February 26

Events

747 BC

According to Ptolemy, the epoch (origin) of the Nabonassar Era began at noon on this date. Historians use this to establish the modern BC chronology for dating historic events.

In 747 BC, Ptolemy designated the start of the Nabonassar Era at noon on this day, establishing a key chronological epoch for ancient history.
On February 26, 747 BC, the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy defined the Nabonassar Era as beginning at noon, creating a standardized epoch for astronomical tables. Historians and scholars have since used this origin to anchor the BC chronology of ancient events. The epoch was chosen for its simplicity and alignment with existing Babylonian calendars. By correlating celestial observations to a fixed starting point, Ptolemy’s system improved the accuracy of dating. This era remains a critical reference in the study of Mesopotamian and classical civilizations. Its adoption marked a significant advance in the science of chronological record-keeping.
747 BC Ptolemy epoch Nabonassar BC chronology
320day.year

Chandragupta I is officially crowned as the first Gupta Emperor.

In 320, Chandragupta I was officially crowned as the first emperor of the Gupta dynasty, ushering in a golden age in India.
On February 26, 320, Chandragupta I ascended to the throne as the inaugural Gupta Emperor, marking the dawn of one of India’s most illustrious dynasties. Under his rule, northern India saw the consolidation of power, economic prosperity, and cultural renaissance. Chandragupta forged strategic marital alliances and expanded his territories through diplomacy and warfare. His reign laid the foundation for developments in art, architecture, science, and Sanskrit literature. The Gupta Empire later became renowned for its advances in mathematics and astronomy. Historians regard his coronation as the beginning of India’s classical age, characterized by stability and intellectual achievement.
320 Chandragupta I Gupta Emperor
364day.year

Valentinian I is proclaimed Roman Emperor.

In 364, Valentinian I was proclaimed Roman Emperor, beginning his influential four-year reign over the Western Roman Empire.
On February 26, 364, military commanders proclaimed Flavius Valentinianus as Emperor of the Roman Empire, following the death of Jovian. The new ruler quickly divided imperial responsibilities by naming his brother Valens co-emperor in the East. Valentinian I fortified the empire’s borders against Germanic tribes, reinforcing military defenses along the Rhine and Danube. He was known for his energetic leadership style, legal reforms, and efforts to aid the poor with public welfare policies. His reign strengthened the Western Roman Empire during a period of external pressures and internal challenges. Valentinian’s rule set precedent for the late Roman imperial structure and administration.
364 Valentinian I Roman Emperor
1266day.year

Battle of Benevento: An army led by Charles, Count of Anjou, defeats a combined German and Sicilian force led by Manfred, King of Sicily. Manfred is killed in the battle and Pope Clement IV invests Charles as king of Sicily and Naples.

In 1266, the Battle of Benevento saw Charles, Count of Anjou, defeat and kill Manfred of Sicily, reshaping the balance of power in Italy.
On February 26, 1266, the armies of Charles of Anjou defeated the forces of King Manfred of Sicily at the Battle of Benevento, a decisive engagement in the struggle for southern Italy. Manfred’s death in battle ended Hohenstaufen ambitions in the region and secured Angevin control. Pope Clement IV invested Charles as king of Sicily and Naples, strengthening papal influence over the Italian peninsula. The victory shifted the geopolitical landscape, as the French Angevin dynasty established its rule in the Kingdom of Sicily. The battle demonstrated the interplay between papal authority and European dynastic politics. It also set the stage for future conflicts between the Angevin and Aragonese crowns over Mediterranean territories.
1266 Battle of Benevento Charles, Count of Anjou Sicilian Manfred, King of Sicily Pope Clement IV Sicily Naples
1365day.year

The Ava Kingdom and the royal city of Ava (Inwa) founded by King Thado Minbya.

In 1365, King Thado Minbya founded the Ava Kingdom and established the royal city of Inwa (Ava), marking the birth of a powerful Burmese dynasty.
On February 26, 1365, Thado Minbya, the young ruler of Sagaing and Pinya, united rival kingdoms and founded the Ava Kingdom in Upper Myanmar. He selected Inwa (Ava) as the royal capital, constructing fortifications and palaces that would serve as the dynasty’s seat for centuries. The new kingdom emerged as a major center of Burmese culture, Buddhism, and administration. Thado Minbya’s reign inaugurated a period of relative stability that allowed for religious and intellectual growth. Subsequent Ava kings expanded territorial control and patronized the arts, fostering architectural and literary achievements. The foundation of Ava laid the groundwork for the classical era of Burmese civilization and influenced the region’s historical development.
1365 Ava Kingdom Ava Thado Minbya
1606day.year

The Janszoon voyage of 1605–06 becomes the first European expedition to set foot on Australia, although it is mistaken as a part of New Guinea.

In 1606, the Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon’s expedition became the first recorded European voyage to land on Australia, though it was mistaken for New Guinea.
On February 26, 1606, the Dutch ship Duyfken, under Captain Willem Janszoon, made landfall on the western coast of Cape York Peninsula, marking the first documented European landing in Australia. Mistaking the new land for southern New Guinea, Janszoon charted approximately 320 kilometers of coastline. His voyage was part of the Dutch East India Company’s efforts to expand trade routes in the East Indies. The expedition’s records provided Europe with the earliest maps and descriptions of Australia’s terrain and indigenous populations. Although the landing did not immediately trigger further colonization, it opened the door for subsequent exploration by European powers. Janszoon’s journey represents a pioneering moment in the mapping of the Australian continent.
1606 Janszoon voyage of 1605–06
1616day.year

Galileo Galilei is formally banned by the Roman Catholic Church from teaching or defending the view that the earth orbits the sun.

In 1616, the Roman Catholic Church formally banned Galileo Galilei from teaching that the Earth orbits the Sun, a pivotal moment in the science-religion debate.
On February 26, 1616, the Congregation of the Index, backed by Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, instructed Galileo Galilei to abandon heliocentric ideas and refrain from teaching or defending the Copernican theory. The decree did not label Copernicanism heretical but prohibited its advocacy as fact, marking the Church’s cautious stance toward astronomical innovation. Galileo’s earlier telescopic discoveries had challenged geocentric doctrine, earning acclaim and controversy across Europe. The prohibition delayed the publication of his subsequent works and cast a long shadow over scientific inquiry. This event exemplified the tension between emerging empirical science and established religious authority in the early modern era. Galileo’s later trial and condemnation would become emblematic of the struggle for intellectual freedom.
1616 Galileo Galilei is formally banned the view that the earth orbits the sun
1775day.year

The British East India Company factory on Balambangan Island is destroyed by Moro pirates.

In 1775, Moro pirates attacked and destroyed the British East India Company’s factory on Balambangan Island, disrupting colonial trade in Southeast Asia.
On February 26, 1775, a band of Moro pirates raided the British East India Company factory on Balambangan Island, off the northern coast of Borneo, setting fire to its warehouses and ships. Established to facilitate trade with local sultanates, the factory was intended as a strategic outpost for spices and regional goods. The attack forced the East India Company to abandon its settlement and highlighted the challenges of protecting trading posts in pirate-infested waters. News of the destruction reverberated through colonial administrations in Batavia and Madras, prompting reassessments of maritime security. The incident underscored the limits of European power projection and the resilience of indigenous maritime communities. Balambangan Island would later be briefly reoccupied but never regain its former commercial prominence.
1775 British East India Company factory Balambangan Island Moro pirates
1794day.year

The first Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen burns down.

In 1794, the first Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen was destroyed by a devastating fire, erasing a symbol of Danish royal power.
On February 26, 1794, a massive fire engulfed Christiansborg Palace, then serving as the official residence of the Danish monarch and the seat of the country’s government. The blaze consumed grand halls, royal apartments, and the palace chapel, leaving little but charred walls and ruins. Firefighting efforts by citizens and soldiers were overwhelmed by the intensity of the flames and lack of modern equipment. The destruction forced the Danish court and parliament to relocate while plans for a new palace commenced. Christiansborg was later rebuilt in different architectural styles over subsequent decades. The 1794 fire remains one of Copenhagen’s most dramatic urban disasters and a turning point in Danish architectural history.
1794 Christiansborg Palace Copenhagen
1815day.year

Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from exile on the island of Elba.

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from exile on the island of Elba, setting the stage for his dramatic return to power in France.
On February 26, 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte slipped away from his exile on Elba, sailing with a small band of loyalists to the French mainland. Landing near Cannes, he began a bold march northward, rallying troops and supporters with the promise of renewed glory. News of his return sent shockwaves through the restored Bourbon monarchy, prompting King Louis XVIII to flee Paris. Napoleon’s escape inaugurated the Hundred Days campaign, culminating in his ultimate defeat at Waterloo. The brief resurgence demonstrated his enduring charisma and the unsettled political climate of post-Napoleonic Europe. This dramatic episode remains one of history’s most famous stories of comeback and ambition.
1815 Napoleon Bonaparte Elba
1870day.year

The Beach Pneumatic Transit in New York City, intended as a demonstration for a subway line, opens.

In February 1870, inventor Alfred Beach unveils an experimental pneumatic subway under Broadway, hinting at the future of urban transport.
In February 1870, Alfred Beach completed the Beach Pneumatic Transit system to demonstrate air-powered travel beneath New York City's streets. The pilot tunnel under Broadway spanned approximately 312 feet and carried a single passenger capsule propelled by compressed air. The demonstration captivated the public, offering thousands the chance to experience this novel form of urban transport. Plans to expand the system were abandoned due to political pushback and funding shortfalls. Although the project ended, it laid conceptual groundwork for the development of future subway systems in New York and elsewhere.
1870 Beach Pneumatic Transit
1876day.year

Japan and Korea sign the Treaty of Kangwha, which grants Japanese citizens extraterritoriality rights in Korea, opens three Korean ports to Japanese trade, and ends Korea's status as a tributary state of Qing dynasty China.

Japan and Korea sign the Treaty of Kanghwa, opening Korean ports to Japanese trade and altering East Asian power dynamics.
On February 26, 1876, representatives of Japan and Korea signed the Treaty of Kanghwa, marking Korea’s first modern diplomatic agreement. The treaty opened the ports of Busan, Incheon, and Wonsan to Japanese merchants and granted extraterritorial rights to Japanese nationals in Korea. It effectively ended Korea's tributary relationship with Qing dynasty China and signaled Japan's rising influence. While the agreement boosted bilateral trade, it also sparked domestic debate in Korea over sovereignty and foreign interference. The treaty set the stage for further political and economic involvement by modernizing powers in the Korean Peninsula.
1876 Japan Korea Treaty of Kangwha extraterritoriality tributary state Qing dynasty