May 15
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May 15 is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar; 230 days remain until the end of the year.
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.
- 1792 - War of the First Coalition, France declares war on Kingdom of Sardinia.
- 1793 - Diego Marín Aguilera flies a glider for "about 360 meters", at a height of 5-6 meters, during one of the first attempted flights.
- 1796 - First Coalition: Napoleon enters Milan in triumph.
- 1811 - Paraguay declares independence from Spain.
- 1817 - Opening of the first private mental health hospital in the United States, the Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason (now Friends Hospital) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 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.
- 1891 - Rerum Novarum, the first document of the Catholic Social Teaching tradition is published by Pope Leo XIII.
- 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 Elsinore Fault Zone.
- 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 Army Auxiliary 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 - Project Mercury: launch of Mercury-Atlas 9 with astronaut L. Gordon Cooper onboard. He became the first American to spend more than a day in space. Final Mercury mission.
- 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.
- 1974 – Ma'alot massacre a total of 31 people, including hostage takers, are killed.
- 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.
- 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.
- 1989 - The Golden Toad was last seen due to extinction.
- 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.
- 2007 - David Bain is released on bail, following a Privy Council ruling that a retrial should be undertaken on the murder of his four family members.
Births
- 1567 - (baptism) Claudio Monteverdi, Italian composer (d. 1643)
- 1608 - René Goupil, French Catholic missionary (Canadian Martyrs) (d. 1642)
- 1720 - Maximilian Hell, Slovakian astronomer (d. 1792)
- 1773 - Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, Austrian statesman (d. 1859)
- 1786 - General Dimitris Plapoutas, a Revolutionary in 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)
- 1903 - Maria Reiche, German-born mathematician and archaeologist (d. 1998)
- 1905 - Joseph Cotten, American actor (d. 1994)
- 1907 - Sukhdev Thapar, Indian freedom fighter (d. 1931)
- 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)
- 1912 - Arthur Berger, American composer (d. 2003)
- 1914 - Turk Broda, ice hockey goaltender (d. 1972)
- 1914 - Tenzing Norgay, (adopted birthdate) Nepalese Sherpa who accompanied Edmund Hillary to the top of Mount Everest (d. 1986)
- 1915 - Hilda Bernstein, English-born South African author, artist, and activist (d. 2006)
- 1915 - Mario Monicelli, Italian director and screenwriter
- 1915 - Paul Samuelson, American economist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1915 - Gus Viseur, French button accordionist (d. 1974)
- 1918 - Eddy Arnold, American singer
- 1918 - Joseph Wiseman, Canadian actor
- 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 (d. 2003)
- 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 - Wavy Gravy, 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
- 1938 - Mireille Darc, French actress
- 1938 - Lenny Welch, American singer
- 1939 - Dorothy Shirley, British athlete
- 1940 - Lainie Kazan, American actress and singer
- 1940 - Don Nelson, NBA coach
- 1941 - K.T. Oslin, American musician
- 1942 - Jusuf Kalla, vice- president of Indonesia and Chairman of the Golkar Party.
- 1944 - Ulrich Beck, German sociologist
- 1945 - Lasse Berghagen, Swedish singer
- 1945 - Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza, heir to the Portuguese crown
- 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
- 1954 - Robert P. Harrison, American thinker
- 1955 - Lee Horsley, American actor
- 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 - Luis Perez-Sala, Spanish racing driver
- 1960 - Rob Bowman, American film director
- 1961 - Katrin Cartlidge, British actress (d. 2002)
- 1962 - Melle Mel, American musician
- 1965 - Raí, Brazilian footballer
- 1966 - Pete Wiggs, English musician (Saint Etienne)
- 1967 - Madhuri Dixit, Indian actress
- 1967 - John Smoltz, baseball player
- 1968 - Cecilia Malmström, Swedish politician
- 1968 - Seth Putnam, American musician
- 1969 - Hideki Irabu, Japanese baseball player
- 1969 - Emmitt Smith, American football player
- 1970 - Frank de Boer, Dutch football player
- 1970 - Ronald de Boer, Dutch football player
- 1970 - Desmond Howard, American football player
- 1970 - Rod Smith, American football player
- 1971 - Phil Pfister, American strength athlete
- 1972 - David Charvet, French actor
- 1974 - Vassilis Kikilias, Greek footballer
- 1974 - Ahmet Zappa, American musician
- 1975 - Ray Lewis, American football player
- 1976 - Adolfo Bautista, Mexican footballer
- 1976 - Torraye Braggs, American basketball player
- 1976 - Jacek Krzynówek, Polish footballer
- 1976 - Ryan Leaf, former NFL quarterback
- 1976 - Tyler Walker, baseball player
- 1978 - Amy Chow, American gymnast
- 1978 - Dwayne DeRosario, Canadian footballer
- 1978 - Caroline Dhavernas, Canadian actress
- 1978 - Edu, Brazilian footballer
- 1978 - David Krumholtz, American actor
- 1978 - Krissy Taylor, American model (d. 1995)
- 1980 - Josh Beckett, American baseball player
- 1980 - Rocky Marquette, American actor
- 1981 - Patrice Evra, French-Senegalese footballer
- 1981 - Justin Morneau, Canadian born baseball player in the United States
- 1981 - Zara Phillips, British royal and eventer
- 1981 - Jamie-Lynn Sigler, American actress
- 1982 - Alex Breckenridge, American actress
- 1982 - Veronica Campbell, Jamaican athlete
- 1982 - Segundo Castillo, Ecuadorian footballer
- 1982 - Tatsuya Fujiwara, Japanese actor
- 1982 - Jessica Sutta, American dancer, singer and actress (The Pussycat Dolls)
- 1983 - Devin Bronson, American guitarist (Avril Lavigne)
- 1984 - Sérgio Jimenez, Brazilian racing driver
- 1985 - Cristiane, Brazilian footballer
- 1985 - Derek Hough, American dancer and choreographer
- 1986 - Matías Fernández, Chilean footballer
- 1987 - Ersan İlyasova, Turkish basketball player
- 1987 - Jennylyn Mercado, Filipino actress and singer
- 1987 - Andy Murray, Scottish tennis player
- 1988 - John Meyer, Intramural Basketball Star(Virginia Tech) '06-'07
- 1989 - Carmelle Hayes, American Actress
1990 - Gerald Santos, Filipino actor and singer
Deaths
- 913 - Hatto I, Archbishop of Mainz
- 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, Polish/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 - 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 - Tyrone Guthrie, English director, producer, and writer (b. 1900)
- 1978 - Sir Robert Menzies, twelfth Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1894)
- 1982 - Gordon Smiley, American race car driver (b. 1946)
- 1984 - Francis Schaeffer, American theologian, philosopher, and pastor (b. 1912)
- 1986 - Theodore White, American writer (b. 1915)
- 1986 - Elio de Angelis, Italian race car driver (b. 1958)
- 1989 - Johnny Green, American songwriter (b. 1908)
- 1991 - Andreas Floer, German mathematician (b. 1956)
- 1991 - Ronald Lacey, English actor (b. 1935)
- 1992 - Jovy Marcelo, Filipino race car driver (b. 1965)
- 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, Canadian judge (b. 1917)
- 2006 - Joyce Ballantyne, American artist (b. 1918)
- 2007 - Jerry Falwell, American evangelist (b. 1933)
- 2007 - Yolanda King, American actress and activist, daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr. (b. 1955)
Holidays and observances
- International Conscientious Objectors' Day [1]
- Paraguay - Independence Day. Celebrations for the anniversary of the independence begin on Flag Day, 14 May.
- Roman Empire - Mercuralia in honor of Mercury held.
- Buddha's Birthday in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea (2005).
- United States - Peace Officers Memorial Day.
- Slovenia - Day of Slovenian armed forces.
- Teacher's Day in Mexico (Día del Maestro) and South Korea (스승의 날).
- Nakba Day in Palestinian communities.
Liturgical Feast days
in the Roman Catholic Church:
- Saint Achillius
- Saint Gerebern
- Saint Isidore the Labourer
- Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle
- Saint Reticius
- Saint Denise
- Saint Dymphna
in the Coptic Church