27 sourced historical events are currently published for December 25. Browse the chronology below or filter this date by place and event type. This collection is expanding, not an exhaustive account of the day.
The published December 25 chronology runs from 800 to 2019, a span of 1,219 years. It contains 27 sourced records across 20 countries and 5 event categories. These figures describe the current collection, not all events that occurred on this date.
Start at the earliest published record or jump to the latest. The counts below show where this collection is concentrated.
These pairs share a category and calendar date; the pairing does not imply a historical connection.
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Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne emperor during Christmas Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome on December 25. The coronation restored an imperial title in western Europe and became a defining event in the history of the Carolingian Empire.
St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
On 25 December 1084, at the Battle of Piedra Pisada, the Taifa of Zaragoza fought and probably defeated the Kingdom of Aragon on the road south from Naval to El Grado. The battle was a minor engagement of the ongoing Reconquista of Aragon, the process by which the riverine valleys of the southern slopes of the Pyrenees were gradually conquered and returned, after centuries of Muslim rule, to the control of Christian princes. The ruler of Aragon, who personally led his men in battle at Piedra Pisada, Sancho Ramírez, also ruled Kingdom of Navarre and was a major figure in the contemporary Reconquista.
Aragon, Spain · Naval, Huesca, Spain · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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The Battle of Tucapel (also known as the Disaster of Tucapel) is the name given to a battle fought between Spanish conquistador forces led by Pedro de Valdivia and Mapuche (Araucanian) Indians under Lautaro that took place at Tucapel, Chile on December 25, 1553. This battle happened in the context of the first stage of the Arauco War, named the "offensive war" within a larger uprising by Araucanians against the Spanish conquest of Chile. It was a defeat for the Spaniards, resulting in the capture and eventual death of Valdivia.
Tucapel, Chile · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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The Siege of Kolding was fought on December 25, 1658, between Sweden and the forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Denmark–Norway. The Polish and Danish forces were led by Stefan Czarniecki. The Polish-Danish force won the battle.
Denmark · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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The Battle of Lake Okeechobee was one of the major battles of the Second Seminole War. It was fought between 800 troops of the 1st, 4th, and 6th Infantry Regiments and 132 Missouri Volunteers (under the command of Colonel Zachary Taylor), and between 380 and 480 Seminoles led by Billy Bowlegs, Abiaca, and Alligator on 25 December 1837. The Seminole warriors were resisting forced relocation to a reservation out west. Though both the Seminoles and Taylor's troops emerged from the battle claiming victory, Taylor was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General as a result, and his nickname of "Old Rough and Ready" came mostly due to this battle.
Florida, United States · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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The Battle of Anthony's Hill (also known as the Battle of King's Hill or the Battle of Devil's Gap) was an engagement that occurred December 25, 1864, in Tennessee during the American Civil War between combined Confederate cavalry and infantry units commanded by Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest and Union forces commanded by Maj. Gen. James H. Wilson. The battle was a part of the Franklin–Nashville Campaign. General Forrest had been assigned by Lt. General John B. Hood to the command of the rear guard of the Army of Tennessee, which was in flight following the military disaster experienced at the Battle of Nashville on December 15–16, 1864.
Giles County, Tennessee, United States · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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The Battle of Paso Ipohy was an action planned by the Paraguayans that consisted of a surprise attack on a Brazilian camp near Humaitá, near the Tebicuary River in Paraguay, on December 25, 1867. The attack resulted in the victory of the outnumbered Paraguayans.
Paraguay · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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The 1960 Laotian coups brought about a pivotal change of government in the Kingdom of Laos. General Phoumi Nosavan established himself as the strongman running Laos in a bloodless coup on 25 December 1959. He would be himself overthrown on 10 August 1960 by the young paratrooper captain who had backed him in the 1959 coup.
Vientiane, Laos · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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The Kilvenmani massacre (or Keezhvenmani massacre) was an incident in Kizhavenmani village, Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu state in India on 25 December 1968 in which a group of around 44 people, the families of striking Dalit village labourers, were murdered by a gang, allegedly led by their landlords. The chief accused was Gopalakrishnan Naidu. It became a notable event in left wing political campaigns of the time and in Communist ideology. The incident helped to initiate large-scale changes in the local rural economy, engendering a massive redistribution of land in the region.
India · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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On 25 December 1970, the Selecció Ciutat de Barcelona played Unió Esportiva Centelles in a non-regulation charity football match at the Camp Nou in Barcelona. It was the first match played by the team that would become FC Barcelona Femení, and was attended by approximately 60,000 spectators; not considered official by FIFA, it would have achieved the record for the highest attendance of a women's club football match.
Barcelona, Spain · Sport · Checked 2026-09-23
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The Daeyeonggak Hotel fire was a skyscraper fire in Seoul, South Korea on 25 December 1971, which killed 164 people and injured 63. It remains the deadliest hotel fire in history.
South Korea · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23
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EgyptAir Flight 864 was a flight from Cairo International Airport to Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. On 25 December 1976, the Boeing 707 on the route crashed into an industrial complex in Bangkok. All 52 persons on board were killed, plus 19 on the ground in the crash. Pilot error was determined to be the cause of the crash.
Bangkok, Thailand · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23
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The Cambodian–Vietnamese War was an armed conflict between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Democratic Kampuchea. The war began with isolated clashes along the land and maritime boundaries of Vietnam and Kampuchea between 1975 and 1977, occasionally involving division-sized military formations. On 25 December 1978, Vietnam launched a full-scale invasion of Kampuchea and subsequently occupied the country and removed the Khmer Rouge government from power. During the Vietnam War, Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge communists had formed an alliance to fight U.S.-backed regimes in their respective countries.
Cambodia · Thailand · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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Operation Baikal-79 (Russian: Операция Байкал-79, Operatsiya Baykal-79) was the codename for the Soviet Union's military intervention in Afghanistan, initiated on December 25, 1979. The operation was aimed at taking control over approximately 20 key strongholds in and around Kabul, which included major military headquarters, communication centers and jails. It involved the deployment of approximately 30,000 Soviet troops into Afghanistan.
Afghanistan · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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Iraqi Airways Flight 163 was a Boeing 737-200, registered YI-AGJ, that was hijacked in 1986. On 25 December 1986, en route from Baghdad's Saddam International Airport to Amman, Jordan, Flight 163 was hijacked by four men. Iraqi Airways security personnel tried to stop the hijackers, but a hand grenade was detonated in the passenger cabin, forcing the crew to initiate an emergency descent.
Saudi Arabia · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23
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Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife Elena were executed following trial on 25 December 1989 in Târgoviște, Romania. The trial was conducted by an Extraordinary Military Tribunal, a drumhead court-martial created at the request of a newly formed group called the National Salvation Front. Its outcome was predetermined, and it resulted in guilty verdicts and death sentences for former Romanian President and General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party Nicolae Ceaușescu, and his wife, Elena Ceaușescu.
Romania · Politics & society · Checked 2026-09-23
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Cubana de Aviación Flight 310 was a scheduled international flight from José Martí International Airport, Havana, Cuba, to Arturo Michelena International Airport. Valencia, Venezuela, which crashed near Bejuma, Venezuela, on 25 December 1999. All 22 people on board were killed.
Venezuela · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23
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The Battle of Delft was a naval battle on December 25, 2007 and part of the Sri Lankan Civil War. The Sri Lankan Navy claimed that it received reports of a boat cluster moving off of Delft Island. After moving in to investigate clashes erupted and fierce sea battle ensued. Both sides claimed to have victory. The pro-rebel Tamilnet claimed that the Sea Tigers sank one Sri Lankan Navy vessel and the Sri Lankan Navy suffered casualty. However, the Sri Lankan Defense ministry claimed that 6 Tiger boats were sunk and over 40 Tigers were killed.
Sri Lanka · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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The 35th Metro Manila Film Festival–Philippines is a film festival in the Philippines that starts on December 25, 2009 and ends on January 7, 2010. During this period, no other films are allowed to be screened in Philippine theaters. Ang Panday received the Best Picture Award in the 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival. According to reports on the festival’s awards, a film's grosses represent about 40% of its merits, so it should be no surprise that Ang Panday is chosen the best film. With revenues estimated at more than P20 million (approx.
Philippines · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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The 36th Metro Manila Film Festival - Philippines (MMFF) is the 36th edition of the annual film festival in Manila, held from December 25, 2010 until January 7, 2011. The Awards Night (known as "Gabi ng Parangal") was held on December 26, 2010. During the festival, no foreign films are shown in Philippine theaters in order to showcase the locally produced films especially meant for the festival.
Manila, Philippines · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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Guerra de Campeones (2011) (Spanish for "War of the Champions") was a professional wrestling event produced and scripted collaboratively by International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG) and Promociones Wagner. It took place on December 25, 2011, at Arena Naucalpan in Naucalpan, State of Mexico, IWRG's main venue. The event featured six professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds or storylines. Five of the six matches had a championship on the line, including the main event where La Parka and Octagón defended the Mexican National Tag Team Championship against Chessman and Silver Cain in a steel cage match.
Naucalpan, Mexico · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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The 37th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the annual film festival in Manila, Philippines that is held from December 25, 2011 until the first week of January 2012. During the festival, no foreign films are shown in Philippine theaters in order to showcase locally produced films. The gangster movie Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story reaped the most number of awards including the Best Picture, Best Director for Tikoy Aguiluz, at the 37th Metro Manila Film Festival "Gabi ng Parangal" on Wednesday night. "Asiong" is a remake of the 1961 film that starred former President Joseph Estrada.
Philippines · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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The 38th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is a part of the annual film festival in Metro Manila, Philippines held from December 25, 2012 until January 8, 2013. During the festival, no foreign films are shown in Philippine theaters in order to showcase locally produced films.
Philippines · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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Air Bagan Flight 011 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight of a Fokker 100 twinjet from Yangon to Heho, Myanmar. On 25 December 2012, the aircraft crash-landed short of the runway at Heho Airport in fog, coming to a stop in a paddy field and bursting into flames. One of the 71 people on board and a motorcyclist on the ground were killed and more than 10 people were injured.
Myanmar · Disasters · Checked 2026-09-23
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Infierno en el Ring (2016) (Spanish for "Inferno in the Ring") was a major professional wrestling event produced and scripted by the Mexican lucha libre promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) that took place on Friday December 25, 2016 in Arena México, Mexico City, Mexico. The show replaced CMLL's regularly scheduled CMLL Super Viernes show as is tradition with most of CMLL's signature events.
Mexico City, Mexico · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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Sin Salida (2017) (Spanish for "No Escape"/"No Exit") was a major professional wrestling event, scripted and produced by the Mexican Lucha Libre-promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) that took place on Monday night December 25, 2017, in CMLL's main venue, Arena México, nicknamed "the cathedral of Lucha Libre". It was the fifth overall show CMLL has held under the Sin Salida name.
Mexico City, Mexico · Arts & culture · Checked 2026-09-23
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On December 25, 2019, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) militants attacked Nigerien forces in Sanam, Tillabéri Region, Niger.
Niger · War & conflict · Checked 2026-09-23
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