Events on Feb 8
- 0421Flavius Constantine becomes Emperor Constantine III of West Roman Empire
- 1526Heavy storm strikes Dutch coast, many die
- 1575University of Leiden Neth opens
- 1600Vatican convicts Scholar Giordano Bruno to death
- 1601Earl Robert Devereux of Essex armies draws into London
- 1622King James I disbands the English parliament
- 1672Isaac Newton reads 1st optics paper before Royal Society in London
- 1690French and Indian troops set Schenectady settlement New York on fire
- 1690Lord Halifax resigns as Lord Privy Seal
- 1693William and Mary college is 2nd college chartered in US
- 17351st opera in US "Flora, " opens in Charleston, South Carolina
- 1743Comet C / 1743 C1 approaches within 0.0390 AUs of Earth
- 1744French / Spanish fleet leaves Toulon
- 1750Minor earthquake in London
- 1775Leidse U 400th anniversary dinner
- 1802Simon Willard patents banjo clock
- 1807Napoleon defeats Russians in battle of Eylau
- 1809Franz I of Austria declares war on France
- 18371st VP chosen by Senate, Richard Johnson (Van Buren admin)
- 1861Confederate States of America organizes in Montgomery, Ala
- 1862Battle of Roanoke Island NC, Federals gain control of Pamlico Sound
- 1862Opera "Lily of Killarney, " premieres in London
- 18651st black Major in US army, Martin Robinson Delany
- 1883Louis Waterman begins experiments to invents fountain pen
- 1887Aurora Ski Club of Red Wing, Minn became the 1st US ski club
- 1887Dawes Act passed (indians living apart from tribe granted citizenship)
- 1889Flood ravages Dutch coast
- 1894Enforcement Act repealed, making it easier to disenfranchise blacks
- 1896Western Conference forms of Midwestern University, later renamed Big 10 Conf
- 1898John Ames Sherman patents 1st envelope folding and gumming mach (Mass)
Born on Feb 8
- 0412St Proclus: Patriarch of Constantinople
- 1291Afonso IV: King of Portugal (1325-57)
- 1577Robert Burton: Writer, Anglican clergyman (Anatomy of Melancholy)
- 1586Jacob Praetorius: Composer
- 1612Samuel Butler: England, United Kingdom -- Poet / satirist (Hudibras)
- 1708Vaclav Jan Kopriva: Composer
- 1741Andre-Ernest-Modeste Gretry: Composer
- 1764Joseph Leopold von Eybler: Austrian composer
- 1789Ludwig Wilhelm Maurer: Composer
- 1795Friedlieb F Runge: German chemist (Chinoline)
- 1795Moritz G [Moses] Saphir: Hungarian journalist / serial writer
- 1807Franciscus J van Vree: Dutch Catholic foreman
- 1810Norbert Burgmuller: Composer
- 1811Edwin Denison Morgan: Confederate States Secretary of War, died in 1883
- 1813Jacob G Agarah: Swedish algologist
- 1817Richard Stoddert Ewell: Lieutenant General (Confederate Army), died in 1872
- 1818Austin Blair: Gov / MC (Union), died in 1894
- 1819John Ruskin: Writer / critic / artist / Gothic Revivalist (Prerafaelite)
- 1820William Tecumseh Sherman: Major General (Union Army), died in 1891
- 1822Maxime Du Camp: France -- Writer / traveler (Les Buveurs de Cendres)
- 1824Barnard Elliot Bee: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1861
- 1828Antonio Cagnoni: Composer
- 1876Paula Modersohn-Becker: German "entartet" painter
- 1878Martin Buber: German / Israeli philosopher / theologist (Ich und Du)
- 1880Franz Marc: German painter (Blaue Reiter)
- 1882George Siegmann: Actor (Birth of Nation, Queen of Sheba, Oliver Twist)
- 1883Joseph A Schumpeter: Austria -- Economist / Minister of finance
- 1885Edith Evans: London, England -- Actress (Tom Jones, David Copperfield)
- 1886Charlie Ruggles: Los Angeles, California -- Actor (Ruggles, Aesop-Bullwinkle Show)
- 1888Matthijs Vermeulen: Dutch composer / music critic
Died on Feb 8
- 1124Stefanus of Thiers / Muret: Founder of order of Grammond / saint
- 1245Johannes de Rupella / de la Rochelle: French theologist
- 1303Nanshu: Zen teacher (Rinzai line) / founder (Zounan temple)
- 1513Alonso de Ojeda: Spanish explorer (Curacao & Bonaire)
- 1611Jan H Van Linschoten: Traveller / writer (Reys-Gheschrift)
- 1650John Adriaensz: Hydraulic engineer (Haarlemmermeer), dies at about 74
- 1676Aleksei M Romanov: 1st Romanov-Czar of Russia, dies at 46
- 1686Francois Tak: Dutch diplomat on Java, murdered
- 1691Carlo di Girolamo Rainaldi: Italian Architect / composer, dies at 79
- 1691Carlo Rainaldi: Composer, dies at 79
- 1709Giuseppi Torelli: Italian composer, dies at 50
- 1725Peter I "the Great" Romanov: Czar of Russia (1682-1725), dies at 52
- 1740Clement XII [Lorenzo Corsini]: Blind Pope (1730-40), dies at 87
- 1749Jan van Huysum: Dutch still life painter, dies at 66
- 1771Augusta von Saxen-Gotha: German Prince Frederick Louis of Wales
- 1797Johann Friedrich Doles: Composer, dies at 81
- 1801Johann Chrysostomus Drexel: Composer, dies at 43
- 1821Paul Anton Wineberger: Composer, dies at 62
- 1824Rhijnvis Feith: Dutch mayor / writer (Zwolle, Julia), dies at 71
- 1849France Preseren: Slovenian Poet (Sonetni Venec), dies at 48
- 1849Francois-Antoine Habeneck: Composer, dies at 68
- 1874David F Strauss: German theologist, dies at 66
- 1878Elias M Fries: Swedish Botanist (mycologicum), dies at 83
- 1884Arnold Henry Guyot: Swiss / US geologist / meteorologist, dies at 76
- 1907Hendrik W Bakhuis Roozeboom: Chemist (fasenleer), dies at 52
- 1909Edouard Silas: Composer, dies at 80
- 1909Mieczyslaw Karlowicz: Composer, dies at 32
- 1920Richard Dehmel: Writer, dies at 56
- 1921Pjotr A Kropotkin: Russian ruler / anarchist, dies at 78
- 1924Gee John: US mobster (1st executed in gas chamber-Nevada)
Historical events on February 9
- 1267Synod of Breslau orders Jews of Silesia to wear special caps
- 1499France and Venice sign treaty against Milan
- 1537Pope Paul III routes Cardinal Pole to England
- 1540The 1st recorded race meet in England (Roodee Fields, Chester)
- 1554Battle at London: Sir Thomas Wyatt defeated
- 1574Louis of Nassau ends siege of Maastricht
- 1621Alexander Ludovisi is elected Pope Gregory XV (-1623)
- 1674English reconquer New York from Netherlands
- 1742British ex-premier Walpole becomes Earl of Orford
- 1744Battle at Toulon (French / Spanish vs. English fleet of Admiral Matthews)
- 1775English Parliament declares Mass colony is in rebellion
- 1788Austria declares war on Russia
- 1799USS Constellation captures French frigate Insurgents off Nevis, W I
- 1807French Sanhedrin convened by Napoleon
- 1822American Indian Society organizes
- 1825House of Representatives elects John Quincy Adams 6th US President
- 1849Roman Republic declared
- 1861Confederate Provisional Congress declares all laws under the US Constitution were consistent with constitution of Confederate states
- 1861Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens elected President and VP of CSA
- 1861Tennessee votes against secession
- 1863Fire extinguisher patented by Alanson Crane
- 1867Nebraska becomes 37th US state
- 1870US Army establishes US National Weather Service
- 1871Federal fish protection office authorized by Congress
- 18851st Japanese arrive in Hawaii
- 1886President Cleveland declares a state of emergency in Seattle because of anti-Chinese violence
- 18911st shipment of asparagus arrives in SF from Sacramento
- 1893Canal builder De Lesseps and others sentenced to prison for fraud
- 18951st intercollegiate basketball game (Minn Agricult beats Hamline, 9-3)
- 1895Volleyball invented by W G Morgan in Massachusetts
Born on February 9
- 1404Constantine XI Dragases: Last Byzantine Emperor
- 1579John Meursius [van Meurs]: Dutch historian
- 1602Franciscus van de Enden: Flemish Jesuit / free thinker / tutor of Spinoza
- 1607Abraham Megerle: Composer
- 1735Adriaan Kluit: Dutch historian
- 1741Henri-Joseph Rigel: Composer
- 1744Amos Bull: Composer
- 1756Karel Blazej Kopriva: Composer
- 1771Daniel Belknap: Composer
- 1773William Henry Harrison: Virginia, United States -- (Whigs) 9th President (March 4-April 4, 1841)
- 1775Farkas / Wolfgang Bolyai: Hungary -- Mathematician (parallel axiom)
- 1780Walenty Karol Kratzer: Composer
- 1808Francesco Gomez da Rocha: Composer
- 1814Samuel Jones Tilden: Philanthropist for New York Public Library
- 1822Charles T Stork: Dutch industrialist
- 1826John Alexander Logan: Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1886
- 1834Felix Dahn: Writer
- 1834Franz Xaver Witt: Composer
- 1846Wilhelm Maybach: German engineer, designer of 1st Mercedes
- 1853Leander Starr Jameson: Prime Minister of South African Cape colony
- 1854Edward Carson: 1st Baron Carson, lawyer / leader (Irish Unionist Party)
- 1857Johannes T de Visser: Theologist / Dutch 1st Minister of Education
- 1863Anthony Hope [Hopkins]: London, England -- Novelist
- 1865Erich von Drygalski: Germany -- Geographer / glaciologist / Antarctic expl
- 1865Mrs [Beatrice] Patrick Campbell: England, United Kingdom -- Actress (Pygmalion)
- 1866George Ade: United States -- Journalist / playwright / humorist (Fables in Slang)
- 1867Edward Naylor: Composer
- 1871Franc S Finzgar: Slovenian clergyman / writer (Our Blood)
- 1871Howard T Ricketts: US pathologist (studied typhus fever)
- 1874Amy Lowell: US poet / critic (Patterns, Sword Blades & Poppy Seed)
Died on February 9
- 1555John Hooper: Deprived Bishop of Gloucester, burnt for heresy
- 1567Henry Stuart: Earl of Darnley / Consort of Mary Queen of Scots, murdered
- 1583Jeseph Sanalbo: Jewish convert in Rome, burned at stake
- 1588Marquis of Santa Cruz: Spanish Admiral
- 1617Hans Christoph Haiden: Composer, dies at 44
- 1640Murad IV: Sultan of Turkey (1623-40), dies in Baghdad at 27
- 1670Frederik III: King of Denmark / Norway (1648-70), dies at 60
- 1675Gerard Dou: Dutch painter, buried
- 1740Vincenz Lubeck: Composer, dies at 85
- 1765Elisabetta de Gambarini: Composer, dies at 33
- 1811Nevil Maskelyne: 5th Astronomer Royal of England (1765-1811)
- 1812Franz Anton Hoffmeister: Composer, dies at 57
- 1817Franz Wilhelm Tausch: Composer, dies at 54
- 1824Anna K Emmerick / Emmerich: German poet, dies at 49
- 1846Henry Gally Knight: Architect / writer
- 1849Corneille Vander Planken: Composer, dies at 76
- 1860Eduard W van Dam van Isselt: Dutch Military / liberal politician, dies at 63
- 1874Jules Michelet: French Historian (History of France), dies at 75
- 1881Feodor M Dostoevski: Russian Novelist (Crime & Punishment), dies at 59
- 1891Johan B Jongkind: Dutch / French Painter (Winter View), dies at 71
- 1906Paul Laurence Dunbar: Black dialect poet, dies at 33 in Dayton, Ohio
- 1916Hynek Ignac Frantisek Vojacek: Composer, dies at 90
- 1918Emiel van der Straeten [Delrue]: Flemish playwright, dies at 30
- 1932Junnosuke Inouye: Japanese Minister of Finance, murdered
- 1935Karl Nef: Swiss musicologist, dies at 61
- 1936Jacques Bainville: French Historian / essayist / journalist, dies at 57
- 1938Truby King: Pioneer of mothercraft
- 1943Reydons: Wife of General Reydons, shot to death by resistance
- 1945George J L Maduro: Resistance fighter (Madurodam), dies in Dachau
- 1945Jan Bakker: Resistance fighter, executed at 26
Events on Feb 10
- 0060St. Paul thought to have been shipwrecked at Malta
- 1098Crusaders defeat Prince Redwan of Aleppo at Antioch
- 153512 nude anabaptists run through Amsterdam streets
- 1676Wampanoag Indians under King Philip kill all men in Lancaster, Massachusetts
- 1716Scottish pretender to the throne James III Edward returns to France
- 1720Edmund Halley appointed 2nd Astronomer Royal of England
- 1746English Pelham government resigns
- 1763Treaty of Paris ends French-Indian War, surrendering Canada to England
- 1774Andrew Becker demonstrates diving suit
- 1807US Coast Survey authorized by Congress
- 1824Simon Bolivar named Dictator by the Congress of Peru
- 1840British Queen Victoria marries her cousin Albert von Saksen-Coburg
- 1846Beginning of Mormon march to west US
- 1846British defeat Sikhs in battle of Sobraon, India
- 1855US citizenship laws amended all children of US parents born abroad granted US citizenship
- 1859Gen Horsford defeats Begum of Oude and Nana Sahib in Indian mutiny
- 1862Dutch 2nd government of Thorbecke forms
- 18631st US fire extinguisher patent granted to Alanson Crane, Virginia
- 1863PT Barnum stages wedding of Tom Thumb and Mercy Lavinia Warren (NYC)
- 1866Dutch government Frans van der Putte forms
- 1868Conservatives and military, seize Convention Hall in Florida
- 1870City of Anaheim incorporates (1st time)
- 18791st electric arc light used (California Theater)
- 1879Henry Morton Stanley departs to the Congo
- 1880Pope Leo XIII publishes encyclical Arcanum about Christian marriage
- 1882Rimski-Korsakovs opera "Snyegurochka, " premieres in St. Petersburg
- 1883Fire at un-insured New Hall Hotel in Milwaukee Wisc, kills 71
- 1890Around 11M acres, ceded to US by Sioux Indians opens for settlement
- 1899US-Spain peace treaty signed by President McKinley. US gets PR and Guam
- 1900Peter Ostlund skates world record 500m (45.2 seconds)
Born on Feb 10
- 1609John Suckling: English Cavalier poet / dramatist / courtier
- 1670Norbert van Flowers [Cephalus]: Flemish painter
- 1670William Congreve: England, United Kingdom -- Writer (Old Bachelor, Way of the World)
- 1685Aaron Hill: English playwright / poet (Tragedy of Zara)
- 1686Johann F Gronovius: Dutch Physician / botany
- 1696Johann Melchior Molter: Composer
- 1702Jean-Pierre Guignon: Composer
- 1717Pierre de La Garde: Composer
- 1728Peter III Feodorovich: German / Russian Czar of Russia (1761-62)
- 1735Johann Christoph Kuhnau: Composer
- 1741Franz Adam Veichtner: Composer
- 1750Stanislao Mattei: Composer
- 1775Charles Lamb: London, England -- Critic / poet / essayist
- 1788Johann Peter Pixis: Composer
- 1795Ary Scheffer: Dutch painter / etcher / sculptor
- 1807Abner Clark Harding: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1874
- 1818Isham Green Harris: Gov (Confederacy), died in 1897
- 1819Richard Storrs Willis: Composer
- 1821William Read Scurry: (Confederate Army Brigadier General) Died in 1864.
- 1824Samuel Plimsoll: Bristol, England -- Inventor (Plimsoll line for ships)
- 1827Peter J Savelberg: Dutch Limburgs monastery founder
- 1841Walter Parratt: Composer
- 1846Mildred Childe "Life" Lee: Daughter of confederate General Robert E Lee
- 1866Bror Beckman: Composer
- 1866Rafael Altamira Crevea: Spanish lawyer / historian
- 1868William Allen White: Emporia, Kansas -- Editor (Pulitzer 1942)
- 1869Vasily Pavovlich Kalafati: Composer
- 1870Fritz Klimsch: German sculptor / painter
- 1872Anne Anema: Dutch lawyer / journalist / politician (ARP)
- 1879Franz Carl Bornschein: Composer
Died on Feb 10
- 1134Robert III / II Curthouse: Duke of Normandy
- 1162Boudouin III: Son of King Fulco of Anjou / husband of Theodora
- 1482Luca della Robbia: Italian Sculptor (majolica reliefs), dies at 81
- 1495William Stanley: Engl lord chamberlain, executed for conspiracy
- 1567Lord Darnley Stuart: Husband of English Queen Mary, murdered
- 1588Joost Sybrantsz Buyck: Amsterdam Merchant / regent, dies at about 82
- 1598Anna van Bull: 1st Wife of Polish / Swedish King Sigismund II
- 1657Sebastian Stosskopf: Elzabethian painter, dies at 59
- 1686William Dugdale: Garter King of Arms (1677-86)
- 1711Lukas Fencer: Dutch Poet (Meleager & Atalante), dies at 22
- 1772Jozef Wenceslas: Monarch of Liechtenstein / General, dies at 75
- 1774Florian Leopold Gassmann: Composer, dies at 44
- 1783James Nares: Composer, dies at 67
- 1816Johann Paul Aegidius Martini: Composer, dies at 74
- 1822Albert-Kasimir: Duke of Saxon-Teschen / Governor of Hungary, dies at 83
- 1825Paul van Hemert: Dutch Theologist / philosopher (Kant), dies at 68
- 1829Leo XII [Annibale Sermattei]: Italian Pope (1823-29), dies at 68
- 1832Antonio Benedetto Maria Puccini: Composer, dies at 84
- 1837Alexander S Pushkin: Writer, dies at 37
- 1861Francis Danby: Exmouth, painter
- 1876Johan August Soderman: Composer, dies at 43
- 1887Ellen Wood: English Author (Pomeroy Abbey), dies at 73
- 1887Pieter JBCR van der Aa: Dutch geographer, dies at 54
- 1902J N Krieger: German Selenographer
- 1905Ignacy Krzyzanowski: Composer, dies at 78
- 1912Joseph Lister: 1st Baron Lister, surgeon (pioneer of antiseptic)
- 1915Albert J-BJ Thijs: Belgian Colonial pioneer (Congo), dies at 65
- 1917Emile Pessard: Composer, dies at 73
- 1923Wilhelm Konrad von Rontgen: Physicist (Nobel 1901), dies at 77
- 1932R H Edgar Wallace: British writer / journalist (3 Just Men), dies at 76