1327day.year
The teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer.
At just 14 years old, Edward III ascended the English throne amid a power struggle. Real authority rested with Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer during his minority.
At just 14 years old, Edward III ascended the English throne following the forced abdication of his father, Edward II. His coronation at Westminster Abbey on February 1, 1327, marked the start of a new reign in name only. The young king’s mother, Queen Isabella of France, and her ally and lover, Roger Mortimer, exercised de facto control over the kingdom. Mortimer amassed lands, titles, and influence, shaping policy and suppressing dissent among the nobility. Opposition to Mortimer’s regency grew, culminating in Edward III’s bold coup in 1330. With Mortimer arrested and executed, Edward III began to rule in his own right, later becoming one of England’s most celebrated medieval monarchs.
1327
Edward III
Queen Isabella
Roger Mortimer
1411day.year
The First Peace of Thorn is signed in Thorn (Toruń), Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights (Prussia).
The First Peace of Thorn ends the conflict between the Teutonic Knights and the Polish-Lithuanian alliance. The treaty is signed in the city of Thorn (Toruń).
After years of border skirmishes and two major battles, the Teutonic Knights and the allied forces of Poland and Lithuania agreed to peace terms in Thorn on February 1, 1411. The treaty restored territorial boundaries largely to their pre-war lines, with minor adjustments that favored Poland-Lithuania. Annual tributes were established to be paid by the Teutonic Order to Lithuania in lieu of captives. The agreement also called for the exchange of prisoners of war and the cessation of hostilities. While it ended the immediate conflict, tensions remained high, setting the stage for future wars in the region. The Second Peace of Thorn would follow decades later, reshaping the balance of power in Central Europe.
1411
First Peace of Thorn
Thorn (Toruń)
Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights
1662day.year
The Chinese general Koxinga seizes the island of Taiwan after a nine-month siege.
Ming loyalist leader Koxinga captures Taiwan from the Dutch after a prolonged siege. He establishes a stronghold for resistance against the Qing dynasty.
In an effort to continue resistance against the collapsing Ming dynasty, Zheng Chenggong, known in the West as Koxinga, launched a nine-month siege of the Dutch colonial fort at Zeelandia on Taiwan’s southwestern coast. On February 1, 1662, the Dutch governor capitulated, ending nearly four decades of European rule on the island. Koxinga’s forces immediately set about expelling remaining Dutch settlers and soldiers, consolidating control over the territory. He founded the Kingdom of Tungning as a base for Ming loyalists, instituting land reforms and encouraging Chinese immigration. The conquest marked the last European colonial foothold in Taiwan until the arrival of new powers centuries later. Taiwan would remain under Koxinga’s successors until it was absorbed by the Qing dynasty in 1683.
1662
Koxinga
Taiwan
nine-month siege
1713day.year
The Kalabalik or Skirmish at Bender results from the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed III's order that his unwelcome guest, King Charles XII of Sweden, be seized.
Ottoman forces attempt to capture Sweden’s exiled King Charles XII in the Skirmish at Bender. The clash highlights tense diplomatic relations.
Following his defeat at the Battle of Poltava, Charles XII of Sweden sought refuge in the Ottoman Empire in 1709, residing near the city of Bender. On February 1, 1713, Sultan Ahmed III, weary of his guest’s intrigues and diplomatic pressure from Russia, ordered the arrest of the Swedish monarch. Ottoman troops surrounded Charles’ quarters, leading to a violent skirmish that involved artillery fire and hand-to-hand combat. Though the Swedes fiercely resisted, they were vastly outnumbered and ultimately overpowered. The incident strained Ottoman-Swedish relations and drew criticism of Ahmed III’s handling of the affair. Charles XII survived but was forced to relocate, ending his prolonged stay in Ottoman lands.
1713
Skirmish at Bender
Ahmed III
Charles XII of Sweden
1793day.year
French Revolutionary Wars: France declares war on the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
Revolutionary France expands its conflicts by declaring war on Britain and the Dutch Republic. This marks a new phase in the French Revolutionary Wars.
Amid the radical fervor of the French Revolution, the National Convention voted on February 1, 1793, to declare war on both Great Britain and the Dutch Republic. This decision followed earlier conflicts with Austria and Prussia, solidifying a wider coalition of European monarchies against Revolutionary France. The war declarations aimed to spread revolutionary ideals abroad and to secure vital trade routes and colonies. Britain and the Netherlands, reliant on colonial commerce, responded by forming alliances and dispatching naval forces to blockade French ports. The conflict hastened the mobilization of the French levée en masse, a total military draft that transformed warfare in Europe. These expanded hostilities would persist until the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and the reshaping of the continent.
1793
French Revolutionary Wars
1796day.year
The capital of Upper Canada is moved from Newark to York.
Upper Canada relocates its capital from Newark to the newly founded town of York. The move aims to improve defense and governance.
On February 1, 1796, Governor John Graves Simcoe officially declared the town of York (later Toronto) the new capital of Upper Canada, replacing Newark (present-day Niagara-on-the-Lake). Simcoe cited York’s strategic position on Lake Ontario and its defensible harbor as key reasons for the relocation, especially in light of threats from the nearby United States. The move also aimed to stimulate settlement and development in the region’s southwestern territory. Land grants were offered to encourage loyalist immigrants and merchants to establish businesses in York. Over the following decades, York grew rapidly into a political and economic center. Its selection as capital laid the foundations for modern-day Toronto’s status as Canada’s largest city.
1796
Upper Canada
Newark
York
1814day.year
Mayon in the Philippines erupts, killing around 1,200 people, which was the most devastating eruption of the volcano.
Mount Mayon erupts violently in 1814, causing widespread devastation in the Philippines. Approximately 1,200 lives are lost in the disaster.
Mount Mayon, the Philippines’ most active volcano, erupted on February 1, 1814, unleashing deadly pyroclastic flows and lahars on the surrounding communities. The eruption buried homes, crops, and villages under ash and volcanic debris within hours. Contemporary accounts describe rivers of molten rock and choking clouds of ash that spanned several kilometers. Local defenses were overwhelmed, and many residents had little warning of the impending catastrophe. Official tallies estimated around 1,200 fatalities, making it the deadliest eruption Mayon had recorded. The disaster prompted early efforts at volcanic monitoring and influenced later colonial-era responses to natural hazards.
1814
Mayon
Philippines
1835day.year
Slavery is abolished in Mauritius.
Mauritius abolishes slavery, granting freedom to thousands of enslaved people. The move reshapes colonial society and the sugar economy.
On February 1, 1835, the British colonial administration in Mauritius formally abolished slavery, implementing the Empire-wide Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Approximately 20,000 enslaved individuals on the island were declared free, although a transitional apprenticeship system persisted until 1840. Plantation owners received financial compensation for the loss of their enslaved labor, while newly freed workers faced challenging economic conditions and limited land rights. Abolition reshaped Mauritius’ sugar-based economy, prompting planters to recruit indentured laborers from India. Social dynamics shifted as freed communities built churches, schools, and mutual aid societies. The legacy of emancipation in Mauritius reflects both progress and enduring inequalities in post-slavery societies.
1835
Slavery is abolished
Mauritius
1861day.year
American Civil War: Texas secedes from the United States and joins the Confederacy a week later.
Texas votes to secede from the Union and soon joins the Confederate States of America. The decision makes Texas the seventh Confederate state.
In a convention held on February 1, 1861, delegates in Austin approved an ordinance of secession, formally removing Texas from the United States. Driven by disputes over states’ rights and slavery, Texas became the seventh state to join the Confederacy on March 2, 1861. The secession vote was backed by a majority of white landowners and political leaders who feared the abolition of slavery under the incoming Lincoln administration. Texas’ strategic position along the Gulf Coast and its agricultural resources proved vital to the Confederate war effort. The move deepened national divisions, contributing to the outbreak of the American Civil War. Despite opposition from some Unionists and Native American tribes, secession set Texas on a path of conflict and reconstruction for years to come.
1861
American Civil War
Texas
secedes
Confederacy
1864day.year
Second Schleswig War: Prussian forces crossed the border into Schleswig, starting the war.
Prussian and Austrian troops invade the Duchy of Schleswig, igniting the Second Schleswig War against Denmark. The conflict reshapes the balance of power in northern Europe.
On February 1, 1864, Prussian forces under the command of Prince Friedrich Karl crossed the border into the Danish-administered Duchy of Schleswig, marking the opening of the Second Schleswig War. The dispute over the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein stemmed from conflicting nationalist and dynastic claims following the 1848 revolutions. Allied Prussian and Austrian armies sought to enforce German Confederation interests and curb Danish influence. Early engagements tested the modernized Prussian military and highlighted weaknesses in Denmark’s defenses. The war would ultimately end with the Treaty of Vienna in October 1864, ceding Schleswig and Holstein to Prussia and Austria. This victory bolstered Prussia’s prestige and paved the way for German unification under Prussian leadership.
1864
Second Schleswig War
1865day.year
President Abraham Lincoln signs the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
President Abraham Lincoln signs the Thirteenth Amendment, officially abolishing slavery throughout the United States.
On February 1, 1865, Abraham Lincoln endorses the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, marking a pivotal moment in American history.
The amendment prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crime.
It follows years of civil war fought over the issue of slavery and states' rights.
Lincoln's leadership during the Civil War and his commitment to emancipation culminate in this legal milestone.
The amendment paves the way for the Reconstruction era and fundamental changes in American society.
It remains one of the most significant constitutional amendments ever adopted.
1865
Abraham Lincoln
Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
1884day.year
The first volume (A to Ant) of the Oxford English Dictionary is published.
The inaugural volume of the Oxford English Dictionary, covering words from A to Ant, is published in London.
On February 1, 1884, the inaugural volume of the Oxford English Dictionary appears, edited by James A. H. Murray and his team.
This pioneering work aims to record the historical development of the English language.
The OED project began in 1857 and involves exhaustive research into word origins, usage, and evolution.
Readers gain insight into centuries of literature and regional variations through detailed entries.
The publication revolutionizes lexicography and sets a standard for dictionary scholarship worldwide.
Subsequent volumes continue over the next decades, completing the monumental work.
1884
Oxford English Dictionary