829day.year
Theophilos succeeds his father Michael II as Byzantine Emperor.
In 829, Theophilos ascended the Byzantine throne upon his father Michael II's death, becoming emperor at a young age. His reign would later be marked by military campaigns and religious controversy.
In 829, following the death of Emperor Michael II, his son Theophilos inherited the Byzantine throne as sole ruler. Theophilos was only in his early teens when he assumed power, prompting questions about regency and court influence. He continued his father’s iconoclastic policies, enforcing the ban on religious images within the empire. Militarily, Theophilos led campaigns against Arab forces on the eastern frontier, achieving mixed success but demonstrating personal bravery. Under his rule, the imperial court experienced a flourishing of architecture and the arts, especially in the capital Constantinople. His marriage to Theodora would later prove crucial in restoring the veneration of icons after his death in 842.
829
Theophilos
Michael II
Byzantine Emperor
939day.year
Battle of Andernach: Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, crushes a rebellion against his rule, by a coalition of Eberhard of Franconia and other Frankish dukes.
In 939, Emperor Otto I decisively defeated a coalition of rebellious Frankish dukes at the Battle of Andernach, quelling a major uprising. This victory solidified his authority within the early Holy Roman Empire.
In October 939, Otto I led imperial forces against a rebellion spearheaded by Eberhard of Franconia and other Frankish dukes at Andernach. The rebel coalition had risen in protest against Otto’s central reforms and consolidation of power. Otto’s disciplined army executed strategic maneuvers to encircle and rout the insurgent forces along the Rhine. The decisive defeat at Andernach ended major internal opposition and restored stability to the realm. Following the victory, Otto imposed penalties on the defeated nobles and reassigned their lands to loyal supporters. This triumph laid the groundwork for Otto’s later coronation as the first Holy Roman Emperor in 962.
939
Battle of Andernach
Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
Eberhard of Franconia
1263day.year
The Battle of Largs is fought between Norwegians and Scots.
In 1263, Scottish forces clashed with a Norwegian expedition at the Battle of Largs on the Firth of Clyde. The engagement curtailed Norway’s influence over the western Scottish isles.
In October 1263, a Norwegian force sent by King Haakon IV landed near Largs to reassert control over the Western Isles of Scotland. The campaign faced logistical challenges as storms scattered the naval fleet along the coast. Scottish King Alexander III seized the opportunity to confront the isolated Norwegians near Largs. The resulting battle was inconclusive in tactical terms but strategically favored the Scots as the Norse troops retreated to their ships. Shortly after, news of King Haakon’s death led to negotiations that transferred the Hebrides to Scottish rule under the 1266 Treaty of Perth. The Battle of Largs thus marked a turning point in Scottish consolidation of its western territories.
1263
Battle of Largs
1470day.year
The Earl of Warwick's rebellion forces King Edward IV of England to flee to the Netherlands, restoring Henry VI to the throne.
In 1470, Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, rebelled against Edward IV, forcing the king into exile. This upheaval briefly restored Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses.
Richard Neville, known as the 'Kingmaker,' led a powerful aristocratic rebellion against King Edward IV of England in October 1470. Dissatisfied with Edward’s favoritism and political maneuvers, Warwick allied with former rival Margaret of Anjou and the Lancastrian faction. Their combined forces overwhelmed royal supporters, compelling Edward IV to flee across the English Channel to the Netherlands. In a dramatic reversal of fortune, the Lancastrian Henry VI was restored to the throne despite his mental frailty. The brief readeption highlighted the deep divisions within the English nobility and foreshadowed further bloodshed. Edward IV would return with mercenary backing in 1471, ultimately securing his dynasty’s hold on power.
1470
The Earl of Warwick
Edward IV of England
Netherlands
Henry VI
1552day.year
Russo-Kazan Wars: Russian troops enter Kazan.
On October 2, 1552, Russian forces under Tsar Ivan IV entered the Tatar city of Kazan after a protracted siege. This conquest marked a decisive moment in Russia’s eastward expansion.
During the summer of 1552, Tsar Ivan IV of Russia laid siege to Kazan, the capital of the Khanate of Kazan, determined to eliminate this rival state. After months of bombardment and trench warfare, Russian sappers breached the city’s fortifications by late September. On October 2, the troops poured into Kazan and captured the city amid fierce resistance. The fall of Kazan ended the independence of the Tatar khanate and secured the Volga River trade routes for Russia. Looting and forced conversions followed, as Ivan IV sought to integrate the new territory into his realm. The victory at Kazan paved the way for Russia’s subsequent expansion into Siberia.
1552
enter Kazan
1766day.year
The Nottingham Cheese Riot breaks out at the Goose Fair in Nottingham, UK, in response to the excessive cost of cheese.
In 1766, rioters at Nottingham’s Goose Fair turned on high-priced cheese, smashing and seizing wheels in protest. The Nottingham Cheese Riot became an early example of consumer unrest.
At the annual Goose Fair in Nottingham on October 2, 1766, townspeople discovered cheese prices had soared due to heavy taxation and poor harvests. A crowd gathered and began to board up the cheese sellers’ wagons, demanding fairer prices and an end to market manipulation. The situation escalated into a riot when authorities attempted to disperse the mob, resulting in skirmishes and the destruction of property. Local magistrates intervened by lowering cheese duties and negotiating with traders to calm the unrest. Newspapers across Britain reported on the events, highlighting public anger over food shortages and economic inequality. The Nottingham Cheese Riot stands as a vivid example of popular protest against economic hardship in 18th-century England.
1766
Nottingham Cheese Riot
Goose Fair
Nottingham
1780day.year
American Revolutionary War: John André, a British Army officer, is hanged as a spy by the Continental Army.
On October 2, 1780, British Major John André was executed by the Continental Army as a spy for conspiring with Benedict Arnold. His hanging became a poignant episode of the American Revolutionary War.
John André, the Adjutant General of the British Army, was captured behind American lines while negotiating Benedict Arnold’s planned surrender of West Point. Following a military trial in Tappan, New York, André was found guilty of espionage under the laws of war. Despite appeals for clemency by both American and British officers, General George Washington upheld the sentence. On October 2, André was hanged in full uniform, an act that generated sympathy even among his adversaries. His dignified comportment and final message to his family elevated André to near-martyr status in British memory. The execution underscored the harsh realities of wartime intelligence and the perils faced by spies.
1780
American Revolutionary War
John André
1789day.year
The United States Bill of Rights is sent to the various States for ratification.
On October 2, 1789, the U.S. Congress transmitted the proposed Bill of Rights to the states for ratification. These ten amendments would guarantee fundamental freedoms to American citizens.
Drafted primarily by James Madison, the Bill of Rights comprised twelve proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The first eight focused on individual liberties such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, while others addressed legal protections like due process and trial by jury. After debate in Congress, the proposed amendments were approved and sent to the state legislatures on October 2, 1789. Ratification required approval by three-quarters of the states, a process completed on December 15, 1791, when Virginia became the eleventh state to ratify. The adoption of the Bill of Rights assuaged concerns over federal power and secured popular support for the new government. These amendments remain central to American law and civil rights to this day.
1789
United States Bill of Rights
1835day.year
Texas Revolution: Mexican troops attempt to disarm the people of Gonzales, but encounter stiff resistance from a hastily assembled militia.
On October 2, 1835, Texian settlers resisted Mexican troops' attempt to seize a cannon at Gonzales, igniting the Texas Revolution. The skirmish became known as the 'Come and Take It' battle.
In September 1835, Mexican authorities in San Antonio demanded the return of a small cannon previously given to the town of Gonzales for defense against Indian raids. On October 2, a militia of Texian settlers gathered under a homemade flag declaring 'Come and Take It' to resist the order. The ensuing skirmish resulted in a brief exchange of fire and the withdrawal of Mexican troops back to San Antonio. This encounter, though limited in scale, galvanized support for Texian independence across Mexican Texas. The Battle of Gonzales earned its reputation as the first military engagement of the Texas Revolution. Texans would go on to defeat Mexican forces the following year, securing the Republic of Texas.
1835
disarm the people of Gonzales
1864day.year
American Civil War: Confederates defeat a Union attack on Saltville, Virginia. A massacre of wounded Union prisoners ensues.
On October 2, 1864, Confederate forces defended the vital saltworks at Saltville, Virginia, and repelled a Union assault during the American Civil War. The battle was marred by the massacre of wounded Union soldiers.
The Battle of Saltville on October 2, 1864, centered around the strategic saltworks vital to Confederate food preservation. A Union force under Brigadier General Stephen G. Burbridge attacked the Confederate-held works defended by regular units and local militia. Despite initial advances, Union troops were repulsed by entrenched sharpshooters and cavalry countercharges. After the fighting ended, a group of Confederate irregulars murdered wounded black Union soldiers in a grievous war crime. Northern newspapers denounced the atrocity, and post-war investigations highlighted the brutal racial violence. The Confederate defense ensured continued access to salt, but the massacre left a dark stain on the engagement’s legacy.
1864
American Civil War
defeat
1870day.year
By plebiscite, the citizens of the Papal States accept annexation by the Kingdom of Italy.
The Papal States vote to join the Kingdom of Italy after a public plebiscite.
In 1870, citizens of the Papal States participated in a plebiscite to determine the fate of their territory. The majority voted in favor of annexation by the Kingdom of Italy, effectively ending the temporal power of the Pope. This event marked a crucial step in Italian unification and the absorption of the Papal States into the newly formed Italian nation. The plebiscite was held amid internal and international political pressures. Voter turnout and campaign conditions reflected the complex relationship between Church and State. After the vote, Italian forces took control of Rome and the surrounding territories. The annexation was later formalized by the Law of Guarantees in 1871. The result reshaped the political and religious landscape of Italy for decades to come.
1870
plebiscite
annexation by the Kingdom of Italy
1919day.year
Seven days after suffering a "physical collapse" following a speech in Pueblo, Colorado, U.S. president Woodrow Wilson has a catastrophic stroke at the White House, leaving him physically and mentally incapacitated for the remainder of his presidency.
President Woodrow Wilson suffers a devastating stroke at the White House, leaving him incapacitated for the rest of his term.
On October 2, 1919, seven days after a reported physical collapse following a speech in Pueblo, President Woodrow Wilson suffered a catastrophic stroke at the White House. The stroke left him partially paralyzed and mentally incapacitated for the remainder of his presidency. During his recovery, First Lady Edith Wilson took on a significant role in screening communications and managing presidential affairs. Wilson's condition was kept secret from the public and many government officials. Historians debate the extent of Edith's influence during this period and its impact on the executive branch. The event raised constitutional questions about presidential succession and the lack of clear protocols. The crisis exposed vulnerabilities in the U.S. political system’s ability to respond to a leader’s health emergency.
1919
physical collapse
speech in Pueblo, Colorado
Woodrow Wilson
stroke
White House