Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his eight-year-old son Honorius co-emperor.

Roman EmperorTheodosius IHonorius (emperor)

Using crossbows, Song dynasty troops soundly defeat a war elephant corps of the Southern Han at Shao.

CrossbowSong dynastyHistory of the Song dynastyWar elephantSouthern Han

In the conflict between King Henry III of England and his rebellious barons led by Simon de Montfort, King Louis IX of France issues the Mise of Amiens, a one-sided decision in favour of Henry that later leads to the Second Barons' War.

Henry III of EnglandSimon de Montfort, 6th Earl of LeicesterLouis IX of FranceMise of AmiensSecond Barons' War

In a coronation ceremony, Zhu Yuanzhang ascends the throne of China as the Hongwu Emperor, initiating Ming dynasty rule over China that would last for three centuries.

Zhu YuanzhangEmperor of ChinaHongwu EmperorMing dynasty

Having published nothing for eleven years, François Rabelais publishes the Tiers Livre, his sequel to Gargantua and Pantagruel.

François RabelaisGargantua and Pantagruel

The deadliest earthquake in history, the Shaanxi earthquake, hits Shaanxi province, China. The death toll may have been as high as 830,000.

Earthquake1556 Shaanxi earthquakeShaanxi

James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray, regent for the infant King James VI of Scotland, is assassinated by firearm, the first recorded instance of such.

James Stewart, 1st Earl of MorayRegentJames VI of Scotland

The Royal Exchange opens in London.

Royal Exchange, London

The Union of Utrecht forms a Protestant republic in the Netherlands.

Union of UtrechtProtestantism

Blaise Pascal publishes the first of his Lettres provinciales.

Blaise PascalLettres provinciales

The Principality of Liechtenstein is created within the Holy Roman Empire.

PrincipalityLiechtensteinHoly Roman Empire

Georgetown College, the first Catholic university in the United States, is founded in Georgetown, Maryland (now a part of Washington, D.C.)

Georgetown UniversityCatholic universityGeorgetown (Washington, D.C.)

Second Partition of Poland.

Second Partition of Poland

After an extraordinary charge across the frozen Zuiderzee, the French cavalry captured 14 Dutch ships and 850 guns, in a rare occurrence of a battle between ships and cavalry

ZuiderzeeCapture of the Dutch fleet at Den Helder

Slavery in Tunisia is abolished.

Slavery in Tunisia

Elizabeth Blackwell is awarded her M.D. by the Geneva Medical College of Geneva, New York, becoming the United States' first female doctor.

Elizabeth BlackwellGeneva Medical CollegeGeneva, New York

In Montana, U.S. cavalrymen kill 173 Native Americans, mostly women and children, in what becomes known as the Marias Massacre.

MontanaNative Americans in the United StatesMarias Massacre

Anglo-Zulu War: the Battle of Rorke's Drift ends.

Anglo-Zulu WarBattle of Rorke's Drift

The Malolos Constitution is inaugurated, establishing the First Philippine Republic.

Malolos ConstitutionFirst Philippine Republic

Emilio Aguinaldo is sworn in as President of the First Philippine Republic.

Emilio AguinaldoPresident of the Philippines

Second Boer War: The Battle of Spion Kop between the forces of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State and British forces ends in a British defeat.

Second Boer WarBattle of Spion KopSouth African RepublicOrange Free State

Ålesund Fire: the Norwegian coastal town Ålesund is devastated by fire, leaving 10,000 people homeless and one person dead. Kaiser Wilhelm II funds the rebuilding of the town in Jugendstil style.

Ålesund FireÅlesundKaiserWilhelm II, German EmperorArt Nouveau

RMS Republic, a passenger ship of the White Star Line, becomes the first ship to use the CQD distress signal after colliding with another ship, the SS Florida, off the Massachusetts coastline, an event that kills six people. The Republic sinks the next day.

RMS Republic (1903)White Star LineCQD

The International Opium Convention is signed at The Hague.

International Opium ConventionThe Hague

The Netherlands refuses to surrender the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany to the Allies.

Wilhelm II, German EmperorAllies of World War I

The trial of the anti-Soviet Trotskyist center sees seventeen mid-level Communists accused of sympathizing with Leon Trotsky and plotting to overthrow Joseph Stalin's regime.

Moscow TrialsLeon TrotskyJoseph Stalin

Charles Lindbergh testifies before the U.S. Congress and recommends that the United States negotiate a neutrality pact with Adolf Hitler.

Charles LindberghUnited States CongressAdolf Hitler

World War II: The Battle of Rabaul commences Japan's invasion of Australia's Territory of New Guinea.

Battle of Rabaul (1942)New Guinea campaignTerritory of New Guinea

World War II: Troops of Montgomery's Eighth Army capture Tripoli in Libya from the German-Italian Panzer Army.

Bernard MontgomeryEighth Army (United Kingdom)TripoliLibyaGerman-Italian Panzer Army

World War II: Australian and American forces defeat Japanese army and navy units in the bitterly-fought Battle of Buna-Gona.

Battle of Buna-Gona