1371King Robert II of Scotland succeeded to the throne, beginning the Stuart dynasty. Following a palace coup he lost control of the country. He died in Dundonald Castle in 1390 and lies buried at Scone Abbey.

1797Over 1,000 French troops attempted to invade Britain and landed at Fishguard, but were soon captured by the brave ladies of the town. No other foreign force has managed to invade mainland Britain since.

1857The birth of Sir Robert (Stephenson Smyth) Baden-Powell, English hero of the siege of Mafeking during the Boer War. His innovative approach to the situation kept morale high and his experiences led to the founding of the Boy Scouts.

1889The birth of Lady Olave Baden-Powell, wife of Robert Baden-Powell. She was Chief Guide for Britain in 1918 and World Chief Guide in 1930. Her autobiography Window on My Heart (see picture) was first published in 1973. 22nd February is also World Thinking Day, celebrated since 1926. It is a day of international friendship, speaking out on issues that affect girls and young women, and fundraising for 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world.

1903The Cunard Liner Etruria arrived in New York with a copy of the first newspaper ever published in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It featured news reports transmitted from Britain by wireless while the ship was at sea. Marconi, the inventor of wireless telegraphy, was one of the ship's passengers.

1908John Mills, English film and television actor, was born. He made more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He often played traditionally British heroes and he was particularly associated with war dramas, such as The Colditz Story and Ice Cold in Alex . He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as the village idiot in Ryan's Daughter.

1915World War I: Germany instituted unrestricted submarine warfare.

1944World War II: Allied American aircraft mistakenly bombed the Dutch towns of Nijmegen, Arnhem, Enschede and Deventer, resulting in 800 dead in Nijmegen alone.

1956The first football league match to be played under floodlighting took place at Portsmouth. The home side lost 2-0 to Newcastle United.

1969The last time all four Beatles were together for a recording session.

1972The Official Irish Republican Army detonated a car bomb at Aldershot barracks, Hampshire, killing seven and injuring nineteen others.

1980British ice skater Robin Cousins won a gold medal for figure skating in the Lake Placid Winter Olympics.

1995Prime Minister John Major and Irish Prime Minister John Bruton, presented a 37-page framework document intended to guide the peace negotiations over Northern Ireland.

2006At least six men staged Britain's biggest ever robbery, stealing £53m from a Securitas depot in Tonbridge, Kent.

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