This Day in History – February 26

Historic events constantly remind us of the many inventions that gave us new breakthroughs, personalities that contributed to huge changes, and patterns that led to various wars. These events teach us lessons that can be used to assess future decisions. Here we bring you all the highlights from this day in history- February 26.

What Happened in India on February 26?

1910: Gandhiji showed support for African People’s Organisations
Protesting against the South Africa Acts disenfranchisement of Indians, Coloureds, and Africans, Gandhi supported the African People’s Organisations resolution to declare the Prince of Wales day of arrival in South Africa- a day of mourning on February 26, 1910.

What Happened Around The World on February 26? 

1233: Mongol–Jin War
The Mongols captured Kaifeng, the capital of the Jin dynasty, after besieging it for months.
1266: Battle of Benevento
An army led by Charles, Count of Anjou, defeated a combined German and Sicilian force led by Manfred, King of Sicily on February 26, 1266.
1365: Royal City of Ava
The Ava Kingdom and the royal city of Ava (Inwa) founded by King Thado Minbya.
1616: Galileo Galilei- Formally Banned 
Galileo Galilei was given injunction by the Roman Catholic Church from teaching or defending the view of heliocentrism- it stated that the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun.
1773: Walnut Street Jail
Construction of Walnut Street Jail was approved by the state of Pennsylvania; it became the first experiment with the practice of solitary confinement in the United States
1775:  Moro Piracy
The British East India Company factory on Balambangan Island was destroyed by Moro pirates and the survivors escaped to Brunei.
1797: First  £1 note
Bank of England issued the first £1 note on February 26, 1797.
1876: Korea’s status as Qing dynasty China ended
Japan and Korea signed a treaty that granted Japanese citizens extraterritoriality rights, opened three ports to Japanese trade, and ended Korea’s status as a tributary state of Qing dynasty China.
1895: Glass Blowing Machine
Michael Owens of Toledo, Ohio, patented a glass-blowing machine.
1914: HMHS Britannic
Sister to the RMS Titanic- HMHS Britannic, was launched at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast.
1935: Hitler and the Treaty of Versailles
Adolf Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to be re-formed and violated the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles.
1980: Diplomacy between Egypt and Israel
Egypt and Israel established full diplomatic relations on February 26, 1980.
1987: Iran–Contra affair
The Tower Commission rebuked President Ronald Reagan for not controlling his national security staff.
1952: Vincent Massey
Vincent Massey was sworn in as the first Canadian-born Governor-General of Canada.
1960: Alitalia Airliner
A New York-bound Alitalia airliner crashed into a cemetery in Shannon, Ireland, shortly after takeoff, killing 34 of the 52 persons on board.
1966: Apollo Program
AS-201, the first flight of the Saturn IB rocket was launched.
2012: Train derailed in Burlington
A train derailed in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. It killed at least three people and injured 45 on February 26, 2012.
2013: Hot air balloon crash
A hot air balloon crashed near Luxor, Egypt. It killed 19 people

List Of Important Birthdays

• Manmohan Desai- Indian film producer
• Jennifer Grant- American Actress
• Sudeep Nagarkar- Writer
• Teresa Palmer – American Actress
• Greg Germann- Actor

Hope you are all caught up with the most historical events and observances of February 26! Keep watching this space at Leverage Edu for more such educational content, and give us a follow on LinkedIn, Youtube, Facebook, Quora, and Instagram!