medieval European history. Otto I marshaled forces from various German duchies to confront the Magyar forces who had been raiding the region for half a century. Through disciplined infantry formations and coordinated cavalry charges, the imperial army routed the Magyars. The victory secured Otto's reputation and strengthened the emerging Holy Roman Empire. It also ended the threat of Magyar incursions into Western territories and ushered in a period of relative stability in Central Europe.
955
Battle of Lechfeld
Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
Magyars
991day.year
Battle of Maldon: The English, led by Byrhtnoth, Ealdorman of Essex, are defeated by a band of inland-raiding Vikings near Maldon, Essex.
In 991, English forces under Ealdorman Byrhtnoth were defeated by Viking raiders at the Battle of Maldon in Essex.
The Battle of Maldon saw local English levies attempt to repel a Viking landing party near the River Blackwater. Despite initial valour and fortified positions, the English were outmaneuvered and overwhelmed by the Norse warriors. Byrhtnoth himself fell in combat, and his leadership became immortalized in the Old English poem "The Battle of Maldon". The defeat exposed the vulnerability of the English kingdoms to seaborne raids and led to increased tribute payments known as Danegeld. The battle remains a symbol of early medieval heroism and the turbulent Anglo-Saxon era.
991
Battle of Maldon
Byrhtnoth
Ealdorman
Essex
Vikings
Maldon, Essex
1030day.year
The Battle of Azaz ends with a humiliating retreat of the Byzantine emperor, Romanos III Argyros, against the Mirdasid rulers of Aleppo. The retreat degenerates into a rout, in which Romanos himself barely escapes capture.
In 1030, Emperor Romanos III suffered a crushing defeat against the Mirdasids at the Battle of Azaz, resulting in a chaotic retreat.
Romanos III Argyros personally led Byzantine forces into Syria aiming to subdue the Mirdasid emirate of Aleppo. Poor logistics, overconfidence, and fierce cavalry tactics by the Mirdasid army left the imperial troops exposed. The battle quickly turned into a rout, and Romanos barely escaped capture amid the chaos. The defeat was a major blow to Byzantine prestige and military influence in northern Syria. It emboldened local Muslim powers and highlighted the challenges of long-distance military campaigns in the medieval Near East.
1030
Battle of Azaz
Romanos III Argyros
Mirdasid
Aleppo
1316day.year
The Second Battle of Athenry takes place near Athenry during the Bruce campaign in Ireland.
In 1316, allied Gaelic forces suffered a heavy defeat by Anglo-Norman troops at the Second Battle of Athenry in County Galway.
During Edward Bruce's campaign in Ireland, local Irish chieftains joined his cause against English rule. At Athenry, the Gaelic coalition confronted a well-defended Anglo-Norman garrison near the town walls. Despite their numbers, the Irish were unable to breach the fortifications and were repelled in fierce combat. Many Irish nobles were killed or captured, weakening Bruce's position in the region. The battle reinforced Anglo-Norman control in western Ireland and demonstrated the challenges of uniting Gaelic forces under a foreign claimant.
1316
Second Battle of Athenry
Athenry
Bruce campaign in Ireland
1512day.year
The naval Battle of Saint-Mathieu, during the War of the League of Cambrai, sees the simultaneous destruction of the Breton ship La Cordelière and the English ship The Regent.
In 1512, Breton and English fleets clashed at the Battle of Saint-Mathieu, ending in the dramatic loss of both flagship vessels.
Off the coast of Brittany, a Breton squadron under René de Clermont engaged an English fleet led by Sir Thomas Knyvett. During intense combat, the Breton ship La Cordelière and the English ship The Regent became entangled and exploded simultaneously. Both ships were destroyed with all hands, marking one of the deadliest naval encounters of the early 16th century. The battle highlighted the evolving use of artillery and boarding tactics in naval warfare. It also underscored Brittany's strategic maritime role in the wider Italian Wars.
1512
Battle of Saint-Mathieu
War of the League of Cambrai
1557day.year
Battle of St. Quentin: Spanish victory over the French in the Italian War of 1551–59.
In 1557, Spanish forces under Duke Emmanuel Philibert defeated the French at the Battle of St. Quentin during the Italian War of 1551–59.
Fought near Saint-Quentin in northern France, the engagement pitted Spanish tercios and allied infantry against a larger French army. The Spanish troops held fortified positions and employed coordinated musket and pikemen formations. Repeated French assaults were repelled with heavy casualties, forcing the French to withdraw. The victory solidified Spanish dominance under King Philip II and pressured France into peace negotiations. It also showcased the tactical effectiveness of the emerging pike-and-shot style that would characterize early modern warfare.
1557
Battle of St. Quentin
Italian War of 1551–59
1680day.year
The Pueblo Revolt begins in New Mexico.
On August 10, 1680, the Pueblo Revolt erupted in New Mexico as indigenous Pueblo peoples rose against Spanish colonial rule.
On this day, leaders of the Taos, Picuris, and other Pueblo communities launched a coordinated uprising against Spanish settlers and missionaries.
Driven by oppressive colonial policies and efforts to suppress native religion, the revolt caught the Spanish off guard.
Pueblo forces successfully expelled the colonists from Santa Fe, killing dozens and seizing control of the region.
For the next twelve years, the Pueblo maintained autonomy over their ancestral lands.
The revolt stands as one of the most significant indigenous victories against European colonization in North America.
1680
Pueblo Revolt
New Mexico
1741day.year
King Marthanda Varma of Travancore defeats the Dutch East India Company at the Battle of Colachel, effectively bringing about the end of the Dutch colonial rule in India.
In 1741, King Marthanda Varma of Travancore defeated the Dutch East India Company at Colachel, ending Dutch ambitions in India.
On August 10, 1741, the Travancore army under Marthanda Varma confronted Dutch East India Company forces at Colachel in southern India.
Utilizing superior tactics and local knowledge, the Travancore troops secured a decisive victory.
The triumph marked the first defeat of a European colonial power by an Indian kingdom in open battle.
Dutch casualties were heavy, and many soldiers were captured, forcing the Company to curtail its operations in the region.
This conflict reshaped the power dynamics on the Malabar Coast and bolstered Marthanda Varma's legacy.
1741
Marthanda Varma
Travancore
Dutch East India Company
Battle of Colachel
1792day.year
French Revolution: Storming of the Tuileries Palace: Louis XVI is arrested and taken into custody as his Swiss Guards are massacred by the Parisian mob.
During the French Revolution on August 10, 1792, insurgents stormed the Tuileries Palace, massacring Swiss Guards and arresting King Louis XVI.
Facing public outrage over perceived royal betrayals, Parisian revolutionaries attacked the Tuileries Palace.
Despite fierce resistance by King Louis XVI's Swiss Guards, the insurgents overwhelmed the defenders.
Over 600 guards were killed in the brutal massacre as the monarchy's power crumbled.
Louis XVI and his family were arrested and led to imprisonment, signaling the end of royal authority.
The uprising paved the way for the establishment of the First French Republic and the ensuing Reign of Terror.
1792
French Revolution
Storming of the Tuileries Palace
Louis XVI
Swiss Guards
1808day.year
Finnish War: Swedish forces led by General von Döbeln defeat Russian forces led by General Šepelev in the Battle of Kauhajoki.
On August 10, 1808, Swedish forces under General von Döbeln defeated the Russians at the Battle of Kauhajoki during the Finnish War.
Amid the Finnish War between Sweden and Russia, General Georg Carl von Döbeln led his troops in a surprise attack at Kauhajoki.
Outnumbered but strategically positioned, the Swedish force routed the Russian detachment.
This victory boosted Swedish morale and temporarily stalled the Russian advance.
Despite the success, logistical challenges and reinforcements limited Sweden's ability to press further.
The conflict concluded the following year with Sweden ceding Finland to Russia under the Treaty of Fredrikshamn.
1808
Finnish War
von Döbeln
Battle of Kauhajoki
1861day.year
American Civil War: Battle of Wilson's Creek: A mixed force of Confederate, Missouri State Guard, and Arkansas State troops defeat outnumbered attacking Union forces in the southwestern part of the state.
A Confederate-led force defeats Union troops at Wilson's Creek in Missouri, marking one of the first major battles of the American Civil War.
On August 10, 1861, the Battle of Wilson's Creek took place near Springfield, Missouri,
where Confederate, Missouri State Guard, and Arkansas State forces under Generals
Benjamin McCulloch and Sterling Price engaged Union troops led by Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon.
Despite being outnumbered, the Confederate-aligned forces utilized the terrain and
coordinated attacks to rout the Union army, resulting in Lyon's death and a strategic victory.
The battle solidified Confederate control in southwestern Missouri
and boosted morale early in the Civil War, shaping subsequent campaigns in the Trans-Mississippi Theater.
1861
American Civil War
Battle of Wilson's Creek
Confederate
Missouri State Guard
Union
1864day.year
After Uruguay's governing Blanco Party refuses Brazil's demands, José Antônio Saraiva announces that the Brazilian military will begin reprisals, beginning the Uruguayan War.
Brazil launches military reprisals against Uruguay after the Blanco Party rejects its demands, sparking the Uruguayan War.
On August 10, 1864, tensions between Uruguay's ruling Blanco Party and the Empire of Brazil escalated
when the Blanco government refused Brazilian demands aimed at influencing Uruguayan politics.
In response, Brazilian Prime Minister José Antônio Saraiva announced military reprisals, effectively starting
the Uruguayan War (Guerra Grande). The conflict drew in regional powers, with President Venancio Flores
leading Blanco foes backed by Brazil. Over three years, the war devastated Uruguay's economy and society,
culminating in the defeat of the Blanco Party and significant Brazilian influence in Uruguay's future politics.
1864
Blanco Party
José Antônio Saraiva
Uruguayan War