1014: Pope Benedict VIII crowns Henry II Holy Roman Emperor

1076: Pope Gregory VII excommunicates Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV for the first time

1797: Battle of Cape St. Vincent: British fleet under Admiral Sir John Jervis defeats larger Spanish fleet under Admiral Don José de Córdoba y Ramos near Cape St. Vincent, Portugal. Captain Horatio Nelson distinguishes himself.

1876: Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray apply separately for telephone patents, the Supreme Court eventually rules Bell the rightful inventor

1929: Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago, seven gangsters are killed, allegedly on Al Capone’s orders

1971: President Richard Nixon installs a secret recording system in the White House

Source: Onthisday.com