# What happened on February 11 in history?

**Date:** February 11  
**Events recorded:** 56  
**Years spanned:** 660 BC – 2024  
**Full page:** https://thisday.info/events/february/11/

---

## Featured Event

**2020** — COVID-19 pandemic: The World Health Organization officially names the coronavirus outbreak as COVID-19, with the virus being designated SARS-CoV-2.

[Read more on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic)

---

## Events on this date

- **660 BC** — Traditional date for the foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Jimmu))
- **55** — The death under mysterious circumstances of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Empire, on the eve of his coming of age clears the way for Nero to become Emperor. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AD_55))
- **951** — Guo Wei, a court official, leads a military coup and declares himself emperor of the new Later Zhou. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guo_Wei))
- **1144** — Robert of Chester completes his translation from Arabic to Latin of the Liber de compositione alchemiae, marking the birth of Western alchemy. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_of_Chester))
- **1534** — At the Convocation of Canterbury, the Catholic bishops comprising the Upper House of the Province of Canterbury agree to style Henry VIII supreme head of the English church and clergy "so far as the law of Christ allows". ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convocations_of_Canterbury_and_York))
- **1584** — A naval expedition led by Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa founds Nombre de Jesús, the first of two short-lived Spanish settlements in the Strait of Magellan. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Sarmiento_de_Gamboa))
- **1586** — Sir Francis Drake with an English force captures and occupies the Spanish colonial port of Cartagena de Indias for two months, obtaining a ransom and booty. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Drake))
- **1659** — The assault on Copenhagen by Swedish forces is beaten back with heavy losses. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_on_Copenhagen_(1659)))
- **1794** — First session of United States Senate opens to the public. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate))
- **1808** — Jesse Fell burns anthracite on an open grate as an experiment in heating homes with coal. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Fell))
- **1812** — Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry is accused of "gerrymandering" for the first time. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts))
- **1823** — Carnival tragedy of 1823: About 110 boys are killed during a human crush at the Convent of the Minori Osservanti in Valletta, Malta. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_tragedy_of_1823))
- **1826** — University College London is founded as University of London. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_College_London))
- **1840** — Gaetano Donizetti's opera La fille du régiment receives its first performance in Paris, France. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaetano_Donizetti))
- **1843** — Giuseppe Verdi's opera I Lombardi alla prima crociata receives its first performance in Milan, Italy. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Verdi))
- **1855** — Kassa Hailu is crowned Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tewodros_II))
- **1856** — The Kingdom of Awadh is annexed by the British East India Company and Wajid Ali Shah, the king of Awadh, is deposed. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awadh))
- **1858** — Bernadette Soubirous's first vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary occurs in Lourdes, France. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernadette_Soubirous))
- **1861** — American Civil War: The United States House of Representatives unanimously passes a resolution guaranteeing noninterference with slavery in any state. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War))
- **1873** — King Amadeo I of Spain abdicates, triggering the proclamation of the First Spanish Republic. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeo_I_of_Spain))
- **1889** — The Meiji Constitution of Japan is adopted. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Constitution))
- **1903** — Anton Bruckner's 9th Symphony receives its first performance in Vienna, Austria. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Bruckner))
- **1906** — Pope Pius X publishes the encyclical Vehementer Nos. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_X))
- **1919** — Friedrich Ebert (SPD) is elected President of Germany. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Ebert))
- **1929** — The Kingdom of Italy and the Vatican sign the Lateran Treaty. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Italy))
- **1933** — LAPD Red Squad raid on John Reed Club art show in the U.S. results in the destruction of a dozen political artworks. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAPD_Red_Squad_raid_on_John_Reed_Club_art_show))
- **1937** — The Flint sit-down strike ends when General Motors recognizes the United Auto Workers trade union. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_sit-down_strike))
- **1938** — BBC Television produces the world's first ever science fiction television programme, an adaptation of a section of the Karel Čapek play R.U.R. that coined the term "robot". ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_One))
- **1942** — World War II: Second day of the Battle of Bukit Timah is fought in Singapore. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II))
- **1946** — The New Testament of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, the first significant challenge to the Authorized King James Version, is published. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament))
- **1953** — Cold War: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower denies all appeals for clemency for Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War))
- **1953** — Israeli-Soviet relations are severed. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel%E2%80%93Russia_relations))
- **1959** — The Federation of Arab Emirates of the South is created as a protectorate of the United Kingdom. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_the_Emirates_of_South_Arabia))
- **1963** — The Beatles record their first album, Please Please Me. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles))
- **1970** — Japan launches Ohsumi, becoming the fourth nation to put an object into orbit using its own booster. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohsumi_(satellite)))
- **1971** — Cold War: The Seabed Arms Control Treaty opens for signature, outlawing nuclear weapons on the ocean floor in international waters. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seabed_Arms_Control_Treaty))
- **1978** — Pacific Western Airlines Flight 314 crashes at the Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada with 42 deaths and seven survivors. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Western_Airlines_Flight_314))
- **1979** — The Iranian Revolution establishes an Islamic theocracy under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution))
- **1990** — Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison outside Cape Town, South Africa after 27 years as a political prisoner. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela))
- **1990** — Buster Douglas, a 42:1 underdog, knocks out Mike Tyson in ten rounds at Tokyo to win boxing's world Heavyweight title. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buster_Douglas))
- **1997** — Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Discovery))
- **1999** — Pluto crosses Neptune's orbit, ending a nearly 20-year period when it was closer to the Sun than the gas giant; Pluto is not expected to interact with Neptune's orbit again until 2231. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto))
- **2000** — Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on STS-99 to conduct the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Endeavour))
- **2001** — A Dutch programmer launches the Anna Kournikova virus infecting millions of emails via a trick photo of the tennis star. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Kournikova_(computer_virus)))
- **2008** — Rebel East Timorese soldiers seriously wound President José Ramos-Horta. Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado is killed in the attack. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timor-Leste))
- **2011** — Arab Spring: The first wave of the Egyptian revolution culminates in the resignation of Hosni Mubarak and the transfer of power to the Supreme Military Council after 17 days of protests. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring))
- **2013** — The Vatican confirms that Pope Benedict XVI will resign the papacy as a result of his advanced age. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_XVI))
- **2013** — Militants claiming to be from the Sultanate of Sulu invade Lahad Datu District, Sabah, Malaysia, beginning the Lahad Datu standoff. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultanate_of_Sulu))
- **2014** — A military transport plane crashes in a mountainous area of Oum El Bouaghi Province in eastern Algeria, killing 77 people. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Algerian_Air_Force_C-130_crash))
- **2015** — A university student is murdered as she resists an attempted rape in Turkey, sparking nationwide protests and public outcry against harassment and violence against women. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_%C3%96zgecan_Aslan))
- **2015** — The European Space Agency's Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle is launched on a Vega rocket. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Space_Agency))
- **2016** — A man shoots seven people dead at an education center in Jizan Province, Saudi Arabia. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Ad_Dair_shooting))
- **2017** — North Korea test fires a ballistic missile across the Sea of Japan. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea))
- **2018** — Saratov Airlines Flight 703 crashes near Moscow, Russia with 71 deaths and no survivors. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saratov_Airlines_Flight_703))
- **2020** — COVID-19 pandemic: The World Health Organization officially names the coronavirus outbreak as COVID-19, with the virus being designated SARS-CoV-2. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic))
- **2024** — 2024 Finnish presidential election: Alexander Stubb is elected as the 13th president of Finland. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Finnish_presidential_election))

---

## Notable births on February 11

- **2002** — **Liam Lawson** — New Zealand racing driver ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Lawson))
- **2001** — **Bryan Gil** — Spanish footballer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Gil))
- **2000** — **Nassir Little** — American basketball player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nassir_Little))
- **1998** — **Trent Frederic** — American ice hockey player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Frederic))
- **1998** — **Josh Jacobs** — American football player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Jacobs))
- **1998** — **Khalid** — American singer and songwriter ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalid_(singer)))
- **1997** — **Damien Harris** — American football player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damien_Harris))
- **1997** — **Mike Hughes** — American football player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Hughes_(American_football)))
- **1997** — **Hubert Hurkacz** — Polish tennis player ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Hurkacz))
- **1997** — **Rosé** — New Zealand-South Korean singer and dancer ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ros%C3%A9_(singer)))

---

## Notable deaths on February 11

- **2026** — **James Van Der Beek** — American actor (born 1977) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Van_Der_Beek))
- **2025** — **Betsy Arakawa** — American classical pianist (born 1959) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsy_Arakawa))
- **2025** — **Moses Lim** — Singaporean actor (born 1949) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Lim))
- **2024** — **Allen J. Bard** — American chemist (born 1933) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_J._Bard))
- **2024** — **Kelvin Kiptum** — African long-distance runner(born 1999) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin_Kiptum))
- **2023** — **Donald Spoto** — American biographer (born 1941) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Spoto))
- **2018** — **Vic Damone** — American singer, songwriter and actor (born 1928) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vic_Damone))
- **2018** — **Asma Jahangir** — Pakistani human-rights lawyer and social activist (born 1952) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asma_Jahangir))
- **2018** — **Jan Maxwell** — American stage and television actress (born 1956) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Maxwell))
- **2018** — **Qazi Wajid** — Pakistani drama actor, writer and artist (born 1930) ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qazi_Wajid))

---

## About this page

This is a machine-readable Markdown summary of [thisday.info/events/february/11/](https://thisday.info/events/february/11/).  
Historical data is sourced from [Wikipedia/Wikimedia](https://www.wikipedia.org) under [CC BY-SA](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).  
Editorial framing and site content © thisday.info.