The son of Empress Zoë of Byzantium succeeds to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V.

Zoë PorphyrogenitaByzantine EmpireMichael V Kalaphates

The "Nyköping Banquet" - King Birger of Sweden treacherously seizes his two brothers Valdemar, Duke of Finland and Eric, Duke of Södermanland, who were subsequently starved to death in the dungeon of Nyköping Castle.

Nyköping BanquetBirger, King of SwedenValdemar, Duke of FinlandEric, Duke of Södermanland

The League of Cambrai is formed by Pope Julius II, Louis XII of France, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Ferdinand II of Aragon as an alliance against Venice.

War of the League of CambraiPope Julius IILouis XII of FranceMaximilian I, Holy Roman EmperorFerdinand II of Aragon

Portuguese conquest of Goa: Portuguese naval forces under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque, and local mercenaries working for privateer Timoji, seize Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate, resulting in 451 years of Portuguese colonial rule.

Portuguese conquest of GoaAfonso de AlbuquerqueTimojiAdil Shahi dynasty

Martin Luther burns his copy of the papal bull Exsurge Domine outside Wittenberg's Elster Gate.

Martin LutherPapal bullExsurge DomineWittenberg

Thomas Culpeper and Francis Dereham are executed for having affairs with Catherine Howard, Queen of England and wife of Henry VIII.

Thomas CulpeperFrancis DerehamCatherine HowardHenry VIII of England

Defeat at the Battle of Dungeness causes the Commonwealth of England to reform its navy.

Battle of DungenessCommonwealth of England

The Royal Netherlands Marine Corps is founded by Michiel de Ruyter

Royal Netherlands Marine CorpsMichiel de Ruyter

Isaac Newton's derivation of Kepler's laws from his theory of gravity, contained in the paper De motu corporum in gyrum, is read to the Royal Society by Edmond Halley.

Isaac NewtonKepler's lawsDe motu corporum in gyrumRoyal SocietyEdmond Halley

France adopts the metre as its official unit of length.

Unit of length

Mississippi becomes the 20th U.S. state.

MississippiU.S. state

American Civil War: The Confederate States of America accept a rival state government's pronouncement that declares Kentucky to be the 13th state of the Confederacy.

American Civil WarConfederate States of AmericaKentucky

Forces led by Nguyễn Trung Trực, an anti-colonial guerrilla leader in southern Vietnam, sink the French lorcha L'Esperance.

Nguyễn Trung TrựcVietnamLorcha (boat)

American Civil War: Sherman's March to the Sea: Major General William Tecumseh Sherman's Union Army troops reach the outer Confederate defenses of Savannah, Georgia.

Sherman's March to the SeaWilliam Tecumseh ShermanUnion ArmyConfederate States of AmericaSavannah, Georgia

The first traffic lights are installed, outside the Palace of Westminster in London. Resembling railway signals, they use semaphore arms and are illuminated at night by red and green gas lamps.

Traffic lightPalace of WestminsterRailway signalRailway semaphore signalGas lamp

The Kappa Sigma Fraternity is founded at the University of Virginia.

Kappa Sigma

Russo-Turkish War (1877-78): The Russian Army captures Plevna after a 5-month siege. The garrison of 25,000 surviving Turks surrenders. The Russian victory is decisive for the outcome of the war and the Liberation of Bulgaria.

Russo-Turkish War (1877-78)Siege of PlevnaOttoman EmpireLiberation of Bulgaria

Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is published.

Mark TwainAdventures of Huckleberry Finn

Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi premieres in Paris. A riot breaks out at the end of the performance.

Alfred JarryUbu Roi

Spanish-American War: The Treaty of Paris is signed, officially ending the conflict.

Spanish-American WarTreaty of Paris (1898)

Delta Sigma Phi fraternity is founded at the City College of New York.

Delta Sigma PhiCity College of New York

The first Nobel Prizes are awarded.

Nobel Prize

The opening of the reservoir of the Aswan Dam in Egypt.

Aswan Low DamEgypt

Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity is founded at the College of Charleston.

Pi Kappa PhiCollege of Charleston

U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt wins the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the mediation of the Russo-Japanese War, becoming the first American to win a Nobel Prize.

Theodore RooseveltNobel Peace PrizeRusso-Japanese War

The worst night of the Brown Dog riots in London, when 1,000 medical students clash with 400 police officers over the existence of a memorial for animals that have been vivisected.

Brown Dog affair

Selma Lagerlöf becomes the first female writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature

Selma LagerlöfNobel Prize in Literature

Thailand becomes a constitutional monarchy.

ThailandConstitution of Thailand

Abdication Crisis: Edward VIII signs the Instrument of Abdication.

Abdication CrisisEdward VIIIFile:Edward abdication.png

World War II: The Royal Navy capital ships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse are sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy torpedo bombers near British Malaya.

Royal NavyHMS Prince of Wales (53)HMS Repulse (1916)Sinking of Prince of Wales and RepulseImperial Japanese Navy