312day.year
Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross.
Constantine the Great reportedly experienced a vision of a cross in the sky, inspiring him before a crucial battle.
In October 312, Constantine claimed to have seen a cross-shaped vision above the sun with the words 'In this sign, conquer.'
This event occurred before the Battle of Milvian Bridge against Maxentius.
It marked a turning point in his military campaign and strengthened his belief in divine favor.
The vision is credited with influencing his conversion to Christianity and the future of the Roman Empire.
Historians debate its historicity, but its symbolic power remains.
This moment is considered pivotal in the rise of Christianity through imperial endorsement.
312
Constantine the Great
Vision of the Cross
1524day.year
French troops lay siege to Pavia.
French forces under King Francis I laid siege to the strategic city of Pavia during the Italian Wars.
In October 1524, French armies advanced into northern Italy aiming to capture Pavia, a heavily fortified city.
Under King Francis I’s command, they established artillery positions and encircled the city walls.
The siege formed part of the wider Italian Wars between France and the Holy Roman Empire.
Pavia’s defenders, supported by Imperial troops, resisted repeated assaults and endured shortages.
Though the siege persisted, it set the stage for the decisive Battle of Pavia in 1525.
This campaign illustrated the growing importance of artillery and siege warfare in the Renaissance.
1524
lay siege to Pavia
1644day.year
Second Battle of Newbury in the English Civil War.
Parliamentarian and Royalist forces clashed at the Second Battle of Newbury during the English Civil War.
On October 27, 1644, the Second Battle of Newbury unfolded between Parliamentarian and Royalist armies.
Both sides marshaled tens of thousands of soldiers near the Berkshire town of Newbury.
The engagement featured heavy infantry lines, cavalry charges, and artillery barrages.
Though Parliamentarian troops held the battlefield by nightfall, the Royalists executed an orderly withdrawal.
The inconclusive result boosted Parliament’s confidence but extended the conflict’s duration.
This battle exemplified the war’s shifting fortunes and strategic importance of communications.
1644
Second Battle of Newbury
1674day.year
The French garrison in Grave surrenders the town to a Dutch army after a difficult siege.
After a prolonged siege, the French garrison at Grave capitulated to Dutch forces in the Franco-Dutch War.
In late October 1674, Dutch troops under William III of Orange surrounded the fortified town of Grave on the Maas River.
The French defenders endured heavy bombardment, artillery fire, and dwindling supplies.
Negotiations led to the garrison surrendering with honorable terms, allowing soldiers to march out.
Grave’s capture secured a vital crossing and disrupted French supply routes in the region.
This siege showcased the Dutch Republic’s growing military engineering and strategic coordination.
The fall of Grave influenced the balance of power leading up to peace talks in 1678.
1674
Grave
a difficult siege
1806day.year
The French Army under Napoleon enters Berlin following the Prussian defeat at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt.
Napoleon’s Grande Armée occupied Berlin after Prussia’s crushing defeat at Jena–Auerstedt.
Following victories at Jena and Auerstedt on October 14, 1806, Napoleon’s forces advanced into Prussia.
On October 27, French troops paraded through Berlin, proclaiming liberation and new governance.
The occupation exposed Prussia’s military weaknesses and swift collapse under French tactics.
Napoleon implemented administrative reforms and introduced elements of the Napoleonic Code.
Berlin’s fall underscored France’s dominance and reshaped German politics for years to come.
This event foreshadowed the extensive territorial and legal changes sweeping Europe under Napoleon.
1806
enters Berlin
Battle of Jena–Auerstedt
1863day.year
American Civil War: Union forces led by General William F. Smith defeat Confederate forces in the Battle of Brown's Ferry, opening up a supply line to the besieged city of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Union forces under General William F. Smith secure the Battle of Brown's Ferry, opening a vital supply route into Chattanooga.
In October 1863 during the American Civil War, Union troops commanded by General William F. Smith launched an assault on Brown's Ferry. Located on the Tennessee River, this strategic position controlled access to the besieged city of Chattanooga. The successful operation opened the so-called Cracker Line, ensuring steady supplies of food and ammunition to Union forces. Confederate defenders were pushed back, relieving pressure on Federal troops trapped in Chattanooga. The victory improved Union morale and logistical support, setting the stage for the Chattanooga Campaign. It marked a turning point in Western Theater operations and contributed to later successes at Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain. The Battle of Brown's Ferry demonstrated the importance of supply lines in wartime strategy.
1863
American Civil War
Union
William F. Smith
Confederate
Battle of Brown's Ferry
supply line
besieged
Chattanooga, Tennessee
1870day.year
Franco-Prussian War: Marshal Bazaine surrenders to Prussian forces at the conclusion of the Siege of Metz along with 140,000 French soldiers.
Marshal Bazaine surrenders at Metz, yielding 140,000 French troops to Prussian forces and ending the siege.
During the Franco-Prussian War, the Siege of Metz lasted from August to October 1870. Marshal François Achille Bazaine, commanding the French Army of the Rhine, found his forces surrounded and outnumbered by Prussian troops. After weeks of bombardment, dwindling supplies, and rising casualties, Bazaine agreed to surrender on October 27, 1870. Approximately 140,000 French soldiers were taken prisoner, marking one of the largest capitulations of the 19th century. This defeat deprived France of a major field army and significantly bolstered Prussian momentum toward victory. The fall of Metz opened the path for the Prussian advance on Paris. It was a decisive moment that shifted the balance in favor of Prussia and led to German unification in early 1871.
1870
Siege of Metz
1914day.year
World War I: The new British battleship HMS Audacious is sunk by a minefield laid by the armed German merchant-cruiser Berlin.
The British battleship HMS Audacious strikes a German mine and sinks, becoming the first capital ship loss of World War I.
In October 1914, HMS Audacious, one of Britain's newest dreadnoughts, was on patrol in the North Sea. Unbeknownst to the Royal Navy, the armed German merchant cruiser Berlin had secretly laid a minefield. On the morning of October 27, Audacious struck one of these mines, causing catastrophic damage to her hull. Despite attempts to tow her to safety, the battleship began to take on water and list heavily. The crew was evacuated, and Audacious sank off the coast of Ireland with minimal casualties. The loss was kept secret by the British Admiralty to maintain public morale and strategic advantage. It marked the first major capital ship lost in the war and underscored the growing threat of underwater warfare. Lessons learned from this sinking influenced future British mine countermeasures.
1914
World War I
HMS Audacious
1916day.year
Negus Mikael, marching on the Ethiopian capital in support of his son Emperor Iyasu V, is defeated by Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis, securing the throne for Empress Zewditu I.
Negus Mikael’s forces are defeated, ensuring Empress Zewditu I’s ascension to the Ethiopian throne.
In 1916, Ethiopia was plunged into succession turmoil following the death of Emperor Menelik II. Iyasu V, Menelik's designated heir, faced opposition from conservative nobles concerned about his reforms and religious affiliations. Negus Mikael of Wollo, Iyasu's father, led an army to secure his son's position in the capital, Addis Ababa. On October 27, his troops clashed with loyalist forces under the command of Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis. The loyalists secured a decisive victory, dispersing Mikael's army and capturing key strongholds. This triumph deposed Iyasu V and elevated his cousin Zewditu I to the throne. Empress Zewditu's reign marked a period of conservative restoration in Ethiopia. The battle underscored the influence of regional leaders in imperial politics and shaped the nation's leadership until the Italian invasion of 1935.
1916
is defeated
1944day.year
World War II: German forces capture Banská Bystrica during Slovak National Uprising thus bringing it to an end.
German forces recapture Banská Bystrica, ending the Slovak National Uprising in World War II.
On October 27, 1944, German troops seized control of Banská Bystrica, the central stronghold of the Slovak National Uprising against the pro-Nazi Slovak state. The uprising, which began in August 1944, aimed to liberate Slovakia and restore democratic governance. Despite initial successes, the insurgents were poorly armed and lacked external support. The German army’s swift counteroffensive crushed the revolt, leading to harsh reprisals and thousands of casualties. The fall of Banská Bystrica marked the definitive end of the uprising and strengthened German occupation in the region. The event underscored the brutal realities of resistance movements in occupied Europe.
1944
World War II
German forces
Banská Bystrica
Slovak National Uprising
1962day.year
Major Rudolf Anderson of the United States Air Force becomes the only direct human casualty of the Cuban Missile Crisis when his U-2 reconnaissance airplane is shot down over Cuba by a Soviet-supplied surface-to-air missile.
U-2 pilot Rudolf Anderson is shot down over Cuba, becoming the sole human fatality of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
On October 27, 1962, Major Rudolf Anderson Jr. was killed when his CIA-operated U-2 reconnaissance plane was struck by a Soviet SA-2 surface-to-air missile over Cuban airspace. Anderson’s mission was part of the U.S. effort to gather photographic intelligence on Soviet missile deployments. His death made him the sole direct human casualty of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the tense confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. The incident intensified the risk of escalation to full-scale nuclear war. President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev were forced into urgent diplomatic negotiations. Anderson’s sacrifice underscored the perilous brinkmanship of Cold War espionage.
1962
Rudolf Anderson
Cuban Missile Crisis
1962day.year
By refusing to agree to the firing of a nuclear torpedo at a US warship, Vasily Arkhipov averts nuclear war.
Soviet naval officer Vasily Arkhipov refuses to authorize a nuclear torpedo launch, preventing a possible nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
On October 27, 1962, aboard a Soviet submarine near Cuba, flotilla commander Vasily Arkhipov averted a nuclear exchange by refusing to consent to the launch of a nuclear-tipped torpedo after U.S. destroyers signaled to force the submarine to surface. Under protocol, the launch required the agreement of three senior officers, and Arkhipov stood firm against his commander’s orders. His decision prevented an unintended escalation amid the Cuban Missile Crisis, which had brought the superpowers to the brink of nuclear conflict. Arkhipov’s restraint is credited with saving countless lives and ensuring the crisis did not spiral into war. He later received little recognition during his lifetime but is now hailed as a hero of peace.
Vasily Arkhipov