March 1, 1896★★★★★
Battle of Adwa
Ethiopian forces under Emperor Menelik II defeated an invading Italian army at Adwa, preserving Ethiopia's independence during the Scramble for Africa.
War· Ethiopia, Italy
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Events this year
April 6, 1896 – April 15, 1896★★★★★
First modern Olympic Games
The first Summer Olympics of the modern era are held in Athens, organised by the International Olympic Committee.
Culture· Greece
December 30, 1896★★★★★
Execution of José Rizal
Filipino writer and patriot José Rizal is executed by Spanish colonial authorities in Manila, galvanising the Philippine Revolution.
DeathRevolution· Philippines, Spain
Ongoing
1858 – 1947★★★★★
Beginning of the British Raj
After the 1857 rebellion, the Government of India Act transfers rule from the East India Company to the British Crown; the Mughal Empire formally ends.
Politics· India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, United Kingdom
1885 – 1908★★★★★
Leopold II's Congo Free State
King Leopold II of Belgium ruled the Congo as a personal possession; its forced-labour rubber regime caused mass deaths until Belgium annexed the territory in 1908.
PoliticsEconomy· DR Congo, Belgium
July 1885 – 1896★★★★★
Cần Vương movement
After a failed attack on the French at Huế, Emperor Hàm Nghi flees the capital and issues an edict calling for resistance to French rule.
WarRevolution· Vietnam, France