The world in
What happened in 1905?
20 events across 7 world regions, each with its sources.
Europe
Russian Revolution of 1905Between 1905 and 1907, the Russian Empire experienced massive anti-government social unrest, including strikes, peasant revolts, and military mutinies, driven by decades of discontent and the disastrous Russo-Japanese War. The turmoil compelled Nicholas II to issue the 1906 Fundamental Laws, create the State Duma, and promise a multi-party system, though these were later undermined.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
Construction begins on Hospital de Sant PauConstruction of the Hospital de Sant Pau begins in Barcelona's El Guinardó district. The project, designed by Catalan Modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, continues until 1930. The hospital is later designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Dreyfus affair breaks outThe Dreyfus affair was a major political scandal in France in the late 19th century. It began in 1894 when Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer, was wrongly convicted of treason. This caused deep divisions in French society between Dreyfusards who believed in his innocence and anti-Dreyfusards. Émile Zola's open letter in 1898 was a turning point. The affair lasted until 1906 and had a profound political impact.
Construction of Stoclet PalaceBelgian financier Adolphe Stoclet commissioned Austrian architect Josef Hoffmann to design and build Stoclet Palace in the suburbs of Brussels. Considered Hoffmann's masterpiece, the residence is one of the most refined and luxurious private houses of the 20th century, exemplifying the Vienna Secession style.
SourcesUNESCO World Heritage listing ↗Wikipedia ↗Image: Busoni / CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
Completion of the Quinta da Regaleira estateBetween 1904 and 1910, the Quinta da Regaleira estate was constructed near Sintra, Portugal, and later became part of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Completion of the Pont de Bir-HakeimIn 1905, the bridge originally named Pont de Passy was completed in Paris. The steel arch bridge crosses the Seine, connecting the 15th and 16th arrondissements, with a length of 237 meters and a width of 24.7 meters. It passes over the northeast end of the Île aux Cygnes, supported by stone masonry starlings and featuring an open spandrel deck arch design. In 1948, the bridge was renamed Pont de Bir-Hakeim in honor of the 1942 Battle of Bir Hakeim in Libya.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Photo personnelle (own work) / CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
Opening of Gambetta stationGambetta station opened on 25 January 1905 as an interchange on Paris Métro Line 3 and the southern terminus of Line 3bis, situated in the 20th arrondissement. It is named after the Avenue Gambetta.
Completion of Antwerp-Central StationIn 1905, the current building of Antwerp-Central station, the main railway station in Antwerp, Belgium, was completed. Designed by architect Louis Delacenserie and constructed between 1895 and 1905, it replaced a simple wooden station. Upon completion, it became a key Belgian railway hub and gained the nickname 'Railway Cathedral' for its opulent architecture.
East Asia
Russo-Japanese WarThe Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) was a major conflict fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire over rival ambitions in Manchuria and Korea. Japan opened the war with a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur in February 1904, followed by a land invasion through Korea and Manchuria, culminating in the capture of Port Arthur and the Battle of Mukden. The decisive naval Battle of Tsushima in May 1905 destroyed Russia's Baltic Fleet. Mediation by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt led to the Treaty of Portsmouth, ending the war with a Japanese victory.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Original uploader and author was Dustandshadow at en.wikipedia / Public domain ↗
Battle of MukdenThe Battle of Mukden was the final major land battle of the Russo-Japanese War, fought from 20 February to 10 March 1905 near Mukden (modern Shenyang) in Manchuria. With around 600,000 troops engaged, it was one of the largest land battles before World War I. The Japanese costly victory forced the Russian retreat and directly led to the Treaty of Portsmouth, ending the war.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: P. F. Collier Son / Public domain ↗
Siege of Port ArthurFrom 1904 to 1905, Japanese forces conducted a prolonged siege against the Russian-held Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War, aiming to capture the base of the Russian Pacific Fleet. Lasting about five months, it was the longest and most violent land battle of the war.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Niva magazine, Russian Empire / Public domain ↗
West Asia
Iranian Constitutional Revolution (1905–1911)A political movement from 1905 to 1911 in Persia that sought to replace the absolute rule of the Qajar shahs with a constitutional monarchy. The revolution was short-lived but resulted in the creation of a constitution and a parliament, driven by widespread discontent among various social groups.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Unknown author Unknown author / Public domain ↗
- Persian Constitutional Revolution
The Persian Constitutional Revolution was a revolution that took place between 1905 and 1911 in Persia under the Qajar dynasty, leading to the establishment of a parliament. It has been described as an epoch-making episode in the modern history of Persia.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Construction of Taza Pir Mosque BeginsAround the early 20th century, the Azeri female philanthropist Nabat Khanum Ashurbeyova (Ashurbeyli) initiated and financed the construction of the Taza Pir Mosque in Baku. Work began around 1905 and was completed in 1914. The mosque serves as a Shia Islam place of worship.
North America
Treaty of PortsmouthOn September 5, 1905, the Treaty of Portsmouth was signed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, United States, formally ending the Russo-Japanese War. The agreement recognized Japan’s predominance in Korea and transferred to Japan Russia’s lease of the Liaodong Peninsula, control of the South Manchurian Railway, and the southern half of Sakhalin.
Founding of the Agricultural Branch of the University of California, DavisIn 1905, the University of California established an agricultural branch near Davis, as part of its system, aimed at promoting agricultural education and research. The branch later evolved into the University of California, Davis, becoming the sixth campus of the UC system in 1959.
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Atrocities in the Congo Free State
Between 1885 and 1908, in the Congo Free State under the personal rule of King Leopold II of Belgium, colonial administrators enforced harsh labour policies to collect natural rubber, resulting in widespread atrocities. These, combined with disease, famine, and displacement, led to a sharp decline in the Congolese population, estimated in the millions to tens of millions.
SourcesWikipedia ↗
Maji Maji RebellionAn armed rebellion against German colonial rule broke out in German East Africa from 1905 to 1907, triggered by forced cotton cultivation policies. The conflict caused massive deaths, overwhelmingly from famine.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: Maximilian Dörrbecker ( Chumwa ) / CC BY-SA 2.5 ↗
Central & South America
Banana WarsBetween 1898 and 1934, the United States carried out a series of military occupations, police actions, and interventions in Central America and the Caribbean. These operations were primarily conducted by the United States Marine Corps, which compiled the Small Wars Manual (1921) based on its experiences.
SourcesWikipedia ↗Image: A. R. Harrison, United States Marine Corps / Public domain ↗
South Asia
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Establishment of Kaziranga Forest ReserveIn 1908, the Kaziranga Forest Reserve was established in Assam, India, to protect endangered species such as the Indian rhinoceros. It was later upgraded to a national park in 1974 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
SourcesUNESCO World Heritage listing ↗Wikipedia ↗Image: Dr. Raju Kasambe / CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
Around 1905
These are known only to the century, not to the year. They are listed separately so a rough date is never mistaken for an exact one.
- Completion of the Taipei Grand Mosque
- Establishment of Women's Suffrage Worldwide
- Establishment of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
- Construction of Grimeton Longwave Radio Station
- Construction of the Trans-Iranian Railway begins
- Construction of the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright Begins
- Construction of the Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in 'The Centre of Heaven and Earth'
- Establishment of the Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains