History
On this day in 1959: Power in Cuba seized by Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro (1926-2016) was a revolutionary leader who shaped Cuban history as its prime minister and president for nearly five...
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On this day in 1965: Canada officially adopted the Maple Leaf Flag following a royal proclamation
The Maple Leaf Flag, Canada's iconic national symbol, was officially adopted on February 15, 1965, following a royal proclamation by...
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On this day in 1989: Fatwa issued against Salman Rushdie
In February 1989, a seismic event in literary history occurred when Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the...
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On this day in 1883: Richard Wagner died in Venice at age 69.
Richard Wagner (1813-1883) stands as one of the most influential and controversial figures in classical music history. As a German...
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On this day in 1912: Puyi, the last emperor of China, abdicated at the end of the Chinese Revolution.
On February 12, 1912, six-year-old Puyi, the last Emperor of China's Qing Dynasty, formally abdicated the throne, marking the end...
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On this day in 1990: After serving 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela was released
On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela walked to freedom after 27 years of imprisonment, marking a pivotal moment in South...
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On this day in 1996: Kasparov versus the computer “Deep Blue” chess match
In 1996, IBM's Deep Blue first faced Garry Kasparov in Philadelphia for a six-game match that had a very different...
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On this day in 2002: Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elisabeth II, died at age 71
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (1930-2002), was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and a figure who captivated the...
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On this day in 1587: Mary, Queen of Scots, beheaded
Mary Stewart (also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland) was one of the most fascinating and tragic...
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On this day in 1613: Michael Romanov, founder of the Romanov dynasty, became tsar of Russia.
The Romanov dynasty ruled Russia from 1613 until its dramatic fall in 1917, shaping the nation's history across three centuries....
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