Calendar date · February

What happened on February 4

On February 4, 211: Following the death of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus at Eboracum (modern York, England) while preparing to lead a campaign against the Caledonians, the empire is left in the control of his two quarrelling sons, Caracalla and Geta, whom he had instructed to make peace.

Events

45

across history

Notable births

50

Notable deaths

50

Zodiac

Aquarius

Featured moment · 211

Following the death of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus at Eboracum (modern York, England) while preparing to lead a campaign against the Caledonians, the empire is left in the control of his two quarrelling sons, Caracalla and Geta, whom he had instructed to make peace.

Lucius Septimius Severus was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna, Libya in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through the customary succession of offices under the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus.

People

Born on February 4

Kyla Kenedy 2003– American actress (born 2003)
Rasmus Højlund 2003– Danish footballer (born 2003)
MJ Lenderman 1999– American musician (born 1999)
Malik Monk 1998– American basketball player (born 1998)
Maximilian Wöber 1998– Austrian footballer (born 1998)
Mohamed Sherif 1996– Egyptian footballer (born 1996)
Lavoy Allen 1989– American basketball player (born 1989)
Charlie Barnett 1988– American actor (born 1988)
Carly Patterson 1988– American singer and gymnast (born 1988)
Show 9 more — notable births on February 4
Darren O'Dea 1987– Irish footballer (born 1987)
Lucie Šafářová 1987– Czech tennis player (born 1987)
Maximilian Götz 1986– German racing driver
Mahmudullah Riyad 1986– Bangladeshi cricketer (born 1986)
Doug Fister 1984– American baseball player (born 1984)
Mauricio Pinilla 1984– Chilean footballer
Hannibal Buress 1983– American comedian (born 1983)
Rebecca White 1983– Australian politician
Ivars Timermanis 1982– Latvian basketball player

People

Died on February 4

Aga Khan IV Islamic Imam, 1957–2025
Barry John British Lions & Wales international rugby union player (1945–2024)
Vani Jairam Indian singer (1943–2023)
Sherif Ismail Prime Minister of Egypt from 2015 to 2018
Kim In-hyeok South Korean volleyball player (1995–2022)
Millie Hughes-Fulford American astronaut and academic researcher (1945–2021)
Daniel arap Moi President of Kenya from 1978 to 2002
Matti Nykänen Finnish ski jumper (1963–2019)
John Mahoney American actor (1940–2018)
Show 9 more — notable deaths on February 4
Steve Lang Canadian bassist (1949–2017)
Bano Qudsia Pakistani writer (1928–2017)
Edgar Mitchell American astronaut and lunar explorer (1930–2016)
Fitzhugh L. Fulton American test pilot
Keith Allen Canadian ice hockey player
Eugenio Corti Italian writer (1921–2014)
Dennis Lota Zambian footballer (1973-2014)
Donald Byrd American jazz trumpeter (1932–2013)
Reg Presley British singer (1941–2013)

Timeline

Every February 4 on record

  1. 211 Following the death of the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus at Eboracum (modern York, England) while preparing to lead a campaign against the Caledonians, the empire is left in the control of his two quarrelling sons, Caracalla and Geta, whom he had instructed to make peace.

    Roman emperor from 193 to 211

    Lucius Septimius Severus was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna, Libya in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through the customary succession of offices under the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus.

  2. 960 Zhao Kuangyin declares himself Emperor Taizu of Song, ending the Later Zhou and beginning the Song dynasty.

    Emperor of China from 960 to 976

    Emperor Taizu of Song, personal name Zhao Kuangyin, courtesy name Yuanlang, was the founding emperor of the Song dynasty of China. He reigned from 960 until his death in 976. Formerly a distinguished military general of the Later Zhou dynasty, Emperor Taizu came to power after staging a coup d'état and forcing Emperor Gong, the last Later Zhou ruler, to abdicate the throne in his favor.

  3. 1169 A strong earthquake strikes the Ionian coast of Sicily, causing tens of thousands of injuries and deaths, especially in Catania.

    The 1169 Sicily earthquake occurred on 4 February 1169 at 08:00 local time on the eve of the feast of St. Agatha of Sicily. 3 and an estimated maximum perceived intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale.

  4. 1454 Thirteen Years' War: The Secret Council of the Prussian Confederation sends a formal act of disobedience to the Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, sparking the Thirteen Years' War.

    Conflict between the Prussian Confederation, Poland, and the Teutonic Order

    The Thirteen Years' War, also called the War of the Cities, was a conflict fought in 1454–1466 between the Prussian Confederation, allied with the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, and the State of the Teutonic Order.

  5. 1555 John Rogers is burned at the stake, becoming the first English Protestant martyr under Mary I of England.

    English Protestant clergyman (c. 1505–1555)

    John Rogers was an English clergyman, Bible translator and commentator. He guided the development of the Matthew Bible in vernacular English during the reign of Henry VIII and was the first English Protestant executed as a heretic under Mary I.

  6. 1703 In Edo (now Tokyo), all but one of the Forty-seven Ronin commit seppuku (ritual suicide) as recompense for avenging their master's death.
  7. 1758 The city of Macapá in Brazil is founded by Sebastião Veiga Cabral.
  8. 1789 George Washington is unanimously elected as the first President of the United States by the U.S. Electoral College.
  9. 1794 The French legislature abolishes slavery throughout all territories of the French First Republic. It would be reestablished in the French West Indies in 1802.
  10. 1797 The Riobamba earthquake strikes Ecuador, causing up to 40,000 casualties.
  11. 1801 John Marshall is sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States.
  12. 1810 Napoleonic Wars: Britain seizes Guadeloupe.
  13. 1820 The Chilean Navy under the command of Lord Cochrane completes the two-day long Capture of Valdivia with just 300 men and two ships.
  14. 1825 The Ohio Legislature authorizes the construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal and the Miami and Erie Canal.
  15. 1846 The first Mormon pioneers make their exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois, westward towards Salt Lake Valley.
Show 15 earlier entries from February 4
  1. 1859 The Codex Sinaiticus is discovered in Egypt.
  2. 1861 American Civil War: In Montgomery, Alabama, delegates from six breakaway U.S. states meet and initiate the process that would form the Confederate States of America on February 8.
  3. 1899 The Philippine–American War begins when four Filipino soldiers enter the "American Zone" in Manila, igniting the Battle of Manila.
  4. 1932 Second Sino-Japanese War: Harbin, Manchuria, falls to Japan.
  5. 1938 Adolf Hitler appoints himself as head of the Armed Forces High Command.
  6. 1941 The United Service Organization (USO) is created to entertain American troops.
  7. 1945 World War II: Santo Tomas Internment Camp is liberated from Japanese authority.
  8. 1945 World War II: The Yalta Conference between the "Big Three" (Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin) opens at the Livadia Palace in the Crimea.
  9. 1945 World War II: The British Indian Army and Imperial Japanese Army begin a series of battles known as the Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations.
  10. 1948 Ceylon (later renamed Sri Lanka) becomes independent within the British Commonwealth.
  11. 1961 The Angolan War of Independence and the greater Portuguese Colonial War begin.
  12. 1966 All Nippon Airways Flight 60 plunges into Tokyo Bay, killing 133.
  13. 1967 Lunar Orbiter program: Lunar Orbiter 3 lifts off from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 13 on its mission to identify possible landing sites for the Surveyor and Apollo spacecraft.
  14. 1974 The Symbionese Liberation Army kidnaps Patty Hearst in Berkeley, California.
  15. 1974 M62 coach bombing: The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) explodes a bomb on a bus carrying off-duty British Armed Forces personnel in Yorkshire, England. Nine soldiers and three civilians are killed.

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