1 July in history
8 events that happened on 1 July, from 1097 to 1997.
1097 CE 929 years ago
Crusaders defeat the Seljuk Turks at Dorylaeum
The First Crusade routed the army of Kilij Arslan I at Dorylaeum in Anatolia. The victory opened the road across Asia Minor and showed that the crusaders could beat the Seljuks in open battle.
1431 CE 595 years ago
Castile wins a modest victory at La Higueruela near Granada
The army of John II of Castile, led by Álvaro de Luna, defeated the forces of the Nasrid emir Muhammad IX outside Granada but did not take the city. Castile instead installed a rival claimant, Yusuf IV, as emir.
1690 CE 336 years ago
William III defeats James II at the Battle of the Boyne
William of Orange defeated the deposed James II on the River Boyne in Ireland (1 July Old Style). The victory secured the Protestant succession and is still commemorated by the Orange Order each July.
✦ Anniversary of the day
1776 CE 250 years ago
Continental Congress debates independence in a decisive test vote
Meeting as a committee of the whole, Congress debated Richard Henry Lee's resolution for independence; nine colonies backed it in a test vote. The formal vote followed the next day with twelve in favour.
1862 CE 164 years ago
Union guns repel Lee's assaults at Malvern Hill
Massed Union artillery shattered Confederate attacks at Malvern Hill near Richmond, the last of the Seven Days Battles. Though McClellan withdrew afterwards, Lee's costly assaults ended the campaign.
1863 CE 163 years ago
The Battle of Gettysburg begins in Pennsylvania
Confederate and Union forces collided at Gettysburg, opening the largest battle ever fought in North America. Three days later Lee's army withdrew, having suffered some 23,000 of the roughly 50,000 casualties.
1997 CE 29 years ago
Britain hands Hong Kong back to China
At midnight sovereignty over Hong Kong passed from Britain to China, ending 156 years of British rule. The territory became a Special Administrative Region under the 'one country, two systems' principle.
Born on 1 July 6
Died on 1 July 4
Dates as the sources give them: in the Julian calendar before 1582, and in some countries for longer (Britain until 1752, Russia until 1918). Only people whose day of birth or death the records agree on are listed.