220day.year
Emperor Xian of Han is forced to abdicate the throne by Cao Cao's son Cao Pi, ending the Han dynasty.
In 220, Emperor Xian of Han was compelled to abdicate the throne to Cao Pi, marking the end of the Eastern Han dynasty.
By the early 3rd century, the Han dynasty’s authority had been eroded by powerful warlords, with Cao Cao holding real power as chancellor. After Cao Cao’s death, his son Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian to step down on December 11, 220. This formal abdication ended over four centuries of Han rule in China. Cao Pi then established the state of Cao Wei, initiating the tripartite division known as the Three Kingdoms period. The moment reshaped Chinese imperial history and remains a defining milestone in the nation’s complex dynastic cycle.
220
Emperor Xian of Han
Cao Cao
Cao Pi
ending the Han dynasty
361day.year
Julian enters Constantinople as sole Roman Emperor.
In 361, Julian returned to Constantinople and assumed sole rule as Roman Emperor after the death of Constantius II.
Julian, later known as "the Apostate," had been appointed Caesar under his cousin Constantius II but was proclaimed emperor by his troops in April 360. After Constantius’s unexpected death in November 361, Julian made his formal entrance into Constantinople on December 11. His ascension marked a dramatic shift as he pursued religious and administrative reforms, promoting pagan traditions over Christianity. Julian’s brief reign left a notable imprint on the late Roman Empire’s political and religious landscape.
361
Julian
Constantinople
Roman Emperor
861day.year
Assassination of the Abbasid caliph al-Mutawakkil by the Turkish guard, who raise al-Muntasir to the throne, start of the "Anarchy at Samarra".
In 861, Caliph al-Mutawakkil was assassinated by his Turkish guard, ushering in the chaotic Anarchy at Samarra.
Al-Mutawakkil, who had moved the Abbasid capital to Samarra and pursued grand architectural projects, had a tense relationship with his Turkish guards. On December 11, 861, those guards assassinated him in a palace conspiracy and installed his son al-Muntasir as caliph. The ensuing period, known as the Anarchy at Samarra, saw a rapid turnover of caliphs, military dominance over the caliphate, and deep political instability that weakened Abbasid authority across the Islamic world.
861
Abbasid
al-Mutawakkil
al-Muntasir
Anarchy at Samarra
969day.year
Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas is assassinated by his wife Theophano and her lover, the later Emperor John I Tzimiskes.
In 969, Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas was murdered in his bath by conspirators, including his wife Theophano and John I Tzimiskes.
Nikephoros II Phokas, celebrated for his military campaigns against Arab forces, had alienated court factions with his austere rule and favoritism. On December 11, 969, a palace plot led by his wife Theophano and her lover, General John Tzimiskes, resulted in his assassination during a ceremonial bath. Tzimiskes then ascended the throne as John I, shifting imperial policy and securing his own legitimacy through diplomatic marriages and church support. The event underscored the lethal intrigue of Byzantine court politics.
969
Byzantine Emperor
Nikephoros II Phokas
Theophano
John I Tzimiskes
1041day.year
Michael V, adoptive son of Empress Zoë of Byzantium, is proclaimed emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire.
In 1041, Michael V was proclaimed Byzantine emperor, the adopted son of Empress Zoë.
Empress Zoë, daughter of Constantine VIII, adopted her nephew Michael V to secure succession during a turbulent dynastic period. On December 11, 1041, Michael V was crowned co-emperor and soon took sole rule after Zoe and her sister Theodora were sidelined. His brief reign featured controversial reforms and purges that angered key factions, leading to public unrest and his eventual overthrow. The power struggles highlighted the fragility of imperial succession in mid-11th-century Byzantium.
1041
Michael V
Zoë of Byzantium
Eastern Roman Empire
1239day.year
Treaty of Benavente: the heiresses of the Kingdom of León renounce their throne to King Ferdinand III of Castile
In 1239, the Treaty of Benavente saw the Leonese heiresses renounce their claim, uniting León with Castile under Ferdinand III.
Following the death of King Alfonso IX of León, his daughters Sancha and Dulce were poised to inherit. On December 11, 1239, they signed the Treaty of Benavente, relinquishing their rights in favor of their half-brother Ferdinand III of Castile. This dynastic union created one of medieval Spain’s largest kingdoms and strengthened Christian kingdoms during the Reconquista. The treaty laid groundwork for the eventual emergence of a unified Spanish monarchy.
1239
Treaty of Benavente
Kingdom of León
Ferdinand III of Castile
1640day.year
The Root and Branch petition, signed by 15,000 Londoners calling for the abolition of the episcopacy, is presented to the Long Parliament.
In 1640, 15,000 Londoners presented the Root and Branch petition to Parliament, demanding abolition of the episcopacy in the Church of England.
Amid rising Puritan influence and tensions over church governance, a petition signed by thousands of London citizens was brought before the Long Parliament on December 11, 1640. Calling for the 'root and branch' removal of bishops, it challenged the Church of England’s hierarchical structure. The petition ignited fierce debate over religious authority and contributed to the political divisions that led to the English Civil War. It remains a landmark moment in the struggle for parliamentary power and religious reform.
1640
Root and Branch petition
episcopacy
Long Parliament
1688day.year
Glorious Revolution: James II of England, while trying to flee to France, throws the Great Seal of the Realm into the River Thames.
During the Glorious Revolution, King James II attempted to flee England and dramatically threw the Great Seal into the River Thames as he sought refuge in France.
The Glorious Revolution of 1688 saw William of Orange invited to depose the Catholic King James II and restore Protestant rule.
As William's forces advanced, James attempted to escape to France in disguise under cover of darkness.
In a symbolic gesture of his downfall, he cast the Great Seal of the Realm into the River Thames rather than surrender it to his opponents.
The Great Seal represented the monarch's authority to enact laws and govern the kingdom.
Its disposal in the Thames marked the end of James II's reign and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy under William and Mary.
The incident became emblematic of the transfer of power and the limits of royal prerogative.
Historians regard the act as both a desperate flight and a potent symbol of monarchical transition.
1688
Glorious Revolution
James II of England
Great Seal of the Realm
River Thames
1792day.year
French Revolution: King Louis XVI of France is put on trial for treason by the National Convention.
King Louis XVI is brought to trial for treason by the National Convention during the French Revolution.
In December 1792, following the abolition of the monarchy, France's National Convention charged Louis XVI with treason.
The trial marked a radical assertion of popular sovereignty over royal privilege.
Accused of conspiring with foreign powers, Louis faced charges of betraying the revolutionary cause.
Proceedings were widely publicized and deeply divided public opinion at home and abroad.
The convention's vote would determine the fate of the once-absolute monarch.
This landmark event set a precedent for holding sovereigns accountable under law.
It culminated in Louis XVI's execution in January 1793, intensifying the revolution and its international repercussions.
1792
French Revolution
Louis XVI of France
is put on trial for treason
National Convention
1815day.year
The U.S. Senate creates a select committee on finance and a uniform national currency, predecessor of the United States Senate Committee on Finance.
The U.S. Senate establishes a select committee on finance and lays the groundwork for a uniform national currency in 1815.
On December 11, 1815, the United States Senate formed a select committee on finance to oversee federal revenue matters.
The committee examined the young nation's fiscal health and proposed measures to increase government income.
Senators also debated the creation of a uniform national currency to stabilize financial transactions.
Prior to this, state banks issued their own notes, causing confusion and economic instability.
This select committee evolved into the standing Senate Committee on Finance, one of Congress's oldest bodies.
Its recommendations shaped early American monetary policy after the War of 1812.
The establishment marked a key step toward a cohesive national economy and federal financial infrastructure.
1815
U.S. Senate
United States Senate Committee on Finance
1816day.year
Indiana becomes the 19th U.S. state.
Indiana is admitted to the United States as its 19th state on December 11, 1816.
After years as a territory, Indiana achieved statehood on December 11, 1816, entering the Union as the 19th state.
Statehood granted its citizens representation in Congress and greater political rights.
A constitution drafted in 1816 established Indiana's governmental framework.
Governor Jonathan Jennings oversaw the transition from territorial governance to a state system.
Indiana's admission reflected the nation's westward expansion and settler growth.
Early development focused on agriculture, roads, and canals to connect communities.
The new state symbolized the evolving democratic ideals and manifest destiny of the young republic.
1816
Indiana
U.S. state
1905day.year
A workers' uprising occurs in Kyiv, Ukraine (then part of the Russian Empire), and establishes the Shuliavka Republic.
Workers in Kyiv stage an uprising and establish the short-lived Shuliavka Republic during the 1905 Russian Revolution.
Amid the 1905 Russian Revolution, workers in Kyiv's Shuliavka district rose up against Tsarist authorities on December 11, 1905.
They seized government buildings and proclaimed the autonomous Shuliavka Republic.
Organized by socialist activists, the rebels formed workers' councils to administer the area.
The uprising reflected growing discontent over exploitation, political repression, and national inequality.
Imperial troops swiftly regained control, arresting leaders and dismantling the republic.
Though brief, the Shuliavka Republic became a symbol of popular resistance in the Russian Empire.
The event foreshadowed larger revolutionary movements that would culminate in the revolutions of 1917.
1905
Kyiv
Russian Empire
Shuliavka Republic