One of the many blue plaques on houses in London telling us which famous person lived there is dedicated to Cetshwayo.

His date of birth is probably wrong, he was more likely born around 1826.

9 February 1849 - The Roman Republic proclaimed.

One of the victims of the Year of Revolutions 1848 that toppled Crowned Heads across Europe was the Pope himself. At the beginning of the year Pius IX announced a number of constitutional reforms, but stopped short of granting a liberal Constitution, this coupled with his failure to send troops to northern Italy to join in the effort to expel the Austrians led to such severe unrest that in November he was compelled to flee to the fortress of Gaeta in the Kingdom of Naples.

In his absence a Republican Provisional Government was formed and Elections were held in January 1849, not for parties but for individuals. A Constituent Assembly met in early February and on the 9th the Roman Republic was proclaimed under a triumvirate in the style of Ancient Rome. One of their first acts was to depose Pius as Head of State whilst continuing to recognize him as Head of the Catholic Church.

Pius called for international help in regaining his country and his call was answered by France. By August the short-lived Republic had been overthrown and the Pope restored, but at first in name only. He did not return to Rome until April 1850, the Papal States in the meantime were governed by a Cabinet of Cardinals.

9 February 1849 - The Roman Republic proclaimed.

One of the victims of the Year of Revolutions 1848 that toppled Crowned Heads across Europe was the Pope himself. At the beginning of the year Pius IX announced a number of constitutional reforms, but stopped short of granting a liberal Constitution, this coupled with his failure to send troops to northern Italy to join in the effort to expel the Austrians led to such severe unrest that in November he was compelled to flee to the fortress of Gaeta in the Kingdom of Naples.

In his absence a Republican Provisional Government was formed and Elections were held in January 1849, not for parties but for individuals. A Constituent Assembly met in early February and on the 9th the Roman Republic was proclaimed under a triumvirate in the style of Ancient Rome. One of their first acts was to depose Pius as Head of State whilst continuing to recognize him as Head of the Catholic Church.

Pius called for international help in regaining his country and his call was answered by France. By August the short-lived Republic had been overthrown and the Pope restored, but at first in name only. He did not return to Rome until April 1850, the Papal States in the meantime were governed by a Cabinet of Cardinals.

The Italians love their triumvirates holy & otherwise. 

10 February 1306 - John Comyn murdered.

The last effective King of Scots died in 1286, thereafter Scotland was ruled by a Regency 1286-92, a pro-English puppet King 1292-96 before Edward I of England invaded and annexed Scotland. Needless to say a War of Independence erupted and a number of figures put themselves forward as King; the two leading candidates were Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick and John Comyn.

With the war going badly Comyn submitted to King Edward in 1304 in the hope that he could secure the Scots Throne with English backing. The details of what happened next are unclear; what is known is that Bruce and Comyn met in Greyfriars Church Dumfries in February 1306 and that Comyn was stabbed to death. Some accounts state that it was a premeditated murder, others that an argument and a fight ensued in which Comyn was killed. It seems that Bruce struck the first blow leaving Comyn wounded and Bruce's companions finished him off. 

Whatever the circumstances Comyn was dead; seven weeks later Robert Bruce was formally proclaimed and crowned King of Scots.  

10 February 1306 - John Comyn murdered.

The last effective King of Scots died in 1286, thereafter Scotland was ruled by a Regency 1286-92, a pro-English puppet King 1292-96 before Edward I of England invaded and annexed Scotland. Needless to say a War of Independence erupted and a number of figures put themselves forward as King; the two leading candidates were Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick and John Comyn.

With the war going badly Comyn submitted to King Edward in 1304 in the hope that he could secure the Scots Throne with English backing. The details of what happened next are unclear; what is known is that Bruce and Comyn met in Greyfriars Church Dumfries in February 1306 and that Comyn was stabbed to death. Some accounts state that it was a premeditated murder, others that an argument and a fight ensued in which Comyn was killed. It seems that Bruce struck the first blow leaving Comyn wounded and Bruce's companions finished him off. 

Whatever the circumstances Comyn was dead; seven weeks later Robert Bruce was formally proclaimed and crowned King of Scots.  

Until Mark's input, all I knew about English history was from movies. See Greyfriar's Bobby & the hated Braveheart. I suppose Mark will reveal that the cute little Bobby was a fake too? 

Although a different Greyfriars - Edinburgh not Dumfries, the story of the devoted little dog is largely true. 

11 February 1901 - Milan, King of Serbia 1868-89, died.

Some of the most interesting Royal figures in modern times came from the Balkans, Milan of Serbia was one of them.

In 1868 13 year old Milan was proclaimed Prince of Serbia following the assassination of his great-uncle. At the time Serbia was an autonomous self-governing Principality within the Ottoman Empire. In 1875 Milan married Nathalie Kechko the 16 year old daughter of a Russian Colonel. Their marriage was a tempestuous one, they had two sons but separated in 1886 with Nathalie taking their elder son Alexander (the younger son had died) and heir to the Serbian Crown, with her to Germany.  It was two years before Milan was able to have his son restored to him after which he divorced his wife. 

Politically his reign was just as tumultuous. Serbia gained full independence from Turkey in 1878 and in 1882 Milan adopted the title King of Serbia. In January 1889 he granted a liberalized Constitution, but this was opposed by Russia and in March Milan suddenly abdicated, it is thought under pressure from Russia which sought to restore its influence over the new King 12 year old Alexander through his Russian mother. 

For several years the former King Milan lived in exile until he was rehabilitated once his son came of age and in 1897 he was appointed C-in-C of the Serbian Army. However it all collapsed in 1900 when King Alexander married a commoner Draga Lunyević, a union that Milan fiercely opposed forcing him to resign as C-in-C and even to be exiled from Serbia by his son. 

A few months later Milan died in Vienna aged 46.

Tempting but I don't think so. Both King Milan and Queen Nathalie had numerous affairs, one of Milan's lovers was Jennie Jerome, Winston Churchill's mother, and before you ask the dates don't fit in with Winston's birth. 

Tempting but I don't think so. Both King Milan and Queen Nathalie had numerous affairs, one of Milan's lovers was Jennie Jerome, Winston Churchill's mother, and before you ask the dates don't fit in with Winston's birth. 

I have learned to my chagrin, to be sufficiently vague when posting absolute dates & circumstances on these boards, Mark. I submit to the pesky details provided by your "Correctness The Administrator."  

Milan's son King Alexander and his wife Draga came to a sticky end two years' after Milan's death, they were murdered in a palace coup and their bodies from from a window. Such was life at the top in Serbia.

Even today there are rumblings about conflict between Serbia and Kosovo and of course Serbia is friendlier towards Russia than the rest of Europe would like, no wonder they can't get into the EU.  

12 February 1429 - The Battle of Rouvray.

Also known as the Battle of the Herrings.

In October 1428 the English laid siege to the French city of Orléans. The siege was more of a containment rather than a concerted effort to overwhelm the city, the English did not have enough men and equipment to force the situation, thus it ran on throughout the winter with little progress by either side.

Nevertheless the English army had to be resupplied so in February a convoy of several hundred waggons carrying mostly foodstuff including dried herrings set off from English-held Paris for Orléans. It was commanded by Sir John Fastolf who had around 4000 men, of whom about a quarter were civilian waggoners. Forewarned of a French attack Fastolf halted at Rouvray and set up a defensive position, he corralled his waggons behind a screen of wooden stakes and placed his archers to the fore. 

The French under the Comte de Clermont numbered at least 8000 including a large number of Scots led by John Stewart of Darnley. Predictably the Franco-Scots were at odds as to the best way to attack; in the end both did as they pleased, the French cavalry went in first followed by the Scots on foot. The English archers in practised fashion soon forced the French horsemen to turn under a hail of arrows and as they retreated they ran into the advancing Scots. The English infantry then charged out to finish the job.

The Franco-Scots lost over 500 dead including John Stewart plus hundreds of prisoners, the English lost just four killed. It was the last time the Scots would play an active role in support of France in the Hundred Years War. 

As have almost everyone else. 

13 February 1692 - The Glencoe Massacre.

The Glorious Revolution of 1688/89 that installed the Protestant William and Mary on the Throne is so called because it was achieved without loss of life. However that only applied to England, in Scotland it was a different story. Catholic Scots refused to accept the Protestant Succession imposed upon them and a low level revolt simmered on into the 1690s.

In 1691 the government announced that all Scottish clans must register their acceptance of the new regime by 1 January 1692 or face the consequences. Most did so albeit reluctantly, but the Clan MacIan of Glencoe, a branch of the MacDonalds, held out until the last minute. Unfortunately the Clan Chief Alasdair MacIan went to the wrong location on 31 December to register his submission and it was not until a week past the deadline that he formally signed.

News of his failure to comply on time reached Edinburgh where the Scottish Secretary Sir John Dalrymple decided to make an example of the MacIans of Glencoe. At the end of January 120 men of the Earl of Argyll's Regiment under Capt Robert Campbell arrived in the glen and demanded lodgings. They were hospitably received and remained there for two weeks without any difficulties. 

On 12 February Campbell received written orders to eliminate the MacIan's the following day and that in order that none would escape the exits from the glen would be blocked by more soldiers. However it did not go quite to plan. Someone warned the MacIans of the impending massacre and many fled before the slaughter began at daybreak, furthermore the troops that were supposed to block the escape routes failed to take up position in time. Nevertheless around 30 men, women and children including the Chief himself were killed plus an unknown number who perished in the snowy mountains as they fled. It is also said that a number of Campbell's men refused to take part in the slaughter which otherwise would have been much greater.       

The incident poisoned Anglo-Scottish relations for decades. 

A remarkably simple way of putting it, but yes. The Catholic James II was overthrown and replaced by his Protestant daughter and son-in-law Mary II and William III. It was accepted, welcomed in fact, in England; less so in Scotland. The Jacobite rebellion against the new regime was put down in Scotland in 1690 and the declaration of loyalty of 1692 was to identify those who might rebel again and have a lever against them if they did.

As far as clan massacres go the Glencoe Massacre was far from the worst, but as it was "ordered" by the English it is commemorated as the worst. 

A remarkably simple way of putting it, but yes. The Catholic James II was overthrown and replaced by his Protestant daughter and son-in-law Mary II and William III. It was accepted, welcomed in fact, in England; less so in Scotland. The Jacobite rebellion against the new regime was put down in Scotland in 1690 and the declaration of loyalty of 1692 was to identify those who might rebel again and have a lever against them if they did.

As far as clan massacres go the Glencoe Massacre was far from the worst, but as it was "ordered" by the English it is commemorated as the worst. 

So this Mary, was not the Mary Queen of Scots? I thought that Mary was Catholic, perhaps too many Mary's. Is it fair to generalize the Mc is Irish & the Mac is Scottish?

Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded in 1587; this Mary, Mary II born in 1662 was her great-granddaughter.

Mc and Mac are interchangeable and mean the same thing. 

Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded in 1587; this Mary, Mary II born in 1662 was her great-granddaughter.

Mc and Mac are interchangeable and mean the same thing. 

With a meaning of "son?" Example son of Donald would be MacDonald in Scot or Donaldson in Anglo. 

14 February 1939 - The Bismarck launched.

German so-called "pocket" battleship built at the Blohm and Voss shipyard at Hamburg. She was the largest warship built by Germany at the time (her sister ship Tirpitz launched two months later was larger). 

Completed in 1940 her operational career lasted just eight days in May 1941 during which time she sank the Royal Navy battlecruiser HMS Hood before the Bismarck herself was sunk.