What happened on 11 February?

9 events from the Ever-When timeline, ranked by how much they mattered.

1. 1990 Mandela released from prison Released after 27 years in prison; goes on to lead the ANC in formal negotiations to end apartheid.
2. 1847 Born: Thomas Edison American inventor; over a thousand patents including the practical light bulb and phonograph.
3. 1929 Lateran Treaty creates Vatican City Italy and Holy See agree to create independent Vatican City state.
4. 1979 The Iranian monarchy falls After two days of street fighting between rebel airmen and the Imperial Guard, the army declares itself neutral and the last government of the 2,500-year monarchy dissolves. Irania
5. 1889 Meiji Constitution First Japanese constitution; modeled on Prussian model; emperor formally supreme, with a Diet and partial cabinet government.
6. 2013 Benedict XVI announces his resignation Citing failing strength, Benedict XVI becomes the first pope in six centuries to resign — announced in Latin, so the journalists who knew it caught the scoop.
7. 1855 Reign of Tewodros II Crowned after defeating the last great lords of the Zemene Mesafint, Tewodros reunites Ethiopia and attempts to reform its army, church and administration, but his rule collapses i
8. 1806 Lord Grenville's premiership The Ministry of All the Talents abolishes the British slave trade before falling over Catholic emancipation.
9. 1986 Feynman's O-ring demonstration At a televised hearing of the Challenger inquiry, Feynman dips a clamped piece of booster O-ring into iced water and shows it loses its resilience — exposing the cause NASA had pla