1341day.year
The Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347 formally begins with the proclamation of John VI Kantakouzenos as Byzantine Emperor.
John VI Kantakouzenos proclaims himself emperor, sparking a protracted civil war in Byzantium.
In 1341, amid political turmoil following Emperor Andronikos III's death, John VI Kantakouzenos declared himself Byzantine Emperor on October 26.
His claim divided the nobility and clergy, leading to internecine conflict.
The civil war pitted Kantakouzenos's loyalist forces against a regency council for the young John V Palaiologos.
Factions formed around dynastic and regional interests, dragging the empire into six years of warfare.
Battles, sieges, and shifting alliances weakened Byzantine defenses.
The conflict eroded imperial resources and set the stage for future instability and external threats.
1341
Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347
John VI Kantakouzenos
Byzantine Emperor
1597day.year
Imjin War: Korean Admiral Yi Sun-sin routs the Japanese Navy of 300 ships with only 13 ships at the Battle of Myeongnyang.
Admiral Yi Sun-sin routs a much larger Japanese fleet at the Battle of Myeongnyang with only 13 ships.
On October 26, 1597, during the Imjin War, Admiral Yi Sun-sin engaged a Japanese armada of over 300 vessels in the Myeongnyang Strait.
Using the narrow channels and powerful currents to his advantage, Yi commanded just 13 warships.
His tactical genius and disciplined crews inflicted heavy losses on the invaders while sustaining minimal damage.
The stunning victory halted the Japanese advance and boosted Korean morale amid a dire conflict.
Yi's leadership at Myeongnyang is celebrated as one of naval warfare's greatest underdog triumphs.
The battle cemented his reputation as a master strategist and national hero in Korea.
1597
Imjin War
Yi Sun-sin
Battle of Myeongnyang
1813day.year
War of 1812: A combined force of British regulars, Canadian militia and Mohawks defeat the United States Army in the Battle of the Chateauguay.
British, Canadian, and Mohawk forces defeat the US Army at the Battle of the Chateauguay during the War of 1812.
On October 26, 1813, a mixed force of British regulars, Canadian militia, and Mohawk warriors clashed with American troops at Chateauguay near Montreal.
Despite being outnumbered, the defenders used the dense forest to launch ambushes, confusing the attackers.
The Americans, hindered by difficult terrain and supply issues, eventually retreated to the Chateauguay River.
Canadian militia commander Charles de Salaberry earned acclaim for his strategic deployment of indigenous allies.
The victory prevented a planned American invasion of Lower Canada and bolstered colonial morale.
Chateauguay became celebrated as a defining moment in Canada's military history.
1813
War of 1812
British regulars
Canadian militia
Mohawks
United States Army
Battle of the Chateauguay
1881day.year
Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday participate in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona.
Lawmen Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday face off against the Clanton–McLaury gang in the legendary Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral took place on October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. Tensions between lawmen and outlaws escalated over cattle rustling and political influence. Marshal Virgil Earp, his brothers Wyatt and Morgan, and visitor Doc Holliday confronted the Clanton–McLaury faction in a six-second shootout. Three outlaws were killed and several wounded. The incident became one of the most famous gunfights of the American Old West. It cemented Wyatt Earp’s reputation as a frontier lawman and entered legend through books, films, and folklore.
1881
Wyatt Earp
Doc Holliday
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Tombstone, Arizona
1912day.year
First Balkan War: The Ottomans lose the cities of Thessaloniki and Skopje.
Balkan League forces capture Thessaloniki and Skopje, striking a decisive blow to Ottoman control in Europe.
During the First Balkan War, the allied armies of Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Montenegro advanced into Ottoman-held Macedonia. On October 26, 1912, they seized Thessaloniki after a swift Greek military operation and took Skopje in the north. These critical victories cut off Ottoman supply lines and showcased the effectiveness of the Balkan League’s cooperation. The loss of these major urban centers accelerated the collapse of Ottoman authority in the region. The territorial changes set the stage for further conflicts and realignments in the Balkans prior to World War I.
1912
First Balkan War
1917day.year
World War I: Brazil declares war on the Central Powers.
On October 26, 1917, Brazil declared war on the Central Powers, becoming the only Latin American nation to join the Allied effort in World War I. This decision was driven by German U-boat attacks on its merchant ships.
On October 26, 1917, Brazil formally entered World War I by declaring war on the Central Powers.
The move was prompted by a series of German U-boat sinkings of Brazilian cargo vessels, which inflamed public sentiment.
Brazil’s declaration made it the only South American country to join the Allies, sending naval patrols and an expeditionary medical mission to Europe.
This alignment strengthened Brazil’s diplomatic ties with the United States and the United Kingdom, boosting its global standing.
The decision marked a dramatic shift in Brazil’s foreign policy and set the stage for its post-war international role.
1917
World War I
declares war
1937day.year
Nazi Germany begins expulsions of 18,000 Polish Jews.
On October 26, 1937, the Nazi regime commenced the forced expulsion of 18,000 Polish Jews from Germany, a grim precursor to the Holocaust.
On October 26, 1937, Nazi authorities began deporting 18,000 Polish Jews from German territory under harsh and dehumanizing conditions.
Deported individuals were stripped of citizenship, property, and dignity, often sent to hastily arranged border camps or back into Poland with few possessions.
This mass displacement was enforced through discriminatory legislation that branded Polish Jews as undesirable foreigners.
The expulsions disrupted families and communities, foreshadowing the widespread atrocities and genocide that would follow.
This event marked an early and brutal stage in the Nazi regime’s escalating persecution of Jewish populations.
1937
Nazi Germany
Polish Jews
1942day.year
World War II: In the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands during the Guadalcanal Campaign, one U.S. aircraft carrier is sunk and another carrier is heavily damaged, while two Japanese carriers and one cruiser are heavily damaged.
On October 26, 1942, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands saw intense carrier warfare during the Guadalcanal Campaign, resulting in the loss of a U.S. carrier and heavy damage on both sides.
On October 26, 1942, U.S. and Imperial Japanese forces clashed in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands as part of the broader Guadalcanal Campaign.
The U.S. Navy lost the aircraft carrier USS Hornet and saw the USS Enterprise heavily damaged, while Japan sustained serious damage to two carriers and a cruiser.
Despite tactical setbacks, the U.S. retained air superiority in the Solomon Islands, crucial for controlling supply routes.
The engagement underscored the growing importance of carrier-based aircraft in Pacific naval warfare.
High casualties on both sides illustrated the fierce and costly nature of carrier battles during World War II.
1942
World War II
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
Guadalcanal Campaign
1944day.year
World War II: The Battle of Leyte Gulf ends with an overwhelming American victory.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf concluded on October 26, 1944, with a decisive American victory, crippling Japan’s naval power and paving the way for the liberation of the Philippines.
On October 26, 1944, the final engagements of the Battle of Leyte Gulf ended in an overwhelming U.S. victory, regarded as the largest naval battle in history.
The encounter comprised multiple clashes, including the Surigao Strait and Cape Engaño, dismantling the last major elements of Japan’s surface fleet.
American forces secured maritime access to the Philippines, facilitating General Douglas MacArthur’s long-awaited return to Leyte Island.
The widespread use of kamikaze aircraft during the battle demonstrated Japan’s desperation and the high human cost of Pacific combat.
Leyte Gulf’s outcome decisively weakened Japanese naval capabilities and accelerated the end of World War II in the Pacific Theater.
1944
Battle of Leyte Gulf
1956day.year
Hungarian Revolution: In the towns of Mosonmagyaróvár and Esztergom, Hungarian secret police forces massacre civilians. As rebel strongholds in Budapest hold, fighting spreads throughout the country.
On October 26, 1956, Hungarian secret police forces massacred civilians in Mosonmagyaróvár and Esztergom, sparking wider rebellions against Soviet-backed rule.
On October 26, 1956, agents of Hungary’s State Protection Authority (ÁVH) killed unarmed civilians in Mosonmagyaróvár and Esztergom amid growing discontent.
News of these atrocities fueled protests and armed resistance in Budapest, where citizens demanded political reform and Soviet withdrawal.
The violence transformed peaceful demonstrations into a nationwide uprising known as the Hungarian Revolution.
For several days, revolutionary councils governed liberated areas, challenging the Stalinist regime’s authority.
Although Soviet forces crushed the revolt in early November, the Hungarian struggle became a symbol of resistance against oppression.
1956
Hungarian Revolution
Mosonmagyaróvár
Esztergom
secret police
1991day.year
Three months after the end of the Ten-Day War, the last soldier of the Yugoslav People's Army leaves the territory of the Republic of Slovenia.
Three months after the Ten-Day War, the final Yugoslav People’s Army soldier departed Slovenia on October 26, 1991.
Following Slovenia’s declaration of independence, brief armed clashes ended with a ceasefire in July 1991.
Under the Brioni Agreement, federal Yugoslav troops agreed to withdraw from Slovenian territory.
On this day, the last soldier crossed the border, cementing Slovenia’s autonomy.
The peaceful resolution set a precedent for other republics dissolving from Yugoslavia.
Slovenia emerged as the first former Yugoslav republic to secure lasting independence.
This departure marked a key moment in the fragmentation of the Yugoslav federation.
1991
Ten-Day War
Yugoslav People's Army
Republic of Slovenia
1995day.year
Mossad agents assassinate Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Fathi Shaqaqi in his hotel in Malta.
On October 26, 1995, Mossad agents assassinated Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Fathi Shaqaqi in his hotel in Malta.
Fathi Shaqaqi, co-founder of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, was fatally shot inside his hotel room in Malta.
The covert operation highlighted Mossad’s extensive intelligence reach and counterterrorism capabilities.
Shaqaqi’s death disrupted PIJ’s leadership structure and hindered its operational planning.
Israel justified the strike by citing his role in orchestrating attacks against civilians.
The assassination sparked international debate over targeted killings and national sovereignty.
It marked a critical episode in the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict and intelligence warfare.
1995
Mossad
Palestinian Islamic Jihad
Fathi Shaqaqi