Historical European New Year Dates
During the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, the year began on the day each consul first took office. This was probably May Day in 222 BC. His January 1 from 153 BC to March 15, 222 BC 154 BC. When Julius Caesar's new Julian calendar came into effect in 45 BC, the Senate set January 1 as the first day of the year for him. At that time, it was the day when civil servants took office, and it was also the traditional annual date for convening the Roman Senate. This civic New Year remained in effect throughout the Roman Empire, East and West, when the Julian calendar continued to be used and ever since. In England, Angler, Saxon and Viking invasions from the 5th to the 10th centuries brought the area back to prehistoric times for a time. Although the reintroduction of Christianity brought with it the Julian calendar, its use was primarily in church services at first. After becoming king in 1066, William the Conqueror ordered his January 1st to be reinstated as a civic New Year to coincide with his coronation. From about 1155, England and Scotland joined most of Europe and celebrated the New Year on March 25th.
In medieval Europe, several important holidays of the Roman Catholic Church calendar were used to mark the beginning of the Julian calendar.
In modern or circumcision dates, the new year began on his January 1st, the feast of Christ's circumcision. In the Annunciation style, or Lady Day style, the new year began on March 25 with the Feast of the Annunciation (traditionally called Lady Day). This date has been used in many parts of Europe since the Middle Ages.
Scotland switched to the modern New Year's date on 1 January 1600 by order of the King's Privy Council on 17 December 1599. Despite the unification of the Scottish and English crowns with the accession of James VI and his I to the throne in 1603, it was not until after the kingdom itself was united in 1707 that parliament adopted the calendar (new style). Until passed, England continued to use her 25th of March. 1750 passed. This law brought all of England to use the Gregorian calendar and redefined the civil New Year as January 1st (as in Scotland). It came into force on September 3, 1752 (old style or September 14 new style).
In Easter-style dating, the new year begins on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter) or Good Friday, which was used throughout Europe but especially in France where he was used from the 11th century to his 16th century . A drawback of this system was that the same date could occur twice in a year, as Easter is a mobile festival. The two events were distinguished as 'before Easter' and 'after Easter'.
In Christmas and Nativity dates, the New Year begins on December 25th. It was used in Germany and England until the 11th century and in Spain from the 14th to the 16th century.
The Southern Vernal Equinox (usually September 22) was "New Year's Day" in the French Republican calendar used from 1793 to 1805. This was Primidi Vendémière, the first day of the first month.
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