33day.year
Heartbroken by the deaths of her sons Nero and Drusus, and banished to the island of Pandateria by Tiberius, Agrippina the Elder dies of self-inflicted starvation.
A royal exile and a tragic protest: Agrippina the Elder starves herself to death on Pandateria.
Agrippina the Elder was a prominent Roman noblewoman and mother of Emperor Caligula.
After the deaths of her sons Nero and Drusus, she suffered great grief and became entangled in imperial politics.
Emperor Tiberius, viewing her as a political threat, exiled her to the island of Pandateria.
During her banishment, Agrippina endured harsh conditions and isolation.
On this day, she chose to end her life by refusing food, dying from self-inflicted starvation.
Her death marked the tragic end of one of Rome's most resilient and outspoken women.
33
Nero
Drusus
Pandateria
Tiberius
Agrippina the Elder
614day.year
King Chlothar II promulgates the Edict of Paris (Edictum Chlotacharii), a sort of Frankish Magna Carta that defends the rights of the Frankish nobles while it excludes Jews from all civil employment in the Frankish Kingdom.
King Chlothar II issues the Edict of Paris, protecting Frankish nobles' rights and excluding Jews from civil roles.
Chlothar II, King of the Franks, sought to balance royal authority with noble privileges.
His Edict of Paris established limits on taxation and secured legal rights for the Frankish aristocracy.
While granting nobles greater protection, the edict explicitly barred Jews from holding civil offices.
This legislation represented one of the earliest charters of noble rights in medieval Europe.
By enshrining noble privileges, Chlothar shaped the evolving power dynamics of the Frankish realm.
At the same time, the exclusion of Jews marked a darker aspect of early medieval legal discrimination.
614
Chlothar II
Edict of Paris
Magna Carta
Frankish
excludes Jews
Frankish Kingdom
629day.year
Dagobert I is crowned King of the Franks.
Dagobert I is crowned King of the Franks, beginning a reign marked by consolidation and cultural patronage.
Dagobert I ascended to the Frankish throne, becoming one of the last powerful Merovingian kings.
His coronation solidified his authority over Neustria, Austrasia, and Burgundy.
Dagobert promoted monastic reform and patronized the arts, commissioning churches and abbeys.
He is remembered for his diplomatic skills and efforts to unify the diverse Frankish territories.
Under his rule, the kingdom experienced relative peace and cultural flourishing.
Dagobert's legacy influenced the structure of medieval European monarchy and governance.
629
Dagobert I
King of the Franks
1009day.year
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacks the Church's foundations down to bedrock.
The Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim orders the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem razed to its foundations.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, revered by Christians as the site of Jesus's crucifixion, stood as Jerusalem's spiritual center.
In a sudden political and religious turn, Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah mandated its complete destruction.
Workers dismantled the structure down to its bedrock, erasing centuries of religious art and architecture.
This act shocked Christian communities across the Byzantine Empire and wider Christendom.
The church would later be rebuilt, but the event highlighted the era's volatile religious politics.
The destruction remains a key moment in the history of interfaith relations in the medieval Near East.
1009
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Jerusalem
Fatimid caliph
Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah
bedrock
1281day.year
Pope Martin IV excommunicates King Peter III of Aragon for usurping the crown of Sicily (a sentence renewed on 7 May and 18 November 1282).
Pope Martin IV excommunicates King Peter III of Aragon for usurping Sicily's crown, intensifying papal-imperial tensions.
Pope Martin IV asserted papal authority by excommunicating Peter III of Aragon for claiming the Kingdom of Sicily.
This punishment marked the escalation of conflict between the papacy and secular rulers in Italy.
The excommunication was renewed twice more, reflecting ongoing disputes over sovereignty.
Peter's defiance illustrated the growing power of Aragon in Mediterranean politics.
The church's actions had lasting implications for papal diplomacy and the Sicilian Vespers.
This episode highlighted the complex interplay of religion and royal ambition in 13th-century Europe.
1281
Pope Martin IV
Peter III of Aragon
1748day.year
Signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ends the War of the Austrian Succession.
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle signed in 1748 ended the War of the Austrian Succession.
In 1748, European powers gathered in Aix-la-Chapelle (now Aachen) to conclude the War of the Austrian Succession.
The treaty restored the pre-war status quo, with minor territorial adjustments.
Austria retained the Pragmatic Sanction but ceded some lands to Prussia and France.
Great Britain secured commercial rights while France made colonial gains in North America.
The agreement temporarily stabilized relations but left many issues unresolved.
It set the stage for shifting alliances leading into the Seven Years' War.
1748
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
War of the Austrian Succession
1797day.year
Treaty of Campo Formio is signed between France and Austria
The Treaty of Campo Formio ends the War of the First Coalition, redrawing European boundaries and ceding Austrian territories to France.
Signed on October 18, 1797, the Treaty of Campo Formio between France and Austria marked the end of the War of the First Coalition. The agreement confirmed French gains in the Low Countries and recognized the Cisalpine Republic in northern Italy. Austria ceded the Austrian Netherlands and Lombardy to France while regaining Venetian territories. The treaty reshaped the political map of Europe and established French dominance on the continent. This diplomatic victory strengthened Napoleon Bonaparte's reputation and set the stage for further French expansion.
1797
Treaty of Campo Formio
1867day.year
United States takes possession of Alaska after purchasing it from Russia for $7.2 million. Celebrated annually in the state as Alaska Day.
The United States formally takes possession of Alaska from Russia, completing the 1867 purchase agreement.
On October 18, 1867, American officials hoisted the United States flag in Sitka, Alaska, marking the official transfer of territory from Russia. Purchased for $7.2 million, the acquisition was initially mocked as “Seward’s Folly.” Over time, Alaska's vast natural resources turned the investment into a national asset. The day is still celebrated annually as Alaska Day, commemorating the peaceful handover and the region's incorporation into the United States. Alaska’s strategic importance and resource wealth have shaped its history ever since.
1867
takes possession of
Russia
Alaska Day
1898day.year
The United States takes possession of Puerto Rico from Spain.
The United States takes possession of Puerto Rico from Spain following the Spanish–American War.
On October 18, 1898, U.S. military forces assumed control of Puerto Rico under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. The transfer marked the end of Spanish colonial rule after nearly four centuries. Puerto Rico became an unincorporated territory of the United States, subject to U.S. laws and governance. The island’s strategic location in the Caribbean gained new importance for American interests. This change laid the foundation for Puerto Rico’s complex political and cultural relationship with the United States.
1898
Puerto Rico
1900day.year
Count Bernhard von Bülow becomes chancellor of Germany.
Count Bernhard von Bülow is appointed Chancellor of Germany.
On October 18, 1900, Count Bernhard von Bülow succeeded Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst as Chancellor of the German Empire. His tenure focused on naval expansion and strengthening Germany’s colonial empire. Bülow also sought to balance domestic interests by pursuing moderate social reforms. He navigated the complexities of party politics in the Reichstag while maintaining close ties to Kaiser Wilhelm II. His administration would face growing challenges from emerging political movements and international tensions leading up to World War I.
1900
Bernhard von Bülow
1921day.year
The Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic is formed as part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
The Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic is established within the RSFSR.
On October 18, 1921, the Soviet government proclaimed the formation of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. This reorganization aimed to provide limited autonomy to the Crimean Tatar population within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The new republic integrated Crimea’s administrative structure into the Soviet system. Despite nominal autonomy, authority remained centralized in Moscow. The Crimean ASSR would undergo further changes before its eventual dissolution during World War II.
1921
Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
1929day.year
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council overrules the Supreme Court of Canada in Edwards v. Canada when it declares that women are considered "Persons" under Canadian law.
In 1929, the Privy Council ruled that women qualify as persons under Canadian law in the landmark Edwards v. Canada decision.
The Supreme Court of Canada had earlier denied women the status of "persons" eligible for Senate appointment.
Campaigners known as the Famous Five appealed to Britain’s highest court, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
On October 18, 1929, the Privy Council reversed the decision, recognizing women as persons under the British North America Act.
This verdict opened the door for women’s full participation in public office and parliamentary life.
It marked a turning point in Canadian legal history and accelerated the fight for gender equality.
The Persons Case remains celebrated for its enduring impact on civil rights and constitutional law.
1929
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council
Supreme Court of Canada
Edwards v. Canada
Canadian law