War & peace
178 stories through the year, in calendar order. Tap one to visit its day.
January
- 2 Jan 1492 Granada surrenders, ending Muslim rule in SpainThe Emirate of Granada, the last part of Spain under Muslim rule, surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. This ended the Reconquista, a series…
- 4 Jan AD 871 Vikings defeat Æthelred and Alfred at the Battle of ReadingA Danish Viking army defeated the West Saxons at the Battle of Reading, in Berkshire. The West Saxons were led by King Æthelred of Wessex and his you…
- 6 Jan 1781 British forces defeat a French invasion at the Battle of JerseyFrench forces landed on Jersey, in the Channel Islands, to try to take the British-ruled island. Jersey was a base for British privateers, private sh…
-
7 Jan
1558 France captures Calais, England's last town in mainland EuropeFrench troops led by Francis, Duke of Guise, captured the port of Calais from England. The area around Calais, called the Pale of Calais, had been ru…
Photo: Workshop of François Clouet, Public domain
-
8 Jan
AD 871 Æthelred and Alfred defeat the Vikings at the Battle of AshdownAt the Battle of Ashdown, a West Saxon army beat a Danish Viking army. It was led by King Æthelred of Wessex and his younger brother Alfred. Nobody k…
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
- 8 Jan 1746 Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army takes StirlingDuring the Jacobite rising of 1745, Charles Edward Stuart and his army occupied the town of Stirling in Scotland. Charles, known as Bonnie Prince Cha…
-
8 Jan
1940 Food rationing begins in Britain in the Second World WarBritain began rationing food, which means limiting how much of it each person could buy. Bacon, butter and sugar were the first foods to be rationed.…
Photo: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer, Public domain
-
9 Jan
1806 Admiral Nelson is given a state funeral at St Paul's CathedralAdmiral Horatio Nelson was given a state funeral and buried in St Paul's Cathedral in London. A state funeral is a grand public ceremony to honour a …
Photo: Lemuel Francis Abbott, Public domain
- 9 Jan 1941 The Avro Lancaster aeroplane flies for the first timeThe Avro Lancaster, a British four-engine heavy bomber, made its first flight. It was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin…
-
10 Jan
49 BC Julius Caesar crosses the RubiconRoman general Julius Caesar led his army across the Rubicon, a shallow river in northern Italy, probably on the night of 10 to 11 January. Roman law …
Photo: Ángel M. Felicísimo from Mérida, España, Public domain
- 10 Jan 1920 The Treaty of Versailles takes effect, ending the First World WarThe Treaty of Versailles came into force, officially ending the First World War between Germany and most of the Allied Powers. The fighting had alrea…
- 11 Jan 1879 British forces invade the Zulu Kingdom, starting the Anglo-Zulu WarBritish troops led by Lord Chelmsford crossed the border into the Zulu Kingdom, in what is now South Africa. A British official, Sir Bartle Frere, ha…
- 11 Jan 1923 French and Belgian troops occupy Germany's Ruhr regionTroops from France and Belgium moved into the Ruhr, an important industrial area of Germany. After the First World War, Germany had been ordered to m…
- 14 Jan 1784 The USA ratifies the peace treaty that ends its war with BritainMeeting in Annapolis, Maryland, the American Congress ratified, or officially approved, the Treaty of Paris with Great Britain. This marked the offic…
-
14 Jan
1943 Churchill and Roosevelt meet at the Casablanca ConferenceBritish Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt began a meeting in Casablanca, Morocco, that lasted until 24 January.…
Photo: Mason, H A (Lt), Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain
- 17 Jan 1648 Parliament passes the Vote of No Addresses against Charles IDuring the English Civil War, Parliament voted to stop all talks with King Charles I. MPs had heard that the king was making a deal with the Scots. O…
- 18 Jan 1919 The Paris Peace Conference opens after the First World WarThe Paris Peace Conference began, bringing together the countries that had won the First World War. Leaders of Britain, France, Italy, Japan and the …
- 19 Jan 1817 José de San Martín leads his army across the AndesGeneral José de San Martín led an army of more than 5,000 soldiers over the Andes mountains from Argentina into Chile. The crossing took 21 days, at …
- 20 Jan 1649 The trial of King Charles I beginsAfter years of civil war between the king's supporters and Parliament, a special court began the trial of King Charles I in London. He was accused of…
- 22 Jan AD 871 Vikings defeat the West Saxons at the Battle of BasingA Viking army defeated the West Saxons, from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, at Basing, a royal estate in Hampshire. The West Saxons were led by K…
- 22 Jan 1879 Zulu forces defeat the British at the Battle of IsandlwanaThe Zulu army of King Cetshwayo won a decisive victory over British forces at Isandlwana, in present-day South Africa. It was part of the Anglo-Zulu …
-
24 Jan
1943 Churchill and Roosevelt end their wartime meeting in CasablancaBritish Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt finished a meeting in Casablanca, Morocco, to plan the next stage of …
Photo: Mason, H A (Lt), Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain
- 24 Jan 1972 A Japanese soldier is found still hiding in the jungle of GuamShoichi Yokoi, a Japanese soldier from the Second World War, was found in the jungle on the Pacific island of Guam. He had stayed hidden there for al…
- 26 Jan 1942 The first American troops to reach Europe land in Northern IrelandDuring the Second World War, the first United States forces to arrive in Europe landed in Northern Ireland. The United States had entered the war the…
-
27 Jan
AD 98 Trajan becomes emperor of RomeTrajan became Roman emperor after the death of Nerva, who had adopted him as his son. He was a successful soldier and is remembered as one of the 'Fi…
Photo: Unknown artistUnknown artist, Public domain
- 27 Jan 1916 Britain brings in conscription during the First World WarThe Military Service Act became law, bringing in conscription in Great Britain during the First World War. Conscription means people are made to join…
-
29 Jan
1856 Queen Victoria creates the Victoria Cross for braveryQueen Victoria created the Victoria Cross, a medal to honour acts of bravery during the Crimean War. It is the highest award for courage 'in the pres…
Photo: Turner_VC_f&b.JPG: The original uploader was Rcdarchive at English Wikipedia. derivative work: EyeSerene (talk), Public domain
- 30 Jan 1648 The Peace of Münster makes the Dutch Republic independentSpain and the Dutch Republic signed the Peace of Münster. Under the treaty, Spain formally recognised the Dutch Republic as an independent country. I…
February
- 1 Feb 1793 France declares war on Great Britain and the NetherlandsRevolutionary France declared war on Great Britain and the Netherlands. This drew Britain into the French Revolutionary Wars, a series of conflicts t…
-
2 Feb
1141 King Stephen is captured at the Battle of LincolnAt the Battle of Lincoln, King Stephen of England was defeated and captured by forces loyal to his cousin and rival, Empress Matilda. Stephen was imp…
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
-
2 Feb
1645 Royalists win the Battle of Inverlochy in ScotlandA Royalist army of Scottish Highlanders and Irish troops won the Battle of Inverlochy in Scotland. Led by James Graham, Marquess of Montrose, they de…
Photo: Horatio McCulloch (1805–1867), Public domain
-
4 Feb
1945 Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin meet at the Yalta ConferenceThe Yalta Conference began in Crimea, which was then part of the Soviet Union. Winston Churchill met US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Soviet le…
Photo: US government photographer, Public domain
- 6 Feb 1922 Five powers sign the Washington Naval Treaty to limit warshipsThe British Empire, the United States, France, Italy and Japan signed the Washington Naval Treaty. These countries had been allies in the First World…
- 7 Feb 1783 Spain and France give up the Great Siege of GibraltarAfter three years and seven months, Spain and France gave up their attempt to capture Gibraltar from Britain. The Great Siege of Gibraltar took place…
- 8 Feb 1601 The Earl of Essex leads a failed rebellion against Elizabeth IRobert Devereux, Earl of Essex, led a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I, but it failed. Essex had once been one of the queen's favourites. He lost …
- 9 Feb 1775 Parliament declares the colony of Massachusetts in rebellionThe British Parliament declared that the American colony of Massachusetts was in rebellion. It was a step on the road to the American Revolutionary W…
- 10 Feb 1763 The Treaty of Paris ends the Seven Years' WarGreat Britain, France and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the Seven Years' War. This global war had been fought in Europe, North America and…
-
11 Feb
1586 Francis Drake's English force captures CartagenaDuring a war between England and Spain, Sir Francis Drake led an English attack on Cartagena de Indias. This Spanish colonial port is now part of Col…
Photo: Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, Public domain
- 12 Feb 1429 English troops win the Battle of the Herrings in FranceDuring the Hundred Years' War, the English were besieging the French city of Orléans. French and Scottish forces attacked a convoy bringing them supp…
- 14 Feb 1797 Jervis and Nelson win the Battle of Cape St VincentA British fleet led by Admiral Sir John Jervis defeated a larger Spanish fleet off Cape St Vincent in Portugal. It was one of the first battles of a …
- 15 Feb 1214 King John lands in France to win back his lost landsKing John of England landed at La Rochelle in France with an English army. He wanted to win back lands in France that he had lost to King Philip II o…
- 16 Feb 1646 Parliament's army wins the Battle of Torrington in DevonAt Torrington in Devon, Sir Thomas Fairfax led the Parliamentarian army to victory over the Royalists, who fought for the king. The fighting went on …
- 16 Feb 1940 HMS Cossack rescues 299 British prisoners from the AltmarkDuring the Second World War, the German tanker Altmark was carrying 299 captured British sailors back to Germany. The British destroyer HMS Cossack, …
- 17 Feb 1863 The organisation that became the Red Cross is founded in GenevaA group of people in Geneva, Switzerland, set up the International Committee for Relief to the Wounded. It later became the International Committee o…
- 19 Feb 1674 A peace treaty ends the Third Anglo-Dutch WarEngland and the Dutch Republic signed the Treaty of Westminster, ending the Third Anglo-Dutch War, which was fought mainly at sea. The treaty gave th…
- 21 Feb 1746 Jacobites win the siege of InvernessDuring the Jacobite rising of 1745, supporters of Prince Charles Edward Stuart surrounded Old Fort George, a castle in Inverness held by government s…
-
22 Feb
1797 The last invasion of Britain begins near FishguardAbout 1,400 French troops landed at Carreg Gwastad Point, near Fishguard in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is the most recent landing on British soil by an…
Photo: Baker, James, 18th. cent Bluck, J., fl. 1791-1819, Public domain
- 24 Feb 1303 The Scots win the Battle of RoslinDuring the First War of Scottish Independence, a Scottish force led by John Comyn and Sir Simon Fraser defeated the English near the village of Rosli…
- 24 Feb 1917 The secret Zimmermann Telegram is reported to the US presidentWalter Hines Page, the American ambassador in London, reported the Zimmermann Telegram to President Wilson. In this secret coded message, Germany off…
-
25 Feb
1939 The first Anderson shelter is put up in a London gardenAs part of Britain's air raid precautions, the first Anderson shelter was built in a garden in Islington, north London. These small shelters were mad…
-
26 Feb
1815 Napoleon escapes from the island of ElbaNapoleon Bonaparte, the former Emperor of the French, escaped from Elba, the Italian island where he had been sent into exile. With about 1,000 men i…
Photo: Jacques-Louis David, Public domain
- 27 Feb 1782 Parliament votes against carrying on the war in AmericaThe House of Commons of Great Britain voted against carrying on the American Revolutionary War, also called the American War of Independence. Britain…
- 27 Feb 1942 British paratroopers raid a German radar station at BrunevalOn a secret mission called Operation Biting, British airborne troops led by Major John Frost parachuted into northern France at night. Their aim was …
September
-
28 Sep
1066 William of Normandy lands at Pevensey to invade EnglandWilliam, Duke of Normandy, landed at Pevensey in Sussex with a fleet of around 600 ships. His arrival was the start of the Norman Conquest of England…
Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 28 Sep 1106 Henry I captures his brother Robert at the Battle of TinchebrayKing Henry I of England invaded Normandy and fought the army of his older brother, Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy. Henry's knights won a clear vic…
- 28 Sep 1781 The Siege of Yorktown begins in the American War of IndependenceAmerican and French forces, backed by a French fleet, began a siege of British troops at Yorktown. The British army there was led by Charles Cornwall…
- 29 Sep 1011 Vikings capture Canterbury and take its archbishop prisonerA Viking army led by Thorkell the Tall had besieged the English city of Canterbury for about three weeks. On this day the Vikings took control of the…
-
29 Sep
1758 Born: Horatio NelsonHoratio Nelson was a British admiral in the Royal Navy. His leadership, clever planning and unusual tactics won Britain several important sea battles…
Photo: Lemuel Francis Abbott, Public domain
- 29 Sep 1918 The Battle of St Quentin Canal begins in the First World WarBritish, Australian and American soldiers of the British Fourth Army began a major attack at the St Quentin Canal on the Western Front. Their aim was…
- 30 Sep 1342 English and Breton troops win the Battle of MorlaixAn English and Breton army beat a much larger French and Breton force near Morlaix, in Brittany. It was the first land battle of the Hundred Years' W…
October
-
2 Oct
1187 Saladin takes Jerusalem after the city surrendersAfter a siege of nearly two weeks, the city of Jerusalem surrendered to the army of Saladin, the sultan of Egypt and Syria. The city's defender, Bali…
- 2 Oct 1263 Scotland and Norway clash at the Battle of LargsThe armies of Scotland and Norway fought the Battle of Largs, on the Firth of Clyde. King Haakon of Norway had sailed with a fleet to win back contro…
-
2 Oct
1470 Edward IV flees England and Henry VI returns to the throneKing Edward IV of England was forced to flee to the Burgundian Netherlands after a rebellion led by Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. Warwick, nickna…
Photo: Lucas Horenbout, Public domain
- 3 Oct 52 BC Vercingetorix surrenders to Julius Caesar at AlesiaVercingetorix, a chieftain who had united the Gauls against Rome, surrendered to the Roman general Julius Caesar. This ended the siege and battle of …
-
3 Oct
1602 English ships attack Spanish galleys in the Battle of the Narrow SeasDuring the Anglo-Spanish War, an English fleet led by Sir Robert Mansell attacked six Spanish galleys in the Strait of Dover. Galleys were warships t…
Photo: Andries van Eertvelt, Public domain
- 4 Oct 1853 The Crimean War begins as the Ottoman Empire declares war on RussiaThe Ottoman Empire declared war on the Russian Empire, starting the Crimean War. Russia ended up fighting an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, …
-
4 Oct
1936 Crowds block a fascist march at the Battle of Cable StreetLarge crowds gathered in the East End of London to stop a march by the British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Mosley. The group had become increasi…
Photo: Spudgun67, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 5 Oct 1789 Women march on Versailles during the French RevolutionMarket women in Paris were angry about the high price and shortage of bread. They began a march to the Palace of Versailles, home of King Louis XVI. …
- 6 Oct 1762 Britain wins the Battle of Manila against SpainBritish forces won the Battle of Manila, which had begun on 24 September. Manila, the capital of the Philippines, was then a Spanish colony. The batt…
- 7 Oct 1571 The Battle of Lepanto is fought at seaAt the Battle of Lepanto, the fleet of the Holy League defeated the fleet of the Ottoman Empire. The Holy League was an alliance of Catholic states, …
- 7 Oct 1777 British forces are defeated at the Second Battle of SaratogaDuring the American Revolutionary War, American forces defeated a British army led by General John Burgoyne. The fight is known as the Second Battle …
-
7 Oct
1870 Léon Gambetta escapes besieged Paris in a hot-air balloonDuring the Franco-Prussian War, the city of Paris was under siege, surrounded by enemy forces. The French politician Léon Gambetta escaped from the c…
Photo: Jules Didier (1831-1892) and Jacques Guiaud (1811-1876), Public domain
- 8 Oct 1480 The Great Stand on the Ugra River ends Tatar rule over MoscowThe army of the Great Horde, led by Akhmat Khan, faced the army of Moscow across the Ugra River. Moscow's forces were led by Grand Prince Ivan III. R…
- 8 Oct 1932 The Indian Air Force is foundedThe Indian Air Force was officially set up in British India. It began as an auxiliary, or supporting, air force linked to Britain's Royal Air Force. …
- 11 Oct 1797 The Royal Navy defeats the Dutch fleet at the Battle of CamperdownBritain's Royal Navy defeated a Dutch fleet at the Battle of Camperdown. The British captured eleven Dutch ships and lost none of their own. The batt…
- 11 Oct 1899 The Second Boer War breaks out in South AfricaThe Second Boer War broke out in South Africa. It was fought between the British Empire and two Boer republics, the Transvaal and the Orange Free Sta…
-
12 Oct
539 BC Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers the city of BabylonThe army of Cyrus the Great of Persia captured Babylon, bringing the Babylonian empire to an end. This date is given in the old Julian calendar. Cyru…
Photo: Surenae, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 12 Oct 1428 The English army begins the Siege of Orléans in FranceEnglish soldiers and their Burgundian allies began the Siege of Orléans in France. A siege is when an army surrounds a town to try to force it to giv…
-
12 Oct
1748 British and Spanish warships clash in the Battle of HavanaA British squadron of warships led by Rear-Admiral Charles Knowles attacked a Spanish squadron off Havana. Knowles had been hoping to catch the Spani…
Photo: Henry Overton, Public domain
- 13 Oct 1710 Britain gains Nova Scotia as the Siege of Port Royal endsFrench forces and their Wabanaki allies surrendered, ending the Siege of Port Royal in North America. As a result, Britain gained Nova Scotia for goo…
- 13 Oct 1812 British and Mohawk forces win the Battle of Queenston HeightsBritish soldiers and Mohawk warriors drove back an American invasion across the Niagara River, near Queenston in Ontario, Canada. The battle was part…
- 13 Oct 1994 Loyalist groups announce a ceasefire in Northern IrelandAt Fernhill House in Belfast, loyalist leader Gusty Spence announced that the Combined Loyalist Military Command would observe a ceasefire. A ceasefi…
-
14 Oct
1066 William of Normandy wins the Battle of HastingsAt the Battle of Hastings, the army of William, Duke of Normandy, defeated the English army of King Harold Godwinson. Harold, the last crowned Anglo-…
Photo: Myrabella, Public domain
-
14 Oct
1322 Robert the Bruce defeats Edward II at the Battle of Old BylandRobert the Bruce, King of Scots, defeated King Edward II of England at the Battle of Old Byland. The defeat pushed Edward towards accepting that Scot…
Photo: National Museums Liverpool, Heather Beeton, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 15 Oct 1529 Austrian forces drive back the Ottoman army at ViennaThe Siege of Vienna ended when Austrian forces drove back the invading Turkish army of the Ottoman Empire. For almost a century, the Ottomans had bee…
- 17 Oct 1346 King David II of Scotland is captured at Neville's CrossKing David II of Scotland invaded England to help his ally, France, but he was captured at the Battle of Neville's Cross. Scotland and France had an …
- 17 Oct 1777 British general John Burgoyne surrenders at SaratogaBritish general John Burgoyne surrendered to the Americans, ending his Saratoga campaign. The American victory later helped persuade France to join t…
- 18 Oct 1016 King Cnut's Danish army wins the Battle of AssandunAt the Battle of Assandun in Essex, a Danish army led by King Cnut defeated the English army of King Edmund Ironside. Afterwards, the two kings agree…
-
18 Oct
1597 Spain's third armada sails against England but failsKing Philip II of Spain sent a third armada, or war fleet, against England. Its aim was to support rebels in Ireland who were fighting the English. L…
Photo: Sofonisba Anguissola, Public domain
- 18 Oct 1748 The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ends the War of the Austrian SuccessionThe Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, also called the Treaty of Aachen, was signed, ending the War of the Austrian Succession. The war had been fought since…
- 19 Oct 1453 England loses its last lands in southern FranceThree months after defeat at the Battle of Castillon, England lost its last possessions in southern France. This came at the very end of the Hundred …
-
19 Oct
1781 British army surrenders at YorktownDuring the American War of Independence, British forces led by Lord Cornwallis officially surrendered at Yorktown. They had been under siege by Ameri…
Photo: John Trumbull, Public domain
- 19 Oct 1914 Allied and German armies clash at the First Battle of YpresDuring the First World War, Allied forces began fighting German troops at the First Battle of Ypres. Ypres is a town in West Flanders, Belgium. The B…
-
20 Oct
1827 Battle of Navarino: the last big battle of wooden sailing shipsShips from Britain, France and Russia defeated an Ottoman and Egyptian fleet in Navarino Bay, off the west coast of Greece. At the time, the Greeks w…
Photo: Ambroise Louis Garneray, Public domain
- 21 Oct 1345 A small English army wins the Battle of AuberocheIn the Hundred Years' War, an Anglo-Gascon army of 1,200 men beat a much larger French army of 7,000. Led by Henry, Earl of Derby, they fought near t…
-
21 Oct
1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu wins the Battle of Sekigahara in JapanThe samurai leader Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated rival Japanese clans at the Battle of Sekigahara. The victory helped him become shōgun, the military rule…
Photo: Kanō Tan'yū, Public domain
- 21 Oct 1805 Nelson's fleet wins the Battle of TrafalgarDuring the Napoleonic Wars, a British fleet led by Lord Nelson defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet under Admiral Villeneuve. It became known…
-
21 Oct
1854 Florence Nightingale sets off to nurse soldiers in the Crimean WarFlorence Nightingale and a team of 38 nurses and 15 nuns were sent to the Ottoman Empire. Their job was to care for British soldiers who had been inj…
Photo: Henry Hering (1814-1893), Public domain
- 22 Oct 1739 The War of Jenkins' Ear beginsA war between Great Britain and Spain began with an attack on La Guaira, and most of the fighting took place around the Caribbean Sea. The war's stra…
- 22 Oct 1936 The Royal Navy retires the cutlass from battleThe Royal Navy withdrew the cutlass, a short sword with a wide blade, from combat service. Royal Navy sailors had carried them since the early 1700s.…
- 22 Oct 1940 Belgium's government in exile begins in LondonDuring the Second World War, the Belgian prime minister, Hubert Pierlot, arrived in London. To get there, he had slipped past the authorities in Vich…
- 23 Oct 1448 Scotland defeats England at the Battle of SarkScotland won a clear victory over England at the Battle of Sark, also called the Battle of Lochmaben Stone. Historians are not completely sure whethe…
- 23 Oct 1642 The first major battle of the English Civil War is fought at EdgehillRoyalists, who supported the king, fought Parliamentarians near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire. It was the first major battle of the …
- 23 Oct 1956 The Hungarian Revolution begins with a student marchIn Budapest, a peaceful student demonstration grew to thousands of people as it marched to the parliament building. This was the start of the Hungari…
- 24 Oct 1596 Storms wreck the second Spanish Armada sent against EnglandKing Philip II of Spain sent a second Spanish Armada to strike against England. He wanted revenge for an English attack on the Spanish port of Cádiz …
- 25 Oct 1415 Henry V's archers win the Battle of AgincourtIn the Hundred Years' War, Henry V's English army surprisingly beat a much larger French force at the Battle of Agincourt. Henry's army was made up m…
-
25 Oct
1747 Admiral Hawke's fleet wins the Second Battle of Cape FinisterreDuring the War of the Austrian Succession, a British fleet led by Rear-Admiral Edward Hawke defeated the French off Cape Finisterre, Spain. The Frenc…
Photo: Pierre-Julien Gilbert, Public domain
- 25 Oct 1854 The Charge of the Light Brigade takes placeDuring the Crimean War, British light cavalry led by Lord Cardigan charged straight at a well-defended Russian gun battery. It happened because an or…
- 25 Oct 1962 Photos of Soviet missiles in Cuba are shown at the United NationsDuring the Cuban Missile Crisis, the US ambassador Adlai Stevenson showed the United Nations Security Council photographs of Soviet missiles in Cuba.…
- 26 Oct 1813 British and Mohawk forces stop an American invasion of CanadaThe War of 1812 was fought between the United States and Britain and its allies, mostly in North America. British forces and their Mohawk allies, led…
- 27 Oct 1644 The Second Battle of Newbury is fought in the English Civil WarThe Second Battle of Newbury was fought at Speen, next to the town of Newbury in Berkshire. It took place close to the site of the First Battle of Ne…
-
27 Oct
1775 George III speaks to Parliament about the rebellion in AmericaKing George III gave a speech at the opening of Parliament about trouble in Britain's Thirteen Colonies in America. He built on his Proclamation of R…
Photo: Allan Ramsay, Public domain
- 27 Oct 1914 HMS Audacious sinks after hitting a mine, and it is kept secretEarly in the First World War, the Royal Navy battleship HMS Audacious hit a German mine. This happened off the north coast of County Donegal, in Irel…
- 27 Oct 1962 Vasily Arkhipov helps prevent a nuclear warDuring the Cuban Missile Crisis, Soviet naval officer Vasily Arkhipov refused to agree to the firing of a nuclear torpedo at an American warship. His…
- 27 Oct 2014 British combat operations in Afghanistan come to an endBritain withdrew from Afghanistan at the end of Operation Herrick, the name for its military operations there. British forces had been involved for m…
- 28 Oct 1664 The regiment that became the Royal Marines is formed in LondonThe Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot was set up at the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company in London. The Royal Marines tr…
- 28 Oct 1962 The Cuban Missile Crisis comes to an endThe Cuban Missile Crisis ended when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev ordered Soviet missiles to be removed from Cuba. For 13 days, the United States a…
- 29 Oct 1956 Israel invades Egypt, starting the Suez CrisisIsrael invaded Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, beginning what became known as the Suez Crisis. Egypt's president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, had recently nationali…
- 30 Oct 1657 Spain fails to win back Jamaica at the Battle of Ocho RiosDuring a war between England and Spain, Spanish forces tried to win back the island of Jamaica from the English. They failed at the Battle of Ocho Ri…
- 30 Oct 1918 The Armistice of Mudros ends the fighting with the Ottoman EmpireThe Ottoman Empire signed the Armistice of Mudros, ending its fighting with the Allies in the Middle East during the First World War. An armistice is…
- 30 Oct 1941 Roosevelt approves 1 billion dollars of Lend-Lease aidUS President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved 1 billion dollars of Lend-Lease aid for the Allies in the Second World War. Under Lend-Lease, the United …
- 31 Oct 1940 The Battle of Britain comes to an endThe Battle of Britain, a campaign of the Second World War, came to an end. The Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm had defended the UK…
November
-
1 Nov
1141 Empress Matilda frees King Stephen, and the Anarchy drags onDuring a civil war known as the Anarchy, Empress Matilda released her rival, King Stephen. In return, Stephen's side freed Robert of Gloucester, Mati…
Photo: Artist unknown; the Gospels of Henry the Lion, Public domain
- 2 Nov 1899 The Siege of Ladysmith begins in South AfricaDuring the Second Boer War, Boer forces surrounded the British-held town of Ladysmith in Natal, South Africa. A siege is when an army surrounds a pla…
- 3 Nov 1898 The Fashoda Incident ends as French forces withdrawA tense stand-off between Britain and France in Africa came to an end. A French expedition had reached Fashoda, on the White Nile in what is now Sout…
- 4 Nov 1839 Chartists take part in the Newport Rising in WalesChartists in Wales took part in the Newport Rising, an armed protest against the authorities. The Chartists were campaigners who wanted democracy, in…
- 5 Nov 1854 British and French armies win the Battle of InkermanDuring the Crimean War, British and French armies defeated the Russian army at Inkerman, in what is now Ukraine. The allies were heavily outnumbered,…
- 5 Nov 1914 Britain and France declare war on the Ottoman EmpireDuring the First World War, France and the British Empire declared war on the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire was centred on what is now Turkey an…
- 6 Nov 1794 French warships capture HMS Alexander in the Celtic SeaTwo Royal Navy warships, HMS Alexander and HMS Canada, were sailing home through the Celtic Sea when a large French squadron intercepted them. There …
- 6 Nov 1868 Red Cloud signs the Treaty of Fort LaramieRed Cloud, a leader of the Oglala Lakota people, signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie. It ended Red Cloud's War against the United States Army and set u…
- 6 Nov 1917 Canadian troops capture PasschendaeleDuring the First World War, Canadian forces captured the village of Passchendaele in Belgium from the Germans. It came after three months of fighting…
-
7 Nov
1775 Lord Dunmore offers freedom to enslaved people who join the BritishJohn Murray, Lord Dunmore, the British governor of the Colony of Virginia, issued a proclamation. It offered freedom to enslaved people who left thei…
Photo: Joshua Reynolds, Public domain
- 7 Nov 1956 The United Nations calls for troops to leave Egypt in the Suez CrisisThe United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling on the United Kingdom, France and Israel to withdraw their troops from Egypt immediat…
- 8 Nov 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie leads a Jacobite army into EnglandCharles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, marched into England with an army of about 5,000 men. He was the grandson of King James II and…
-
9 Nov
1688 William of Orange captures Exeter in the Glorious RevolutionWilliam of Orange, a Dutch prince, captured the city of Exeter after landing in England with his army. He had come to challenge King James II, who wa…
Photo: Johan Herman Isings, Public domain
- 10 Nov 2020 The last land mine is cleared from the Falkland IslandsThe British government announced that the last land mine had been removed from the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory in the South Atlant…
-
11 Nov
1918 The Armistice ends the fighting of the First World WarEarly in the morning, Germany and the Allies, including Britain, signed an armistice in a railway carriage in a forest near Compiègne, in France. An …
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
-
11 Nov
1920 The Cenotaph is unveiled and the Unknown Warrior is laid to restThe Cenotaph, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, was unveiled on Whitehall in London as the UK's national memorial to those from Britain and its empire w…
Photo: Mike from England, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 11 Nov 1940 The Royal Navy makes the first all-aircraft attack on a fleetDuring the Second World War, the Royal Navy attacked the Italian fleet at Taranto in the Battle of Taranto. It was the first naval attack in history …
- 13 Nov 1642 Parliament's army blocks King Charles I at Turnham GreenEarly in the English Civil War, the army of King Charles I faced a much larger Parliamentarian army at Turnham Green, near London. The battle ended i…
-
13 Nov
1715 Government forces halt the Jacobites at the Battle of SheriffmuirDuring the Jacobite rising in Scotland, the forces of the Kingdom of Great Britain stopped the advance of the Jacobite army at the Battle of Sheriffm…
Photo: John Wootton, Public domain
- 15 Nov AD 655 King Oswiu of Northumbria wins the Battle of the WinwaedKing Oswiu of Northumbria defeated King Penda of Mercia and his ally, King Æthelhere of East Anglia, at the Battle of the Winwaed in what is now York…
- 17 Nov 1810 Sweden declares a war on Britain that is never foughtSweden and the United Kingdom had been allies against the French emperor Napoleon. After defeats in other wars, and the peace treaties that followed,…
- 17 Nov 1887 Born: Bernard MontgomeryBernard Montgomery was a senior British Army officer who served in both world wars. In the Second World War he led the Eighth Army in the desert of N…
- 18 Nov 1916 The Battle of the Somme comes to an endThe British commander Douglas Haig called off the Battle of the Somme, which had begun on 1 July 1916. Armies from the British Empire and France had …
- 19 Nov 1942 Soviet forces launch Operation Uranus at StalingradDuring the Second World War, the Soviet Red Army launched Operation Uranus during the Battle of Stalingrad, in southern Russia. The plan was to surro…
- 20 Nov 1815 The Second Treaty of Paris is signed after WaterlooThe Second Treaty of Paris was signed after Napoleon Bonaparte's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Napoleon had been forced to abdicate, which means …
-
20 Nov
1917 British tanks lead an attack at the Battle of CambraiDuring the First World War, the British Army began the Battle of Cambrai in northern France. It attacked the Hindenburg Line, a line of German defenc…
Photo: Andy Dingley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 20 Nov 1962 The United States ends its naval blockade of CubaUS President John F. Kennedy ended the naval 'quarantine' around Cuba after the Soviet Union removed its nuclear missiles and bombers from the island…
-
22 Nov
1943 Churchill, Roosevelt and Chiang Kai-shek meet in CairoDuring the Second World War, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and China's leader Chiang Kai-shek met in C…
Photo: Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), Public domain
- 24 Nov 1542 England defeats a Scottish army at the Battle of Solway MossA large Scottish army marched into England and was beaten near Solway Moss, by the River Esk, by a much smaller English force. About 1,200 Scots were…
- 24 Nov 2016 Colombia signs a peace deal to end a 50-year civil warThe government of Colombia and the rebel group FARC signed a revised peace deal. It brought an end to a civil war that had lasted for more than 50 ye…
- 25 Nov 1783 The last British troops leave New York CityThe last British soldiers left New York City at the end of the American Revolutionary War. In that war, American Patriots led by George Washington ha…
-
25 Nov
1940 The de Havilland Mosquito aircraft makes its first flightThe de Havilland Mosquito, a British aircraft with two engines, flew for the first time. Unusually, its frame was made mostly of wood, which earned i…
Photo: Fotoafdrukken Koninklijke Luchtmacht / Photo Prints, Royal Netherlands Air Force; restored by Chris Woodrich, CC BY-SA 4.0
-
27 Nov
1095 Pope Urban II calls for the First CrusadeAt the Council of Clermont, Pope Urban II declared the First Crusade. Its aim was to bring the Holy Land, which had been under Muslim rule since the …
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
December
-
1 Dec
1420 Henry V rides into Paris with the French kingKing Henry V of England entered Paris alongside King Charles VI of France, who was his father-in-law. Earlier that year, the Treaty of Troyes had nam…
Photo: Jean Galopes, Public domain
- 3 Dec 1989 Bush and Gorbachev signal that the Cold War may be endingAt a meeting off the coast of Malta, US President George H. W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev made statements suggesting that the Cold War …
- 4 Dec 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie's army reaches DerbyThe army of Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, reached Derby. It was the furthest point it got to during the Jacobite rising of 1…
-
4 Dec
1865 Born: Edith CavellEdith Cavell was a British nurse during the First World War. She cared for wounded soldiers from both sides without taking sides. She also helped aro…
Photo: The original uploader was Vivedatica at Dutch Wikipedia, Public domain
- 4 Dec 1918 Woodrow Wilson sets sail as the first US president to visit EuropeUS President Woodrow Wilson set sail for the peace talks held after the First World War. He became the first American president to travel to Europe w…
- 6 Dec 1648 Pride's Purge removes MPs so King Charles I can be triedDuring the English Civil War, soldiers stopped some Members of Parliament from entering the House of Commons. These MPs were seen as hostile to Parli…
- 6 Dec 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie's army begins to retreatThe Jacobite army of Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, began to retreat. Two days earlier it had reached Derby, the furthest poi…
-
6 Dec
1921 The Anglo-Irish Treaty is signed in LondonBritish and Irish representatives signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty in London. The agreement ended the Irish War of Independence. It said that an Irish F…
Photo: Public domain, Public domain
- 6 Dec 1941 Britain sets up Camp X, a secret school for spiesDuring the Second World War, the British set up Camp X in Ontario, Canada. It was a secret school for training agents to carry out undercover mission…
-
7 Dec
1941 Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl HarborJapan launched a surprise air attack on the US Pacific Fleet at its naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The planes took off from aircraft carriers.…
Photo: DoD photo by: PH3(AW/SW) JAYME PASTORIC, USN, Public domain
- 8 Dec 1914 The Royal Navy wins the Battle of the Falkland IslandsIn the First World War, a squadron of Britain's Royal Navy defeated Germany's East Asia Squadron in the South Atlantic Ocean. The British had been be…
-
8 Dec
1941 Roosevelt calls Pearl Harbor 'a date which will live in infamy'The day after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt said 7 December 1941 was 'a date which will live in infamy'. Infamy …
Photo: Leon Perskie, CC BY 2.0
- 8 Dec 1987 Reagan and Gorbachev sign a treaty to limit nuclear weaponsAt the White House, US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. It was an arm…
- 9 Dec 1688 William of Orange's forces win the Battle of ReadingForces loyal to William of Orange won a clear victory at the Battle of Reading. It was one of only two big military clashes in England during the Glo…
- 11 Dec 1282 Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales, dies in battleLlywelyn ap Gruffudd, known as Llywelyn the Last, died at Cilmeri, near Builth Wells, during the Battle of Orewin Bridge. He was the last native Prin…
- 13 Dec 1643 Roundheads win a surprise attack in HampshireDuring the First English Civil War, Parliament's soldiers, led by Sir William Waller, made a surprise attack in Hampshire. They defeated Royalist foo…
-
13 Dec
1939 The Battle of the River Plate is fought in the South AtlanticThe Battle of the River Plate was the first British naval battle of the Second World War. Three cruisers, HMS Ajax, HMNZS Achilles and HMS Exeter, fo…
Photo: Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain
- 16 Dec 1431 Henry VI of England is crowned King of France in ParisHenry VI of England was crowned King of France at Notre-Dame in Paris, during the Hundred Years' War. He had become King of England at just nine mont…
-
24 Dec
1814 Britain and the USA sign a treaty to end the War of 1812The United Kingdom and the United States signed the Treaty of Ghent in the city of Ghent, in what is now Belgium. It ended the War of 1812, which had…
Photo: Amédée Forestier, CC0
- 24 Dec 1914 Soldiers stop fighting to celebrate in the Christmas truceDuring the First World War, British and German soldiers began unofficial ceasefires along parts of the Western Front to celebrate Christmas. Soldiers…
-
26 Dec
1941 Winston Churchill speaks to the US Congress in wartimeDuring the Second World War, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave a 30-minute speech to the United States Congress in Washington, D.C. He sp…
Photo: Star staff photographer, Public domain
- 29 Dec 1915 France gives land for British war graves as a 'free gift'During the First World War, France passed a law to obtain land for the graves of Allied soldiers who had died. The land for British war graves was gi…
- 29 Dec 1996 A peace agreement ends Guatemala's 36-year civil warThe government of Guatemala and the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity signed a peace agreement. It ended a civil war that had lasted 36 years, …