What happened on February 11? There are more than 301 events that were made this day in history. Here are the important historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
Interesting Facts & Myths About February 11
February 11 is the 42nd day of the year 2024. There are 324 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Sunday. This day falls under the 6th week of the year 2024.
On this day in Argyle, Florida 32422 sunrise occured at 06:27 AM and sunset occured at 05:29 PM (local time).
The zodiac sign of a person born on this day is Aquarius. The modern birthstone for this month is Amethyst while the mystical birthstone is Bloodstone.
According to the Chinese calendar, there are 353 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year (January 29, 2025).
Is your birthday coming up in two days? Are you not curious to find out who is sharing your special day? Discover all the April 21 famous birthdays. There are fun facts about that day that you must know. (Sponsored link)
Historical Events For February 11
- 660 BCTraditional date for the foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.
- 55Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Emperorship, dies under mysterious circumstances in Rome. This clears the way for Nero to become Emperor.
- 244Emperor Gordian III is murdered by mutinous soldiers in Zaitha (Mesopotamia). A mound is raised at Carchemish in his memory.
- 1531Henry VIII of England is recognized as supreme head of the Church of England.
- 1659The assault on Copenhagen by Swedish forces is beaten back with heavy losses.
- 1752Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital in the United States, is opened by Benjamin Franklin.
- 1790The Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, petitions U.S. Congress for abolition of slavery.
- 1794First session of United States Senate open to the public.
- 1808Jesse Fell burns anthracite on an open grate as an experiment in heating homes with coal.
- 1812Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry “gerrymanders” for the first time.
- 1826Swaminarayan writes the Shikshapatri, an important text within the Swaminarayan faith.
- 1826University College London is founded under the name University of London.
- 1840Gaetano Donizetti’s opera La Fille du Régiment receives its first performance in Paris.
- 1843Giuseppe Verdi’s opera I Lombardi receives its first performance in Milan.
- 1855Kassa Hailu is crowned Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia, by Abuna Salama III in a ceremony at the church of Derasge Maryam
- 1861American Civil War: United States House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state.
- 1873King Amadeus I of Spain abdicates.
- 1889Meiji Constitution of Japan is adopted; the first Diet of Japan convenes in 1890.
- 1903Anton Bruckner’s 9th Symphony receives its first performance in Vienna.
- 1906Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer nos.
- 1916Emma Goldman is arrested for lecturing on birth control.
- 1918New Year’s Day in Chinese calendar. Start of the year of the Earth Horse in Chinese astrology.
- 1919Friedrich Ebert (SPD), is elected President of Germany.
- 1929Fascist Italy and the Vatican sign the Lateran Treaty.
- 1937A sit-down strike ends when General Motors recognizes the United Auto Workers Union.
- 1938BBC Television produces the world’s first ever science fiction television program, an adaptation of a section of the Karel Capek play R.U.R., that coined the term “robot”.
- 1939A Lockheed XP-38 flies from California to New York in 7 hours 2 minutes.
- 1942The first gold record is presented to Glenn Miller for “Chattanooga Choo Choo”.
- 1942World War II: The Battle of Bukit Timah is fought in Singapore.
- 1943World War II: General Dwight Eisenhower is selected to command the allied armies in Europe.
- 1953President Dwight Eisenhower refuses a clemency appeal for Ethel and Julius Rosenberg.
- 1953The Soviet Union breaks off diplomatic relations with Israel.
- 1959The Federation of Arab Emirates of the South, which will later become South Yemen, is created as a protectorate of the United Kingdom.
- 1964Greeks and Turks begin fighting in Limassol, Cyprus.
- 1964The Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) breaks off diplomatic relations with France.
- 1968Israeli-Jordanian border clashes.
- 1971Eighty-seven countries, including the US, UK, and USSR, sign the Seabed Treaty outlawing nuclear weapons on the ocean floor in international waters.
- 1973Vietnam War: First release of American prisoners of war from Vietnam takes place.
- 1978Censorship: the People’s Republic of China lifts a ban on works by Aristotle, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.
- 1979Islamic revolution of Iran establishes an Islamic theocracy under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
- 1981100000 USgal of radioactive coolant leak into the containment building of TVA Sequoyah 1 nuclear plant in Tennessee, contaminating 8 workers.
- 1987The Constitution of the Philippines goes into effect.
- 1990Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years as a political prisoner.
- 1997Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
- 2008Rebel East Timorese soldiers seriously wound President José Ramos-Horta. Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado is killed in the attack.
- 2011Egyptian Revolution culminates in the resignation of Hosni Mubarak and the transfer of power to the Supreme Military Council after 18 days of protests.
Who Were Born On February 11?
- 1377King Ladislaus of Naples (d. 1414)
- 1380Gian Francesco Poggio Bracciolini, Italian humanist (d. 1459)
- 1466Elizabeth of York, wife of Henry VII of England (d. 1503)
- 1535Pope Gregory XIV (d. 1591)
- 1568Honoré d'Urfé, French writer (d. 1625)
- 1649William Carstares, Scottish minister (d. 1715)
- 1657Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, French scientist and man of letters (d. 1757)
- 1755Albert Christoph Dies, German composer (d. 1822)
- 1764Marie-Joseph de Chénier, French poet (d. 1811)
- 1774Hans Järta, Swedish political activist (d. 1847)
- 1776Ioannis Kapodistrias, Greek diplomat of the Russian Empire and first head of state of independent Greece (d. 1831)
- 1799The Blessed Father Basil Anthony Marie Patrice Moreau, Founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross (d. 1873)
- 1800Henry Fox Talbot, English photographer and inventor (d. 1877)
- 1802Lydia Maria Child, American abolitionist (d. 1880)
- 1812Alexander Hamilton Stephens, American politician, Vice President of the Confederate States of America and 50th Governor of Georgia (d. 1883)
- 1813Otto Ludwig, German writer and critic (d. 1865)
- 1819Samuel Parkman Tuckerman, American composer (d. 1890)
- 1821Auguste-Édouard Mariette, French Egyptologist (d. 1881)
- 1829The Rev. Samuel Lodge, English clergyman, author and headmaster (d. 1897)
- 1830Hans Bronsart von Schellendorff, Prussian musician (d. 1913)
- 1833Melville Weston Fuller, American jurist and 8th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1910)
- 1839Josiah Willard Gibbs, American physicist (d. 1903)
- 1847Thomas Alva Edison, American inventor (d. 1931)
- 1860Ellen Day Hale,American painter and printmaker (d. 1940)
- 1860Rachilde, French author (d. 1953)
- 1869Else Lasker-Schüler, German writer (d. 1945)
- 1869Helene Kroller-Muller, Dutch museum founder (d. 1939)
- 1872Hannah Mitchell, English socialist and suffragette (d. 1956)
- 1874Elsa Beskow, Swedish author (d. 1953)
- 1874Fritz Hart, English-born composer (d. 1949)
- 1887John van Melle, South African writer (d. 1953)
- 1889Acharya Ramlochan Saran, Indian writer (d. 1971)
- 1890David Drummond, Australian politician (d. 1965)
- 1891J.W. Hearne English cricketer (d. 1965)
- 1894Alfonso Leng, Chilean composer (d. 1974)
- 1898Leó Szilárd, Hungarian-born physicist (d. 1964)
- 1900Hans-Georg Gadamer, German philosopher (d. 2002)
- 1900Josei Toda, Japanese educator (d. 1958)
- 1901Roddy Connolly, Irish politician, son of James Connolly (d. 1980)
- 1902Arne Jacobsen, Danish architect (d. 1971)
- 1903Hans Redlich, Austrian composer (d. 1968)
- 1904Sir Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister of New Zealand (d. 1983)
- 1908Philip Dunne, American screenwriter, director and producer (d. 1992)
- 1908Vivian Ernest Fuchs, English geologist (d. 1999)
- 1909Joseph L. Mankiewicz, American director (d. 1993)
- 1909Max Baer, American boxer and actor (d. 1959)
- 1912Roy Fuller, English writer (d. 1991)
- 1914Matt Dennis, American singer (d. 2002)
- 1915Patrick Leigh Fermor, English author
- 1917Sidney Sheldon, American author (d. 2007)
- 1917T. Nagi Reddy, Indian revolutionary (d. 1976)
- 1919Eva Gabor, Hungarian-born actress (d. 1995)
- 1920Billy Halop, American actor (d. 1976)
- 1920Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., American general (d. 1978)
- 1920Daniel F. Galouye, science fiction author (d.1976)
- 1920King Farouk I of Egypt (d. 1965)
- 1921Edward Seidensticker, American scholar (d. 2007)
- 1921Lloyd Bentsen, American politician and 69th United States Secretary of the Treasury (d. 2006)
- 1923Antony Flew, British philosopher (d. 2010)
- 1925Kim Stanley, American actress (d. 2001)
- 1925Virginia E. Johnson, of Masters and Johnson renown. American psychologist.
- 1926Leslie Nielsen, Canadian actor (d. 2010)
- 1926Paul Bocuse, French chef
- 1926Sir Alexander Gibson, Scottish conductor (d. 1995)
- 1930Roy De Forest, American Painter (d. 2007)
- 1931Larry Merchant, American sportswriter
- 1932Dennis Skinner, British politician
- 1932Jerome Lowenthal, American pianist
- 1934John Surtees, English motorcycle and race car driver
- 1934Manuel Noriega, Panamanian general and dictator
- 1934Mary Quant, English fashion designer
- 1934Mel Carnahan, American politician and 51st Governor of Missouri (d. 2000)
- 1934Tina Louise, American actress
- 1935Bent Lorentzen, Danish composer
- 1935Gene Vincent, American musician (d. 1971)
- 1936Burt Reynolds, American actor
- 1937Bill Lawry, Australian cricketer
- 1937Eddie Shack, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1938Bevan Congdon, New Zealand cricketer
- 1938Bobby “Boris” Pickett, American singer and songwriter (d. 2007)
- 1938Simone de Oliveira, Portuguese actress
- 1939Gerry Goffin, American lyricist
- 1939Jane Yolen, American author
- 1941Sergio Mendes, Brazilian musician
- 1943Serge Lama, French singer
- 1946Ian Porterfield, English footballer (d. 2007)
- 1947Derek Shulman, English musician
- 1947Joselito, Spanish singer
- 1947Kikko Matsuoka, Japanese actress
- 1947Roy Carrier, American Zydeco musician (d. 2010)
- 1947Yukio Hatoyama, Japanese politician
- 1948Chris Rush, American stand-up comedian
- 1949Guy Cloutier, French-Canadian music executive; father of Véronique Cloutier
- 1953Jeb Bush, American politician and 43rd Governor of Florida
- 1953Philip Anglim, American actor
- 1954Noriyuki Asakura, Japanese composer
- 1954Wesley Strick, American screenwriter
- 1956Catherine Hickland, American actress
- 1956Didier Lockwood, French violinist
- 1956H.R., American singer
- 1957Mitchell Symons, British writer
- 1957Peter Klashorst, Dutch painter, sculptor, and photographer
- 1959Bradley Cole, American actor
- 1959Deborah Meaden, British entrepreneur
- 1959Roberto Moreno, Brazilian racing driver
- 1960Nick Currie, Scottish musician
- 1960Richard Mastracchio, NASA astronaut
- 1961Carey Lowell, American actress
- 1961Mary Docter, American speed skater
- 1962Eric Vanderaerden, Belgian cyclist
- 1962Sheryl Crow, American musician
- 1962Tammy Baldwin, American politician
- 1963Diane Franklin, American actress
- 1963José Mari Bakero, Spanish footballer
- 1964Ken Shamrock, American martial artist
- 1964Sarah Palin, American politician and 9th Governor of Alaska
- 1965Vicki Wilson, Australian netballer
- 1967Hank Gathers, American basketball player (d. 1990)
- 1967Ty Treadway, American actor
- 1967Uwe Daßler, German swimmer
- 1969Andreas Hilfiker, Swiss footballer
- 1969Jennifer Aniston, American actress
- 1969P.J. Sparxx, American pornographic actress
- 1970Fredrik Thordendal, Swedish musician
- 1971Damian Lewis, British actor
- 1971Evan Tanner, American mixed-martial artist (d. 2008)
- 1972Brian Daubach, American baseball player
- 1972Craig Jones, American musician (Slipknot)
- 1972Kelly Slater, American surfer
- 1972Steve McManaman, English footballer
- 1973Ethan Iverson, jazz pianist
- 1973Jeon Do-yeon, Korean actress
- 1973Varg Vikernes, Norwegian musician (Burzum, Mayhem)
- 1974Alex Jones, American radio host
- 1974D'Angelo, American singer
- 1974Isaiah Mustafa, American actor, spokesman
- 1974Nick Barmby, English footballer
- 1974Zain Verjee, American newsreporter
- 1975Andy Lally, American racing driver
- 1975Jacque Vaughn, American basketball player
- 1976André Wickström, Finland-Swedish comedian and actor
- 1976Brice Beckham, American actor
- 1976Jorge Luís, Brazilian footballer
- 1976Peter Hayes, American musician
- 1976Tony Battie, American basketball player
- 1977Mike Shinoda, American musician (Linkin Park and Fort Minor)
- 1979Brandy, American singer and actress
- 1980Cormac McAnallen, Northern Irish Gaelic footballer (d. 2004)
- 1980Marco Bresciano, Australian footballer
- 1980Matthew Lawrence, American actor
- 1980Titi Buengo, Angolan footballer
- 1981Kelly Rowland, American singer
- 1981Scot Thompson, American footballer
- 1982Jürgen Schmid, German footballer
- 1982Natalie Dormer, English actress
- 1982Neil Robertson, Australian snooker player
- 1983Huang Shengyi, Chinese actress
- 1983Nicki Clyne, Canadian actress
- 1983Rafael Van der Vaart, Dutch footballer
- 1983Tihhon Šišov, Estonian footballer
- 1983Tony Curtis, American football player
- 1984Aubrey O'Day, American singer
- 1984Maxime Talbot, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1985Harris Allan, Canadian actor
- 1985Mike Richards, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1985William Beckett, American singer
- 1987Brian Matusz, American baseball player
- 1989Lovi Poe, Filipina singer and television actress
- 1990Go Ara, South Korean actress (SM Entertainment)
- 1990Princess Ayah bint Al Faisal, Jordanian royalty
- 1991Christofer Ingle, American musician (Never Shout Never)
- 1991Georgia May Foote, British actress
- 1992Taylor Lautner, American actor
- 1994Dominic Janes, American actor
Who Died On February 11?
- 244Gordian III, Emperor of Rome
- 641Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium
- 731Pope Gregory II
- 821Saint Benedict of Aniane
- 824Pope Paschal I
- 1141Hugo of St. Victor, German philosopher and theologian (b. 1096)
- 1160Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Japanese general (b. 1123)
- 1503Elizabeth of York, queen consort of Henry VII of England (b. 1466)
- 1626Pietro Cataldi, Italian mathematician (b. 1552)
- 1650René Descartes, French philosopher (b. 1596)
- 1685David Teniers III, Flemish painter (b. 1638)
- 1713Jahandar Shah, Mughal emperor of India (b. 1664)
- 1755Francesco Scipione, marchese di Maffei, Italian archaeologist (b. 1675)
- 1762Johann Tobias Krebs, German composer (b. 1690)
- 1763William Shenstone, English poet (b. 1714)
- 1795Carl Michael Bellman, Swedish poet and composer (b. 1740)
- 1797Antoine Dauvergne, French composer (b. 1713)
- 1829Alexandr Griboyedov, Russian playwright (b. 1795)
- 1860Ellen Day Hale,American painter and printmaker (b. 1855)
- 1862Elizabeth Siddal, British poet and artist (b. 1829)
- 1868Léon Foucault, French astronomer (b. 1819)
- 1879Honoré Daumier, French caricaturist and painter (b. 1808)
- 1917Oswaldo Cruz, Brazilian physician (b. 1872)
- 1923Wilhelm Killing, German mathematician (b. 1847)
- 1931Charles Algernon Parsons, British inventor (b. 1854)
- 1939Franz Schmidt, Austrian composer (b. 1874)
- 1940John Buchan, Governor-General of Canada (b. 1875)
- 1945Al Dubin, Swiss songwriter (b. 1891)
- 1948Sergei Eisenstein, Soviet film director (b. 1898)
- 1954Adolph M. Christianson, justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court (b. 1877)
- 1958Ernest Jones, British psychonanalyst (b. 1879)
- 1959Marshall Teague, American race car driver (b. 1922)
- 1963John Olof Dahlgren, American recipient of the Medal of Honor (b. 1872)
- 1963Sylvia Plath, American writer (b. 1932)
- 1967A.J. Muste, American peace activist (b. 1885)
- 1967Tran Tu Binh, Vietnamese general and politician (b. 1907)
- 1968Howard Lindsay, American playwright (b. 1888)
- 1972Jan Wils, Dutch architect (b. 1891)
- 1973J. Hans D. Jensen, German physicist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1907)
- 1975Richard Ratsimandrava, Malagasy soldier and statesman, assassinated (b. 1931)
- 1976Alexander Lippisch, German scientist (b. 1894)
- 1976Frank Arnau, German writer (b. 1894)
- 1976Lee J Cobb, American actor (b. 1911)
- 1977Louis Beel, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (b. 1902)
- 1978Harry Martinson, Swedish writer, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1904)
- 1978James B Conant, American chemist and university president (b. 1893)
- 1981Franz Sondheimer, British chemist (b. 1926)
- 1982Eleanor Powell, American actress and dancer (b. 1912)
- 1982Takashi Shimura, Japanese actor (b. 1905)
- 1985Ben Abruzzo, American businessman and balloonist (b. 1930)
- 1985Heinz Eric Roemheld, American composer (b. 1901)
- 1985Henry Hathaway, American actor and director (b. 1898)
- 1986Evelio Javier, Filipino politician, lawyer, and civil servant (b. 1942)
- 1986Frank Herbert, American author (b. 1920)
- 1989George O'Hanlon, American actor and director (b. 1912)
- 1993George A. Stephen, founder of Weber-Stephen Products Co. (b. 1922)
- 1993Robert W. Holley, American biochemist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1922)
- 1994Neil Bonnett, American race car driver (b. 1946)
- 1994Paul Feyerabend, Austrian philosopher (b. 1924)
- 1994Sorrell Booke, American actor (b. 1930)
- 1994William Conrad, American actor (b. 1920)
- 1996Amelia Rosselli, Italian poet (b. 1930)
- 1996Cyril Poole, English cricketer (b. 1921)
- 1996Kebby Musokotwane, Prime Minister of Zambia (b. 1946)
- 1997Don Porter, American actor (b. 1912)
- 2000Jacqueline Auriol, French aviatrix (b. 1917)
- 2000Roger Vadim, French director (b. 1928)
- 2002Barry Foster, British actor (b. 1931)
- 2002Frankie Crosetti, baseball player (b. 1910)
- 2004Shirley Strickland, Australian athlete (b. 1925)
- 2005Jack L. Chalker, American author (b. 1944)
- 2005Stan Richards English television actor (b. 1930)
- 2006Jackie Pallo, wrestler (b. 1926)
- 2006Jockey Shabalala, South African singer (b. 1943)
- 2006Peter Benchley, American author (b. 1940)
- 2007Marianne Fredriksson, Swedish author (b. 1927)
- 2008Frank Piasecki, American aeronautical designer (b. 1919)
- 2008Tom Lantos, American politician (b. 1928)
- 2009Eleanor Harz Jorden American linguistics scholar and an influential Japanese language educator and expert. (b. 1920)
- 2010Alexander McQueen, English fashion designer (b. 1969)
- 2010Vance A. Larson, American artist (b. 1951)
- 2011Chuck Tanner, American Baseball player (b. 1928)
- 2011Tom Carnegie, American sports announcer (b. 1919)
What no one tells you about your first name’s personality. Are there magical powers hidden in your given name? Check out Micah’s personality and get smart about names today. (Sponsored links)