A coup d'état, often abbreviated to coup, is the overthrow of a lawful government through illegal means. If force or violence are not involved, such an event is sometimes called a soft or bloodless coup. In another variation known as a self-coup, a ruler who came to power through legal means may try to stay in power through illegal means, thus preventing the next legal ruler from taking power. This is a chronological list of such coups and coup attempts, from ancient times to the present.
BC
1155, Ancient Egypt: Pharaoh Ramesses III was assassinated in a conspiracy led by Tiye, one of his secondary wives, to place her son Pentawer on the throne. The plot failed, and Ramesses IV, his son with Queen Tyti, succeeded him. 876, Kingdom of Israel: Zimri, a military commander of Israel, killed King Elah and became king himself. Soon after, he committed suicide to avoid being overthrown by his own commander, Omri. 860, Qi coup d'état of 860 BC in Qi: Duke Hu of Qi was overthrown by his half-brother Shan. 841, Kingdom of Israel: Jehu killed Jehoram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah, and became king of Israel. 730, Kingdom of Judah: There was a failed coup attempt by Rezin of Aram-Damascus and Pekah of Israel to try to overthrow Ahaz of Judah and the House of David and to replace him with Ben Tav'el. 716, Lydia: King Candaules of Lydia was killed by his bodyguard, Gyges, who then assumed the throne, having conspired with Candaules's wife. 632, Athens: A coup attempt failed in Athens, by Cylon who attempted to establish himself as a tyrant. 522, Murder of the Magi in the Achaemenid Empire: Bardiya was assassinated in a conspiracy led by Otanes, leading to the accession of Darius the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty. 509, Rome: Members of the Tarquin dynasty led by Lucius Junius Brutus overthrew King of Rome Lucius Tarquinius Superbus and established the Roman Republic. 411, Athens: A coup at Athens, led by Antiphon, established a short-lived oligarchy known as The Four Hundred. 404, Athens: A coup at Athens, led by Critias, established the short-lived pro-Spartan oligarchy known as the Thirty Tyrants. 209, Xiongnu Empire: The Xiongnu Emperor Modu Chanyu overthrew his father Touman and killed his rival half-brother. 185, Maurya Empire: There was a coup in the Maurya Empire, which controlled much of present Indian territory, by Mauryan General Pushyamitra Shunga. 88, Rome: Lucius Cornelius Sulla occupied Rome and outlawed his enemy, Gaius Marius. 82, Rome: In Sulla's civil war, Sulla again marched on Rome, removed Gaius Marius the Younger, and proclaimed himself as Roman dictator. 63, Rome: In the Catiline conspiracy, Lucius Sergius Catilina plotted to overthrow the consulship of Marcus Tullius Cicero and Gaius Antonius Hybrida, but the plan was discovered. 49, Rome: Julius Caesar, heading part of the Roman army, illegally crossed the Rubicon and marched on Rome. After assuming control of government, he was proclaimed "dictator in perpetuity". 44, Rome: On the Ides of March, Julius Caesar was assassinated by members of the Roman Senate. The conspirators did not gain control of the Roman Republic, instead, power eventually passed to the Second Triumvirate of Caesar supporters.
1–999
41, Rome: Roman Emperor Caligula was assassinated as a result of a conspiracy by officers of the Praetorian Guard, senators, and courtiers, though the conspirators' attempt to use the opportunity to restore the Roman Republic was thwarted. 65, Pisonian conspiracy in Rome: Gaius Calpurnius Piso plotted to have Roman Emperor Nero assassinated, but the plan was discovered. 69, Rome: Following Roman Emperor Nero's death, several complots lead to the year of the Four Emperors. 189, Eastern Han dynasty (China): The Ten Eunuchs of Later Han dynasty were murdered by troops led by Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu; Dong Zhuo took over the government by force. 249, Incident at Gaoping Tombs in Cao Wei (China): Cao Shuang was captured and executed by the Sima house (Sima Yi, Sima Zhao, and Sima Shi). 378, Tikal: King Chak Tok Ich'aak of Tikal was assassinated in a Teotihuacan-backed coup. 498, Yamato Province: Ōomi Heguri no Matori usurped Yamato Japan's government upon the death of the (Great Chieftain, now known as Emperor) Ninken. Matori was killed by Otomo no Kanamura. 552, Rouran Khaganate: Bumin Qaghan overthrew the Rouran Khaganate and declared the Turkic Khaganate.THE TÜRK EMPIRE D. Sinor and S. G. Klyashtorny. p. 331 602, Byzantine Empire: Maurice, Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, was deposed by a conspiracy of the Balkan army, which was led by a Thracian junior officer named Flavius Phocas and Maurice's seven sons. Most of the pro-Maurice government officials and generals were executed along with him (excepting Priscus and Philippicus), and Phocas was acclaimed emperor in the church of St. John the Baptist. 610, Heraclian revolt in the Byzantine Empire: The same Phocas who had deposed Maurice eight years earlier was deposed by a conspiracy led by the generals Priscus, his son-in-law, and Heraclius the Elder, the governor of north Africa. The exarch's son, Heraclius the Younger, deposed Phocas with the help of his cousin Niketas. 626, Xuanwu Gate Incident in the Tang Empire (China): On 2 July, Prince Li Shimin and his close followers killed Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Prince Li Yuanji before taking complete control of the Tang government from Emperor Gaozu. 642, Goguryeo: Yŏn Kaesomun of Goguryeo led a military coup that killed King Yeongryu and installed King Bojang as a puppet under military rule. 680, Visigothic Kingdom: King Wamba of the Visigoths was drugged, tonsured, and dressed in a monk's cloak, so he would be considered an ordained man and hence he could not reign. 717, Second Turkic Khaganate: Inel Qaghan of Second Turkic Khaganate was dethroned and later killed by Bilge Kaghan's brother Kül Tigin. 742, Second Turkic Khaganate: Ashina Shi usurped the Second Turkic Khaganate throne after killing three of his rivals. 751, Umayyad Caliphate: Abu Muslim Khorasani stormed Damascus and massacred the ruling Banu Umayyad family. As-Saffah became the first ruler of the Abbasid Caliphate. 767, Duchy of Rome: Amidst the political turmoil of the Frankish-Byzantine rivalry for control over the Papacy, Pope Paul I contracted a fatal illness and died on June 28. Before a successor could be chosen, Roman nobles led by Toto of Nepi launched a military coup, installing Toto's brother as Antipope Constantine II. 839, Silla: Chang Pogo of Silla overthrew King Minae and installed King Sinmu on the throne.
1000–1699
1010, Goryeo: General Kang Cho of Goryeo staged a coup that overthrew King Mokjong. 1126, Goryeo: Yi Cha-gyŏm of Goryeo made a failed attempt to overthrow King Injong. 1170, Goryeo: General Chŏng Chung-bu of Goryeo led a military coup that deposed King Uijong and installed puppet king Myeongjong under military regime. 1197, Goryeo: Ch'oe Ch'ung-hŏn of Goryeo staged a military coup that ousted and killed military dictator Yi Ŭi-min, and deposed King Myeongjong. 1240, Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt: As-Salih Ayyub overthrew his brother Al-Adil II in a palace coup, imprisoning him and seizing the throne. 1250, Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt: A group of Mamluk officers, led by Baybars, rebelled against Ayyubid rule, killing Sultan Al-Muazzam Turanshah and establishing the Mamluk Sultanate. 1258, Goryeo: General Kim Chun of Goryeo overthrew and killed then-military dictator Ch'oe Ŭi. 1259, Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt: Sayf ad-Din Qutuz deposed the infant Sultan Al-Mansur Ali in a coup, establishing himself as ruler of Egypt. 1284, Ilkhanate: The Ilkhanate ruler Tekuder was overthrown by Arghun. 1290, Khalji Revolution in the Delhi Sultanate: Jalal-ud-Din Khalji led a coup that murdered the last Mamluk ruler, Qaiqabad, starting the Khalji dynasty. 1296, Delhi Sultanate: Alauddin Khalji usurped the Delhi throne after ordering the assassination of his uncle, Jalal-ud-Din Khalji, and deposing the rightful heir, Ruknuddin Ibrahim. 1320, Delhi Sultanate: On 9 July, a group of conspirators committed the regicide of Sultan Mubarak Shah, the last Khalji ruler. A conspirator named Khusrau Khan then seized the throne, but was soon overthrown by Tughlaq's revolt. 1327, England: Isabella of France overthrew her husband, Edward II, and became regent for their son, Edward III, with her lover and co-regent, Roger Mortimer. 1330, England: Edward III assumed royal power, arrested Isabella of France and executed Roger Mortimer. 1388, Goryeo: General Yi Sŏng-gye of Goryeo led a military coup that deposed King U, murdered General Ch'oe Yŏng, and installed puppet ruler King Chang and eventually King Gongyang. Yi later crowned himself, starting the Joseon dynasty. 1452, Aq Qoyunlu: Uzun Hasan seized Diyarbakir in a coup while sultan Jahangir was away on a military expedition. 1398, Joseon dynasty (Korea): Prince Yi Pangwŏn of Joseon led a coup that murdered Prime Minister Chŏng Tojŏn and two other princes. 1455, Joseon dynasty (Korea): Grand Prince Suyang of Joseon led a coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister Hwangbo In and Kim Chongsŏ, who were killed during the coup. 1459, Đại Việt: Prince Lê Nghi Dân led a coup that killed Emperor Lê Nhân Tông. Lê Nghi Dân later crowned himself. 1459, Đại Việt: Đỗ Bí and Lê Thụ led a coup that overthrew Emperor Lê Nghi Dân. 1506, Joseon dynasty (Korea): A coup d'état in Joseon overthrew Prince Yeonsan and placed King Jungjong on the throne. 1512, Ottoman Empire: Selim I rebelled against his father Bayezid II and took the throne of the Ottoman Empire. 1541, Peru: Juan de Rada led a coup that ousted and killed Spanish conquistador and governor of Peru, Francisco Pizarro, and installed Diego de Almagro II as governor. 1567, Scotland: Protestant rebels arrested Mary Queen of Scots and forced her to sign the Abdicate on 24 July 1567 in favour of the infant James VI and to appoint her illegitimate half-brother, James Stewart, Earl of Moray, as regent. 1569, 1569 Plot in Sweden: Courtiers of the imprisoned Eric XIV attempted to free and reinstate him, deposing John III of Sweden. The plot was exposed and prevented, and the conspirators were executed. 1574, Mornay Plot in Sweden: A plot to depose John III of Sweden and reinstate Eric XIV was discovered in Sweden. 1605, Gunpowder Plot in England: On 5 November, a group of provincial English Catholics led by Guy Fawkes attempted to kill King James I and much of the Protestant aristocracy by blowing up the Houses of Parliament during the State Opening of Parliament. 1622, Janissaries' Revolt in the Ottoman Empire: Janissaries revolted against Osman II and imprisoned him in the Seven Towers. He was murdered shortly afterwards. 1623, Joseon dynasty (Korea): A coup d'état in Joseon overthrew Prince Gwanghae and placed King Injo on the throne. 1626, Mughal Empire: General Mahabat Khan revolted against Emperor Jahangir and kidnapped him, but the coup attempt was ultimately foiled by Nur Jahan. 1648, Pride's Purge in England: Members of Parliament who wished to continue political negotiations with Charles I were ejected from the House of Commons. Those remaining—known as the Rump—went on to agree that the king should be put on trial for his life. 1653, England: On 20 April, Oliver Cromwell and forty musketeers under the command of Charles Worsley entered the House of Commons and forcibly dissolved the Rump Parliament, leading to Cromwell becoming Lord Protector and instigating military rule. 1660, Denmark: Frederick III of Denmark staged a coup in Copenhagen that instituted absolute monarchy in the country. 1670: Magnate conspiracy 1687, Kolomak coup in the Cossack Hetmanate: Hetman Ivan Samoylovych was deposed and imprisoned by a successful conspiracy. The conspirators elected Ivan Mazepa as the new leader of the Cossacks.