476day.year
Romulus Augustulus is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself "King of Italy", thus ending the Western Roman Empire.
On September 4, 476, the last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was overthrown by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer, marking the end of the Western Roman Empire.
On September 4, 476, the young emperor Romulus Augustulus was deposed by Odoacer, a chieftain of the Germanic foederati. Odoacer immediately declared himself King of Italy, refusing to recognize any Western emperor. This bold move signaled the collapse of imperial authority in the west after nearly five centuries. The fall of the Western Roman Empire shifted power to barbarian kingdoms and marked the beginning of the medieval era in Europe. Meanwhile, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire continued to flourish in Constantinople. This turning point altered the political landscape of Europe for centuries to come.
476
Romulus Augustulus
Odoacer
King of Italy
ending the Western Roman Empire
626day.year
Li Shimin, posthumously known as Emperor Taizong of Tang, assumes the throne over the Tang dynasty of China.
In 626, Li Shimin seized power to become Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty, setting the stage for a golden age in China.
In 626, Li Shimin seized the throne of the Tang dynasty following the dramatic Xuanwu Gate Coup, where he eliminated his rivals within the imperial court. He was posthumously honored as Emperor Taizong of Tang and became the second emperor of the dynasty. Under his leadership, China experienced a golden age of political stability, economic growth, and cultural flourishing. Taizong implemented sweeping reforms in government administration, military organization, and land distribution. He also promoted meritocratic recruitment of officials through the imperial examination system. His reign set a benchmark for effective governance in imperial China.
626
posthumously
Emperor Taizong of Tang
Tang dynasty
1282day.year
Peter III of Aragon becomes the King of Sicily.
On September 4, 1282, Peter III of Aragon assumed the crown of Sicily in the aftermath of the Sicilian Vespers uprising.
Peter III of Aragon accepted the crown of Sicily on September 4, 1282, following the Sicilian Vespers uprising against Angevin rule. His accession brought the island under the protection of the Aragonese Crown and marked the beginning of Aragon’s Mediterranean hegemony. The move shifted the balance of power in Italy and challenged the authority of Charles of Anjou. Peter’s rule introduced new administrative reforms and fostered closer ties with the Catalan and Occitan nobility. This milestone event shaped the island’s medieval history and set the stage for centuries of Aragonese influence in Sicily.
1282
Peter III of Aragon
1479day.year
The Treaty of Alcáçovas is signed by the Catholic Monarchs of Castile and Aragon on one side and Afonso V and his son, Prince John of Portugal.
The 1479 Treaty of Alcáçovas divided Atlantic exploration rights between Spain and Portugal, shaping early colonial claims.
In 1479, the Treaty of Alcáçovas was signed between the Catholic Monarchs of Castile and Aragon and the king of Portugal, Afonso V, and his heir, Prince John. This accord concluded conflicts over Atlantic exploration rights and colonial claims. Under the treaty, Spain renounced claims to most of the West African coast and the Azores, while Portugal secured exclusive navigation and trading rights in those regions. The agreement laid the groundwork for the later Treaty of Tordesillas and influenced the course of the Age of Discovery. It represented an early effort to regulate overseas expansion through diplomacy.
1479
Treaty of Alcáçovas
Catholic Monarchs
Castile
Aragon
Afonso V
Prince John
1607day.year
The Flight of the Earls takes place in Ireland.
On September 4, 1607, key Irish nobles fled to continental Europe in an event known as the Flight of the Earls, ending Gaelic rule in Ulster.
The Flight of the Earls occurred on September 4, 1607, when Irish nobles Hugh O'Neill and Rory O'Donnell fled to continental Europe. Their departure marked the end of the old Gaelic order and the traditional clan-based rule in Ulster. This exodus followed increased English repression and set the stage for the Plantation of Ulster. The power vacuum led to major demographic changes and the confiscation of Gaelic lands. The event is seen as a turning point in Irish history, symbolizing the collapse of native aristocracy and the rise of English control.
1607
Flight of the Earls
Ireland
1797day.year
Coup of 18 Fructidor in France.
On September 4, 1797, the French Directory executed the Coup of 18 Fructidor, arresting royalist deputies and annulling elections to secure its power.
In the aftermath of the French Revolution, the Directory faced growing royalist influence in parliament. On 18 Fructidor (September 4, 1797), Generals Augereau and Hoche marched on Paris under orders from the Directory. The military intervention led to the arrest and deportation of dozens of royalist deputies and the nullification of recent elections. This bold action ensured the Directory's control over the government but at the cost of political freedoms. The coup reinforced the role of the army in French politics and delayed any potential restoration of the monarchy. It marked a critical turning point in the turbulent Directory period.
1797
Coup of 18 Fructidor
1800day.year
The French garrison in Valletta surrenders to British troops who had been called at the invitation of the Maltese. The islands of Malta and Gozo become the Malta Protectorate.
After a two-year siege, the French garrison in Valletta capitulated to British forces on September 4, 1800, leading to the establishment of the Malta Protectorate.
Following the expulsion of the Knights of St. John by French revolutionary forces, the Maltese population rebelled against the occupiers. In 1798, British ships arrived at Malta at the request of the Maltese insurgents and blockaded Valletta. On September 4, 1800, the exhausted French garrison surrendered to British troops. The islands of Malta and Gozo were placed under British protection, ending French rule. This marked the beginning of British influence in the central Mediterranean for more than a century. The strategic position of Malta would later prove crucial in global naval conflicts.
1800
Valletta
Maltese
Malta
Gozo
Malta Protectorate
1870day.year
Emperor Napoleon III of France is deposed and the Third Republic is declared.
In the wake of France’s defeat by Prussia, Emperor Napoleon III was overthrown and the French Third Republic was proclaimed on September 4, 1870.
France’s crushing defeat at Sedan during the Franco-Prussian War led to the capture of Emperor Napoleon III on September 2, 1870. Two days later, a revolutionary government in Paris deposed the fallen emperor. On September 4, the Third Republic was proclaimed from the balcony of the Hôtel de Ville. A Government of National Defense was formed to continue the war effort against Prussia. The shift ended the era of the Second Empire and initiated a new republican chapter in French history. Despite initial patriotism, the new government struggled to organize national defenses and negotiate peace. The proclamation of the Third Republic set the stage for lasting republican governance in France.
1870
Napoleon III
Third Republic
1919day.year
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who founded the Republic of Turkey, gathers a congress in Sivas to make decisions as to the future of Anatolia and Thrace.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk convenes the Sivas Congress in 1919 to determine the future of Anatolia and Thrace.
Following the collapse of the Ottoman front in World War I, Mustafa Kemal gathered delegates in Sivas to organize national resistance.
From September 4 to 11, 1919, the Sivas Congress affirmed the principles of territorial integrity and popular sovereignty.
Atatürk's leadership at Sivas laid the groundwork for the emerging Turkish nationalist movement.
The decisions taken there unified regional committees into a central council under his command.
The congress was later recognized as a pivotal moment in the foundation of the Republic of Turkey.
1919
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Turkey
Sivas
Anatolia
Thrace
1948day.year
Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands abdicates for health reasons.
Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands abdicates on September 4, 1948, after a 58-year reign marked by resilience.
Ascending to the throne in 1890 at age ten, Wilhelmina became Europe's longest-serving monarch by the mid-20th century.
On September 4, 1948, she announced her abdication due to declining health, passing the crown to her daughter Juliana.
Her reign encompassed the turbulent years of two world wars and a German occupation.
From exile in London, she symbolized Dutch resistance and national unity during WWII.
Her departure ushered in a new era of postwar recovery under Queen Juliana.
1948
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
1970day.year
Salvador Allende is elected President of Chile.
Salvador Allende was elected President of Chile in 1970, becoming the first Marxist to assume power through open elections in Latin America.
On September 4, 1970, Salvador Allende, leader of the Popular Unity coalition, secured victory in the Chilean presidential election. Allende's campaign promised sweeping socialist reforms, including nationalization of key industries and land redistribution. His narrow victory marked a peaceful electoral triumph for Marxist politics in the Western Hemisphere. International reactions were mixed, with the United States expressing concern over potential communist influence. Allende's tenure would initiate major social and economic changes, to widespread praise and fierce opposition. His presidency ended tragically with a military coup in 1973, leaving a complex legacy in Chilean history.
1970
Salvador Allende
Chile
1975day.year
The Sinai Interim Agreement relating to the Arab–Israeli conflict is signed.
On 4 September 1975, Israel and Egypt signed the Sinai Interim Agreement to advance their peace process and establish a UN-monitored buffer zone.
On 4 September 1975, Israel and Egypt signed the Sinai Interim Agreement, also known as Sinai II, under United States mediation. The accord aimed to establish further withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Sinai Peninsula captured during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. It created a United Nations–monitored buffer zone to reduce the risk of renewed hostilities. The agreement imposed limitations on military deployments and prohibited heavy weapons within the zone. Leaders including President Anwar Sadat and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin endorsed the treaty as a step toward a comprehensive peace settlement. While it did not resolve all disputes, it laid the groundwork for the later Camp David Accords in 1978. The interim pact marked a significant advancement in Arab–Israeli diplomacy during the Cold War era.
1975
Sinai Interim Agreement
Arab–Israeli conflict