Otto I's wife Adelaide is crowned empress by Pope John XII.
View Historical Events by Day:
What Happened Today in History on February 26
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on February 26th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using our Feedback link.
Battle of Benevento: Charles of Anjou defeats the Hohenstaufen Frederick II.
Pope Clement VI issues the papal bull "Unigenitus," condemning the ideas of the Franciscan Spirituals.
Alfonso V of Aragon takes control of the Kingdom of Naples after his victory over René of Anjou; culminating in his triumphal entry into the city. This victory reunited the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily under his rule, and he then styled himself "King of the Two Sicilies".
Napoleon's escapes from Elba where he was exiled after his forced abdication as French emperor in 1814 and begins his "Hundred Days" rule. Napoleon gathered support in route to Paris, retook power on March 20 as ruler of France and wage war against the English and Prussian armies. All ending in his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18 1815. More
French scientist Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity while working on a series of experiments on phosphorescent materials. During his experiments, Becquerel observed that uranium compounds produced a photographic image on a plate wrapped in black paper.
This indicated the emission of radiation independent of sunlight or external stimulation; an event he later termed "radioactivity". His accidental discovery led to further investigations by the Curies and others, eventually earning Becquerel the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 for his work on natural radioactivity.
A bomb planted by terrorists explodes beneath the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six and injuring over 1,000 people. The World Trade Center building suffered more than $500 million in damage. The attack was carried out by Ramzi Yousef and 6 conspirators. One of them was never captured. More