Giordano Bruno, Italian philosopher and astronomer, is burned at the stake for heresy by the Roman Inquisition in Rome.
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What Happened in February?
Emperor ascensions, legendary battles, and assassinations. Discover what happened this month in history. Explore pivotal events from February that helped shape the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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The stratovolcano Huaynaputina, located on the southern Peruvian Andes range, explodes in the most violent eruption in South American recorded history and one of the largest volcanic eruptions in world history over the past 2000 years. eruptions and earth tremors continue until the first week in March. It has been reported that this event dramatically affected the weather and environment in China and the Korean Peninsula. More
The Zemsky Sobor (Assembly of the Land), elects 16 year old, Michael Romanov (Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov), son of Patriarch Filaret of Moscow, as the new Russian Tsar. He was was crowned on 21 July 21. 1613 Michael's election followed the "Time of Troubles" and ended a period of instability in the country.
It marked the beginning of the Romanov dynasty which would go on to rule Russia for over 300 years, until the abdication of Nicholas II in 1917. More
1632 c. February 23
Galileo Galilei publishes "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems," defending the Copernican theory of heliocentrism.
The Scottish National Covenant is signed in Edinburgh, opposing religious reforms imposed by King Charles I of England.
New Amsterdam is given municipal rights and becomes a city. In 1664, the English took over New Amsterdam and renamed it New York after the Duke of York (later James II & VII).
The Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (later New York City) is incorporated on February 2, 1653.
The Dutch East India Company retakes the city of Quilon in India from the Portuguese landing their troops near Palliport and advancing to the main fortress on February 16, 1661 to complete the recapture of the city. The fall of Quilon was only one of the actions in the Dutch takeover of Portuguese strongholds on the Malabar Coast, leading to their dominance in the area.
The Treaty of Westminster is signed on February 19, 1674 ending the Third Anglo-Dutch War, with England (allied with France) making peace with the Dutch Republic which also formally ceded New Netherland (Parts of present-day New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Connecticut;) to England.
King Charles II of England dies, and the Duke of York ascends to the throne as James II of England and Ireland, and James VIII of Scotland. He was the last Catholic King of England and was eventually deposed by William of Orange in the so called, Glorious Revolution." More
William of Orange and Mary II were proclaimed joint sovereigns of Britain on February 13, 1689, after King James II had fled to France as a result of the "Glorious Revolution" in England. They were later crowned on April 11, 1689.On April 4, 1689 he also became King William II of Scotland. He ruled jointly with his wife, Mary II, until her death in 1694, after which he ruled as sole monarch.
Salem witch trials: Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba are accused of witchcraft in Salem Village, Massachusetts.
The Great Northern War begins between Sweden and the coalition of Russia, Saxony, Poland, and Denmark-Norway, during the reign of Peter I of Russia (Peter the Great), who wanted to gain access to the Black Sea.
In 1715 Prussia and Hannover joined the war against Sweden. The King of Hannover was also King George II of Great Britain. Many battles were fought over the 21 years, but Russia finally defeated Sweden at the Battle of Poltava in 1709, although a formal peace treaty was not signed until 1721. More
Alexander Selkirk is rescued after being marooned on a desert island for over four years; inspiring Daniel Defoe's novel "Robinson Crusoe." Selkirk was rescued by Captain Woodes Rogers after being on the island since 1709.
Sir Christopher Wren, the English architect, mathematician and astronomer dies on February 25, 1723 at the age of 90. He is best known for rebuilding London after the Great Fire of 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral.
Peter I, also known as Peter the Great dies from bladder gangrene at he age of 52. He was a very controversial and absolute monarch that managed to expand and westernize Russia's culture and to establish it as a major European power and an empire. Peter the Great moved the capital of Russia from Moscow to St. Petersburg. where it remained the capital of Russia until the communist revolution in 1918. More
The Supreme Privy Council is established in Russia, streamlining administrative processes.
The first president of the United States, George Washington, is born in Westmoreland County, Virginia.
James Oglethorpe and 130 English colonists arrive at Charleston, South Carolina, establishing the colony of Georgia.
The French defeat the Austrians at the Battle of Campo Santo on February 8, 1743, during the War of the Austrian Succession.