1872

January 12 – Yohannes IV is crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in Axum, the first ruler crowned in that city in over 500 years. February 2 – The government of the United Kingdom buys a number of forts on the Gold Coast, from the Netherlands. February 4 – A great solar flare, and associated geomagnetic storm, makes northern lights visible as far south as Cuba. February 13 – Rex, the most famous parade on Mardi Gras, parades for the first time in New Orleans for Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia. February 17 – Filipino priests José Burgos, Mariano Gomez and Jacinto Zamora, collectively known as Gomburza, are executed in Bagumbayan Fields, Manila, Philippines by the authorities of New Spain, on charges of subversion arising from the 1872 Cavite mutiny. February 20 – The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens in New York City. March 1 – In the United States, Yellowstone National Park (once dubbed "Colter's Hell" after John Colter, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) is established as the world's first national park. March 5 George Westinghouse receives a United States patent for the "failsafe" automatic railway air brake. The Tichborne case is decided in London against claimant Arthur Orton (who, as a result, is convicted of perjury in 1874). March 9 – Alfred B. Miller and Elmer Crockett found the South Bend Tribune newspaper in the United States. March 11 – Work begins on the Seven Sisters Colliery in South Wales, located on one of the richest coal sources in Britain. March 16 – 1872 FA Cup Final: In the first ever final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest football competition, Wanderers F.C. defeat Royal Engineers A.F.C. 1–0 at The Oval in Kennington, London. March 26 – The 7.4–7.9 Lone Pine earthquake shakes eastern California, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme); 27 people are killed and 56 injured. April 21 – The Third Carlist War begins in northern Spain. Don Carlos, Duke of Madrid (the Carlist pretender Carlos VII) appoints General Rada commander-in-chief in Spain, and calls for a general rising.