July 15 is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 169 days remaining until the end of the year.
Events
- 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final assault of a difficult siege.
- 1162 - Ladislaus II of Hungary declared King of Hungary.
- 1207 - John of England expels Canterbury monks for supporting Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton.
- 1240 - A Novgorodian army led by Alexander Nevsky defeats the Swedes in the Battle of the Neva.
- 1381 - John Ball, a leader in the Peasants' Revolt, hanged, drawn and quartered in the presence of Richard II of England.
- 1410 - Battle of Grunwald, allied forces of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeat the army of the Teutonic Order.
- 1685 - James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth is executed at Tower Hill, England after his defeat at the Battle of Sedgemore on 6 July 1685.
- 1789 - Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette, by acclamation, named colonel-general of the new .
- 1799 - Rosetta Stone is found in the Egyptian village of Rosetta, by French Captain Pierre-François Bouchard.
- 1806 - Pike expedition: Near St. Louis, Missouri, United States Army Lieutenant Zebulon Pike begins an expedition from to explore the west.
- 1815 - Napoléon Bonaparte surrenders from aboard HMS Bellerophon.
- 1823 - A fire destroys the ancient Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.
- 1862 - American Civil War: Confederates break naval blockade of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
- 1870 - Post-American-Civil-War Reconstruction: Georgia becomes the last of the former Confederate states to be readmitted to the Union.
- 1870 - Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory are transferred to Canada from the Hudson's Bay Company, and the province of Manitoba and the North-West Territories are established from these vast territories.
- 1895 - Archie MacLaren scores County Championship record cricket innings of 424 for Lancashire against Somerset at Taunton.
- 1916 - In Seattle, Washington, William Boeing and George Conrad Westervelt incorporate Pacific Aero Products (later renamed Boeing).
- 1918 - World War I: Second Battle of the Marne - The battle begins near the River Marne with a German attack.
- 1926 - BEST buses make its début in Mumbai.
- 1927 - Massacre of July 15, 1927: 89 protesters are killed by the Austrian police in Vienna.
- 1929 - First weekly radio broadcast of Mormon Tabernacle Choir radio show, Music and the Spoken Word.
- 1931 - Kid Chocolate becomes Cuba's first world boxing champion.
- 1945 - President Harry Truman disembarks the heavy cruiser the USS Augusta (CA-31) in Antwerp en route to Potsdam for the Potsdam Conference.
- 1953 - John Reginald Christie, British serial killer executed.
- 1954 - First flight of the Boeing 707, the first American jet passenger airliner.
- 1955 - Eighteen Nobel laureates signed the Mainau Declaration against nuclear weapons, later co-signed by thirty-four others.
- 1957 - Full-scale production of the Edsel automobile begins.
- 1958 - In Lebanon, 5,000 United States Marines land in the capital Beirut in order to provide military support to the pro-Western government there.
- 1959 - The steel strike of 1959 begins, leading to significant importation of foreign steel for the first time in United States history.
- 1974 - In Nicosia, Cyprus, Greek-sponsored nationalists launch a coup d'état, deposing President Makarios and installing Nikos Sampson as Cypriot president.
- 1974 - Christine Chubbuck becomes the first person to commit suicide on-air.
- 1975 - Apollo Soyuz Test Project: Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft take off for U.S.-Soviet link-up in space.
- 1975 - Clifford Antone opens the legendary Austin blues club Antone's on 6th Street.
- 1979 - U.S. President Jimmy Carter gives his famous "malaise" speech, where he characterizes the greatest threat to the country as "this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation."
- 1995 - First item sold on Amazon.com
- 1996 - A Belgian Air Force C-130 Hercules carrying the Royal Netherlands Army marching band crashes on landing at Eindhoven Airport.
- 1997 - In Miami, Florida, serial killer Andrew Phillip Cunanan guns down Gianni Versace outside his home.
- 2002 - "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh pleads guilty to supplying aid to the enemy and for the possession of explosives during the commission of a felony.
- 2002 - of Pakistan awarded death sentence to British born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and life term to three other suspects in murdering Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.
- 2003 - AOL Time Warner disbands Netscape Communications Corporation. The Mozilla Foundation is established on the same day.
- 2003 - the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed its SARS-related travel advisory for Taiwan, the last area to have such a travel alert.
- 2004 - Monorail service begins in Las Vegas.
- 2004 - The BBC airs the documentary The Secret Agent, exposing racism by members of the British National Party.
- 2005 - Jack Nicklaus plays his last hole of competitive golf during The Open Championship at Hole 18 at St Andrews, finishing with a birdie.
- 2005 - the EPA approves a 70 parts per million addition of fluoride to all processed foods.
- 2006 - Mogadishu Int'l Airport in Somalia's capital of Mogadishu re-opens after an eleven-year closure mainly due to the Somali civil war.
- 2007 - Lewis Gordon Pugh becomes the first person to swim at the North Pole.
Births
- 1273 - Ewostatewos, Ethiopian monk and religious leader (d. 1352)
- 1353 - Vladimir the Bold, Russian prince (d. 1410)
- 1458 - Juan Ponce de Leon, Spanish Explorer (d. 1521)
- 1471 - Eskender, Emperor of Ethiopia (d. 1494)
- 1553 - Archduke Ernest of Austria (d. 1595)
- 1573 - Inigo Jones, English architect (d. 1652)
- 1606 - Rembrandt, Dutch artist (d. 1669)
- 1631 - Jens Juel, Danish diplomat (d. 1700)
- 1704 - August Gottlieb Spangenberg, German religious leader (d. 1792)
- 1737 - Princess Louise-Marie of France, daughter of king Louis XV (d. 1787)
- 1779 - Clement Clarke Moore, American educator, author, and poet (d. 1863)
- 1796 - Thomas Bulfinch, American mythologist (d. 1867)
- 1808 - Henry Edward Cardinal Manning, English Catholic archbishop (d. 1892)
- 1812 - James Hope-Scott, English barrister (d. 1873)
- 1837 - Stephanie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, queen of Portugal (d. 1859)
- 1848 - Vilfredo Pareto, Italian economist and sociologist (d. 1923)
- 1851 - Eduardo Gutiérrez, Argentinian author (d. 1889)
- 1850 - Mother Cabrini, Italian-born Catholic saint (d. 1917)
- 1864 - Marie Tempest, English singer and actress (d. 1942)
- 1865 - Wilhelm Wirtinger, Austrian mathematician (d. 1945)
- 1870 - Vladimir Dmitrievich Nabokov, Russian publisher and politician (d. 1922)
- 1871 - Kunikida Doppo, Japanese writer (d. 1908)
- 1892 - Walter Benjamin, German literary critic and writer (d. 1940)
- 1894 - Tadeusz Sendzimir, Polish-American engineer and inventor (d. 1989)
- 1899 - Seán Lemass, Irish leader (d. 1971)
- 1902 - Jean Rey, Belgian politician and President of the European Commission {d. 1983)
- 1903 - Kumaraswami Kamaraj, Indian politician (d. 1975)
- 1904 - Rudolf Arnheim, German-born author (d. 2007)
- 1905 - Dorothy Fields, American librettist and lyricist (d. 1974)
- 1911 - Edward Shackleton, English explorer (d. 1994)
- 1913 - Cowboy Copas, American country singer (d. 1963)
- 1913 - Dorothy Schwartz, American violinist (d. 2007)
- 1914 - Akhtar Hameed Khan, pioneer of Microcredit in developing countries (d. 1999)
- 1914 - Hammond Innes, English writer (d. 1998)
- 1914 - Howard Vernon, Swiss actor (d. 1996)
- 1918 - Bertram N. Brockhouse, Canadian physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2003)
- 1919 - Iris Murdoch, Irish writer (d. 1999)
- 1921 - Robert Bruce Merrifield, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1921 - Henri Colpi, French film director (d. 2006)
- 1922 - Leon M. Lederman, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
- 1925 - Philip Carey, American actor
- 1926 - Driss Chraïbi, Moroccan author
- 1926 - Leopoldo Galtieri, Argentine dictator (d. 2003)
- 1928 - Carl Woese, American microbiologist
- 1929 - Charles Anthony, American tenor
- 1930 - Jacques Derrida, French philosopher (d. 2004)
- 1930 - Stephen Smale, American mathematician
- 1930 - Richard Garneau, French Canadian sports journalist
- 1931 - Clive Cussler, American author
- 1932 - Ed Litzenberger, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1933 - Julian Bream, English guitarist and lutenist
- 1933 - Guido Crepax, Italian comics artist (d. 2003)
- 1934 - Harrison Birtwistle, English composer
- 1934 - Risto Jarva, Finnish filmmaker (d. 1977)
- 1935 - Donn Clendenon, baseball player (d. 2005)
- 1935 - Ken Kercheval, American actor
- 1935 - Alex Karras, American football player and actor
- 1938 - Ernie Barnes, American artist and football player
- 1939 - AnÃbal Cavaco Silva, President of Portugal and former Prime Minister
- 1939 - Patrick Wayne, American actor
- 1941 - Denis Héroux, French Canadian film director and producer
- 1942 - Mil Mascaras, Mexican professional wrestler
- 1943 - Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Irish astrophysicist
- 1944 - Millie Jackson, American singer
- 1944 - Jan-Michael Vincent, American actor
- 1945 - Jürgen Möllemann, German politician (d. 2003)
- 1946 - Linda Ronstadt, American singer
- 1946 - Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei
- 1947 - Peter Banks, British guitarist (Yes)
- 1948 - Artimus Pyle, American drummer (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
- 1949 - Carl Bildt, Swedish politician
- 1949 - John Casken, British composer
- 1949 - Trevor Horn, British music producer, bassist and vocalist (Buggles, Art of Noise, Seal, Yes)
- 1950 - Arianna Huffington, Greek-born newspaper columnist
- 1951 - Jesse Ventura, professional wrestler and former Governor of Minnesota
- 1952 - Johnny Thunders, American guitarist and singer (The New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers) (d. 1991)
- 1952 - Terry O'Quinn, American actor
- 1953 - Jean-Bertrand Aristide, former President of Haiti
- 1953 - John Denham, British politician
- 1953 - Alicia Bridges, American singer
- 1954 - Mario Kempes, Argentine football player
- 1956 - Ian Curtis, British musician, singer, and lyricist (Joy Division) (d. 1980)
- 1956 - Barry Melrose, Canadian hockey player, coach, and commentator
- 1956 - Marky Ramone, American musician (The Ramones)
- 1956 - Joe Satriani, American guitarist
- 1958 - Mac Thornberry, American politician
- 1959 - Vincent Lindon, French actor
- 1959 - Shep Pettibone, American record producer
- 1960 - Kim Alexis, American supermodel and actress
- 1960 - Willie Aames, American actor
- 1961 - Scott Ritter, UN weapons inspector in Iraq
- 1961 - Forest Whitaker, American actor
- 1961 - Lolita Davidovich, Canadian-born actress
- 1963 - Steve Thomas, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1963 - Brigitte Nielsen, Danish-born actress
- 1966 - Irène Jacob, French-born Swiss actress
- 1966 - Jason Bonham, English drummer and son of deceased Led Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham
- 1967 - Adam Savage, American actor
- 1968 - Eddie Griffin, American comedian
- 1968 - Stan Kirsch, American actor
- 1970 - Chi Cheng, American musician
- 1971 - Danijela, Croatian singer
- 1972 - Scott Foley, American actor
- 1972 - Beth Ostrosky, American model
- 1973 - John Dolmayan, Lebanese-born drummer (System of a Down)
- 1973 - Brian Austin Green, American actor
- 1973 - W. Lane Startin, American author and politician
- 1974 - Chot Ulep, Filipino musician
- 1975 - Ben Pepper, Australian basketball player
- 1976 - Jim Jones, African Puerto Rican American rapper
- 1976 - Diane Kruger, German actress and former fashion model
- 1977 - Ray Toro, American musician (My Chemical Romance)
- 1977 - Kitana Baker, American model (Miller Light Catfight commercial)
- 1977 - Faraz Anwar, Pakistani guitarist (Mizraab)
- 1977 - Lana Parrilla, American actress
- 1979 - Charles Zwolsman, Dutch racing driver
- 1979 - Laura Benanti, American musical theatre actress
- 1980 - Jonathan Cheechoo, professional ice hockey player
- 1980 - Jasper Pääkkönen, Finnish actor and film producer
- 1982 - Vice Cooler, American musician
- 1982 - Haley Scarnato, American singer and former American Idol contestant
- 1983 - Nelson Merlo, Brazilian racing driver
- 1989 - Tristan Wilds, American actor
- 1992 - Koharu Kusumi, Japanese singer (Morning Musume
- 1997 - Prince Lukás of Bulgaria, titular Bulgarian royal family
- 1998 - Camille Gottlieb, daughter of Princess Stephanie of Monaco
Deaths
- 518 - Roman Emperor Anastasius I
- 1085 - Robert Guiscard, French adventurer
- 1262 - Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford, English soldier (b. 1222)
- 1274 - Bonaventure, Italian theologian and saint (b. 1221)
- 1291 - Rudolph I of Germany, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1218)
- 1381 - John Ball, English priest
- 1406 - Duke William of Austria
- 1410 - Ulrich von Jungingen, German Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights (killed in battle) (b. 1360)
- 1521 - Juan Ponce de León, Spanish Explorer (b. 1458)
- 1544 - René of Châlon, Prince of the House of Orange (b. 1519)
- 1571 - Shimazu Takahisa, Japanese samurai and warlord (b. 1514)
- 1609 - Annibale Carracci, Italian painter (b. 1560)
- 1614 - Pierre de Bourdeille, seigneur de Brantôme, French historian and biographer
- 1655 - Girolamo Rainaldi, Italian architect (b. 1570)
- 1685 - James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, illegitimate son of Charles II of England (b. 1649)
- 1750 - Vasily Tatishchev, Russian statesman (b. 1686)
- 1765 - Charles-André van Loo, French painter (b. 1705)
- 1767 - Michael Bruce, Scottish poet (b. 1746)
- 1789 - Jacques Duphly, French composer (b. 1715)
- 1828 - Jean Antoine Houdon, French sculptor (b. 1741)
- 1839 - Winthrop Mackworth Praed, English poet (b. 1802)
- 1844 - Claude Charles Fauriel, French historian (b. 1772)
- 1857 - Carl Czerny, Austrian composer (b. 1791)
- 1890 - Gottfried Keller, Swiss writer (b. 1819)
- 1898 - Jean Baptiste Salpointe, second Archbishop of Santa Fe (d. 1825)
- 1904 - Anton Chekhov, Russian writer (b. 1860)
- 1919 - Hermann Emil Fischer, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1852)
- 1929 - Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Austrian writer (b. 1874)
- 1930 - Leopold Auer, Hungarian violinist and composer (b. 1845)
- 1931 - Ladislaus Bortkiewicz, Russian economist (b. 1868)
- 1932 - Cornelis Jacobus Langenhoven, Foremost promoters (b. 1873)
- 1933 - Irving Babbitt, American literary critic (b. 1865)
- 1933 - Freddie Keppard, American musician (b. 1890)
- 1940 - Robert Wadlow, American--at 8 ft. 11.1 in, the tallest human ever known (b. 1918)
- 1944 - Marie-Victorin, French Canadian Christian Brother and botanist (b. 1885)
- 1946 - Razor Smith, English cricketer (b. 1877)
- 1947 - Walter Donaldson, American songwriter (b. 1893)
- 1948 - John J. Pershing, U.S. general (b. 1860)
- 1957 - James M. Cox, American politician (b. 1870)
- 1957 - Vasily Maklakov, Russian orator and liberal politician (b. 1869)
- 1958 - Julia Lennon, mother of John Lennon (b. 1914)
- 1959 - Ernest Bloch, Swiss composer (b. 1880)
- 1960 - Lawrence Tibbett, American actor (b. 1896)
- 1960 - Set Persson, Swedish communist politician (b. 1897)
- 1961 - John E. Brownlee, Canadian politician (b. 1884)
- 1965 - Francis Cherry, American politician (b. 1908)
- 1974 - Christine Chubbuck, television news reporter (b.1944)
- 1979 - Gustavo DÃaz Ordaz, President of Mexico (b. 1911)
- 1982 - Bill Justis, American musician and producer (b. 1926)
- 1986 - Billy Haughton, American harness driver and trainer (b. 1923)
- 1989 - Laurie Cunningham, English footballer (b. 1956)
- 1990 - Margaret Lockwood, British actress (b. 1916)
- 1991 - Bert Convy, American actor (b. 1933)
- 1992 - Chingiz Mustafayev, Azerbaijan's most noted journalist (b. 1960)
- 1992 - Hammer DeRoburt, first President of Nauru (b. 1922)
- 1993 - David Brian, American actor (b. 1914)
- 1993 - Bobby Kent, alleged Florida bully murdered by his friends (b. 1973)
- 1996 - Dana Hill, American actress (b. 1964)
- 1997 - Gianni Versace, Italian fashion designer (b. 1946)
- 2000 - Louis Quilico, Canadian baritone (b. 1925)
- 2003 - Roberto Bolaño, Chilean writer (b. 1953)
- 2003 - Tex Schramm, American football team president and general manager (b. 1920)
- 2003 - Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa and famous Afro-Cuban vocalist (b. 1925)
- 2006 - Robert H. Brooks, founder of Hooters of America (b. 1937)
Holidays and observances
Liturgical feasts
- Abhai
- Saint Bertin, monk at Luxeuil abbey [Paris]
- Saint Bonaventure, bishop, Doctor of the Church
- Saint Donald's feast day.
- Saints Quiricus and Julitta, martyrs [Teutonic Knights, Genf, Trent, Italy, Russia; 6082] (Saints Ciriaca and Juliata)
- Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
- Saint Plechelm, bishop, confessor (died 713) [Utrecht]
- Saint Vedast, bishop of Arras, (Relatio) [Cambrai]
- Saint Swithun, bishop of Winchester, confessor (Translation) [England] (also celebrated in the Anglican Church).
- Saint Vladimir the Great (Eastern Orthodox; Roman Catholic).
- Saint Margaret, virgin, martyr [Basel, Chur, Constance, Strassburg]
- Holy Nine virgins [Scotland]
External links
