History Trivia

February 20, 1071 William FitzOsbern, a staunch support of William the Conqueror, died.1472 Norway gave the Orkney and Shetland islands to Scotland in lieu of a dowry for Margaret of Denmark. 1513 Pope Julius II died and was buried in a tomb sculptured by Michelangelo. 1547 Edward VI of England was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey. 1673 First recorded wine auction was held in London.

History Trivia

February 19,197 Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeated usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum, the bloodiest battle between Roman armies. 356 The Christian Roman emperor Constantius II issued a decree closing all pagan temples.607 Boniface III was elected Pope. 1408 The revolt of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, against King Henry IV, ended with his defeat and death at Bramham Moor. 1473 Nicolau Copernicus, the father of modern astronomy, was born.

History Trivia

February 18, 1229 The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor signed a ten-year truce with al-Kamil, regaining Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem with neither military engagements nor support from the papacy. 1478 George, Duke of Clarence, convicted of treason against his older brother Edward IV of England, was executed. 1503 Henry Tudor (Henry VIII) was created Prince of Wales. 1516 Mary Tudor, daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, was born. 1546 Martin Luther died. 1564 Michelangelo Buonarrotti died.

History Trivia

February 17, 1370 The Battle of Rudau - Teutonic knights defeated the Lithuanians in their attempt to Christianize the country. 1461 Second Battle of Saint Albans where the Lancastrians were victorious, and were able to free King Henry VI who had been imprisoned by the Earl of Warwick. 1779 British historian Edward Gibbon published the The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

History Trivia

February 16, 116 Emperor Trajan sent laureatae (word of military glory) to the Roman Senate at Rome on account of his victories and being conqueror of Parthia. 374 The ninth recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. 600 Pope Gregory the Great decreed the saying "God bless you" is the correct response to a sneeze. 1646 The Battle of Great Torrington, Devon was the last major battle of the first English Civil War.

History Trivia

February 15, 44 BC, Mark Antony offered Julius Caesar the diadem of royalty which he refused. 360 AD the first Cathedral of Santa Sophia in Constantinople was dedicated. 399 Philosopher Socrates was sentenced to death. 670 Oswy, King of Bernicia and subordinate to King Penda of Mercia for 13 years died. When Penda invaded Bernicia, he was killed by Oswy's forces. Oswy then united all of Northumbria, which he ruled from 655 until his death. 1113 The Knights Hospitaller, founded to care for sick pilgrims in Jerusalem, was formally named and recognized. The order evolved throughout the Crusades and still exists today. 1564 Galileo Galilei was born.

History Trivia

February 14, 44 BC, Julius Caesar was made dictator of Rome for life, which turned out to be one month and a day. 1014 Henry II, the last of the Saxon dynasty of emperors, was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1400 Britain's deposed Richard II was murdered in Pontefract Castle in Yorkshire. 1556 Thomas Cranmer, leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI, was declared a heretic when staunch Catholic Mary I became Queen.