1568day.year
Spanish naval forces defeat an English fleet, under the command of John Hawkins, at the Battle of San Juan de Ulúa near Veracruz.
Spanish forces under Martín Enríquez de Almanza ambush and defeat John Hawkins’ English fleet at San Juan de Ulúa, heightening Anglo-Spanish tensions.
Seeking to resupply, Sir John Hawkins anchored near Veracruz, unaware of Spanish preparations.
Spanish warships launched a surprise attack, trapping the English fleet in the harbor.
After fierce fighting, Hawkins’ ships were boarded or destroyed, and survivors were captured.
The defeat marked a setback for early English colonial ventures in the Americas.
This confrontation fueled resentment that contributed to the later Anglo-Spanish War.
1568
Battle of San Juan de Ulúa
1645day.year
The Battle of Rowton Heath in England is a Parliamentarian victory over a Royalist army commanded in person by King Charles.
Parliamentarian forces rout King Charles I’s Royalist army at Rowton Heath, tipping the balance in the English Civil War.
As King Charles I personally led his troops, Parliamentarian cavalry under Sir Thomas Fairfax launched a surprise attack.
The skirmish took place near Chester as Royalists attempted to relieve the besieged city.
Disorganized Royalist formations collapsed under disciplined Roundhead charges.
The king narrowly escaped capture as his forces fled the field.
This defeat weakened Royalist morale and hastened the eventual downfall of Charles’s cause.
1645
Battle of Rowton Heath
1846day.year
Mexican–American War: General Zachary Taylor captures Monterrey.
General Zachary Taylor seizes the strategic city of Monterrey after intense urban fighting in the Mexican–American War.
U.S. forces launched a two-pronged assault on Monterrey’s fortified positions.
Taylor’s troops engaged in brutal house-to-house combat to clear the streets.
After several days of bombardment and close-quarters battles, Mexican defenders surrendered.
Taylor’s victory opened the northern Mexican frontier to American advances.
His leadership in this battle would boost his national reputation and political career.
1846
Mexican–American War
captures Monterrey
1877day.year
The Battle of Shiroyama is a decisive victory of the Imperial Japanese Army over the Satsuma Rebellion.
The Battle of Shiroyama on September 24, 1877 saw Imperial Japanese forces decisively defeat the last holdouts of the Satsuma Rebellion.
Fought on the slopes of Mount Shiroyama near Kagoshima, the battle marked the end of the Satsuma Rebellion led by Saigō Takamori. Superior numbers and artillery gave the Imperial Japanese Army the advantage. Despite fierce resistance, the samurai insurgents were overwhelmed and Saigō himself was fatally wounded. The victory consolidated the Meiji government’s authority and accelerated modernization efforts. It also symbolized the final collapse of the samurai era and the emergence of a centralized modern state. The dramatic clash has since been immortalized in literature and film as a turning point in Japanese history.
1877
Battle of Shiroyama
1973day.year
Guinea-Bissau declares its independence from Portugal.
Guinea-Bissau proclaims its independence from Portugal, becoming one of the first African colonies to break free from European rule.
On September 24, 1973, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) unilaterally declared Guinea-Bissau's independence from Portuguese colonial rule. Led by revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral, the declaration followed years of guerrilla warfare against Portuguese forces during the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence. Although Portugal did not immediately recognize the new nation, the proclamation galvanized international support for decolonization across Africa. Guinea-Bissau's struggle inspired liberation movements in other Portuguese colonies. Full diplomatic recognition from many countries and the United Nations followed after Portugal's Carnation Revolution in 1974. The event marked a significant milestone in ending European colonialism on the continent.
1973
Guinea-Bissau