1076day.year
Having received a letter during the Lenten synod of 14–20 February demanding that he abdicate, Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor.
In 1076, Pope Gregory VII excommunicated Emperor Henry IV, sparking a pivotal clash between papal and imperial authority.
In early 1076, tensions between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire reached a critical point.
During the Lenten synod in Rome, a letter accused Henry IV of overstepping his authority and demanded his abdication.
When the emperor refused, Pope Gregory VII excommunicated him on February 22.
This dramatic move intensified the Investiture Controversy, a major medieval conflict over church-state power.
Excommunication deprived Henry IV of his subjects' allegiance and changed the balance of authority in Europe.
The showdown set the stage for decades of political and religious struggle across Christendom.
1076
Pope Gregory VII
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
1371day.year
Robert II becomes King of Scotland, beginning the Stuart dynasty.
Robert II ascends the Scottish throne in 1371, founding the long-lasting Stuart dynasty.
On February 22, 1371, Robert Stewart was crowned King Robert II of Scotland.
He became the first monarch of the Stewart (Stuart) line, ending years of succession disputes.
His reign brought a measure of stability after the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Robert II worked to reconcile powerful noble factions and strengthen royal authority.
Under his leadership, Scotland saw renewed trade links with Europe and internal reforms.
The Stuart dynasty he founded would shape British history for centuries to come.
1371
Robert II
Scotland
Stuart
1819day.year
By the Adams–Onís Treaty, Spain sells Florida to the United States for five million U.S. dollars.
Through the Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, Spain cedes Florida to the United States for five million dollars.
On February 22, 1819, Spain and the United States signed the Adams–Onís Treaty in Washington, D.C.
Spain agreed to relinquish all claims to Florida in exchange for five million U.S. dollars.
The treaty also defined the western boundary of the Louisiana Purchase territories.
It resolved ongoing border disputes and helped suppress cross-border conflicts with Seminole groups.
The U.S. Senate ratified the agreement in 1821, leading to formal American governance of Florida.
This diplomatic achievement substantially expanded U.S. territory and influence.
1819
Adams–Onís Treaty
sells Florida
1848day.year
The French Revolution of 1848, which would lead to the establishment of the French Second Republic, begins.
The 1848 French Revolution begins, setting the stage for the creation of the Second French Republic.
On February 22, 1848, Parisian workers and students rose up against the July Monarchy of King Louis-Philippe, sparking a revolutionary wave across France. Demonstrations erupted over economic hardship and demands for political reform, leading to clashes with royal troops. By day's end, public pressure forced Louis-Philippe to abdicate, and a provisional government was established. This upheaval led to the proclamation of the French Second Republic and inspired revolutionary movements throughout Europe. The events of February 22 marked a pivotal moment in 19th-century democratic aspirations.
1848
French Revolution of 1848
French Second Republic
1856day.year
The United States Republican Party opens its first national convention in Pittsburgh.
The fledgling Republican Party convenes its first national convention in Pittsburgh to shape its anti-slavery agenda.
On February 22, 1856, delegates of the newly formed Republican Party gathered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for their inaugural national convention. Born from anti-slavery and Free Soil movements, the party sought to challenge the Democratic and Whig strongholds. Attendees debated platforms condemning the expansion of slavery into American territories. Although formal nominations were postponed until later conventions, this meeting established organizational structures and core principles. The Pittsburgh convention set the foundation for the Republicans' eventual rise to power and Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860.
1856
Republican Party
Pittsburgh
1862day.year
American Civil War: Jefferson Davis is officially inaugurated for a six-year term as the President of the Confederate States of America in Richmond, Virginia. He was previously inaugurated as a provisional president on February 18, 1861.
Jefferson Davis is inaugurated for a six-year term as President of the Confederate States in Richmond amid the American Civil War.
On February 22, 1862, Jefferson Davis officially began his six-year term as President of the Confederate States of America in Richmond, Virginia. Previously serving as provisional president since 1861, Davis assumed full executive powers to lead the Confederacy's war effort. The inauguration took place against the backdrop of the American Civil War, with Southern states seeking independence. Davis's administration faced immense challenges organizing armies, financing the conflict, and securing international recognition. His presidency would become synonymous with the Confederate cause until its collapse in 1865.
1862
American Civil War
Jefferson Davis
President of the Confederate States of America
Richmond, Virginia
1872day.year
The Prohibition Party holds its first national convention in Columbus, Ohio, nominating James Black as its presidential nominee.
Temperance activists convene in Columbus for the Prohibition Party's first national convention, selecting James Black as their presidential candidate.
The Prohibition Party, formed by temperance advocates opposing alcohol consumption, held its inaugural national convention on February 22, 1872, in Columbus, Ohio. Delegates debated strategies to enact nationwide prohibition and support social reforms tied to temperance. James Black, a former minister and temperance leader, was chosen as the party's first presidential candidate. Although the party received a modest share of votes, it influenced public discourse on alcohol regulation. This convention marked the beginning of a political movement that would culminate in the 18th Amendment decades later.
1872
Prohibition Party
Columbus, Ohio
James Black
1889day.year
President Grover Cleveland signs a bill admitting North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington as U.S. states.
President Grover Cleveland signs legislation admitting North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington as new states of the Union.
On February 22, 1889, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation that simultaneously admitted four new states—North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Washington—into the United States. This unique move expanded the Union's western frontier and balanced power in Congress. The bill's enactment was the culmination of territorial governance, population growth, and political negotiation. Ceremonies in the new state capitals celebrated their entry to statehood. The addition of these states would shape regional development and influence American politics in the coming decades.
1889
President
Grover Cleveland
signs a bill
North Dakota
South Dakota
Montana
Washington
U.S. states
1904day.year
The United Kingdom sells a meteorological station on the South Orkney Islands to Argentina; the islands are subsequently claimed by the United Kingdom in 1908.
Britain transfers a meteorological station in the South Orkney Islands to Argentina, foreshadowing future territorial disputes in the Antarctic region.
On February 22, 1904, the United Kingdom transferred ownership of a meteorological station on the South Orkney Islands to Argentina, supporting scientific research in the Southern Ocean. The station, originally established by Britain, collected vital weather data for navigation and exploration. Argentina's administration of the site reflected growing interest in polar studies and national presence beyond the continental mainland. In 1908, the UK formally claimed sovereignty over the islands, initiating a long-standing dispute. The event remains an early example of international cooperation and contention in Antarctica.
1904
South Orkney Islands
Argentina
1909day.year
The sixteen battleships of the Great White Fleet, led by USS Connecticut, return to the United States after a voyage around the world.
A squadron of sixteen US Navy battleships known as the Great White Fleet returns to American shores after a groundbreaking global voyage led by USS Connecticut.
On February 22, 1909, the Great White Fleet concluded its historic round-the-world cruise, a mission ordered by President Theodore Roosevelt to project American naval power. The sixteen gleaming battleships, distinguished by their white hulls and gold-accented superstructures, had departed Hampton Roads in December 1907. Led by the USS Connecticut as flagship, they visited ports across six continents, engaging in diplomatic ceremonies and naval exercises. Their safe return through the Atlantic symbolized the United States’ emergence as a world-class sea power. The voyage strengthened international ties and demonstrated the effectiveness of a modern battle fleet. It remains a landmark moment in naval and diplomatic history.
1909
battleships
Great White Fleet
USS Connecticut
1921day.year
After Russian forces under Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg drive the Chinese out, the Bogd Khan is reinstalled as the emperor of Mongolia.
General Roman von Ungern-Sternberg expels Chinese forces and reinstates the Bogd Khan as Mongolia’s emperor, restoring theocratic rule.
In February 1921, anti-Bolshevik Russian forces led by Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg entered Mongolia and ousted Chinese administrators who had controlled the country since the revolution of 1911. With the path cleared, he orchestrated the return of the Bogd Khan, Mongolia’s spiritual and temporal leader, to the throne. This maneuver aimed to establish a buffer state against both Soviet and Chinese influence. The Bogd Khan, revered as a living Buddha, resumed his role amid great public ceremony in Urga (today’s Ulaanbaatar). Though short-lived, this reinstallation marked a critical episode in Mongolia’s struggle for sovereignty. It highlighted the complex geopolitics of post-revolutionary Eurasia and foreshadowed the nation’s eventual alignment with Soviet power.
1921
Roman von Ungern-Sternberg
Bogd Khan
emperor
Mongolia
1946day.year
The "Long Telegram", proposing how the United States should deal with the Soviet Union, arrives from the US embassy in Moscow.
George Kennan’s Long Telegram arrives in Washington, outlining a policy of containment toward the Soviet Union.
On February 22, 1946, the U.S. State Department received a landmark 8,000-word cable from George F. Kennan, then chargé d’affaires at the American Embassy in Moscow. Known as the Long Telegram, it analyzed Soviet motivations and recommended a strategy to contain communist expansion. Kennan argued that the USSR’s insecurity and ideological rigidity would force it to seek influence abroad, necessitating a firm but patient response from the West. His insights laid the intellectual foundation for America’s Cold War policy and the eventual Truman Doctrine. The telegram’s impact reshaped U.S. foreign relations for decades, marking a turning point in East-West relations.
1946
Long Telegram