In History, Today on February 18

Today we explore events from the year 1229 to the year 2021. Events span the globe, from the countries of England, United States, Algeria, South Korea, Ukraine, Kingdom of Jerusalem, United Kingdom, Austria, Iran, Vatican City, N/A.

1229

Jerusalem, Kingdom of Jerusalem

The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, signs a ten-year truce with Al-Kamil, the Ayyubid Sultan of Egypt, allowing Christians to regain control of Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem without military conflict.

1478

London, England

George, Duke of Clarence, is executed for treason against his brother Edward IV of England. Legend has it that he was drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine.

1861

Montgomery, United States

Jefferson Davis is inaugurated as the provisional president of the Confederate States of America in Montgomery, Alabama.

1885

New York, United States

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is published in the United States.

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1930

Flagstaff, United States

Clyde Tombaugh discovers Pluto at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.

1954

Los Angeles, United States

The first Church of Scientology is established in Los Angeles, California.

1979

Ghardaïa, Algeria

Snow falls in the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria for the only time in recorded history.

1991

London, United Kingdom

The IRA launches a mortar attack on 10 Downing Street in London, targeting British Prime Minister John Major and his cabinet during a meeting.

2000

Klagenfurt, Austria

The controversial figure Jörg Haider resigns as governor of the Austrian state of Carinthia amid international criticism of his far-right Freedom Party's participation in the Austrian government.

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2001

Daytona Beach, United States

Dale Earnhardt, a legendary NASCAR driver, died in a crash during the final lap of the Daytona 500.

2003

Daegu, South Korea

An arson attack on a subway train in Daegu, South Korea, resulted in the deaths of 192 people.

2004

Nishapur, Iran

A train derailed near Nishapur, Iran, causing explosions that killed at least 295 people.

2010

Austin, United States

A plane crashed into an IRS building in Austin, Texas, in a suicide attack by Andrew Joseph Stack III, killing two people including the pilot.

2014

Kyiv, Ukraine

Violent clashes erupted in Kyiv, Ukraine, between protesters and police, marking a significant escalation in the Euromaidan protests.

2019

Vatican City, Vatican City

The Vatican announced that it had defrocked former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after finding him guilty of sexual abuse.

2020

Washington, D.C., United States

The United States announced charges against Huawei and its CFO Meng Wanzhou, accusing them of racketeering and conspiracy to steal trade secrets.

2021

Mars, N/A

NASA's Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars, beginning its mission to search for signs of past life and collect samples for future return to Earth.