February 11

Traditional date for the foundation of Japan by Emperor Jimmu.

According to legend, on this day Emperor Jimmu, regarded as Japan's first sovereign, founded the Yamato dynasty in 660 BC, marking the mythical birth of the Japanese nation.

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.

In AD 55, Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, son and heir of Emperor Claudius, died unexpectedly under suspicious circumstances, clearing the path for Nero's rise to power.

Guo Wei, a court official, leads a military coup and declares himself emperor of the new Later Zhou.

In 951, the military governor Guo Wei led a coup d'état at the Later Han court, proclaimed himself emperor, and founded the Later Zhou dynasty.

Robert of Chester completes his translation from Arabic to Latin of the Liber de compositione alchemiae, marking the birth of Western alchemy.

Robert of Chester's 1144 Latin translation of the Arabic Liber de compositione alchemiae introduced Western Europe to alchemical knowledge for the first time.

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".

At the 1534 Convocation of Canterbury, English bishops recognized Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the Church of England, a decisive act in the English Reformation.

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.

In 1584, explorer Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa established Nombre de Jesús, the first Spanish settlement in the harsh environment of the Strait of Magellan.

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.

Sir Francis Drake captured and occupied Cartagena de Indias on February 11, 1586, extracting a substantial ransom before withdrawing two months later.

The assault on Copenhagen by Swedish forces is beaten back with heavy losses.

On February 11, 1659, Swedish forces' assault on Copenhagen was repelled during the Second Northern War, inflicting heavy losses and preserving the Danish capital.

First session of United States Senate opens to the public.

In 1794, the United States Senate opened its sessions to the public for the first time, increasing transparency in the young nation's government.