February 25

Events

138day.year

Roman emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius as his son, effectively making him his successor.

Roman Emperor Hadrian formally adopts Antoninus Pius as his heir, securing imperial succession.
In AD 138, Emperor Hadrian chooses Antoninus Pius as his adoptive son and heir. He secures the imperial succession amid internal and external pressures. Antoninus Pius, a respected administrator, gains legitimacy and broad support. Hadrian's decision aims to prevent power struggles after his death. Under Pius's future rule, the empire will enjoy stability and prosperity. The adoption exemplifies dynastic politics in ancient Rome.
138 Roman emperor Hadrian Antoninus Pius
628day.year

Khosrow II, the last great Shah of the Sasanian Empire (Iran), is overthrown by his son Kavadh II.

Shah Khosrow II is deposed in a palace coup led by his son Kavadh II, marking a dynastic shift in Persia.
In 628, after a disastrous campaign against Byzantium, Shah Khosrow II faces revolt. His son, Kavadh II, leads a coup that forces his abdication. Khosrow's removal marks the decline of Sasanian power in Iran. The young Kavadh II ascends the throne amid political turmoil. Civil unrest and noble factions shape the empire's fate. This palace coup accelerates the eventual collapse of the Sasanian dynasty.
628 Khosrow II Sasanian Empire Kavadh II
1705day.year

George Frideric Handel's opera Nero premiered in Hamburg.

Handel's opera 'Nero' makes its debut in Hamburg, blending Italian and German theatrical styles.
On February 25, 1705, George Frideric Handel's opera 'Nero' debuts in Hamburg. The work blends Italian opera seria with German theatrical traditions. Its storyline follows the life of the Roman Emperor Nero. Though praised for its arias, the opera had a mixed initial reception. Handel's early career in Germany showcases his versatility. 'Nero' foreshadows his later masterpieces in London's opera scene.
1705 George Frideric Handel Nero Hamburg
1836day.year

Samuel Colt is granted a United States patent for his revolver firearm.

Samuel Colt receives a U.S. patent for his revolving-cylinder firearm, revolutionizing handguns.
In 1836, American inventor Samuel Colt is granted a patent for the Colt revolver. His design features a rotating cylinder for multiple shots without reloading. This innovation revolutionizes handheld firearms and military armaments. Colt's revolver becomes iconic in American frontier history. The patent secures Colt's place as a prominent industrial entrepreneur. His factory later mass-produces firearms that shape 19th-century conflicts.
1836 Samuel Colt patent revolver
1843day.year

Lord George Paulet occupies the Kingdom of Hawaii in the name of Great Britain in the Paulet affair.

British Captain Lord Paulet temporarily seizes the Hawaiian Kingdom, igniting the Paulet affair.
On February 25, 1843, Captain Lord George Paulet seizes the Kingdom of Hawaii for Britain. Acting without orders, he demands cession from King Kamehameha III. The occupation disrupts Hawaiian sovereignty and alarms the local population. After five months, British Lord George Pakenham restores the kingdom’s independence. Known as the Paulet affair, it highlights imperial tensions in the Pacific. The incident fuels Hawaiian efforts to secure international recognition.
1843 Lord George Paulet Kingdom of Hawaii Paulet affair
1870day.year

Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, is sworn into the United States Senate, becoming the first African American ever to sit in Congress.

Hiram Rhodes Revels takes his seat in the U.S. Senate, becoming the first African American congressman.
In 1870, Hiram Rhodes Revels takes his seat in the United States Senate. Representing Mississippi, he becomes the first African American to serve in Congress. Revels had been an educator and minister before entering politics. His election follows the Civil War and reflects Reconstruction efforts. He advocates for civil rights and educational opportunities for freedmen. Revels's tenure marks a milestone in American political and social history.
1870 Hiram Rhodes Revels Republican Mississippi United States Senate African American Congress
1875day.year

Guangxu Emperor of Qing dynasty China begins his reign, under Empress Dowager Cixi's regency.

The child Guangxu Emperor ascends the Qing throne under the powerful regency of Empress Dowager Cixi.
On February 25, 1875, the child Guangxu Emperor ascends the Qing throne. Empress Dowager Cixi serves as regent, wielding substantial power. The young emperor’s reign will later see the Hundred Days’ Reform. This transition follows the death of Emperor Tongzhi. The regency period shapes late Qing politics and modernization efforts. Internal court intrigues and external pressures define the era.
1875 Guangxu Emperor Qing dynasty Empress Dowager Cixi
1912day.year

Marie-Adélaïde, the eldest of six daughters of Guillaume IV, becomes the first reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.

Princess Marie-Adélaïde ascends as Luxembourg’s first reigning Grand Duchess, breaking new ground in monarchy.
In 1912, Princess Marie-Adélaïde ascends the throne as Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. She is the first female monarch to rule Luxembourg in her own right. Her reign begins amid social and political changes in Europe. Marie-Adélaïde supports Catholic conservative policies during WWI. Her popularity wanes, leading to abdication in 1919. Her tenure reflects the challenges of small-state sovereignty.
1912 Marie-Adélaïde Guillaume IV Grand Duchess Luxembourg
1916day.year

World War I: In the Battle of Verdun, a German unit captures Fort Douaumont, keystone of the French defences, without a fight.

German troops seize Fort Douaumont at Verdun, delivering a shocking blow to French defenses.
On February 25, 1916, during the Battle of Verdun, German troops seize Fort Douaumont. The fort was key to the French defensive network in northeastern France. Its fall shocks French commanders and boosts German morale. Fort Douaumont changes hands again later in the battle’s long attrition. Verdun becomes a symbol of determination and human cost in WWI. The conflict’s intensity foreshadows modern trench warfare horrors.
1916 World War I Battle of Verdun Fort Douaumont
1918day.year

World War I: German forces capture Tallinn to virtually complete the occupation of Estonia.

German forces occupy Tallinn, marking the near completion of their Estonian campaign in WWI.
In 1918, German forces enter Tallinn, solidifying control over Estonia. The move nearly completes the German occupation of the Baltic region. This follows the disintegration of Russian power during WWI. Local Estonian nationalists watch the occupation with wary anticipation. The event precedes Estonia’s later declaration of independence. Tallinn’s capture highlights the shifting frontiers in Eastern Europe.
1918 Tallinn occupation of Estonia
1921day.year

Georgian capital Tbilisi falls to the invading Russian forces after heavy fighting and the Russians declare the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.

In February 1921, Soviet troops captured Tbilisi and declared the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, ending Georgia’s brief independence.
After World War I, the Democratic Republic of Georgia had sought independence from Russia. In February 1921, the Red Army launched a major offensive across the Caucasus region. Following weeks of heavy fighting, Soviet forces broke through Georgian defenses and seized Tbilisi on February 25. The fall of the capital marked the end of the First Georgian Republic and the establishment of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. This takeover was part of the wider Soviet campaign to consolidate control over former imperial territories. The incorporation of Georgia into the Soviet Union shaped the region’s political landscape for the next seven decades.
1921 Georgian Tbilisi invading Russian forces Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
1932day.year

Adolf Hitler, having been stateless for seven years, obtains German citizenship when he is appointed a Brunswick state official by Dietrich Klagges, a fellow Nazi. As a result, Hitler is able to run for Reichspräsident in the 1932 election.

Adolf Hitler obtained German citizenship in 1932 through a state appointment in Brunswick, allowing him to run for the presidency.
After World War I, Adolf Hitler lived stateless for seven years following his disenfranchisement under the Treaty of Versailles. On February 25, 1932, Dietrich Klagges, a Nazi administrator in the Free State of Brunswick, appointed Hitler to a minor government post. This appointment instantly granted Hitler German citizenship for the first time since 1925. With his citizenship restored, Hitler became eligible to stand in the Reichspräsident election later that year. Although he lost the runoff vote to Paul von Hindenburg, this political maneuver set the stage for Hitler’s subsequent rise to power. This event demonstrated the Nazis’ growing influence within German state administrations during the Weimar Republic’s final years.
1932 Adolf Hitler stateless Brunswick Dietrich Klagges Reichspräsident