15 August
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 saw a large force of Basques ambush a part of Charlemagne’s army in Roncevaux Pass, a high mountain pass in the Pyrenees on the border between France and Spain, after his invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. Continue reading “778 – The Battle of Roncevaux Pass”
22 July
The Old Swiss Confederacy decisively defeat the army of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor on this day in 1499 and establish a de facto independence of Switzerland from the Holy Roman Empire. Continue reading “1499 – Battle of Dornach”
4 July
During the Crusades, Saladin defeats Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem at the Battle of Hattin on this day in 1187. Continue reading “1187 – The Battle of Hattin”
30 June
The Battle of Arbedo was fought on this day in 1422 between the Duchy of Milan and the Swiss Confederation. Continue reading “1422 – Battle of Arbedo”
28 June
Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was the King of England from 4 March 1461 (crowned on this day in 1461) until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. Continue reading “1461 – Edward IV is crowned King of England”
15 June
On this day in 1215, King John of England puts his seal to the Magna Carta Libertatum (commonly known as Magna Carta).
24 May
The Fifth Crusade (1213–1221) was an attempt by Western Europeans to reacquire Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land by first conquering the powerful Ayyubid state in Egypt.
Continue reading “1218 – The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt”
15 April
The Battle of Formigny occurred on this day in 1450 near the end of the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) between the crowns of England and France.
7 April
The Corpus Iuris Civilis (“Body of Civil Law”) is the modern name for a collection of fundamental works in jurisprudence, issued from 529 to 534 by order of Justinian I, Eastern Roman Emperor. It is also sometimes referred to as the Code of Justinian, although this name belongs more properly to the part titled Codex Justinianus. Continue reading “529 – First draft of the Corpus Juris Civilis is issued”
