February 29, also known as leap day or leap year day, is a date added to

leap year A leap year (also known as an intercalary year or bissextile year) is a calendar year that contains an additional day (or, in the case of a lunisolar calendar, a month) added to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical year or s ...

s. A leap day is added in various solar calendars (calendars based on the Earth's revolution around the

Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

), including the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

standard in most of the world.

Lunisolar calendar A lunisolar calendar is a calendar in many cultures, combining lunar calendars and solar calendars. The date of Lunisolar calendars therefore indicates both the Moon phase and the time of the solar year, that is the position of the Sun in the ...

s (whose months are based on the

phases of the Moon Concerning the lunar month of ~29.53 days as viewed from Earth, the lunar phase or Moon phase is the shape of the Moon's directly sunlit portion, which can be expressed quantitatively using areas or angles, or described qualitatively using the t ...

) instead add a leap or

intercalary Intercalation may refer to: *Intercalation (chemistry), insertion of a molecule (or ion) into layered solids such as graphite * Intercalation (timekeeping), insertion of a leap day, week or month into some calendar years to make the calendar foll ...

month. It is the 60th day of a leap year in the

, and 306 days remain until the end of the leap year. It is also the last day of

February February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The month has 28 days in common years or 29 in leap years, with the 29th day being called the ''leap day''. It is the first of five months not to have 31 days (th ...

on leap years. It is also the last day of

meteorological winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures d ...

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

and the last day of

meteorological summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...

in the Southern Hemisphere on leap years.

Events

Pre-1600

* 1504 –

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

uses his knowledge of a

lunar eclipse A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. Such alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six months, during the full moon phase, when the Moon's orbital plane is closest to the plane of the Earth ...

that night to convince Jamaican natives to provide him with supplies.

1601–1900

* 1644 –

Abel Tasman Abel Janszoon Tasman (; 160310 October 1659) was a Dutch seafarer, explorer, and merchant, best known for his voyages of 1642 and 1644 in the service of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He was the first known European explorer to reach New Z ...

's second Pacific voyage begins as he leaves

Batavia Batavia may refer to: Historical places * Batavia (region), a land inhabited by the Batavian people during the Roman Empire, today part of the Netherlands * Batavia, Dutch East Indies, present-day Jakarta, the former capital of the Dutch East In ...

in command of three ships. *

1704 In the Swedish calendar it was a leap year starting on Friday, one day ahead of the Julian and ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. Events January–June * January 7 – Partial solar eclipse, Solar Saros 146, is visible in ...

– In

Queen Anne's War Queen Anne's War (1702–1713) was the second in a series of French and Indian Wars fought in North America involving the colonial empires of Great Britain, France, and Spain; it took place during the reign of Anne, Queen of Great Britain. In E ...

, French forces and Native Americans stage a raid on Deerfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, killing 56 villagers and taking more than 100 captive. * 1712 – February 29 is followed by

February 30 Several non-standard dates are used in calendars. Some are used sarcastically, some for scientific or mathematical purposes, and some for exceptional or fictional calendars. January 0 January 0 or 0 January is an alternative name for December 3 ...

in Sweden, in a move to abolish the

Swedish calendar The Swedish calendar ( sv, Svenska kalendern) or Swedish style ( sv, Svenska stilen) was a calendar in use in Sweden and its possessions from 1 March 1700 until 30 February 1712 (see below). It was one day ahead of the Julian calendar and ten da ...

for a return to the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandr ...

. * 1720 –

Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden Ulrika Eleonora or Ulrica Eleanor (23 January 1688 – 24 November 1741), known as Ulrika Eleonora the Younger, was Queen of Sweden, reigning in her own right from 5 December 1718 until her abdication on 29 February 1720 in favour of her husband ...

abdicates in favour of her husband, who becomes King

Frederick I Frederick I may refer to: * Frederick of Utrecht or Frederick I (815/16–834/38), Bishop of Utrecht. * Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine (942–978) * Frederick I, Duke of Swabia (1050–1105) * Frederick I, Count of Zoll ...

on March 24. *

1768 Events January–March * January 9 – Philip Astley stages the first modern circus, with acrobats on galloping horses, in London. * February 11 – Samuel Adams's circular letter is issued by the Massachusetts House of Rep ...

– Polish nobles form the

Bar Confederation The Bar Confederation ( pl, Konfederacja barska; 1768–1772) was an association of Polish nobles (szlachta) formed at the fortress of Bar in Podolia (now part of Ukraine) in 1768 to defend the internal and external independence of the Polish� ...

. *

1796 Events January–March * January 16 – The first Dutch (and general) elections are held for the National Assembly of the Batavian Republic. (The next Dutch general elections are held in 1888.) * February 1 – The capital ...

– The

Jay Treaty The Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, Between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, commonly known as the Jay Treaty, and also as Jay's Treaty, was a 1794 treaty between the United States and Great Britain that averted ...

between the United States and Great Britain comes into force, facilitating ten years of peaceful trade between the two nations. *

1892 Events January–March * January 1 – Ellis Island begins accommodating immigrants to the United States. * February 1 - The historic Enterprise Bar and Grill was established in Rico, Colorado. * February 27 – Rudolf Diesel applies for ...

–

St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the ...

is incorporated.

1901–present

* 1912 – The

Piedra Movediza La Piedra Movediza ("Wobbly stone") was a balancing rock located in Tandil, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of So ...

(Moving Stone) of

Tandil Tandil is the main city of the homonymous partido (department), located in Argentina, in the southeast of Buenos Aires Province, just north-northwest of Tandilia hills. The city was founded in 1823 and its name originates from the ''Piedra Moved ...

falls and breaks. * 1916 –

Tokelau Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, a ...

is annexed by the United Kingdom. * 1916 – In

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, the minimum

working age Working age is the range of ages at which people are typically engaged in either paid or unpaid work. It typically sits between the ages of adolescence and retirement Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one' ...

for factory, mill, and mine workers is raised from 12 to 14 years old. * 1920 – The

Czechoslovak Czechoslovak may refer to: *A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93) **First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38) **Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39) **Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60) **Fourth Czechoslovak Repub ...

National Assembly adopts the

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When ...

. *

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

– The February 26 Incident in Tokyo ends. * 1940 – For her performance as Mammy in ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...

'',

Hattie McDaniel Hattie McDaniel (June 10, 1893October 26, 1952) was an American actress, singer-songwriter, and comedian. For her role as Mammy in ''Gone with the Wind (film), Gone with the Wind'' (1939), she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, ...

becomes the first

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

to win an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. * 1940 – Finland initiates

Winter War The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...

peace negotiations. * 1940 – In a ceremony held in

Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...

, physicist

Ernest Lawrence Ernest Orlando Lawrence (August 8, 1901 – August 27, 1958) was an American nuclear physicist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1939 for his invention of the cyclotron. He is known for his work on uranium-isotope separation fo ...

receives the 1939

Nobel Prize in Physics ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , alt = A golden medallion with an embossed image of a bearded man facing left in profile. To the left of the man is the text "ALFR•" then "NOBEL", and on the right, the text (smaller) "NAT•" then " ...

from Sweden's

consul general A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, as well as to facilitate trade and friendship between the people ...

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

. *

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...

– The

Admiralty Islands The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-co ...

are invaded in

Operation Brewer The Admiralty Islands campaign (Operation Brewer) was a series of battles in the New Guinea campaign of World War II in which the United States Army's 1st Cavalry Division took the Japanese-held Admiralty Islands. Acting on reports from airme ...

, led by American general

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...

, in World War II. * 1960 – The 5.7 Agadir earthquake shakes coastal

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

with a maximum perceived intensity of X (''Extreme''), destroying Agadir and leaving 12,000 dead and another 12,000 injured. *

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...

– South Korea withdraws 11,000 of its 48,000 troops from

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

as part of Nixon's

Vietnamization Vietnamization was a policy of the Richard Nixon administration to end U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War through a program to "expand, equip, and train South Vietnamese forces and assign to them an ever-increasing combat role, at the same ti ...

policy in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. * 1980 –

Gordie Howe Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...

of the

Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...

makes

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

history as he scores his 800th goal. * 1984 – Pierre Trudeau announces his retirement as

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

leader and

Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada (french: premier ministre du Canada, link=no) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority the elected Hou ...

. *

1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...

– South African archbishop

Desmond Tutu Desmond Mpilo Tutu (7 October 193126 December 2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop ...

is arrested along with 100 other clergymen during a five-day anti-

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

demonstration in

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

. * 1988 –

Svend Robinson Svend Robinson (born March 4, 1952) is a Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1979 to 2004, who represented suburban Vancouver-area constituencies of Burnaby for the New Democratic Party (NDP). He is noted as the first me ...

becomes the first member of the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

to come out as gay. *

1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...

– First day of Bosnia and Herzegovina independence referendum. * 1996 – Faucett Flight 251 crashes in the Andes; all 123 passengers and crew are killed. * 1996 – The

Siege of Sarajevo The Siege of Sarajevo ( sh, Opsada Sarajeva) was a prolonged blockade of Sarajevo, the capital of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the Bosnian War. After it was initially besieged by the forces of the Yugoslav ...

officially ends. *

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

– Chechens attack a guard post near Ulus Kert, eventually killing 84 Russian paratroopers during the

Second Chechen War The Second Chechen War (russian: Втора́я чече́нская война́, ) took place in Chechnya and the border regions of the North Caucasus between the Russia, Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, from Augus ...

. * 2004 –

Jean-Bertrand Aristide Jean-Bertrand Aristide (born 15 July 1953) is a Haitian former Salesian priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in ...

is removed as president of

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

following a coup. * 2008 – The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence withdraws

Prince Harry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger son of Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. He is fifth in the line of succ ...

from a tour of Afghanistan after news of his deployment is leaked to foreign media. * 2008 –

Misha Defonseca Misha Defonseca (born Monique de Wael) is a Belgian-born impostor and the author of a fraudulent Holocaust memoir titled '' Misha: A Mémoire of the Holocaust Years'', first published in 1997 and at that time professed to be a true memoir. It beca ...

admits to fabricating her memoir, '' Misha: A Mémoire of the Holocaust Years'', in which she claims to have lived with a pack of wolves in the woods during

the Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...

. *

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

–

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

agrees to suspend

uranium enrichment Enriched uranium is a type of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 (written 235U) has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Naturally occurring uranium is composed of three major isotopes: uranium-238 (238 ...

and nuclear and long-range missile tests in return for US food aid. *

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

– At least 40 people are killed and 58 others wounded following a

suicide bombing A suicide attack is any violent attack, usually entailing the attacker detonating an explosive, where the attacker has accepted their own death as a direct result of the attacking method used. Suicide attacks have occurred throughout histor ...

ISIL An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic term ...

at a

Shi'ite Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most n ...

funeral in the city of

Miqdadiyah Miqdadiyah ( ar, المقدادية; ku, Şareban, شاره‌بان) is a city in the Diyala Governorate of Iraq. Its population is a mix of Arabs, Turkmens and Kurds. The city is located about 80 km (50 mi) northeast of Baghdad and 30&nbs ...

, Diyala. *

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

– Joe Biden wins the

primary election Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the ...

. * 2020 – South Korea reports a record total of 3,150 confirmed cases of

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

during the

pandemic A pandemic () is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. A widespread endemic (epidemiology), endemic disease wi ...

. * 2020 – During a demonstration, pro-government

colectivos ''Colectivo'' (English: collective bus) is the name given in Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Paraguay to a type of public transportation vehicle, especially those of Argentina's capital city, Buenos Aires. The name comes from ''vehículos de tran ...

shoot In botany, a plant shoot consists of any plant stem together with its appendages, leaves and lateral buds, flowering stems, and flower buds. The new growth from seed germination that grows upward is a shoot where leaves will develop. In the spri ...

at disputed President and Speaker of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...

Juan Guaidó Juan Gerardo Guaidó Márquez (born 28 July 1983) is a Venezuelan politician, a former member of the Social democracy, social-democratic Popular Will party, and federal deputy to the National Assembly (Venezuela), National Assembly representing ...

and his supporters in

Barquisimeto Barquisimeto (; guc, Watkisimeeta) is a city in Venezuela. It is the capital of the state of Lara and head of Iribarren Municipality. It is an important urban, industrial, commercial and transportation center of the country, recognized as the f ...

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

, leaving five injured. * 2020 – The

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and the

Taliban The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...

sign the Doha Agreement for bringing peace to

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

Births

Pre-1600

1468 Year 1468 ( MCDLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December *June 30 – Catherine Cornaro is married by proxy to James II of Cyprus, beginning ...

–

Pope Paul III Pope Paul III ( la, Paulus III; it, Paolo III; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549), born Alessandro Farnese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death in November 1549. He came to ...

(d. 1549) *

1528 __NOTOC__ Year 1528 ( MDXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–June * January 12 – Gustav I of Sweden is crowned king of Sweden, having alrea ...

–

Albert V, Duke of Bavaria Albert V (German: ''Albrecht V.'') (29 February 1528 – 24 October 1579) was Duke of Bavaria from 1550 until his death. He was born in Munich to William IV and Maria Jacobäa of Baden. Early life Albert was educated at Ingolstadt by Catholic ...

(d. 1579) * 1528 – Domingo Báñez, Spanish theologian (d. 1604) * 1572 –

Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon (29 February 1572 – 16 November 1638) was an English military commander and a politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1601 and 1624. Life Cecil was the third son of Thomas Ceci ...

(d. 1638) * 1576 –

Antonio Neri Antonio Neri (29 February 1576, Florence – 1614) was a Florentine priest who published the book ''L’Arte Vetraria'' or ''The Art of Glass'' in 1612. This book was the first general treatise on the systematics of glassmaking. Early life and ...

, Florentine priest and glassmaker (d. 1614)

1601–1900

* 1640 –

Benjamin Keach Benjamin Keach (29 February 1640 – 18 July 1704) was a Particular Baptist preacher and author in London whose name was given to Keach's Catechism. Biography Originally from Buckinghamshire, Keach worked as a tailor during his early years ...

Particular Baptist Reformed Baptists (sometimes known as Particular Baptists or Calvinistic Baptists) are Baptists that hold to a Calvinist soteriology (salvation). The first Calvinist Baptist church was formed in the 1630s. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith w ...

preacher and author whose name was given to

Keach's Catechism Keach's Catechism (also known as the 1677 Baptist Catechism or 1693 Baptist Catechism) is a Reformed Baptist catechism consisting of a set of 118 basic questions and answers from scripture teaching readers the basics of the Reformed Baptist faith. ...

(d. 1704) * 1692 –

John Byrom John Byrom or John Byrom of Kersal or John Byrom of Manchester FRS (29 February 1692 – 26 September 1763) was an English poet, the inventor of a revolutionary system of shorthand and later a significant landowner. He is most remembered as t ...

, English poet and educator (d. 1763) * 1724 –

Eva Marie Veigel Eva Marie Veigel (also Eva Maria Violette, with variants Eva Maria and Ava-Maria) (29 February 1724 16 October 1822) was a dancer and the wife of actor David Garrick. Life Eva Marie Veigel was born in Vienna. She was a well-known dancer of her ...

, Austrian-English dancer (d. 1822) * 1736 –

Ann Lee Ann Lee (29 February 1736 – 8 September 1784), commonly known as Mother Ann Lee, was the founding leader of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, or the Shakers. After nearly two decades of participation in a r ...

, English-American religious leader, founded the

Shakers The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, more commonly known as the Shakers, are a Millenarianism, millenarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian sect founded in England and then organized in the Unit ...

(d. 1784) * 1792 –

Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...

, Italian composer (d. 1868) *

1812 Events January–March * January 1 – The ''Allgemeines bürgerliches Gesetzbuch'' (the Austrian civil code) enters into force in the Austrian Empire. * January 19 – Peninsular War: The French-held fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo Siege of ...

–

James Milne Wilson Sir James Milne Wilson, (29 February 1812 – 29 February 1880) served as Premier of Tasmania from 1869 to 1872. Biography Wilson was born in 1812 in Banff, Scotland; the third son of John Wilson, a shipowner, and his wife, Barbara Gray; mat ...

, Scottish-Australian soldier and politician, eighth

Premier of Tasmania The premier of Tasmania is the head of the executive government in the Australian state of Tasmania. By convention, the leader of the party or political grouping which has majority support in the House of Assembly is invited by the governor of Ta ...

(d. February 29, 1880) * 1828 –

Emmeline B. Wells Emmeline Blanche Woodward Harris Whitney Wells (February 29, 1828 – April 25, 1921) was an American journalist, editor, poet, women's rights advocate, and diarist. She served as the fifth Relief Society General President of the Church of Jesus ...

, American journalist, poet, and activist (d. 1921) *

1836 Events January–March * January 1 – Queen Maria II of Portugal marries Prince Ferdinand Augustus Francis Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. * January 5 – Davy Crockett arrives in Texas. * January 12 ** , with Charles Darwin on board, r ...

–

Dickey Pearce Richard J. Pearce (February 29, 1836 – September 18, 1908) known as Dickey Pearce was an American professional baseball player1852 – Frank Gavan Duffy, Irish-Australian lawyer and judge, fourth

Chief Justice of Australia The Chief Justice of Australia is the presiding Justice of the High Court of Australia and the highest-ranking judicial officer in the Commonwealth of Australia. The incumbent is Susan Kiefel, who is the first woman to hold the position. Co ...

(d. 1936) * 1852 – George Maximilianovich, 6th Duke of Leuchtenberg, Prince George Maximilianovich, 6th Duke of Leuchtenberg (d. 1912) *1860 – Herman Hollerith, American statistician and businessman, co-founded the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (d. 1929) *1884 – Richard S. Aldrich, American lawyer and politician (d. 1941) *

– Augusta Savage, American sculptor (d. 1962) *1896 – Morarji Desai, Indian civil servant and politician, fourth Prime Minister of India (d. 1995) * 1896 – William A. Wellman, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1975)

1901–present

*1904 – Jimmy Dorsey, American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader (d. 1957) * 1904 – Pepper Martin, American baseball player and manager (d. 1965) *1908 – Balthus, French-Swiss painter and illustrator (d. 2001) * 1908 – Dee Brown (writer), Dee Brown, American historian and author (d. 2002) * 1908 – Alf Gover, English cricketer and coach (d. 2001) * 1908 – Louie Myfanwy Thomas, Welsh writer (d. 1968) * 1916 – James B. Donovan, American lawyer (d. 1970) * 1916 – Leonard Shoen, founder of U-Haul Corp. (d. 1999) * 1920 – Fyodor Abramov, Russian author and critic (d. 1983) * 1920 – Arthur Franz, American actor (d. 2006) * 1920 – James Mitchell (actor), James Mitchell, American actor and dancer (d. 2010) * 1920 – Michèle Morgan, French-American actress and singer (d. 2016) * 1920 – Rolland W. Redlin, American lawyer and politician (d. 2011) *1924 – David Beattie, New Zealand judge and politician, 14th Governor-General of New Zealand (d. 2001) * 1924 – Carlos Humberto Romero, Salvadoran politician, President of El Salvador (d. 2017) * 1924 – Al Rosen, American baseball player and manager (d. 2015) *1928 – Joss Ackland, English actor * 1928 – Jean Adamson, British writer and illustrator * 1928 – Vance Haynes, American archaeologist, geologist, and author * 1928 – Seymour Papert, South African mathematician and computer scientist, co-creator of the Logo (programming language), Logo programming language (d. 2016) *1932 – Gene H. Golub, American mathematician and academic (d. 2007) * 1932 – Masten Gregory, American race car driver (d. 1985) * 1932 – Reri Grist, American soprano and actress * 1932 – Jaguar (cartoonist), Jaguar, Brazilian cartoonist * 1932 – Gavin Stevens, Australian cricketer *

– Nh. Dini, Indonesian writer (d. 2018) * 1936 – Jack R. Lousma, American colonel, astronaut, and politician * 1936 – Henri Richard, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2020) * 1936 – Alex Rocco, American actor (d. 2015) * 1940 – Sonja Barend, Dutch talk show host *

– Dennis Farina, American police officer and actor (d. 2013) * 1944 – Nicholas Frayling, English priest and academic * 1944 – Phyllis Frelich, American actress (d. 2014) * 1944 – Steve Mingori, American baseball player (d. 2008) * 1944 – Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri, Italian author and illustrator * 1944 – Lennart Svedberg, Swedish ice hockey player (d. 1972). *1948 – Hermione Lee, English author, critic, and academic * 1948 – Manoel Maria, Brazilian footballer * 1948 – Patricia A. McKillip, American author *1952 – Tim Powers, American author and educator * 1952 – Raisa Smetanina, Russian cross-country skier * 1952 – Bart Stupak, American police officer and politician *1956 – Jonathan Coleman (presenter), Jonathan Coleman, English-Australian radio and television host (d. 2021) * 1956 – Bob Speller, Canadian businessman and politician, 30th Minister of Agriculture (Canada), Canadian Minister of Agriculture * 1956 – Aileen Wuornos, American serial killer (d. 2002) * 1960 – Khaled (musician), Khaled, Algerian singer-songwriter * 1960 – Richard Ramirez, American serial killer (d. 2013) *1964 – Dave Brailsford, English cyclist and coach * 1964 – Lyndon Byers, Canadian ice hockey player and radio host * 1964 – Mervyn Warren, American tenor, composer, and producer *1968 – Chucky Brown, American basketball player and coach * 1968 – Gareth Farr, New Zealand composer and percussionist * 1968 – Pete Fenson, American curler * 1968 – Bryce Paup, American football player and coach * 1968 – Howard Tayler, American author and illustrator * 1968 – Eugene Volokh, Ukrainian-American lawyer and educator * 1968 – Frank Woodley, Australian actor, producer, and screenwriter *

– Sylvie Lubamba, Italian showgirl * 1972 – Mike Pollitt, English footballer and coach * 1972 – Antonio Sabàto Jr., Italian-American model and actor * 1972 – Pedro Sánchez (Spanish politician), Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain * 1972 – Dave Williams (singer), Dave Williams, American singer (d. 2002) * 1972 – Saul Williams, American singer-songwriter * 1972 – Pedro Zamora, Cuban-American activist and educator (d. 1994) *1976 – Vonteego Cummings, American basketball player * 1976 – Katalin Kovács, Hungarian sprint kayaker * 1976 – Terrence Long, American baseball player * 1976 – Ja Rule, American rapper and actor * 1980 – Çağdaş Atan, Turkish footballer and coach * 1980 – Simon Gagné, Canadian ice hockey player * 1980 – Rubén Plaza, Spanish cyclist * 1980 – Clinton Toopi, New Zealand rugby league player * 1980 – Taylor Twellman, American soccer player and sportscaster * 1980 – Peter Scanavino, American actor, who is well-known for his role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit * 1984 – Darren Ambrose, English footballer * 1984 – Rica Imai, Japanese model and actress * 1984 – Cullen Jones, American swimmer * 1984 – Nuria Martínez, Spanish basketball player * 1984 – Lena Raine, American video game composer and producer * 1984 – Rakhee Thakrar, English actress * 1984 – Cam Ward, Canadian ice hockey player * 1984 – Mark Foster (singer), Mark Foster, American singer, songwriter and musician *

– Lena Gercke, German model and television host * 1988 – Benedikt Höwedes, German footballer * 1988 – Brent Macaffer, Australian Rules footballer * 1988 – Hannah Mills, Welsh sports sailor *

– Sean Abbott, Australian cricketer * 1992 – Eric Kendricks, American football player * 1992 – Jessica Long, American Paralympic swimming, paralympic swimmer * 1992 – Jessie T. Usher, American actor * 1996 – Nelson Asofa-Solomona, New Zealand rugby league player * 1996 – Reece Prescod, British sprinter * 1996 – Claudia Williams (tennis), Claudia Williams, New Zealand tennis player *

– Tyrese Haliburton, American basketball player * 2000 – Ferran Torres, Spanish footballer * 2004 – Lydia Jacoby, American swimmer

Deaths

Pre-1600

* 468 – Pope Hilarius * 992 – Oswald of Worcester, Anglo-Saxon archbishop and saint (b. 925) *1460 – Albert III, Duke of Bavaria, Albert III, Duke of Bavaria-Munich (b. 1401) *

– Patrick Hamilton (martyr), Patrick Hamilton, Scottish Protestant reformer and martyr (b. 1504) *1592 – Alessandro Striggio, Italian composer and diplomat (b. 1536/1537) *1600 – Caspar Hennenberger, German pastor, historian and cartographer (b. 1529)

1601–1900

*1604 – John Whitgift, English archbishop and academic (b. 1530) * 1712 – Johann Conrad Peyer, Swiss anatomist (b. 1653) *1744 – John Theophilus Desaguliers, French-English physicist and philosopher (b. 1683) * 1792 – Johann Andreas Stein, German piano builder (b. 1728) *1820 – Johann Joachim Eschenburg, German historian and critic (b. 1743) *1848 – Louis-François Lejeune, French general, painter and lithographer (b. 1775) *1856 – Auguste Chapdelaine, French Christian missionary (b. 1814) *1868 – Ludwig I of Bavaria (b. 1786) *1880 –

, Scottish-Australian soldier and politician, 8th

(b. February 29, 1812)

1901–present

*1904 – Patrick O'Sullivan (Queensland politician), Patrick O'Sullivan, Irish-Australian politician (b. 1818) * 1904 – Henri Joseph Anastase Perrotin, French astronomer (b. 1845) *1908 – Pat Garrett, American sheriff (b. 1850) * 1908 – John Hope, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow, Scottish-Australian politician, 1st Governor-General of Australia (b. 1860) * 1916 – John Nanson, English-Australian journalist and politician (b. 1863) * 1920 – Ernie Courtney, American baseball player (b. 1875) *1924 – Frederic Chapple, Australian educator (b. 1845) *1928 – Adolphe Appia, Swiss architect and theorist (b. 1862) * 1928 – Ina Coolbrith, American poet and librarian (b. 1841) *1932 – Arthur Mills Lea, Australian entomologist (b. 1868) * 1932 – Giuseppe Vitali, Italian mathematician (b. 1875) * 1940 – E. F. Benson, English archaeologist and author (b. 1867) *

– Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, Finnish lawyer, judge and politician, 3rd President of Finland (b. 1861) *1948 – Robert Barrington-Ward, English lawyer and journalist (b. 1891) *1952 – Sarah Ann Jenyns, Australian entrepreneur (b. 1865) *1956 – Elpidio Quirino, Filipino lawyer and politician, 6th President of the Philippines (b. 1890) * 1960 – Melvin Purvis, American police officer and FBI agent (b. 1903) * 1960 – Walter Yust, American journalist and author (b. 1894) *1964 – Frank Albertson, American actor and singer (b. 1909) *1968 – Tore Ørjasæter, Norwegian poet and educator (b. 1886) *

– Tom Davies (American football), Tom Davies, American football player and coach (b. 1896) *1976 – Florence P. Dwyer, American politician (b. 1902) * 1980 – Yigal Allon, Israeli general and politician, Prime Minister of Israel (b. 1918) * 1980 – Gil Elvgren, American painter and illustrator (b. 1914) * 1984 – Ludwik Starski, Polish screenwriter and songwriter (b. 1903) *

– Ruth Pitter, English poet and author (b. 1897) * 1996 – Wes Farrell, American singer-songwriter and producer (b. 1939) * 1996 – Ralph Rowe, American baseball player, coach and manager (b. 1924) *

– Dennis Danell, American guitarist (b. 1961) * 2004 – Kagamisato Kiyoji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 42nd Yokozuna (b. 1923) * 2004 – Jerome Lawrence, American playwright and author (b. 1915) * 2004 – Harold Bernard St. John, Barbadian lawyer and politician, 3rd Prime Minister of Barbados (b. 1931) * 2004 – Lorrie Wilmot, South African cricketer (b. 1943) * 2008 – Janet Kagan, American author (b. 1946) * 2008 – Erik Ortvad, Danish painter and illustrator (b. 1917) * 2008 – Akira Yamada, Japanese scholar and philosopher (b. 1922) *

– Davy Jones (musician), Davy Jones, English singer, guitarist and actor (b. 1945) * 2012 – Sheldon Moldoff, American illustrator (b. 1920) * 2012 – P. K. Narayana Panicker, Indian social leader (b. 1930) *

– Wenn V. Deramas, Filipino director and screenwriter (b. 1966) * 2016 – Gil Hill, American police officer, actor and politician (b. 1931) * 2016 – Josefin Nilsson, Swedish singer (b. 1969) * 2016 – Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistani assassin (b. 1985) * 2016 – Louise Rennison, English author (b. 1951) *

– Dieter Laser, German actor (b. 1942) * 2020 – Éva Székely, Hungarian International Swimming Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame swimmer and Swimming at the 1952 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre breaststroke, 1952 Olympic champion (b. 1927)

Holidays and observances

* As a Christian feast day: **Saint John Cassian **February 29 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics), February 29 in the Orthodox church *Rare Disease Day (in leap years; celebrated in common years on February 28) *Bachelor's Day (tradition), Bachelor's Day (Republic of Ireland, Ireland, United Kingdom)

References

External links

BBC: On This Day
*
Historical Events on February 29
{{months Days of the year February Discordian holidays Old Style leap years