Browse Historical Events by Day: What Happened on April 14th?

According to tradition, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ takes place on Good Friday.

Seljuk Turks capture Baghdad, leading to the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate.

The Battle of Lincoln sees King Stephen of England captured by forces loyal to Empress Matilda.

The Battle of Myriokephalon: The Byzantine Empire suffers a decisive defeat by the Seljuk Turks.

St. Louis IX of France is canonized as a saint by Pope Boniface VIII.

Rebellion in Wales led by Owain Glyndŵr against English rule begins with a surprise attack on the English-held town of Ruthin.

King Edward IV of England defeats the Lancastrian forces at the Battle of Barnet during the Wars of the Roses.

Battle of Gelves: Spanish forces defeat a fleet of English privateers off the coast of Portugal.

Daniel Defoe publishes "Robinson Crusoe."

U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is shot at point-blank range on the back of the head as he watched a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington DC. The President was carried across the street to the Petersen House a private home, where he died early the following morning. The assassin, American actor. John Wilkes Booth escaped but was pursued by Union soldiers for twelve days through southern Maryland and Virginia, and died of a gunshot wound on April 26 after refusing to surrender to Federal troops. The murder of President Abraham Lincoln was part of a pre-planned, coordinated attack on the president, Vice President Andrew Johnson and the Secretary of State. More

“The Dust Bowl”, in what came to be known as “Black Sunday,” a mountain of blackness swept across the High Plains and instantly turned a warm, sunny afternoon into a horrible blackness that was darker than the darkest night. High winds kicked up clouds of millions of tons of dirt and dust so dense and dark that some eyewitnesses believed the world was coming to an end. More

The Geneva Accords to settle the situation relating in Afghanistan, were signed at the Geneva headquarters of the United Nations, between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the United States and the Soviet Union serving as guarantors. The Afghan resistance, or mujahideen, were neither party to the negotiations nor to the Geneva accords and so refused to accept the terms of the agreement. After the signing of the Geneva accords, the 40th Soviet Army conducted a well-planned and executed nine-month withdrawal. The last Soviet soldier crossed the Freedom Bridge on 15 February 1989. More

The extremist group Boko Haram abducts 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria, leading to international outrage and the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.