Events on Feb 11
- 0385Oldest Pope elected; Siricius-bishop of Tarragona
- 0824St. Paschal I ends his reign as Catholic Pope
- 1531Henry VIII recognized as supreme head of Church in England
- 1543Battle at Wayna Daga: Ethiopian / Portugese troops beat Moslem army
- 1543Karel / Henry VIII sign anti-French covenant
- 15731st European, Francis Drake sees the Pacific (from Panama)
- 1575King Frederick of Denmark offers island of Hveen to Tycho Brahe
- 1638Dutch countess Louise of Solms marries Earl John of Brederode
- 1720Sweden and Prussia sign peace (2nd Treaty of Stockholm)
- 1752Pennsylvania Hospital, the 1st hospital in the US, opened
- 1766Stamp Act declared unconstitutional in Virginia
- 1768Samuel Adams letter, circulates around American colonies, opposing Townshend Act taxes
- 1790Society of Friends petitions Congress for abolition of slavery
- 1793Prussian troops occupy Venlo Neth
- 17941st session of US Senate open to the public
- 1808Anthracite coal 1st burned as fuel, experimentally - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
- 1809Robert Fulton patents steamboat
- 1810Napoleon marries Marie-Louise of Austria
- 1811President Madison prohibits trade with Britain for 3rd time in 4 years
- 1812Mass Gov Gerry signs a redistricting bill-1st "gerrymander"
- 1826London University founded
- 1837American Physiological Society organizes in Boston
- 1843Opera "I Lombardi, " premieres in Milan
- 18521st British public female toilet opens (Bedford Street London)
- 1854Major streets lit by coal gas for 1st time
- 18581st apparition of Mary to 14-year-old Bernadette of Lourdes France
- 1861President-elect Lincoln takes train from Spingfield IL to Washington DC
- 1861US House unanimously passes resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state
- 1873Spanish Cortes fires King Amadeus I
- 18781st US bicycle club, Boston Bicycle Club, forms
Born on Feb 11
- 1380Gianfrancesco Poggio Bracciolini: Italy -- Humanist
- 1465Elizabeth of York: London, England -- Consort of King Henry VII
- 1506Juliana van Stolberg: Engraver of Nassau
- 1557John Wtenbogaert: Remonstrants theologist
- 1657Bernard Fontenelle: France -- Scientist / writer (Plurality of Worlds)
- 1755Albert Christoph Dies: Composer
- 1776Joannis Capodistrias: Greek Governor of Troezen (1827-31)
- 1783Jarena Lee: Famous African
- 1790Ignaz Assmayer: Composer
- 1800William Henry Fox Talbot: Wiltshire, England -- Photographic pioneer
- 1802Lydia Maria Child: United States -- Author / abolitionist (Juvenile Miscellany)
- 1810Loisa Puget: Composer
- 1812Alexander Hamilton Stephens: Vice President (Confederacy), died in 1883
- 1812Benjamin Franklin Sands: Commander (Union Navy), died in 1883
- 1819Samuel Parkman Tuckerman: Composer
- 1821Hermann Allmers: Writer
- 1829William Anderson Pile: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1889
- 1830Hans Bronsart von Schellendorf: Composer
- 1830Peter Arnold Heise: Composer
- 1833Melville Weston Fuller: 8th chief justice
- 1839Josiah Willard Gibbs: Theoretical physicist / chemist
- 1840Sanuel Dana Greene: Lieutenant Commander (Union Navy), died in 1884
- 1846William Fox Talbot: Pioneer photographer / inventor
- 1860Rachilde [Marguerite Vallette-Eymery]: French author (Monsieur Venus)
- 1867August W Messer: German philosopher / educator / psychologist
- 1873Feodor Chaliapine: Russian author / Novelist (Pages from My Life)
- 1874Fritz Bennicke Hart: Composer
- 1875Sara Wennerberg-Reuter: Composer
- 1879Jean Gilbert: Composer
- 1882Gheorghe Cucu: Composer
Died on Feb 11
- 0641Heraclius: Emperor of Byzantium (610-641), dies at about 65
- 0731Gregory II: Greek-Syrian Pope
- 0821Benedict of Aniane: Saint
- 0824Paschal I: Italian Pope (817-24)
- 1141Hugo of St-Victor: Philosopher / Theologist / mystic
- 1503Elizabeth of York: Consort of King Henry VII, dies on 38th birthday
- 1543Ahmed Gran: Sultan of Adal, dies in battle
- 1554Lady Jane Grey: Deposed Queen of England, beheaded after 9 day rule
- 1622Alfonso Fontanelli: Composer, dies at 64
- 1685David Teniers III: Flemish painter, dies at 46
- 1762Johann Tobias Krebs: Composer, dies at 71
- 1797Antoine Dauvergne: Composer, dies at 83
- 1806Vicente Martin y Soler: Composer, dies at 51
- 1841J H Ferdinand Olivier: German painter, dies at 55
- 1870Jacob M de Kempenaer: Dutch Minister of Internal Aff (1848-49), dies at 76
- 1870Leopold Eugen Mechura: Composer, dies at 66
- 1879Honore Daumier: Caricaturist / painter
- 1879Willem J van Zeggelen: Dutch Author / Novelist / writer, dies at 67
- 1892Erik Anthon Valdemar Siboni: Composer, dies at 63
- 1894Pasqual Juan Emilio Arrieta y Corera: Composer, dies at 70
- 1899George Morgan: 1st English motorist to die in an motor accident
- 1901Milan I: King of Serbia, dies at 56
- 1903Henryk Szulc: Composer, dies at 67
- 1907Peter J Savelberg: Dutch Limbourg monastery founder, dies at 80
- 1911Albert von Rothschild: Baron / Austrian banker, dies at 66
- 1922Gerardus J P Bolland: Dutch philosopher (Bolland Society), dies at 67
- 1931Charles Algernon Parsons: British inventor (steam turbine), dies at 76
- 1931Charles Parsons: Inventor of the steam turbine
- 1939Franz Schmidt: Austrian composer, dies at 64
- 1940John Buchan: 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, Governor-General of Canada (1935-40)
Historical events on February 12
- 1049Bruno Count of Egesheim and Dagsburg crowned Pope Leo IX
- 1111German King Hendry V arrives at St. Peter, Rome
- 1130Pope Innocent II elected
- 1502Granada: Moslems forced to convert to Catholicism
- 1528Treaty of Dordrecht between Emperor and ecclesiastical power
- 1577Spanish land guardian Don Juan of Habsburg signs "Eternal Edict"
- 1624English parliament comes together
- 1733Georgia founded by James Oglethorpe, at site of Savannah
- 1736Maria Theresa Habsburg marries French Stefanus (Emperor Francois I)
- 1762English fleet occupies Martinique
- 1763John Casteret appointed British Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 1772Yves de Kerguelen of France discovers Kerguelen Archipelago, India
- 17931st US fugitive slave law passed; requires return of escaped slaves
- 1818Chile gains independence from Spain
- 1821Mercantile Library of City of New York opens
- 1825Creek Indian treaty signed. Tribal chiefs agree to turn over all their land in Georgia to the government and migrate west by September 1, 1826
- 1832Ecuador annexes Gal pagos Islands
- 1839Aroostock War: Boundary dispute between Maine and New Brunswick
- 1840Housatonic Railroad opens
- 1848Ballet "Faust" premieres, Milan
- 1861State troops seize US munitions in Napoleon, Arkansas
- 1865Henry Highland Garnet, is 1st black to speak in US House of Reps
- 1870Official proclamation sets April 15 as last day of grace for US silver coins to circulate in Canada
- 1873Congress abolishes bimetallism and authorizes $1 and $3 gold coins
- 1874King David Kalakaua of Sandwich Is Hawaii, is 1st King to visit US
- 1876Al Spalding opens his sporting good shop
- 18771st news dispatch by telephone, between Boston and Salem, Massachusetts
- 1877US railroad builders strike against wage reduction
- 18791st artificial ice rink in North America (Madison Square Garden, NYC)
- 1879News about slaughtering of Isandlwana reaches London
Born on February 12
- 1211Henry VII: Roman Catholic German King (1220-35)
- 1438Adolf van Egmond: Duke of Gelre / Earl of Zutphen
- 1474Lorenzo Campeggio: Archbishop of Bologna / diplomat
- 1567Thomas Campion: England, United Kingdom -- Composer / poet / Physician
- 1584Casparus Barleaus: Flemish theologist / poet (Muiderkring)
- 1636Herman Witsius [Wits]: Dutch reformed theologist
- 1637John Swammerdam: Dutch anatomist / entomologist (Bible of Nature)
- 1663Cotton Mather: Witchcraft authority
- 1665Rudolph J Camerarius: German Botanist / Physician (sexuality plant)
- 1706Josef Christian: German sculptor
- 1740Matej Sojka: Composer
- 1751Joseph Waast Aubert Nonot: Composer
- 1753Lambert-Francois Godecharle: Composer
- 1758Christian Ignatius Latrobe: Composer
- 1760Jan Ladislav Dussek: Bohemia -- Pianist / composer
- 1768Francis II: Florence, Italy -- Last Holy Roman Emperor (1792-1806)
- 1775Louise Catherine Johnson Adams: 1st lady (1825-1829)
- 1778Franz Joseph Volkert: Composer
- 1791Jan D Zocher, Jr.: Dutch garden architect (Vondelpark, Amsterdam)
- 1791Peter Cooper: Industrialist / philanthropist (Cooper Union)
- 1792Ferdinand de Braekeleer: Belgian painter
- 1809Charles Darwin: England, United Kingdom -- Discovered evolution (Origin of species)
- 1818Otto Ludwig: German writer (Die Heiterethei)
- 1824Arya Samaj Maha Rishi Dayanand Sarsvati: Indian hindu leader
- 1828George Meredith: England, United Kingdom -- Poet / Novelist (Shaving of Shagpat)
- 1828Robert Ransom, Jr.: Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1892
- 1831John Morrissey: Boxer / developer of Saratoga Springs horse race track
- 1838Charles Carroll Walcott: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1898
- 1841Bert van Tienhoven: Mayor (Amsterdam) / Foreign Minister
- 1841Gijsbert van Tienhoven: Dutch Mayor (Amsterdam) / Foreign Minister
Died on February 12
- 1128Toghtekin: Slave / atabek of Damascus
- 1242Hendrik VII: Roman Catholics German King (1220-35), commits suicide
- 1538Albrecht Altdorfer: German painter, dies at about 57
- 1554Jane Grey: Queen of England for 13 days, beheaded at 17
- 1590Francois Hotman / Hotomanus: French lawyer / diplomat, dies at 65
- 1616John Drusius: Of Driesschen, Flemish Hebraist, dies at 65
- 1684Pietro Andrea Ziani: Composer, dies at 67
- 1728Agostino Steffani: Italian / German diplomat / composer, dies at 73
- 1738James Sherard: Composer, dies at 71
- 1762Laurent Belissen: Composer, dies at 68
- 1771Adolf Frederik: King of Sweden (1751-70), dies at 60
- 1787Ruggiero Boscovich: Ital physicist / astronomer / philosopher, dies at 75
- 1799Frantisek Xaver Dusek: Composer, dies at 67
- 1804Immanuel Kant: German philosopher (Zum ewigen Frieden), dies at 79
- 1820Guillaume Albert Teniers: Composer, dies at 71
- 1834Friedrich Schleiermacher: German Theologist / philosopher, dies at 65
- 1861Hippolyte-Andre-Baptiste Chelard: Composer, dies at 72
- 1896Charles Louis Ambrose Thomas: French Composer (Mignon), dies at 84
- 1896Isaac Murphy: Jockey, 628 wins on 1, 412 mounts (44.5%), dies at 35
- 1905Marcel Schwob: French writer / journalist (Coeur double)
- 1915Charles Emile Waldteufel: Composer, dies at 77
- 1916J W Richard Dedekind: German mathematician
- 1920Emile Sauret: Composer, dies at 67
- 1920Jean Allemane: French socialist / communard (allemanisten), dies at 77
- 1929Freiherr Albert von Schrenk-Notzing: German para-psychologist, dies at 66
- 1933Henri Duparc: French composer, dies at 85
- 1942Grant Wood: US Painter (American Gothic), dies at 49
- 1945de Jong: Dutch vicar / resistance fighter, executed
- 1945Henrietta Szold: Founder (Hadassah, Youth Aliyah)
- 1945Walraven [Wally] van Hall: Dutch banker / resisted Nazis, executed at 39
Events on Feb 13
- 1349Jews are expelled from Burgsordf Switzerland
- 1510Charles of Gelre conquerors Oldenzaal
- 1545Willem of Nassau becomes Prince of Orange
- 1566St. Augustine, Florida founded
- 1601John Lancaster leads 1st East India Company voyage from London
- 1633Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before Inquisition for professing belief that earth revolves around the Sun
- 1635Oldest US public institution, Boston Latin School founded
- 1651Flemish Missionary Joris van Geel departs to Congo
- 1668Treaty of Lisbon: Spain recognizes Portugal
- 1678Tycho Brahe 1st sketches "Tychonic system" of solar system
- 1689British Parliament adopts Bill of Rights
- 1692MacDonald clan murdered on orders of King William III
- 1693College of William and Mary opens
- 1706Battle at Fraustadt: Swedish army beats Russia / Saksen
- 1741Andrew Bedford publishes 1st American magazine (American Magazine)
- 1755Rebel leader Mangkubuni signs Treaty of Gianti Java
- 1777De Sade arrested without charge, imprisoned in Vincennes fortress
- 1782French fleet occupies St. Christopher
- 1786Abraham Baldwin selected President of University of Georgia
- 17951st state university in US opens, University of North Carolina
- 17991st US law regulating insurance passed, by Massachusetts
- 1809French take Saragossa, Spain after a long siege
- 1826American Temperance Society, forms in Boston
- 18321st appearance of cholera at London
- 1837Riot in New York over high price of flour
- 1858Sir Richard Burton and John Speake explore Lake Tanganyika, Africa
- 1860King Basse Kajuara departs Boni South-Celebes
- 18611st military action to result in Congressional Medal of Honor, Arizona
- 1861Abraham Lincoln declared President
- 1861Colonel Bernard Irwin attacks and defeats hostile Chiricahua Indians
Born on Feb 13
- 1440Hartmann Schedel: German Physician / humanist / historian
- 1599Alexander VII [Fabio Chigi]: Siena, Italy -- Pope (1655-67)
- 1610Jean de la Badie: French divine, founder of Lagardists
- 1622Adam Pijnacker: Landscape painter / etcher, baptized
- 1658Jan B Wellekens: Dutch poet / painter
- 1660Johann Sigismund Kusser: Composer
- 1682Giovanni Battista Piazzetta: Venice, Italy -- Painter (Fortune Teller)
- 1713Domingo Miguel Bernaube Terradellas: Composer
- 1721John Reid: Composer
- 1755Francois Alexander Sallantin: Composer
- 1756Joannes van der Linden: Lawyer / judge (Ware Pleiter)
- 1757John C Hespe: Dutch journalist / politician
- 1778Fernando Sor: Composer
- 1787James P Carrell: Composer
- 1805David Dudley Field: Lawyer / law codifier
- 1805Peter G L Dirichlet: Germany -- Number theorist / analysist
- 1807Bartolommea Capitanio: Italian monastery founder (Liefdezusters)
- 1813Charles Pierre Schimpf: Governor of Suriname (1855-59)
- 1820Bela Albrecht Pal Keler: Composer
- 1822Lev A Mej: Russian nobleman / poet
- 1829Gerard Keller: Writer (Netherlands Spectator)
- 1831John Aaron Rawlins: Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1869
- 1833William Whedbee Kirkland: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1915
- 1837Valentin de Zubiaurre y Unionbarrenechea: Composer
- 1840Georg Jacobi: Composer
- 1852Johan L E Dreyer: Danish astronomer (New gen catalogue of nebulae)
- 1859Frank van de Goes: Dutch writer / marxist theorist
- 1859William Strang: Scottish painter / engraver
- 1861Uchimura Kanzo: Tokyo, Japan -- Religious writer (How I Became a Christian)
- 1862Karel Weis: Composer
Died on Feb 13
- 1130Honorius II [Lamberto]: Pope (1124-30)
- 1199Stefanus Nemanja (Symeon): Monk
- 1237Jordanus of Saxon: 2nd General of Dominicans, drowns
- 1332Andronicus II Paleologus: Byzantine Emperor (1282-1328) / monk
- 1542Catharine Howard: Queen of England / 5th Wife of Henry VIII, beheaded
- 1629Girolamo Giacobbi: Composer, dies at 61
- 1635Georg R Weckerlin: German poet, dies at 50
- 1662Elisabeth Stuart: English Daughter of James I, dies at 65
- 1693Johann Kaspar von Kerll: German composer, dies at 65
- 1724Francisco Jose Coutinho: Composer, dies at 43
- 1741Johann Joseph Fux: Austrian Composer / music theorist, dies at about 80
- 1784Charles Gravier: French Earl of Vergennes / Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 1798Wilhelm H Wackenroder: German writer (Fantasies of Art), dies at 24
- 1814Augustin Holler: Composer, dies at 69
- 1841Thomas Ainsworth: English / Dutch industrialist, dies at 45
- 1849Christian Rummel: Composer, dies at 61
- 1873Petrus AS van Limburg Brouwer [Abraham van Luik]: Literary
- 1882Henry Highland Garnet: Diplomat, dies at 66 in Monrovia, Liberia
- 1883Wilhelm Richard Wagner: Composer, dies at 69
- 1891David Dixon Porter: US rear Admiral (Union), dies at 77
- 1893Ignacio M Altamirano: Mexican Author (El Zarco), dies at 58
- 1894Franjo Racki: Croatian Historian / politician, dies at 65
- 1896Karl Reinthaler: Composer, dies at 73
- 1907Marcel Bertrand: French mine engineer, dies at 59
- 1917Joel Angel: Russian musicologist / composer, dies at 48
- 1921Willem P C Knuttel: Dutch bibliography / librarian, dies at 67
- 1927Brooks Adams: US philosopher (New Empire), dies at 78
- 1935Violet Paget: British Author (Gospels of Anarchy), dies at 78
- 1937C A Bernoulli: Writer
- 1943William Walraven: Journalist / writer (Neglected Grouser), dies at 55