929day.year
Battle of Lenzen: Slavic forces (the Redarii and the Obotrites) are defeated by a Saxon army near the fortified stronghold of Lenzen in Brandenburg.
The Battle of Lenzen in 929 saw a Saxon army rout Slavic tribes near Lenzen, solidifying Saxon power east of the Elbe.
The Battle of Lenzen took place in 929 near the strategic Slavic stronghold of Lenzen in Brandenburg. A combined Saxon army launched a surprise attack on the Redarii and Obotrites tribes, routing the Slavic forces. This victory secured Saxon influence east of the Elbe River and weakened the local Slavic confederations. It marked a key moment in the eastward expansion of East Francia under King Henry I. The clash also paved the way for the Christianization of the region in subsequent decades. Its outcome reshaped the power dynamics along the frontier between Germanic and Slavic peoples.
929
Battle of Lenzen
Slavic
Redarii
Obotrites
Saxon
Lenzen
Brandenburg
1260day.year
The Sienese Ghibellines, supported by the forces of Manfred, King of Sicily, defeat the Florentine Guelphs at Montaperti.
At the Battle of Montaperti in 1260, the Sienese Ghibellines, aided by King Manfred of Sicily, dealt a crushing blow to the Florentine Guelphs.
On September 4, 1260, the Ghibelline faction of Siena, backed by Manfred, King of Sicily, faced the Florentine Guelphs at the Battle of Montaperti. In a fierce engagement, the Sienese forces outmaneuvered and crushed the Florentine army. The victory represented a major triumph for the imperial Ghibellines over the papal-aligned Guelphs in Tuscany. Manfred’s support proved decisive in tipping the balance of power. The battle intensified the long-standing rivalry between Siena and Florence and influenced the region’s political alignments for years. Montaperti remains celebrated in Sienese memory as a symbol of local resilience against foreign influence.
1260
Sienese
Ghibellines
Manfred, King of Sicily
Florentine
Guelphs
Montaperti
1812day.year
War of 1812: The Siege of Fort Harrison begins when the fort is set on fire.
On September 4, 1812, during the War of 1812, attacking forces set fire to Fort Harrison in the Indiana Territory, initiating a critical siege.
Fort Harrison was a frontier outpost built in 1811 to protect American settlers in the Indiana Territory. Early on September 4, 1812, Native American warriors allied with the British launched an assault and set the wooden fort ablaze. The fort's small garrison fought through smoke and flames, using muskets and artillery to repel repeated attacks. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the defenders held the stockade until relief forces arrived several days later. The successful defense of Fort Harrison boosted American morale in the Northwest theater of the War of 1812. It underscored the strategic importance of frontier forts in securing young United States territories.
1812
War of 1812
Siege of Fort Harrison
1839day.year
Battle of Kowloon: British vessels open fire on Chinese war junks enforcing a food sales embargo on the British community in China in the first armed conflict of the First Opium War.
In the first skirmish of the First Opium War on September 4, 1839, British ships shelled Chinese war junks enforcing a grain embargo near Kowloon Peninsula.
Rising tensions over trade imbalances and the illegal opium trade led to mounting conflict between Britain and Qing China. On September 4, 1839, Chinese war junks attempted to enforce a grain embargo aimed at pressuring British merchants to cease opium sales. In response, two British warships opened fire on the junks off the coast of Kowloon. The exchange marked the first armed engagement of the First Opium War. The British claimed few casualties and quickly withdrew after demonstrating naval superiority. This clash set the stage for a prolonged conflict that would reshape China's relationship with Western powers and lead to unequal treaties. It highlighted the strategic advantage of modern naval firepower against traditional warships.
1839
Battle of Kowloon
junks
First Opium War
1862day.year
American Civil War Maryland Campaign: General Robert E. Lee takes the Army of Northern Virginia, and the war, into the North.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee led his Army of Northern Virginia across the Potomac on September 4, 1862, commencing the Maryland Campaign.
After his victory at the Battle of Second Bull Run, General Lee planned an invasion of Northern territory to relieve pressure on Virginia farms and influence Northern politics. On September 4, 1862, Lee's troops crossed the Potomac River into Maryland under cover of darkness. The march divided the Army of Northern Virginia into several columns to forage for supplies and gather intelligence. Lee hoped a successful incursion would encourage foreign recognition and erode Union morale. The campaign soon led to the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single-day engagement in American history. Although tactically inconclusive, the Maryland Campaign prompted President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Lee’s decision to carry the war into Union territory marked a bold shift in Confederate strategy.
1862
American Civil War
Maryland Campaign
Robert E. Lee
1886day.year
American Indian Wars: After almost 30 years of fighting, Apache leader Geronimo, with his remaining warriors, surrenders to General Nelson Miles in Arizona.
Legendary Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to U.S. Army forces under General Nelson Miles on September 4, 1886, ending decades of resistance.
For nearly three decades, Geronimo and his band of Apache warriors evaded capture in the rugged Southwest. U.S. General Nelson Miles pursued Geronimo across Mexico and Arizona, determined to end the Apache resistance. On September 4, 1886, after relentless tracking and negotiations, Geronimo formally surrendered at Skeleton Canyon, Arizona. His capitulation marked the last major armed Native American resistance in the continental United States. The U.S. government then relocated Geronimo and his followers to reservation land far from their homelands. The surrender became a symbol of the closing of the American frontier. Geronimo later toured the country, enthralling audiences with his stories of survival and warfare.
1886
American Indian Wars
Apache
Geronimo
Nelson Miles
Arizona
1912day.year
Albanian rebels succeed in their revolt when the Ottoman Empire agrees to fulfill their demands
Albanian rebels force the Ottoman Empire to meet their demands in 1912, marking a significant step toward Albanian autonomy.
1912 sees Albanian nationalist leaders launch an uprising against the Ottoman-controlled Balkans.
On September 4, the rebels' demands for language rights and local autonomy lead to concessions from Istanbul.
The Ottoman government agrees to grant parliamentary representation and recognize Albanian cultural institutions.
The accord marks a major shift in the region and undermines Ottoman rule in the Balkans.
It paves the way for Albania's declaration of independence later that year.
1912
Albanian
their revolt
1936day.year
Spanish Civil War: Largo Caballero forms a war cabinet to direct the republican war effort.
Spanish Prime Minister Francisco Largo Caballero forms a war cabinet on September 4, 1936, to bolster the Republican war effort.
Amidst the chaos of the Spanish Civil War, Francisco Largo Caballero assumed the helm of the Republican government.
On September 4, 1936, he established a centralized war cabinet to coordinate military strategy and resources.
This body aimed to integrate political factions, trade unions, and militia units under unified command.
The move sought to counter the Nationalists led by General Francisco Franco.
Largo Caballero’s reorganization marked a critical attempt to strengthen the Republican defense.
1936
Spanish Civil War
Largo Caballero
war cabinet
republican
1939day.year
World War II: William J. Murphy commands the first Royal Air Force attack on Germany.
On September 4, 1939, Wing Commander William J. Murphy leads the first Royal Air Force bombing raid on Germany.
Just days after Britain declared war, the RAF launched its inaugural offensive mission over Europe.
Wing Commander W.J. Murphy led Wellington bombers against naval targets at Wilhelmshaven.
Despite limited bomb loads and primitive navigation, the raid demonstrated British resolve.
It marked the beginning of the strategic bombing campaign that would intensify throughout the war.
The operation tested new tactics and signaled a shift to active aerial engagement.
1939
World War II
William J. Murphy
1941day.year
World War II: A German submarine makes the first attack of the war against a United States warship, the USS Greer.
A German U-boat conducts the first hostile action against a U.S. warship by attacking the USS Greer on September 4, 1941.
While patrolling the North Atlantic, USS Greer encountered U-652 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Werner Hartenstein.
On September 4, 1941, the submarine fired torpedoes that missed their mark but initiated direct conflict with a U.S. vessel.
President Roosevelt cited the incident in issuing the 'shoot on sight' order against Axis submarines.
The engagement marked a substantive escalation in U.S. involvement prior to formal entry into World War II.
The Greer incident underscored the heightened risks facing Allied convoys.
1941
USS Greer
1944day.year
World War II: The British 11th Armoured Division liberates the Belgian city of Antwerp.
British 11th Armoured Division liberates Antwerp on September 4, 1944, opening a vital supply port to Allied forces.
After breaking out of Normandy, Allied armies pushed swiftly across Belgium in late summer 1944.
On September 4, the British 11th Armoured Division entered Antwerp and freed it from German occupation.
Capturing the port was essential to resupply Allied troops and sustain further advances into Germany.
The liberation boosted morale among Belgian civilians and Allied soldiers alike.
Though the Scheldt estuary required further clearing, Antwerp's fall marked a turning point in logistical support.
1944
11th Armoured Division
Antwerp
1944day.year
World War II: Finland exits from the war with Soviet Union.
Finland signs an armistice with the Soviet Union on September 4, 1944, ending its involvement in the Continuation War.
Exhausted after years of conflict, Finland sought terms with Moscow in 1944 to preserve its sovereignty.
On September 4, Finnish leaders accepted the Moscow Armistice conditions to cease hostilities.
The agreement required Finland to expel German troops and cede territory in Karelia.
This armistice concluded the Continuation War and initiated a fragile peace with the Soviet Union.
Finland maintained independence but at the cost of significant territorial and economic losses.
war with Soviet Union