762day.year
Led by Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, the Hasanid branch of the Alids begins the Alid Revolt against the Abbasid Caliphate.
In 762, Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya led the Hasanid Alids in a revolt against the ruling Abbasid Caliphate.
On September 25, 762, Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, a descendant of Ali ibn Abi Talib, launched an uprising known as the Alid Revolt in Medina. The Hasanid branch sought to challenge Abbasid authority and restore leadership to the family of the Prophet Muhammad. Despite initial local support, the revolt was met with swift repression by Abbasid forces. The insurrection underscored deep divisions within early Islamic society over legitimate caliphal succession. Although the revolt was quashed, it inspired subsequent Shiite movements and shaped the political landscape of the Muslim world.
762
Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya
Alid Revolt
1066day.year
In the Battle of Stamford Bridge, Harald Hardrada, the invading King of Norway, is defeated by King Harold II of England.
In 1066, King Harold II of England defeated Harald Hardrada of Norway at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
On September 25, 1066, the Battle of Stamford Bridge took place near York, marking a decisive victory for King Harold II of England over the invading Norwegian force led by Harald Hardrada. The clash, resulting from Harald's attempt to claim the English throne, ended with the death of Hardrada and most of his army. Although Harold's triumph temporarily secured his kingdom, his troops were left exhausted and diminished. This setback weakened Harold's forces ahead of the pivotal Battle of Hastings only weeks later. The battle is often cited as one of the last major Viking incursions into England and a turning point in medieval British history.
1066
Battle of Stamford Bridge
Harald Hardrada
Harold II of England
1396day.year
Ottoman Emperor Bayezid I defeats a Christian army at the Battle of Nicopolis.
In 1396, Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I decisively defeated a Crusader army at the Battle of Nicopolis.
On September 25, 1396, near Nicopolis in modern-day Bulgaria, Ottoman forces under Sultan Bayezid I routed a crusader army composed of French, Hungarian, and Burgundian knights. The confrontation, known as the Battle of Nicopolis, was one of the last large-scale crusades of the Middle Ages. Bayezid's skilled use of cavalry and archers overwhelmed the heavily armored European knights. The defeat shattered the crusading coalition and solidified Ottoman dominance in the Balkans. This victory paved the way for further Ottoman expansion into southeastern Europe and reshaped the region's political landscape.
1396
Battle of Nicopolis
1775day.year
American Revolution: Ethan Allen surrenders to British forces after attempting to capture Montreal during the Battle of Longue-Pointe.
In 1775, Ethan Allen surrendered to British forces during his attempt to capture Montreal at the Battle of Longue-Pointe in the American Revolution.
On September 25, 1775, American Revolutionary leader Ethan Allen led an assault on Montreal but was ambushed and captured by British troops at Longue-Pointe. Allen's daring raid aimed to spark Canadian support for the Revolutionary cause but ended in his surrender and imprisonment. His capture highlighted the challenges faced by colonial forces operating outside familiar terrain. Despite this setback, Allen remained a folk hero and continued to advocate for American independence. The incident underscored the early uncertainties of the Revolutionary War and the complex dynamics in Canada.
1775
American Revolution
Battle of Longue-Pointe
1775day.year
American Revolution: Benedict Arnold's expedition to Quebec sets off.
Benedict Arnold embarks on a perilous expedition to Quebec during the American Revolution, aiming to surprise British forces.
On September 25, 1775, Colonel Benedict Arnold departed from Cambridge alongside his small army bound for the Province of Quebec to surprise British forces. The expedition endured dense forests, freezing temperatures, and harsh river crossings. Many soldiers fell ill or perished from disease and starvation during the arduous trek. Arnold's determination kept the force moving toward the targeted siege of Quebec City in December. Despite the heroic effort, the campaign ultimately failed due to extreme conditions and strengthened British defenses. The journey exemplified the perilous challenges faced by the Continental Army in its northern strategies. Historians regard the expedition as one of the most grueling undertakings of the American Revolution.
Benedict Arnold's expedition to Quebec
1804day.year
The Teton Sioux (a subdivision of the Lakota) demand one of the boats from the Lewis and Clark Expedition as a toll for allowing the expedition to move further upriver.
Teton Sioux demand one of Lewis and Clark's boats as a toll, testing diplomatic skills during their historic expedition.
On September 25, 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition encountered a band of Teton Sioux along the Missouri River. The tribe asserted control over this stretch of water and demanded one of the expedition's boats as payment for passage. Captain Meriwether Lewis negotiated by offering trade goods instead, demonstrating the importance of diplomacy in unfamiliar territories. The peaceful resolution allowed the expedition to continue upriver and avoid potential violence. This incident underscored the expedition's reliance on careful negotiation and respect for Native American authority. It also highlighted the complex relationship between the newly formed United States and Indigenous nations during westward exploration. The encounter became an early example of the gift-giving strategies essential for maintaining peaceful relations on the frontier.
1804
Lewis and Clark Expedition
1915day.year
World War I: The Second Battle of Champagne begins.
On September 25, 1915, French forces launched the Second Battle of Champagne, marking a major offensive on the Western Front during World War I.
Generals Joseph Joffre and Robert Nivelle initiated the assault against heavily fortified German positions in northeastern France. The French Fourth and Sixth Armies employed massive artillery barrages followed by infantry assaults across the Champagne region. Both sides endured grueling trench warfare and suffered heavy casualties in muddy, shell-torn landscapes. Although French troops made localized advances, the German defenses held firm overall. The offensive highlighted the brutal reality of attrition tactics that defined much of World War I. It set the stage for even bloodier battles in the years that followed.
1915
World War I
Second Battle of Champagne
1918day.year
World War I: The end of the Battle of Megiddo, the climax of the British Army's Sinai and Palestine campaign under General Edmund Allenby.
On September 25, 1918, the Battle of Megiddo concluded, delivering a decisive Allied victory that broke Ottoman resistance in Palestine.
General Edmund Allenby led the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force in a daring combined-arms operation to encircle Ottoman forces. Cavalry and infantry units executed swift flanking maneuvers, overwhelming the well-entrenched Seventh and Eighth Ottoman Armies. The collapse of the Ottoman defensive line opened the path for Allied advances toward Damascus. This victory showcased innovative mobile warfare strategies late in World War I. Allied air power and mechanized support played key roles in the operation's success. Megiddo remains celebrated as one of the most effective Middle Eastern campaigns of the war.
1918
Battle of Megiddo
Sinai and Palestine campaign
Edmund Allenby
1937day.year
Second Sino-Japanese War: The Chinese Eighth Route Army gains a minor, but morale-boosting victory in the Battle of Pingxingguan.
On September 25, 1937, the Chinese Eighth Route Army ambushed Japanese forces at Pingxingguan, securing a morale-boosting victory during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Under commanders Lin Biao and Nie Rongzhen, Communist guerrilla units struck a Japanese supply convoy in a narrow mountain pass near Pingxingguan. The ambush yielded captured weapons, ammunition, and supplies while inflicting significant enemy casualties. As one of the first major successes by the Eighth Route Army, the battle symbolized Chinese resistance against Japanese invasion. Though tactically limited in scale, the engagement disrupted enemy logistics and lifted national morale. It demonstrated the effectiveness of irregular warfare in challenging terrain. Pingxingguan became a celebrated episode in Chinese revolutionary history.
1937
Battle of Pingxingguan
1944day.year
World War II: Surviving elements of the British 1st Airborne Division withdraw from Arnhem via Oosterbeek.
On September 25, 1944, the remnants of the British 1st Airborne Division began their withdrawal from Arnhem, signaling the end of Operation Market Garden's ambitious campaign.
Operation Market Garden sought to seize key bridges in the Netherlands for a rapid Allied advance into Germany, with Arnhem as its northernmost target. British paratroopers landed near the Rhine but encountered unexpectedly strong German defenses that cut them off. After days of fierce fighting, approximately 2,400 of the original 10,600 men managed to withdraw across the river under cover of darkness. The majority were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. The failure to secure the Arnhem bridge delayed the Allied push into the Ruhr and prolonged the war in Europe. Arnhem became emblematic of both airborne daring and the high cost of strategic overreach.
1944
World War II
withdraw from Arnhem
1962day.year
The North Yemen Civil War begins when Abdullah al-Sallal dethrones the newly crowned Imam al-Badr and declares Yemen a republic under his presidency.
A coup in North Yemen topples the ruling imam and inaugurates a republic under Abdullah al-Sallal.
On September 25, 1962, Colonel Abdullah al-Sallal led a military uprising against the newly crowned Imam al-Badr.
The coup marked the end of centuries-old imamate rule in North Yemen and the birth of the Yemen Arab Republic.
Al-Sallal declared himself president, backed by army officers and dissident tribal chiefs.
Royalist forces loyal to the deposed imam fought a protracted civil war against the republicans.
The conflict drew in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, becoming entangled in Cold War geopolitics.
Fighting continued for years, profoundly shaping Yemen’s modern political landscape.
North Yemen Civil War
1964day.year
The Mozambican War of Independence against Portugal begins.
Mozambican nationalists launch an armed struggle against Portuguese colonial rule.
On September 25, 1964, the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) initiated guerrilla attacks against Portuguese outposts.
This marked the beginning of a decade-long war for independence in Mozambique.
Under leaders like Eduardo Mondlane, FRELIMO mobilized rural support against colonial forces.
The conflict featured hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, and a harsh counterinsurgency campaign by Portugal.
International pressure and mounting costs weakened Portuguese control over time.
Mozambique eventually achieved independence in 1975, reshaping southern Africa’s political map.
1964
Mozambican War of Independence