1096day.year
Pope Urban II confirms the foundation of the abbey of La Roë under Robert of Arbrissel as a community of canons regular.
In 1096, Pope Urban II officially recognized Robert of Arbrissel’s abbey of La Roë, establishing a new community of canons regular.
In the late 11th century, monastic reform movements spread across Europe. Pope Urban II’s confirmation in 1096 gave formal recognition to the abbey of La Roë under the leadership of Robert of Arbrissel. The community of canons regular followed a strict rule of communal living and clerical devotion. This foundation reflected the Church’s efforts to revitalize spiritual life and clerical discipline. Over time, La Roë became a model for other religious houses seeking to merge monastic rigor with pastoral outreach. The abbey’s influence extended into Brittany and beyond, shaping the course of medieval ecclesiastical reforms.
1096
Pope Urban II
La Roë
Robert of Arbrissel
canons regular
1404day.year
The Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia performed the first post-mortem autopsy for the purposes of teaching and demonstration at the Heiligen–Geist Spital in Vienna.
In 1404, Italian professor Galeazzo di Santa Sofia conducted the first public post-mortem autopsy at the Heiligen–Geist Spital in Vienna for educational purposes.
Medieval medical practice largely avoided dissection due to religious and cultural taboos. At the Heiligen–Geist Spital in Vienna in 1404, Galeazzo di Santa Sofia carried out a groundbreaking anatomical demonstration on a human cadaver. This event marked the first documented post-mortem autopsy performed explicitly for teaching. His detailed observations challenged prevailing Galenic theories and encouraged a more empirical approach to anatomy. The demonstration was open to students and physicians, laying the groundwork for modern medical education. Although initial resistance remained, this pioneering step helped pave the way for Renaissance anatomists like Vesalius. The autopsy signified a crucial shift toward observation-based science in Europe.
1404
Galeazzo di Santa Sofia
autopsy
Vienna
1429day.year
English forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orléans in the Battle of the Herrings.
In 1429, Sir John Fastolf led English troops to defend a crucial supply convoy against French forces in the Battle of the Herrings during the Hundred Years’ War.
During the protracted Hundred Years’ War, the siege of Orléans became a focal point for English and French forces. On February 12, 1429, a supply column carrying barrels of herring, vital for Lent rations, came under attack near Rouvray. Sir John Fastolf organized a defensive formation of pavises and archers, repelling multiple assaults by French cavalry and infantry. The disciplined English defense held firm until reinforcements secured the convoy’s safe passage. The battle’s nickname, the ‘Battle of the Herrings,’ highlighted the strategic importance of logistics in medieval warfare. Although a tactical success, it failed to break the siege of Orléans. The confrontation underscored the valor of common soldiers and foreshadowed future French resurgence led by Joan of Arc.
1429
John Fastolf
Battle of the Herrings
1502day.year
Isabella I issues an edict outlawing Islam in the Crown of Castile, forcing virtually all her Muslim subjects to convert to Christianity.
In 1502, Queen Isabella I of Castile decreed that all Muslims in her realm must convert to Christianity or face exile.
As part of the final stages of the Reconquista, Isabella I sought religious unity in the Crown of Castile. On February 12, 1502, she issued an edict outlawing the public practice of Islam and mandating conversion for her Muslim subjects. The decree forced thousands to adopt Christianity under threat of banishment or persecution. Many Muslims chose outward conversion while secretly preserving their faith, becoming the Moriscos. This policy reflected the era’s intertwining of religion and state power in Spain. The forced conversions sowed deep social tensions and cultural loss, influencing Spain’s demographic and religious landscape for generations. The edict presaged further expulsion policies, culminating in the 1609 decree against the Moriscos.
1502
Isabella I
Crown of Castile
to convert to Christianity
1502day.year
Vasco da Gama sets sail with 15 ships and 800 men from Lisbon, Portugal on his second voyage to India.
In 1502, Vasco da Gama departed Lisbon with a fleet of 15 ships and 800 men on his second expedition to India.
Seeking to strengthen Portugal’s spice trade monopoly, Vasco da Gama set sail on February 12, 1502, from Lisbon. His second voyage to India comprised 15 armed ships and around 800 crew and soldiers. Unlike his first mission, this expedition carried larger warships to assert Portuguese naval dominance in the Indian Ocean. Da Gama’s fleet rounded the Cape of Good Hope, navigated along East African ports, and reached Calicut with orders to secure favorable trade terms by force if necessary. His aggressive tactics marked a shift from exploration to maritime empire-building. The voyage expanded Portugal’s colonial foothold and triggered rivalry with Arab and Indian merchant networks. Da Gama’s return heralded a new era of European presence in Asian trade.
Vasco da Gama
Lisbon
India
1541day.year
Santiago, Chile is founded by Pedro de Valdivia.
In 1541, Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia founded the city of Santiago at the Mapocho River in present-day Chile.
As part of Spain’s southward expansion in the Americas, Pedro de Valdivia established Santiago de la Nueva Extremadura on February 12, 1541. Located on the fertile banks of the Mapocho River, the settlement was named in honor of Saint James. Despite initial attacks by indigenous Mapuche warriors, the colonists secured their foothold with fortifications and alliances. Santiago’s foundation served as the administrative and military center for Spanish Chile. Over time, the city grew into a key hub for colonial governance, agriculture, and mining in the region. The founding marked the beginning of lasting Spanish influence in central Chile, shaping the nation’s cultural and political development.
1541
Santiago
Chile
Pedro de Valdivia
1593day.year
Japanese invasion of Korea: Approximately 3,000 Joseon defenders led by general Kwŏn Yul successfully repel more than 30,000 Japanese forces in the Siege of Haengju.
In 1593, during the Japanese invasion of Korea, General Kwŏn Yul led 3,000 Joseon defenders to victory at the Siege of Haengju against 30,000 Japanese troops.
Amidst the brutal Imjin War, the fortified hill of Haengju became the stage for a David-and-Goliath confrontation on February 12, 1593. General Kwŏn Yul commanded a small force of around 3,000 Korean soldiers and civilians. Using innovative defensive tactics, including wooden palisades and hwacha rocket launchers, they withstood successive Japanese assaults led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s commanders. The Japanese attacked in waves but were repelled each time, suffering heavy casualties. The unexpected Korean victory at Haengju boosted national morale and stalled the Japanese advance northward. This triumph demonstrated the effectiveness of Joseon fortifications and the resilience of Korean resistance. The battle remains a celebrated episode in Korean military history.
1593
Japanese invasion of Korea
Joseon
Kwŏn Yul
Siege of Haengju
1689day.year
The Convention Parliament declares that the flight to France in 1688 by James II, the last Roman Catholic British monarch, constitutes an abdication.
In 1689, England’s Convention Parliament declared King James II’s flight to France in 1688 an abdication, enabling William and Mary to assume the throne.
Following the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Convention Parliament faced the dilemma of James II’s removal. On February 12, 1689, legislators declared that his departure to France equated to abdication, vacating the English crown. This legal determination provided the constitutional basis for offering the throne jointly to William III and Mary II. The act underscored Parliament’s supremacy over monarchical authority and set a precedent for constitutional monarchy. It also led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights later that year, outlining citizens’ rights and limiting sovereign power. The decision reshaped English governance, influencing democratic principles in Britain and beyond. It marked a turning point in the balance between monarchy and parliament.
1689
Convention Parliament
1688
James II
Roman Catholic
British monarch
abdication
1733day.year
Georgia Day: Englishman James Oglethorpe founds Georgia, the 13th colony of the Thirteen Colonies, by settling at Savannah.
On Georgia Day 1733, James Oglethorpe landed at what became Savannah to found the colony of Georgia, the last of Britain’s Thirteen Colonies.
Granted a charter by King George II, James Oglethorpe aimed to create a colony for debtors and serve as a buffer against Spanish Florida. On February 12, 1733, he and 114 settlers arrived at Yamacraw Bluff on the Savannah River. They named the settlement Savannah and began establishing orderly streets and plots based on Enlightenment ideals. The colony banned slavery initially and encouraged small-scale farmers, reflecting Oglethorpe’s social reform vision. Strategic relations with the Creek and Yamacraw peoples ensured peace during its early years. Georgia’s founding completed Britain’s Atlantic frontier and offered a new model of colonial governance. Today, Georgia Day commemorates this blend of philanthropy, defense, and colonial ambition.
1733
Georgia Day
James Oglethorpe
Georgia
Thirteen Colonies
Savannah
1771day.year
Gustav III becomes the King of Sweden.
In 1771, Gustav III ascended the throne as King of Sweden following his father Adolf Frederick’s death.
Born in 1746, Gustav III inherited the Swedish crown on February 12, 1771, at age 24. His early reign was overseen by a regency, but he soon asserted personal rule. Influenced by Enlightenment thinkers, Gustav promoted arts, theater, and cultural patronage, earning a reputation as the ‘Theatre King.’ He orchestrated a bloodless coup in 1772 to strengthen royal power and implement constitutional reforms. His domestic policies modernized the economy and legal system but also stirred opposition among the nobility. Gustav III’s foreign policy pursued neutrality and expanded Swedish influence in the Baltic region. His dramatic life ended at a masked ball in 1792 when he was assassinated, leaving a complex legacy of enlightened absolutism.
1771
Gustav III
King of Sweden
1817day.year
An Argentine/Chilean patriotic army, after crossing the Andes, defeats Spanish troops at the Battle of Chacabuco.
In 1817, an Argentine and Chilean patriotic army mounted a daring crossing of the Andes and defeated Spanish royalists at the Battle of Chacabuco, paving the way for Chilean independence.
On February 12, 1817, patriot forces under General José de San Martín and Bernardo O'Higgins launched a surprise attack on Spanish royalists in the Andes highlands. The Battle of Chacabuco marked a turning point in the South American wars of independence. The army endured severe weather and treacherous terrain to position itself above the Spanish defenses. The decisive victory broke Spanish control in central Chile and opened the road to the capital, Santiago. The triumph boosted morale among independence movements across South America. Today, the battle is celebrated in Argentina and Chile as a symbol of courage and solidarity.
1817
Argentine
Chilean
crossing the Andes
Battle of Chacabuco
1818day.year
Bernardo O'Higgins formally approves the Chilean Declaration of Independence near Concepción, Chile.
In 1818, Bernardo O'Higgins formally ratified the Chilean Declaration of Independence near Concepción, officially severing colonial ties with Spain.
Bernardo O'Higgins, Supreme Director of Chile, approved the Declaration of Independence on February 12, 1818. The ceremony took place near Concepción, marking Chile's break from Spanish rule. The declaration had been drafted in Santiago earlier that year but required formal ratification. O'Higgins' endorsement unified various patriot factions under a single government. This act established Chile as a sovereign republic in the eyes of the world. It also inspired other Latin American colonies to pursue independence.
1818
Bernardo O'Higgins
Chilean Declaration of Independence
Concepción, Chile