In the Battle of the Zab, the Abbasid rebels defeat the Umayyad Caliphate, leading to overthrow of the dynasty.

Battle of the ZabAbbasidUmayyad Caliphate

A strong earthquake strikes the South Alpine region of Friuli in modern Italy, causing considerable damage to buildings as far away as Rome.

1348 Friuli earthquakeFriuli

Alfonso II becomes King of Naples.

Alfonso II of NaplesNaples

Coronation of Francis I of France.

Coronation of the French monarchFrancis I of France

Henry VIII of England secretly marries his second wife Anne Boleyn.

Henry VIII of EnglandAnne Boleyn

Founding of São Paulo city, Brazil.

São Paulo

Battle of Mikatagahara: In Japan, Takeda Shingen defeats Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Battle of MikatagaharaTakeda ShingenTokugawa Ieyasu

Luanda, the capital of Angola, is founded by the Portuguese navigator Paulo Dias de Novais.

LuandaAngolaPaulo Dias de Novais

The Battle of Ayubale results in the destruction of most of the Spanish missions in Florida.

Battle of AyubaleSpanish missions in Florida

Moscow University is established on Tatiana Day.

Moscow State UniversityTatiana Day

Port Egmont, the first British settlement in the Falkland Islands at the southern tip of South America, is founded.

Port EgmontFalkland Islands

Shays's Rebellion: The rebellion's largest confrontation, outside the Springfield Armory, results in the killing of four rebels and the wounding of twenty.

Shays's RebellionSpringfield Armory

The British Parliament passes the Constitutional Act of 1791 and splits the old Province of Quebec into Upper Canada and Lower Canada.

Parliament of Great BritainConstitutional Act of 1791Province of Quebec (1763-91)Upper CanadaLower Canada

The London Corresponding Society is founded.

London Corresponding Society

The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn is played at the marriage of Queen Victoria's daughter, Victoria, and Friedrich of Prussia, and becomes a popular wedding processional.

Wedding March (Mendelssohn)Felix MendelssohnQueen VictoriaVictoria, Princess RoyalFrederick III, German Emperor

The Bulgarian National Bank is founded.

Bulgarian National Bank

Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company.

Thomas EdisonAlexander Graham BellOriental Telephone Company

Nellie Bly completes her round-the-world journey in 72 days.

Nellie Bly

Richard Strauss's opera Elektra receives its debut performance at the Dresden State Opera.

Richard StraussElektra (opera)Semperoper

Alexander Graham Bell inaugurates U.S. transcontinental telephone service, speaking from New York to Thomas Watson in San Francisco.

Alexander Graham BellThomas A. Watson

Ukraine declares independence from Bolshevik Russia.

UkraineBolshevik Russia

The 1924 Winter Olympics opens in Chamonix, in the French Alps, inaugurating the Winter Olympic Games.

1924 Winter OlympicsChamonixFrench AlpsWinter Olympic Games

Second Sino-Japanese War: The Chinese National Revolutionary Army begins its defense of Harbin.

Second Sino-Japanese WarRepublic of China (1912-49)National Revolutionary ArmyDefense of HarbinHarbin

The Guiding Light debuts on NBC radio from Chicago. In 1952 it moves to CBS television, where it remains until September 18, 2009.

The Guiding Light

Pope Pius XII elevates the Apostolic Vicariate of the Hawaiian Islands to the dignity of a diocese. It becomes the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu.

Pope Pius XIIApostolic Vicariate of the Hawaiian IslandsDioceseRoman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu

World War II: Thailand declares war on the United States and United Kingdom.

World War IIThailand

Florence Li Tim-Oi is ordained in China, becoming the first woman Anglican priest.

Florence Li Tim-Oi

World War II: The Battle of the Bulge ends.

Battle of the Bulge

The United Mine Workers rejoins the American Federation of Labor.

United Mine WorkersAmerican Federation of Labor

After a night of negotiation, Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate.

ClaudiusRoman EmperorRoman Senate