The Battle of Benevento took place, marking a decisive victory for Charles of Anjou over Manfred of Sicily, leading to the end of Hohenstaufen rule in southern Italy.
In History, Today on February 26
Today we explore events from the year 1266 to the year 2020. Events span the globe, from the countries of Italy, France, United States, Germany, Afghanistan, Qatar, Japan, Egypt, North Macedonia, Pakistan.
1266
Benevento, Italy
1616
Rome, Italy
Galileo Galilei was formally banned by the Roman Catholic Church from teaching or defending the heliocentric ideas of Copernicus.
1815
Elba, Italy
Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from exile on the island of Elba, beginning his return to power known as the Hundred Days.
1848
Paris, France
The Second French Republic was proclaimed following the abdication of King Louis-Philippe, marking the end of the July Monarchy.
1919
Grand Canyon, United States
President Woodrow Wilson signed an act of the U.S. Congress establishing the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.
1935
Berlin, Germany
Adolf Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to be re-formed, violating the Treaty of Versailles.
1936
Tokyo, Japan
The February 26 Incident occurred in Japan, an attempted coup d'état by young officers of the Imperial Japanese Army.
1980
Cairo, Egypt
Egypt and Israel established full diplomatic relations following the Camp David Accords.
1987
Washington, D.C., United States
The Iran-Contra affair: The Tower Commission rebuked U.S. President Ronald Reagan for not controlling his national security staff, leading to a major political scandal.
1993
New York City, United States
The World Trade Center in New York City was bombed by terrorists, killing six people and injuring over a thousand.
2001
Bamiyan, Afghanistan
The Taliban destroyed two giant Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, which were carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan Valley and dated back to the 6th century.
2004
Skopje, North Macedonia
The Republic of Macedonia submitted an application for membership in the European Union, marking a significant step in its efforts to join the EU.
2012
Sanford, United States
Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African American teenager, was fatally shot by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida, leading to nationwide protests and debates over racial profiling and gun laws in the United States.
2013
Luxor, Egypt
A hot air balloon crash near Luxor, Egypt, killed 19 tourists, marking one of the deadliest ballooning accidents in history.
2015
Washington, D.C., United States
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States voted to regulate broadband internet service as a public utility, a landmark decision for net neutrality.
2019
Balakot, Pakistan
India conducted airstrikes in Balakot, Pakistan, targeting a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp, following a terrorist attack in Pulwama, Kashmir. This marked a significant escalation in India-Pakistan tensions.
2020
Doha, Qatar
The United States and the Taliban signed a peace agreement in Doha, Qatar, aimed at ending the 18-year war in Afghanistan.