1128 – Toghtekin, Turkoman atabek and military leader of Damascus (fought during First Crusade), founded Burid Dynasty, dies
1590 – François Hotman/Hotomanus, French lawyer and diplomat (Anti-Tribonien), dies at 65
1907 – Muriel Robb, British tennis player (Wimbledon 1902), dies of lymphadenoma at 28
1933 – Henri Duparc, French composer (L’invitation au voyage), and visual artist, dies at 85
1957 – Eric Alfred Knudsen, American Hawaiian folklorist, dies at 84
1986 – Guy Warrack, Scottish composer, dies at 86
1991 – Edward A. Blatt, Polish-born American director (Between 2 Worlds), dies at 88
1994 – Donald Judd, American minimalist sculptor and artist, dies of cancer at 65
2025 – Holmes Rolston III, American environmental philosopher and Templeton Prize laureate (2003), dies at 92
2025 – Tommy Hunt, American soul singer (Flamingos, 1956-60 – “I Only Have Eyes For You”; “Lovers Never Say Goodbye”), dies at 91
Author: gil7
Historical Events for 12th February 2026
1901 – Dutch Penitentiary children’s law proclaimed
1954 – The UK government establishes an organisation to control atomic energy in the country under The Atomic Energy Authority Bill
1955 – Soviets decides space center to be built in Baikonur, Kazakhstan
1964 – The Beatles first NYC concerts, two shows at Carnegie Hall
1985 – 37th NHL All-Star Game, Olympic Saddledome, Calgary: Wales Conference beats Campbell Conference, 6-4; MVP: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, C
1994 – “The Scream” by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (1893 pastel version) is stolen in Oslo
1995 – Susan Auch skates female world record 500m (38.94 sec)
2019 – Trial of 12 Catalonia independence leaders begins in Madrid
Today in History for 12th February 2026
Historical Events
1984 – East German luger Steffi Martin wins the first of 2 consecutive women’s singles gold medals at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics; also wins in Calgary (1988)
1988 – US Navy frigate USS Yorktown bumped by Russian frigate Bezzavetny in the Black Sea in dispute over right of innocent passage
2007 – A gunman opens fire in a mall in Salt Lake City, killing five people in the Trolley Square shooting
2017 – 70th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs): “La La Land” Best Film, Damien Chazelle Best Director, Best Actors Casey Affleck / Emma Stone
2023 – India opens the first part of what will be its longest expressway linking Mumbai with New Delhi over 1,386-kilometer (861 mile)
Famous Birthdays
1830 – Stephen Wilcox, American inventor of steam generators for power stations and ships (Babcock and Wilcox), born in Westerly, Rhode Island (d. 1893)
1904 – Ted Mack, American TV host (The Original Amateur Hour), born in Denver, Colorado (d. 1976)
1914 – Nello Celio, Swiss politician, born in Quinto, Switzerland (d. 1995)
1945 – Roman Tam [Pak-sin], Hong Kong singer knownn as the “Grand Godfather of Cantopop”, born in Baise, Guangxi, China (d. 2002)
1980 – Enver Gjokaj, American actor (Dollhouse; Agent Carter), and inventor, born in Orange County, California
Famous Deaths
1837 – Ludwig Borne [Loeb Baruch], German-Jewish writer, dies at 50
1896 – Isaac Murphy, American jockey, 628 wins on 1,412 mounts (44.5%), dies at 35
2000 – Oliver [William Swofford], American pop singer (“Good Morning Starshine”), dies of cancer at 54
2022 – William Kraft, American timpanist, percussionist (Los Angeles Percussion Ensemble), conductor, and composer (The Demise of Suriyodhaya; Avalanche), dies at 98
2025 – Patrick Barclay, English sportswriter (The Times, The Guardian-Observer, Sunday Telegraph, The Independent; Sky Sports), dies at 77
Famous Deaths for 11th February 2026
1685 – David Teniers III, Flemish painter, dies at 46
1927 – Joel Engel, Russian musicologist (Jewish Folksongs), composer (“Numi, Numi”), and music publisher, dies at 58
1943 – Bess Houdini, American-German stage assistant and wife of Harry Houdini, dies from heart attack at 67
1950 – Kiki Cuyler, American Baseball HOF right fielder (World Series 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates; 4 × NL stolen base leader; MLB All Star 1934 Chicago Cubs), dies at 51
1954 – Adolph M. Christianson, justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court, dies at 76
1971 – Whitney Young Jr, National Urban League director, drowns in Nigeria
1972 – Jan Wils, Dutch architect (Olympian Stadium, Amsterdam), dies at 80
1985 – Ben Abruzzo, American businessman and balloonist (b. 1930)
1997 – Don Porter, American actor (Gidget), dies at 84
2005 – Jack L. Chalker, American sci-fi author (Saga of Well World), dies at 60
Historical Events for 11th February 2026
1908 – Heemskerk’s government begins in Holland
1948 – Billy Griffith scores cricket century on debut Eng v WI, out for 140
1985 – Kent Hrbek signs 5-year $6 million contract with Minnesota Twins
1986 – Australia beat India 2-0 to win cricket’s World Series Cup, David Boon scores the most runs in the series (418)
1992 – F-16 jet crashes at residential district of Hengelo, Netherlands (No deaths)
2007 – 60th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs): “The Queen” Best Film, Paul Greengrass Best Director
2013 – Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation effective February 28, becoming the first pope to resign since 1415
2021 – World’s second oldest person, French nun Sister André, celebrates her 117th birthday after surviving COVID-19 in Toulon
Today in History for 11th February 2026
Historical Events
1928 – II Winter Olympic Games open in St Moritz, Switzerland
1949 – “Lovesick Blues” single is released by Hank Williams (Cashbox “Best Hillbilly Record of the Year,” Billboard Song of the Year 1949)
1953 – J. Styne and Bob Hilliard’s musical “Hazel Flagg” opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 190 performances
1975 – TV drama “Sarah T: Portrait of A Teenage Alcoholic” starring Linda Blair, premieres on US network NBC
1984 – Wayne Gretzky sets NHL short handed season scoring record at 11
Famous Birthdays
1557 – John Wtenbogaert, Dutch theologist (Kerckelicke history), born in at Utrecht (d. 1644)
1917 – Richard Jock Kinneir, British graphic designer (modern road signs), born in Hampshire, England (d. 1994)
1918 – Margaret Heldt, American hairdresser who created the beehive hairstyle, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2016)
1933 – Mildred Sampson, New Zealand distance runner (world marathon record 3:19:33 1964), born in Auckland, New Zealand
1956 – Raoul Björkenheim, American avant-garde jazz guitarist, born in Los Angeles, California
Famous Deaths
1797 – Antoine Dauvergne, French composer, dies at 83
1943 – Bess Houdini, American-German stage assistant and wife of Harry Houdini, dies from heart attack at 67
1967 – A. J. Muste, Dutch-born American pacifist and labor activist, dies at 82
1975 – Richard Ratsimandrava, Malagasy soldier and statesman, assassinated (b. 1931)
1999 – Jaki Byard, American jazz pianist (Charlie Mingus), saxophonist, drummer, composer, arranger, and educator, dies from an unsolved gunshot at 76
Famous Deaths for 10th February 2026
1163 – Baldwin III, King of Jerusalem (1143-63), son of Princess Melisende and Fulco of Anjou, husband of Theodora, dies of consumption at about 33 [birthday uncertain]
1772 – Joseph Wenzel I, Prince of Liechtenstein and general, dies at 75
1774 – Florian Leopold Gassmann, Bohemian composer, dies at 44
1822 – Albert Casimir, Duke of Teschen and Governor of the Austrian Netherlands, dies at 83
1852 – Samuel Prout, British water color painter, dies at 68
1876 – August Söderman, Swedish composer, dies at 43
1987 – Ray Colignon (sometimes none as “Coco”), Belgian jazz and easy listening pianist, Hammond organist, and bandleader, dies at 80
2004 – Margaret Stacey, English sociologist who helped shape the distinctively British genre of empirical sociology, dies at 81
2005 – Jack Segal, American pianist and songwriter (“Scarlet Ribbons (for Her Hair)”, “When Sunny Gets Blue”, “Here’s to the Losers”), dies at 86
2010 – Max Schubel, American composer (Opus One Records), dies at 77
Historical Events for 10th February 2026
1535 – Twelve nude Anabaptists run through the streets of Amsterdam
1713 – Netherlands and Britain sign accord concerning anti-French Barrier [OS=Jan 31]
1879 – 1st electric arc light used (California Theater)
1923 – Ink paste manufactured for 1st time by Standard Ink Company
1966 – “Valley of the Dolls” by Jacqueline Susann is published by Bernard Geis Associates in the US – sold over 31 million copies
1968 – “Spooky” by Classics IV hits #3
1992 – Mike Tyson convicted of raping Desiree Washington in Indiana
2013 – 66th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs): “Argo”, Ben Affleck (Director); Daniel Day-Lewis and Emmanuelle Riva win
Today in History for 10th February 2026
Historical Events
1878 – Pact of Zanjón signed between Cubans rebels and the Spanish bringing the 10 Years War to an end
1933 – -54°F (-48°C), Seneca, Oregon (state record)
1939 – “Stagecoach” western film directed by John Ford, starring Claire Trevor and John Wayne, premieres in Miami
1974 – Judy Ikenberry wins 1st Us women’s marathon (2:55:17)
1993 – “Michael Jackson Talks to Oprah Winfrey” airs on ABC and draws an astounding 39.3 rating/56 share, with 90 million people watching
Famous Birthdays
1937 – Ronnie Rondell Jr., American stuntman known for appearing on the cover of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here”, born in Hollywood, California (d. 2025)
1942 – Alfred Gager, Austrian soccer midfielder (6 caps; Austria Wien, FC Wacker Wien), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2022)
1942 – Howard Mudd, American football OL (Pro Bowl 1966–68; All-Pro 1967-68; SF 49ers, Chicago Bears) and coach (Super Bowl 2006; OL Indianapolis Colts), born in Midland, Michigan (d. 2020)
1951 – Zeudi Araya, Eritrean actress (Hearts and Armour, La peccatrice), born in Dekemhare, British Eritrea
1987 – Yuja Wang, Chinese-American award-winning pianist known for her charismatic stage presence (Rachmaninoff Marathon), born in Beijing, China
Famous Deaths
1127 – William IX, the Troubadour, Frankish nobleman (Duke of Aquitaine, Gascony, Count of Poitou, 1086-1127), Crusader, and poet, dies at 55
1887 – Ellen Wood, English author (Pomeroy Abbey), dies at 73
1917 – Émile Pessard, French pianist, concert and comic opera composer, and teacher (Maurice Ravel, Jacques Ibert), dies at 73
1951 – Joseph Bovet, Swiss composer and conductor (Fribourg folk music), dies at 71
1995 – Kenton Kilmer, American writer, dies of cancer at 85
Famous Deaths for 9th February 2026
1802 – Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves, British admiral (Seven Years’ War, American War of Independence), dies at 76
1875 – Cecil De Vere, English chess player (1st official British chess champion (1866), dies from tuberculosis at 28
1943 – World War II: Dutch fascist official Hermannus Reydon and his wife are shot by resistance members, his wife dies immediately and he dies six months later
1949 – Poul Schierbeck, Danish organist and composer, dies at 60
1994 – Jarmila Novotná, Czech-American soprano (Metropolitan Opera, 1940-56), and actress (The Search), dies at 86
2010 – Chaskel Besser, Polish-American Orthodox rabbi, dies at 86
2013 – Kåre Valebrokk, Norwegian journalist and director of TV 2, dies at cancer at 72
2018 – Jóhann Jóhannsson, Icelandic theatre, dance, and film score composer (The Theory of Everything), dies from a combination of cocaine and prescription medication at 48
2019 – Patricia Nell Warren, American novelist (The Front Runner, The Fancy Dancer), dies of cancer at 82
2023 – Lewis Spratlan, American classical composer and Pulitzer Prize winner (Life Is A Dream), dies at 82