After a sudden illness a few days previously, Byzantine Empress Theodora dies childless, thus ending the Macedonian dynasty.

Byzantine EmpressTheodora (11th century)Macedonian dynasty

Abdication of Byzantine Emperor Michael VI Bringas after just one year.

Michael VI Bringas

Al-Kamil becomes sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty.

Al-KamilSultanAyyubid dynasty

King Haakon V of Norway moves the capital from Bergen to Oslo.

Haakon V of NorwayBergenOslo

King Henry V of England dies of dysentery while in France. His son, Henry VI becomes King of England at the age of 9 months.

Henry V of EnglandDysenteryHenry VI of England

William Livingston, the first Governor of New Jersey, begins serving his first term.

William LivingstonGovernor of New Jersey

War of the First Coalition: The British capture Trincomalee (present-day Sri Lanka) from the Dutch in order to keep it out of French hands.

War of the First CoalitionCapture of Trincomalee (1795)Sri Lanka

Irish Rebellion of 1798: Irish rebels, with French assistance, establish the short-lived Republic of Connacht.

Irish Rebellion of 1798Republic of Connacht

At the final stage of the Peninsular War, British-Portuguese troops capture the town of Donostia (now San Sebastián), resulting in a rampage and eventual destruction of the town. Elsewhere, Spanish troops repel a French attack in the Battle of San Marcial.

Peninsular WarSan SebastiánSiege of San SebastiánBattle of San Marcial

During the American Civil War, Union forces led by General William T. Sherman launch an assault on Atlanta.

American Civil WarUnion ArmyWilliam T. ShermanBattle of JonesboroughAtlanta

Ottoman Sultan Murad V is deposed and succeeded by his brother Abdul Hamid II.

Ottoman SultanMurad VAbdul Hamid II

The 7.0 Mw Charleston earthquake affects southeastern South Carolina with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme); 60 people killed with damage estimated at $5-6 million.

1886 Charleston earthquakeMercalli intensity scaleUnited States dollar

Mary Ann Nichols is murdered. She is the first of Jack the Ripper's confirmed victims.

Mary Ann NicholsJack the Ripper

German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin patents his navigable balloon.

Ferdinand von ZeppelinZeppelin

Thomas Edison patents the Kinetoscope, the first movie projector.

Thomas EdisonKinetoscope

Count Alexander Izvolsky and Sir Arthur Nicolson sign the St. Petersburg Convention, which results in the Triple Entente alliance.

Alexander IzvolskyArthur Nicolson, 1st Baron CarnockAnglo-Russian EntenteTriple EntenteMilitary alliance

World War I: Start of the Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin, a successful assault by the Australian Corps during the Hundred Days Offensive.

Battle of Mont Saint-QuentinAustralian CorpsHundred Days Offensive

Polish-Soviet War: A decisive Polish victory in the Battle of Komarów.

Polish-Soviet WarBattle of Komarów

The first radio news program is broadcast by 8MK in Detroit.

WWJ (AM)Detroit

In an attempt to stay out of the growing turmoil in Europe, the United States passes the first of its Neutrality Acts.

Neutrality Acts of 1930s

Radio Prague, now the official international broadcasting station of the Czech Republic, goes on the air.

Radio PragueInternational broadcasting

Nazi Germany mounts a false flag attack on the Gleiwitz radio station, creating an excuse to attack Poland the following day, thus starting World War II in Europe.

Nazi GermanyFalse flagGleiwitz incidentEuropean theatre of World War II

Pennsylvania Central Airlines Trip 19 crashes near Lovettsville, Virginia. The CAB investigation of the accident is the first investigation to be conducted under the Bureau of Air Commerce act of 1938.

Lovettsville air disasterLovettsville, VirginiaCivil Aeronautics AuthorityBureau of Air Commerce

World War II: Serbian paramilitary forces defeat Germans in the Battle of Loznica.

ChetniksBattle of Loznica (1941)

USS Harmon, the first U.S. Navy ship to be named after a black person, is commissioned.

USS Harmon (DE-678)

The retreat of the Democratic Army of Greece in Albania after its defeat on Gramos mountain marks the end of the Greek Civil War.

Democratic Army of GreeceAlbaniaGramosGreek Civil War

The Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia) gains its independence from the United Kingdom.

Federation of MalayaMalaysia

A parcel bomb sent by Ngô Đình Nhu, younger brother and chief adviser of South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm, fails to kill King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia.

Parcel bombNgô Đình NhuSouth VietnamNgô Đình DiệmNorodom Sihanouk

Trinidad and Tobago becomes independent.

Trinidad and Tobago

Crown Colony of North Borneo (now Sabah) achieves self governance.

Crown Colony of North BorneoSabahSelf governance