Historical Events Feb 15 Russian troops occupy Polotsk Lithuania Feb 18 Huguenot Jean Poltrot de Mere shoots gen Francois De Guise Feb 27 British composer William Byrd is appointed organist at Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln, England Famous Deaths Feb 1 Menas, Emperor of Ethiopia, dies of fever Feb 2 Hans Neusiedler, Hungarian/German luitist/author, dies at approx 54 Feb 24 Francois Guise, French general/duke, assassinated at 44 1562 History by Year 1564 Famous People by their Chinese Zodiac Animal Year of the Rat2020 Year of the Ox2021 Year of the Tiger2022 Year of the Rabbit2023 Year of the Dragon2024 Year of the Snake2025