1294day.year
Saint Celestine V resigns the papacy after only five months to return to his previous life as an ascetic hermit.
Pope Celestine V abdicates after just five months to return to a life of solitude.
Saint Celestine V was elected pope in July 1294 amid controversies over papal exile and administration.
Despite initial enthusiasm for his spiritual humility, he struggled with the demands of the papacy.
On December 13, he issued a decree for his own resignation, a rare act in papal history.
He cited his preference for asceticism and inability to govern the Church effectively.
His resignation set a precedent and led to the development of formal regulations for papal abdications.
After stepping down, he lived as a hermit in his native Italy, where he died in 1296.
1294
Saint Celestine V
resigns
papacy
ascetic
hermit
1545day.year
The Council of Trent begins as the embodiment of the Counter-Reformation.
The Catholic Church convenes the Council of Trent, launching the Counter-Reformation to address Protestant challenges.
In December 1545, Pope Paul III convened the Council of Trent in northern Italy.
It marked a central component of the Counter-Reformation aimed at internal church reform.
Over 18 sessions, bishops and theologians defined Catholic doctrine on key issues like justification and sacraments.
The council addressed clerical corruption, enforcing stricter standards for priests and bishops.
It established the seminarial system for priestly education and reaffirmed papal authority.
Its decrees shaped the Catholic Church for the next four centuries and influenced the course of European history.
1545
Council of Trent
Counter-Reformation
1577day.year
Sir Francis Drake sets sail from Plymouth, England, on his round-the-world voyage.
English privateer Sir Francis Drake departs Plymouth on the expedition that will make him the second person to circumnavigate the globe.
On December 13, 1577, Francis Drake left Plymouth with five ships on a secret mission against Spanish holdings.
Financed by Queen Elizabeth I, the voyage aimed to raid treasure ships in the Pacific.
Navigating around Cape Horn, Drake became the first Englishman to sail the Pacific Ocean.
He continued across the Indonesian archipelago and rounded the Cape of Good Hope on his return.
His expedition returned in 1580 aboard the Golden Hind, completing the second circumnavigation in history.
The voyage boosted English maritime power and challenged Spanish dominance on the seas.
1577
Francis Drake
Plymouth
round-the-world voyage
1623day.year
The Plymouth Colony establishes the system of trial by 12-men jury in the American colonies.
The Plymouth Colony introduces the first 12-man jury trial system in North America.
In December 1623, the Pilgrim settlers at Plymouth established a formal jury of twelve men.
This innovation provided a structured legal process for adjudicating disputes and crimes.
Influenced by English common law, the system empowered community members to decide verdicts.
It marked the first recorded use of a jury in the American colonies, laying groundwork for colonial justice.
The practice evolved into a cornerstone of the U.S. legal system, ensuring peer review and fairness.
Jury trials later became enshrined in the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
1623
The Plymouth Colony
trial
1636day.year
The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians, a date now considered the founding of the National Guard of the United States.
Massachusetts Bay Colony forms militia regiments to defend against the Pequot, marking the National Guard's founding.
In December 1636, the Massachusetts Bay Colony raised three militia regiments for protection against Native American tribes.
These local forces were organized to defend settlements during heightened tensions with the Pequot tribe.
This initiative represents the earliest organized militia in American history.
Centuries later, these units evolved into the modern National Guard of the United States.
The militia concept emphasized citizen-soldiers serving part-time in defense of their communities.
Today, the National Guard traces its lineage to this foundational moment in 1636.
1636
Massachusetts Bay Colony
militia
Pequot
Indians
National Guard of the United States
1642day.year
Abel Tasman is the first recorded European to sight New Zealand.
Dutch explorer Abel Tasman becomes the first European to sight the islands now known as New Zealand.
On December 13, 1642, Abel Tasman, commanding a fleet for the Dutch East India Company, sighted land southwest of Australia.
He initially named the land 'Staten Landt,' believing it connected to a landmass near South America.
Later renamed New Zealand, this discovery opened European awareness of the islands.
Tasman's brief encounter included cautious observations and no direct contact with the Māori inhabitants.
His voyage mapped parts of the coast and laid groundwork for subsequent exploration by James Cook.
The European sighting set the stage for centuries of exploration, trade, and eventual colonization.
1642
Abel Tasman
New Zealand
1643day.year
English Civil War: The Battle of Alton takes place in Hampshire.
A Royalist victory at the Battle of Alton marks an early clash in the English Civil War.
On December 13, 1643, Parliamentarian forces under Sir William Waller attacked Royalist troops at Alton, Hampshire.
Despite initial successes, Waller's army was repulsed by defenders loyal to King Charles I.
The battle resulted in significant Parliamentarian casualties and a strategic Royalist hold in southern England.
It exemplified the ebb and flow of early Civil War engagements between Crown and Parliament.
Alton's defense bolstered Royalist morale and delayed Parliamentarian advances in the region.
The conflict continued until 1651, reshaping the balance of power in Britain and influencing modern governance.
1643
English Civil War
Battle of Alton
Hampshire
1758day.year
The English transport ship Duke William sinks in the North Atlantic, killing over 360 people.
The Duke William transport ship sinks in the North Atlantic, resulting in over 360 fatalities.
On December 13, 1758, the Duke William, carrying Acadian exiles from Nova Scotia, foundered in a winter storm.
Cruising through treacherous seas, the ship was overwhelmed by high waves and gale-force winds.
Of the approximately 380 passengers and crew, only 15 survived the sinking.
The tragedy is remembered as one of the worst maritime disasters of the era.
The loss deeply impacted Acadian communities, many of whom had been displaced by British authorities.
Artifacts and memorials today honor those who perished during the deportation voyage.
1758
Duke William
1769day.year
Dartmouth College is founded by the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, with a royal charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal governor John Wentworth.
Dartmouth College is established by Eleazar Wheelock under a charter from King George III.
On December 13, 1769, Dartmouth College was founded in New Hampshire by Congregational minister Eleazar Wheelock.
Originally intended to educate Native American youth, the school received royal charter support from King George III.
Wheelock's vision combined classical education with missionary training and community service.
Dartmouth grew from a small grammar school into one of America's Ivy League institutions.
Its charter emphasized academic freedom and self-governance, principles still upheld today.
The college has produced leaders in government, business, and the arts across its history.
1769
Dartmouth College
Eleazar Wheelock
royal charter
George III
Royal governor
John Wentworth
1818day.year
Cyril VI of Constantinople resigns from his position as Ecumenical Patriarch under pressure from the Ottoman Empire.
Under Ottoman pressure, Cyril VI resigns as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.
On December 13, 1818, Cyril VI stepped down as Ecumenical Patriarch, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians under Ottoman rule.
His resignation followed conflicts with Ottoman authorities over church autonomy and tax disputes.
Cyril had sought to protect the rights of the Orthodox clergy and laity within the empire.
The move highlighted the delicate balance between religious leadership and political power in the Ottoman system.
Succession issues ensued, affecting the administration of the Orthodox Church in the Balkans and Anatolia.
The event underscored the broader struggles of religious minorities within imperial governance.
1818
Cyril VI of Constantinople
Ottoman Empire
1862day.year
American Civil War: At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee repulses attacks by Union Major General Ambrose Burnside on Marye's Heights, inflicting heavy casualties.
At the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s forces repelled repeated Union assaults on Marye’s Heights, resulting in heavy Union losses.
On December 13, 1862, during the American Civil War’s Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate troops under General Robert E. Lee held a strong defensive position atop Marye’s Heights.
Union Major General Ambrose Burnside launched multiple frontal assaults against well-entrenched Confederate lines.
The resulting attacks led to staggering Union casualties, with thousands of soldiers killed or wounded.
Lee’s strategic deployment and the high stone wall fortifications repelled every Union advance.
The battle became one of the most lopsided victories for the Confederacy, highlighting the challenges of offensive operations against fortified positions.
Its outcome had a profound impact on Northern morale and Burnside’s military career.
1862
American Civil War
Battle of Fredericksburg
Confederate
Robert E. Lee
Union
Ambrose Burnside
1867day.year
A Fenian bomb explodes in Clerkenwell, London, killing 12 people and injuring 50.
A Fenian bomb detonates in Clerkenwell, London on December 13, 1867, killing 12 people and injuring around 50.
On December 13, 1867, a covert bomb planted by members of the Irish Fenian movement exploded in Clerkenwell, a district of London.
The blast shattered windows across the neighborhood and struck the prison wall of Clerkenwell House of Detention.
Twelve residents lost their lives, and approximately fifty others suffered injuries of varying severity.
The attack aimed to free imprisoned Fenians but resulted in civilian casualties and widespread outrage.
Its aftermath saw a crackdown on Irish nationalist activities in Britain and intensified public discourse on security and civil liberties.
The incident remains a stark example of 19th-century urban political violence.
1867
Fenian
Clerkenwell