February 13 in History

Sails from Spain with the newly appointed Governor of Hispaniola, Nicolas de Ovando y Caceres, on a fleet of 30 ships, the largest fleet that had ever sailed to the New World

Is executed by beheading on Tower Green following the parliamentary attainder.

Is executed on Tower Green with Catherine Howard after being condemned for assisting the queen's meetings with Thomas Culpeper.

Arrives in Edinburgh after overcoming Elizabeth Is objections

Marries his cousin Man Bai, daughter of Bhagwan Das of Amber

Charles assents to legislation excluding bishops from the House of Lords and temporal offices.

Charles assents to legislation excluding bishops from the House of Lords and temporal offices.

Legislation removes bishops from the House of Lords and secular government positions.

Legislation removes bishops from the House of Lords and secular government positions.

Charles assents to the exclusion of bishops from the House of Lords.

Charles assents to the exclusion of bishops from the House of Lords.

A regency begins because the new king is only four years old.

A regency begins because the new king is only four years old.

Becomes a leading member of the regency government during the minority of Charles XI

Accepts the crown jointly with Mary after the Declaration of Rights is presented

Accepts the crown jointly with William after the Declaration of Rights is presented

William III of Orange and Mary accept the Declaration of Rights when the English crown is offered to them.

Named in the succession after the heirs of William and Mary

William and Mary accepted the crown and Declaration of Rights, ending the vacancy.

William III of Orange begins his joint reign with Mary after they accept the English crown offered by the Convention.

Succeeds as joint monarch after the Convention settlement

William III of Orange accepts the English crown jointly with Mary after Parliament declares that James II has abdicated.

Supports the settlement offering the crown to William and Mary

His earlier support for the invitation to William helps shape the Revolution settlement

William III of Orange's government approves severe measures against Highland clans that have not submitted, and the resulting operation at Glencoe becomes a lasting political controversy.

1st to use the phrase "Balance of Power" to express the British foreign policy

1st to use the phrase "Balance of Power" to express the British foreign policy

Receives an Ottoman firman establishing hereditary succession within his family.

The French capture Langson

French forces a crossing at Klip Drift during the sweeping cavalry advance toward Kimberley.

Russian policy supports Austro-Russian demands for reforms in the Balkans.

Russia & Austria jointly demand Turkey make reforms in the Balkans

Russia & Austria jointly demand Turkey make reforms in the Balkans

Russia & Austria jointly demand Turkey make reforms in the Balkans

Russian and Austrian diplomacy presses Turkey for Macedonian reforms.

Russia & Austria jointly demand Turkey make reforms in the Balkans

Russia & Austria jointly demand Turkey make reforms in the Balkans

The Washington Protocols ended the blockade and referred creditor claims to international arbitration.

The approved operation receives additional British and French warships, submarines, destroyers and minesweeping trawlers.

Appointed Head of the Extraordinary Commission for Supply

Appointed Head of the Supply Commission, responsible for food for the cities. Appointed Head of the Extraordinary Commission for Supply

Gives a second Jerusalem lecture on relativity, this time in German.

Jodl records and supports military pressure used during the crisis leading to the annexation of Austria.

Sends 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion to find how close Wavells army is to Tripoli

Luga is liberated by the Russians after the Battle of Riga

Appointed President of Venezuela

France tests its first atomic weapon in Algeria.

France detonates Gerboise Bleue in Algeria and becomes the fourth state to test a nuclear weapon.

France explodes its first atomic bomb in the Sahara desert, it has a yield of 60-70 kilotons

Ends his final prime ministerial term

McCone joined a Special Group meeting reviewing clandestine and covert activities against Cuba while the Johnson administration reconsidered its pressure campaign.

President Johnson approves sustained bombing plans against North Vietnam

President Johnson authorizes Operation Rolling Thunder

Civil rights disturbances occur at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Civil rights disturbances occur at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Writes dark lyrical themes for the debut album, adding occult and anti-war imagery to the band's music.

Records the debut album with heavy riffs that help define the emerging heavy metal style.

Sings on Black Sabbath's debut album, released on Friday the thirteenth in February 1970.

Drums on the debut album Black Sabbath, helping establish the band's slow, heavy power.

Osbourne sings on Black Sabbath's debut album, released during the band's Birmingham breakthrough.

US troops support South Vietnam in their invasion of Laos. The South Vietnamese are driven out with heavy casualties

Venezuela joined the Andean Pact to participate in regional economic integration.

Thieu announces a "Popular Front" for peace & self-determination

Solzhenitsyn is deported from the Russia to Frankfurt, West Germany and stripped of his Soviet citizenship, Solzhenitsyn lives in Heinrich Bulls house

The Hartling Government ends in Copenhagen, concluding this term as Prime Minister of Denmark.

Begins the Second Jørgensen Premiership in Copenhagen and serves as Prime Minister of Denmark.

Appointed military Head of State of Nigeria after the assassination of Murtala Muhammed

The Socialist government nationalizes major banks and industrial groups

Margaret Thatcher meets Konstantin Chernenko. Calls for peaceful coexistence with the US

Margaret Thatcher meets Konstantin Chernenko

A coalition strike destroys the Al-Amiriyah facility and kills many civilians sheltering inside.

Bush's administration states that the attacked Baghdad facility was believed to be military.

Libya withdraws troops from Chad due to a judgement of the International Court of Justice

Libya withdraws troops from Chad due to a judgement of the International Court of Justice

Hawley operates Discovery's robotic arm to capture Hubble and secure the telescope for Servicing Mission 2.

AFRC junta loses Freetown after ECOMOG military action

Restored to the presidency after ECOMOG removes the AFRC junta

Putin signs a decree to re-establish the "special departments" (FSB) to seek out political disloyalty in the military

Directs Good Bye, Lenin!, a major post-reunification German film.

At a meeting with diplomats from the US, China, South Korea, Russia, and Japan, North Korea agrees to dismantle its nuclear facilities and allow international inspectors to enter the country in exchange for about $400 million in oil and aid

Signs the Economic Stimulus Act to send tax rebates and business incentives during the downturn

Biti assumes responsibility for government finances during the unity administration.

A female suicide bomber kills 35 Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad, the deadliest attack in a string of bombings

A female suicide bomber kills 35 Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad, the deadliest attack in a string of bombings

Vietnam quarantines Son Loi commune during the early COVID-19 outbreak.

Is acquitted in his second impeachment trial.

ONS estimates that the economy grew by 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Burnham presents the Greater Manchester mayoral general budget for 2026/27.

Birth of George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney

Birth of George's Simenon, creator of Maigret

Birth of Kim Novak

Birth of Oliver Reed

Birth of Robert Oliver Reed

Birth of Peter Brian Gabriel, later Genesis vocalist, lyricist and theatrical frontman.

Birth of Peter Brian Gabriel

Birth of Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams

Birth of Robert Peter Williams, later singer with Take That and a major British solo artist.

Death of Honorius II

A regency of Swedish nobles is forced to sue for peace

Dies at Gothenburg after summoning the Swedish estates during the final months of the Northern War

Dies at Gothenburg, leaving the Swedish throne to the four-year-old Charles XI

Charles becomes King of Sweden after the death of his father Charles X Gustav.

Charles becomes King of Sweden after the death of his father Charles X Gustav.

Fights at the Battle of Portland

Defeats a Spanish force in Chile

The 16th & 18th Armies are ordered back to the Panther Line. Luga is liberated by the Russians