Europa
- The Norman Conquest Begins (1066)
On September 28, 1066, William, Duke of Normandy (later known as William the Conqueror), landed at Pevensey Bay in England with his army. This marked the start of the Norman Conquest, which would culminate in the Battle of Hastings and fundamentally reshape English and European history. - Siege of Vienna Lifted (1529)
The Ottoman Empire’s first siege of Vienna ended on September 28, 1529. The lifting of the siege was a turning point that halted Ottoman expansion into Central Europe and preserved the Habsburg monarchy’s control of the region. - Battle of Mursa (351)
Roman Emperor Constantius II defeated the usurper Magnentius in the Battle of Mursa, one of the bloodiest battles of the 4th century, consolidating his power over the Western Roman Empire. - Discovery of Penicillin (1928)
Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin on September 28, 1928, in London. This revolutionary antibiotic transformed medicine and has saved countless lives worldwide. - French Fifth Republic Established (1958)
France adopted the Constitution of the Fifth Republic on September 28, 1958. This new system of government, spearheaded by Charles de Gaulle, brought stability after years of political turmoil in the Fourth Republic. - End of the Siege of Warsaw (1939)
The Siege of Warsaw concluded on September 28, 1939, with the Polish garrison surrendering to German forces during the early days of World War II. This marked a significant moment in the German invasion of Poland and the broader conflict engulfing Europe. - German-Soviet Frontier Treaty Signed (1939)
On the same day, Germany and the Soviet Union signed the German-Soviet Frontier Treaty, amending the secret protocols of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and redrawing spheres of influence in Eastern Europe. - Italy Issues Ultimatum to Turkey (1911)
Italy issued an ultimatum to the Ottoman Empire on September 28, 1911, demanding control of Tripolitana and Cyrenaica (modern-day Libya). The refusal led to the Italo-Turkish War, shifting the balance of power in the Mediterranean. - Madagascar voted for autonomy within the French Community (1958).
- SpaceX successfully launched Falcon 1, the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit (2008).
- Amnesty International was founded (1961), marking a significant moment in the global human rights movement.
America
- 1542 – Cabrillo “Discovers” California
On September 28, 1542, Spanish explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo landed near present-day San Diego, becoming the first European to set foot on the west coast of what would become the United States. This event marked the beginning of European exploration in California. - 1781 – Siege of Yorktown Begins
American and French forces commenced the Siege of Yorktown in Virginia on September 28, 1781. This pivotal military engagement led to the surrender of British General Cornwallis and effectively secured American independence, marking the final major battle of the American Revolutionary War. - 1850 – Flogging Abolished in U.S. Navy
President Millard Fillmore signed a bill on September 28, 1850, that abolished flogging as a method of punishment for U.S. Navy personnel, signaling a shift toward more humane treatment of sailors. - 1892 & 1893 – American Football Milestones
On September 28, 1892, the first night game in American football history was played in Pennsylvania. The following year, the first professional American football game was held, with the Pittsburgh Athletic Club defeating the Allegheny Athletic Association. - 1920 – Black Sox Scandal Indictments
Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were indicted on September 28, 1920, for allegedly throwing the 1919 World Series, a scandal that rocked the sports world and led to major reforms in professional baseball. - 1924 – First Flight Around the World Completed
Two U.S. Army planes, the “Chicago” and “New Orleans,” completed the first nonstop flight around the world, landing in Seattle after a 175-day journey covering about 44,000 km. - 2008 – SpaceX Falcon 1 Launch
SpaceX made history on September 28, 2008, when Falcon 1 became the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit, marking a milestone in commercial spaceflight. - 1904: A woman was arrested for smoking a cigarette in a car on 5th Avenue in New York City, reflecting early 20th-century social norms.
- 1906: U.S. troops reoccupied Cuba, remaining until 1909.
- 1977: The National Women’s Conference in Houston adopted a plan of action for women’s rights in the U.S..
- 1995: Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed the Oslo II Accord at the White House, brokered by U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Asia
- 551 BC – Birth of Confucius
Confucius, the influential Chinese teacher, philosopher, and politician, was born on September 28, 551 BC. His ideas have profoundly shaped Chinese society, governance, and philosophy for over two millennia. - 1945 – Postwar Developments
On September 28, 1945, anti-Dutch rioting erupted in Indonesia as the struggle for independence intensified following the end of Japanese occupation. - On the same day, China and Turkey ratified the United Nations Charter, marking their formal entry into the newly established international organization.
- 1961 – Dissolution of the United Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic, a political union between Egypt and Syria, was officially dissolved on September 28, 1961, after a military coup in Damascus. This ended a brief experiment in pan-Arab unity in the Middle East. - 1972 – China-Japan Normalization
On September 28, 1972, Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai toasted to the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and the People’s Republic of China. This event marked a significant shift in East Asian geopolitics and opened a new era in Sino-Japanese relations.
Africa
- 1958 – Madagascar Votes for Autonomy
On September 28, 1958, Madagascar voted for autonomy within the French Community. This was a significant step toward the country’s eventual independence from France, which was achieved in 1960. - 2012 – Battle of Kismayo (Somalia)
Somali and African Union forces launched a coordinated assault on the Somali port city of Kismayo on September 28, 2012. This operation was aimed at retaking the city from al-Shabaab militants, marking a major event in Somalia’s ongoing conflict and the African Union’s peacekeeping efforts. - 1868 – Opelousas Massacre (Louisiana, USA)
While not on the African continent, the Opelousas Massacre on September 28, 1868, in Louisiana, USA, is a significant event in the African diaspora. Hundreds of Black Americans were killed by white mobs in a campaign of terror and political intimidation during the Reconstruction era.
This day in history: 28 september