533day.year
Vandalic War: Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Tricamarum.
Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals at Tricamarum, ending their rule in North Africa.
In 533, during Emperor Justinian I’s campaign, General Belisarius led Byzantine forces against King Gelimer’s Vandals at the Battle of Tricamarum. The Byzantines executed a decisive flanking maneuver that shattered the Vandal lines. With their king in flight, the Vandal Kingdom collapsed soon after. This victory marked the restoration of Roman authority over former North African provinces. Belisarius’s tactical brilliance in this engagement solidified his reputation as one of history’s greatest generals.
533
Vandalic War
Byzantine
Belisarius
Vandals
Gelimer
Battle of Tricamarum
1161day.year
Jin–Song wars: Military officers conspire against the emperor Wanyan Liang of the Jin dynasty after a military defeat at the Battle of Caishi, and assassinate the emperor at his camp.
Rebels assassinate Emperor Wanyan Liang after Jin forces lose at Caishi.
In 1161, following a crushing defeat by Song forces at the Battle of Caishi, discontented officers of the Jin dynasty orchestrated a plot against Emperor Wanyan Liang. While encamped, the emperor was ambushed and fatally struck by his mutinous generals. His assassination plunged the Jin court into turmoil and ignited power struggles among rival factions. The regicide underscored the high stakes of military failure in medieval China. It also shifted the balance in the Jin–Song wars, emboldening Song forces and altering the trajectory of northern Chinese politics.
1161
Jin–Song wars
Wanyan Liang
Jin dynasty
Battle of Caishi
1256day.year
Mongol forces under Hulagu enter and dismantle the Nizari Ismaili (Assassin) stronghold at Alamut Castle (in present-day Iran) as part of their offensive on Islamic southwest Asia.
Hulagu’s Mongols capture and demolish the fabled Alamut Castle stronghold.
In 1256, Hulagu Khan led his Mongol army against the legendary Assassin fortress of Alamut, perched high in the Elburz mountains. After cutting off supply routes, Mongol engineers breached the defenses with siege engines and psychological tactics. The fall of Alamut eliminated the Nizari Ismaili power base that had operated clandestinely across Persia. Hulagu ordered the complete demolition of the castle and the execution or exile of surviving defenders. This conquest opened the way for further Mongol advances into the heartland of Islamic civilization and reshaped the political landscape of the region.
1256
Mongol
Hulagu
Nizari Ismaili
Assassin
Alamut Castle
Iran
their offensive
1270day.year
The Nizari Ismaili garrison of Gerdkuh, Persia surrender after 17 years to the Mongols.
After a 17-year siege, the Nizari Ismaili fortress of Gerdkuh capitulates to Mongol forces.
On December 15, 1270, the last stronghold of the Nizari Ismailis at Gerdkuh in Persia surrendered to the Mongol Empire. The fortress had withstood countless assaults since the 1250s, thanks to its rugged terrain and determined defenders. Starved and outnumbered, the garrison negotiated terms to preserve civilian lives. The fall of Gerdkuh marked the definitive end of the Assassin network in Persia. Mongol control over the region was cemented, and the Ilkhanate established its rule across former Nizari territories.
1270
Nizari Ismaili
Gerdkuh
Mongols
1467day.year
Stephen III of Moldavia defeats Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, with the latter being injured thrice, at the Battle of Baia.
Moldavian Voivode Stephen III ousts Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus at Baia.
In December 1467, Stephen III of Moldavia met the invading forces of King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary at the Battle of Baia. Despite being outgunned, Stephen’s troops leveraged knowledge of the terrain to launch a surprise counterattack. King Matthias himself was wounded three times before his army retreated across the Carpathians. The victory solidified Stephen’s reputation as a defender of Moldavian independence. It also checked Hungarian ambitions in Eastern Europe and underscored the effectiveness of light cavalry tactics against heavy knights.
1467
Stephen III of Moldavia
Matthias Corvinus
Battle of Baia
1651day.year
Castle Cornet in Guernsey, the last stronghold which had supported the King in the Third English Civil War, surrenders.
Royalist-held Castle Cornet on Guernsey surrenders, ending resistance in the Third Civil War.
In 1651, Castle Cornet on the island of Guernsey capitulated after a prolonged siege, marking the end of Royalist resistance in the Third English Civil War. The fortress had withstood Parliamentary forces while mainland garrisons fell. Its fall secured Parliamentary control over the Channel Islands. The garrison was granted honorable terms, and civilians were spared harsh reprisals. Castle Cornet’s surrender symbolized the final closure of a conflict that reshaped English governance and paved the way for the Commonwealth period.
1651
Castle Cornet
Guernsey
Third English Civil War
1778day.year
American Revolutionary War: British and French fleets clash in the Battle of St. Lucia.
During the American Revolutionary War, British and French naval forces clashed off St. Lucia, fighting for strategic control of the Caribbean island.
The Battle of St. Lucia took place on December 15, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. British Admiral Samuel Barrington aimed to secure the island against a French expedition under Admiral d'Estaing. The encounter featured intense cannon exchanges and maneuver warfare in tropical waters. Despite fierce resistance, the British emerged victorious, strengthening their position in the Caribbean. This naval clash underscored the global reach of the war and influenced future maritime engagements in the region.
1778
American Revolutionary War
British
Battle of St. Lucia
1862day.year
American Civil War: The Battle of Fredericksburg ends in a Union defeat as General Ambrose Burnside withdraws the Army of the Potomac across the Rappahannock River.
The Battle of Fredericksburg ended on December 15, 1862, with Union forces retreating after costly failed assaults on fortified Confederate positions.
Fought in Virginia during the American Civil War, the Battle of Fredericksburg pitted the Union Army of the Potomac against Confederate defenders. General Ambrose Burnside ordered repeated frontal attacks on Marye's Heights, where entrenched Confederate troops held strong positions. Union soldiers faced devastating artillery and rifle fire, leading to high casualties and minimal ground gained. On December 15, Burnside ordered a withdrawal across the Rappahannock River, conceding victory to General Robert E. Lee. The crushing defeat demoralized Northern public opinion and led to calls for changes in military leadership. Fredericksburg demonstrated the deadly power of defensive fortifications and impacted strategic planning in subsequent battles.
1862
American Civil War
Battle of Fredericksburg
Union
Ambrose Burnside
Army of the Potomac
Rappahannock River
1864day.year
American Civil War: The Battle of Nashville begins at Nashville, Tennessee, and ends the following day with the destruction of the Confederate Army of Tennessee under General John Bell Hood as a fighting force by the Union Army of the Cumberland under General George H. Thomas.
Union forces under General George H. Thomas began a decisive assault at Nashville on December 15, 1864, breaking the Confederate Army of Tennessee.
The Battle of Nashville commenced on December 15, 1864, as Union troops advanced against Confederate fortifications in Tennessee. General George H. Thomas orchestrated coordinated attacks that overwhelmed John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee. Intense fighting saw Union artillery soften enemy defenses before infantry assaults broke Confederate lines. By the following day, Hood's army was effectively destroyed as a cohesive fighting force. The victory secured Union control of Nashville and marked one of the war's most decisive western campaigns. Thomas's triumph earned him acclaim and contributed to the eventual collapse of Confederate resistance in the Western Theater. The battle underscored the importance of strategic planning, coordination, and supply management in large-scale operations.
1864
Battle of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Confederate
Army of Tennessee
John Bell Hood
Army of the Cumberland
George H. Thomas
1890day.year
Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull is killed on Standing Rock Indian Reservation, leading to the Wounded Knee Massacre.
Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull was killed on December 15, 1890, at Standing Rock, triggering events that led to the Wounded Knee Massacre.
U.S. authorities sought to arrest Sitting Bull over fears he supported the Ghost Dance movement, seen as a threat to order. During the arrest attempt at Standing Rock Reservation, tensions erupted and Sitting Bull was fatally shot. His death sparked panic among the Lakota population, prompting many to flee their encampments. On December 29, U.S. troops surrounded a band near Wounded Knee Creek, leading to a tragic massacre of Lakota men, women, and children. The event effectively ended major armed Native American resistance in the Plains and remains a dark chapter in U.S. history. Sitting Bull's legacy endures through his leadership and resistance to U.S. expansion.
1890
Hunkpapa
Lakota
Sitting Bull
Standing Rock Indian Reservation
Wounded Knee Massacre
1899day.year
British Army forces are defeated at the Battle of Colenso in Natal, South Africa, the third and final battle fought during the Black Week of the Second Boer War.
British forces suffered a defeat at the Battle of Colenso on December 15, 1899, during the early days of the Second Boer War.
Part of the British Black Week of setbacks, the Battle of Colenso saw troops under General Redvers Buller attempt to relieve Ladysmith in Natal. Well-prepared Boer defenders led by Louis Botha entrenched along the Tugela River repelled British assaults. Miscommunication and the challenging river crossing led to heavy casualties and the loss of artillery pieces. The defeat forced British commanders to rethink tactics and underscored the Boers' effective use of cover and marksmanship. Though a tactical victory for the Boers, the war ultimately shifted in favor of Britain after reinforcements arrived. The Battle of Colenso highlighted the evolving nature of modern warfare at the turn of the century.
1899
British Army
Battle of Colenso
Natal
South Africa
Black Week
Second Boer War
1914day.year
World War I: The Serbian Army recaptures Belgrade from the invading Austro-Hungarian Army.
During World War I, Serbian forces recapture Belgrade from Austro-Hungarian invaders.
In December 1914, amid the early campaigns of World War I, the Serbian Army launched a counteroffensive to retake Belgrade. The city had fallen to Austro-Hungarian troops weeks earlier, marking a significant blow to Serbian morale. Under harsh winter conditions, Serbian forces advanced along the Danube and Sava rivers. Fierce urban combat ensued as defenders cleared streets of enemy soldiers. The successful recapture boosted Allied spirits and demonstrated Serbia’s resilience. However, the victory proved temporary, as Central Powers resumed pressure in 1915, highlighting the volatile nature of the conflict.
1914
World War I
Serbian Army
Belgrade
Austro-Hungarian Army