February 11 is the 42nd day of the year in the
Gregorian Calendar. There are 323 days remaining, 324 in
leap years.
Events:
- 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu Tenno.
- 385 - Oldest Pope elected; Siricius, bishop of Tarragona.
- 731 - Gregory II ends his reign as Pope.
- 824 - Paschal I ends his reign as Pope.
- 1531 - Henry VIII of England recognized as supreme head of the Church of England.
- 1543 - Battle of Wayna Daga[?] - Ethiopian/Portuguese troops beat Muslim army.
- 1720 - Sweden & Prussia sign peace (2nd Treaty of Stockholm[?]).
- 1752 - Pennsylvania Hospital[?], 1st hospital in the United States, opens.
- 1790 - Society of Friends petitions United States Congress for abolition of slavery.
- 1794 - First session of United States Senate open to the public.
- 1808 - Anthracite coal first burned as fuel, experimentally.
- 1809 - Robert Fulton patents the steamboat
- 1810 - Napoleon marries Marie-Louise of Austria.
- 1812 - Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry gerrymanders for the first time.
- 1814 - Norway's independence is proclaimed, marking the ultimate end of the Kalmar Union
- 1826 - London University is founded.
- 1837 - American Physiological Society[?] organizes in Boston, Massachusetts.
- 1840 - Gaetano Donizetti's opera La Fille du Regiment[?] premieres in Paris.
- 1843 - Giuseppe Verdi's opera I Lombardi[?] premieres in Milan.
- 1858 - Blessed Virgin Mary is said to appear to Saint Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes.
- 1861 - American Civil War: United States House of Representatives unanimously passes resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state.
- 1873 - Spanish Cortes fires king Amadeus I.
- 1889 - Meiji constitution[?] of Japan adopted; 1st Diet of Japan convenes in 1890
- 1902 - Police beat up universal suffrage demonstrators in Brussels.
- 1903 - Anton Bruckner's 9th Symphony premieres in Vienna.
- 1905 - Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer nos.
- 1908 - Australia regain the Ashes with a 308 run cricket victory over England.
- 1916 - Emma Goldman arrested for lecturing on birth control.
- 1919 - Friedrich Ebert (SPD), elected President of Germany.
- 1928 - 1928 Winter Olympic Games open in St. Moritz[?], Switzerland
- 1929 - Italy and the Vatican sign the Lateran Treaty.
- 1937 - A sit-down strike ends when General Motors recognizes the United Automobile Workers Union[?].
- 1941 - First Gold record presented to Glenn Miller for "Chattanooga Choo Choo[?]".
- 1943 - General Dwight Eisenhower selected to command the allied armies in Europe.
- 1945 - Yalta Conference ends.
- 1948 - John Costello follows Eamon de Valera as Premier of Ireland[?].
- 1953 - President Dwight Eisenhower refuses clemency appeal for Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
- 1953 - The Soviet Union breaks diplomatic relations with Israel.
- 1961 - Trial of Adolf Eichmann begins in Jerusalem.
- 1963 - The Beatles tape 10 tracks for their first album, including "Please, Please Me".
- 1964 - At the Washington, DC Coliseum, The Beatles have their 1st live appearance in the United States.
- 1964 - Greeks and Turks begin fighting in Limassol, Cyprus.
- 1964 - Taiwan drops diplomatic relations with France.
- 1968 - Israeli-Jordanian border clashes.
- 1968 - Madison Square Garden III closes and Madison Square Garden IV opens in New York City
- 1971 - US, UK, USSR, others sign Seabed Treaty[?] outlawing nuclear weapons in international waters.
- 1973 - Vietname War[?]: First release of American prisoners of war from Vietnam takes place.
- 1978 - Censorship: China lifts a ban on works by Aristotle, Shakespeare and Dickens.
- 1979 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seizes power in Iran.
- 1986 - Rights activist Anatoly Scharansky[?], released by the USSR, leaves the country.
- 1987 - Philippines constitution goes into effect.
- 1990 - James "Buster" Douglas KOs Mike Tyson to win heavyweight[?] boxing crown.
- 1990 - Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner for 27 years, is freed from Victor Verster prison outside Cape Town, South Africa.
- 1991 - UNPO, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, forms in The Hague, Netherlands.
Births:
- 1380 - Gianfrancesco Poggio Bracciolini, Italian humanist
- 1465 - Elizabeth of York, consort of King Henry VII of England
- 1535 - Pope Gregory XIV
- 1557 - John Uijtenbogaert[?] Dutch remonstrant theologian.
- 1568 - Honore d'Urfe[?] French writer
- 1657 - Bernard Le Bovier Fontenelle[?], French scientist and man of letters
- 1755 - Albert Christoph Dies[?], composer
- 1764 - Marie-Joseph de Chenier[?] French poet
- 1774 - Hans Jarta[?], Swedish political activist, administrator, publicist
- 1776 - Joannis Capodistrias Greek governor of Troezen[?] (1827-31)
- 1780 - Karoline von Günderode[?], poet (+ 1806)
- 1790 - Ignaz Assmayer[?], composer
- 1800 - William Henry Fox Talbot, English photographic pioneer
- 1802 - Lydia Child[?]
- 1810 - Loisa Puget[?], composer
- 1812 - Alexander Hamilton Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America
- 1812 - Benjamin Franklin Sands[?], Commander (Union Navy)
- 1813 - Otto Ludwig[?], German novelist, playwright, critic
- 1819 - Samuel Parkman Tuckerman[?], composer
- 1821 - Auguste Edouard Mariette[?], French Egyptologist
- 1821 - Hermann Allmers[?], writer
- 1830 - Hans Bronsart von Schellendorf[?], composer
- 1830 - Peter Arnold Heise[?], composer
- 1833 - Melville Weston Fuller[?] 8th Cchief Justice of the United States[?]
- 1839 - Josiah Willard Gibbs theoretical physicist, chemist.
- 1847 - Thomas Alva Edison, inventor (+ 1931)
- 1860 - Rachilde[?] [Marguerite Vallette-Eymery], French author
- 1867 - August W Messer[?], German philosopher, educator, psychologist
- 1869 - Helene Kroller-Muller Dutch museum founder and patron of the arts
- 1869 - Else Lasker-Schüler[?], lyricist, dramatist and narrator (+ 1945)
- 1873 - Feodor Chaliapine[?], Russian author
- 1874 - Elsa Beskow (Maartman), Swedish children's book and fairy tales author
- 1874 - Fritz Bennicke Hart[?], composer
- 1875 - Sara Wennerberg-Reuter[?], composer
- 1879 - Jean Gilbert[?], composer
- 1882 - Gheorghe Cucu[?] composer
- 1883 - Paul August von Klenau[?] Danish composer, conductor
- 1887 - Ernst Hanfstängl[?] pianist, politician
- 1887 - John van Melle South African writer
- 1889 - Vladimir Mikhaylovich Deshevov[?] composer
- 1890 - John de Vries[?], fairy tale writer
- 1891 - J W Hearne[?] English cricket player
- 1893 - Johan Alberts[?] Dutch literary figure
- 1894 - Alfonso Leng, composer
- 1894 - Isaac Kolthoff[?] chemist
- 1895 - Viktor Nikolayevich Trambitsky[?], composer
- 1896 - Else Lasker-Schüler[?], writer
- 1897 - Yves de La Casiniere[?], composer
- 1898 - Leo Szilard, physicist, peace activist
- 1900 - Thomas Hitchcock Jr[?], polo player
- 1900 - Hans-Georg Gadamer, German philosopher
- 1902 - Arne Jacobsen Danish architect/designer
- 1903 - Hans Redlich[?], composer
- 1904 - Henry LaBouisse[?], head of UNICEF
- 1904 - Sir Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister of New Zealand
- 1905 - Elizabeth Vuyk[?], Dutch/Indonesian writer
- 1906 - Denis Barnett[?], British air chief marshal
- 1907 - E W Swanton[?], author, sports commentator
- 1908 - Sutan Takdir Alishahbana[?], Indonesian linguist, author, novelist
- 1908 - Vivian Ernest Fuchs[?], geologist, explorer
- 1908 - Josh White[?]
- 1909 - Joseph Mankiewicz[?], director
- 1909 - Max Baer[?] (The Livermore Larruper), boxer, actor
- 1911 - Alec Cairncross[?] chancellor of the University of Glasgow.
- 1912 - Roy Fuller[?] English poet/novelist
- 1912 - Rudolf Firkusny Napajedla[?], pianist
- 1913 - Lucio Diestro[?], composer
- 1914 - Matt Dennis[?], singer
- 1914 - French Duynstee[?], Dutch constitutional lawyer
- 1914 - Menelaos Pallantios[?], composer
- 1914 - Winand Borgerhoff Mulder[?] court judge of Amsterdam
- 1915 - Haakon Stotijn[?], Dutch oboist
- 1915 - Mervyn Levy[?], artist, critic
- 1915 - Patrick Leigh Fermor, author
- 1916 - Bernice Levin Neugarten[?], social scientist, gerontologist
- 1916 - Joseph Alioto[?], Mayor of San Francisco, California
- 1917 - Richard Jock Kinneir[?], graphic designer
- 1917 - Sidney Sheldon[?], author
- 1919 - Gretchen Fraser[?], slalom skier
- 1919 - Eddie Robinson[?], college football coach.
- 1920 - Billy Halop[?], actor
- 1920 - Daniel Galouye[?], American science fiction author
- 1920 - King Farouk I of Egypt (+ 1965)
- 1920 - Paul Peter Piech, artist
- 1921 - Eva Gabor, actress
- 1921 - Lloyd Bentsen[?], American politician
- 1922 - Leslie Nielsen, actor
- 1922 - Tudor Jarda[?], composer
- 1923 - Ronald Arculus[?], British diplomat
- 1924 - Mary Tregear[?], Oriental art historian
- 1925 - Peter Berger[?], British Vice-Admiral
- 1925 - Kim Stanley, actress
- 1925 - Virginia Johnson[?], doctor, sexologist
- 1926 - Paul Bocuse[?] French chef
- 1926 - Alexander Gibson[?] British conductor/founder of the Scottish Opera[?]
- 1928 - Conrad Janis[?], actor
- 1928 - Archibald Forster[?], CEO (Esso UK)
- 1928 - Gerry Alexander[?]West Indies cricket player
- 1928 - Raoul Cita[?], rocker
- 1928 - Gotthilf Fischer[?], choirmaste
- 1929 - Leonard Gregory Kastle[?], composer
- 1930 - Alevtina Koltschina[?] Soviet skier
- 1930 - C H Dearnley[?], organist
- 1931 - Larry Merchant[?], author, boxing commentator
- 1932 - Jerome Lowenthal[?], pianist, professor
- 1934 - Francesco Pennisi[?], composer
- 1934 - John Surtees, British race car[?] driver
- 1934 - Mary Quant, fashion designer
- 1934 - Tina Louise[?], actress
- 1935 - (disputed) Sergio Mendes[?], musician, songwriter
- 1935 - Gerry Goffin[?], songwriter
- 1935 - Bent Lorentzen[?], composer
- 1935 - (disputed) - Gene Vincent, rock music guitarist, vocalist
- 1936 - Burt Reynolds, actor
- 1937 - Bill Lawry[?], Australian cricket player.
- 1937 - Lodewijk Boer[?], Dutch violinist, playwright
- 1937 - Marilyn Butler[?], Rector of Exeter College, Oxford
- 1937 - Peter Lashley[?], West Indies cricket player.
- 1938 - Bevan Congdon[?], New Zealand cricket player
- 1938 - Willy Correa de Oliveira[?], composer
- 1938 - Manuel Noriega, Panamanian general and dictator
- 1939 - Gerry Goffin[?], lyricist
- 1939 - Jane Yolen[?], science fiction author
- 1940 - Bobby Picket[?], musician
- 1942 - Otis Clay[?], gospel qand R&B singer
- 1943 - Iain Cameron[?] British brigadier
- 1944 - Bert Greene[?] golfer
- 1944 - Buddhadev Dasgupta[?], film director
- 1953 - Philip Anglim[?], actor
- 1961 - Mary Docter[?], speed skater
- 1961 - Carey Lowell[?], actress
- 1962 - Sheryl Crow, musician
- 1969 - Jennifer Aniston, actress
- 1970 - Alistair Brown[?], English cricket player.
- 1974 - D'Angelo, singer.
- 1979 - Brandy Norwood, singer.
- 1980 - Matthew Lawrence[?], actor.
- 1980 - Natasha Bobo, actress.
Deaths:
- 641 - Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium (610-641).
- 731 - Pope Gregory II
- 821 - Saint Benedict of Aniane[?]
- 824 - Pope Paschal I
- 1141 - Hugo of St. Victor[?], philosopher, theologian, mystic
- 1503 - Elizabeth of York, consort of King Henry VII of England
- 1543 - Ahmed Gran[?], sultan of Adal[?]
- 1622 - Alfonso Fontanelli[?], composer
- 1650 - René Descartes, philosopher
- 1685 - David Teniers III[?], Flemish painter
- 1762 - Johann Tobias Krebs, composer
- 1797 - Antoine Dauvergne[?], composer
- 1806 - Vicente Martin y Soler[?], composer
- 1841 - J H Ferdinand Olivier[?], German painter
- 1868 - Léon Foucault, astronomer
- 1870 - Leopold Eugen Mechura[?], composer.
- 1879 - Honore Daumier[?], caricaturist/painter.
- 1879 - Willem J van Zeggelen[?], Dutch author.
- 1882 - Gustav Schmidt[?], composer.
- 1892 - Erik Anthon Valdemar Siboni[?], composer.
- 1894 - Pasqual Juan Emilio Arrieta y Corera[?] composer
- 1903 - Henryk Szulc[?], composer
- 1907 - Peter J Savelberg[?], Dutch monastery founder
- 1911 - Albert von Rothschild[?], baron, Austrian banker
- 1922 - Gerardus J P Bolland[?], Dutch philosopher
- 1931 - Charles Algernon Parsons[?], British inventor
- 1939 - Franz Schmidt, Austrian composer
- 1940 - John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, Governor-General of Canada
- 1945 - Al Dubin[?], Swiss songwriter
- 1945 - J S H Lokerman[?], Dutch resistance fighter
- 1948 - Sergei Eisenstein, film director
- 1961 - Eduard R Verkade[?], Dutch actor, director
- 1963 - Sylvia Plath, poet, novelist
- 1968 - Howard Lindsay[?], playwright
- 1970 - Emil Abranyi[?], composer.
- 1971 - Whitney Young Jr[?], National Urban League[?] director
- 1972 - Jan Wils[?], architect
- 1973 - Hans D Jensen[?], German physicist
- 1976 - Lee J Cobb[?], actor
- 1977 - Louis J M Beel[?], Premier of the Netherlands[?]
- 1978 - James B Conant[?], headmaster of Harvard University
- 1982 - Eleanor Powell[?], actress, dancer
- 1982 - Takashi Shimura[?], Japanese actor
- 1985 - Heinz Eric Roemheld[?], composer
- 1985 - Henry Hathaway[?] actor, director
- 1985 - Ulysses Simpson Kay[?], composer
- 1986 - Frank Herbert, science fiction author
- 1989 - George O'Hanlon[?], actor, director
- 1991 - Oscar Nitzchke[?], German architect
- 1993 - George A Stephen[?], inventor
- 1994 - Sorrell Brooke[?], actor
- 1994 - William Conrad[?], actor
- 1996 - Amelia Rosselli[?], poet
- 1996 - Bob Shaw, science fiction author
- 1996 - Cyril Poole[?], English cricket player
- 1996 - Kebby Musokotwane[?], prime minister of Zambia
- 2000 - Roger Vadim, French director
- Catholicism - Feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes.
- World Day of the Sick.
See Also: January,
February,
March,
April,
May,
June,
July,
August,
September,
October,
November,
December
February 10 - February 12 - January 11 - March 11 - more
historical anniversaries