September 18

Domitian was the third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty. He ruled the Roman Empire from 81 AD until his assassination in 96 AD. His reign was marked by extensive building programs, including the restoration of Rome after the fire of 80 AD. He strengthened the Empire’s financial status through reform and taxation. Domitian was known for his authoritarian style and centralization of power. His paranoia about plots led to persecutions of perceived enemies. He was assassinated in a palace conspiracy and condemned by the Senate after his death.

Constantine III was a Roman general stationed in Britain who proclaimed himself emperor in 407 AD. He crossed to Gaul and established control over much of the Western Empire. His claim was initially recognized by Emperor Honorius due to political pressure. He minted coins in his name and governed from Arles. In 411 AD, he was besieged by loyalist forces in Ravenna and forced to surrender. Constantine was executed shortly afterward, ending his brief reign and highlighting the Empire’s instability.

Pietro I Candiano served as Doge of Venice from early 887 until his death in September of the same year. He confronted piracy in the Adriatic Sea to secure vital commercial interests for Venice. His brief reign focused on strengthening alliances with neighboring states and mercantile powers. Candiano’s approach combined military expeditions with diplomatic negotiations. He fell in battle against rebel forces, marking him as one of the few doges to die in combat. His death underscored the fragile nature of Venetian ship-borne trade during this era.

Liu Sheng ascended the throne of the Southern Han at the age of 23. He guided his realm through a period of economic growth and cultural patronage. Under his reign, significant building projects and Buddhist sponsorship flourished. He maintained naval defenses along the coast to protect against foreign incursions. His court was noted for its artistic achievements and diplomatic ties with neighboring states. Liu Sheng’s early death in 958 ended an era of relative stability in southern China.

Eric II, nicknamed Emune, became king of Denmark in 1134 after defeating his rival Magnus the Strong. He sought to consolidate royal authority over rebellious nobles and church interests. His reign involved alliances with German princes to secure his position. Eric promoted legal reforms and strengthened Denmark’s ties with the Holy Roman Empire. In 1137, he was assassinated during a church service in Roskilde. His death triggered further dynastic struggles in Danish history.

Louis VII inherited the French throne at just 17 years old. He joined the Second Crusade in 1147, a campaign that ultimately fell short of its objectives. His marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine brought the vast duchy into the French realm, but was annulled in 1152. Louis focused on strengthening royal justice and supporting monastic reforms. He founded several abbeys and fostered the cultural life of his court. His reign laid foundations for the future expansion of Capetian power.

Eudokia Palaiologina was a daughter of the Byzantine Palaiologos dynasty. She married Emperor Alexios II of Trebizond, strengthening ties between Constantinople and Trebizond. After her husband’s death, she acted as regent for her young son John II. Eudokia navigated court intrigues and external threats to maintain her family’s rule. She patronized religious and cultural institutions in Trebizond. Her death in 1302 marked the end of an influential chapter in the empire’s history.

He was born in 1327 as the youngest son of Charles I of Hungary. In 1343 he was granted the title Duke of Calabria and married Queen Joanna I of Naples. His attempts to assert his authority in the Kingdom of Naples provoked hostility from the Neapolitan nobility. In 1345 he was lured into a trap at Aversa and murdered in a sensational assassination. His death had lasting repercussions for the Neapolitan succession and medieval Italian politics.

He was born in 1315 to Emperor Louis IV and Beatrix of Sicily. He initially co-ruled Upper Bavaria with his brothers before securing the Margravate of Brandenburg. He expanded Wittelsbach influence in central Germany and engaged in regional feuds with neighboring powers. His tenure saw conflicts with both the Papacy and rival German princes. He died in 1361, leaving a mixed legacy of political ambition and dynastic consolidation.

He was a member of the Balšić dynasty and succeeded his father as ruler of Zeta. He secured control of key coastal territories and captured the city of Skadar in 1385. His expansionist policies brought him into conflict with the Ottoman Empire and local rivals. He was killed later that year at the Battle of Savra in present-day Albania. His death marked a turning point in the region's resistance to Ottoman encroachment.

He rose from humble origins to become the chief general under Oda Nobunaga. After Nobunaga's death, he consolidated power and unified the warring provinces of Japan. He enacted nationwide land surveys, a class system, and ambitious public works projects. He led invasions of Korea in an effort to project Japanese power abroad. He died in 1598, and his legacy shaped the subsequent Tokugawa shogunate.

He was born in 1604 and inherited the duchy in 1624 after his father's death. He navigated complex alliances during the Thirty Years' War, sometimes siding with France. His duchy was occupied by French forces under Cardinal Richelieu and later Louis XIV. He spent years in exile before regaining Lorraine in 1661 through diplomatic agreements. He died in 1675, having preserved the sovereignty of Lorraine against powerful neighbors.