History Trivia

February 7, 457 Leo I became emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1301 Edward, eldest son of Edward I was made the first English Prince of Wales, a tradition continued to this day. 1477 Saint Thomas More was born. More was martyred for refusing to accept King Henry VIII as head of the Church of England. 1497 the bonfire of the vanities occurred in which supporters of Girolamo Savonarola burned thousands of objects like cosmetics, art, and books in Florence, Italy. 1550 Julius III became pope. He maintained excellent diplomatic relations with England's Queen Mary Tudor during her turbulent reign, and expanded the Vatican Library, supported universities, and was keenly interested in the arts.

History Trivia

February 6, 337 St Julius I began his reign as Catholic Pope. Julius is credited with setting Jesus' birthday on December 25th. 1189 Riots of Lynn in Norfolk spread to Norwich England. The riots began in Lynn when the Jews attempted to attack a baptized coreligionist who had taken refuge in a church. The seafaring population rose against them, fired their houses, and put them to the sword. 1508 Maximilian I crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1685 James II of England and VII of Scotland became King upon the death of his brother Charles II.

February 5, 46 BC, Marcus Cato, the Roman philosopher, committed suicide by stabbing himself,after learning of the victory of his enemy, Julius Caesar, over Pompey at Thapsus. 62 Pompeii and Herculaneum were severely damaged by an earthquake. 1204 Alexius V was proclaimed Eastern Roman Emperor during the siege of Constantinople. 1265 Pope Clement IV was elected. 1576 Henry of Navarre abjured Catholicism at Tours and rejoined the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion.

History Trivia

February 4, 211 Roman emperor Septimius Severus died at York while campaigning to subdue northern Britain, leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons, Caracalla and Geta. 1194 King Richard I of England was freed by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, after being ransomed. Richard did return to England but soon set sail for France where he died five years later. 1586 Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, became governor of Neth (Netherlands).

History Trivia

February 3, 590 Gregory I, the Great, was elected Roman Catholic pope. He is known as the Father of Christian Worship because of his liturgical reforms. 1014 King Sweyn I (Forkbeard) of Denmark died. The Viking leader established a Danish empire, gained control of Norway, and conquered England. His name appears as Swegen in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

History Trivia

February 2, 506, The Breviarium Alaricianum or Lex Romana Visigothorum, a collection of Roman law, was drafted at Toulouse under Alaric II, King of the Visigoths. 962 Pope John XII crowned Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor in nearly 40 years. 1032 Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor became King of Burgundy. 1208 James I (the Conqueror) King of Aragon was born. 1461 England's War of the Roses: Second battle of St Alban's-Lancastrians defeated Yorkists.

History Trivia

February 1, 772 Adrian I was elected pope. During one of the longest pontificates in history, he forged a strong bond with Charlemagne and presided over the Second Council at Nicea where twenty-two canons relating to points of discipline was established. 1327 Edward III was crowned King of England. 1587 Elizabeth I of England signed the Warrant of Execution for Mary (Queen of Scots).