680day.year
The Battle of Karbala marks the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali.
The Battle of Karbala in 680 AD led to the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali and became a defining event in Islamic history.
On October 10, 680 AD (10 Muharram, 61 AH), Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, faced the forces of Umayyad caliph Yazid I at Karbala in present-day Iraq. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Husayn refused to pledge allegiance to what he viewed as an illegitimate ruler. The ensuing battle led to his death and that of many of his companions, including members of his family. Their martyrdom was mourned by early Muslim communities and quickly became a symbol of resistance against tyranny. The account of Karbala was preserved in poetry, sermons, and rituals, solidifying its place in Shia Islam. Every year, millions of pilgrims retrace Husayn's path during Ashura commemorations. The event has influenced Islamic art, literature, and political movements over the centuries.
680
Battle of Karbala
martyrdom
Husayn ibn Ali
732day.year
Charles Martel's forces defeat an Umayyad army near Tours, France.
In 732 AD, Charles Martel's Frankish forces defeated an Umayyad army near Tours, halting the Muslim advance into Western Europe.
In October 732 AD, Charles Martel, the de facto ruler of the Frankish kingdom, confronted an invading Umayyad force near Tours and Poitiers. The battle began in wooded terrain, where disciplined Frankish infantry repelled cavalry charges with tight formations. According to medieval chronicles, Charles personally rallied his troops and launched a counterattack that broke the enemy lines. The Umayyad defeat forced their retreat south of the Loire River and ended major Muslim incursions into Western Europe. This victory earned Charles the title 'Martel', meaning 'the Hammer', and strengthened his position as a unifying figure in Gaul. It also set the stage for the rise of his descendants, including his grandson Charlemagne. Historians debate the battle's long-term impact, but it remains a celebrated moment in European resistance to Umayyad expansion.
732
Charles Martel
defeat an Umayyad army
Tours, France
1471day.year
Sten Sture the Elder, the Regent of Sweden, with the help of farmers and miners, repels an attack by King Christian I of Denmark.
Swedish Regent Sten Sture the Elder repelled a Danish attack in 1471 with the help of local farmers and miners, securing Swedish autonomy.
In October 1471, during the struggle against the Kalmar Union, Regent Sten Sture the Elder marshaled a force of local farmers and miners to defend Sweden from Danish ambitions. King Christian I had launched an expedition to assert control over the Swedish throne and restore the Union. Sture's forces defeated the Danes at the Battle of Brunkeberg near Stockholm, using terrain knowledge and prioritizing infantry tactics. The victory ended Danish influence in central Sweden and solidified Sture's leadership. It also fostered national pride and is often considered a foundational moment in Swedish independence. Sture rewarded his troops with land grants and strengthened his political alliances. His success paved the way for a period of relative stability in Sweden and delayed Danish dominance for decades. The battle's legacy endures in Swedish culture through songs, monuments, and annual Brunkeberg Day celebrations.
1471
Sten Sture the Elder
repels an attack
Christian I of Denmark
1575day.year
Roman Catholic forces under Henry I, Duke of Guise, defeat the Protestants, capturing Philippe de Mornay among others.
In 1575, Catholic forces under Henry I, Duke of Guise defeated Protestant troops and captured Philippe de Mornay in a key clash of the French Wars of Religion.
On October 10, 1575, during the French Wars of Religion, Henry I, Duke of Guise, led a Catholic army against Huguenot forces under Philippe de Mornay. The engagement took place near Guise, where the Duke used cavalry charges and artillery to overwhelm Protestant lines. De Mornay, a prominent Huguenot leader and political theorist, was captured along with many of his followers. This victory strengthened the Catholic League and bolstered the Guise family's influence at court. It also prompted reprisals against Protestant communities, raising tensions across France. Historians view this clash as emblematic of the era's intertwining of faith and politics. Despite the setback, the Huguenot movement endured and eventually secured the Edict of Nantes in 1598. The battle at Guise remains a symbol of the period's religious strife and the high stakes of confessional conflict.
1575
Henry I, Duke of Guise
defeat the Protestants
Philippe de Mornay
1580day.year
Over 600 Papal troops land in Ireland to support the Second Desmond Rebellion.
In 1580, more than 600 Papal troops landed in Ireland to aid the Second Desmond Rebellion, marking direct Papal intervention.
On October 10, 1580, a Papal expeditionary force of over 600 soldiers landed at Smerwick Harbour in County Kerry, Ireland, to support the Second Desmond Rebellion against English rule. Sponsored by Pope Gregory XIII, the troops brought cannon and military expertise to aid the Fitzgerald clan and other rebel nobles. Their presence marked a bold statement of Catholic solidarity and challenged Protestant English expansion. The Papal contingent fortified a promontory, leading to a siege by English forces under Arthur Grey, Lord Deputy of Ireland. Despite initial successes, the rebels were cut off from supplies and ultimately overwhelmed. The subsequent massacre of the garrison deepened animosity and became one of the rebellion's most controversial episodes. This event exemplified the international dimensions of the Irish uprisings and the interplay of religion and politics. It also foreshadowed the harsh measures that would characterize the Tudor conquest of Ireland.
1580
Ireland
Second Desmond Rebellion
1814day.year
War of 1812: The United States Revenue Marine attempts to defend the cutter Eagle from the Royal Navy.
During the War of 1812, the United States Revenue Marine defended the cutter Eagle from the Royal Navy in a notable skirmish.
On October 10, 1814, vessels of the United States Revenue Marine, the predecessor to the Coast Guard, engaged British warships attempting to seize the revenue cutter Eagle. The cutter, tasked with customs enforcement and coastal defense, was anchored near the Chesapeake Bay when a British squadron approached. Despite being outgunned and outnumbered, the crew of the Eagle returned fire and used evasive maneuvers to avoid capture. The engagement delayed the British advance and allowed American defenders to reinforce nearby ports. Although the Eagle sustained damage and faced threats of boarding, the crew's courageous action became a source of patriotic pride. The incident underscores the multifaceted nature of the War of 1812, where small-scale naval actions played a strategic role. It also highlights the early history of the United States' maritime services and their contributions to national defense. Today, the story of the Eagle is commemorated as an example of resilience and skill under fire.
1814
War of 1812
United States Revenue Marine
defend the cutter Eagle
Royal Navy
1868day.year
The Ten Years' War begins against Spanish rule in Cuba.
On October 10, 1868, the Ten Years' War erupted as Cuban rebels began an uprising against Spanish colonial rule.
On October 10, 1868, Cuban planter Carlos Manuel de Céspedes ignited the Ten Years' War by freeing his slaves and declaring rebellion against Spanish colonial rule.
This marked the first large-scale attempt at Cuban independence and a challenge to Spain’s Caribbean empire.
The conflict featured guerrilla warfare across eastern Cuba’s sugar plantations and rural communities.
Spanish authorities responded with harsh countermeasures, including village burnings and mass executions.
Despite early rebel victories, internal divisions and lack of international support hindered sustained success.
The war ultimately set the stage for later movements that achieved Cuba’s independence in 1898.
1868
Ten Years' War
Spanish rule
Cuba
1911day.year
The day after a bomb explodes prematurely, the Wuchang Uprising begins against the Chinese monarchy.
On October 10, 1911, the Wuchang Uprising broke out, sparking the revolution that would overthrow China’s Qing dynasty.
On October 10, 1911, revolutionaries in Wuchang launched an uprising that sparked the Xinhai Revolution and toppled China’s last imperial dynasty.
A premature bomb explosion accelerated plans for revolt against the Qing government by the New Army officers.
The Wuchang incident inspired similar rebellions across southern China, undermining imperial authority.
Sun Yat-sen was later proclaimed provisional president of the new Republic of China in January 1912.
The revolution ended over two millennia of imperial rule and established a republican form of government.
October 10th, known as Double Ten Day, remains a national day of celebration in Taiwan and among overseas Chinese.
1911
Wuchang Uprising
1918day.year
RMS Leinster is torpedoed and sunk by UB-123, killing 564, the largest loss of life on the Irish Sea.
On October 10, 1918, the RMS Leinster was torpedoed by UB-123 in the Irish Sea, resulting in the highest single-incident loss of life on those waters.
On October 10, 1918, the RMS Leinster was struck by a torpedo from German U-boat UB-123 while crossing the Irish Sea.
Departing Queenstown for Holyhead, the mail boat carried civilians, military personnel, and postal workers.
The ship sank within minutes, leaving lifeboats partially deployed and many trapped below decks.
Of the 771 aboard, 564 perished, making it the greatest single loss of life on the Irish Sea.
The tragedy underscored the dangers faced by civilian vessels during wartime submarine campaigns.
The sinking of the Leinster remains one of the most devastating maritime disasters of World War I.
1918
RMS Leinster
UB-123
Irish Sea
1954day.year
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Muscat, Neil Innes, sends a signal to the Sultanate's forces, accompanied with oil explorers, to penetrate Fahud, marking the beginning of Jebel Akhdar War.
On October 10, 1954, Omani forces under British adviser Neil Innes moved into Fahud, triggering the Jebel Akhdar War between the Sultanate and interior tribes.
Sultan Said bin Taimur’s government, aided by British advisers and oil company personnel, sought control over the oil-rich Fahud region.
On October 10, troops advanced into the interior mountainous stronghold of Jebel Akhdar, home to tribal insurgents.
The operation escalated into a protracted conflict known as the Jebel Akhdar War, lasting into 1959.
The fighting centered on securing strategic high ground and protecting oil exploration interests in Oman’s deserts.
The war’s outcome strengthened central authority, secured vital oil infrastructure, and set the stage for later modernization under Sultan Qaboos.
1954
Sultanate of Muscat
Fahud
Jebel Akhdar War
1980day.year
The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front is founded in El Salvador.
The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front is founded in El Salvador, uniting leftist guerrilla groups.
On October 10, 1980, five Salvadoran guerrilla organizations merged to form the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN). Named after a 1930s revolutionary, the FMLN sought to overthrow the military-led government amid widespread social inequality. The coalition’s formation marked a pivotal escalation toward the Salvadoran Civil War. Backed by rural peasant support, the FMLN launched coordinated strikes and attacks in the years that followed. The group would later transition into a political party and help negotiate peace accords in 1992.
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
1985day.year
US Navy aircraft intercept an Egyptian airliner carrying the perpetrators of the Achille Lauro hijacking, and force it to land in Italy.
U.S. Navy jets force an Egyptian airliner carrying Achille Lauro hijackers to land in Italy for arrest.
On October 10, 1985, U.S. Navy fighter aircraft intercepted an EgyptAir Boeing 737 carrying four suspects of the Achille Lauro hijacking. The militants had seized the Italian cruise ship days earlier and killed an American passenger, Leon Klinghoffer. Following a tense negotiation, the aircraft were cleared to divert the plane to Sigonella, Sicily, where Italian authorities detained the hijackers. The operation sparked a diplomatic standoff between the United States and Italy over jurisdiction and custody. This bold maneuver showcased international cooperation against terrorism and underscored the complexity of naval air power in law enforcement.
1985
Achille Lauro hijacking