1138day.year
Lý Anh Tông is enthroned as emperor of Vietnam at the age of two, beginning a 37-year reign.
At just two years old, Lý Anh Tông ascended the Vietnamese throne, marking one of history's youngest emperors.
Born in 1136, Lý Anh Tông inherited the throne of Đại Việt at the tender age of two under regency rule. His 37-year reign became one of the most stable periods of the Lý dynasty. The young emperor oversaw administrative reforms that strengthened central authority. Under his leadership, Buddhism and Confucian scholarship flourished across the kingdom. Lý Anh Tông navigated palace intrigues and regional challenges to secure royal power. His long reign left a legacy of cultural and political development in medieval Vietnam.
1138
Lý Anh Tông
Vietnam
1605day.year
Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes is arrested in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament, where he had planted gunpowder in an attempt to blow up the building and kill King James I of England.
Guy Fawkes was captured beneath the Houses of Parliament on November 5, 1605, foiling a Catholic plot to assassinate King James I.
The Gunpowder Plot was a conspiracy by Catholic dissenters aiming to destroy the Protestant monarchy and government by exploding the House of Lords. Guy Fawkes was discovered guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath Parliament during a routine search. His arrest on November 5 led to the unraveling of the entire cell of conspirators. Under torture, Fawkes revealed details of the plot, and his co-conspirators were subsequently arrested or killed. The plot’s failure intensified anti-Catholic sentiment and reinforced royal authority. The event is commemorated annually in the UK as Bonfire Night, with fireworks and effigies symbolizing the thwarted attack.
1605
Gunpowder Plot
Guy Fawkes
James I of England
1688day.year
Prince William III of Orange lands with a Dutch fleet at Brixham to challenge the rule of King James II of England (James VII of Scotland).
William of Orange landed at Brixham in 1688, initiating the Glorious Revolution that deposed King James II.
Invited by English nobles to protect Protestant interests, William III sailed from the Netherlands with a sizeable Dutch fleet and army. He landed at Brixham on November 5, prompting widespread desertions from James II’s forces. The peaceful transfer of power that followed became known as the Glorious Revolution due to minimal bloodshed. William and his wife Mary II ascended the English throne as joint monarchs. Their reign established the primacy of Parliament over the crown and led to the Bill of Rights in 1689. This revolution dramatically reshaped the British constitutional system and ensured Protestant succession.
1688
Prince William III of Orange
Brixham
James II of England
1768day.year
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix is signed, the purpose of which is to adjust the boundary line between Indian lands and white settlements set forth in the Royal Proclamation of 1763 in the Thirteen Colonies.
The 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix redrew the boundary between British settlers and Native American lands in Colonial America.
Negotiated at Fort Stanwix in present-day New York, the treaty sought to reduce frontier violence by extending colonial boundaries westward. Representatives of the Iroquois Confederacy ceded vast territories that lay beyond the Appalachian divide, despite objections from other tribes. The agreement aimed to formalize land claims under the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and protect British frontier settlements. However, it led to increased tensions as settlers moved into newly opened regions. The treaty set a precedent for future land agreements and foreshadowed conflicts leading to the American Revolution. It remains a landmark in early American diplomatic history.
1768
Treaty of Fort Stanwix
Royal Proclamation of 1763
Thirteen Colonies
1811day.year
Salvadoran priest José Matías Delgado rings the bells of La Merced church in San Salvador, calling for insurrection and launching the 1811 Independence Movement.
On November 5, 1811, José Matías Delgado rang church bells to spark the first Central American uprising against Spanish rule.
In a dramatic act at La Merced Church, Delgado’s ringing of the bells signaled the start of the 1811 Independence Movement in El Salvador. He delivered impassioned sermons condemning colonial abuses and rallying the local population to revolt. The insurrection captured key towns but was later suppressed by Spanish forces. Although it failed to achieve immediate independence, the uprising inspired further revolts across Central America. Delgado emerged as a leading figure in the eventual liberation of Central American provinces in 1821. His bold demonstration remains a symbol of Salvadoran national identity and the struggle for self-governance.
1811
José Matías Delgado
San Salvador
1811 Independence Movement
1862day.year
American Civil War: Abraham Lincoln removes George B. McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac.
President Abraham Lincoln relieved General George B. McClellan of command of the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.
In November 1862, amid frustration over perceived hesitancy and lack of aggressiveness, President Lincoln removed General McClellan from leadership of his principal field army. McClellan had been criticized for failing to pursue Confederate forces vigorously after key battles. Lincoln’s decision was a turning point in military leadership, paving the way for more aggressive commanders like Ulysses S. Grant. The removal underscored tensions between military strategy and political leadership during the conflict. It also reflected Lincoln’s growing impatience with cautious tactics in the fight to preserve the Union.
1862
American Civil War
Abraham Lincoln
George B. McClellan
Army of the Potomac
1881day.year
In New Zealand, 1600 armed volunteers and constabulary field forces led by Minister of Native Affairs John Bryce march on the pacifist Māori settlement at Parihaka, evicting upwards of 2000 residents, and destroying the settlement in the context of the New Zealand land confiscations.
Government forces under John Bryce violently suppressed the pacifist Māori settlement of Parihaka, evicting and dispersing its community.
On November 5, 1881, Minister of Native Affairs John Bryce led 1,600 volunteer militia and police in the forcible evacuation of the Māori community of Parihaka on New Zealand’s west coast. The settlers, known for their peaceful resistance against land confiscations, offered no armed defense. Troops searched homes, destroyed crops, and arrested leaders Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi. Over 2,000 residents were dispersed, and the settlement was razed to the ground. This event marked a brutal episode in New Zealand’s colonial history, symbolizing the harsh methods used to enforce land policies. Parihaka later became a powerful symbol of nonviolent protest and Māori rights.
1881
New Zealand
John Bryce
Māori
Parihaka
New Zealand land confiscations
1912day.year
Woodrow Wilson is elected the 28th President of the United States, defeating incumbent William Howard Taft.
Woodrow Wilson won the 1912 U.S. presidential election, beginning his two-term tenure as the 28th President.
In the three-way election held on November 5, 1912, Democratic candidate Woodrow Wilson triumphed over incumbent President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt, who ran under the Progressive “Bull Moose” Party. Wilson’s campaign emphasized progressive reforms, including tariff reductions, banking overhaul, and antitrust legislation. His victory ushered in significant changes, such as the Federal Reserve Act and the Clayton Antitrust Act. Wilson would later lead the United States through World War I and advocate for the League of Nations. His election marked a shift toward progressive policies in early 20th-century America.
1912
Woodrow Wilson
elected
President of the United States
William Howard Taft
1913day.year
King Otto of Bavaria is deposed by his cousin, Prince Regent Ludwig, who assumes the title Ludwig III.
Bavaria’s King Otto was removed from power, and his cousin Prince Ludwig became King Ludwig III.
On November 5, 1913, the ailing monarch Otto of Bavaria was formally deposed by decree, as he had been considered mentally incapacitated since 1875. His cousin, Prince Regent Ludwig, assumed the throne as King Ludwig III, ending Otto’s long regency. Ludwig’s accession marked the first dynastic change in Bavaria in decades and was supported by both the Bavarian parliament and the German Kaiser. Under Ludwig III, Bavaria experienced political reforms and maintained loyalty to the German Empire. This transition foreshadowed the challenges that German monarchies would face during World War I and the subsequent fall of imperial rule.
1913
Otto of Bavaria
Ludwig III
1916day.year
The Kingdom of Poland is proclaimed by the Act of 5th November of the emperors of Germany and Austria-Hungary.
On November 5, 1916, Germany and Austria-Hungary proclaimed the re-establishment of the Kingdom of Poland, hoping to rally Polish support during World War I.
In the midst of World War I, the Central Powers issued the Act of 5th November to create a Polish kingdom.
This puppet state was intended to legitimize their occupation and recruit Polish soldiers against Russia.
The proclamation evoked hopes of national independence among Poles, though it lacked real sovereignty.
Leaders and intellectuals debated the kingdom’s legitimacy and its future role in Europe.
The 1916 declaration laid groundwork for Poland’s eventual rebirth after the war.
1916
Kingdom of Poland
Act of 5th November
Austria-Hungary
1917day.year
Lenin calls for the October Revolution.
Vladimir Lenin publicly called for the Bolshevik uprising that would become the October Revolution, reshaping Russia’s future.
On November 5, 1917, Lenin delivered a passionate appeal to overthrow the Provisional Government in Petrograd.
He urged workers and soldiers to seize power in the name of soviets (councils).
His call marked a decisive moment leading to the Bolshevik takeover on October 25 (Julian calendar).
The movement aimed to end Russia’s involvement in World War I and redistribute land to peasants.
Lenin’s leadership set the stage for the creation of the Soviet state.
1917
October Revolution
1925day.year
Secret agent Sidney Reilly, the first "super-spy" of the 20th century, is executed by the OGPU, the secret police of the Soviet Union.
Sidney Reilly, celebrated as the first modern "super-spy," was executed by Soviet secret police in 1925.
Known as the "Ace of Spies," Sidney Reilly conducted daring intelligence operations against the Bolsheviks.
Captured by the OGPU after a failed anti-Soviet mission, he was imprisoned in Moscow.
On November 5, 1925, Reilly was executed without formal trial, deepening his mystique.
His exploits inspired spy fiction and highlighted the ruthless methods of Soviet security services.
Reilly’s legacy endures as a legendary figure in early 20th-century espionage.
1925
Secret agent
Sidney Reilly
OGPU
secret police
Soviet Union