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What happened on March 2

On March 2, 537: Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoth army under king Vitiges begins the siege of the capital. Belisarius conducts a delaying action outside the Flaminian Gate; he and a detachment of his bucellarii are almost cut off.

Events

66

across history

Notable births

50

Notable deaths

50

Zodiac

Pisces

People

Born on March 2

Prince Oscar 2016– Swedish prince (born 2016)
Windy Zhan 2006– Hong Kong pop singer and actress (born 2006)
Brooks Barnhizer 2002– American basketball player (born 2002)
Bárbara Domingos 2000– Brazilian rhythmic gymnast
Illan Meslier 2000– French footballer (born 2000)
Isiah Pacheco 1999– Puerto Rican American football player (born 1999)
Iñaki Peña 1999– Spanish footballer (born 1999)
Tua Tagovailoa 1998– American football player (born 1998)
Arike Ogunbowale 1997– American basketball player (born 1997)
Show 9 more — notable births on March 2
Becky G 1997– American singer and actress (born 1997)
Jin Longguo 1996– Chinese singer (born 1996)
Miguel Andújar 1995– Dominican baseball player (born 1995)
Max Domi 1995– Canadian ice hockey player (born 1995)
Ange-Freddy Plumain 1995– Guadeloupean footballer (born 1995)
Nicolás Brussino 1993– Argentine basketball player (born 1993)
Adolis García 1993– Cuban baseball player (born 1993)
Charlie Coyle 1992– American ice hockey player (born 1992)
Nick Franklin 1991– American baseball player (born 1991)

People

Died on March 2

Janice Burgess American television producer (1952–2024)
Jaclyn Jose Filipino actress (1963–2024)
Mike Oliver British academic and activist
Billy Herrington American pornographic actor and Japanese internet icon (1969–2018)
Lin Hu Chinese fighter pilot (1927–2018)
Benoît Lacroix Quebec theologian, philosopher, Dominican priest, professor and historian
Aubrey McClendon American businessman (1959–2016)
Dean Hess American minister and Air Force officer
Dave Mackay Scottish football player and manager (1934–2015)
Show 9 more — notable deaths on March 2
Mal Peet English writer and illustrator (1947–2015)
Ryhor Baradulin Belarusian poet
Peter Harvey Australian journalist and broadcaster (1944–2013)
Giorgos Kolokithas Greek basketball player (1945–2013)
Shabnam Shakeel Award winning Pakistan Writer
Lawrence Anthony South African conservationist, environmentalist, explorer and author
Van T. Barfoot United States Army Medal of Honor recipient (1919–2012)
Norman St John-Stevas English politician (1929–2012)
James Q. Wilson American political scientist and public policy expert

Timeline

Every March 2 on record

  1. 537 Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoth army under king Vitiges begins the siege of the capital. Belisarius conducts a delaying action outside the Flaminian Gate; he and a detachment of his bucellarii are almost cut off.

    First siege of Rome during the Justinian's Gothic War

    The siege of Rome of 537–538 AD was the city's first siege during the Gothic War (535–554) between the defending Byzantine Empire's forces under the leadership of Belisarius against a numerically superior Ostrogothic (Goths) force under Vitigis. The siege was the first major encounter between the forces of the two opponents, and played a decisive role in the subsequent development of the war.

  2. 986 Louis V becomes the last Carolingian king of West Francia after the death of his father, Lothaire.

    King of West Francia from 979 to 987

    Louis V, also known as Louis the Lazy, was a king of West Francia from 979 to his early death in 987. During his reign, the nobility essentially ruled the country. Dying childless, Louis V was the last Carolingian monarch in West Francia.

  3. 1331 Fall of Nicaea to the Ottoman Turks after a siege.

    1328–1331 capture of the Eastern Roman city of Nicaea by the Ottoman Empire

    The Siege of Nicaea, or Siege of Iznik, by the forces of Orhan I from 1328 to 1331, resulted in the conquest of the key Byzantine city of Nicaea to the Ottomans. It played an important role in the expansion of the Ottoman Empire.

  4. 1444 Skanderbeg organizes a group of Albanian nobles to form the League of Lezhë.

    Albanian warlord and military commander (1405–1468)

    Gjergj Kastrioti was an Albanian nobleman and military leader who led the League of Lezhë in the Ottoman-Albanian Wars until his death. Skanderbeg is considered to be a major figure of medieval Albanian history and today is the national hero of Albania.

  5. 1458 George of Poděbrady is chosen as the king of Bohemia.

    King of Bohemia (r. 1458–71)

    George of Kunštát and Poděbrady, also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad, was the sixteenth King of Bohemia, who ruled in 1458–1471. He was a leader of the Hussites, but moderate and tolerant toward the Catholic faith. His rule was marked by great efforts to preserve peace and tolerance between the Hussites and Catholics in the religiously divided Crown of Bohemia – hence his contemporary nicknames: "King of two peoples" and "Friend of peace".

  6. 1476 Burgundian Wars: The Old Swiss Confederacy hands Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, a major defeat in the Battle of Grandson in Canton of Neuchâtel.
  7. 1484 The College of Arms is formally incorporated by Royal Charter signed by King Richard III of England.
  8. 1498 Vasco da Gama's fleet visits the Island of Mozambique.
  9. 1657 The Great Fire of Meireki begins in Edo (now Tokyo), Japan, causing more than 100,000 deaths before it exhausts itself three days later.
  10. 1776 American Revolutionary War: Patriot militia units attempt to prevent capture of supply ships in and around the Savannah River by a small fleet of the Royal Navy in the Battle of the Rice Boats.
  11. 1791 Claude Chappe demonstrates the first semaphore line near Paris.
  12. 1796 Napoleon Bonaparte is appointed to command the Army of Italy.
  13. 1797 The Bank of England issues the first one-pound and two-pound banknotes.
  14. 1807 The U.S. Congress passes the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, disallowing the importation of new slaves into the country.
  15. 1811 Argentine War of Independence: A royalist fleet defeats a small flotilla of revolutionary ships in the Battle of San Nicolás on the River Plate.
Show 15 earlier entries from March 2
  1. 1815 Signing of the Kandyan Convention treaty by British invaders and the leaders of the Kingdom of Kandy.
  2. 1836 Texas Revolution: The Declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas from Mexico is adopted.
  3. 1855 Alexander II becomes Tsar of Russia.
  4. 1859 The two-day Great Slave Auction, once thought to be the largest such auction in United States history, begins.
  5. 1864 Ulysses S. Grant is promoted to lieutenant general, giving him command of all Union Armies.
  6. 1865 East Cape War: The Völkner Incident in New Zealand.
  7. 1867 The U.S. Congress passes the first Reconstruction Act.
  8. 1877 Just two days before inauguration, the U.S. Congress declares Rutherford B. Hayes the winner of the 1876 U.S. presidential election even though Samuel J. Tilden had won the popular vote.
  9. 1882 Queen Victoria narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by Roderick Maclean in Windsor.
  10. 1901 United States Steel Corporation is founded as a result of a merger between Carnegie Steel Company and Federal Steel Company which became the first corporation in the world with a market capital over $1 billion.
  11. 1901 The U.S. Congress passes the Platt Amendment limiting the autonomy of Cuba, as a condition of the withdrawal of American troops.
  12. 1903 In New York City the Martha Washington Hotel opens, becoming the first hotel exclusively for women.
  13. 1917 The enactment of the Jones–Shafroth Act grants Puerto Ricans United States citizenship.
  14. 1919 The first Communist International meets in Moscow.
  15. 1932 Finnish president P. E. Svinhufvud gives a radio speech, which four days later finally ends the Mäntsälä Rebellion and the far-right Lapua Movement that started it.

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