1317day.year
The Nyköping Banquet: King Birger of Sweden treacherously seizes his two brothers, dukes Valdemar and Erik, who are subsequently starved to death in the dungeon of Nyköping Castle.
In 1317, King Birger of Sweden lured his brothers to a banquet at Nyköping Castle and imprisoned them, where they died of starvation.
The Nyköping Banquet took place on December 10, 1317, when King Birger of Sweden invited his brothers, dukes Valdemar and Erik, to dine at Nyköping Castle before turning them over to his guards. The dukes were held in the castle dungeon and denied food, ultimately leading to their death by starvation. This ruthless act was the culmination of a long-running power struggle among the royal siblings. It sparked outrage among the Swedish nobility and ignited a civil war that reshaped the kingdom's leadership. Birger's extreme measures tarnished his reputation and weakened the monarchy's stability for years. The Nyköping Banquet remains a chilling example of medieval court treachery.
1317
Nyköping Banquet
Birger of Sweden
Valdemar
Erik
1508day.year
The League of Cambrai is formed by Pope Julius II, Louis XII of France, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Ferdinand II of Aragon as an alliance against Venice.
In 1508, Pope Julius II, Louis XII of France, Maximilian I, and Ferdinand II of Aragon formed the League of Cambrai to challenge Venetian power in Italy.
The League of Cambrai was signed on December 10, 1508, representing a major alliance against the Venetian Republic. Under Pope Julius II's leadership, rulers of France, the Holy Roman Empire, and Aragon united to curb Venice's territorial and commercial dominance. The coalition aimed to seize strategic Venetian holdings in Northern Italy. Although initially successful, internal rivalries soon led members to pursue separate ambitions. These shifting alliances triggered a series of conflicts that defined the Italian Wars. Historians regard the League of Cambrai as a turning point in Renaissance diplomacy and warfare.
1508
League of Cambrai
Pope Julius II
Louis XII of France
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Venice
1520day.year
Martin Luther burns his copy of the papal bull Exsurge Domine outside Wittenberg's Elster Gate.
On December 10, 1520, Martin Luther publicly burned Pope Leo X's bull Exsurge Domine in Wittenberg, defiantly rejecting the papal decree.
Martin Luther's act of burning the papal bull Exsurge Domine took place outside Wittenberg's Elster Gate. The bull, issued by Pope Leo X, demanded Luther retract his criticisms of church practices. Luther's dramatic gesture symbolized his open defiance of papal authority and galvanized the Protestant Reformation. Supporters across Germany were emboldened, while Church officials escalated their opposition. This moment ignited enduring religious conflicts that would reshape Europe's spiritual and political landscape. The burning remains an iconic statement in the struggle for religious reform.
1520
Martin Luther
papal bull
Exsurge Domine
Wittenberg
1541day.year
Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham are executed for having affairs with Catherine Howard, Queen of England and wife of Henry VIII.
In 1541, Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham were executed for their secret affairs with Queen Catherine Howard, wife of King Henry VIII.
The executions of Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham occurred on December 10, 1541, amid the scandal surrounding Queen Catherine Howard's infidelities. Both men confessed to relationships with the young queen, actions deemed treason against the crown. They were arrested, tried, and sentenced to death, reflecting the severe moral and political standards of Tudor England. Their beheadings, carried out at Tyburn, foreshadowed Catherine Howard's own execution weeks later. The affair brought disgrace upon the Howard family and intensified courtly intrigue. This incident highlights the lethal risks of royal scandal in the reign of Henry VIII.
1541
Thomas Culpeper
Francis Dereham
Catherine Howard
Henry VIII
1652day.year
Defeat at the Battle of Dungeness causes the Commonwealth of England to reform its navy.
A decisive defeat at the Battle of Dungeness on December 10, 1652, exposed weaknesses in the English Commonwealth navy and spurred major reforms.
The Battle of Dungeness occurred off the coast of Kent, where a Dutch fleet under Admiral Maarten Tromp engaged the English Commonwealth navy. Tactical superiority and better seamanship allowed the Dutch to secure a decisive victory. The loss exposed significant flaws in English ship design, crew training, and command structure. In response, Parliament ordered comprehensive reforms, leading to improved vessel standards and the creation of a professional officer corps. These changes transformed the navy and paved the way for England's later maritime dominance. The battle and its aftermath are seen as a turning point in naval warfare.
1652
Battle of Dungeness
Commonwealth of England
1665day.year
The Royal Netherlands Marine Corps is founded by Michiel de Ruyter.
Michiel de Ruyter founded the Korps Mariniers, the precursor to the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, on December 10, 1665.
On this date, renowned Admiral Michiel de Ruyter established the Korps Mariniers in the Dutch Republic. The unit was designed to serve as specialized infantry on warships and for amphibious assaults during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. Its creation enhanced the tactical capabilities of the Dutch navy, allowing for more effective boarding actions and coastal raids. De Ruyter's initiative laid the foundations for a professional marine force. Over centuries, the corps evolved into the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, participating in conflicts worldwide. It stands as one of the oldest marine units still in continuous service.
1665
Royal Netherlands Marine Corps
Michiel de Ruyter
1684day.year
Isaac Newton's derivation of Kepler's laws from his theory of gravity, contained in the paper De motu corporum in gyrum, is read to the Royal Society by Edmond Halley.
On December 10, 1684, Edmond Halley presented Isaac Newton's paper deriving Kepler's laws from his theory of gravity to the Royal Society.
Edmond Halley read Newton's paper De motu corporum in gyrum before the Royal Society in London. The manuscript demonstrated how Kepler's empirical laws of planetary motion could be derived from Newton's universal law of gravitation. This groundbreaking work bridged observations of celestial bodies with a unifying mathematical framework. Halley's advocacy was instrumental in gaining support for Newton's research. The paper laid the scientific groundwork for Newton's later publication of the Principia Mathematica. It marked a defining moment in the Scientific Revolution and the development of classical mechanics.
1684
Isaac Newton
Kepler's laws
De motu corporum in gyrum
Royal Society
Edmond Halley
1768day.year
The first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica is published.
The first edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica was published in Edinburgh on December 10, 1768, heralding a new era of accessible knowledge.
Compiled by William Smellie and his colleagues, the initial three-volume edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica offered comprehensive articles on a wide array of subjects. Its systematic organization and emphasis on scholarly accuracy set new standards for reference works. The publication emerged during the Scottish Enlightenment, reflecting the era's commitment to learning and reason. Despite modest initial sales, Britannica's reputation grew rapidly, attracting contributions from notable intellectuals. Subsequent editions expanded the encyclopedia's scope, solidifying its status as an indispensable resource. The first edition's release marked the beginning of a legacy that endures in digital and print forms.
1768
Encyclopædia Britannica
1799day.year
France adopts the metre as its official unit of length.
France adopted the metre as its official unit of length on December 10, 1799, pioneering the metric system.
The metric system's adoption followed years of scientific and political effort to rationalize weights and measures during the French Revolution. The metre was defined as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along the Paris meridian. Replacing a confusing patchwork of local units, the new standard facilitated trade, engineering, and scientific research. French scientists produced physical platinum measuring rods to embody the metre's length. The move laid the foundation for the International System of Units (SI) used worldwide today. France's choice set a precedent for global measurement standardization.
1799
unit of length
1817day.year
Mississippi becomes the 20th U.S. state.
Mississippi was admitted as the 20th state of the United States on December 10, 1817, expanding American territory in the Gulf South.
Following the formation of the Mississippi Territory in 1798 and treaties with Native American tribes, the region advanced toward statehood. Congress approved Mississippi's petition, and President James Monroe signed the enabling act in late 1817. On December 10, the state officially joined the Union as the 20th state. Its new constitution established a government structure and reaffirmed early American political principles. Statehood spurred settlement, agricultural development, and the growth of cotton plantations. Mississippi's entry into the Union reflected the nation's westward expansion and frontier dynamics.
1817
Mississippi
U.S. state
1861day.year
American Civil War: The Confederate States of America accept a rival state government's pronouncement that declares Kentucky to be the 13th state of the Confederacy.
Confederate authorities declared Kentucky the 13th state of the Confederacy, intensifying the Civil War’s border state conflict.
In late 1861, Confederate leaders formalized a rival government in Kentucky, proclaiming it the 13th state of the Confederacy. The move underscored Kentucky's strategic position as a border state with divided loyalties. It also highlighted the importance of controlling key river and rail routes. Although Confederate sympathizers celebrated the declaration, most of Kentucky remained under Union occupation. The proclamation exacerbated tensions and spurred further military campaigns in the region. Ultimately, Union forces retained control of the state, rendering the Confederate claim mostly symbolic.
1861
American Civil War
Confederate States of America
Kentucky
1861day.year
Forces led by Nguyễn Trung Trực, an anti-colonial guerrilla leader in southern Vietnam, sink the French lorcha L'Esperance.
Vietnamese guerrilla leader Nguyễn Trung Trực sank the French lorcha L’Esperance, striking a blow against colonial forces.
Forces under the Vietnamese guerrilla leader Nguyễn Trung Trực ambushed and sank the French lorcha L'Esperance in 1861. Operating in the Mekong Delta, his group targeted vessels supplying French colonial troops. The daring naval action dealt a symbolic blow to French authority in Cochinchina. Nguyễn’s use of small boats and local knowledge showcased effective asymmetrical tactics. This event bolstered Vietnamese resistance morale and inspired further uprisings. Though the French eventually consolidated control, the sinking became a legendary episode in Vietnam’s anti-colonial struggle.
Nguyễn Trung Trực
Vietnam
lorcha