61 BC
Pompey the Great celebrates his third triumph for victories over the pirates and the end of the Mithridatic Wars on his 45th birthday.
On his 45th birthday in 61 BC, Roman general Pompey the Great held his third triumph in Rome, celebrating victories over Mediterranean pirates and the end of the Mithridatic Wars.
In 61 BC, Roman statesman Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus staged his third triumph, a grand procession through Rome to honor military success. He was celebrated for defeating Cilician pirates, securing vital trade routes for the Republic. The ceremony also marked the conclusion of the Mithridatic Wars against King Mithridates VI of Pontus. Pompey paraded spoils of war, captives, and exotic animals before enthusiastic crowds. Triumphs were the highest military honors in Rome, symbolizing power and divine favor. This event cemented Pompey's reputation as one of antiquity's greatest commanders.
61 BC
Pompey the Great
triumph
Mithridatic Wars
1011day.year
Danes capture Canterbury after a siege, taking Ælfheah, archbishop of Canterbury, as a prisoner.
Danish Viking forces capture Canterbury after a siege in 1011, seizing Archbishop Ælfheah as a hostage.
In 1011, a formidable Danish Viking army laid siege to Canterbury, one of England's most important ecclesiastical centers. After intense fighting, the defenders capitulated, and the Vikings entered the city. They took Archbishop Ælfheah prisoner, hoping to extract a large ransom. Ælfheah's subsequent refusal to authorize the payment heightened tensions. This raid exemplified the tumultuous era of Viking incursions in the British Isles. The fall of Canterbury sent shockwaves through Anglo-Saxon England, underscoring the kingdom's vulnerability.
1011
capture Canterbury after a siege
Ælfheah
archbishop of Canterbury
1364day.year
During the Hundred Years' War, Anglo-Breton forces defeat the Franco-Breton army in Brittany, ending the War of the Breton Succession.
Anglo-Breton forces defeat the Franco-Breton army in Brittany in 1364, ending the War of the Breton Succession during the Hundred Years' War.
On September 29, 1364, Anglo-Breton troops secured a decisive victory over Franco-Breton forces at the Battle of Auray. This clash, part of the larger Hundred Years' War, resolved the protracted War of the Breton Succession. Charles of Blois, supported by France, was killed in battle, ensuring victory for John de Montfort with English backing. The victory solidified de Montfort's claim to the Breton duchy and strengthened English influence in the region. The treaty that followed cemented Montfort's rule and established a strategic alliance. Brittany's future was shaped by the outcome, influencing the balance of power in medieval France.
1364
Hundred Years' War
defeat
Brittany
War of the Breton Succession
1567day.year
During the French War of Religion, Protestant coup officials in Nîmes massacre Catholic priests in an event now known as the Michelade.
Known as the Michelade, Protestant officials in Nîmes massacre Catholic clergy during a coup in 1567 amidst the French Wars of Religion.
In 1567, Nîmes became a flashpoint in the French Wars of Religion when Protestant leaders seized control of the city. During the Michelade massacre, they executed dozens of Catholic priests and monks. The violence erupted after mounting tensions between Huguenots and Catholics over religious and political rights. Although driven by local grievances, the massacre reflected broader struggles for power and faith in France. News of the event spread shock and outrage across Europe. The Michelade intensified the cycle of retaliation and reprisal that defined the era.
1567
French War of Religion
Protestant
Nîmes
Catholic
Michelade
1714day.year
The Cossacks of the Russian Empire kill about 800 people overnight in Hailuoto during the Great Wrath.
During the period known as the Great Wrath in 1714, Cossack forces of the Russian Empire massacre around 800 residents of Hailuoto.
In the autumn of 1714, amid the Great Northern War, Cossack regiments under Russian command landed on the island of Hailuoto off Finland's coast. Over one night, they killed approximately 800 inhabitants, including civilians of all ages. The atrocity occurred during Russia's occupation of Finnish territories, instilling fear throughout the region. Local chronicles recount the brutality and the refugees who fled across the frozen sea. The event became emblematic of the hardships endured by Finns during the Great Wrath (Isoviha). It left a lasting scar on local memory and folklore.
1714
Cossacks
Russian Empire
Hailuoto
Great Wrath
1848day.year
The Battle of Pákozd is a stalemate between Hungarian and Croatian forces and is the first battle of the Hungarian Revolution.
The Battle of Pákozd in 1848 serves as the opening clash of the Hungarian Revolution, ending in a stalemate.
On September 29, 1848, Hungarian Honvéd forces confronted Croatian troops under Ban Jelačić near Pákozd, west of Lake Velence. The engagement ended in a costly stalemate, with neither side securing a decisive advantage. This battle halted the Croatian advance toward Pest and bolstered Hungarian morale. It demonstrated the effectiveness of Hungary’s newly organized volunteer units. As the first major combat of the revolution, Pákozd galvanized national support for autonomy. The outcome set the stage for further revolutionary actions against Habsburg rule.
1848
Battle of Pákozd
Hungarian Revolution
1864day.year
The Battle of Chaffin's Farm is fought in the American Civil War.
Union and Confederate forces clash at Chaffin's Farm, Virginia, in 1864 during the American Civil War.
On September 29, 1864, Union troops under Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant launched an assault on Confederate defenses north of the James River. They targeted Fort Harrison at Chaffin's Farm, defended by forces loyal to General Robert E. Lee. African American soldiers of the United States Colored Troops played a key role in the fierce fighting. Although Confederates repelled part of the assault, they withdrew from Fort Harrison the next day, giving the Union forces a strategic foothold. The battle exposed vulnerabilities in Richmond's outer defenses and demonstrated the valor of Black regiments. It set the stage for subsequent campaigns against the Confederate capital.
1864
Battle of Chaffin's Farm
American Civil War
1911day.year
Italy declares war on the Ottoman Empire.
Italy declares war on the Ottoman Empire in 1911, beginning the Italo-Turkish War over North African territories.
On September 29, 1911, Italy declared war on the Ottoman Empire to seize control of Libya's Tripolitania and Cyrenaica provinces. Italian naval forces quickly established sea superiority, imposing blockades and bombarding Ottoman ports. The conflict saw the first use of military aircraft for reconnaissance and bombing missions. Facing logistical challenges and nationalist uprisings, the Ottomans struggled to defend their North African territories. The war concluded in October 1912 with the Treaty of Ouchy, ceding Libya to Italy. This campaign foreshadowed new forms of modern warfare and influenced the alliances of World War I.
1911
declares war
Ottoman Empire
1918day.year
Bulgaria signs the Armistice of Salonica ending its participation in World War I.
Bulgaria signed the Armistice of Salonica, ending its participation in World War I.
On September 29, 1918, Bulgaria became the first Central Powers nation to sue for peace by signing the Armistice of Salonica. Facing defeats on the Macedonian front and domestic unrest, Bulgarian leaders agreed to harsh Allied terms including evacuation of territories and disarmament. The armistice triggered a revolution at home and the abdication of Tsar Ferdinand I. It marked a pivotal moment in World War I, signaling the collapse of the Central Powers coalition. The agreement reshaped the Balkan front and paved the way for Bulgaria's postwar realignment. This decision had lasting political and social consequences for the region.
1918
Armistice of Salonica
World War I
1918day.year
The Hindenburg Line is broken by an Allied attack in World War I.
Allied forces broke through the Hindenburg Line, Germany's last major defensive position, during World War I.
On September 29, 1918, Allied troops executed a coordinated assault on the Hindenburg Line, breaching the formidable German fortifications. Utilizing tanks, artillery, and infantry advances, the British 46th Division and Australian Corps forced a breakthrough at the St. Quentin Canal. The fall of this defensive stronghold undermined German morale and accelerated the momentum of the Allied Hundred Days Offensive. The breach demonstrated the effectiveness of combined arms tactics and foreshadowed the impending end of the war. German commanders struggled to stabilize the front as the Allies pressed their advantage. The event is remembered as a key turning point in the final phase of World War I.
Hindenburg Line
broken
1918day.year
Germany's Supreme Army Command tells Kaiser Wilhelm II and Imperial Chancellor Georg Michaelis to open negotiations for an armistice to end World War I.
Germany's Supreme Army Command urged Wilhelm II and Chancellor Michaelis to seek an armistice, pushing to end World War I.
Facing imminent defeat on multiple fronts, Germany's Supreme Army Command (OHL) told Kaiser Wilhelm II and Chancellor Georg Michaelis on September 29, 1918 to negotiate an armistice. Generals Hindenburg and Ludendorff recognized that the German war effort had collapsed and required civilian leadership to secure peace. This marked a shift from military to political responsibility for ending the conflict. Their demand set in motion talks that would culminate in the Armistice of Compiègne on November 11. The decision strained relations between the monarchy and military, contributing to political upheaval in Germany. It remains a defining moment in the transition from war to the Weimar Republic.
Supreme Army Command
Wilhelm II
Georg Michaelis
armistice
1920day.year
Ukrainian War of Independence: The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic agree to a truce with the Makhnovshchina.
A temporary truce was agreed between the Ukrainian SSR and the anarchist Makhnovshchina during the Ukrainian War of Independence.
On September 29, 1920, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and Nestor Makhno's anarchist forces (the Makhnovshchina) agreed to a ceasefire amid the chaotic Ukrainian War of Independence. The truce was motivated by the need to confront the advancing White Army under General Wrangel. Both sides paused hostilities, allowing Makhno's troops to resupply and the Red Army to focus on their common enemy. The agreement reflected the complex and shifting alliances of post-revolutionary Ukraine. Despite its pragmatic benefits, the ceasefire was short-lived as Bolshevik authorities later turned against Makhno. This episode illustrates the turmoil and ideological conflicts that defined the era.
1920
Ukrainian War of Independence
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
truce
Makhnovshchina