May 15
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(Redirected from 15 May)
May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). There are 230 days remaining.
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Events
- 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad extirpanda, 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.
- 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.
- 1795 - First Coalition: Napoleon I of France enters Milan in triumph.
- 1836 - Francis Baily observes "Baily's beads" during an annular eclipse.
- 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.
- 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.
- 1914 - Bolivia becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.
- 1918 - Civil War in Finland 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.
- 1928 - Release of the animated short "Plane Crazy", featuring the first appearances of Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
- 1930 - Aboard a Boeing tri-motor, Ellen Church becomes the first airline stewardess, on a flight from Oakland, California to Chicago, Illinois.
- 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: German troops occupy Amsterdam and invade Northern France.
- 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, Czeslaw Milosz, asks the French government for political asylum.
- 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 US 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 1992 - The Genoa Expo '92 World's Fair opens in Genoa, Italy.
- 2004 - The largest prime number to be discovered, 224036583 − 1, is found by Josh Findley and the GIMPS collaborative effort.
Births
- 1567 - Claudio Monteverdi, Italian composer (d. 1643)
- 1773 - Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, Austrian statesman (d. 1859)
- 1817 - Debendranath Tagore, Indian religious reformer (d. 1905)
- 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)
- 1892 - Jimmy Wilde, boxer (d. 1969)
- 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)
- 1909 - James Mason, English actor (d. 1984)
- 1911 - Max Frisch, Swiss author (d. 1991)
- 1914 - Tenzing Norgay, Nepalese sherpa (d. 1986)
- 1915 - Paul Samuelson, American economist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1918 - Eddy Arnold, American singer
- 1922 - Setouchi Jakucho, Japanese writer and Buddhist nun
- 1923 - Richard Avedon, American photographer (d. 2004)
- 1923 - John Lanchbery, English composer (d. 2003)
- 1926 - Peter Shaffer, English playwright
- 1926 - Anthony Shaffer, English playwright (d. 2001)
- 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 - Paul Zindel, American writer (d. 2003)
- 1937 - Madeline Albright, U.S. Secretary of State
- 1937 - Trini López, American musician
- 1941 - K.T. Oslin, American musician
- 1944 - Ulrich Beck, German sociologist
- 1945 - Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza
- 1948 - Brian Eno, English musician and record producer
- 1951 - Chazz Palminteri, American actor
- 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
- 1959 - Khaosai Galaxy, Thai boxer
- 1962 - Melle Mel, American musician
- 1967 - John Smoltz, baseball player
- 1969 - Emmitt Smith, American football player
- 1970 - Rod Smith, American football player
- 1972 - David Charvet, French actor
- 1974 - Ahmet Zappa, American musician
- 1974 - Andrew Johns, Australian rugby player
- 1975 - Ray Lewis, American football player
- 1976 - Tyler Walker, baseball player
- 1978 - Amy Chow, American gymnast
- 1981 - Jamie-Lynn DiScala, American actress
- 1983 - Devin Bronson, American guitarist (Avril Lavigne)
- 1986 - Antonio De Gaetano, American college student
- 1987 - Andrew Murray, Scottish tennis player
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)
- 1782 - Marquis of Pombal, Prime Minister of Portugal (b. 1699)
- 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 )
- 1948 - Father Edward Flanagan, American priest and founder of Boys Town (b. 1886)
- 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)
- 1986 - Theodore H. White, American writer (b. 1915)
- 1991 - Andreas Floer, German mathematician (b. 1956)
- 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)
Holidays and observances
- Feast day of the following saints in the Roman Catholic Church:
- Paraguay - Independence Day. Celebrations for the anniversary of the independence begin on Flag Day, 14 May.
- Roman Empire - Mercuralia in honor of Mercury held.
- International day of families.
- International day of climate changes.
- International conscientious objectors' day
- Buddha's Birthday in Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea (2005)
- United States - Peace Officers Memorial Day
- Slovenia - Day of Slovenian armed forces
- Mexico - Teacher's Day (Día del Maestro)
External links
May 14 - May 16 - April 15 - June 15 – listing of all days
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