29 BC
Octavian holds the first of three consecutive triumphs in Rome to celebrate the victory over the Dalmatian tribes.
Octavian celebrates his victory over the Dalmatian tribes with a grand triumph in Rome. It is the first of three consecutive triumphs he would hold.
On August 13, 29 BC, Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus, held his first triumph in Rome to honor his decisive victory over the Dalmatian tribes. The spectacle featured gleaming trophies, captured weapons, and parading prisoners in chains. Citizens lined the streets of the Forum to catch a glimpse of the grand procession. Musicians, soldiers, and exotic animals added to the pageantry of the event. This triumph marked the beginning of three consecutive celebratory parades that cemented Octavian’s reputation as Rome’s greatest military leader. It served both as a political statement of his dominance and as public entertainment for the populace. The success of these ceremonies helped Octavian consolidate his power and laid the groundwork for the principate that would follow.
29 BC
Octavian
triumphs
Rome
Dalmatian tribes
871day.year
Emperor Louis II of Italy and Empress Engelberga are captured by Prince Adelchis of Benevento.
Emperor Louis II of Italy and Empress Engelberga are captured by Prince Adelchis of Benevento in 871.
In 871, Emperor Louis II of Italy and his wife, Empress Engelberga, embarked on a campaign against the Lombard duchy of Benevento. Their venture took a dramatic turn when Prince Adelchis ambushed and captured the imperial couple near his stronghold. This bold move by Adelchis aimed to assert Beneventan autonomy and challenge Carolingian authority in southern Italy. Louis and Engelberga were held hostage until concessions were made, including tribute payments and political recognition for Benevento. The incident highlighted the fragmented nature of power in medieval Italy and the complex interplay between imperial ambition and regional resistance. Although the couple was eventually released, the event exposed the vulnerabilities of even the most powerful rulers. Adelchis’s daring exploit earned him temporary prestige, but it also deepened the divide between the Italian principalities.
871
Louis II of Italy
Engelberga
Adelchis of Benevento
900day.year
Count Reginar I of Hainault rises against Zwentibold of Lotharingia and slays him near present-day Susteren.
Count Reginar I of Hainault rebels against King Zwentibold of Lotharingia and kills him near Susteren in 900.
On August 13, 900, Count Reginar I of Hainault led a revolt against his cousin, King Zwentibold of Lotharingia. Tensions had grown over Zwentibold’s favoritism toward certain nobles and his heavy taxation policies. Reginar’s rebellion culminated in a decisive ambush near the modern town of Susteren, where he slew the king in battle. The assassination plunged the kingdom into a succession crisis and weakened central authority. Restive nobles and external forces soon exploited the power vacuum, fragmenting Lotharingia further. Reginar emerged from the conflict as a dominant regional player, consolidating his lands and titles. The event underscored the fragility of Carolingian rule and foreshadowed the fragmentation of European territories in the early Middle Ages.
900
Reginar I of Hainault
Zwentibold
Lotharingia
Susteren
1521day.year
After an extended siege, forces led by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés capture Tlatoani Cuauhtémoc and conquer the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan.
Hernán Cortés captures the Aztec emperor Cuauhtémoc and seizes Tenochtitlan in 1521, ending the Aztec Empire.
On August 13, 1521, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés achieved a decisive victory by capturing Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec tlatoani, in the ruins of Tenochtitlan. The fall of the city followed a brutal and prolonged siege that devastated the Aztec capital. Cortés’s forces, aided by indigenous allies and superior weaponry, cut off supplies and systematically dismantled Aztec defenses. The capture of Cuauhtémoc symbolized the collapse of the mighty Mesoamerican empire. In the aftermath, Cortés ordered the demolition of the city’s temples and began the construction of Spanish institutions on its foundations. The event signaled the beginning of Spanish colonial rule in central Mexico. It also marked a profound cultural and demographic shift that would reshape the region’s history.
1521
an extended siege
conquistador
Hernán Cortés
Tlatoani
Cuauhtémoc
Aztec
Tenochtitlan
1536day.year
Buddhist monks from Kyoto, Japan's Enryaku-ji temple set fire to 21 Nichiren temples throughout Kyoto in what will be known as the Tenbun Hokke Disturbance.
In 1536, militant monks from Enryaku-ji temple in Kyoto burned 21 Nichiren temples in a sectarian conflict known as the Tenbun Hokke Disturbance.
The Tenbun Hokke Disturbance erupted in August 1536 when rival factions of Japanese Buddhism clashed violently in the streets of Kyoto. Militant monks from the Tendai headquarters at Enryaku-ji organized and executed arson attacks against 21 temples belonging to the rival Nichiren sect, deepening centuries-old doctrinal animosities. This outbreak of religious warfare shook the imperial capital and underscored the political power wielded by Buddhist monastic orders during the tumultuous Sengoku period. Local officials struggled to quell the unrest, prompting regional warlords to intervene and exploit the chaos. Although the violence was eventually contained, its aftermath reshaped the religious landscape and foreshadowed further sectarian strife in pre-modern Japan.
1536
Kyoto
Enryaku-ji
Nichiren
1650day.year
Colonel George Monck of the English Army forms Monck's Regiment of Foot, which will later become the Coldstream Guards.
On August 13, 1650, Colonel George Monck formed Monck's Regiment of Foot, the precursor to the famed Coldstream Guards.
During the English Interregnum, Colonel George Monck established a new infantry regiment to secure Parliamentarian interests in Scotland and northern England. Known initially as Monck’s Regiment of Foot, this unit distinguished itself through disciplined service and loyalty amidst civil war upheavals. Following the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, Monck played a key role in negotiating the return of the monarchy, and his regiment was renamed the Coldstream Guards. Over time, the Coldstream Guards became one of the oldest continually serving regiments in the British Army, renowned for its ceremonial duties and battlefield valor. The formation of this regiment on August 13 laid the foundation for a military tradition that endures to this day.
1650
George Monck
English Army
Coldstream Guards
1704day.year
War of the Spanish Succession: Battle of Blenheim: English and Imperial forces are victorious over French and Bavarian troops.
On August 13, 1704, Allied forces under Marlborough and Prince Eugene won a decisive victory against French and Bavarian troops at the Battle of Blenheim.
The Battle of Blenheim, fought on August 13, 1704, was a turning point in the War of the Spanish Succession. Commanded by John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, and Prince Eugene of Savoy, Allied armies outmaneuvered and crushed the Franco-Bavarian forces along the Nebel and Danube rivers. This stunning triumph halted Louis XIV’s expansionist ambitions and prevented a potential collapse of the Grand Alliance. The victory secured Bavaria as neutral territory and safeguarded Vienna from siege. Blenheim’s legacy endures as one of the most brilliant tactical achievements in early 18th-century warfare and a landmark in military history.
1704
War of the Spanish Succession
Battle of Blenheim
English
Imperial
French
Bavarian
1779day.year
American Revolutionary War: The Royal Navy defeats the Penobscot Expedition with the most significant loss of United States naval forces prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
On August 13, 1779, the Royal Navy destroyed the American-led Penobscot Expedition, marking one of the worst U.S. naval defeats before Pearl Harbor.
The Penobscot Expedition was launched by Massachusetts militia and Continental Navy forces to dislodge British troops from a strategic fort in present-day Maine. On August 13, 1779, a powerful British relief fleet under Commodore George Collier intercepted the American flotilla. Outgunned and outmaneuvered, the colonial vessels retreated up the Penobscot River, where many were scuttled or captured. The debacle left American forces in disarray and represented the most significant U.S. naval setback until World War II’s attack on Pearl Harbor. The expedition’s failure exposed logistical shortcomings and influenced future American naval reforms during the Revolutionary War.
1779
American Revolutionary War
Royal Navy
Penobscot Expedition
attack on Pearl Harbor
1806day.year
Battle of Mišar during the Serbian Revolution begins. The battle ends two days later with a Serbian victory over the Ottomans.
On August 13, 1806, the Battle of Mišar commenced, marking a key engagement in the First Serbian Uprising against Ottoman rule.
The Battle of Mišar opened on August 13, 1806, as Serbian insurgents under commanders such as Karađorđe confronted Ottoman forces near the Sava River. Employing defensive infantry laagers and disciplined volley fire, the rebels repelled repeated Ottoman cavalry charges. Over two days of fierce combat, the Serbs achieved a decisive victory that boosted morale and consolidated support for the uprising. This triumph disrupted Ottoman control in northwestern Serbia and inspired further insurrections across the Balkans. The success at Mišar remains celebrated as a defining moment in Serbia’s struggle for autonomy and national identity.
1806
Battle of Mišar
Serbian Revolution
1898day.year
Spanish–American War: Spanish and American forces engage in a mock battle for Manila, after which the Spanish commander surrendered in order to keep the city out of Filipino rebel hands.
In 1898, Spanish and American forces staged a mock battle for Manila, ensuring the city’s surrender to the U.S. rather than Filipino rebels.
During the Spanish–American War on August 13, 1898, Spanish and American forces convened a prearranged mock battle for control of Manila.
The Spanish commander, unwilling to yield the city to Filipino insurgents, agreed to a negotiated surrender to U.S. forces.
Minimal casualties occurred as the engagement was largely symbolic.
By ceding the city directly to the United States, Spain hoped to limit Filipino claims to independence.
The event solidified American presence in the Philippines and set the stage for subsequent conflict with Filipino nationalists.
It marked a controversial episode in the broader narrative of U.S. colonial expansion.
1898
Spanish–American War
mock battle
Manila
1920day.year
Polish–Soviet War: The Battle of Warsaw begins and will last till August 25. The Red Army is defeated.
On August 13, 1920, during the Polish–Soviet War, the crucial Battle of Warsaw commenced, leading to a decisive Polish victory that halted the Red Army's advance toward Western Europe.
The Battle of Warsaw, often called the Miracle on the Vistula, began on August 13, 1920.
Polish forces under Marshal Józef Piłsudski mounted a daring counterattack against the advancing Red Army.
The battle raged over strategic positions around Warsaw, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.
Utilizing clever defensive lines and the element of surprise, Polish troops encircled key Soviet units.
By August 25, the Red Army was in full retreat, marking a turning point in the conflict.
This victory secured Poland's independence and prevented Bolshevik expansion into Europe.
The outcome had lasting effects on the post-World War I geopolitical landscape.
1920
Polish–Soviet War
Battle of Warsaw
August 25
Red Army
1937day.year
Second Sino-Japanese War: The Battle of Shanghai begins.
The Battle of Shanghai, one of the fiercest early engagements of the Second Sino-Japanese War, erupted on August 13, 1937, as Chinese Nationalist forces clashed with the Imperial Japanese Army in brutal urban combat.
On August 13, 1937, full-scale hostilities broke out in Shanghai between Chinese and Japanese forces.
The city became a brutal focal point of the Second Sino-Japanese War, witnessing intense street-to-street combat.
Chinese Nationalist troops, supported by local militias, defended key districts against well-equipped Japanese units.
Both sides suffered heavy casualties, with civilians caught in the crossfire of artillery and aerial bombardment.
The battle continued for over three months, leading to widespread destruction across Shanghai.
Despite eventual Japanese occupation, Chinese resistance hardened, galvanizing national morale.
The engagement demonstrated the brutality of modern urban warfare and set the tone for the wider conflict in China.
1937
Second Sino-Japanese War
Battle of Shanghai