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
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
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
1949day.year
The Knesset votes to move the capital of Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
On December 13, 1949, Israel’s Knesset votes to establish Jerusalem as the nation’s capital, shifting from Tel Aviv.
On December 13, 1949, the Israeli Knesset held a historic vote to declare Jerusalem the capital of the newly established State of Israel.
The motion passed by a significant majority, reflecting the city’s central role in Jewish heritage and national identity.
The decision intensified regional tensions, as neighboring Arab states rejected Israeli claims over Jerusalem.
Diplomatic recognition of the new capital remained limited, with most countries maintaining embassies in Tel Aviv.
Over subsequent decades, Jerusalem’s status has remained one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Knesset’s vote laid the groundwork for municipal institutions and government offices to relocate.
The event continues to shape international diplomacy and peace negotiations in the Middle East.
1949
Knesset
Israel
Tel Aviv
Jerusalem
1959day.year
Archbishop Makarios III becomes the first President of Cyprus.
On December 13, 1959, Archbishop Makarios III is elected as the first President of the newly independent Republic of Cyprus.
On December 13, 1959, following negotiations for Cypriot independence, Archbishop Makarios III was elected the first President of the Republic of Cyprus.
A revered religious leader and nationalist figure, Makarios had led the struggle against British colonial rule and later advocated for intercommunal cooperation between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
His presidency marked the beginning of sovereign governance on the island after centuries under foreign control.
Makarios faced immediate challenges, including establishing new political institutions and addressing ethnic tensions.
Under his leadership, Cyprus embarked on modernization programs and sought international recognition.
His tenure set precedents for Cypriot statehood until his ouster in 1974 during a coup attempt backed by mainland Greece.
Makarios remains a pivotal figure in Cypriot history.
1959
Archbishop
Makarios III
President of Cyprus
1960day.year
While Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Brazil, his Imperial Bodyguard seizes the capital and proclaims him deposed and his son, Crown Prince Asfa Wossen, Emperor.
On December 13, 1960, while Emperor Haile Selassie tours Brazil, his Imperial Bodyguard stages a coup in Addis Ababa, proclaiming Crown Prince Asfa Wossen as emperor.
On December 13, 1960, Ethiopia’s Imperial Bodyguard orchestrated a sudden coup in Addis Ababa during Emperor Haile Selassie’s state visit to Brazil.
The guards seized control of key government buildings and communications, declaring Crown Prince Asfa Wossen as the new emperor.
Loyalist forces later rallied, and domestic and international pressure mounted for a peaceful resolution.
After tense negotiations and support from the public and military officers, Haile Selassie was restored to the throne.
The episode exposed vulnerabilities within the imperial government and highlighted rising discontent with feudal structures.
Despite the temporary success of the coup, the emperor’s authority emerged strengthened, yet the event foreshadowed future struggles leading to the 1974 revolution.
It remains a significant moment in Ethiopian modern history.
1960
Emperor
Haile Selassie
Ethiopia
Imperial Bodyguard
seizes the capital
Asfa Wossen
1967day.year
Constantine II of Greece attempts an unsuccessful counter-coup against the Regime of the Colonels.
King Constantine II of Greece attempts a counter-coup against the military junta but fails to regain control.
On December 13, 1967, King Constantine II of Greece launched a daring counter-coup against the ruling Regime of the Colonels.
He sought to restore constitutional governance by mobilizing loyal military units but faced resistance from entrenched junta forces.
Poor coordination and unexpected opposition led to the coup's rapid collapse.
Defeated by dawn, Constantine II fled into exile, his hopes for reclaiming the throne dashed.
The failure of this attempt solidified the junta's power and marked a turning point in Greece's political landscape.
1967
Constantine II of Greece
counter-coup
Regime of the Colonels
1968day.year
Brazilian President Artur da Costa e Silva issues AI-5 (Institutional Act No. 5), enabling government by decree and suspending habeas corpus.
Brazilian President Artur da Costa e Silva issues Institutional Act No. 5, suspending habeas corpus and intensifying military rule.
On December 13, 1968, Brazil's President Artur da Costa e Silva promulgated Institutional Act Number Five (AI-5), marking the height of Brazil's military dictatorship.
AI-5 granted sweeping powers to the executive branch, allowing rule by decree and the closure of Congress.
It suspended habeas corpus for political offenses, leading to the arrest, censorship, and exile of opposition figures.
Media outlets were heavily censored and political parties were dissolved.
The act ushered in a period of severe repression that would last until the re-democratization efforts of the late 1970s.
1968
Artur da Costa e Silva
AI-5
habeas corpus
1974day.year
Malta becomes a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations.
Malta becomes a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations, replacing the monarchy with a Maltese president.
On December 13, 1974, Malta formally transitioned from a Commonwealth realm to a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations.
Prime Minister Dom Mintoff oversaw the constitutional change that replaced the British monarch with a locally elected president.
The shift reflected Malta's growing national identity following independence in 1964.
Executive power remained with the parliamentary government, while the presidency took on ceremonial duties.
The republic status reinforced Malta's sovereignty and its continuing ties to the international Commonwealth community.
1974
Malta
Commonwealth of Nations
1981day.year
General Wojciech Jaruzelski declares martial law in Poland, largely due to the actions by Solidarity.
General Wojciech Jaruzelski declares martial law in Poland to suppress the Solidarity movement.
On December 13, 1981, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, leader of the Polish Communist regime, imposed martial law across Poland.
Curfews were enforced, opposition media were shut down, and thousands of Solidarity activists were detained.
The government claimed the measures were necessary to prevent a Soviet invasion and restore order.
International condemnation and economic sanctions followed the crackdown.
Martial law remained until 1983, but the resistance it provoked ultimately contributed to the fall of communism in Poland.
1981
Wojciech Jaruzelski
martial law
Solidarity
1988day.year
PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat gives a speech at a UN General Assembly meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, after United States authorities refused to grant him a visa to visit UN headquarters in New York.
Yasser Arafat addresses the UN General Assembly in Geneva after being denied a U.S. visa for New York.
On December 13, 1988, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat spoke at a UN General Assembly session in Geneva after U.S. authorities refused him a visa.
In his address, Arafat recognized UN Resolutions 242 and 338 and accepted Israel's right to exist.
His speech marked a significant diplomatic shift and opened new avenues for peace negotiations.
The event underscored the UN's role as a neutral forum for contested international disputes.
Arafat's engagement with the UN would influence subsequent Middle East peace efforts.
1988
PLO Chairman
Yasser Arafat
UN General Assembly
Geneva
visa