1185day.year
The Uprising of Asen and Peter begins on the feast day of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki and ends with the creation of the Second Bulgarian Empire.
Revolt led by Asen and Peter against Byzantine rule sparks the rise of the Second Bulgarian Empire.
On October 26, 1185, brothers Asen and Peter launched a bold uprising against Byzantine rule in the Balkans.
The revolt began under the banner of St. Demetrius, rallying both Bulgarian and Vlach forces.
They captured strategic strongholds and dealt heavy blows to the occupying army.
Over the following years, the rebels consolidated power around Tarnovo, forging a new state.
This successful revolt culminated in the establishment of the Second Bulgarian Empire.
The uprising revived Bulgarian culture and shifted the balance of power in the region.
1185
Uprising of Asen and Peter
Second Bulgarian Empire
1377day.year
Tvrtko I is crowned the first king of Bosnia.
Tvrtko I is crowned as the first King of Bosnia, elevating the region to a sovereign medieval kingdom.
On October 26, 1377, Tvrtko I received the royal crown at a ceremony in Mile, becoming the first King of Bosnia.
His coronation marked the transformation of Bosnia from a banate to a kingdom under the Kotromanić dynasty.
Tvrtko expanded his realm to include parts of Serbia and Dalmatia, strengthening regional influence.
He fostered trade, minted his own currency, and maintained diplomatic ties with Hungary and Venice.
Under his rule, Bosnia enjoyed political stability, economic growth, and cultural flourishing.
Tvrtko's legacy established Bosnia as a notable power in the western Balkans well into the late medieval period.
1377
Tvrtko I
1520day.year
Charles V is crowned as Holy Roman Emperor.
Charles V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor, beginning a reign over a vast multiethnic empire.
On October 26, 1520, Charles V was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Clement VII at Bologna.
His election followed his inheritance of the Burgundian and Spanish thrones, creating a vast Habsburg dominion.
As emperor, Charles oversaw territories spanning Spain, the Low Countries, Italy, and parts of Germany.
His reign faced challenges from the Ottoman Empire, the Protestant Reformation, and French rivalries.
Charles championed Catholic unity in Europe while defending his realm's interests abroad.
His crowning solidified Habsburg influence and shaped European politics for decades.
1520
Charles V
Holy Roman Emperor
1640day.year
The Treaty of Ripon is signed, restoring peace between Covenanter Scotland and King Charles I of England.
The Treaty of Ripon is signed, temporarily ending hostilities between Scottish Covenanters and King Charles I.
On October 26, 1640, representatives of King Charles I and the Scottish Covenanters signed the Treaty of Ripon in North Yorkshire.
The agreement followed the Covenanters' successful invasion of northern England during the Bishops' Wars.
It granted the Scots an occupation allowance and the promise of future negotiations in London.
The treaty recognized Covenanter gains but deferred many disputes over church governance and taxation.
Ripon's terms allowed a pause in fighting but foreshadowed deeper conflicts that would erupt in the English Civil War.
The accord demonstrated the limits of royal authority and the rising power of organized resistance.
1640
Treaty of Ripon
1774day.year
American Revolution: The First Continental Congress adjourns in Philadelphia.
The First Continental Congress adjourns in Philadelphia, pausing colonial resistance against British rule.
On October 26, 1774, delegates from twelve American colonies concluded their sitting of the First Continental Congress.
Held in Philadelphia, the congress had gathered to protest the British Parliament's Intolerable Acts.
Representatives drafted the Declaration of Rights and established plans for a colonial boycott of British goods.
Before adjourning, they agreed to reconvene in May 1775 if grievances remained unresolved.
The assembly laid the groundwork for unified colonial action and eventual independence.
Its proceedings marked a critical step toward the American Revolution.
1774
American Revolution
First Continental Congress
Philadelphia
1860day.year
Unification of Italy: The Expedition of the Thousand ends when Giuseppe Garibaldi presents his conquests to King Victor Emmanuel of Sardinia.
Giuseppe Garibaldi hands over his southern Italian conquests to King Victor Emmanuel, advancing the unification of Italy.
The Expedition of the Thousand was a volunteer campaign led by Giuseppe Garibaldi that set sail from Quarto in May 1860. Garibaldi’s ‘Red Shirts’ landed in Sicily and rapidly conquered the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. On October 26, he presented the cities and territories he had liberated to King Victor Emmanuel II in Teano. This act symbolized the transfer of power and the growing momentum behind Italian unification. The event paved the way for the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 and became a cornerstone of the Risorgimento movement.
1860
Unification of Italy
Expedition of the Thousand
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Victor Emmanuel
1871day.year
Liberian President Edward James Roye is deposed in a coup d'état.
President Edward James Roye is overthrown in Liberia’s first coup d’état, triggering political upheaval.
Edward James Roye became Liberia’s fifth president in 1870 but faced intense political and financial crisis. On October 26, 1871, military officers and opposition leaders staged a coup, accusing Roye of corruption and unconstitutional actions. He was forced from office and subsequently died under unclear circumstances. The coup highlighted deep divisions within Liberia’s Americo-Liberian elite and its economic challenges. Samuel J. Dennis succeeded Roye as head of a provisional government. This event remains a pivotal moment in Liberia’s early republican history.
1871
Edward James Roye
coup d'état
1905day.year
King Oscar II recognizes the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden.
King Oscar II formally accepts Norway’s decision to end the union, marking Norway’s peaceful independence.
After a referendum in August 1905 where Norwegians overwhelmingly voted to dissolve the union with Sweden, diplomatic negotiations followed. On October 26, 1905, King Oscar II of Sweden officially recognized Norway as an independent kingdom. The peaceful separation was rare among 19th-century European unions and involved agreements on borders, assets, and royal titles. Norway invited Prince Carl of Denmark to become its king, who accepted and took the name Haakon VII. The dissolution remains a model for nonviolent resolution of national sovereignty disputes.
1905
Oscar II
dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden
1909day.year
Japanese occupation of Korea: An Jung-geun assassinates Japan's Resident-General of Korea.
Korean nationalist An Jung-geun assassinates Resident-General Ito Hirobumi, protesting Japanese rule.
On October 26, 1909, Korean independence activist An Jung-geun shot and killed Itō Hirobumi, the former Japanese Prime Minister and then Resident-General of Korea, at Harbin railway station in China. An’s actions were driven by opposition to Japanese colonial policies and efforts to secure Korean sovereignty. He surrendered immediately and used his trial to articulate his political ideals and demand justice for Korea. An was executed in 1910 but became a symbol of resistance against imperialism. His legacy is honored in both South and North Korea as a national hero.
1909
Japanese occupation of Korea
An Jung-geun
1918day.year
World War I: Erich Ludendorff, quartermaster-general of the Imperial German Army, is dismissed by Kaiser Wilhelm II for refusing to cooperate in peace negotiations.
Erich Ludendorff was dismissed by Kaiser Wilhelm II on October 26, 1918, after refusing to negotiate an armistice, signaling the unraveling of Germany’s wartime leadership.
On October 26, 1918, Erich Ludendorff was relieved of his duties by Kaiser Wilhelm II after his staunch refusal to seek peace terms with the Allies.
As quartermaster-general, Ludendorff had wielded enormous influence over Germany’s military strategy and home front policies.
His dismissal reflected deep divisions within the German high command and a desperate bid to stabilize the collapsing war effort.
The removal of Germany’s key military leader accelerated political turmoil, paving the way for civilian rule and the eventual armistice.
Just days later, Germany signed the Treaty of Compiègne, bringing World War I to an end.
1918
Erich Ludendorff
Imperial German Army
Kaiser Wilhelm II
1947day.year
Partition of India: The Maharaja of Kashmir and Jammu signs the Instrument of Accession with India, beginning the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948 and the Kashmir conflict.
On October 26, 1947, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession to India, triggering the first Indo-Pakistani War and the longstanding Kashmir dispute.
On October 26, 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir formally acceded to the newly independent Dominion of India.
Facing an invasion by tribal fighters supported by Pakistan, the Maharaja sought Indian military assistance to defend his territory.
India agreed to send troops in exchange for Kashmir’s accession, leading to the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948.
The conflict drew international attention and resulted in a UN-mediated ceasefire line dividing the region.
Over seven decades later, Kashmir remains a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, shaping South Asian geopolitics.
1947
Partition of India
Maharaja of Kashmir and Jammu
Instrument of Accession
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948
Kashmir conflict
1955day.year
After the last Allied troops have left the country, and following the provisions of the Austrian Independence Treaty, Austria declares that it will never join a military alliance.
On October 26, 1955, Austria declared permanent neutrality, vowing never to join a military alliance as a condition for ending Allied occupation.
On October 26, 1955, following the Austrian State Treaty and the withdrawal of Allied occupation forces, Austria proclaimed its permanent neutrality.
This declaration, enshrined in the constitution, prohibited Austria from joining any military alliances or hosting foreign bases.
Neutrality was a key condition for Soviet agreement to end occupation, allowing Austria to regain full sovereignty.
Vienna subsequently became a neutral ground for East-West diplomacy and international organizations.
Austria’s commitment to neutrality continues to influence its foreign policy and role within Europe.
1955
Austrian Independence Treaty
it will never join a military alliance