1140day.year
After a siege of several weeks, the city of Weinsberg and its castle surrender to Conrad III of Germany.
After a weeks-long siege, the city of Weinsberg surrenders to Conrad III of Germany in 1140.
In 1140, King Conrad III mounted a campaign to assert his authority in southern Germany.
The fortified city of Weinsberg, held by his rivals, resisted a lengthy siege.
On December 21, weakened by starvation and constant assault, the defenders yielded to Conrad’s forces.
This victory secured Conrad’s influence in the region and discouraged further rebellions.
The fall of Weinsberg highlights the brutal realities of medieval warfare and dynastic power struggles.
It also demonstrated the strategic importance of fortified cities in the Holy Roman Empire.
1140
siege of several weeks
Conrad III of Germany
1237day.year
The city of Ryazan is sacked by the Mongol army of Batu Khan.
Batu Khan’s Mongol army sacks the Russian city of Ryazan in 1237, marking the start of the Mongol invasion of Rus'.
In December 1237, Batu Khan led Mongol forces into the Russian principalities.
Ryazan was among the first cities to face the Mongol onslaught and strong fortifications.
After a fierce assault, the defenders were overwhelmed and the city was razed on December 21.
The fall of Ryazan sent shockwaves through Rus’, leading to further conquests of other principalities.
This brutal campaign reshaped Eastern European politics and opened the region to Mongol dominance.
The event stands as a testament to the Mongols’ military prowess and the vulnerability of fragmented states.
1237
Ryazan
sacked
Mongol
Batu Khan
1361day.year
The Battle of Linuesa is fought in the context of the Spanish Reconquista between the forces of the Emirate of Granada and the combined army of the Kingdom of Castile and of Jaén resulting in a Castilian victory.
The Battle of Linuesa in 1361 sees Castilian forces defeat the Emirate of Granada during the Reconquista.
In the winter of 1361, Castilian troops clashed with the forces of the Emirate of Granada near the Liñosa River.
Under King Peter I of Castile, the Christian army sought to push further into Muslim-held territory.
On December 21, the Castilians secured a decisive victory, routing the Granadan forces.
This triumph boosted morale in Castile and weakened Granada’s defensive capacity.
The battle is one of many during the centuries-long Reconquista, which aimed to reclaim Iberia from Muslim rule.
It exemplifies the shifting frontiers and intermittent warfare that defined medieval Spain.
1361
Battle of Linuesa
Reconquista
Emirate of Granada
Kingdom of Castile
Jaén
1598day.year
Battle of Curalaba: The revolting Mapuche, led by cacique Pelentaru, inflict a major defeat on Spanish troops in southern Chile.
The Mapuche, led by Pelentaru, deal a major defeat to Spanish troops at the Battle of Curalaba in 1598.
In 1598, the indigenous Mapuche people revolted against Spanish colonial rule in southern Chile.
Under the leadership of cacique Pelentaru, they ambushed a Spanish column near Curalaba.
On December 21, the Mapuche annihilated the expedition, killing the governor and most of his men.
This victory triggered the Great Mapuche Uprising, pushing the Spanish south of the Bío-Bío River.
The battle marked a turning point, ending Spain’s early advances and securing Mapuche autonomy in the south.
It remains a symbol of indigenous resistance in Latin American history.
1598
Battle of Curalaba
Mapuche
cacique
Pelentaru
Spanish
Chile
1826day.year
American settlers in Nacogdoches, Mexican Texas, declare their independence, starting the Fredonian Rebellion.
American settlers in Nacogdoches declare independence, igniting the Fredonian Rebellion in Mexican Texas, 1826.
In late 1826, tensions rose between Mexican authorities and Anglo-American settlers in Texas.
Haden Edwards and other settlers in Nacogdoches claimed an expired land grant as nullified.
On December 21, they proclaimed the Republic of Fredonia, declaring independence from Mexico.
The Fredonian Rebellion was short-lived, collapsing within weeks under Mexican pressure and local opposition.
Though it failed, the uprising foreshadowed future conflicts that led to Texas’s independence.
The event underscores early Texan resistance to Mexican rule and settler-Mexican relations.
1826
Nacogdoches
Mexican Texas
Fredonian Rebellion
1832day.year
Egyptian–Ottoman War: Egyptian forces decisively defeat Ottoman troops at the Battle of Konya.
Egyptian forces under Ibrahim Pasha defeat the Ottomans at the Battle of Konya in 1832.
During the Egyptian–Ottoman War, Muhammad Ali’s modernized army advanced into Anatolia.
Led by Ibrahim Pasha, Egyptian troops confronted Ottoman forces near Konya.
On December 21, 1832, the Egyptians delivered a crushing defeat to the Sultan’s army.
This victory forced the Ottomans to sue for peace and ceded territory in Syria and Arabia.
European powers soon intervened to restrain Muhammad Ali’s ambitions in the Eastern Question.
The battle highlighted the effectiveness of military reforms in early 19th-century Egypt.
1832
Egyptian–Ottoman War
Egyptian
Ottoman
Battle of Konya
1907day.year
The Chilean Army commits a massacre of at least 2,000 striking saltpeter miners in Iquique, Chile.
Chilean Army troops fire on striking saltpeter miners in Iquique, killing at least 2,000 and igniting labor unrest.
On December 21, 1907, the Chilean Army massacred at least 2,000 striking saltpeter miners in Iquique, Chile.
The miners had gathered to protest against low wages and dangerous working conditions in the nitrate fields.
Under orders to suppress the strike, military forces opened fire on the crowd, killing men, women, and children.
News of the atrocity sparked national and international condemnation of labor repression in Chile.
The massacre galvanized labor movements and intensified demands for workers' rights.
It stands as one of the gravest episodes in Chile's industrial history.
1907
Chilean Army
commits a massacre
saltpeter
Iquique
Chile
1941day.year
World War II: A Thai-Japanese Pact of Alliance is signed.
Thailand and Japan sign a military alliance during World War II, aligning Thailand with the Axis in 1941.
Amid World War II, Thailand formalized its alliance with Imperial Japan by signing the Thai-Japanese Pact of Alliance.
Negotiated under Japanese military pressure, the pact granted Japan transit rights and established mutual cooperation.
Thailand's Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram sought to retain autonomy while aligning with the Axis powers.
The agreement allowed Japanese troops to pass through Thailand for the invasion of British-held Malaya and Burma.
While controversial domestically, it reflected Thailand's strategic calculus to avoid occupation.
This pact reshaped Southeast Asian geopolitics and influenced Thailand's wartime role.
1941
World War II
Thai-Japanese Pact of Alliance
1963day.year
"Bloody Christmas" begins in Cyprus, ultimately resulting in the displacement of 25,000–30,000 Turkish Cypriots and destruction of more than 100 villages.
Intercommunal violence in Cyprus, known as 'Bloody Christmas,' displaces tens of thousands of Turkish Cypriots in 1963.
On this day in 1963, violent clashes known as 'Bloody Christmas' erupt in Nicosia, Cyprus, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
Sparked by tensions within the newly independent republic, the violence led to widespread destruction of Turkish Cypriot neighborhoods.
Over 25,000 to 30,000 Turkish Cypriots were displaced, and more than 100 villages were abandoned or ruined.
International intervention by the United Nations attempted to broker ceasefires and provide humanitarian relief.
The events deepened communal divisions and set the stage for decades of conflict on the island.
'Bloody Christmas' remains a poignant reminder of the challenges in forging intercommunal peace.
1963
"Bloody Christmas"
Turkish Cypriots
1973day.year
The Geneva Conference on the Arab–Israeli conflict opens.
In December 1973, the Geneva Conference on the Arab–Israeli conflict begins in Switzerland as a major diplomatic effort to address tensions following the Yom Kippur War.
Representatives from Israel, Egypt, Syria, the United States, and the Soviet Union gathered under United Nations auspices to seek a peaceful resolution to hostilities. Key figures included US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko. Negotiators discussed border security, troop withdrawals, and the plight of refugees displaced by recent fighting. While deep mistrust and conflicting demands hindered rapid progress, the talks laid groundwork for future Middle East peace initiatives. The opening session highlighted the Cold War powers’ competing interests in the region and underscored global urgency to stabilize one of the world’s most volatile hotspots.
1973
Geneva Conference
Arab–Israeli conflict
1999day.year
The Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid, Spain.
Spain's Civil Guard stops a terrorist plot by ETA, seizing 950 kg of explosives bound for a bombing at Madrid’s Torre Picasso.
On December 21, 1999, officers from the Spanish Civil Guard uncovered a massive cache of explosives hidden in a van near Madrid. The Basque separatist group ETA had planned to demolish the Torre Picasso skyscraper, a symbol of Spain’s financial district. The 950-kilogram haul included military-grade TNT and detonators. Arrests of suspected ETA operatives prevented what could have been one of Spain’s most devastating urban attacks. The operation highlighted intensified counterterrorism efforts following years of sporadic violence. It also demonstrated the importance of intelligence sharing and community vigilance in safeguarding public spaces.
1999
Spanish Civil Guard
ETA
Torre Picasso
Madrid
2004day.year
Iraq War: A suicide bomber kills 22 at the forward operating base next to the main U.S. military airfield at Mosul, Iraq, the single deadliest suicide attack on American soldiers in Iraq.
A suicide bomber strikes a U.S. forward operating base near Mosul, killing 22 American soldiers in the deadliest attack of the Iraq War.
On December 21, 2004, insurgents targeted a forward operating base adjacent to Mosul’s primary military airfield. The attacker breached security checkpoints and detonated an explosive vest near a dining facility. Twenty-two U.S. soldiers lost their lives, and dozens more were wounded. The incident prompted U.S. commanders to tighten force protection measures, including enhanced perimeter defenses and stricter identity checks. The attack underscored the resilience of insurgent networks in northern Iraq and influenced subsequent adjustments in convoy protocols. It also sparked renewed debate in the United States over troop safety and mission objectives in the ongoing conflict.
2004
Iraq War
suicide bomber
kills 22
forward operating base
Mosul
Iraq