This day in history: 3 february

Europa

• 1377: The Papal See was moved back to Rome from Avignon, ending the Avignon Papacy. This marked a crucial moment in the history of the Catholic Church, restoring the papal seat to its traditional location in Rome and reasserting its independence and authority in Italy and within the Roman Catholic Church.
• 1468: Death of Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz, Germany. Gutenberg was the inventor of mechanical movable type printing, a development that revolutionized the spread of knowledge in Europe and is considered one of the most important events of the modern period.
• 865: Death of St. Ansgar, known as the Apostle of the North, who played a key role in the Christianization of Scandinavia and northern Germany. He is commemorated as a patron saint of Denmark, and 3 February is his feast day.
• 1830: The London Protocol established the full independence and sovereignty of Greece from the Ottoman Empire, concluding the Greek War of Independence and marking a foundational moment for the modern Greek state.
• 1637: The collapse of Tulip Mania in the Dutch Republic, widely considered the first recorded speculative bubble in history, occurred on this day.
• 1716: A major earthquake struck Algiers, causing severe damage and loss of life, with effects felt across the Mediterranean, including parts of southern Europe.

America

• 1870: The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, guaranteeing the right to vote regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This was a landmark in civil rights, aiming to secure voting rights for African American men after the Civil War.
• 1913: The Sixteenth Amendment was ratified, authorizing the federal government to impose and collect an income tax, fundamentally changing U.S. fiscal policy.
• 1959: Known as “The Day the Music Died,” rock and roll icons Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson tragically died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. This event had a profound impact on American music history.
• 1917: The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany during World War I, following Germany’s announcement of unrestricted submarine warfare. On the same day, the American cargo ship SS Housatonic was sunk by a German U-boat near Britain.
• 1944: During World War II, U.S. Army and Marine forces seized Kwajalein Atoll from Japanese forces as part of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign.
• 1783: Spain officially recognized the independence of the United States, an important diplomatic milestone following the American Revolutionary War.

Asia

• Battle of Diu (1503, India): A pivotal naval battle was fought between the Portuguese and the Ottoman-supported forces in Diu, now part of India. This battle marked a turning point in establishing Portuguese colonial influence in the Indian Ocean.
• Battle of Udgir (1760, India): The Maratha army, led by Sadashiv Rao Bhau, decisively defeated the Nizam of Hyderabad, strengthening Maratha power in the Deccan region.
• Suez Canal Attack (1915, Egypt): During World War I, combined German and Ottoman forces attacked the Suez Canal, a strategic waterway linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
• First Japanese Air Raid on Java (1942, Indonesia): The Japanese military launched its first air raid on Java during World War II, signaling the expansion of Japanese operations in Southeast Asia.
• Battle of Port Moresby and Fall of Ambon (1942, Papua & Indonesia): The Battle of Port Moresby began over Papua, while the Battle of Ambon ended in Japanese victory, both significant events in the Pacific theater during World War II.
• Banaras Hindu University Founded (1916, India): One of India’s most prominent educational institutions, Banaras Hindu University, was established on this day.
• Winter Olympics in Asia (1972, Japan): The Winter Olympics were held for the first time in Asia, in Sapporo, Japan, marking a milestone in the region’s sporting history.
• INS Chakra Inducted (1988, India): The Indian Navy inducted its first nuclear-powered submarine, INS Chakra, strengthening its maritime capabilities.
• Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai Visits Somalia (1964): Zhou Enlai, Premier of China, visited Somalia, highlighting China’s diplomatic outreach to Africa. During his visit, he referenced the historical ties established by the navigator Zheng He over 500 years earlier.

Africa

• 1488: Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias became the first European to land on South African soil at Mossel Bay, a landmark event in the Age of Exploration that opened the sea route around the Cape of Good Hope.
• 1953: The Batepá Massacre occurred in São Tomé and Príncipe, when the colonial administration and Portuguese landowners unleashed violence against the native creole population known as the forros. This event is commemorated annually and remains a key moment in the islands’ struggle against colonial oppression.
• Heroes Day in Mozambique: February 3 is observed as Heroes Day in Mozambique, honoring those who fought for the country’s independence.
• Inauguration of the Nabemba Tower: The tallest building in the Republic of the Congo, the Nabemba Tower, was inaugurated on this day, symbolizing modern aspirations in Central Africa.
• Commemoration of the Batepá Massacre: In São Tomé and Príncipe, this day is set aside to remember the victims of the 1953 massacre, highlighting the legacy of colonial violence and the resilience of the local population.
• Recent history: On February 3, 1989, as the Soviet Union prepared to withdraw from Afghanistan, President Najibullah made a defiant speech in Kabul, reflecting the broader Cold War context that also shaped African geopolitics at the time.