Events

• 1249 – Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with Mongol Khagan of the Mongol Empire.

• 1646 – Battle of Great Torrington, Devon – the last major battle of the first English Civil War.

• 1742 – Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, becomes British Prime Minister.

• 1804 – First Barbary War: Stephen Decatur leads a raid to burn the pirate-held frigate .

• 1838 – Weenen Massacre: Hundreds of Voortrekkers along the Blaukraans River, Natal are killed by Zulus.

• 1852 – Studebaker Brothers wagon company, precursor of the automobile manufacturer, is established.

• 1859 – The French Government passes a law to set the A-note above middle C to a frequency of 435 Hz, in an attempt to standardize the pitch.

• 1862 – American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Donelson, Tennessee.

• 1866 – Spencer Compton Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington becomes the British Secretary of State for War.

• 1868 – In New York City the Jolly Corks organization is renamed the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

• 1899 – President Félix Faure of France dies in office.

• 1899 – Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur Iceland's first football club is founded.

• 1918 – The Council of Lithuania unanimously adopts the Act of Independence, declaring Lithuania an independent state.

• 1923 – Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

• 1934 – Austrian Civil War ends with the defeat of the Social Democrats and the Republican Schutzbund.

• 1934 – Commission of Government is sworn in as form of direct rule for the Dominion of Newfoundland.

• 1936 – Elections bring the Popular Front to power in Spain.

• 1937 – Wallace H. Carothers receives a patent for nylon.

• 1940 – World War II: Altmark Incident: The German tanker Altmark is boarded by sailors from the British destroyer HMS Cossack. 299 British prisoners are freed.

• 1943 – World War II: The Soviet troops reenter Kharkov.

• 1945 – World War II: American forces land on Corregidor island in the Philippines.

• 1947 – Canadians granted Canadian citizenship after 80 years of being British subjects. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King becomes the first Canadian citizen.

• 1957 – The "Toddlers' Truce", a controversial television close down between 6.00pm and 7.00pm was abolished in the United Kingdom.

• 1959 – Fidel Castro becomes Premier of Cuba after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown on January 1.

• 1961 – Explorer program: Explorer 9 (S-56a) is launched.

• 1968 – In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system goes into service.

• 1978 – The first computer bulletin board system is created (CBBS in Chicago, Illinois).

• 1983 – The Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria and South Australia claim the lives of 75 people.

• 1985 – The founding of Hezbollah.

• 1986 – The Soviet liner Mikhail Lermontov runs aground in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand.

• 1987 – The trial of John Demjanjuk, accused of being a Nazi guard dubbed "Ivan the Terrible" in Treblinka extermination camp, starts in Jerusalem.

• 1991 – Nicaraguan Contras leader Enrique Bermúdez is assassinated in Managua.

• 1993 – Western Australia's and Australia's first woman Premier, Carmen Lawrence, is voted out of office.

• 1999 – In Uzbekistan, a bomb explodes and gunfire is heard at the government headquarters in an apparent assassination attempt against President Islom Karimov.

• 1999 – Across Europe, Kurdish rebels take over embassies and hold hostages after Turkey arrested one of their rebel leaders, Abdullah Öcalan.

• 2005 – The Kyoto Protocol comes into force, following its ratification by Russia.

• 2005 – The National Hockey League cancels the entire 2004-2005 regular season and playoffs, becoming the first major sports league in North America to do so over a labor dispute.

• 2006 – The last Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) is decommissioned by the United States Army.

Births

• 1032 – Emperor Yingzong of China (d. 1067)

• 1222 – Nichiren Daishonin, Japanese founder of Nichiren Buddhism (d. 1282)

• 1497 – Philipp Melanchthon, German humanist and reformer (d. 1560)

• 1519 – Gaspard de Coligny, French Huguenot leader (d. 1572)

• 1543 – Kano Eitoku, Japanese painter (d. 1590)

• 1620 – Friedrich Wilhelm I of Brandenburg, Duke of Prussia (d. 1688)

• 1643 – John Sharp, English Archbishop of York (d. 1714)

• 1698 – Pierre Bouguer, French mathematician (d. 1758)

• 1727 – Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin, Austrian scientist (d. 1817)

• 1740 – Giambattista Bodoni, Italian publisher and engraver (d. 1813)

• 1761 – Charles Pichegru, French general (d. 1804)

• 1786 – Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (d. 1859)

• 1802 – Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, American philosopher (d. 1866)

• 1804 – Karl Theodor Ernst von Siebold, German physiologist (d. 1885)

• 1812 – Henry Wilson, 18th Vice President of US (d. 1875)

• 1821 – Heinrich Barth, German explorer (d. 1865)

• 1822 – Sir Francis Galton, English explorer and biologist (d. 1911)

• 1824 – Peter Kozler, Slovenian cartographer and geographer (d. 1879)

• 1826 – Julia Grant, First Lady of the United States (d. 1902)

• 1826 – Joseph Victor von Scheffel, German poet (d. 1886)

• 1831 – Nikolai Leskov, Russian writer (d. 1895)

• 1834 – Ernst Haeckel, German zoologist and philosopher (d. 1919)

• 1838 – Henry Adams, American historian and novelist (d. 1918)

• 1845 – George Kennan, American explorer (d. 1924)

• 1847 – Philipp Scharwenka, Polish-German composer (d. 1917)

• 1848 – Hugo de Vries, Dutch botanist (d. 1935)

• 1856 – Rudolph Karstadt, German entrepreneur (d. 1944)

• 1856 – Willem Kes, Dutch conductor (d. 1934)

• 1866 – Billy Hamilton, American baseball player (d. 1940)

• 1866 – Vyacheslav Ivanov, Russian poet (d. 1949)

• 1874 – Marie Gutheil-Schoder, German soprano (d. 1935)

• 1876 – George Macaulay Trevelyan, English historian (d. 1962)

• 1878 – Pamela Colman Smith, artist, writer, designer of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck of tarot cards (d. 1951)

• 1880 – Frank Burke, American baseball player (d. 1946)

• 1883 – Elizabeth Craig, British writer (d. 1980)

• 1884 – Robert J. Flaherty, American filmmaker (d. 1951)

• 1886 – Van Wyck Brooks, American historian and critic (d. 1963)

• 1887 – Kathleen Clifford, American actress (d. 1962)

• 1891 – Hans F. K. Günther, German eugenicist (d. 1967)

• 1896 – Eugénie Blanchard, French supercentenarian

• 1898 – Katharine Cornell, American actress (d. 1974)

• 1901 – Vincent Coleman, American actor (d. 1971)

• 1901 – Wayne King, American musician and orchestra leader (d. 1985)

• 1901 – Chester Morris, American film actor (d. 1970)

• 1903 – Edgar Bergen, American ventriloquist (d. 1978)

• 1903 – George-Henri Lévesque, Quebec priest and sociologist (d. 2000)

• 1904 – George F. Kennan, American historian, diplomat and political policy-maker (d. 2005)

• 1906 – Vera Menchik, British-Czech chess player, the first Women's World Champion in chess (d. 1944)

• 1909 – Hugh Beaumont, American actor (d. 1982)

• 1909 – Jeffrey Lynn, American actor (d. 1995)

• 1909 – Richard McDonald, American fast food pioneer (d. 1998)

• 1915 – Jim O'Hora, American college football coach (d. 2005)

• 1915 – Elisabeth Eybers, South African poet (d. 2007)

• 1915 – Michael Relph, British film producer and director (d. 2004)

• 1916 – Bill Doggett, American jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and organist (d. 1996)

• 1918 – Patty Andrews, American singer

• 1920 – Anna Mae Hays, American army general

• 1921 – Jean Behra, French Formula One driver (d. 1959)

• 1921 – Araucaria, British crossword compiler

• 1921 – Vera-Ellen, American actress (d. 1981)

• 1922 – Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, German night fighter pilot (d. 1950)

• 1925 – Carlos Paredes, Portuguese guitar master (d. 2004)

• 1926 – John Schlesinger, English film director (d. 2003)

• 1926 – Margot Frank, German-born Dutch Jewish holocaust victim (d. 1945)

• 1927 – June Brown, British actress

• 1929 – Gerhard Hanappi, Austrian footballer (d. 1980)

• 1931 – George E. Sangmeister, American politician (d. 2007)

• 1931 – Ken Takakura, Japanese actor

• 1932 – Gretchen Wyler, American actress and dancer (d. 2007)

• 1932 – Otis Blackwell, American songwriter and singer (d. 2002)

• 1932 – Harry Goz, American actor (d. 2003)

• 1932 – Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, President of Sierra Leone

• 1934 – Herbie & Harold Kalin, American singers

• 1934 – Marlene Hagge, American professional golfer

• 1935 – Sonny Bono, American entertainer & U.S. Congressman (d. 1998)

• 1936 – Jill Kinmont, American skier

• 1937 – Yuri Manin, Russian mathematician

• 1938 – John Corigliano, American composer

• 1938 – Barry Primus, American actor

• 1939 – Czesław Niemen, Polish singer-songwriter and composer (d. 2004)

• 1939 – Adolfo Azcuna, Filipino Supreme Court jurist

• 1941 – Kim Jong-il, North Korean leader

• 1943 – Brig Owens, American football player

• 1944 – Richard Ford, American novelist

• 1944 – António Mascarenhas Monteiro, 2^nd President of Cape Verde

• 1945 – Jeremy Bulloch, English actor

• 1946 – Ian Lavender, English actor

• 1948 – Eckhart Tolle, Author and spiritual teacher

• 1950 – Peter Hain, British politician

• 1950 – Kazuki Tomokawa, Japanese acid-folk singer

• 1950 – Roman Tam, Hong Kong singer (d. 2002)

• 1951 – William Katt, American actor

• 1952 – Barry Foote, American baseball player

• 1953 – George Martin, English footballer

• 1953 – Lanny McDonald, Canadian ice hockey player

• 1953 – Roberta Williams, computer game designer

• 1954 – Michael Holding, Jamaican West Indies cricketer

• 1954 – Iain Banks, Scottish author

• 1954 – Margaux Hemingway, American actress and model (d. 1996)

• 1955 – Hunt Block, American actor

• 1956 – James Ingram, American singer

• 1956 – Vincent Ward, New Zealand director and screenwriter

• 1957 – LeVar Burton, American actor

• 1958 – Natalie Angier, American journalist and author

• 1958 – Ice-T, American rapper and actor

• 1958 – Lisa Loring, American actress

• 1958 – Oscar Schmidt, Brazilian basketball player

• 1958 – Herb Williams, American basketball player and coach

• 1958 – Michael W. Burns, American politician

• 1959 – John McEnroe, American tennis player

• 1959 – Kelly Tripucka, American basketball player

• 1960 – Pete Willis, English guitarist (Def Leppard)

• 1960 – Cherie Chung, Hong Kong actress

• 1961 – Andy Taylor, English musician (Duran Duran, The Power Station)

• 1961 – Eric Red, American screenwriter and director

• 1962 – John Balance, English musician (Coil, Psychic TV) (d. 2004)

• 1963 – Dave Lombardo, Cuban-born drummer (Slayer)

• 1963 – Dano Halsall, Swiss swimmer

• 1964 – Bebeto, Brazilian footballer

• 1964 – Christopher Eccleston, English actor

• 1967 – John Valentin, baseball player

• 1967 – Keith Gretzky, former hockey player; brother of Wayne Gretzky

• 1968 – Warren Ellis, British comic writer

• 1969 – David Heath, American professional wrestler better known as Gangrel

• 1969 – Holly Aird,English Actress

• 1970 – D.J. Wallis, American fitness competitor

• 1970 – Serdar Ortac, Turkish popstar

• 1970 – Angelo Peruzzi, Italian footballer

• 1971 – Amanda Holden, British actress

• 1972 – Jerome Bettis, American football player

• 1972 – Sarah Clarke, American actress

• 1973 – Christian Bassedas, Argentine footballer

• 1973 – Cathy Freeman, Australian athlete

• 1973 – Nikos Kostakis, Greek footballer

• 1973 – Maureen Johnson, American author

• 1974 – Fanis Katergiannakis, Greek footballer

• 1974 – Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, American actor

• 1974 – Johnny Tri Nguyen, Vietnamese American stuntman and martial arts actor

• 1975 – Nanase Aikawa, Japanese singer

• 1975 – Vanina Ickx, Belgian racing driver

• 1975 – Don Jeffcoat, American actor

• 1976 – Eric Byrnes, American baseball player

• 1976 – Kyo, Japanese singer (Dir en grey)

• 1976 – Joe Odagiri, Japanese actor

• 1977 – Brad Walst, American Bassist Three Days Grace

• 1977 – Ian Clarke, Irish computer programmer

• 1977 – Ahman Green, American football player

• 1978 – Tia Hellebaut, Belgian athlete

• 1978 – John Tartaglia, Broadway actor and Muppeteer

• 1978 – Wasim Jaffer, Indian cricketer

• 1979 – Valentino Rossi, Italian motorcycle racer

• 1979 – Eric Mun, Korean rapper (Shinhwa)

• 1980 – Agim Kaba, American actor and film producer

• 1980 – Ashley Lelie, American football player

• 1981 – Jay Howard, British racing driver

• 1981 – Jerry Owens, American baseball player

• 1981 – Qyntel Woods, American basketball player

• 1983 – Tuomo Ruutu, Finnish ice hockey player

• 1984 – Ous Mellouli, Tunisian swimmer

• 1985 – Zoi Dimoschaki, Greek swimmer

• 1987 – Theresa Goh, Singaporean Paralympic swimmer

• 1988 – Denílson Pereira Neves, Brazilian footballer

• 1988 – Diego Capel, Spanish footballer

• 1991 – Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg, Princess of Luxembourg

Deaths

• 1247 – Heinrich Raspe, Landgrave of Thuringia (b. 1204)

• 1279 – King Afonso III of Portugal (b. 1210)

• 1391 – John V Palaeologus, Byzantine Emperor (b. 1332)

• 1531 – Johannes Stöffler, German mathematician and astronomer (b. 1452)

• 1560 – Jean du Bellay, French Catholic cardinal and diplomat

• 1710 – Esprit Fléchier, French writer and Bishop of Nîmes (b. 1632)

• 1721 – James Craggs the Younger, English politician (b. 1686)

• 1754 – Richard Mead, English physician (b. 1673)

• 1820 – Georg Carl von Döbeln, Swedish Lieutenant General and war hero (b. 1758)

• 1844 – Joseph Crosfield, English soap and alkali manufacturer (b. 1792)

• 1898 – Thomas Bracken, New Zealand poet (b. 1843)

• 1899 – Félix Faure, President of France (b. 1841)

• 1907 – Giosuè Carducci, Italian writer, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1835)

• 1912 – St. Nikolai of Japan, Eastern Orthodox priest (b. 1836)

• 1917 – Octave Mirbeau, French writer (b. 1848)

• 1919 – Vera Kholodnaya, Russian film star (b. 1893)

• 1928 – Eddie Foy, American singer and dancer (b. 1856)

• 1932 – Ferdinand Buisson, French pacifist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1841)

• 1932 – Sir Edgar Speyer, American-born British financier and philanthropist (b. 1862)

• 1967 – Antonio Moreno, Spanish-born actor (b. 1887)

• 1967 – Smiley Burnette, American actor, singer and songwriter (b. 1911)

• 1974 – John Garand, Canadian rifle engineer and manufacturer (b. 1888)

• 1975 – Morgan Taylor, American athlete (b. 1903)

• 1975 – Norman Treigle, American bass-baritone (b. 1927)

• 1977 – Carlos Pellicer, Mexican poet (b. 1897)

• 1978 – E. Roland Harriman, American financier (b. 1895)

• 1979 – Nematollah Nassiri, executed Iran general/head of SAVAK (b. 1911)

• 1980 – Erich Hückel, German physicist (b. 1895)

• 1986 – Howard Da Silva, American actor (b. 1909)

• 1988 – Jean Carignan, French Canadian fiddler (b. 1916)

• 1990 – Keith Haring, American artist (b. 1958)

• 1991 – Enrique Bermúdez, Nicaraguan Contra leader (b. 1932)

• 1992 – Angela Carter, English writer (b. 1940)

• 1992 – Jânio Quadros, Brazilian politician (b. 1917)

• 1992 – Herman Wold, Swedish statistician (b. 1908)

• 1996 – Roger Bowen, American actor (b. 1932)

• 1996 – Edmund G. Brown, Governor of California (b. 1905)

• 1996 – Brownie McGhee, American singer (b. 1915)

• 1997 – Chien-Shiung Wu, Chinese-American physicist (b. 1912)

• 1999 – Michael Larson, Press Your Luck Big-winning contestant (b. 1949)

• 2000 – Marceline Day, American actress (b. 1908)

• 2000 – Karsten Solheim, Norwegian-born engineer and inventor (b. 1911)

• 2000 – Lila Kedrova, Russian-born actress (b. 1918)

• 2001 – Bob Buhl, baseball player (b. 1928)

• 2001 – Howard W. Koch, American film director (b. 1916)

• 2001 – William Masters, American gynecologist and sexologist (b. 1915)

• 2002 – Walter Winterbottom, England football manager (b. 1913)

• 2003 – Rusty Magee, American composer

• 2003 – Eleanor "Sis" Daley, wife of Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley (b. 1907)

• 2004 – Shirley Strickland, Australian athlete (b. 1925)

• 2004 – Doris Troy, American singer (b. 1937)

• 2005 – Nicole DeHuff, American actress (pneumonia) (b. 1975)

• 2005 – Queen Narriman, second and last wife of King Farouk and mother of their only child King Fuad II (b. 1933)

• 2006 – Johnny Grunge, American professional wrestler (b. 1966)

• 2006 – Ernie Stautner, German-born American football player (b. 1925)

• 2009 – Stephen Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, Korean Cardinal, Protopriest of the Holy Roman Church (b. 1921)

Holidays and observances

• Lithuania – Independence Day (1918)

• Saint Abda of Edessa

• Saint Elias and companions

• Saint Juliana

• Saint Gilbert of Sempringham

• Saint Onesimus

• February 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)