951day.year
Emperor Li Jing sends a Southern Tang expeditionary force of 10,000 men under Bian Hao to conquer Chu. Li Jing removes the ruling family to his own capital in Nanjing, ending the Chu Kingdom.
In 951, Emperor Li Jing of Southern Tang dispatched 10,000 troops under Bian Hao to conquer the Chu Kingdom, relocating its royal family to Nanjing and bringing an end to Chu state.
In 951, Emperor Li Jing of Southern Tang launched a major campaign against the neighboring Chu Kingdom. He sent a 10,000-strong expeditionary force commanded by General Bian Hao to invade Chu territory. The Southern Tang army swiftly overcame Chu defenses and entered the capital. Following the victory, Li Jing uprooted the deposed Chu royal family to his court in Nanjing, consolidating his authority. The fall of the Chu Kingdom marked the end of one of the last independent states of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. This conquest further expanded Southern Tang influence in the region and reshaped the political landscape of southern China. The absorption of Chu's territories contributed to a brief era of stability before the eventual rise of the Song dynasty.
951
Li Jing
Southern Tang
Bian Hao
Chu
Nanjing
1532day.year
Francisco Pizarro and his men capture Inca Emperor Atahualpa at the Battle of Cajamarca.
In 1532, Francisco Pizarro captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa at Cajamarca, a decisive moment in Spain's conquest of the Inca Empire.
On November 16, 1532, Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro and his men ambushed the Inca emperor Atahualpa at the town of Cajamarca. Using cavalry and firearms, the vastly outnumbered Spaniards seized the Inca ruler in a surprise attack. Atahualpa offered a massive ransom of gold and silver for his release, which his subjects delivered in full to fill a large chamber. Despite this, the Spaniards executed him the following year, eliminating the central authority of the Inca state. This dramatic event signaled the rapid collapse of Inca resistance and allowed the Spanish to advance unopposed through the Andes. The fall of Atahualpa paved the way for the establishment of Spanish colonial rule in Peru. Cajamarca remains a symbol of the collision between European and Indigenous American civilizations.
1532
Francisco Pizarro
Inca
Atahualpa
Battle of Cajamarca
1632day.year
King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden was killed at the Battle of Lützen during the Thirty Years' War.
In 1632, King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden was killed at the Battle of Lützen, a pivotal engagement in the Thirty Years' War.
King Gustavus Adolphus, renowned as a military innovator, led Swedish forces in support of Protestant causes during the Thirty Years' War. On November 16, 1632, he commanded his troops at the Battle of Lützen against the Holy Roman Empire's army. Despite securing a tactical victory, the king pressed forward in dense fog and was struck by enemy fire. His death on the battlefield shocked his army and the Protestant alliance. Gustavus Adolphus's leadership had previously turned the tide in favor of the Protestants, earning him the title The Lion of the North. His demise introduced uncertainty into the Swedish war effort and altered the balance of power in Europe. The Battle of Lützen is remembered for both its strategic impact and the dramatic loss of a charismatic ruler.
1632
King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
Battle of Lützen
Thirty Years' War
1776day.year
American Revolutionary War: British and Hessian units capture Fort Washington from the Patriots.
In 1776, British and Hessian forces captured Fort Washington from American Patriots, marking a significant British victory in the Revolutionary War.
During the American Revolutionary War, Fort Washington overlooked the Hudson River north of Manhattan, serving as a crucial defensive position. On November 16, 1776, General William Howe's British army, aided by Hessian mercenaries, launched a coordinated attack on the fort. The outnumbered and outgunned American garrison, commanded by Colonel Robert Magaw, was forced into a rapid surrender. Nearly 3,000 Continental soldiers were taken prisoner, delivering a heavy blow to General George Washington's forces. The British gain secured control of northern Manhattan and opened access to the Hudson River corridor. This defeat prompted Washington to consolidate his troops south of the Harlem River, leading to the subsequent Battle of White Plains. The fall of Fort Washington demonstrated British military superiority and tested Patriot resolve in the war's early stages.
1776
American Revolutionary War
Hessian
capture
Fort Washington
1793day.year
French Revolution: Ninety dissident Roman Catholic priests are executed by drowning at Nantes.
In 1793, amid the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, ninety detained Roman Catholic priests were drowned at Nantes for refusing to swear allegiance to the revolutionary government.
As the French Revolution intensified, the Committee of Public Safety sought to eradicate opposition in western France. On November 16, 1793, ninety refractory priests who declined to take the Civil Constitution oath were executed by drowning in the Loire River at Nantes. This grim practice, dubbed the national bathtub, was carried out under the direction of revolutionary leader Jean-Baptiste Carrier. Men, women, and even children labeled as counter-revolutionaries suffered this fate in makeshift prison barges. The mass executions exemplified the brutal extremes of the Reign of Terror and fueled horror across France and Europe. Thousands more perished in similar drownings during the Terror in Vendée campaign. The drownings at Nantes remain one of the Revolution's darkest chapters and a stark reminder of ideological fanaticism.
1793
French Revolution
executed by drowning
Nantes
1805day.year
Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Schöngrabern: Russian forces under Pyotr Bagration delay the pursuit by French troops under Joachim Murat.
In 1805, at the Battle of Schöngrabern, Russian troops under Pyotr Bagration successfully delayed Marshal Murat's French forces during the Napoleonic Wars.
On November 16, 1805, Russian troops under General Pyotr Bagration fought a fierce rear-guard action at Schöngrabern near Hollabrunn against French cavalry led by Marshal Joachim Murat. The engagement occurred during Napoleon's rapid advance following the Ulm Campaign. Bagration's skilful deployment of infantry squares and artillery enabled his forces to hold strategic positions under heavy attack. His delaying tactics bought critical time for Russian and Austrian armies to regroup and avoid complete encirclement. Although the Russians eventually withdrew, their resistance disrupted French timetables and contributed to the coalition's ability to mount a defense. The Battle of Schöngrabern is remembered as a testament to Bagration's leadership and the effectiveness of disciplined infantry against cavalry charges. This stand influenced the dynamics leading up to the decisive Battle of Austerlitz later that month.
1805
Napoleonic Wars
Battle of Schöngrabern
Pyotr Bagration
Joachim Murat
1857day.year
Second relief of Lucknow: Twenty-four Victoria Crosses are awarded, the most in a single day.
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Second Relief of Lucknow saw an unprecedented number of Victoria Crosses awarded in a single day.
In the midst of the Indian Rebellion against British rule, the siege of Lucknow marked a fierce struggle for control. On November 16, 1857, British and loyal Indian forces launched the Second Relief operation to break the rebel blockade. In recognition of extraordinary valor displayed on that day, 24 Victoria Crosses were awarded—the highest ever in one engagement. Heroic acts included rescuing wounded comrades under intense fire and leading charges against fortified positions. The relief lifted the siege briefly, allowing for reinforcements and civilian evacuations. Despite continued fighting, the operation highlighted the courage and sacrifice of soldiers on both sides. It stands as a testament to individual gallantry amid one of the rebellion's most protracted battles.
1857
Second relief of Lucknow
Victoria Crosses
1863day.year
American Civil War: In the Battle of Campbell's Station, Confederate troops unsuccessfully attack Union forces which allows General Ambrose Burnside to secure Knoxville, Tennessee.
At the Battle of Campbell's Station in 1863, Union forces held off Confederate attacks, enabling General Ambrose Burnside to secure Knoxville.
During the American Civil War's Knoxville Campaign, Confederate General James Longstreet sought to drive Union troops from East Tennessee. On November 16, 1863, the armies clashed at Campbell's Station, where Union defenders established strong defensive positions along a railroad. Multiple Confederate assaults were repelled by disciplined rifle fire and effective artillery support. The successful defense allowed Union commander Ambrose Burnside to withdraw strategically and reinforce Knoxville's fortifications. This engagement, though smaller in scale, had significant strategic impact by preserving control of a vital rail junction. It demonstrated tactical acumen on both sides and set the stage for the subsequent Siege of Knoxville. The battle underscored the importance of logistics and terrain in Civil War conflicts.
1863
American Civil War
Battle of Campbell's Station
Confederate
Union
Ambrose Burnside
Knoxville, Tennessee
1885day.year
Canadian rebel leader of the Métis and "Father of Manitoba" Louis Riel is executed for treason.
Canadian Métis leader Louis Riel was executed for treason in 1885, ending the North-West Rebellion.
Louis Riel, a prominent Métis leader and political figure known as the Father of Manitoba, led two uprisings advocating for Métis rights against the Canadian government. After the Red River Rebellion, he formed a provisional government in 1885 during the North-West Rebellion. Captured by Canadian forces, Riel was tried in Regina for high treason. On November 16, 1885, he was hanged, a decision that deepened cultural and linguistic divides between English and French Canadians. Supporters viewed him as a defender of minority rights, while opponents labeled him a traitor to the Crown. His execution influenced Canadian politics for decades and sparked discussions about Indigenous sovereignty. Riel’s legacy endures as a symbol of resistance and the complex struggle for a unified Canada.
1885
Métis
Manitoba
Louis Riel
treason
1940day.year
World War II: In response to the leveling of Coventry by the German Luftwaffe two days before, the Royal Air Force bombs Hamburg.
In World War II, the Royal Air Force retaliated against the Luftwaffe's Coventry Blitz by bombing Hamburg in a significant early raid over Germany.
Two days after German bombers devastated Coventry on November 14, 1940, the RAF launched a large-scale night raid targeting Hamburg's industrial and military sites. The operation aimed to undermine German morale and disrupt aircraft production facilities in the port city. Though weather and navigation challenges limited destruction, the raid marked one of the first British attempts to strike deep into Germany. Hamburg's industrial districts and dockyards became frequent targets as the air war intensified. This mission set a precedent for the strategic bombing campaigns that defined the Allied air offensive for the remainder of the conflict.
1940
World War II
leveling of Coventry
bombs Hamburg
1940day.year
The Holocaust: In occupied Poland, the Nazis close off the Warsaw Ghetto from the outside world.
The Nazi regime sealed the Warsaw Ghetto, confining over 400,000 Jewish residents and marking a grim milestone in the Holocaust.
On November 16, 1940, German authorities completed the construction of walls and barriers around the Warsaw Ghetto, isolating an estimated 460,000 Jews in cramped urban districts. The area, encompassing just two percent of the city, suffered from severe overcrowding, starvation, and disease within weeks. Guards restricted movement and enforced brutal regulations, foreshadowing subsequent deportations to extermination camps. The ghetto became the largest in Nazi-occupied Europe and a focal point of resistance, culminating in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943. The sealing of the ghetto stands as a stark example of the systematic persecution at the heart of the Holocaust.
The Holocaust
Nazis
Warsaw Ghetto
1944day.year
World War II: In support of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, the town of Düren is destroyed by Allied aircraft.
Allied aircraft destroyed the German town of Düren during the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, inflicting severe civilian and structural damage.
As part of efforts to breach Germany’s Siegfried Line, Allied forces aimed to secure the Hürtgen Forest in late 1944. On November 16, 1944, programed air raids targeted Düren to disrupt German supply lines and communications. The bombardment flattened large sections of the town, causing significant civilian casualties and displacing residents. Despite heavy bombing and infantry assaults, the dense forest and fortified positions prolonged the brutal battle for months. The destruction of Düren exemplifies the harsh toll of tactical air power on civilian centers during the final stages of World War II.
1944
Battle of Hürtgen Forest
Düren