48 BC
Pompey disembarks at Pelusium upon arriving in Egypt, whereupon he is assassinated by order of King Ptolemy XIII.
Pompey the Great, defeated by Caesar, lands in Egypt and is treacherously killed on King Ptolemy XIII’s orders.
In 48 BC, Pompey the Great, fleeing defeat by Julius Caesar, landed at the Egyptian port of Pelusium.
Hoping for asylum and political leverage, he sought the favor of King Ptolemy XIII.
Fearing Caesar’s wrath and influenced by court intrigues, Ptolemy’s advisors ordered Pompey’s assassination.
As Pompey disembarked, he was murdered by agents of the king and his severed head was sent to Alexandria.
The grisly act was intended to curry favor with Caesar but instead horrified Roman sensibilities.
Caesar, on his arrival, publicly repudiated the murder and arranged a dignified funeral for Pompey.
Pompey’s death marked a dark turning point in the Roman civil wars and the end of a great general’s career.
48 BC
Pompey
Ptolemy XIII
235day.year
Pope Pontian resigns. He is exiled to the mines of Sardinia, along with Hippolytus of Rome.
Pope Pontian becomes the first Roman bishop to resign, ending his papacy under persecution and facing exile in Sardinia.
In 235, amid renewed persecutions under Emperor Maximinus Thrax, Pope Pontian tendered his resignation.
He became the first Bishop of Rome to abdicate the papacy as imprisonment and pressure mounted.
Alongside Hippolytus of Rome, a leading theologian, Pontian was dispatched to harsh mining camps in Sardinia.
The cruel conditions tested the resilience of early Christian leadership and faith.
Their exile temporarily resolved a leadership schism, allowing a new pope to be elected in Rome.
Both Pontian and Hippolytus died in captivity and were later honored as martyrs.
This event underscored the trials faced by the early church and set a precedent in papal history.
235
Pope Pontian
Hippolytus of Rome
351day.year
Constantius II defeats the usurper Magnentius.
Emperor Constantius II secures a decisive victory over the rebel usurper Magnentius, reinforcing his control of the empire.
In 351, Constantius II confronted the usurper Magnentius, who had seized the western provinces of the Roman Empire.
The two armies clashed at the Battle of Mursa Major near the Drava River.
Intense combat resulted in a decisive victory for Constantius’s seasoned legions.
Magnentius’s forces were shattered, and his support rapidly crumbled.
The defeat forced the usurper into retreat and effectively ended his claim to the throne.
Constantius’s triumph reaffirmed his authority and deterred future rebellions.
However, the civil war left the empire militarily weakened and financially strained.
351
defeats
365day.year
Roman usurper Procopius bribes two legions passing by Constantinople, and proclaims himself emperor.
Noble Procopius bribes two Roman legions near Constantinople and declares himself emperor in a bold usurpation.
In 365, Procopius, a cousin of Emperor Julian, plotted to seize power in the Eastern Roman Empire.
He bribed two legions stationed outside Constantinople to switch their loyalty to him.
With military backing, Procopius proclaimed himself emperor, challenging Valentinian I and his brother Valens.
His claim aimed to exploit discontent and his dynastic ties to Julian the Apostate.
Loyal imperial forces quickly mobilized to confront the rebellion.
The uprising was short-lived; Procopius was defeated, captured, and executed.
His brief usurpation highlighted the volatility of succession and military allegiance in the late empire.
365
Procopius
935day.year
Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia is murdered by a group of nobles led by his brother Boleslaus I, who succeeds him.
Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia is assassinated in a fratricidal plot led by his brother Boleslaus I, altering the duchy’s leadership.
On 28 September 935, Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia, later revered as a saint, was betrayed and murdered.
A coalition of disaffected nobles, instigated by his brother Boleslaus I, orchestrated the assassination.
They opposed Wenceslaus’s Christian reforms and close ties with foreign powers.
Boleslaus seized the ducal title immediately, reversing many of his brother’s policies.
The brutal act triggered outrage among Christian communities who venerated Wenceslaus.
He was soon venerated as a martyr, and legends of his piety spread throughout Europe.
The fratricide reshaped Bohemian politics and cemented Boleslaus’s rule.
935
Wenceslaus I
Bohemia
Boleslaus I
995day.year
Boleslaus II, Duke of Bohemia, kills most members of the rival Slavník dynasty.
Duke Boleslaus II of Bohemia orchestrates a massacre against the Slavník dynasty, eliminating a powerful rival lineage.
In 995, Duke Boleslaus II of Bohemia launched a brutal assault on the Slavník dynasty at their stronghold in Libice.
His forces killed most male members of the powerful noble family, ending their challenge to Přemyslid dominance.
Surviving women and children were thrown from castle walls or taken into captivity.
The massacre consolidated Boleslaus’s control over Bohemia and its territories.
The ruthless act sparked fear and secured loyalty among lesser nobles.
Although it removed a key rival, the violence tarnished Boleslaus’s reputation.
The event underscored the brutal methods rulers employed to establish authority.
995
Boleslaus II, Duke of Bohemia
1066day.year
William the Conqueror lands in England, beginning the Norman conquest.
William the Conqueror’s forces land at Pevensey Bay, launching the Norman Conquest of England.
On 28 September 1066, Duke William II of Normandy’s fleet arrived off the coast of Sussex and disembarked at Pevensey Bay.
His invading army quickly fortified a defensive position against King Harold’s forces.
This strategic landing marked the opening phase of the Norman Conquest of England.
William claimed the English crown through a contested succession promise and papal endorsement.
The ensuing Battle of Hastings would decisively shift control of England to the Normans.
The conquest introduced Norman feudal structures, language, and architectural styles.
William’s victory reshaped English society and governance for centuries to come.
1066
England
Norman conquest
1106day.year
King Henry I of England defeats his brother Robert Curthose at the Battle of Tinchebray.
King Henry I defeats his brother Robert Curthose at Tinchebray, uniting Normandy and England under his rule.
On 28 September 1106, Henry I of England faced his elder brother Robert Curthose near Tinchebray in Normandy.
The brothers had long vied for control of both England and Normandy.
Henry’s well-disciplined infantry and tactical acumen overwhelmed Robert’s forces.
Robert was captured in the aftermath and imprisoned, ending his ducal ambitions.
Henry’s victory reunified Normandy with the English crown, strengthening his dynasty.
The triumph enhanced royal authority and deterred future succession disputes.
Normandy remained under English control until the loss to Philip II of France in 1204.
1106
King Henry I of England
Robert Curthose
Battle of Tinchebray
1213day.year
Queen consort Gertrude of Merania is assassinated by a group of Hungarian lords.
Queen Gertrude of Merania is ambushed and killed by Hungarian nobles resentful of her foreign influence.
On 28 September 1213, Gertrude of Merania, wife of King Andrew II of Hungary, was attacked by a faction of Hungarian lords.
Her close ties with German courtiers fueled noble resentment and political tension.
While traveling near Pilis, she and her escort were ambushed on a narrow bridge.
The conspirators killed her and several loyal knights in a swift strike.
King Andrew II responded with harsh reprisals against the perpetrators.
Gertrude’s death highlighted the volatile balance between native nobility and royal authority.
She was later venerated by some as a martyr, but Hungary remained politically unstable.
1213
Gertrude of Merania
assassinated
1238day.year
King James I of Aragon conquers Valencia from the Moors. Shortly thereafter, he proclaims himself king of Valencia.
King James I of Aragon captures Valencia from Moorish rule and installs himself as its first Christian monarch.
In 1238, after a prolonged siege, James I of Aragon’s forces breached Valencia’s defenses.
The city’s fall ended centuries of Islamic governance in the fertile Turia valley.
James entered Valencia in triumph and was crowned its king in a public ceremony.
He introduced Christian laws and invited settlers from Aragon and Catalonia.
Valencia quickly became a thriving Mediterranean port under his patronage.
The conquest expanded the Crown of Aragon and influenced Iberian geopolitics.
This victory marked a pivotal moment in the Reconquista and the rise of Aragonese power.
1238
James I of Aragon
king of Valencia
1322day.year
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, defeats Frederick I of Austria in the Battle of Mühldorf.
In 1322, Louis IV claimed a decisive victory over Frederick I of Austria at the Battle of Mühldorf, solidifying his hold on the imperial crown.
The Battle of Mühldorf occurred on September 28, 1322, near Mühldorf am Inn in Bavaria. It was fought between Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and his rival, Frederick I of Austria. The clash was prompted by a dispute over the imperial crown following contested elections. Louis IV's forces secured a decisive victory, capturing Frederick and ending his challenge for the throne. This triumph reinforced Louis's position and shaped the power dynamics within the Holy Roman Empire for years to come.
1322
Battle of Mühldorf
1538day.year
Ottoman–Venetian War: The Ottoman Navy scores a decisive victory over a Holy League fleet in the Battle of Preveza.
During the Ottoman–Venetian War in 1538, the Ottoman navy delivered a crushing blow to the Holy League fleet at Preveza.
On September 28, 1538, near the Ionian coast, the Ottoman fleet under Admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa engaged a Holy League naval armada commanded by Andrea Doria. The battle ended in a resounding Ottoman victory, showcasing superior tactics and seamanship. Venetian and Spanish ships suffered heavy losses, forcing the coalition to withdraw. This success secured Ottoman dominance in the eastern Mediterranean for decades. The outcome also highlighted shifting maritime power and had lasting impacts on European naval strategies.
1538
Battle of Preveza