October 21

A Seljuk Turkish army successfully fights off the People's Crusade at the Battle of Civetot.

Seljuk Turkish forces rout the ill-equipped People's Crusade at the Battle of Civetot in 1096. The defeat serves as a stark lesson in the perils of poorly led military expeditions.

First Crusade: Crusaders led by Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemund of Taranto, and Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse, begin the Siege of Antioch.

Crusader leaders Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemund, and Raymond IV commence the prolonged Siege of Antioch in October 1097. This pivotal siege marks a turning point in the First Crusade as they attempt to capture one of the Levant’s most fortified cities.

Japanese Emperor Go-Kameyama abdicates in favor of rival claimant Go-Komatsu.

Emperor Go-Kameyama abdicated in 1392, concluding the Nanboku-chō period and uniting the Northern and Southern Courts under Go-Komatsu. This abdication ended decades of imperial rivalry in Japan.

Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg.

In 1512, Martin Luther joined the theological faculty at the University of Wittenberg, launching his career as a leading church scholar. This appointment allowed him to teach and lecture on biblical texts, laying the foundation for the Reformation.

João Álvares Fagundes discovers the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, bestowing them their original name of "Islands of the 11,000 Virgins".

Portuguese explorer João Álvares Fagundes sighted the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in 1520, naming them the 'Islands of the 11,000 Virgins'. This voyage contributed to early European knowledge of Newfoundland’s coastal archipelago.

Tokugawa Ieyasu defeats the leaders of rival Japanese clans in the Battle of Sekigahara and becomes shōgun of Japan.

Tokugawa Ieyasu’s decisive victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 paved the way for his rule as shōgun, initiating over 250 years of Tokugawa shogunate. The battle ended decades of civil strife and unified Japan under a central military government.

The flag of Taunton, Massachusetts is the first to include the word "Liberty".

In 1774, citizens of Taunton, Massachusetts, raised the first known flag emblazoned with the word 'Liberty'. This emblem became a powerful symbol of colonial resistance leading up to the American Revolution.

In Boston Harbor, the 44-gun United States Navy frigate USS Constitution is launched.

The USS Constitution, a 44-gun frigate destined to become the United States Navy’s flagship, was launched at Boston Harbor on October 21, 1797. Nicknamed 'Old Ironsides', she would earn fame in the War of 1812 for her resilience in battle.

Napoleonic Wars: A British fleet led by Lord Nelson defeats a combined French and Spanish fleet under Admiral Villeneuve in the Battle of Trafalgar.

At the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805, Admiral Lord Nelson achieved a decisive naval victory over combined French and Spanish fleets, cementing British naval supremacy. Nelson’s tactics and sacrifice became legendary in naval history.