Justinian's Hagia Sophia: Iconic Byzantine Structure (+ 10 more historical events on this day!)

A Daily Dose of History (23 Feb 2026) Today's historical events: Byzantine emperor Justinian I lays the foundation stone of a new Orthodox Christian basilica in Constantinople – the Hagia Sophia. Khosrow II, last Sasanian shah of Iran, is overthrown. Empress Wu Zetian abdicates the throne, restoring the Tang dynasty. Traditionally the date of publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western book printed with movable type. Berbice slave uprising in Guyana: The first major slave revolt in South America. American Revolutionary War: Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to help to train the Continental Army. Cato Street Conspiracy: A plot to murder all the British cabinet ministers is exposed and the conspirators arrested. Texas Revolution: The Siege of the Alamo (prelude to the Battle of the Alamo) begins in San Antonio, Texas. Mexican-American War: Battle of Buena Vista: In Mexico, American troops under future president General Zachary Taylor defeat Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna. The official independence of the Orange Free State is declared. President-elect Abraham Lincoln arrives secretly in Washington, D.C., after the thwarting of an alleged assassination plot in Baltimore, Maryland. Information from this episode are sourced from API Ninjas Explanations from OpenAI ChatGPT API with proprietary prompts. This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices