A temple for Sol Invictus is dedicated in Rome by Emperor Aurelian.

Temple of the Sun (Rome)Sol InvictusRomeAurelian

Roman Emperor Constantine the Great elevates his youngest son Constans to the rank of Caesar.

Constantine the GreatConstansCaesar (title)

First documentary sign of Christmas celebration in Rome.

ChristmasAncient Rome

Vetranio meets Constantius II at Naissus (Serbia) and is forced to abdicate his title (Caesar). Constantius allows him to live as a private citizen on a state pension.

VetranioConstantius IINišSerbia

Clovis I, king of the Franks, is baptized into the Catholic faith at Reims, by Saint Remigius.

Clovis IFranksBaptismCatholicismReims

Augustine of Canterbury and his fellow-labourers baptise in Kent more than 10,000 Anglo-Saxons.

Augustine of CanterburyKingdom of KentAnglo-Saxons

The Coronation of Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor, in Rome.

The Coronation of CharlemagneHoly Roman Emperor

Emperor Leo V is assassinated in the Hagia Sophia at Constantinople and is succeeded by Michael II.

Leo V the ArmenianHagia SophiaConstantinopleMichael II

The foundation of the Kingdom of Hungary: Hungary is established as a Christian kingdom by Stephen I of Hungary.

Kingdom of HungaryStephen I of Hungary

Coronation of Mieszko II Lambert as king of Poland.

Mieszko II LambertPoland

William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy is crowned king of England, at Westminster Abbey, London.

William the ConquerorDuke of NormandyEnglandWestminster AbbeyLondon

Coronation of Bolesław II the Generous as king of Poland.

Bolesław II the Generous

Baldwin of Boulogne is crowned the first King of Jerusalem in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Baldwin I of JerusalemKing of JerusalemChurch of the NativityBethlehem

Count Roger II of Sicily is crowned the first king of Sicily.

Roger II of SicilyKingdom of Sicily

John IV Laskaris of the restored Eastern Roman Empire is deposed and blinded by orders of his co-ruler Michael VIII Palaiologos.

John IV LaskarisByzantine EmpireMichael VIII Palaiologos

The carrack Santa María, commanded by Christopher Columbus, runs onto a reef off Haiti due to an improper watch.

CarrackSanta María (ship)Christopher ColumbusReefHaiti

Battle of Tucapel: Mapuche rebels under Lautaro defeat the Spanish conquistadors and executes the governor of Chile, Pedro de Valdivia.

Battle of TucapelMapucheLautaroConquistadorChile

Pope Pius IV is elected.

Pope Pius IV

Halley's Comet is sighted by Johann Georg Palitzsch, confirming Edmund Halley's prediction of its passage. This was the first passage of a comet predicted ahead of time.

Halley's CometJohann Georg PalitzschEdmund Halley

George Washington and the Continental Army cross the Delaware River at night to attack Hessian forces serving Great Britain at Trenton, New Jersey, the next day.

George WashingtonContinental ArmyGeorge Washington's crossing of the Delaware RiverHessian (soldier)Trenton, New Jersey

Dr. Ephraim McDowell performs the first ovariotomy, removing a 22-pound tumor.

Ephraim McDowellOvariotomy

Rev. Samuel Marsden holds the first Christian service on land in New Zealand at Rangihoua Bay.

Samuel MarsdenChristianRangihoua Bay

The Handel and Haydn Society, oldest continually performing arts organization in the United States, gives its first performance.

Handel and Haydn Society

The Eggnog Riot at the United States Military Academy concludes after beginning the previous evening.

Eggnog RiotUnited States Military Academy

The Great Jamaican Slave Revolt begins; up to 20% of the island's slaves mobilize in an ultimately unsuccessful fight for freedom.

Baptist War

Second Seminole War: American general Zachary Taylor leads 1100 troops against the Seminoles at the Battle of Lake Okeechobee.

Second Seminole WarZachary TaylorBattle of Lake Okeechobee

United States President Andrew Johnson grants an unconditional pardon to all Confederate veterans.

Andrew JohnsonPardonConfederate States Army

A series of unofficial truces occur across the Western Front to celebrate Christmas.

Christmas truceWestern Front (World War I)

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake in Gansu, China kills 275 people.

1932 Changma earthquake

Regina Jonas is ordained as the first female rabbi in the history of Judaism.

Regina JonasRabbiJudaism