August 11

Events - Wars & Conflicts

490day.year

Battle of Adda: The Goths under Theodoric the Great and his ally Alaric II defeat the forces of Odoacer on the Adda River, near Milan.

Theodoric the Great and Alaric II lead Gothic forces to victory over Odoacer’s army at the Battle of Adda near Milan.
On August 11th, 490 AD, the allied Gothic armies commanded by Theodoric the Great and his ally Alaric II confronted the forces of Odoacer at the Adda River near Milan. The battle was a pivotal moment in the struggle for control of Italy following the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Odoacer, who had ruled Italy since deposing the last Roman emperor, faced a united Gothic challenge. Theodoric’s tactical prowess and organized infantry maneuvers secured a decisive victory, forcing Odoacer to retreat. This triumph allowed Theodoric to consolidate power and eventually establish the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy. The battle demonstrated the shifting balance between barbarian successor states and the remnants of Roman authority. It is remembered as a key event in the transition from Roman to Gothic rule in Italy.
490 Goths Theodoric the Great Alaric II Odoacer Adda River Milan
923day.year

The Qarmatians of Bahrayn capture and pillage the city of Basra.

The radical Qarmatian sect from Bahrain sacks the city of Basra, marking one of their most notorious raids in early Islamic history.
On August 11th, 923 AD, the Qarmatians, an Ismaili Shi’a sect based in eastern Arabia, launched a devastating attack on the thriving Abbasid port city of Basra in present-day Iraq. The raiders captured the city, plundered its wealth, and desecrated religious shrines, causing widespread panic. The Qarmatians were known for their radical beliefs and recurrent incursions against the Abbasid Caliphate. Their control of trade routes in the Persian Gulf allowed them to strike with military precision. The sack of Basra disrupted commerce and weakened the authority of the caliphate in its provinces. Although the Qarmatians never held Basra for long, the raid demonstrated their capacity to challenge the dominant Islamic powers. This event remains a significant example of sectarian conflict and maritime raiding in medieval Middle Eastern history.
923 Qarmatians Bahrayn capture and pillage Basra
1332day.year

Wars of Scottish Independence: Battle of Dupplin Moor: Scots under Domhnall II, Earl of Mar are routed by Edward Balliol.

Edward Balliol’s forces decisively defeat the Scots under Domhnall II at the Battle of Dupplin Moor during the Wars of Scottish Independence.
On August 11th, 1332, during the Wars of Scottish Independence, Edward Balliol led a smaller but well-disciplined army against the forces of Domhnall II, Earl of Mar, at Dupplin Moor. Despite being outnumbered, Balliol’s troops executed an effective defensive formation, using spearmen and archers to repel cavalry charges. The Scots suffered heavy losses, with many nobles killed or captured, and their battle lines were broken in hours. Balliol’s victory allowed him to claim the Scottish throne as a puppet king under English influence. The battle demonstrated the evolving tactics of medieval warfare and the importance of disciplined infantry. Its outcome deepened divisions within Scotland and prolonged the struggle for national sovereignty. Dupplin Moor is remembered as one of the earliest conflicts highlighting the lethal efficiency of well-coordinated foot soldiers and archers.
1332 Wars of Scottish Independence Battle of Dupplin Moor Domhnall II, Earl of Mar Edward Balliol
1473day.year

The Battle of Otlukbeli: Mehmed the Conqueror of the Ottoman Empire decisively defeats Uzun Hassan of Aq Qoyunlu.

Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror achieves a decisive victory over Uzun Hassan of Aq Qoyunlu at the Battle of Otlukbeli.
On August 11th, 1473, Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire faced Uzun Hassan, ruler of the Aq Qoyunlu confederation, in fierce combat at Otlukbeli in eastern Anatolia. The Ottoman forces, using superior artillery and disciplined Janissary infantry, outmaneuvered Hassan’s cavalry-focused army. The defeat shattered the power of the Aq Qoyunlu and solidified Ottoman dominance in the region. Mehmed’s victory opened the way for further expansion into Persia and the Caucasus. Casualties were heavy on both sides, but the Ottomans captured key commanders and war matériel. The battle highlighted the transformative impact of gunpowder weapons on late medieval warfare. Otlukbeli is commemorated as one of Mehmed the Conqueror’s most significant military achievements.
1473 Battle of Otlukbeli Mehmed the Conqueror Ottoman Empire Uzun Hassan Aq Qoyunlu
1675day.year

Franco-Dutch War: Forces of the Holy Roman Empire defeat the French in the Battle of Konzer Brücke.

Imperial troops of the Holy Roman Empire rout French forces at the Battle of Konzer Brücke during the Franco-Dutch War.
On August 11, 1675, soldiers of the Holy Roman Empire clashed with French troops at the Konzer Brücke in present-day Germany. This encounter formed part of the broader Franco-Dutch War, driven by France’s expansionist aims under Louis XIV. Under Duke Charles V of Lorraine, Imperial forces executed a daring river crossing to surprise the French defenders. The victory stalled French advances in the region and boosted the morale of the anti-French coalition. The battle highlighted the strategic importance of fortified river crossings in 17th-century military campaigns. Its outcome underscored shifting alliances and evolving tactics during Europe’s age of absolutism.
1675 Franco-Dutch War Holy Roman Empire French Battle of Konzer Brücke
1685day.year

Morean War: The 49-day Siege of Coron ends with the surrender and massacre of its garrison by the Venetians.

After a 49-day siege in the Morean War, Venetian forces capture Coron and massacre its Ottoman garrison.
The Siege of Coron, lasting from June 24 to August 11, 1685, was a pivotal clash in the Morean War between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. Venetian artillery and infantry bombarded the fortress at Koroni, southern Greece, eventually forcing its defenders to surrender. Following the capitulation, Venetian troops carried out a massacre of the Ottoman garrison, reflecting the brutal nature of siege warfare. The fall of Coron secured a key foothold for Venice in the Peloponnese peninsula and disrupted Ottoman control of the region. This victory helped Venice consolidate the Morea as its colonial stronghold for over a decade. The event remains a stark example of 17th-century Mediterranean power struggles.
1685 Morean War Siege of Coron
1812day.year

Peninsular War: French troops engage British-Portuguese forces in the Battle of Majadahonda.

French forces confront British–Portuguese troops at Majadahonda, a notable skirmish in the Peninsular War.
On August 11, 1812, Marshal Jean Baptiste Bessières’s French division clashed with a British–Portuguese detachment near Majadahonda, Spain. The encounter occurred just after the Allied victory at Salamanca and the March on Madrid. While both sides sustained losses, the French managed to hold key positions, delaying the Anglo-Portuguese advance. Under the Duke of Wellington, Allied forces demonstrated improved coordination and tenacity in adverse terrain. The engagement illustrated the fluid nature of the Peninsular War’s guerrilla and set-piece battles. It highlighted logistical challenges and the harsh conditions that defined the conflict in central Spain.
1812 Peninsular War British Portuguese Battle of Majadahonda
1898day.year

Spanish–American War: American troops enter the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.

U.S. forces capture Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, marking a key victory in the Spanish–American War.
On August 11, 1898, during the Puerto Rico campaign of the Spanish–American War, American troops occupied the coastal city of Mayagüez. The operation followed the broader surrender of Spanish defenses on the island to General Nelson A. Miles. Securing Mayagüez provided the United States with a strategic port to support further military and supply operations. The city’s capture symbolized the collapse of Spanish colonial power in the Caribbean. Under the Treaty of Paris later that year, Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States, altering its political status permanently. Mayagüez’s occupation remains a significant episode in the island’s complex colonial history.
1898 Spanish–American War Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
1918day.year

World War I: The Battle of Amiens ends.

The Allied forces conclude the Battle of Amiens, marking a pivotal breakthrough in World War I.
On August 11, 1918, the Battle of Amiens, launched on August 8 as part of the Allied Hundred Days Offensive, came to an end. British, Australian, Canadian, and French troops had achieved a stunning advance against the German lines. The battle is often called the 'Black Day of the German Army' due to the heavy losses and collapse in morale. Use of tanks, aircraft, and coordinated artillery made this one of the first modern combined-arms offensives. The success at Amiens set the stage for continuous Allied advances through Northern France. It also demonstrated the decline of German defensive capability and foreshadowed the end of the war. By the armistice on November 11, the Allies had pushed deep into enemy territory, hastening Germany's surrender.
1918 World War I Battle of Amiens
1920day.year

The Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty, which relinquished Russia's authority and pretenses to Latvia, is signed, ending the Latvian War of Independence.

Latvia and Soviet Russia sign a peace treaty, formally ending the Latvian War of Independence and recognizing Latvian sovereignty.
On August 11, 1920, representatives of Latvia and Soviet Russia signed the Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty in Riga. Under the terms, Russia renounced any claim to Latvian territory and sovereignty, formally ending military hostilities. The treaty followed sustained fighting since 1918, when Latvia declared independence amid the Russian Civil War. International recognition soon followed, paving the way for Latvia to join the League of Nations in 1921. The accord ensured Latvia’s borders and secured peace in the Baltic region for the next two decades. It stands as a landmark in Latvian statehood and the broader reshaping of Eastern Europe after World War I.
Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty Russia Latvia Latvian War of Independence
1945day.year

Poles in Kraków engage in a pogrom against Jews in the city, killing one and wounding five.

A violent pogrom breaks out in Kraków, targeting the city's Jewish community and resulting in casualties.
On August 11, 1945, a mob in Kraków attacked Jewish survivors returning after the Holocaust, killing one person and injuring five others. The violence reflected lingering antisemitic tensions in post-war Poland, despite the nation's suffering under Nazi occupation. Eyewitnesses reported armed rioters looting homes and assaulting residents in Jewish neighborhoods. Local authorities eventually intervened to restore order, but the incident underscored the precarious position of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. News of the pogrom sparked international condemnation and renewed calls for Jewish emigration. The Kraków pogrom became a painful chapter in the history of post-war antisemitism.
1945 Kraków a pogrom
1972day.year

Vietnam War: The last United States ground combat unit leaves South Vietnam.

On August 11, 1972, the final U.S. ground combat troops withdrew from South Vietnam, a key milestone in America’s Vietnamization policy.
In a move to shift combat responsibilities to South Vietnamese forces, President Nixon ordered the drawdown under the Vietnamization strategy. The departure of the last ground combat unit followed years of intense fighting and rising domestic opposition in the United States. American forces continued to provide air support and advisory roles but relinquished frontline ground engagements. The withdrawal altered the conflict’s dynamics, intensifying debates over U.S. involvement. It paved the way for subsequent peace negotiations and the eventual Paris Peace Accords.
1972 Vietnam War South Vietnam