This day in history
Every day is full of amazing anniversaries, ancient and modern! As well as today, you can also look at any other day of the year - click the arrows to select the month, then click a number to select the day.
15 July
Events
- 1099: The crusaders take Jerusalem by storm after a short siege.
- 1149: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is dedicated.
- 1337: Under the Treaty of Valenciennes King Ludwig IV of Bavaria and King Edward III of England become allies against France.
- 1410: In the Great Northern War, King Wdysaw Jagieo of Poland and Grand Duke Vitold of Lithuania defeat the Teutonic Knights at Grunwald (Tannenberg).
- 1592: Invading Japanese forces under Konishi Yukinaga defeat the remnants of the royal Choson (Korean) army at the Taedong River and capture Pyongyang. However, guerrilla resistance stiffens and the control of the Japanese over most of the country is nominal as they await an order to invade China.
- 1789: The Commune de Paris (municipal government) is formed in Paris, France. It appoints Jean Bailly as mayor, sets up the National Guard under the Marquis de Lafayette, and is responsible for municipal administration.
- 1801: A concordat with the papacy drawn up by Napoleon Bonaparte effectively places the church in France under state control. The pope is allowed to keep the Papal States, with the exception of Ferrara, Bologna, and Romagna, which are annexed by France.
- 1840: Russia, Britain, Prussia, and Austria form the Quadruple Alliance in support of the Ottoman Empire and by the Treaty of London offer Egypt to its ruler and Ottoman opponent, Mehmet Ali, as a hereditary possession and also southern Syria for life, provided he gives up Crete and northern Syria. He refuses, in the hope of French aid.
- 1856: A gas explosion in a colliery in South Wales kills 114 miners.
- 1912: The first National Insurance payments are made in Britain.
- 1948: Alcoholics Anonymous, founded in the USA, sets up in the UK.
- 1974: The Cypriot National Guard, with Greek support, overthrows President Makarios of Cyprus and installs Nicos Sampson, a former National Organization of Cypriot Combatants (EOKA) terrorist, in his place.
- 2000: English boxer Lennox Lewis beats Frans Botha of South Africa in the second round of their bout at the London Arena, England, to retain his heavyweight crown.
- 2002: On a day of plunging share prices around the world, the British chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown announces a 61 billion boost for UK public spending from the current fiscal year to 200506. Education is the main beneficiary, and there are also substantial rises in funding for transport, policing, housing, defence and overseas aid.
Births and Deaths
- Vladimir I
1015: St Vladimir I, grand prince of Kiev, who united Kiev and Novgorod into a single state, and who determined the course of Christianity in Russia, dies in Berestova, near Kiev (59). - Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn
1606: Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, Dutch painter, often regarded as one of the greatest in history, born in Leiden, United Netherlands (1669). - Jean-Bertrand Aristide
1953: Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the first elected president of Haiti, is born in Port Salut, Haiti.
Data provided by Helicon Publishing
