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Historical events on February 4

FEBRUARY 4, 1488
Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias landed in Mossel Bay, becoming the first European known to have sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and the southern tip of Africa.
Bartolomeu Dias was a Portuguese mariner and explorer. In 1488, he became the first European navigator to round the southern tip of Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1859
Constantin von Tischendorf rediscovered the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th-century great uncial codex of the Bible in Greek, in Saint Catherine's Monastery, Egypt.
Lobegott Friedrich Constantin (von) Tischendorf was a German biblical scholar. In 1844, he discovered the world's oldest and most complete Bible dated Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1555
Marian Restoration: Because he opposed Catholicism, John Rogers was burned at the stake (pictured) as the first English Protestant executed for heresy under the reign of Mary I.
The English Reformation took place in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away first from the authority of the Pope Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1969
Yasser Arafat (pictured) was elected chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Yasser Arafat, also popularly known by his kunya Abu Ammar, was a Palestinian political leader. He was chairman of the Palestine Liberation Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1899
The Philippine–American War began when an American soldier, under orders to keep insurgents away from his unit's encampment, fired on a Filipino soldier in Manila.
The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1974
American newspaper heiress and socialite Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army, which she later joined.
Patricia Campbell Hearst is an American actress and member of the Hearst family. She is the granddaughter of American publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. (Image Credits)
FEBRUARY 4, 1801
John Marshall, whose court opinions helped lay the basis for U.S. constitutional law and made the Supreme Court a coequal branch of government, took office as chief justice.
John Marshall was an American statesman, jurist, and Founding Father who served as the fourth chief justice of the United States from Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1945
World War II: American forces liberated the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in Manila, the largest enemy-civilian internment camp run by the Empire of Japan in the Philippines.
World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1974
The Provisional Irish Republican Army bombed a motor coach carrying off-duty British Armed Forces personnel and their family members, killing twelve people.
The Provisional Irish Republican Army, officially known as the Irish Republican Army and informally known as the Provos, was an Irish republican Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1169
A strong earthquake struck the eastern coast of Sicily, causing at least 15,000 deaths.
The 1169 Sicily earthquake occurred on 4 February 1169 at 08:00 local time on the eve of the feast of St. Agatha Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1797
The Riobamba earthquake, the most powerful in Ecuador's history, devastated Riobamba and many other cities, causing at least 6,000 casualties.
The 1797 Riobamba earthquake occurred at 12:30 UTC on 4 February. It devastated the city of Riobamba and many other cities in Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1999
Four plain-clothes New York City police officers shot and killed Amadou Diallo, an unarmed 23-year-old immigrant from Guinea, prompting outrage both in and outside the city.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, is the primary law enforcement agency within Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1820
Chilean War of Independence: Chilean forces captured the city of Valdivia.
The Chilean War of Independence was a military and political event that allowed the emancipation of Chile from the Spanish Monarchy, ending Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 2008
The London low emission zone, governing what types of vehicles may enter Greater London, came into operation.
The London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is an area of London in which an emissions standard based charge is applied to non-compliant Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 1999
The Philippine-flagged freighter New Carissa ran aground near Coos Bay, Oregon, causing one of the worst oil spills in the state's history.
Flag of convenience (FOC) refers to a business practice whereby a ship's owners register a merchant ship in a ship register of Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 960
Emperor Taizu (pictured) came to power, initiating the Song dynasty of China that eventually lasted for more than three centuries.
Emperor Taizu of Song, personal name Zhao Kuangyin, courtesy name Yuanlang, was the founding emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He Read More
FEBRUARY 4, 2015
Shortly after takeoff from Taipei Songshan Airport, the crew of TransAsia Airways Flight 235 shut down the wrong engine in response to a flameout, leading to a crash that resulted in 43 deaths.
Taipei Songshan Airport is a city airport and military airbase located in Songshan District, Taipei, Taiwan. The airport covers an area of 182 hectares. (Image Credits)

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