This day in history: 14 february

Europa

• 270 AD: Execution of Saint Valentine
  According to legend, Saint Valentine was executed in Rome for secretly marrying Christian couples, defying an imperial ban. His martyrdom is the root of the modern Valentine’s Day celebration, though the historical accuracy of these details is debated.
• 842: Oaths of Strasbourg
  Charles the Bald and Louis the German, grandsons of Charlemagne, swore mutual oaths of allegiance in both Old French and Old High German. This event is significant for being among the earliest written examples of these languages and marks an important moment in the formation of modern France and Germany.
• 1014: Henry II Crowned Holy Roman Emperor
  Pope Benedict VIII crowned Henry II as Holy Roman Emperor in Rome, reinforcing the alliance between the papacy and the empire, which was central to the political and religious landscape of medieval Europe.
• 1349: Strasbourg Massacre
  Amid the Black Death, Christian mobs in Strasbourg (now France) burned several hundred Jews to death and expelled the rest of the Jewish community. This was one of the earliest and most notorious pogroms in European history, reflecting the period’s intense social and religious tensions.
• 1400: Death of Richard II of England
  Richard II, former King of England, died on or near 14 February, likely in captivity at Pontefract Castle. His death followed his deposition by Henry IV and remains a subject of historical debate regarding its cause.
• 1797: Battle of Cape St. Vincent
  During the French Revolutionary Wars, the British Royal Navy, under Admiral Sir John Jervis, defeated a larger Spanish fleet off the coast of Portugal. This victory was pivotal for British naval dominance and the reputation of Horatio Nelson.
• 1945: Bombing of Dresden
  On the night of 13–14 February, Allied forces began the firebombing of Dresden, Germany, causing widespread destruction and significant civilian casualties during World War II.

America

• 1778: The United States flag was formally recognized by a foreign naval vessel for the first time, when French Admiral Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte rendered a nine-gun salute to the USS Ranger, commanded by John Paul Jones.
• 1859: Oregon was admitted as the 33rd U.S. state.
• 1876: Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray both applied for a patent for the telephone; Bell ultimately secured the patent.
• 1899: The U.S. Congress approved the use of voting machines in federal elections.
• 1903: The U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor was established (later split into two departments).
• 1912: Arizona was admitted as the 48th and last contiguous U.S. state.
• 1920: The League of Women Voters was founded in Chicago, marking a milestone in the women’s suffrage movement.
• 1924: The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), a major milestone in the history of technology.
• 1929: The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred in Chicago, where seven members of a rival gang were murdered, an infamous event in the history of organized crime.
• 1946: ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic computer, was unveiled in the United States.
• 1849: President James K. Polk became the first sitting U.S. president to have his photograph taken.
• 1945: President Franklin D. Roosevelt met with King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia aboard the USS Quincy, initiating the U.S.–Saudi diplomatic relationship.
• 1961: Element 103, Lawrencium, was first synthesized at the University of California.
• 1530: Spanish conquistadores overthrew and executed Tangaxuan II, the last independent monarch of the Tarascan state in present-day central Mexico.
• 1879: The War of the Pacific began when the Chilean Army occupied the Bolivian port city of Antofagasta.

Asia

• 748 AD – Abbasid Revolution: The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani captured Merv, the capital of the Umayyad province Khorasan (in present-day Turkmenistan), marking a pivotal moment in the Abbasid revolt and the eventual rise of the Abbasid Caliphate.
• 1556 – Coronation of Akbar: Akbar, one of the greatest rulers of the Mughal Empire, was crowned on this day, shaping the future of the Indian subcontinent.
• 1942 – World War II, Battle of Pasir Panjang: This battle contributed to the fall of Singapore to Japanese forces, a major event in Southeast Asian history during World War II.
• 1944 – World War II, Strait of Malacca: A Royal Navy submarine sank a German-controlled Italian submarine in the Strait of Malacca, impacting naval operations in the region.
• 2012 – North Korea: Kim Jong-il was posthumously awarded the title of taewonsu (generalissimo), the country’s highest military rank, on February 14, marking an important date in North Korean political history.
• 2019 – Pulwama Attack (India): A major terrorist attack occurred in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, killing 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. The attack, claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed, led to a significant escalation in India–Pakistan tensions.

Africa

• 1953: Opening of the National Museum of Mali
  The National Museum of Mali, also known as le Musée national du Mali, was officially opened on this day. It is a key cultural institution preserving Mali’s rich heritage and history.
• 1900: Second Boer War – British Invasion of the Orange Free State
  During the Second Boer War, 20,000 British troops invaded the Orange Free State, a significant event in the conflict between the British Empire and the Boer republics in South Africa.
• 1840: Proclamation of Natal as a Voortrekker Republic
  Natal was proclaimed a Voortrekker Republic, with defined borders including the Umzimvubu River in the south and the Black Mfolozi River in the north. This proclamation came amid tensions involving the Zulu kingdom and Boer settlers.
• 1941: Arrival of Rommel’s Afrika Korps in North Africa
  The German 5th Light Division, known as Rommel’s Afrika Korps, arrived in Tripoli to support Italian-led Axis forces during World War II, marking a crucial phase in the North African campaign.