On This Day in History – February 11

Major Events

• 660 BC – According to tradition, Emperor Jimmu founds Japan, marking the beginning of the Japanese imperial lineage.
• 1531 – King Henry VIII of England is formally recognized as Supreme Head of the Church of England by the Convocation of Canterbury.
• 1650 – René Descartes, French philosopher and mathematician, dies in Stockholm, leaving a lasting impact on modern philosophy and science.
• 1809 – Robert Fulton patents the steamboat, revolutionizing transportation and commerce in the 19th century.
• 1858 – Bernadette Soubirous reports the first Marian apparition at Lourdes, France, later becoming a major pilgrimage site.
• 1929 – The Lateran Treaty is signed between Italy and the Holy See, establishing Vatican City as an independent state.
• 1945 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin conclude the Yalta Conference.
• 1975 – Margaret Thatcher is elected leader of the British Conservative Party, becoming the first woman to lead a major UK political party.
• 1990 – Nelson Mandela is released from prison after 27 years, marking a turning point in South Africa’s struggle against apartheid.
• 2011 – Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns amid mass protests during the Arab Spring.

Famous Birthdays

• Thomas Edison – American inventor and businessman (1847–1931)
• Jennifer Aniston – American actress and producer (1969)
• Sheryl Crow – American singer-songwriter (1962)
• Sarah Palin – American politician (1964)
• Burt Reynolds – American actor (1936–2018)
• Taylor Lautner – American actor (1992)
• Damien Lewis – British actor (1971)
• Brice Johnson – American basketball player (1994)
• Kelly Rowland – American singer and songwriter (1981)

Notable Deaths

• René Descartes – French philosopher and mathematician (1650, born 1596)
• Sylvia Plath – American poet and novelist (1963, born 1932)
• Whitney Houston – American singer and actress (2012, born 1963)
• Yasser Arafat – Palestinian political leader (2004, born 1929)
• Antonín Dvořák – Czech composer (1904, born 1841)
• Eva Gabor – Hungarian-American actress (1995, born 1919)
• Peter Tork – American musician, member of The Monkees (2019, born 1942)
• Alexander Hamilton Stephens – American politician (1883, born 1812)
• Douglas Adams – English author and humorist (2001, born 1952)

Holidays

• National Foundation Day – Japan
• World Day of the Sick – Observed internationally
• Inventors’ Day – United States
• Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes – Observed in Catholic traditions

Fun Facts

• February 11 is celebrated as Japan’s symbolic founding date based on ancient tradition.
• Thomas Edison held over 1,000 patents during his lifetime.
• Vatican City became the smallest independent state in the world after the Lateran Treaty.
• Nelson Mandela’s release was broadcast worldwide and marked a historic political shift.
• Lourdes attracts millions of pilgrims each year following the reported apparitions.
• Margaret Thatcher later became the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.