610day.year
Heraclius arrives at Constantinople, kills Byzantine Emperor Phocas, and becomes emperor.
In 610, General Heraclius seized Constantinople, deposed Emperor Phocas, and ascended the Byzantine throne.
At the start of October 610, the Byzantine general Heraclius launched a surprise expedition from the Exarchate of Africa. His forces sailed swiftly and entered Constantinople on October 5. Once inside the imperial palace, Heraclius executed the unpopular Emperor Phocas. With Phocas removed, he secured the support of the Senate and the city guard. Heraclius was proclaimed emperor, marking the end of Phocas’s turbulent reign. His accession established the Heraclian dynasty and initiated comprehensive reforms that would shape the empire’s fortunes.
610
Heraclius
816day.year
King Louis the Pious is crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by the Pope.
On October 5, 816, Louis the Pious was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Stephen IV in Rome.
In the autumn of 816, Charlemagne’s son Louis the Pious traveled to Rome to seek papal coronation. On October 5, Pope Stephen IV placed the imperial crown upon his head, formally recognizing him as Holy Roman Emperor. This ceremony reinforced the alliance between the Frankish monarchy and the papacy. Louis vowed to uphold Christian unity and justice across his realm. His coronation solidified his authority among the Frankish nobility. This event continued the Carolingian tradition of papally endorsed imperial rule in western Europe.
816
Louis the Pious
869day.year
The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to depose patriarch Photios I.
The Fourth Council of Constantinople began on October 5, 869, to address disputes over Patriarch Photios I.
On October 5, 869, the Fourth Council of Constantinople assembled under Emperor Basil I to settle the growing conflict within the Eastern Church. The main aim was to depose Patriarch Photios I, whose contested installation had sparked a theological and political crisis. Over one hundred bishops attended, debating issues of jurisdiction and doctrinal authority. Photios was charged with usurping the patriarchal throne and excommunicating his predecessor Ignatius. The council ultimately declared Photios deposed and reinstated Ignatius, deepening the schism with the Western Church. This gathering had long-lasting effects on Byzantine ecclesiastical structure and East–West relations.
869
Fourth Council of Constantinople
1143day.year
With the signing of the Treaty of Zamora, King Alfonso VII of León and Castile recognises Portugal as a Kingdom.
With the Treaty of Zamora signed on October 5, 1143, Alfonso VII recognized Portugal as an independent kingdom.
On October 5, 1143, the Treaty of Zamora was signed between King Alfonso VII of León and Castile and Prince Afonso Henriques. The agreement acknowledged Afonso Henriques’s control over Portuguese territories and proclaimed him King of Portugal. This treaty marked Portugal’s formal emergence as a sovereign kingdom separate from León. Diplomatic envoys affirmed new borders along the Minho River. The papacy later granted a separate archbishopric to Lisbon, further legitimizing Portugal’s independence. The Treaty of Zamora laid the foundation for the nation’s distinct identity on the Iberian Peninsula.
1143
Treaty of Zamora
Alfonso VII of León and Castile
1450day.year
Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria expels Jews from his jurisdiction.
On October 5, 1450, Duke Louis IX of Bavaria issued an edict expelling Jews from his lands.
Amid mounting religious and economic tensions, Duke Louis IX of Bavaria declared on October 5, 1450, that all Jewish residents must leave his domain. The measure was justified by accusations of usury and alleged threats to social order. Jewish families were forced to abandon property and seek safe haven elsewhere. Many fled to neighboring principalities, facing poverty and uncertainty. The expulsion shattered established Jewish communities in Bavaria that had existed for generations. This decree reflects the precarious status of medieval Jewish populations and the frequent pattern of expulsions in European history.
1450
Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria
1607day.year
Assassins attempt to kill Venetian statesman and scientist Paolo Sarpi.
In 1607, unidentified assassins attacked Venetian scholar and statesman Paolo Sarpi in an attempt on his life.
Paolo Sarpi, a prominent Venetian theologian and state adviser, survived an assassination attempt on October 5, 1607. Shot at near his Venetian residence, he was seriously wounded but managed to escape further harm. The plot was widely believed to have been orchestrated by opponents of his reforms and his defense of Venetian independence against papal interference. Sarpi’s recovery became a celebrated event, bolstering his reputation as a steadfast defender of the republic. He continued to advise the Venetian Senate, producing influential works on canon law and science. This incident underlined the high stakes of religious and political conflicts in early modern Europe.
1607
Paolo Sarpi
1789day.year
French Revolution: The Women's March on Versailles effectively terminates royal authority.
On October 5, 1789, thousands of women marched to Versailles, forcing the royal family to relocate to Paris and effectively ending the monarchy’s independence.
On October 5, 1789, amidst food shortages and revolutionary fervor, a large crowd of Parisian women marched on the Palace of Versailles. Chanting for bread and political reforms, they overwhelmed the royal guards and entered the palace grounds. King Louis XVI and his family were forced to seek sanctuary, and the National Assembly conceded to their demands. The royal court was relocated to the Tuileries Palace in Paris, placing the king under closer revolutionary scrutiny. This march symbolized popular empowerment and the collapse of absolute monarchy in France. The event dramatically shifted the French Revolution from political debate to grassroots action.
1789
Women's March on Versailles
1813day.year
War of 1812: The Army of the Northwest defeats a British and Native Canadian force threatening Detroit.
On October 5, 1813, the U.S. Army of the Northwest defeated British and Native Canadian forces near Detroit during the War of 1812.
In October 1813, during the War of 1812, the U.S. Army of the Northwest engaged British and Native Canadian forces threatening Detroit. On October 5, American troops executed a strategic river crossing and launched a surprise assault. The British defenses were outflanked, leading to a decisive American victory. This triumph safeguarded Detroit and boosted morale in the western frontier. It also disrupted British supply lines and weakened Native alliances in the region. The victory underscored American growing military competence and helped turn the tide in the Northwest theater.
1813
War of 1812
defeats
1838day.year
The Killough massacre in east Texas sees eighteen Texian settlers either killed or kidnapped.
On October 5, 1838, eighteen Texian settlers were killed or taken captive in the Killough massacre in East Texas.
In October 1838, tensions between Texian settlers and Native American tribes escalated in present-day East Texas. On the morning of October 5, a group led by the Killough family was ambushed near the Sabine River. Over the course of the attack, eighteen men, women, and children were either killed or carried off as captives. The massacre marked one of the deadliest clashes on the Texas frontier at that time. News of the violence spread rapidly, fueling fears among settlers and prompting calls for military protection. The event highlighted the volatility of territorial expansion and the dangers faced by pioneers in the region.
1838
Killough massacre
1869day.year
The Saxby Gale devastates the Bay of Fundy region in Canada.
The Saxby Gale storm struck the Bay of Fundy on October 5, 1869, causing widespread flooding and destruction in the Canadian Maritimes.
On October 5, 1869, a powerful storm known as the Saxby Gale struck the Bay of Fundy region of Canada. Unusually high tides combined with storm surge to inundate coastal communities in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Wooden structures, piers, and farmland were swept away or submerged under floodwaters. Residents faced the loss of homes, livestock, and vital fishing infrastructure. The tempest underscored the region’s vulnerability to extreme weather events linked to tidal anomalies. Recovery efforts required extensive rebuilding and prompted early discussions on improved coastal defenses. The Saxby Gale remains a historical benchmark for natural disasters in the Maritimes.
1869
Saxby Gale
1869day.year
The Eastman tunnel, in Minnesota, United States, collapses during construction, causing a landslide that nearly destroys St. Anthony Falls.
In 1869, construction of the Eastman Tunnel in Minnesota failed disastrously, unleashing a landslide that nearly eradicated St. Anthony Falls.
In 1869, engineers excavating the Eastman Tunnel beneath the Mississippi River in Minnesota encountered an unexpected breach. Water flooded the tunnel with immense force, triggering a massive landslide that threatened the historic St. Anthony Falls. Designed as a vital navigation project, the collapsed tunnel deposited debris downstream, disrupting river traffic and endangering nearby mills. Despite emergency interventions to divert water and reinforce the site, the tunnel was abandoned unfinished. The incident highlighted the perils of early underwater engineering and led to more rigorous geological assessments for future constructions.
Eastman tunnel
1877day.year
The Nez Perce War in the northwestern United States comes to an end.
The Nez Perce War concluded in 1877, marking the end of a desperate conflict between the Nez Perce people and the U.S. Army in the Pacific Northwest.
In 1877, following months of fierce resistance and a remarkable retreat toward Canada, the Nez Perce tribe faced the U.S. Army's overwhelming forces. Led by Chief Joseph, they fought valiantly to preserve their land and autonomy but were ultimately cornered near the Bear Paw Mountains. On October 5, Chief Joseph surrendered, bringing the war to an end with a poignant appeal for mercy. The conflict’s conclusion forced the tribe’s relocation to reservations and became a symbol of broken promises in U.S. Indian policy. Historians regard the Nez Perce War as a defining chapter in Native American resistance and westward expansion.
1877
Nez Perce War