945day.year

Zhu Wenjin

Chinese emperor

Chinese emperor
10th-century Chinese military leader who briefly seized the throne of the Min Kingdom by coup.
Zhu Wenjin was a general in the Min Kingdom during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In 944, he orchestrated a palace coup, assassinating the ruling prince to claim the throne for himself. His self-proclaimed reign lasted less than a year and faced resistance from loyalist factions. He was assassinated in 945, ending his short-lived rule amid continuing dynastic turmoil. His rise and fall illustrate the instability of regional kingdoms in medieval China.
Zhu Wenjin
1010day.year

Fujiwara no Korechika

(974 - 1010)

Japanese nobleman

Japanese nobleman
Heian-period Japanese nobleman of the powerful Fujiwara clan involved in court politics.
Fujiwara no Korechika was born in 974 as the eldest son of Fujiwara no Kaneie, head of one of Japan’s preeminent clans. He rose through court ranks, holding positions such as Major Counselor (Dainagon). His career was marked by intense rivalry with his brothers and shifting alliances at the imperial court. Exiled in 995 following a court scandal, he spent his final years away from the capital. He died in 1010, remembered for his ambition and the turbulent politics of the Heian period.
1010 Fujiwara no Korechika
1140day.year

Leo I

Armenian prince

Armenian prince
First lord of Cilician Armenia in the early 12th century who established its dynastic foundations.
Born into the Armenian nobility, Leo I asserted control over parts of Cilicia amid Crusader and Byzantine interests. He ruled as lord from 1129 until his retirement in 1137 due to ill health. Leo fortified castles and expanded Armenian holdings, laying the groundwork for the later Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. He entered monastic life and passed away on February 14, 1140. His leadership solidified an independent Armenian principality along the Mediterranean coast.
1140 Leo I
1140day.year

Sobĕslav I

duke of Bohemia

duke of Bohemia
Duke of Bohemia from 1125 to 1140, celebrated for his victory at the Battle of Chlumec.
Sobĕslav I ascended to the Bohemian ducal throne after defeating rival pretenders at Chlumec in 1126. He negotiated autonomy from the Holy Roman Empire while consolidating Přemyslid power at home. His reign focused on strengthening central authority and defending against German influence. He also promoted ecclesiastical development by supporting new monasteries and churches. Sobĕslav died on February 14, 1140, leaving a more unified Bohemia.
Sobĕslav I
1164day.year

Sviatoslav Olgovich

Kievan prince

Kievan prince
12th-century Rurikid prince who ruled Novgorod and Chernigov during the fragmentation of Kievan Rus.
Born into the Olgovich branch of the Rurikid dynasty, Sviatoslav Olgovich held multiple principalities in Kievan Rus. He served as Prince of Novgorod in 1136 before being expelled amid political turmoil. He later ruled Chernigov, engaging in dynastic conflicts with his cousins for regional dominance. His career reflects the complex feudal struggles that fractured Kievan Rus in the 12th century. He died on February 14, 1164, as one of many princes vying for power in the medieval Rus lands.
1164 Sviatoslav Olgovich
1229day.year

Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson

king of the Isles

king of the Isles
King of the Isles in the early 13th century, overseeing Norse-Gaelic territories including the Isle of Man.
Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson was a member of the Crovan dynasty, ascending to the throne of the Isles around 1187. He governed a maritime realm spanning the Isle of Man and parts of western Scotland, balancing Norse and Gaelic traditions. His reign involved alliances and conflicts with neighboring kingdoms, including Scotland and Norway. He was deposed and restored at various times, reflecting the volatile politics of the Irish Sea region. Rǫgnvaldr died on February 14, 1229, remembered for his role in Norse-Gaelic maritime power.
1229 Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson
1317day.year

Margaret of France

queen of England

queen of England
Margaret of France was the queen consort of England as the second wife of King Edward I, serving from 1299 until her death in 1317.
Margaret of France, born into the Capetian dynasty, was the daughter of King Philip III of France. She married King Edward I of England in 1299, becoming queen consort and forging a diplomatic bond between England and France. As queen, she was noted for her support of religious institutions and charitable works at the English court. Her marriage strengthened the alliance between two major medieval powers during a period of shifting political landscapes. Margaret's gentle influence at court and devotion to piety earned her respect among contemporaries. She passed away on February 14, 1317, leaving behind a legacy of Anglo-French cooperation.
1317 Margaret of France
1400day.year

Richard II

(1367 - 1400)

king of England

king of England
Richard II was King of England from 1377 until his deposition in 1399, known for his artistic patronage and tumultuous reign.
Born in 1367, Richard II ascended the throne at the age of ten and initially ruled under a regency council. He sought to centralize royal authority and was a generous patron of the arts and literature. His assertion of prerogative led to conflicts with powerful nobles and periodic rebellions. In 1399, he was deposed by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke, who became Henry IV of England. Richard spent his final months imprisoned in Pontefract Castle and died there on February 14, 1400. His complex legacy includes significant cultural impact and the seeds of the Wars of the Roses.
1400 Richard II
1440day.year

Dietrich of Oldenburg

German nobleman

German nobleman
Dietrich of Oldenburg was a German nobleman from the House of Oldenburg who ruled his family’s territories in the early 15th century.
A member of the influential House of Oldenburg, Dietrich governed his ancestral lands in what is now northwest Germany. He managed feudal duties, oversaw regional justice, and maintained alliances with neighboring princes. His tenure contributed to the stability and prominence of Oldenburg in Holy Roman Empire politics. Dietrich’s careful stewardship laid the groundwork for his descendants’ future prominence, including monarchs in Scandinavia. He died on February 14, 1440, leaving a legacy of prudent leadership and dynastic expansion.
1440 Dietrich of Oldenburg
1489day.year

Nicolaus von Tüngen

prince-bishop of Warmia

prince-bishop of Warmia
Nicolaus von Tüngen was the prince-bishop of Warmia, serving as both a religious leader and secular ruler in the late 15th century.
Elected bishop of Warmia in 1467, Nicolaus von Tüngen held both ecclesiastical authority and princely sovereignty over the region. His contested appointment sparked the War of the Priests, a struggle for diocesan independence against the Polish crown. He skillfully negotiated with both the Teutonic Order and the Kingdom of Poland to maintain Warmia’s autonomy. As prince-bishop, he fortified church institutions and promoted clerical education in his diocese. Nicolaus offered a model of balanced spiritual leadership and political governance until his death on February 14, 1489.
1489 Nicolaus von Tüngen
1528day.year

Edzard I

(1462 - 1528)

German nobleman

German nobleman
Edzard I, known as Edzard the Great, was Count of East Frisia who consolidated and expanded his territories in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.
Born in 1462, Edzard I inherited the county of East Frisia and strengthened its autonomy within the Holy Roman Empire. He secured his rule through strategic marriages, diplomatic treaties, and military defenses against neighboring states. Under his leadership, East Frisia experienced economic growth, improved legal structures, and advancement of local trade. Edzard championed religious reform influences that prefigured later Protestant movements in the region. He died on February 14, 1528, and was remembered for transforming a patchwork of fiefs into a cohesive principality.
1528 Edzard I
1714day.year

Maria Luisa of Savoy

(1688 - 1714)

queen of Spain

queen of Spain
Maria Luisa of Savoy was the first queen consort of Spain as the spouse of King Philip V, known for introducing French court culture to Madrid.
Born in Turin in 1688, Maria Luisa married Philip V in 1701 and became queen consort amid the War of the Spanish Succession. She brought French customs, fashions, and artistic patronage to the Bourbon court in Madrid. Maria Luisa supported charitable foundations, hospitals, and the education of women in the kingdom. Her presence helped solidify Bourbon rule in Spain and modernize its royal ceremonies. She died on February 14, 1714, at age 25, leaving a lasting impression on Spanish culture and court life.
1714 Maria Luisa of Savoy