11 September in history
9 events that happened on 11 September, from 1185 to 2001.
1185 CE 841 years ago
Isaac II Angelos kills Stephen Hagiochristophorites and raises a revolt
When Stephen Hagiochristophorites, lieutenant of Emperor Andronikos I Komnenos, tried to arrest him, Isaac II Angelos killed him and took refuge in the Hagia Sophia. His appeal to the people raised a revolt that deposed Andronikos and made Isaac emperor.
1297 CE 729 years ago
Wallace and Moray defeat the English at Stirling Bridge
Scottish forces under Andrew Moray and William Wallace destroyed an English army under the Earl of Surrey as it crossed the narrow bridge over the River Forth near Stirling. Moray was severely wounded and died later that year.
1390 CE 636 years ago
The Teutonic Knights and Vytautas begin a siege of Vilnius
In the Lithuanian Civil War, the Teutonic Knights and their ally Vytautas began a five-week siege of Vilnius, whose castles were held by Skirgaila. The Knights ruined much of the outer city and destroyed the Crooked Castle but withdrew to Prussia.
1697 CE 329 years ago
Prince Eugene of Savoy destroys the Ottoman army at Zenta
Prince Eugene of Savoy surprised the Ottoman army of Sultan Mustafa II as it crossed the Tisza at Zenta and destroyed it, killing tens of thousands, including the grand vizier. The victory led to the Treaty of Karlowitz of 1699.
1777 CE 249 years ago
Howe defeats Washington at Brandywine
General William Howe outflanked Washington's army at Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania. Two weeks later the British occupied Philadelphia, and Congress fled to York.
1941 CE 85 years ago
Ground is broken for the Pentagon
Construction began on the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, to house the War Department. Finished in just 16 months, it remains one of the world's largest office buildings.
1973 CE 53 years ago
Military coup overthrows Chile's President Allende
Armed forces led by General Augusto Pinochet bombed the presidential palace, and Salvador Allende died inside. The US had worked to undermine Allende; Pinochet's dictatorship killed and disappeared thousands.
✦ Anniversary of the day
2001 CE 25 years ago
Al-Qaeda's September 11 attacks kill 2,977 people
Hijackers crashed airliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon; a fourth plane came down in Pennsylvania. The attacks killed 2,977 people and led to the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Born on 11 September 6
Died on 11 September 12
Béla I of Hungaryc. 1016–1063
Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem1105–1161
David Ricardo1772–1823
José Núñez de Cáceres1772–1846
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento1811–1888
Muhammad Ali Jinnah1876–1948
Jan Smuts1870–1950
Nikita Khrushchev1894–1971
Salvador Allende1908–1973
B. J. Habibie1936–2019
Abimael Guzmán1934–2021
Alberto Fujimori1938–2024
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.