{"slug": "messina", "label": "Messina", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messina", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13666", "qid": "Q13666", "description": "Italian comune in Sicily", "entries": 20, "years": 20, "span": [-648, 1943], "span_label": ["649 BCE", "1943 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 13}, {"title": "Deaths", "count": 2}, {"title": "Climate & Environment", "count": 2}, {"title": "Religion & Belief", "count": 1}, {"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 1}, {"title": "Disasters & Accidents", "count": 1}], "also_known_as": ["Messana", "Messina, Italy", "Messina, Sicily", "Zancle"], "related": [{"slug": "sicily", "label": "Sicily", "shared": 5}, {"slug": "syracuse-sicily", "label": "Syracuse, Sicily", "shared": 4}, {"slug": "agathocles", "label": "Agathocles", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "muslim-sicily", "label": "Muslim Sicily", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "carthage", "label": "Carthage", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "reggio-calabria", "label": "Reggio Calabria", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "byzantine-empire", "label": "Byzantine Empire", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "march", "label": "March", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "constantinople", "label": "Constantinople", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "september", "label": "September", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "andronikos-ii-palaiologos", "label": "Andronikos II Palaiologos", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "catalan-company", "label": "Catalan Company", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": -648, "year_label": "649 BCE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Traditional date of the foundation of Himera by Zancle.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370510224#Events", "title": "649 BC", "revid": 1370510224, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": -497, "year_label": "498 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "After the assassination of Cleander, tyrant of Gela, power is transferred to his brother, Hippocrates, who subdues the Sicels and conquers the Chalcidian cities of Callipoli, Leontini, Naxos and Zancle (now known as Messina). He also captures the Syracusan city of Camarina, but is prevented from capturing Syracuse itself when Corinth and Corcyra interferes in the war.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373138296#Sicily", "title": "498 BC", "revid": 1373138296, "section": "Events › By place › Sicily"}}, {"year": -395, "year_label": "396 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "The Carthaginians are forced to abandon their siege of Syracuse (begun in 398 BC) due to a plague, but destroy Messina. Dionysius' first war with Carthage ends with a notable victory for Dionysius, who confines his enemy's power to an area of northwest Sicily. On his return home, the Carthaginian general, Himilco, commits suicide.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1306223289#Carthage", "title": "396 BC", "revid": 1306223289, "section": "Events › By place › Carthage"}}, {"year": -314, "year_label": "315 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse, seizes the city of Messina.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367539376#Sicily", "title": "315 BC", "revid": 1367539376, "section": "Events › By place › Sicily"}}, {"year": -287, "year_label": "288 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Following the death of Agathocles, some of his disbanded mercenaries seize Messana in northeast Sicily and set up a society, calling themselves Mamertines (Sons of Mars). The city becomes a base from which they will ravage the Sicilian countryside.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373136664#Sicily", "title": "288 BC", "revid": 1373136664, "section": "Events › By place › Sicily"}}, {"year": -268, "year_label": "269 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "The Mamertines, a body of Campanian mercenaries who have been employed by Agathocles, the former tyrant of Syracuse, capture the stronghold of Messana (Messina in north-eastern Sicily), from which they harass the Syracusans. The Syracusan military leader, Hieron, defeats them in a pitched battle at the Longanus River near Mylae, but Carthaginian forces intervene to prevent him from capturing Messana. His grateful countrymen then choose Hieron as their king and tyrant, to be known as Hieron II.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370480925#Sicily", "title": "269 BC", "revid": 1370480925, "section": "Events › By place › Sicily"}}, {"year": -263, "year_label": "264 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Appius Claudius Caudex leads his forces to Messina, and as the Mamertines have convinced the Carthaginians to withdraw, he meets with only minimal resistance. The Mamertines hand the city over to Appius Claudius, but the Carthaginians return to set up a blockade. The Syracusans, meanwhile, are also stationed outside the city.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1325948843#Roman_Republic", "title": "264 BC", "revid": 1325948843, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Republic"}}, {"year": -35, "year_label": "36 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "September 3", "text": "September 3 – Battle of Naulochus: Agrippa defeats Sextus Pompeius, a son of Pompeius, in a naval engagement off Naulochus. Sextus escapes with 17 ships to Messana and then to Asia Minor.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372976843#Roman_Republic", "title": "36 BC", "revid": 1372976843, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Republic"}}, {"year": 901, "year_label": "901 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March", "text": "March – Abu Abbas Abdallah resumes his Aghlabid campaign against the Byzantine enclaves of Sicily. He dispatches his fleet towards Messina, while bombarding the town walls of Damona.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1345013381#Europe", "title": "901", "revid": 1345013381, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 1061, "year_label": "1061 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Summer – Norman forces led by Duke Robert Guiscard and his brother Roger I invade Sicily. They land unseen during the night and surprise the Saracen army. Guiscard conquers Messina and marches into central Sicily.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371210530#Europe", "title": "1061", "revid": 1371210530, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 1135, "year_label": "1135 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Summer – King Roger II lands with a Sicilian expeditionary force in Salerno. He splits his army, and conquers the cities of Aversa and Alife. Roger besieges Naples – but despite poor health conditions within the city, he is not able to take it, and returns again to Messina.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369184463#Europe", "title": "1135", "revid": 1369184463, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 1190, "year_label": "1190 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "October 4", "text": "October 4 – Richard I captures Messina, after looting and burning the city he establishes his base there. Richard insists that his own banner be erected over the city, but this creates tension between Richard and Philip II, who has joined him with his forces. Tancred accepts a peace agreement, and pays Richard 20,000 ounces of gold. Friendly relations are restored, Richard agrees to split the gold with Philip.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368650742#Europe", "title": "1190", "revid": 1368650742, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 1191, "year_label": "1191 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": "April 10", "text": "April 10 – King Richard I (the Lionheart) leaves Messina for Palestina, but a storm drives his fleet apart. Richard is forced to seek shelter at a Cretan port – from which he has a tempestuous passage to Rhodes, where he stays for ten days (from April 22 to May 1), recovering from his sea-sickness. After some searching, he discovers that the ship carrying his sister Joan of England and his new fiancée, Berengaria of Navarre, is anchored on the south coast of Cyprus, along with the wrecks of several other vessels, including Richard's treasure ship. The survivors of the wrecks have been taken prisoner by Isaac Komnenos, the self-styled emperor of Cyprus.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362170549#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "1191", "revid": 1362170549, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 1197, "year_label": "1197 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": "September 28", "text": "September 28 – Henry VI dies of malaria at Messina (also possibly poisoned), while preparing an expedition against the Byzantine usurper Alexios III Angelos.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371224721#Europe", "title": "1197", "revid": 1371224721, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 1303, "year_label": "1303 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "September", "text": "September – Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos, facing a possible siege of Constantinople by Ottoman-Turkish forces, seeks support from the European kingdoms. He makes Roger de Flor, Italian military adventurer and nobleman, an offer of service. Roger with his fleet and army (some 7,000 men), now known as the Catalan Company, departs from Messina with 36 ships (including 18 galleys), and arrives in Constantinople. He is adopted into the imperial family, Andronikos appoints him as grand duke (megas doux) and commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army and fleet.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360891664#July–September", "title": "1303", "revid": 1360891664, "section": "Events › July–September"}}, {"year": 1347, "year_label": "1347 CE", "section": "Disasters & Accidents", "date": "October", "text": "October – Ships arrive in the Sicilian city of Messina, carrying people afflicted by the Black Death onboard.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1289406739#January–December", "title": "1347", "revid": 1289406739, "section": "Events › January–December"}}, {"year": 1377, "year_label": "1377 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": "July 27", "text": "July 27 – Frederick the Simple, who has reigned as King Federico III of Sicily since 1355, dies in Messina at the age of 35 and is succeeded by his 14-year-old daughter, Maria of Aragon, who becomes the Queen of Sicily. The kingdom is administered by a regency of four \"vicars\", led by Artale I d'Alagona.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368383535#July–September", "title": "1377", "revid": 1368383535, "section": "Events › July–September"}}, {"year": 1894, "year_label": "1894 CE", "section": "Climate & Environment", "date": "November 16", "text": "November 16 – An earthquake hits Calabria and the towns Reggio Calabria and Messina in Sicily.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1347835735#November", "title": "1894 in Italy", "revid": 1347835735, "section": "Events › November"}}, {"year": 1908, "year_label": "1908 CE", "section": "Climate & Environment", "date": "December 28", "text": "December 28 – A 7.1 magnitude earthquake hits in Sicily and Calabria, southern Italy. The cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria were almost completely destroyed and between 75,000 and 200,000 people died. Moments after the earthquake, a 12-meter (39-foot) tsunami struck nearby coasts, causing even more devastation.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330101956#Events", "title": "1908 in Italy", "revid": 1330101956, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1943, "year_label": "1943 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "August 17", "text": "August 17 – The Seventh U.S. Army, under General George S. Patton, meets the Eighth British Army under Field Marshal B. L. Montgomery in Messina, Sicily, completing the Allied invasion of Sicily.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373526844#August", "title": "1943", "revid": 1373526844, "section": "Events › August"}}]}