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.
1âÂÂ999
- 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: Ã
Âomi 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.
- 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: YÃ
Ân 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.
1000âÂÂ1699
- 1010, Goryeo: General Kang Cho of Goryeo staged a coup that overthrew King Mokjong.
- 1126, Goryeo: Yi Cha-gyÃ
Âm of Goryeo made a failed attempt to overthrow King Injong.
- 1170, Goryeo: General ChÃ
Âng 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-hÃ
Ân of Goryeo staged a military coup that ousted and killed military dictator Yi Ã
¬i-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 Ã
¬i.
- 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 SÃ
Âng-gye of Goryeo led a military coup that deposed King U, murdered General Ch'oe YÃ
Âng, 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 PangwÃ
Ân of Joseon led a coup that murdered Prime Minister ChÃ
Âng TojÃ
Ân 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 ChongsÃ
Â, who were killed during the coup.
- 1459, ÃÂại Viá»Ât: Prince Lê Nghi Dân led a coup that killed Emperor Lê Nhân Tông. Lê Nghi Dân later crowned himself.
- 1459, ÃÂại Viá»Ât: ÃÂá» Bàand 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 remainingâÂÂknown as the RumpâÂÂwent 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, 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.
- 1688, Glorious Revolution in the British Isles: The Catholic James II was deposed by a faction favourable to the Protestant William of Orange.
- 1689, Boston Revolt in the Dominion of New England: In an action described by some as a "putsch", the Puritan militia, assisted by a Bostonian mob, arrested the unpopular governor, Sir Edmund Andros.
1700âÂÂ1799
- 1703, Ottoman Empire: A Janissary revolt began in result of Treaty of Karlowitz, in which Mustafa II was deposed, which is known as Edirne event.
- 1711, 1711 Karamanli coup in the Ottoman Tripolitania
- 1719, Mughal Empire: The Sayyid brothers led a coup that deposed and executed Emperor Farrukhsiyar, placing Rafi ud-Darajat on the throne.
- 1719, Revolution of 1719 in South Carolina
- 1730, Ottoman Empire: Janissary Patrona Halil instigated an uprising which resulted in the deposition of Ahmed III and the end of the Tulip era.
- 1756, Coup of 1756 in Sweden: Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Queen of Sweden, attempted to abolish the rule of the Riksdag of the Estates and reinstate absolute monarchy in Sweden. The plot was exposed and subdued shortly before it was intended to begin.
- 1762, Russia: A coup by Catherine the Great forced the abdication of Peter III of Russia.
- 1769, Ethiopia: Ras Mikael Sehul deposed and killed Emperor Iyoas I of Ethiopia in a demonstration of power over the Ethiopian Throne. This action ushered in the Zemene Mesafint ("Era of the Princes"), a lengthy period of civil war and chaos in Ethiopia.
- 1772, DenmarkâÂÂNorway: A coup led by Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and her son Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway deposed the ruling cabinet minister Johann Friedrich Struensee.
- 1772, Revolution of 1772 in Sweden: King Gustav III performed a coup to introduce absolute monarchy against the Riksdag of the Estates, resulting in the end of the Age of Liberty and the introduction of the Swedish Constitution of 1772.
- 1774, Nana Fadnavis, along with 11 other influential Sardars of the Maratha Empire, formed the Barbhai Counsil and overthrew Peshwa Raghunath Rao, who had seized the throne after killing his own nephew, Narayanrao. After his removal, Nana Fadnavis proclaimed 40-day-old son of Narayanrao, Madhavrao II as the next Peshwa, with himself acting as regent.
- 1781: Conspiracy of the three Antonios
- 1783: Newburgh Conspiracy
- 1784, DenmarkâÂÂNorway: A coup is performed by the crown prince Frederick VI of Denmark against the ruling cabinet led by Ove Høegh-Guldberg.
- 1786: Shays' Rebellion
- 1789, 1789 Conspiracy in Sweden: An attempted coup, with the purpose of deposing Gustav III of Sweden, was thwarted.
- 1791, Poland: A political coup compelled the Polish diet to adopt a new constitution.
- 1793, Armfelt Conspiracy in Sweden: A coup by Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt, in companionship with Magdalena Rudenschöld, with the intent to depose the guardian government of Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden, was exposed.
- 1794, Fall of Maximilien Robespierre (also called the Coup d'état of 9 Thermidor) in France: Members of the Committee of Public Safety arrested and executed fellow Committee member Maximilien Robespierre.
- 1797, Coup of 18 Fructidor in France: The French Directory, with the support of the military, seizes power and ends the monarchist majority in Parliament.
- 1799, Coup of 18 Brumaire in France: A bloodless coup d'état overthrew the French Directory, replacing it with the French Consulate, and brought Napoléon Bonaparte to power.
- 1799: Conspiracy of the Machetes
1800âÂÂ1899
1800
1804
1807
1808
1809
1811
1812
1815
1820
1822
1823
1824
1827
1828
1829
1832
1834
1836
1837
1839
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1851
1852
1853
1854
1857
1861
1864
1866
1867
1868
1870
1871
1872
1874
1876
1879
1884
1885
1886
1889
1891
1893
1895
1896
1898
1899
1900âÂÂ1919
1900
1901
1902
1903
1904
1905
- 1905 Dominican self-coup attempt: On 24 December, Carlos Morales Languasco plans a self-coup, but only a fraction of Dominican forces had arrived following his order. The plot is discovered by the President's opponents, which leads to Languasco's resignation.
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
- Ethiopia: While touring the city of Harar, Lij Iyasu was deposed by a cabal of aristocrats in favor of his aunt Zewditu. Forces loyal to him were defeated at Segale, and Lij Iyasu wandered northwestern Ethiopia with a small band of loyal followers until captured five years later.
1917
1918
1919
1920âÂÂ1929
1920
1921
1922
1923
- Spain: Miguel Primo de Rivera installed a dictatorship in Spain without overthrowing King Alfonso XIII.
- 1923 Bulgarian coup d'état: The military, under the control of General Ivan Valkov, overthrew the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union government of Aleksandar Stamboliyski and installed one headed by Aleksandar Tsankov.
- September uprising (14âÂÂ29 September 1923). The September Uprising (Bulgarian: áõÿÃÂõüòÃÂøùÃÂúþ òÃÂÃÂÃÂðýøõ, Septemvriysko vastanie) was an armed insurgency staged in September 1923 by the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP) under Comintern pressure and attempted to overthrow Alexander Tsankov's new government of Bulgaria that had come to power with the coup d'état of 9 June. Besides its communist base, the uprising was also supported by agrarians and anarchists. The uprising's goal was the "establishment of a government of workers and peasants" in Bulgaria.
- Beer Hall Putsch in Germany: A failed coup was attempted by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler in Germany against the leaders of the Weimar Republic. The Nazis were repelled by police, and Hitler was later charged with treason.
- LeonardopoulosâÂÂGargalidis coup attempt in Greece: Pro-royalist military officers attempted to stage a coup, and successfully took control of much of the Greek mainland. However, the government rallied its forces, and leaders Georgios Leonardopoulos and Panagiotis Gargalidis were ultimately surrounded and forced to surrender.
1924
1925
1926
1928
1929
1930âÂÂ1939
1930
1931
1932
- PreuÃÂenschlag in the Free State of Prussia in the Weimar Republic: Chancellor Franz von Papen successfully took over the Free State of Prussia, the largest constituent state of the Weimar Republic, by using an emergency decree issued by President Paul von Hindenburg.
- Mäntsälä Rebellion in Finland: An attempted coup by the Lapua Movement failed. According to some contemporaries, if the coup had been successful, then Vihtori Kosola, the leader of the movement, would have become a fascist dictator of Finland.
- 15 May Incident in Japan: Reactionary elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy successfully assassinated Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi, but the coup was otherwise unsuccessful.
- Siamese coup d'état of 1932: A bloodless transition occurred, marking the change from the absolute monarchy of Siam to a constitutional monarchy, the introduction of democracy and the first constitution of Thailand, and the creation of the National Assembly of Thailand.
- Chile: A coup headed by the Chilean military deposed President Juan Esteban Montero and created the Socialist Republic of Chile. After 3 months, other army officers headed a counter-coup and ended the Socialist Republic, and the new provisional president, Abraham Oyanedel, restored democracy.
- Sanjurjada in Spain: general José Sanjurjo and others failed to overthrow Manuel Azaña, president of the Second Spanish Republic, on August 10, 1932.
- 1932 Colonial Building riot in St. John's, Newfoundland: On 5 April 1932, prompted by the Great Depression and corruption in the Squires administration, a peaceful protest degenerated into riots and violence. The riots led to the fall of the Squires government and the defeat of Squires's Liberal Party.
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
- France: A Cagoulard plot to install a pro-Nazi government was foiled by French police.
- Bolivia: Dissatisfied with the speed of new reforms, Germán Busch led a popular movement which secured the resignation of David Toro.
- 1937 Brazilian coup d'état: President Getúlio Vargas, governing democratically since 1934, launched a self-coup and became the Dictator of the Brazilian Estado Novo ("New State").
1938
1939
1940âÂÂ1949
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950âÂÂ1959
1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960âÂÂ1969
1960
1961
1962
1963
- 1963 Guatemalan coup d'état: Miguel YdÃÂgoras Fuentes was overthrown by the military. Enrique Peralta Azurdia took power and established the Institutional Democratic Party until elections took place in 1966.
- 1963 Dominican coup d'état: The military overthrew President Juan Bosch in September 1963, only seven months into his term as the first democratically elected president in the Dominican Republic since 1924. Bosch was replaced by a junta until it was overthrown in 1965.
- 1963 Turkish coup attempt: A military coup attempt failed in Turkey.
- 1963 South Vietnamese coup: A group of officers in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, supported by the United States, deposed President Ngô ÃÂình Diá»Âm and the Personalist Labor Revolutionary Party.
- 1963 Ecuadorian coup d'état: A military junta deposed Carlos Julio Arosemena Monroy.
- 1963 Togolese coup d'état in Togo: Coup leaders including Emmanuel Bodjollé, ÃÂtienne Eyadéma (later Gnassingbé Eyadéma), and Kléber Dadjo took over government buildings, arrested most of the cabinet, and assassinated Togo's first president, Sylvanus Olympio, outside the American embassy in Lomé. Nicolas Grunitzky and Antoine Meatchi, both exiled political opponents of Olympio, formed a new government.
- 1963 Dahomeyan coup d'état: Christophe Soglo took control of the Republic of Dahomey (later Benin).
- Ramadan Revolution (also known as the 8 February Revolution) in Iraq: The Ba'ath Party's Iraqi wing overthrew Prime Minister Abd al-Karim Qasim.
- 1963 Syrian coup d'état (also known as the 8 March Revolution): The military committee of the Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party seized power, overthrowing President Nazim al-Kudsi and beginning Ba'athist rule in Syria.
- 1963 Honduran coup d'état: The military overthrew the democratic government of Honduras ten days before a scheduled election. Oswaldo López Arellano took power from Ramón Villeda Morales, preventing the likely succession of Modesto Rodas Alvarado.
- November 1963 Iraqi coup d'état: Pro-Nasserist Iraqi officers within the Ba'ath Party led a successful coup.
1964
1965
1966
- Operation Cold Chop in Ghana: The Ghana Armed Forces, led by Colonel Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, overthrew Kwame Nkrumah while he was abroad. The National Liberation Council was formed, and Lieutenant General Joseph Arthur Ankrah was installed as chairman.
- 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état in Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso): On 3 January, Sangoulé Lamizana overthrew Maurice Yaméogo.
- 1966 Syrian coup d'état: The ruling National Command of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party were removed from power by a union of the party's Military Committee and the Regional Command, under the leadership of Salah Jadid.
- 1966 Nigerian coup d'état: In January, mutinous Nigerian soldiers led by Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and Emmanuel Ifeajuna killed 22 people including the Prime Minister of Nigeria and many senior politicians and Army officers. The General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Army, Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, was compelled to take control of the government.
- 1966 Dhabyani coup d'état: Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan was deposed in a bloodless coup and replaced by his brother, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
- July 1966 Burundian coup d'état
- November 1966 Burundian coup d'état
- 1966 Nigerian counter-coup: In a reaction to the January coup, Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was assassinated, and conspirators appointed Yakubu Gowon as head of state.
- Argentine Revolution: President Arturo Illia was overthrown by military forces supporting the leadership of General Juan Carlos OnganÃÂa, who became de facto president.
- 1966 alleged Ceylonese coup attempt (also known as the Bathroom coup): 31 suspects, including the commander of the army, were arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government of Dudley Senanayake. They were later unanimously acquitted.
- 1966 Laotian coup d'état: General Thao Ma, who wished to reserve the transports Royal Lao Air Force for strictly military use, was forced into exile by fellow generals angling to use the transports for smuggling opium and gold.
- 1966 Republic of the Congo coup attempt
- Saudi Arabia: A coup attempt against King Faisal failed.
1967
- Coup d'état of 21 April in Greece: A group of colonels overthrew the caretaker government a month before scheduled elections which Georgios Papandreou's Centre Union was favoured to win.
- Operation Guitar Boy in Ghana: A coup attempt led by a group of junior officers of the Ghana Armed Forces resulted in the assassination of Lieutenant General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka, Ghana's Chief of the Defence Staff. However, the coup itself was unsuccessful.
- 1967 Togolese coup d'état: In a bloodless coup, Gnassingbé Eyadéma overthrew Nicolas Grunitzky and began a 38-year rule.
- 1967 coups in Sierra Leone: On 21 March, Brigadier David Lansana led a bloodless military coup against Prime Minister Siaka Stevens, who had taken office hours earlier after a closely contested election. Lansana declared himself interim leader, placing Stevens under house arrest and later releasing him, at which point Stevens went into exile. On 23 March, Brigadier Andrew Juxon-Smith led a group of military officers to seize control of the government, arrest Lansana, and suspend the constitution. They established the National Reformation Council and made Juxon-Smith the chairman.
- Biafra: Biafran Army colonel Victor Banjo plotted a coup against Biafran President Odumegwu Ojukwu. The coup plot was uncovered by an informant, and Banjo and two other conspirators were executed on 22 September.
- 1967 North Yemen coup d'état: In November, a coup in the Yemen Arab Republic led to the removal of Abdullah al-Sallal.
- Transition to the New Order in Indonesia: Suharto overthrew Sukarno in a long and gradual military coup process, beginning the New Order and Suharto's 31-year presidency.
- Kapsan faction incident: Pak Kum-chol failed to overthrow Kim Il Sung.
1968
1969
- 1969 Libyan coup d'état (also known as the al-Fateh Revolution or the 1 September Revolution): Muammar al-Gaddafi led a group of military officers to overthrow the monarchy of King Idris, resulting in the abolition of the Libyan monarchy and establishment of the Libyan Arab Republic.
- 1969 Sudanese coup d'état: Colonel Gaafar Nimeiry led a military coup to overthrow the government of President Ismail al-Azhari.
- Brazilian military junta of 1969: Pedro Aleixo, the legal vice president of Brazil, was replaced by a military junta after Artur da Costa e Silva suffered a stroke.
- 1969 Saudi Arabian coup attempt: A failed coup d'état, planned by numerous high-ranking members of the Royal Saudi Air Force, resulted in King Faisal ordering the arrest of hundreds of military officers.
- 1969 Bolivian coup d'état: General Alfredo Ovando CandÃÂa overthrew President Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas.
- 1969 Somali coup d'état: Military officers led by Siad Barre overthrew President Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein and Prime Minister Mohammad Egal, leading to Barre's 21-year-long military rule and the imposition of an authoritarian government.
- 1969 Libyan coup attempt
- 1969 Panamanian coup attempt (also known as Loyalty Day): On December 16, a group of loyalists officers, including Manuel Noriega, warned General Omar Torrijos to a coup plot during his Mexico trip, securing his return to power in Panama.
1970âÂÂ1979
1970
- Black Prince conspiracy in Libya
- Corrective Revolution in Syria: Hafez al-Assad overthrew the government of Salah Jadid in a bloodless coup.
- Bolivia: A junta of commanders of the Bolivian army enact a coup, but the highly polarized military forces were split. President Alfredo Ovando CandÃÂa sought asylum in a foreign embassy, believing all hope was lost, but leftist military forces reasserted control under the leadership of General Juan José Torres. Embarrassed by his quick abandonment of the fight and exhausted by a grueling 13 months in office, Ovando agreed to leave the presidency in Torres's hands.
- 1970 Haitian coup attempt: An attempted against François Duvalier was led by Octave Cayard.
- 1970 Omani coup d'état: Qaboos bin Said, with the support of the British, ousted his father Said bin Taimur in a bloodless coup during the Dhofar Rebellion.
- Golpe Borghese (Borghese Coup) in Italy: A coup plot in Italy by neo-fascist groups failed to materialize.
- Mishima Incident in Japan: After barricading the headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and tying the commandant to a chair, Yukio Mishima, the leader of the Tatenokai, delivered a speech to soldiers gathered outside, intending to inspire a coup. After this failed, Mishima committed seppuku.
- 1970 Cambodian coup d'état: Chief of State Norodom Sihanouk was ousted in a military coup, and Prime Minister Lon Nol took power.
- Chile: With the United States Central Intelligence Agency strongly invested in Salvador Allende not coming to power in the 1970 Chilean presidential election, the CIA discussed several possible coup options.
1971
1972
1973
- El Tanquetazo in Chile: Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Souper launched a failed coup against President Salvador Allende.
- 1973 Afghan coup d'état: Former Prime Minister Mohammed Daoud Khan overthrew the King Mohammed Zahir Shah and established a Republic.
- 1973 Pakistan coup attempt: 59 military officers were arrested after allegedly plotting to overthrow the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
- 1973 Rwandan coup d'état: Army Chief of Staff Juvénal Habyarimana overthrew President Gregoire Kayibanda in a military coup.
- 1973 Chilean coup d'état: On 11 September, General Augusto Pinochet, with support from the CIA, led a group of military officers to seize power from democratically elected President Salvador Allende, and installed a junta headed by Pinochet.
- 1973 Uruguayan coup d'état: President Juan MarÃÂa Bordaberry, with the assistance of a junta of military generals, dissolved Parliament in a self-coup.
- Greece: On 25 November, Army hardliners led by Brigadier Dimitrios Ioannidis overthrew the hitherto leader of the Greek junta, President Georgios Papadopoulos.
- 1973 Laotian coup attempt: Exiled General Thao Ma took over a Laotian airfield and led air strikes on the office and home of General Kouprasith Abhay in an attempt to stave off a communist coalition government in Laos. Royalist forces retook the airfield, and shot down and executed Thao Ma when he returned after the bombings, which had failed to kill Kouprasith.
- Moulay Bouazza plot
1974
1975
- Comoros: Mercenary Bob Denard, on orders from Jacques Foccart, overthrew President Ahmed Abdallah.
- 1975 Nigerian coup d'état: A faction of junior military officers overthrew Yakubu Gowon and appointed Brigadier Murtala Muhammed as head of state.
- 24 February 1975 Pyjama coup was a failed conspiracy by far-right Greek military officers, to re-establish the Greek junta. The term "pyjamas coup" was coined by then-Defense Minister Evangelos Averoff.
- 1975 Ecuadorian coup attempt
- 1975 Indian Emergency: Self-coup attempt by incumbent Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
- 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état: Army officers killed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad announced the formation of a new government with himself as leader.
- 3 November 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état: General Khaled Mosharraf led a military coup to overthrown Khondaker Mostaq Ahmed, who had come to power in a coup months earlier.
- 7 November 1975 Bangladesh coup d'état: Left wing army personnel killed General Khaled Mosharraf and paved the way for Ziaur Rahman to take power. Rahman would go on to survive as many as 21 assassination and coup attempts until his 1981 assassination.
- 1975 Chadian coup d'état: Members of the military overthrew and killed President François Tombalbaye and replaced him with Noël Milarew Odingar.
- 1975 Australian constitutional crisis (also known as "the Dismissal"): A constitutional crisis occurred in Australia. It has been referred to by some, including author John Pilger, as a "soft coup" due to allegations of involvement by British and American intelligence agencies in the removal of then-Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.
- 1975 Sudanese coup attempt was on 5 September led by army officers linked to the Sudanese Communist Party. The coup was quickly crushed by Vice President Mohamed al-Baghir Ahmed. The coup leader, Brigadier Hassan Hussein Osman, court martialled and executed.
- Coup of 25 November 1975:A coup attempt led by far-left military units failed, putting an end to PREC. The current Portuguese Constitution would be approved and come into force five months later.
1976
- Ecuador: A bloodless military coup removed Guillermo RodrÃÂguez from power.
- 1976 Central African Republic coup attempt: On 3 February, coup plotters orchestrated an assassination attempt on Jean-Bédel Bokassa at Bangui airport by throwing a grenade in his direction, but the plan failed when the grenade did not detonate.
- 1976 Nigerian coup attempt: Military officers led by Lieutenant Colonel Buka Suka Dimka succeeded in assassinating General Murtala Muhammed, but failed to enact a coup.
- Al-Ahdab coup in Lebanon (also known as the Television coup): On 11 March, Brigadier General staged an abortive coup in Lebanon, which he announced via Beirut's TV station, and which demanded the resignation of President Suleiman Frangieh.
- 1976 Argentine coup d'état: A military coup overthrew Isabel Perón and led to the National Reorganization Process.
- China: A bloodless coup overthrew the Gang of Four, which had been led by Chairman Mao Zedong's widow, Jiang Qing.
- Coup in Thailand: A military coup on the evening of the 6 October 1976 massacre installed an ultra-right government with Thanin Kraivichien as prime minister.
- 1976 Sudanese coup attempt on 2 July, saw the fighting between one thousand insurgents of Sadiq al Mahdi followers, armed and trained by Libya, against President Gaafar al-Nimeiry government in Khartoum, Sudan.
- 1976 Burundian coup d'état
1977
1978
- 1978 Comorian coup d'état
- : A coup attempt against President Ali Abdullah Saleh failed.
- Saur Revolution (also known as the April Revolution) in Afghanistan: The Soviet-backed People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan overthrew and killed President Mohammed Daoud Khan, and Nur Muhammad Taraki took power.
- 1978 Somali coup attempt: A group of military officials failed to overthrow President Siad Barre. Most of the plotters, including coup leader Colonel Mohamed Osman Irro, were summarily executed. However, some prominent officials, including Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, survived and formed the first resistance group against Barre known as the Somali Salvation Democratic Front.
- 1978 Mauritanian coup d'état: Chief of Army Staff Colonel Mustafa Ould Salek led a bloodless military coup that ousted long-time President Moktar Ould Daddah.
- Operation Galaxia in Spain: A plot to stop the Spanish transition to democracy was planned for 17 November. However, some officers present at the planning informed their superiors, and the plan was thwarted.
- Bolivia: After the annulment of a fraudulent election in which term-limited Hugo Banzer ensured the win of his surrogate, Juan Pereda, then denounced Pereda and blamed him for the rigged election, Pereda launched a coup and was sworn in as president. Pereda himself was overthrown several months later by David Padilla, who briefly served as president until new elections could be held.
1979
- Iranian Revolution: Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and the Pahlavi dynasty were overthrown, and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini took power.
- Coup d'état of December Twelfth in South Korea: Major General Chun Doo-hwan led a coup against Choi Kyu-hah, and early the next year installed himself as president.
- Bolivia: Alberto Natusch enacted a coup against the interim government of Wálter Guevara, but resigned after just sixteen days. As a face-saving measure, Natusch secured an agreement that Guevara wouldn't return as president, and Lidia Gueiler became interim president.
- 1979 Mauritanian coup d'état: The bloodless military coup was led by Colonel Ahmed Ould Bouceif and Colonel Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla, who seized effective power from the President, Colonel Mustafa Ould Salek.
- June 4th revolution in Ghana: Jerry John Rawlings and others led a military uprising that removed leader Fred Akuffo from power, following an unsuccessful attempt the month before.
- 1979 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état: Deputy defense minister Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo overthrew his uncle, Francisco MacÃÂas Nguema, and established the Supreme Military Council.
- Operation Barracuda and the overthrow of the Central African Empire: A French-led coup overthrew Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa on 20 September, ending the Central African Empire and restoring the Central African Republic with David Dacko as president.
- 1979 Salvadoran coup d'état: Military officers overthrew President Carlos Humberto Romero and established the Revolutionary Government Junta of El Salvador.
- Operation Storm-333: Babrak Karmal overthrows Hafizullah Amin and established a pro-Soviet, Parcham-dominated government.
1980âÂÂ1989
1980
- 1980 Pakistan coup attempt
- Coup d'état of May Seventeenth in South Korea: On 17 May, General Chun Doo-hwan forced the Cabinet to extend martial law to the whole nation, which had previously not applied to Jeju-do. On 18 May, citizens of Gwangju rose up against Chun Doo-hwan's military dictatorship and took control of the city. In the course of the uprising, citizens took up arms to defend themselves, but were ultimately crushed by the army. On 20 May 1980, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo ordered the National Assembly to be dissolved by deploying troops in the National Assembly.
- 1980 Mauritanian coup d'état: Colonel Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla led a bloodless military coup that ousted President Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Louly.
- 1980 Bolivian coup d'état: General Luis GarcÃÂa Meza enacted a violent military coup against his cousin, President Lidia Gueiler, who subsequently fled the country. The coup began the rule of the first Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces.
- 1980 Turkish coup d'état: On 12 September, the National Security Council, headed by Chief of the General Staff General Kenan Evren, declared a coup d'état on the national channel. The Council then extended martial law throughout the country, abolished the Parliament and the government, suspended the Constitution, and banned all political parties and trade unions.
- 1980 Liberian coup d'état: A military coup led by Master Sergeant Samuel Doe overthrew the government led by President William Tolbert, ending 102 years of continuous rule by the True Whig Party.
- 1980 Guinea-Bissau coup d'état: Prime Minister and commander of the armed forces, João Bernardo Vieira, overthrew the government.
- 1980 Surinamese coup d'état (also known as the Sergeants' Coup): A group of military officers, led by Dési Bouterse, overthrew the government of Prime Minister Henck Arron. The coup began a military dictatorship that lasted until 1991.
- 1980 Upper Voltan coup d'état: Colonel Saye Zerbo led a military coup and overthrew President Sangoulé Lamizana.
- Nojeh coup plot in Iran: A plot by military officers to overthrow the newly established Islamic Republic of Iran and its government of Abolhassan Banisadr and Ruhollah Khomeini was largely thwarted by the arrest of hundreds of officers at Nojeh Air Base.
- Operation Quartz
1981
- 1981 Spanish coup attempt (also known as 23-F or the Tejerazo): Lieutenant-Colonel Antonio Tejero attempted a coup in which members of the military entered the Congress of Deputies during the vote to elect a President of the Government. The officers held the parliamentarians and ministers hostage for 18 hours, but surrendered the next morning without killing anyone.
- 1981 Gambian coup attempt: Members of the Gambia Socialist Revolutionary Party and disaffected staff of the Gambia Field Force led a failed coup against President Dawda Jawara, who was in the United Kingdom. The attempt was quashed by the Senegalese armed forces.
- Assassination of Ziaur Rahman in Bangladesh: A faction of officers of the Bangladesh Army succeeded in assassinating President Ziaur Rahman, who had survived many prior assassination attempts. The army suppressed the coup, and Vice President Abdus Sattar became acting president.
- Suriname: Wilfred Hawker led an attempted coup against the government of Dési Bouterse, who had come to power in a coup the previous year. The coup failed, and Hawker was imprisoned and later executed.
- 1981 Central African Republic coup d'état: General André Kolingba overthrew President David Dacko, who was out of the country, in a bloodless coup.
- 1981 Ghanaian coup d'état: On 31 December, Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings overthrew Hilla Limann and the People's National Party, and established the Provisional National Defence Council.
- 1981 Seychelles coup attempt (also known as the Seychelles affair or Operation Angela): A South African-orchestrated coup attempt failed to overthrow the government of Prime Minister France-Albert René in Seychelles and install the previous president James Mancham to power.
- Institution of martial law in Poland: General Wojciech Jaruzelski formed the Military Council of National Salvation and announced the institution of martial law in the country.
- 1981 Bahraini coup attempt
- On December 11, 1981: the military overthrew Roberto Eduardo Viola, with Leopoldo Galtieri being appointed president of Argentina one week later.
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
- The Carapintada uprising in Argentina: Lieutenant Colonel Aldo Rico and Carapintada followers took up arms to make demands of the Argentine government. However, the public was sensitive to any military demands following decades of coups, and rallied around Alfonsin.
- 1987 Philippine coup attempts: Four attempted coups failed in the Philippines.
- 1987 Fijian coups d'état: Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka overthrew the government of Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra. After temporarily handing power to a council of ministers, in September that year, Rabuka seized control of the country again, deposed Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, and declared Fiji a republic.
- 1987 Burkina Faso coup d'état: On 15 October, President Thomas Sankara was assassinated in a coup, and coup leader Captain Blaise Compaoré was installed as president.
- 1987 Sharjawi coup attempt
- 1987 Tunisian coup d'état: Prime Minister Zine El Abidine Ben Ali overthrew President Habib Bourguiba.
- 1987 Burundian coup d'état
- 1987 Transkei coup d'état
- Sierra Leone: On 23 March, police reported that a group of conspirators, including Vice President Francis Minah, was plotting to assassinate President Joseph Saidu Momoh and stage a coup after they raided a house in Freetown and discovered a cache of weapons, including rocket launchers. Minah and seventeen other alleged conspirators were convicted of treason and sentenced to death.
1988
- SLORC coup in Burma: Following nationwide protests, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) enacted a bloody military coup and imposed martial law.
- Argentina: Aldo Rico, who had been imprisoned following a 1987 coup attempt, escaped prison and began a new attempt to overthrow President Raúl AlfonsÃÂn. Rico surrendered after a brief combat with the Argentinian army.
- Argentina: Colonel Mohamed AlÃÂ SeineldÃÂn, backed by the Carapintadas, launched a coup attempt against President Alfonsin, but he and the other conspirators were jailed.
- 1988 Guatemalan coup attempt: On May 11, a faction of the Guatemalan army attempted a coup against President Vinicio Cerezo, but was unsuccessful.
- June 1988 Haitian coup d'état: Henri Namphy overthrew President Leslie Manigat and declared himself president.
- September 1988 Haitian coup d'état: Prosper Avril overthrew President Namphy, who had come to power in a coup only months earlier.
- 1988 Panamanian coup attempt: In March, a coup was attempted against Manuel Noriega, but was suppressed.
- 1988 São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe coup attempt
- 1988 Maldives coup attempt: A group of Maldivians, assisted by mercenaries, gained control of the capital and major government buildings, but the coup ultimately failed after intervention by Indian armed forces.
1989
- 1989 Philippine coup attempt: Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines belonging to the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) and soldiers loyal to former President Ferdinand Marcos nearly seized the presidential palace, but were defeated.
- 1989 Burkina Faso coup attempt: A coup was allegedly attempted by Baptiste Boukary Lingani, Henri Zongo, and others against President Blaise Compaoré. After the plot was discovered, alleged conspirators were arrested and summarily executed.
- 1989 Guatemalan coup attempt: On 9 May, a group of retired military officers attempted another coup against President Vinicio Cerezo, but was suppressed.
- 1989 Ethiopian coup attempt: On 16 May, while President Mengistu Haile Mariam was out of the country for a four-day state visit to East Germany, senior military officials attempted a coup and the Minister of Defense, Haile Giyorgis Habte Mariam, was killed. Mengistu quickly returned, and nine generals, including the air force commander and the army chief of staff, died as the coup was crushed.
- 1989 Paraguayan coup d'état (also known as La Noche de la Candelaria): General Andrés RodrÃÂguez led a bloody coup against the regime of long-time leader Alfredo Stroessner.
- 1989 Sudanese coup d'état: Omar al-Bashir led a military coup on 30 June against the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and President Ahmed al-Mirghani.
- 1989 Panamanian coup attempt: Major Moisés Giroldi led a failed coup attempt, supported by a group of officers who had returned from a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Namibia. Although the plotters succeeded in capturing Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, the coup was quickly suppressed. Giroldi and nine others were executed, and another participant in the coup attempt died in prison after being tortured.
1990âÂÂ1999
1990
- 1990 Nigerian coup attempt: Major Gideon Orkar attempted to overthrow the government of General Ibrahim Babangida. Though successful in seizing military posts, a radio station, and the presidential residence, Orkar and others involved in the coup were captured by government troops, convicted of treason, and later executed.
- 1990 Sudanese coup attempt was a bloodless coup attempt which took place in Sudan on 23 April against the RCCNS, the ruling military junta led by Lieutenant General Omar al-Bashir.
- 1990 Afghan coup attempt: On 6 March, General Shahnawaz Tanai attempted to overthrow President Mohammad Najibullah of the Republic of Afghanistan. The coup attempt failed and Tanai was forced to flee to Pakistan.
- 1990 Zambian coup attempt: On 1 July, Lieutenant Mwamba Luchembe rebelled against the Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda, but failed to enact a coup.
- Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt in Trinidad and Tobago: Jamaat al Muslimeen, a radical Islamist group, held hostages (including Prime Minister A. N. R. Robinson and other government officials) at the Red House and at the headquarters of the state-owned national television broadcaster, Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT). On 1 August, the insurgents surrendered.
- Argentina: Mohamed AlÃÂ SeineldÃÂn and other Carapintadas made a second attempt at overthrowing the Argentine government, now led by President Carlos Menem. The coup failed, and SeineldÃÂn was sentenced to life imprisonment, which he served until his 2003 pardon.
- 1990 Chadian coup d'état: The forces of the Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), a LibyanâÂÂbacked rebel group under the leadership of General Idriss Déby, entered the Chadian capital N'Djamena unopposed. After three months of provisional government, the MPS approved a national charter on 28 February 1991, with Déby as president.
- 1990 Panamanian coup attempt: On December 5, Colonel Eduardo Herrera Hassan, a former officer in the Panama Defense Forces, led a police rebellion against Guillermo Endara. Herrera's coup attempt was suppressed with U.S. support.
- 1990 Surinamese coup d'état (also known as the Telephone Coup): Acting commander-in-chief of the Suriname National Army (SNL), Police Chief Ivan Graanoogst, dismissed President Ramsewak Shankar by telephone on 24 December. On 27 December, the government was dismissed, the National Assembly was dissolved, and Johan Kraag was appointed as president on 29 December. On 31 December, Dési Bouterse was reappointed as commander-in-chief of the SNL.
- 1990 Venda coup d'état
- 1990 Ciskei coup d'état
1991
- 1991 Soviet coup attempt (also known as the August Coup): Communist leaders of the Soviet Union failed to take control of the country from Mikhail Gorbachev, who was Soviet President and General Secretary of the party.
- 1991 Haitian coup d'état: The Armed Forces of Haiti deposed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Superior Court justice Joseph Nérette was installed as provisional president.
- 1991 Thai coup d'état: The National Peace Keeping Council, a military junta, overthrew the elected civilian government of Chatichai Choonhavan in 1991.
- 1991âÂÂ92 Georgian coup d'état (also known as the Tbilisi War or the Putsch of 1991âÂÂ92): A military coup removed President Zviad Gamsakhurdia from office.
- 1991 Malian coup d'état: A military coup overthrew Moussa Traoré, who had been dictator for over two decades.
- 1991 Lesotho coup d'état: Elias Phisoana Ramaema overthrows Justin Lekhanya and restores Moshoeshoe II as king of Lesotho.
- Somalia: Guerrilla forces, including the Somali Salvation Democratic Front in the northeast, the Somali National Movement in the northwest, and the United Somali Congress in the south, performed a successful coup against the Siad Barre government. Mohamed Farah Aideed, the general most responsible for the coup, declared himself the ruling president.
1992
1993
- 1993 Guatemalan constitutional crisis: President Jorge Serrano ElÃÂas unsuccessfully launched a self-coup, illegally suspending the constitution and dissolving Congress and the Supreme Court. Facing protests and international pressure, Serrano resigned the presidency and fled the country. He was briefly replaced by Vice President Gustavo Adolfo Espina Salguero, but after Espina was found by the Supreme Court to have been involved in the coup, Congress replaced him with Ramiro de León Carpio.
- 1993 Russian constitutional crisis (also known as the 1993 October Coup, Black October, the Shooting of the White House or Ukase 1400): President Boris Yeltsin successfully launched a self-coup, illegally dissolving the Russian parliament.
- 1993 Azerbaijani coup d'état: On 1 September, militia led by military commander Surat Huseynov overthrew President Abulfaz Elchibey and brought Heydar Aliyev to power.
- 1993 Burundian coup attempt: On 21 October, officers of the Tutsi-dominated army launched a coup attempt against Hutu President Melchior Ndadaye. The attempt, although initially successful and even resulting in Ndadaye's death, collapsed in the wake of widespread ethnic violence across the country.
- 1993 Libyan coup attempt
- 1993 Nigerian coup d'état
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000âÂÂ2009
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
- Coup in Madagascar: the army seized one of the presidential palaces on 16 March 2009, at which president Marc Ravalomanana was not present. The proposal offered by the president for a referendum to solve the crisis was rejected. On 17 March 2009, Marc Ravalomanana resigned under pressure from the military.
- 2009 Georgian mutiny: An alleged abortive mutiny by a Georgian Army tank battalion based in Mukhrovani village with a goal of removing President Mikheil Saakashvili from power.
- In Honduras, the army seized one of the presidential palaces on 28 June 2009, kidnapped president Manuel Zelaya Rosales due to his endeavor for an unconstitutional reelection and extradited him from the country. The 23-nation Rio Group & the United Nations General Assembly condemned the coup d'état.
- On 24 April 2009, the Ethiopian government claimed, through the Ethiopian News Agency, that it had foiled a coup attempt led by members of Ginbot 7 to overthrow the government. Ginbot 7 described the allegation that it had attempted a coup as a "baseless accusation" that fitted a pattern of distraction and scapegoating by the government.
2010âÂÂ2019
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
- 2016âÂÂ2017 Gambian constitutional crisis
- A coup d'état plot was foiled in Austria in April. The leader Monika Unger and others were arrested after they tried to organise an army-led coup.
- On 21 June 2017, Prince Mohammed bin Salman ousted and succeeded Saudi Crown Prince and de facto leader Muhammad bin Nayef in what was described as a "palace coup".
- 2017 Luhansk coup
- 2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état: Harare, Zimbabwe. In the early hours of 15 November 2017, an army spokesman announced the military takeover of government. This was after the army had seized control of the state run television broadcasting station. During the night before they had stormed the president's private residence and placed the head of state, President Robert Mugabe under house arrest. The military police also captured and detained some cabinet ministers whom they labelled criminals around the president. It would succeed with the resignation of Mugabe on 21 November 2017.
- In December an attempted coup against the government in Equatorial Guinea.
2018
2019
- 2019 Gabonese coup attempt: On 7 January 2019, members of the Armed Forces of Gabon announced a coup, claiming to have ousted President Ali Bongo. Gabon's government later declared that it had reasserted control.
- 2019 Islamic State Coup d'état attempt: On February 8 2019, an Islamic State faction attempted to kill Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
- 2019 Sudanese coup d'état: On 11 April 2019, the Sudanese Army overthrew Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir after popular protests.
- On April 2, 2019, the president Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned under pressure from the military, following 2019âÂÂ2021 Algerian protests
- 2019 Venezuelan uprising attempt
- 2019 Bolivian political crisis
- 2019 Amhara Region coup attempt: On 22 June 2019, factions of the security forces of Amhara Region, Ethiopia, attempted a coup against the regional government after a series of assassinations.
- On September 20, 2019, 3 people were arrested for taking part in a coup plot in Ghana.
2020âÂÂpresent
2020
2020-2021
- 2020âÂÂ21 Central African Republic coup d'état attempt: In December 2020 major rebel groups in Central African Republic led by former president François Bozizé formed Coalition of Patriots for Change trying to overthrow the government. Rebel groups attacked Bangui on 13 January but were repulsed by government forces.
- January 6 United States Capitol attack and other Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election: Joe Biden was elected as president in November 2020, defeating the incumbent, Donald Trump. Trump and numerous other Republicans repeatedly made false claims that widespread electoral fraud had occurred and that only he had legitimately won the election. Although most resulting lawsuits were either dismissed or ruled against by numerous courts, Trump nonetheless conspired with his campaign team to submit documents in several states (all of which Biden had won) that falsely claimed to be legitimate electoral votes for President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. After the submission of these documents, the Trump campaign intended that the presiding officer of the United States Senate, either President of the Senate Pence or President pro tempore Chuck Grassley, would claim the unilateral power to reject electors during the January 6, 2021 vote counting session; the presiding officer would reject all electors from the several states for which the Trump campaign had submitted false documents, leaving 232 votes for Trump and 222 votes for Biden, thereby overturning the election results in Trump's favor. This plan failed after Pence refused to cooperate with it. Trump nevertheless urged his supporters on January 6 to march to the Capitol while the joint session of Congress was assembled there to count electoral votes and formalize Biden's victory, whereupon hundreds of people stormed the building and interrupted the count. After the Capitol was cleared, Congress officially counted the election results, with Pence, in his role as president of the Senate, announcing Biden and Harris as the winners. On January 7, Trump acknowledged the incoming administration without mentioning Biden's name. Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States on January 20, 2021. On January 20, 2025, the first day of his second presidency, Trump granted blanket clemency to all Capitol attack defendants.
- 2021 Myanmar coup d'état: On 1 February, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint were arrested by the military of Myanmar. The military announced that power had been handed to Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The military announced on state-run TV that they would be in control of the country for one year.
- 2021 Armenian coup d'état attempt: On 25 February, the Armenian Armed Forces chief of staff Onik Gasparyan called on Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan to resign due to his handling of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and after the dismissal of the first deputy-head of army.
- 2021 Nigerien coup attempt: On 31 March, elements within the military attempted a coup. After gunfire at the presidential palace, Presidential Guard fended off the attack and many of its alleged perpetrators were later detained.
- 2021 arrests in Jordan: On 3 April, Jordanian authorities arrested top officials and members of the royal family, including former Crown Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, for involvement in an attempted coup.
- 2021 Northern Chad offensive
- 2021 Malian coup d'état: On 24 May, the president, prime minister, and defense minister of Mali were detained by the military.
- Coup attempt in Tajikistan in 2021.
- 2021 Tunisian self-coup: Kais Saied launches a self-coup and overthrows the Assembly of the Representatives of the People.
- 2021 Afghan coup d'état: On 15 August, the Taliban captured the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul, and removed the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan under President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani from power.
- 2021 Guinean coup d'état: On 5 September, military forces of Guinea led by Mamady Doumbouya, invaded the presidential palace and arrested the president.
- September 2021 Sudanese coup attempt: On 21 September, officials and troops loyal to ousted leader Omar al-Bashir attempted a coup against the Sovereignty Council of Sudan.
- OctoberâÂÂNovember 2021 Sudanese coup d'état: On 25 October, the military forces of Sudan launched a successful coup against the government. The prime minister Abdalla Hamdok was arrested, the government was dissolved and a state of emergency was declared by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Hamdok was later reinstated in November but resigned in 2022 amid continuing protests.
- French security agencies shut down an alleged coup plan led by .
- 2021 Ukrainian coup d'état attempt: In November 2021, top Ukrainian government officials outlined allegations of a plot to overthrow the government of Ukraine which was to take place in early December. The coup plot was allegedly orchestrated by Russia. Some months later, Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine, with the toppling of the Ukrainian government being one of its objectives.
2022
- 2022 Kazakh unrest
- January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état: In late January, the Burkinabé military staged a coup against Roch Marc Christian Kaboré.
- 2022 Guinea-Bissau coup attempt: A coup d'état was attempted in Guinea-Bissau on 1 February 2022. President Umaro Sissoco Embalo said that "many" members of the security forces had been killed in a "failed attack against democracy".
- 2022 Democratic Republic of the Congo coup d'état allegations
- 2022 Ukrainian coup d'état attempt: Russian intelligence agency FSB and recruited ATO veterans were set to take control of various Ukrainian cities, install pro-Russian leaders in them and transfer those cities to the Russian army during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, as plans for coup were discovered by Ukrainian authorities, people who were set to participate in it were detained by SBU.
- 2022 Malian coup d'état attempt.
- September 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état: A coup d'état took place in Burkina Faso on 30 September 2022, removing Interim President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba over his alleged inability to deal with the country's Islamist insurgency. Damiba had come to power in a coup d'état eight months earlier. Captain Ibrahim Traoré took over as interim leader.
- 2022 Brazilian coup plot
- 2022 São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe coup attempt: An attempted coup d'état was reported to have taken place on the island nation of São Tomé and PrÃÂncipe overnight on 24âÂÂ25 November 2022.
- 2022 German coup d'état plot: On 7 December 2022, 25 members of a suspected far-right terrorist group were arrested for allegedly planning a coup d'état in Germany. The group, called (), which was led by a Council (), was a part of the German far-right extremist Reichsbürger movement. The group aimed to re-establish a monarchist government in Germany in the tradition of the German Reich, with the government being similar to the German Empire. The group allegedly wanted to provoke chaos and a civil war in Germany so that it could take power.
- 2022 Peruvian self-coup attempt: On 7 December 2022, the left-wing President of Peru Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve the Congress in the face of imminent impeachment proceedings by the legislative body, which would have been the third impeachment attempt against the President in less than 2 years. Due to broadly interpreted wording in the 1993 Constitution of Peru, the Congress can impeach the President of Peru for "moral incapacity", among other causes, while the president can legally dissolve congress only if two cabinets have been denied a vote of confidence.
- Coup attempt in Kazakhstan in 2022
- 2022 Gambian coup attempt
2023
- 2023 Brazilian Congress attack: Supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro storm the National Congress, Supreme Federal Court and Planalto Palace in BrasÃÂlia, in an effort to overturn the result of the 2022 Brazilian general election and claim for a military coup against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
- 2023 Moldovan coup d'état attempt: Plans were unveiled by the president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, that showed Russian efforts to overthrow the Moldovan government.
- Attempted coup d'état in Sudan in 2023: Clashes broke out between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, and the Sudanese Armed Forces. The fighting began with attacks by the Rapid Support Forces on key government sites, and both forces dispute control between the Presidential Palace, Khartoum International Airport, the Army chief's official residence, and several different military bases located around the country.
- On 6 May 30 people were arrested in Kyrgyzstan for an attempted coup d'état.
- 2023 Azerbaijan coup plot.
- Wagner Group rebellion
- 2023 Nigerien coup d'état: On 26 July 2023, President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown in a coup plot led by Niger Air Force Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane. The reasoning for the coup announced by Abdramane via national broadcast was dissatisfaction was "due to the deteriorating security situation and bad governance." The coup would lead to the 2023 Nigerien crisis.
- 2023 Sierra Leone coup plot: The police arrested 19 people, including fourteen serving personnel of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, two officers of the Sierra Leone Police and one retired chief superintendent of police who were allegedly planning a coup between August 7 and 10. In addition, five military officers and three police officers have a search and capture warrant.
- 2023 Gabon coup: Following the 2023 Gabonese general election, and president of Gabon's Ali Bongo Ondimba's declaration of victory, soldiers from the presidential guard announced the cancellation of the election, and the "dissolution of the regime".
- 2023 Burkina Faso coup attempt: An attempted overthrow of the ruling junta by members of the military failed.
- 2023 Guinea-Bissau coup attempt: An attempt by the National Guard to overthrow Umaro Sissoco Embaló.
- 2023 Sierra Leone coup attempt: An attempt by an unknown group to overthrow Julius Maada Bio fails.
2024
- A coup attempt took place in Burkina Faso on January 14.
- Nigeria Oyo State coup attempt
- 2024 Democratic Republic of the Congo coup attempt: Congo's military arrested perpetrators after a failed coup attempt in Gombe, Kinshasa on May 19.
- 2024 Bolivian coup attempt: On 26 June, general Juan José Zúñiga led a failed coup attempt in the Bolivian capital La Paz, at one point entering the Palacio Quemado, the former presidential palace.
- 2024 Ukrainian coup attempt
- Kyrgyz security services arrested five on charges of organising a coup attempt on July 5.
- 2024 Bangladeshi judicial coup allegations: Following the resignation of Prime Minister, sheikh Hasina in the aftermath of the July revolution in Bangladesh, Certain Supreme Court judges were alleged to have called a full court to invalidate the newly formed interim government.
- 2024 Serbian coup attempt allegations
- On September 26, 2024, 3 people arrested on charges of organising a coup in Benin.
- 30 people are arrested, 7 people accused of organizing a coup in Kyrgyzstan on November 19.
- 2024 Armenian coup attempt
- 2024 Tigray coup d'état: Interim Regional Administration of Tigray president Getachew Reda was overthrown by the Tigray People's Liberation Front.
- German police arrested 8 people for planning a coup to take over the state of Saxony.
- 2024 South Korean self-coup attempt: President Yoon Suk Yeol attempted a self-coup by declaring martial law. It ultimately failed when 190 MPs were able to bypass a military blockade and voted to overturn the martial law declaration. The attempt resulted in Yoon's impeachment, removal and arrest.
- Coup d'état in Syria in 2024: On 8 December 2024, the Assad regime collapsed during a major offensive by opposition forces.
2025
- 2025 N'Djamena attack: An armed commando unit attacked the presidential palace in the capital N'Djamena in Chad, killing at least 18 of its 24 members on January 9.
- 2025 Georgia coup allegations
- 2025 Slovakia coup allegations
- The actions of the Department of Government Efficiency, in the United States, led by Elon Musk, have been described as a "takeover", "freeze", or "coup" by members of the Democratic Party and media.
- 2025 Romanian coup d'état attempt
- 2025 Kyrgyz coup d'etat attempt
- 2025 Syrian coup d'etat attempt
- 2025 Burkina Faso coup d'etat attempt
- 6 neo-nazis belonging to the Lusitanian Armillary Movement were arrested after planning an attack on the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal on June 17.
- 2025 Armenian coup attempt allegations
- 2025 Colombian coup d'etat attempt
- 2025 Malagasy coup d'état: CAPSAT, a unit of the Madagascar Armed Forces, joined anti-government protesters before announcing control of the entire military, resulting in Andry Rajoelina fleeing the country and being overthrown.
- 2025 Guinea-Bissau coup d'état: On 26 November, a coup d'état was carried out by the army chief of staff and military officers, arresting the country's president Umaro Sissoco Embaló. The couping forces declared "total control" over the country and established the High Military Command for the Restoration of Order. The coup occurred days after the 2025 Guinea-Bissau general election held on 23 November, in which Embaló was running for reelection.
- 2025 Beninese coup attempt
2026
See also
Notes
References
External links
Scholarly databases and lists of coups include the following: