February 22

Arnulf Crowned Emperor

A stroke fells a newly crowned ruler

Pope Formosus placed the imperial crown upon the head of Arnulf of Carinthia in Rome, making him Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. But fortune is fickle: soon after his coronation, Arnulf suffered a devastating stroke that forced his retreat from Italy. The ceremony that should have cemented his power instead marked the beginning of his decline, leaving the empire without strong leadership at a critical moment in European history.

Luis Bunuel Was Born

Cinema's great surrealist provocateur arrives

Luis Bunuel was born in Calanda, Spain, destined to become one of cinema's most daring and influential directors. From the razor-sliced eyeball of Un Chien Andalou to the bourgeois nightmares of The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Bunuel spent six decades subverting conventions and scandalizing audiences. His collaborations with Salvador Dali and his unflinching examination of religion, desire, and social hypocrisy made him a titan of world cinema.

Ngo Dinh Diem

Ngô Đình Diệm of South Vietnam survives a communist shooting assassination attempt in Buôn Ma Thuột.