From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (136th in leap years). There are 230 days remaining.
[edit] Events
- 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad exstirpanda, which authorizes the torture of heretics in the Medieval Inquisition. Torture quickly gains widespread usage across Catholic Europe.
- 1514 - Jodocus Badius Ascensius publishes Christiern Pedersen's Latin version of Saxo’s Gesta Danorum, the oldest known version of that work.
- 1525 - The battle of Frankenhausen ends the Peasants' War.
- 1567 - Mary Queen of Scots weds James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, her third husband.
- 1602 - Bartholomew Gosnold becomes the first European to see Cape Cod.
- 1618 - Johannes Kepler confirms his previously rejected discovery of the third law of planetary motion (he first discovered it on March 8 but soon rejected the idea after some initial calculations were made).
- 1701 - The War of the Spanish Succession begins.
- 1718 - James Puckle, a London lawyer, patents the world's first machine gun.
- 1756 - The Seven Years' War begins when England declares war on France.
- 1776 - American Revolution: Virginia convention instructs its delegates to propose a declaration of independence from Great Britain.
- 1791 - Maximilien Robespierre proposed the self-denying ordinance.
- 1795 - First Coalition: Napoleon I of France enters Milan in triumph.
- 1811 - Paraguay declares independence from Spain.
- 1829 - According to LDS teaching, John the Baptist confers the Aaronic Priesthood onto Joseph Smith Jr. and Oliver Cowdery.
- 1836 - Francis Baily observes "Baily's beads" during an annular eclipse.
- 1849 - Troops of the Two Sicilies take Palermo and crush the republican government of Sicily.
- 1851 - Rama IV is crowned King of Thailand.
- 1858 - The third Royal Opera House officially opens in London.
- 1862 - President Abraham Lincoln signs a bill into law creating the United States Bureau of Agriculture (later renamed USDA).
- 1864 - American Civil War: Battle of Resaca, Georgia ends.
- 1864 - American Civil War: Battle of New Market, Virginia – Students from the Virginia Military Institute fight alongside the Confederate Army to force Union General Franz Sigel out of the Shenandoah Valley.
- 1869 - Woman's suffrage: In New York, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton form the National Woman Suffrage Association.
- 1897 - The Greek army retreats with heavy losses in Greco-Turkish War
- 1902 - In a field outside Grass Valley, California, Lyman Gilmore reportedly becomes the first person to fly a powered airplane (a steam-powered glider).
- 1905 - Las Vegas, Nevada, is founded when 110 acres (0.4 km²), in what later would become downtown, are auctioned off.
- 1910 - The last time a major earthquake happened on the Lake Elsinore Fault.
- 1911 - The United States Supreme Court declares Standard Oil to be an "unreasonable" monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act and orders the company to be dissolved.
- 1911 - The Georgios Averof cruiser is bought by Greece.
- 1914 - Bolivia becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.
- 1918 - Finnish Civil War ends.
- 1918 - The US Post Office Department (later renamed the USPS) begins the first regular airmail service in the world (between New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC).
- 1919 - The Winnipeg General Strike began. By 11:00, virtually the entire working population of Winnipeg had walked off the job.
- 1919 - Greek invasion of İzmir. During the invasion killed or wounded 350 Turks by the Greek army. The responsible were punished by the Greek Commander Aristides Stergiades. Hasan Tahsin fired the first gun of the Turkish War of Independence.
- 1920 - Council of Lithuania adjourned as newly elected Constituent Assembly of Lithuania met for the first time in Kaunas
- 1928 - Release of the animated short "Plane Crazy", featuring the first appearances of Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
- 1929 - A fire at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio kills 123.
- 1930 - Aboard a Boeing tri-motor, Ellen Church becomes the first airline stewardess, on a flight from Oakland, California to Chicago.
- 1932 - The May 15 Incident. In an attempted coup the Prime Minister of Japan Inukai Tsuyoshi is killed.
- 1934 - The United States Department of Justice offers a $25,000 reward for John Dillinger.
- 1934 - Kārlis Ulmanis establishes an authoritarian government in Latvia.
- 1940 - Nylon stockings go on sale for the first time in the United States.
- 1940 - World War II: After fierce fighting, the poorly trained and equipped Dutch troops surrender to Nazi Germany, marking the beginning of 5 years of occupation.
- 1940 - McDonald's is founded.
- 1941 - Baseball player Joe DiMaggio starts his record-breaking 56-game hitting streak.
- 1942 - World War II: In the United States, a bill creating the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) is signed into law.
- 1943 - Joseph Stalin dissolves the Comintern (or Third International).
- 1945 - Last skirmish of the Second World War in Europe fought near Prevalje, Slovenia.
- 1948 - Egypt, Transjordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia attack Israel.
- 1951 - The Polish cultural attache in Paris, Czesław Miłosz, asks the French government for political asylum.
- 1951 - The cartoon Rabbit Fire is released
- 1955 - Austrian Independence Treaty signed.
- 1955 - First ascent of Makalu, the world's fifth highest mountain.
- 1957 - Britain tests its first hydrogen bomb in Operation Grapple.
- 1958 - The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 3.
- 1960 - The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 4.
- 1963 - Mercury program: America launches the last mission of the program, Mercury 9 (on June 12 NASA Administrator James E. Webb told Congress the program was complete).
- 1964 - The Smothers Brothers give their first concert in Carnegie Hall in New York City.
- 1970 - The Beatles' last LP, Let It Be, is released in the United States.
- 1970 - President Richard Nixon appoints Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth P. Hoisington the first female United States Army Generals.
- 1970 - Philip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green killed at Jackson State University by police during student protests.
- 1972 - The island of Okinawa, under U.S. military governance since its conquest in 1945, reverts to Japanese control.
- 1972 - In Laurel, Maryland, Arthur Bremer shoots and paralyzes Alabama Governor George Wallace while Wallace is campaigning to be American President.
- 1973 - Nolan Ryan threw his first no-hitter (at Kansas City).
- 1978 - Lagumot Harris, having only been elected President less than a month before, is replaced as the leader of the republic of Nauru. He is succeeded by Hammer DeRoburt.
- 1981 - Len Barker, American baseball pitcher, completes a perfect game for the Cleveland Indians against the Toronto Blue Jays.
- 1987 - Soviet Union launches the Polyus prototype orbital weapons platform, which failed to reach orbit.
- 1988 - Soviet war in Afghanistan: After more than eight years of fighting, the Red Army begins its withdrawal from Afghanistan.
- 1990 - Portrait of Doctor Gachet by Vincent van Gogh is sold for a record $82.5 million, the most expensive painting at the time.
- 1991 - Edith Cresson becomes France's first female prime minister.
- 2004 - The largest known prime number at the time of its discovery, 224036583 − 1, is found by Josh Findley and the GIMPS collaborative effort.
- 2004 - Arsenal complete a whole English Premiership season, 38 games, unbeaten.
[edit] Births
- 1567 - (baptism) Claudio Monteverdi, Italian composer (d. 1643)
- 1720 - Maximilian Hell, Slovakian astronomer (d. 1792)
- 1773 - Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, Austrian statesman (d. 1859)
- 1786 - General Dimitris Plapoutas, a Revolutionary during the Greek War of Independence (d. 1864)
- 1817 - Debendranath Tagore, Indian religious reformer (d. 1905)
- 1848 - Viktor Vasnetsov, Russian painter (d. 1926)
- 1856 - L. Frank Baum, American author (d. 1919)
- 1857 - Williamina Fleming, Scottish-born astronomer (d. 1911)
- 1859 - Pierre Curie, French physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1906)
- 1862 - Arthur Schnitzler, Austrian dramatist and narrator (d. 1931)
- 1890 - Katherine Anne Porter, American author (d. 1980)
- 1891 - Mikhail Bulgakov, Russian writer (d. 1940)
- 1891 - Fritz Feigl, Austria-born chemist (d. 1971)
- 1892 - Jimmy Wilde, boxer (d. 1969)
- 1895 - William D. Byron, U.S. Congressman (d. 1941)
- 1898 - Arletty, French model and actress (d. 1992)
- 1899 - Jean-Etienne Valluy, French general (d. 1970)
- 1902 - Richard J. Daley, Mayor of Chicago (d. 1976)
- 1905 - Joseph Cotten, American actor (d. 1994)
- 1907 - Sukhdev Thapar, Indian Freedom Fighter
- 1909 - James Mason, English actor (d. 1984)
- 1910 - Constance Cummings, British actress (d. 2005)
- 1911 - Max Frisch, Swiss author (d. 1991)
- 1911 - Herta Oberheuser, Nazi doctor (d. 1978)
- 1914 - Tenzing Norgay, Nepalese Sherpa (d. 1986)
- 1914 - Turk Broda, ice hockey goaltender
- 1915 - Hilda Bernstein, English-born South African author, artist, and activist (d. 2006)
- 1915 - Paul Samuelson, American economist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1915 - Gus Viseur, French button accordionist (d. 1974)
- 1918 - Eddy Arnold, American singer
- 1922 - Jakucho Setouchi, Japanese writer and Buddhist nun
- 1923 - Richard Avedon, American photographer (d. 2004)
- 1923 - John Lanchbery, English composer (d. 2003)
- 1923 - Johnny Walker, Indian actor
- 1924 - Maria Koepcke, ornithologist (d. 1971)
- 1926 - Anthony Shaffer, English playwright (d. 2001)
- 1926 - Peter Shaffer, English playwright
- 1930 - Jasper Johns, American painter
- 1931 - Ken Venturi, American golfer
- 1936 - Anna Maria Alberghetti, Italian-born actress
- 1936 - Hugh Romney, American clown and activist
- 1936 - Ralph Steadman, British cartoonist
- 1936 - Paul Zindel, American writer (d. 2003)
- 1937 - Madeleine Albright, U.S. Secretary of State
- 1937 - Trini López, American musician
- 1940 - Lainie Kazan, American actress and singer
- 1940 - Don Nelson, NBA coach
- 1941 - K.T. Oslin, American musician
- 1944 - Ulrich Beck, German sociologist
- 1945 - Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza, heir to the Portuguese crown
- 1945 - Lasse Berghagen, Swedish singer
- 1945 - Yochanan Vollach, Israeli football player, President of Maccabi Haifa Union
- 1948 - Brian Eno, English musician and record producer
- 1950 - Nicholas Hammond, American actor
- 1951 - Chazz Palminteri, American actor, writer and director
- 1951 - Jonathan Richman, American musician
- 1951 - Frank Wilczek, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1953 - George Brett, baseball player
- 1953 - Mike Oldfield, English composer
- 1955 - Melinda Culea, American actress
- 1956 - Dan Patrick, American sportscaster
- 1958 - Ron Simmons, American professional wrestler
- 1959 - Andrew Eldritch, English singer and songwriter (The Sisters of Mercy)
- 1959 - Kaokor Galaxy, Thai boxer
- 1961 - Katrin Cartlidge, British actress (d. 2002)
- 1962 - Melle Mel, American musician
- 1965 - Raí, Brazilian footballer
- 1967 - John Smoltz, baseball player
- 1967 - Madhuri Dixit, Indian actress
- 1968 - Seth Putnam, American musician
- 1969 - Emmitt Smith, American football player
- 1970 - Desmond Howard, American football player
- 1970 - Rod Smith, American football player
- 1970 - Frank de Boer, Dutch football player
- 1970 - Ronald de Boer, Dutch football player
- 1971 - Phil Pfister, American strength athlete
- 1972 - David Charvet, French actor
- 1974 - Andrew Johns, Australian rugby player
- 1974 - Ahmet Zappa, American musician
- 1974 - Vassilis Kikilias, Greek footballer
- 1975 - Ray Lewis, American football player
- 1976 - Torraye Braggs, American basketball player
- 1976 - Adolfo Bautista, Mexican footballer
- 1976 - Tyler Walker, baseball player
- 1976 - Jacek Krzynówek, Polish footballer
- 1976 - Ryan Leaf, former NFL quarterback
- 1978 - Amy Chow, American gymnast
- 1978 - Caroline Dhavernas, Canadian actress
- 1978 - David Krumholtz, American actor (NUMB3RS)
- 1978 - Edu, Brazilian footballer
- 1978 - Krissy Taylor, American model (d. 1995)
- 1980 - Josh Beckett, baseball player
- 1980 - Rocky Marquette, American actor
- 1981 - Jamie-Lynn Sigler, American actress
- 1981 - Zara Phillips, British royal
- 1981 - Patrice Evra, French-Senegalese footballer
- 1982 - Veronica Campbell, Jamaican athlete
- 1982 - Jessica Sutta, American dancer, singer and actress (The Pussycat Dolls)
- 1982 - Segundo Castillo, Ecuadorian footballer
- 1982 - Alex Breckenridge, American actress
- 1982 - Tatsuya Fujiwara, Japanese actor
- 1983 - Devin Bronson, American guitarist (Avril Lavigne)
- 1986 - Matías Fernández,Chilean footballer
- 1987 - Andrew Murray, tennis player
- 1987 - Jennylyn Mercado, Filipino actress and singer
- 1990 - Gerald Santos, Filipino actor and singer
[edit] Deaths
- 1036 - Emperor Go-Ichijō of Japan (b. 1008)
- 1157 - Yury Dolgoruky, Russian prince
- 1174 - Nur ad-Din, ruler of Syria (b. 1118)
- 1381 - Eppelein von Gailingen, German robber baron
- 1470 - Charles VIII of Sweden (b. 1409)
- 1585 - Niwa Nagahide, Japanese warlord (b. 1535)
- 1591 - Dmitry Ivanovich, Tsarevich (b. 1582)
- 1609 - Giovanni Croce, Italian composer (b. 1557)
- 1634 - Hendrick Avercamp, Dutch painter (b. 1585)
- 1698 - Marie Champmeslé, French actress (b. 1642)
- 1699 - Edward Petre, English Jesuit and privy councilor (b. 1631)
- 1714 - Roger Elliott, British general and Governor of Gibraltar
- 1740 - Ephraim Chambers, English encyclopaedist (b. 1680)
- 1760 - Alaungpaya, King of Burma (b. 1711)
- 1773 - Alban Butler, English Catholic priest and writer (b. 1710)
- 1782 - Marquis of Pombal, Prime Minister of Portugal (b. 1699)
- 1879 - Gottfried Semper, German architect (b. 1803)
- 1886 - Emily Dickinson, American poet (b. 1830)
- 1924 - Paul-Henri-Benjamin d'Estournelles de Constant, French diplomat, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1852)
- 1935 - Kazimir Malevich, Ukrainian artist (b. 1878)
- 1937 - Phillip Snowden, British politician (b. 1864)
- 1940 - Menno ter Braak, Dutch author and polemicist (b. 1902)
- 1945 - Charles Williams, UK writer (b. 1886)
- 1948 - Father Edward Flanagan, American priest and founder of Boys Town (b. 1886)
- 1954 - William March, American writer (b. 1893)
- 1956 - Austin Osman Spare, English magician (b. 1886)
- 1967 - Edward Hopper, American painter (b. 1882)
- 1971 - Sir Tyrone Guthrie, English director, producer, and writer (b. 1900)
- 1982 - Gordon Smiley, American race car driver (b. 1946)
- 1984 - Francis Schaeffer, American Evangelical theologian, philosopher, and Presbyterian pastor
- 1986 - Theodore White, American writer (b. 1915)
- 1986 - Elio de Angelis, Italian racing driver (b. 1958)
- 1989 - Johnny Green, American songwriter (b. 1908)
- 1991 - Andreas Floer, German mathematician (b. 1956)
- 1993 - Salah Ahmed Ibrahim, Sudanese writer, poet and diplomat (b. 1933)
- 1994 - Gilbert Roland, Mexican actor (b. 1904)
- 1995 - Eric Porter, British actor (b. 1928)
- 1996 - Charles B. Fulton, American jurist (b. 1910)
- 1998 - Earl Manigault, American basketball player (b. 1944)
- 2003 - June Carter Cash, American musician and singer (b. 1929)
- 2003 - George Francis, British gangster (b. 1940)
- 2003 - Rik Van Steenbergen, Belgian cyclist (b. 1924)
- 2005 - Les Bartley, lacrosse coach (b. 1954)
- 2005 - Alan B. Gold, Chief justice of the Quebec Superior Court (b. 1917)
- 2006 - Joyce Ballantyne Brand, artist (b. 1918)
[edit] Holidays and observances
[edit] Liturgical Feast days
in the Roman Catholic Church:
[edit] External links
