Saddam Withdraws: Gulf War Ends in Kuwait
Saddam Hussein orders Iraqi troops to retreat from Kuwait after a devastating coalition bombing campaign, ending the occupation that began in August. This announcement forces Iraq's military into a chaotic rout across the border, leaving behind burning oil wells and setting the stage for years of sanctions and instability in the region.
February 26, 1991
35 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on February 26
Ptolemy needed a zero point for his astronomical tables. He chose February 26, 747 BC — the first day of King Nabonassar's reign in Babylon. Not because Nabonas…
Astronomers began tracking the reign of the Babylonian king Nabonassar, establishing a precise chronological anchor that lasted for centuries. By standardizing …
Chandragupta I took a title nobody had used in centuries: *samrat*, supreme emperor. Not king. Emperor. He married a Licchavi princess named Kumaradevi and put …
Valentinian I became emperor because nobody else wanted the job. The previous emperor had died suddenly in Bithynia. The army gathered to pick a successor. They…
Solomon had the throne. Géza had the people. By 1074, Hungary was split between the legitimate king and his cousin who controlled two-thirds of the country. The…
The siege of Kaifeng killed more people than the atomic bombs dropped on Japan. Conservative estimates: 600,000 dead, mostly from starvation and disease. The Mo…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.