1499day.year
Seven days after being convicted of treason, Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the throne of England, is hanged for attempting to escape from the Tower of London; his supporter John Atwater is executed with him.
In 1499, pretender Perkin Warbeck and his supporter John Atwater were executed at the Tower of London after a failed escape attempt.
Having claimed to be Richard of Shrewsbury and challenged the Tudor succession, Perkin Warbeck was convicted of treason by Henry VII's court. Seven days after his sentencing, Warbeck attempted to escape from the Tower of London but was recaptured and hanged. His loyal supporter John Atwater faced the same fate alongside him. The executions sent a stern warning to other Yorkist sympathizers and helped secure Henry VII's hold on the throne. Warbeck’s dramatic rise and fall remains a fascinating chapter in the turbulent politics of early Tudor England.
1499
Perkin Warbeck
Tower of London
John Atwater
1867day.year
The Manchester Martyrs are hanged in Manchester, England, for killing a police officer while freeing two Irish Republican Brotherhood members from custody.
In 1867, the Manchester Martyrs were executed for killing a police officer while freeing Irish nationalists from custody.
Michael Larkin, William Allen, and Michael O'Brien (later known as the Manchester Martyrs) were hanged for the death of Police Sergeant Charles Brett during a rescue attempt of two Fenian prisoners. Their execution on November 23 drew large crowds and sparked outrage among Irish communities in Britain and Ireland. The martyrs became symbols of resistance against British rule and inspired future generations of Irish republicans. Memorials, songs, and poetry commemorated their sacrifice in the struggle for Irish independence. Their legacy endures in Irish nationalist history and cultural memory.
1867
Manchester Martyrs
Manchester
Irish Republican Brotherhood
1876day.year
Corrupt Tammany Hall leader William Magear Tweed (better known as Boss Tweed) is delivered to authorities in New York City after being captured in Spain.
In 1876, New York boss William M. Tweed, leader of Tammany Hall, was returned to authorities after his capture in Spain.
After fleeing the United States to avoid charges of embezzlement and graft, William 'Boss' Tweed was arrested by Spanish authorities in October 1876. On November 23, he was extradited to New York City to face trial for defrauding the city of millions of dollars. Tweed's downfall marked the collapse of the powerful Tweed Ring and exposed deep-rooted corruption in municipal politics. His convictions led to widespread calls for reform and greater government accountability. Although he died in prison in 1878, Boss Tweed’s legacy remains a cautionary tale of political power and corruption.
1876
Tammany Hall
Boss Tweed
1890day.year
King William III of the Netherlands dies without a male heir and a special law is passed to allow his daughter Princess Wilhelmina to succeed him.
In 1890, King William III of the Netherlands died, and a special law enabled his daughter Wilhelmina's succession.
William III's death on November 23, 1890, left the Dutch throne without a male heir, as his only child was ten-year-old Princess Wilhelmina. To preserve the monarchy, the Dutch parliament enacted a law permitting female succession. This change allowed Wilhelmina to become queen and stabilize the royal lineage. She was formally inaugurated in 1898 and guided the Netherlands through World War I, constitutional reforms, and the evolution of its colonial empire. The success of her reign demonstrated the effectiveness of progressive constitutional adaptation and strengthened national unity.
1890
William III of the Netherlands
Princess Wilhelmina
1910day.year
Johan Alfred Ander becomes the last person to be executed in Sweden.
On November 23, 1910, Johan Alfred Ander became the last person executed in Sweden, marking the end of capital punishment in the country.
Johan Alfred Ander was convicted for the 1908 robbery and murder of cashier Karl Hamberg at a Stockholm bank.
After a high-profile trial, he was sentenced to death by manual beheading with an axe, the last execution carried out in Sweden.
Authorities carried out the sentence at Långholmen Prison, drawing public attention to the gruesome practice.
The case fueled nationwide debate over the morality and deterrence value of capital punishment.
In the aftermath, Sweden abolished the death penalty for peacetime offenses in 1921 and completely in 1973.
Ander's execution remains a landmark in Swedish legal history and a turning point toward more humane penal reforms.
1910
Johan Alfred Ander
to be executed in Sweden
1914day.year
Mexican Revolution: The last of U.S. forces withdraw from Veracruz, occupied seven months earlier in response to the Tampico Affair.
On November 23, 1914, the final U.S. troops withdrew from Veracruz after a seven-month occupation triggered by the Tampico Affair during the Mexican Revolution.
In April 1914, U.S. forces seized Veracruz to punish Mexican officials after American sailors were detained in the Tampico Affair.
The occupation strained U.S.-Mexico relations and fueled nationalist sentiment among revolutionaries.
After lengthy negotiations and mounting international pressure, President Woodrow Wilson ordered the withdrawal of remaining troops.
The departure on November 23 closed a contentious chapter in bilateral ties and underscored the limits of American intervention.
Veracruz’s brief occupation affected the course of the Mexican Revolution and shaped future U.S. foreign policy in Latin America.
The incident remains a case study in diplomacy, intervention, and the complexities of revolutionary conflict.
1914
Mexican Revolution
Veracruz
Tampico Affair
1921day.year
Warren G. Harding, 29th President of the United States, signs the Willis–Campbell Act into law, prohibiting doctors from prescribing beer or liquor for medicinal purposes.
On November 23, 1921, President Warren G. Harding signed the Willis–Campbell Act, closing a loophole in Prohibition by banning medical prescriptions for alcohol.
The Willis–Campbell Act amended the National Prohibition Act to prevent doctors from prescribing beer or liquor as medicine.
Advocates of temperance saw the medical loophole as undermining the spirit of the Eighteenth Amendment.
Under the new law, pharmacists could no longer dispense alcohol without heavy fines and potential imprisonment.
Prohibition agents intensified raids on illicit clinics and pharmacies seeking to enforce the tighter restrictions.
The legislation sharpened nationwide debates over individual liberties, public health, and government regulation.
Though aimed at reducing alcohol consumption, it also spurred black-market prescriptions and enforcement challenges.
1921
Warren G. Harding
President of the United States
Willis–Campbell Act
1934day.year
An Anglo-Ethiopian boundary commission in the Ogaden discovers an Italian garrison at Walwal, well within Ethiopian territory. This leads to the Abyssinia Crisis.
On November 23, 1934, an Anglo-Ethiopian boundary commission encountered an Italian garrison at Walwal in Ogaden, sparking the Abyssinia Crisis.
Britain and Ethiopia jointly surveyed the Ogaden region to clarify colonial boundaries with Italian Somaliland.
Commission members were surprised to find Italian troops entrenched at Walwal, deep in Ethiopian land.
Italy refused to withdraw its forces, accusing Ethiopia of aggression and escalating tensions.
The incident provided Mussolini with a pretext for military pressure and plans to invade Ethiopia.
International efforts at the League of Nations failed to resolve the dispute, leading to sanctions against Italy.
The Abyssinia Crisis exposed the weaknesses of collective security and foreshadowed wider conflict in Europe.
1934
Ogaden
Walwal
Ethiopian
Abyssinia Crisis
1940day.year
World War II: Romania becomes a signatory of the Tripartite Pact, officially joining the Axis powers.
On November 23, 1940, Romania signed onto the Tripartite Pact, formally aligning itself with the Axis powers in World War II.
Facing pressure from Nazi Germany and seeking protection against Soviet and Hungarian ambitions, Romania negotiated entry into the pact.
Representatives signed the agreement in Vienna alongside Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Romania’s accession provided the Axis with crucial oil resources and strategic access to the Eastern Front.
Membership required cooperative military planning and economic support for the Axis war effort.
In 1944, King Michael’s coup would reverse this alliance, switching Romania to the Allied side.
The 1940 pact illustrates the fluid dynamics of wartime diplomacy and shifting allegiances in Eastern Europe.
1940
Romania
Tripartite Pact
Axis powers
1955day.year
The Cocos Islands are transferred from the control of the United Kingdom to that of Australia.
On November 23, 1955, sovereignty over the Cocos (Keeling) Islands passed from the United Kingdom to Australia, ushering in a new era of administration.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands had been a British territory since the early 19th century, governed through a private trust. In the postwar period, Australia sought to integrate the islands into its own territorial framework. On November 23, 1955, a formal agreement transferred administrative control from the United Kingdom to Australia. This shift granted residents Australian citizenship and extended Australian law to the territory. Local governance structures were gradually established under Australian oversight. The change improved access to public services, infrastructure development, and economic opportunities. It also symbolized Australia’s expanding role in the Indian Ocean region.
1955
Cocos Islands
1959day.year
French President Charles de Gaulle declares in a speech in Strasbourg his vision for "Europe, from the Atlantic to the Urals".
On November 23, 1959, President Charles de Gaulle delivered a landmark speech in Strasbourg, outlining his vision of a united Europe extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Ural Mountains.
Standing before the European Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, Charles de Gaulle presented his concept of a Europe independent of superpower influence. He envisioned a continental community stretching from the Atlantic coastline to the Ural Mountains, encompassing both Western and Eastern nations. De Gaulle’s address challenged the existing Cold War blocs and called for European sovereignty in defense and economic policy. His proposal emphasized cultural ties, shared history, and the need for a distinctive European identity. Although the speech met with mixed reactions, it sparked widespread debate on the future of European integration. It laid intellectual foundations for later initiatives like the European Economic Community. De Gaulle’s vision remains a touchstone in discussions about the Union’s geographical and political scope.
1959
French President
Charles de Gaulle
Strasbourg
Europe, from the Atlantic to the Urals
1971day.year
Representatives of the People's Republic of China attend the United Nations, including the United Nations Security Council, for the first time.
On November 23, 1971, the People’s Republic of China took its seat at the United Nations and the Security Council for the first time, replacing the Republic of China.
Following UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 in October 1971, diplomatic recognition shifted from Taipei to Beijing. On November 23, representatives of the People’s Republic of China formally participated in meetings of the UN and its Security Council. This milestone marked China’s emergence as a major actor in international diplomacy during the Cold War. The shift altered the balance of power within the Security Council, granting China veto authority. It also reflected broader geopolitical realignments between East and West. China’s UN membership opened avenues for global engagement on issues such as development, decolonization, and disarmament. The event signaled a new chapter in China’s relations with both superpowers and developing nations.
1971
attend
United Nations
United Nations Security Council