February 05

Events

2 BC

Caesar Augustus is granted the title pater patriae by the Roman Senate.

The Roman Senate honors Caesar Augustus as the 'Father of the Fatherland', recognizing his leadership and reforms.
On February 5, 2 BC, the Roman Senate conferred upon Octavian the honorific 'pater patriae'. This title, meaning 'Father of the Fatherland', celebrated his restoration of peace and order. Augustus’s political reforms and military victories had transformed Rome into a stable empire. The new title affirmed his supreme authority and paternal relationship with the Roman people. Celebrations and ceremonies accompanied this decree throughout the city. This moment marked a key milestone in Augustus's enduring legacy.
2 BC Caesar Augustus pater patriae Roman Senate
62day.year

Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy.

A powerful earthquake strikes Pompeii, foreshadowing the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
On February 5, AD 62, a significant tremor shook the ancient city of Pompeii. Reports describe collapsed walls, tilting buildings, and widespread panic among residents. This seismic event caused extensive damage and signaled unrest beneath Mount Vesuvius. Archaeological evidence later revealed repairs and rebuilding efforts undertaken by citizens. The quake presaged the even greater eruption in AD 79 that entombed Pompeii under ash. This early warning tremor highlights the volatility of volcanic activity in the Bay of Naples.
62 Earthquake Pompeii
756day.year

Chinese New Year; An Lushan proclaims himself Emperor of China and founds the short-lived state of Yan.

During the Chinese New Year festival, rebel leader An Lushan proclaims himself Emperor of the new state of Yan.
On February 5, 756, amid Chinese New Year celebrations, the general An Lushan declared himself Emperor of Yan. This declaration split the realm and intensified the An Lushan Rebellion against the Tang dynasty. The short-lived state of Yan challenged the imperial court's authority over northern China. Widespread military campaigns and political upheaval followed the proclamation. The rebellion devastated local economies and reshaped the era's power dynamics. Despite its brief existence, the state of Yan left a lasting mark on Chinese history.
756 Chinese New Year An Lushan Emperor of China Yan
1576day.year

Henry of Navarre abjures Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion.

Henry of Navarre renounces Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion.
On February 5, 1576, Henry of Navarre publicly abjured Catholicism in Tours. His dramatic shift bolstered Protestant morale during the protracted French Wars of Religion. As leader of the Huguenot faction, his decisions swayed the balance of power in France. Henry's religious flexibility foreshadowed his later policies of tolerance as king. This event highlighted the era's intense sectarian conflict and political intrigue. His eventual return to Catholicism and the Edict of Nantes would shape France's future.
1576 Henry of Navarre abjures Tours French Wars of Religion
1597day.year

A group of early Japanese Christians are killed by the new government of Japan for being seen as a threat to Japanese society.

Tokugawa authorities execute a group of early Japanese Christians in Nagasaki, warning against foreign influence.
On February 5, 1597, the Tokugawa shogunate ordered the crucifixion of 26 Christian missionaries and converts. This ruthless act aimed to quell the spread of Christianity, deemed a threat to social order. Among the victims were European Jesuits, Japanese converts, and young children. The martyrdom drew international attention and fueled further missionary efforts in Asia. It underscored the shogunate's isolationist policies and determination to control religious practices. These martyrs were later canonized, symbolizing steadfast faith amid persecution.
1597 early Japanese Christians killed
1783day.year

In Calabria, a sequence of strong earthquakes begins.

A devastating sequence of earthquakes begins in Calabria, southern Italy, causing widespread destruction.
On February 5, 1783, the first in a series of powerful earthquakes struck Calabria. Over the following weeks, successive tremors leveled towns and triggered coastal tsunamis. Estimates suggest thousands of fatalities and vast displacement of local populations. Eyewitness accounts describe dramatic ground fissures and collapsing buildings. The disaster prompted early scientific interest in seismic phenomena and earthquake engineering. Calabria's reconstruction shaped modern approaches to disaster response in Europe.
1783 Calabria sequence of strong earthquakes
1810day.year

Peninsular War: Siege of Cádiz begins.

French forces begin the prolonged Siege of Cádiz during the Peninsular War against Napoleonic Spain.
On February 5, 1810, Marshal Victor's troops encircled the fortified port city of Cádiz. Allied Spanish defenders, supported by the British navy, repelled repeated French assaults. Cádiz became the seat of the Spanish Cortes, symbolizing resistance to Napoleonic rule. Despite bombardments and blockades, the city held out for more than two years. The failed siege marked a significant obstacle to France's plans in the Iberian Peninsula. It showcased the effectiveness of combined land and naval defense strategies.
1810 Peninsular War Siege of Cádiz
1818day.year

Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte ascends to the thrones of Sweden and Norway.

Former French marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte ascends to the thrones of Sweden and Norway, founding a new dynasty.
On February 5, 1818, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte formally took the crowns of Sweden and Norway. Elected as Crown Prince in 1810, he ruled as King Charles XIV John after naturalizing as Swedish. His leadership brought stability and peacetime reforms to nations battered by Napoleonic wars. Bernadotte's Franco-Swedish background fostered diplomatic and cultural ties across Europe. He established the House of Bernadotte, which continues to reign over Sweden today. His adaptive diplomacy shaped the modern Scandinavian monarchy and governance.
1818 Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte
1852day.year

The New Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, one of the largest and oldest museums in the world, opens to the public.

The New Hermitage Museum opens in Saint Petersburg, unveiling an expansive imperial art collection to the public.
On February 5, 1852, Tsar Nicholas I inaugurated the New Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. Designed by Leo von Klenze, the museum featured state-of-the-art exhibition halls. It housed European masterpieces from the Roman era to the Renaissance. The opening marked a shift toward public cultural engagement in Imperial Russia. Early visitors admired works by artists such as Raphael, Rembrandt, and Titian. The Hermitage's growth would eventually make it one of the world's premier museums.
1852 Hermitage Museum Saint Petersburg
1859day.year

Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Prince of Moldavia, is also elected as prince of Wallachia, joining the two principalities as a personal union called the United Principalities, an autonomous region within the Ottoman Empire, which ushered in the birth of the modern Romanian state.

On February 5, 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected prince of both Moldavia and Wallachia, uniting them as the United Principalities and laying the groundwork for modern Romania.
On February 5, 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, then Prince of Moldavia, was elected Prince of Wallachia, uniting the two Danubian principalities. The personal union, known as the United Principalities, enjoyed autonomy under the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire. Cuza’s leadership spurred the establishment of common institutions, administrative reforms, and legal systems across both regions. This union laid the foundation for Romania’s independence in 1877 and its international recognition in 1878. It is celebrated as the birth of the modern Romanian state.
1859 Alexandru Ioan Cuza Moldavia Wallachia personal union United Principalities Ottoman Empire Romanian
1869day.year

The largest alluvial gold nugget in history, called the "Welcome Stranger", is found in Moliagul, Victoria, Australia.

In 1869, prospectors in Moliagul, Victoria uncovered the Welcome Stranger, the largest alluvial gold nugget ever recorded.
On February 5, 1869, gold prospectors in Moliagul, Victoria, uncovered the Welcome Stranger nugget, the largest alluvial gold discovery in history. Weighing over 3,000 troy ounces, the massive lump stunned local miners and sparked global fascination with Australia’s goldfields. The discovery highlighted the peak of the Victorian gold rush and prompted further exploration in the region. Although the nugget was later cut and melted down, its size remains legendary among mining historians. Its find symbolizes the allure and risks of 19th-century gold prospecting.
1869 alluvial gold Welcome Stranger Moliagul