November 25

Events

571 BC

Servius Tullius, king of Rome, celebrates the first of his three triumphs for his victory over the Etruscans.

In 571 BC, Roman King Servius Tullius celebrated his first of three triumphs after defeating the Etruscan forces.
In 571 BC, Servius Tullius, the sixth king of Rome, celebrated his first triumph after his victory over the Etruscans. This ancient Roman ceremony honored military success with a grand procession and public display of spoils. Triumphs signified divine favor and reinforced the king's prestige among Roman citizens. Servius Tullius would be granted two more triumphs in his reign, highlighting his role in Rome's power expansion. The celebration underscored Rome's rising dominance in central Italy and its ongoing conflicts with neighboring tribes.
571 BC Servius Tullius Rome triumphs Etruscans
1034day.year

Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots, dies. His grandson, Donnchad, son of Bethóc and Crínán of Dunkeld, inherits the throne.

In 1034, King Máel Coluim mac Cináeda of Scotland died, and his grandson Donnchad inherited the Scottish throne.
In 1034, King Máel Coluim mac Cináeda (Malcolm II) passed away after a reign marked by consolidation of royal authority. Having no surviving sons, the throne passed to his daughter's son, Donnchad, in accordance with dynastic arrangements. Donnchad, son of Bethóc and Crínán of Dunkeld, ascended amid a period of clan rivalries and shifting alliances. His succession maintained continuity but also set the stage for future disputes among Scottish nobility. This transition illustrates the complex inheritance customs of early medieval Scotland.
1034 Máel Coluim mac Cináeda King of Scots Donnchad Bethóc Crínán of Dunkeld
1120day.year

The White Ship sinks in the English Channel, drowning William Adelin, son and heir of Henry I of England.

In 1120, the White Ship sank in the English Channel, resulting in the death of William Adelin, heir to King Henry I of England.
In 1120, the White Ship, carrying William Adelin and other nobles, struck a submerged rock off the Normandy coast. The tragedy occurred near Barfleur in calm weather but was worsened by overcrowding and intoxicated crew and passengers. Only one known survivor escaped, leaving King Henry I without his primary heir. This disaster led to a succession crisis and ultimately the period of civil war known as The Anarchy. The sinking of the White Ship remains one of medieval England's most momentous maritime tragedies.
1120 White Ship English Channel William Adelin Henry I of England
1177day.year

Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and Raynald of Châtillon defeat Saladin at the Battle of Montgisard.

In 1177, Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and Raynald of Châtillon achieved a surprising victory over Saladin at Montgisard.
In 1177, a small Crusader army under the leprous King Baldwin IV and Raynald of Châtillon engaged Saladin's much larger forces near Montgisard. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Crusaders launched a dawn attack that caught Saladin off guard. The decisive action, aided by heavy rains that disrupted the enemy, led to a rout of the Ayyubid army. This victory bolstered Crusader morale and temporarily checked Saladin's expansion in the Holy Land. The Battle of Montgisard is celebrated as a testament to tactical daring against overwhelming odds.
1177 Baldwin IV of Jerusalem Raynald of Châtillon Saladin Battle of Montgisard
1343day.year

A tsunami, caused by an earthquake in the Tyrrhenian Sea, devastates Naples and the Maritime Republic of Amalfi, among other places.

In 1343, a tsunami triggered by a Tyrrhenian Sea earthquake devastated coastal regions including Naples and Amalfi.
On November 25, 1343, a powerful earthquake struck the Tyrrhenian Sea, generating tsunami waves that swept across coastal towns. Piercing tremors were followed by sudden sea surges that inundated Naples, Amalfi, and nearby settlements. Historical records describe significant loss of life, destruction of ships, and collapse of waterfront structures. The disaster disrupted maritime trade and weakened the fortunes of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi. This event remains one of the earliest recorded Mediterranean tsunamis with wide-reaching consequences.
1343 tsunami earthquake Tyrrhenian Sea Naples Maritime Republic of Amalfi
1400day.year

King Minkhaung I becomes king of Ava.

In 1400, Minkhaung I ascended to the throne as king of the Ava Kingdom in present-day Myanmar.
In 1400, Minkhaung I became king of the rising Ava Kingdom following the death of his predecessor. His reign marked an era of territorial expansion and consolidation in central Burma (Myanmar). Minkhaung fostered Buddhist scholarship and patronized the construction of temples and pagodas. He also engaged in military campaigns against rival states such as Hanthawaddy Pegu. His leadership laid the foundations for Ava's prominence in 15th-century Southeast Asia.
1400 Minkhaung I Ava
1487day.year

Elizabeth of York is crowned Queen of England.

In 1487, Elizabeth of York was crowned Queen of England as the wife of King Henry VII.
On November 25, 1487, Elizabeth of York was crowned queen consort at Westminster Abbey. Her marriage to Henry VII united the feuding houses of York and Lancaster, ending the Wars of the Roses. Elizabeth's coronation symbolized the establishment of the Tudor dynasty and a new era of political stability. As queen, she influenced the royal court and produced heirs, securing the Tudor succession. She is remembered for her grace and role in forging dynastic peace in England.
1487 Elizabeth of York Queen of England
1491day.year

The siege of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain, ends with the Treaty of Granada.

In 1491, the Siege of Granada ended with the signing of the Treaty of Granada, ending Moorish rule in Spain.
In 1491, the surrender of Granada concluded nearly 800 years of Muslim rule in Iberia. The Treaty of Granada granted terms of safe conduct and religious freedom to the defeated Nasrid rulers and their subjects. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella's forces marched into the city, marking the completion of the Reconquista. Despite initial protections, subsequent policies eroded the treaty's guarantees, leading to forced conversions. The fall of Granada transformed Spain and paved the way for its future as a united Christian kingdom.
1491 siege of Granada Moorish Treaty of Granada
1510day.year

Portuguese conquest of Goa: Portuguese naval forces under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque, and local mercenaries working for privateer Timoji, seize Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate, resulting in 451 years of Portuguese colonial rule.

In 1510, Portuguese forces led by Afonso de Albuquerque, aided by local mercenaries, seized Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate.
In 1510, Afonso de Albuquerque launched a naval expedition that captured Goa, a strategic port on India's west coast. He was assisted by the privateer Timoji and local mercenaries dissatisfied with Bijapur rule. The conquest established Goa as the capital of the Portuguese Estado da Índia for the next 451 years. Under Albuquerque's administration, Goa became a thriving hub for the spice trade and European commerce. This event marked the beginning of lasting European colonial presence in the Indian subcontinent.
1510 Portuguese conquest of Goa Afonso de Albuquerque Timoji Bijapur Sultanate
1596day.year

The Cudgel War begins in Finland (at the time part of Sweden), when peasants rebel against the imposition of taxes by the nobility.

In 1596, the Cudgel War began as Finnish peasants rebelled against heavy taxation imposed by the Swedish nobility.
On November 25, 1596, Finnish peasants launched a rebellion known as the Cudgel War in the Swedish realm. Frustrated by oppressive taxes and conscription, armed farmers took up clubs (cudgels) against noble authorities. Lacking formal military training, the rebels nonetheless managed initial successes in rural districts. The uprising was eventually suppressed by professional troops, resulting in severe reprisals. The Cudgel War highlights the tensions between peasant communities and the Swedish state.
1596 Cudgel War peasants
1667day.year

A deadly earthquake rocks Shemakha in the Caucasus, killing 80,000 people.

A catastrophic earthquake struck Shemakha in the Caucasus in 1667, claiming around 80,000 lives.
In 1667, the city of Shemakha (now Shamakhi, Azerbaijan) was devastated by one of the deadliest earthquakes in the Caucasus region. The tremor flattened much of the city and surrounding villages, trapping residents beneath rubble. Contemporary accounts estimate that approximately 80,000 people perished in the disaster. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to ruins, and survivors faced displacement and famine in the aftermath. Rescue efforts were hampered by the region's rugged terrain and lack of organized relief. The catastrophe had lasting social and economic impacts on the Safavid Persian Empire, which struggled to rebuild the affected areas.
1667 earthquake Shemakha Caucasus
1678day.year

Trunajaya rebellion: After a long and logistically challenging march, the allied Mataram and Dutch troops successfully assaulted the rebel stronghold of Kediri.

During the Trunajaya Rebellion in 1678, Mataram and Dutch forces captured the rebel stronghold of Kediri after a challenging campaign.
In 1678, as the Trunajaya Rebellion threatened the stability of the Mataram Sultanate in Java, allied forces of the sultan and the Dutch East India Company launched a difficult campaign to retake Kediri. The long march tested supply lines across dense jungles and contested territory, but the alliance pressed onward. Upon reaching the city, they laid siege to the rebel stronghold and breached its defenses. The fall of Kediri marked a turning point in suppressing Trunajaya's uprising and restoring Mataram authority. However, tensions over spoils of war and command rights deepened between the sultanate and the Company. This victory accelerated the end of widespread rebellion but also laid the groundwork for increased Dutch influence in Java, shaping the region's future colonial dynamics.
1678 Trunajaya rebellion Mataram Dutch successfully assaulted