February 26

Events - Wars & Conflicts

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
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
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
1936day.year

In the February 26 Incident, young nationalist Japanese military officers assassinate multiple cabinet statesmen and start a rebellion in downtown Tokyo, which is ended 3 days later.

Young Japanese officers launch the February 26 Incident, assassinating government officials and attempting a coup in Tokyo.
On February 26, 1936, a faction of young nationalist officers in the Imperial Japanese Army executed a violent coup attempt known as the February 26 Incident. The rebels assassinated key government and military leaders in Tokyo, demanding political reform and purges of official corruption. They occupied strategic buildings and called for the restoration of direct imperial rule. After three days of tense standoffs, the rebellion was suppressed by troops loyal to the government. The incident led to tighter military control over politics and foreshadowed Japan’s militaristic path leading into World War II.
1936 February 26 Incident cabinet Tokyo
1945day.year

World War II: US troops reclaim the Philippine island of Corregidor from the Japanese.

US forces recapture Corregidor in the Philippines, reclaiming a vital stronghold from Japanese occupation in World War II.
On February 26, 1945, American troops completed the liberation of Corregidor Island in Manila Bay, a strategic fortress captured by Japanese forces in 1942. The operation involved amphibious landings, aerial bombardment, and coordinated ground assaults. Recapturing Corregidor reopened Manila Bay to Allied shipping and marked a turning point in the Pacific campaign. The victory also freed thousands of Filipino civilians and prisoners of war held on the island. Corregidor’s iconic ruins remain a symbol of resilience and sacrifice in the struggle to liberate the Philippines.
1945 World War II reclaim the Philippine island of Corregidor
1992day.year

First Nagorno-Karabakh War: Khojaly Massacre: Armenian armed forces open fire on Azeri civilians at a military post outside the town of Khojaly leaving hundreds dead.

During the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1992, Armenian forces killed hundreds of Azerbaijani civilians in the Khojaly Massacre.
On February 26, 1992, amid intense fighting in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, Armenian armed units attacked the town of Khojaly in Azerbaijan, resulting in one of the conflict's bloodiest civilian tragedies. Hundreds of unarmed residents attempting to flee were caught in crossfire or executed, leaving estimates of casualties still disputed. Eyewitness accounts described chaos, desperate escapes, and calls for help that went unanswered. The massacre galvanized international attention on the humanitarian impact of the frozen ethnic conflict. Both sides have since accused each other of propaganda and inflated casualty figures, complicating peace efforts. Khojaly remains a symbol of the war's deep-seated grievances and a rallying cry for Azerbaijani national memory.
1992 First Nagorno-Karabakh War Khojaly Massacre open fire on
1993day.year

World Trade Center bombing: In New York City, a truck bomb parked below the North Tower of the World Trade Center explodes, killing six and injuring over a thousand people.

A truck bomb exploded beneath the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City in 1993, killing six and injuring over a thousand.
On February 26, 1993, terrorists detonated a truck bomb in the underground garage of the North Tower at the World Trade Center, aiming to collapse the towers. The explosion killed six people and injured more than 1,000, causing significant structural damage on multiple floors. The attack was planned by a group of Islamist militants led by Ramzi Yousef. Security reviews and emergency protocols were overhauled in the aftermath, highlighting vulnerabilities in high-rise buildings. Investigators traced the plot through forensic evidence and eyewitness testimony, leading to convictions of the perpetrators. The bombing foreshadowed larger-scale terrorism threats and shaped future counterterrorism strategies in the United States.
1993 World Trade Center bombing North Tower World Trade Center
2019day.year

Indian Air Force fighter-jets targeted Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camps in Balakot.

In 2019, Indian Air Force jets struck Jaish-e-Mohammed training camps in Balakot, Pakistan, escalating regional tensions.
On February 26, 2019, the Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes on terrorist training camps operated by Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot, Pakistan. The operation was in response to a suicide bombing in Pulwama, India, that killed 40 security personnel. Indian government officials stated the strikes neutralized significant militant infrastructure. Pakistan condemned the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty and scrambled fighter jets in response. The incident marked the first aerial engagement between the two nuclear-armed neighbors since 1971. International actors called for restraint to prevent further escalation in the volatile region.
2019 Indian Air Force targeted Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camps Balakot
2021day.year

A total of 279 female students aged between 10 and 17 are kidnapped by bandits in the Zamfara kidnapping in Zamfara State, Nigeria.

In 2021, bandits abducted 279 female students in Zamfara State, Nigeria, in one of the country’s largest mass kidnappings.
On February 26, 2021, armed bandits kidnapped 279 schoolgirls aged 10 to 17 from a school in Zamfara State, Nigeria. The abductions occurred overnight in a village near the border with Kaduna State. Bandits tore down fences and attacked dormitories, overpowering security guards before fleeing with the students. The incident drew international condemnation and calls for urgent government action to rescue the girls. Authorities launched search and negotiation efforts, releasing some captives over time. The mass kidnapping highlighted ongoing security challenges and the threat of school attacks in parts of Nigeria.
2021 Zamfara kidnapping Zamfara State