Europa
- 1096: Pope Urban II confirmed the foundation of the Abbey of La Roë in France as a community of canons regular.
- 1354: The Treaty of Stralsund settled border disputes between the duchies of Mecklenburg and Pomerania (in present-day Germany and Poland).
- 1404: The first post-mortem autopsy for teaching purposes in Europe was performed by Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia in Vienna, Austria.
- 1429: The Battle of the Herrings occurred during the Hundred Years’ War, with English forces successfully defending a supply convoy destined for the siege of Orléans, France.
- 1502: Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama set sail from Lisbon on his second voyage to India, aiming to establish Portuguese dominance in the Indian Ocean and spice trade.
- 1554: Lady Jane Grey, known as the “Nine Days’ Queen” of England, was executed for treason at the age of 16.
- 1689: Following the Glorious Revolution, the Convention Parliament in England declared that King James II’s flight to France constituted abdication, leading to the joint rule of William III and Mary II.
- 1719: The Onderlinge van 1719 u.a., the oldest existing life insurance company in the Netherlands, was founded.
- 1762: The British fleet occupied the island of Martinique (Caribbean, but under European colonial control).
- 1771: Gustav III became King of Sweden after the death of his predecessor, Adolf Frederick.
- 1804: The German philosopher Immanuel Kant died at the age of 79.
- 1818: Chile formally declared its independence from Spain, marking a significant event in the decline of European colonial rule in South America.
- 1886: The second British government of Lord Salisbury formed.
- 1915: German Kaiser Wilhelm approved the strategic bombing of London’s docks during World War I.
- 1921: Winston Churchill became British Minister of Colonies; on the same day, Soviet troops invaded Georgia.
- 1947: French designer Christian Dior unveiled his revolutionary “New Look” in Paris, reestablishing the city as a global fashion center after World War II.
- 1994: Edvard Munch’s iconic painting “The Scream” was stolen from the National Gallery in Norway.
America
- 1809: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was born in a log cabin in Kentucky. Lincoln is celebrated for preserving the Union during the Civil War and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. His birthday is observed as a legal holiday in some states (such as Illinois and New York), and is often commemorated nationally as part of Presidents Day.
- 1733: James Oglethorpe founded the colony of Georgia by settling at Savannah, establishing the last of the original Thirteen Colonies.
- 1825: The Creek Nation ceded the last of their lands in Georgia to the U.S. government through the Treaty of Indian Springs, leading to forced migration westward.
- 1909: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded, becoming one of the most influential civil rights organizations in the United States.
- 1946: Isaac Woodard, an African American U.S. Army veteran, was severely beaten and blinded by a South Carolina police officer. This incident galvanized the civil rights movement and inspired cultural works such as Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil.
- 1999: The U.S. Senate acquitted President Bill Clinton on two articles of impeachment (perjury and obstruction of justice).
- 1980: The Lake Placid Winter Olympics opened in New York.
- 1924: George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue premiered in New York, marking a milestone in American symphonic jazz.
Asia
- 1912: The end of Imperial China
The last emperor of China, Puyi, abdicated on February 12, 1912, marking the official end of the Qing (Manchu) dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China. This was a pivotal moment in Asian and world history, as it ended over two millennia of imperial rule in China and initiated a period of political and social transformation. - Lunar New Year celebrations
The Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year, Tết in Vietnam, or Spring Festival) is celebrated in many Asian countries, including China, Korea, Vietnam, and Tibet. The date varies each year according to the lunar calendar, but in 2021, the Lunar New Year began on February 12. This festival is one of the most significant holidays in East and Southeast Asia, marked by family gatherings, traditional foods, and cultural festivities. - 1931: Japan’s first television broadcast
On February 12, 1931, Japan made its first television broadcast, which was a baseball game. This event marked a milestone in the development of mass media in Asia.
Africa
- 1862: Birth of Sir Thomas Cullinan (South Africa)
Sir Thomas Cullinan, born in the Cape Colony, became a prominent figure in South Africa’s diamond industry. He discovered the Premier Diamond Fields in 1898, after which both a town and the largest diamond ever found—the Cullinan Diamond—were named. Cullinan was knighted in 1910 for his contributions to the industry. - 1880: Founding of Ermelo (South Africa)
The town of Ermelo, now a key educational and commercial center in Mpumalanga Province, was founded by Reverend Frans Lion Cachet of the Dutch Reformed Church. Ermelo later played a role in the Anglo-Boer War and remains a crossroads of major highways. - 1930: Apartheid-era segregation in public spaces (South Africa)
On this date, public places of recreation in white areas were officially proclaimed off-limits to Black South Africans, in line with the Group Areas Act. This included a ban from sporting events, theaters, and concerts in white areas, deepening apartheid segregation. - 1972: Death of Dr. Albertus Daniel Keet (South Africa)
Dr. Keet, known for writing the first Afrikaans love poems, died in Senekal, Orange Free State. - 1989: Assassination of anti-apartheid student activists (eSwatini/Swaziland)
Student activists Porta Shabangu, Thabo Mohale, and Derrick Mashobane were ambushed and shot in eSwatini (then Swaziland) by a South African apartheid death squad (Vlakplaas division) under Eugene de Kock. - 1990: Nelson Mandela’s first press conference after release (South Africa)
Nelson Mandela, newly released from prison, addressed the world’s press at the Archbishop of Cape Town’s residence. He spoke about understanding white fears of domination and emphasized the African National Congress’s commitment to finding a solution for both Black and white South Africans. - 1924: Howard Carter opens Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus (Egypt)
British archaeologist Howard Carter opened the sarcophagus of the ancient Egyptian boy king Tutankhamun, revealing the king’s remains for the first time in 3,300 years.
This day in history: 12 february