63 BC
Cicero gives the fourth and final of the Catiline Orations.
On December 5, 63 BC, Cicero delivered the final Catiline Oration in the Roman Senate, exposing the conspiracy against the Republic.
In 63 BC, Roman consul and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero faced the Catilinarian conspiracy led by Lucius Sergius Catilina.
Cicero’s four orations laid bare the plot to overthrow the Senate and assassinate key officials.
The fourth speech, delivered on December 5, condemned Catiline’s followers and rallied the Senate to act.
This dramatic address marked the culmination of Cicero’s efforts to preserve Republican order.
His eloquent oratory secured his reputation as one of Rome’s greatest speakers and defenders of the state.
63 BC
Cicero
Catiline Orations
633day.year
Fourth Council of Toledo opens, presided over by Isidore of Seville.
The Fourth Council of Toledo convened under Archbishop Isidore, shaping Church and Visigothic laws.
On December 5, 633, bishops of the Visigothic Kingdom gathered in Toledo for the Fourth Council.
Led by Isidore of Seville, the council addressed matters of ecclesiastical discipline, penance, and clerical conduct.
It reinforced the union between Church doctrine and Visigothic royal authority under King Sisenand.
Canons issued at the council influenced both religious practice and secular law across Hispania.
This assembly solidified Isidore’s legacy as a key figure in early medieval scholarship and governance.
633
Fourth Council of Toledo
Isidore of Seville
1082day.year
Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona is assassinated, most likely by his brother, Berenguer Ramon II.
Ramon Berenguer II, joint ruler of Barcelona, was assassinated in a fraternal power struggle.
On December 5, 1082, Ramon Berenguer II, one of the counts of Barcelona, was murdered while hunting.
Contemporary chronicles implicate his twin brother, Berenguer Ramon II, in a bid for sole control.
The assassination plunged Catalonia into a succession crisis and internecine conflict.
Ramon’s death altered the region’s political landscape and led to years of rivalries among the nobility.
This event highlights the brutal nature of medieval dynastic disputes in Iberia.
1082
Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona
Berenguer Ramon II
1484day.year
Pope Innocent VIII issues the Summis desiderantes affectibus, a papal bull that deputizes Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger as inquisitors to root out alleged witchcraft in Germany.
Pope Innocent VIII authorized inquisitors Kramer and Sprenger to pursue alleged witches across Germany.
On December 5, 1484, Pope Innocent VIII promulgated the bull Summis desiderantes affectibus.
This decree empowered Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger to investigate and prosecute witchcraft.
It provided ecclesiastical backing for intensified witch hunts in German territories.
The bull influenced the later publication of the Malleus Maleficarum, fueling pan-European witch trials.
This papal action marked a dark chapter in the history of religious persecution.
1484
Pope Innocent VIII
Summis desiderantes affectibus
papal bull
Heinrich Kramer
Jacob Sprenger
inquisitors
witchcraft
1496day.year
King Manuel I of Portugal issues a decree ordering the expulsion of Jews from the country.
King Manuel I ordered all Jews to leave Portugal, enforcing religious uniformity through expulsion.
On December 5, 1496, King Manuel I decreed the expulsion of Portugal’s Jewish population.
This edict followed Spain’s own expulsion in 1492 and aligned with marriage conditions set by Isabella.
Thousands of Jews faced conversion, exile, or the loss of their properties and civil rights.
The decree reshaped Portuguese society, leading to a diaspora and cultural displacement.
It remains a somber example of religious intolerance in late medieval Europe.
1496
Manuel I of Portugal
1560day.year
Thirteen-year-old Charles IX becomes king of France, with Queen Mother Catherine de' Medici as regent.
At age 13, Charles IX ascended the French throne with his mother Catherine de' Medici as regent.
On December 5, 1560, following the death of his brother Francis II, Charles IX was proclaimed king.
The young monarch’s accession placed significant authority in the hands of Catherine de’ Medici.
She navigated religious tensions between Catholics and Huguenots during his minority.
This regency period set the stage for the French Wars of Religion that would engulf the kingdom.
Charles IX’s reign would later be marked by both cultural patronage and civil strife.
1560
Charles IX
Catherine de' Medici
1770day.year
29th Regiment of Foot privates Hugh Montgomery and Matthew Kilroy are found guilty for the manslaughter of Crispus Attucks and Samuel Gray respectively in the Boston Massacre.
Two British soldiers are convicted of manslaughter for their roles in the Boston Massacre, a pivotal event in pre-Revolutionary America.
On December 5, 1770, Privates Hugh Montgomery and Matthew Kilroy of the 29th Regiment of Foot were found guilty of manslaughter for the deaths of Crispus Attucks and Samuel Gray during the Boston Massacre. The jury's verdict, after spirited defense by John Adams and Josiah Quincy, resulted in branding rather than capital punishment, reflecting both colonial sympathies and legal complexities. The Boston Massacre, which had inflamed tensions between American colonists and British troops, became a symbol of colonial resistance and injustice. The trial highlighted early American legal principles, including the right to a fair defense and the rule of law. This event, intertwined with nascent revolutionary sentiment, contributed to the colonies’ march toward independence.
1770
29th Regiment of Foot
privates
Hugh Montgomery
Matthew Kilroy
Crispus Attucks
Boston Massacre
1831day.year
Former U.S. President John Quincy Adams takes his seat in the House of Representatives.
Former President John Quincy Adams begins his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives.
On December 5, 1831, John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, took his seat as a member of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts. Rejecting retirement, he vowed to continue public service by advocating against slavery and for civil liberties. Adams quickly became a vocal opponent of the 'Gag Rule' limiting discussion of anti-slavery petitions, earning respect for his principled stand on free speech and human rights. His legislative career in the 'People's House' spanned 17 years, during which he shaped key debates on infrastructure, education, and federal power. Adams's unique trajectory from president to congressman underscored his lifelong commitment to the republic.
1831
John Quincy Adams
House of Representatives
1847day.year
Jefferson Davis is elected to the U.S. Senate.
Jefferson Davis, future Confederate president, is elected to the U.S. Senate.
On December 5, 1847, Jefferson Davis was elected by the Mississippi legislature to represent the state in the United States Senate. A former U.S. Army officer and Mississippi planter, Davis entered the Senate with a reputation as a strong advocate for Southern interests and states' rights. During his tenure, he served on the Committees on Military Affairs and Commerce, influencing national decisions on westward expansion and defense. Davis's Senate career showcased his leadership and foreshadowed his later role as President of the Confederate States. His time in Washington provided critical experience and connections that shaped his controversial legacy in American history.
1847
Jefferson Davis
1933day.year
The Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified, repealing Prohibition in the United States.
On December 5, 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment was ratified, ending Prohibition and legalizing alcohol production and sales in the United States.
Prohibition, instituted by the Eighteenth Amendment in 1920, had led to widespread bootlegging and organized crime.
Growing public discontent and the economic strains of the Great Depression spurred calls for repeal.
By late 1933, 36 states had ratified the Twenty-first Amendment, meeting the requirement for adoption.
The amendment marked a major constitutional reversal, restoring states' rights over alcohol regulation.
Repeal revitalized breweries and distilleries, generating jobs and tax revenue while reshaping American social life.
1933
Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution
Prohibition in the United States
1936day.year
The Soviet Union adopts a new constitution and the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic is established as a full Union Republic of the USSR.
On December 5, 1936, the Soviet Union adopted its new Stalin Constitution and elevated the Kirghiz ASSR to the Kirghiz SSR as a full Union Republic.
The 1936 Soviet Constitution, known as the Stalin Constitution, reorganized the USSR's federal structure.
It formally established the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic as one of the union's constituent republics.
The new constitution expanded citizens' civil rights on paper, though political repression continued.
Elevating the Kirghiz ASSR to SSR status granted it representation in central soviets and symbolic autonomy.
This constitutional change reflected Moscow's strategy of consolidating power while managing diverse nationalities.
1936
Soviet Union
constitution
Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic
Union Republic
USSR
1977day.year
Egypt breaks diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen in retaliation to preventing President Anwar el‐Sadat from pursuing negotiations with Israel at the Tripoli confer.
Egypt cuts diplomatic ties with five Arab nations after President Sadat's peace efforts with Israel face regional opposition.
In December 1977, President Anwar el-Sadat of Egypt faced strong resistance from fellow Arab states after his outreach to Israel.
At the Arab summit in Tripoli, Libya, Sadat was prevented from pursuing peace negotiations, leading Egypt to sever diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen.
This bold move underscored tensions within the Arab League over the Israeli-Egyptian peace process.
Sadat's actions demonstrated his commitment to seeking a settlement with Israel, despite isolation from key Arab partners.
The break highlighted divisions in Middle Eastern politics and set the stage for later agreements, including the Camp David Accords.
International reactions were mixed, with Western powers cautiously optimistic, while many Arab countries condemned Egypt's unilateral move.
The event reshaped Egypt's regional relations and marked a turning point in Arab-Israeli diplomacy.
1977
Egypt
breaks diplomatic relations
Syria
Libya
Algeria
Iraq
South Yemen
Anwar el‐Sadat