June 15

Events

*763 BC - Assyrians record a solar eclipse that will be used to fix the chronology of Mesopotamian history.
* 923 - Battle of Soissons: King Robert I of France is killed and King Charles the Simple is arrested by the supporters of Duke Rudolph of Burgundy.
*1184 - King Magnus V of Norway is killed at the battle of Fimreite.
*1215 - King John of England puts his seal to the Magna Carta.
*1219 - Dannebrog - oldest national flag in the world - and flag of Denmark. According to legend, fell from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse (now Tallinn) in Estonia, and turned the Danes' luck.
*1246 - With the death of Duke Frederick II, the Babenberg dynasty ends in Austria.
*1389 - Battle of Kosovo: The Ottoman Empire defeats Serbs and Bosnians.
*1520 - Pope Leo X threatens to excommunicate Martin Luther in papal bull "Exsurge Domine".
*1580 - Phillip II of Spain declares William the Silent to be an outlaw.
*1667 - The first human blood transfusion is administered by Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys.
*1752 - Benjamin Franklin proves that lightning is electricity.
*1775 - American Revolutionary War: George Washington is appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
*1776 - Delaware Separation Day - Delaware votes to suspend government under the British Crown and separate officially from Pennsylvania.
*1785 - Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, co-pilot of the first-ever manned flight (1783), and his companion, Pierre Romain, become the first-ever casualties of an air crash when their hot air balloon explodes during their attempt to cross the English Channel.
*1804 - New Hampshire approves the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratifying the document.
*1808 - Joseph Bonaparte becomes King of Spain.
*1836 - Arkansas is admitted as the 25th U.S. state.
*1844 - Charles Goodyear receives a patent for vulcanization, a process to strengthen rubber.
*1846 - The Oregon Treaty establishes the 49th parallel as the border between the United States and Canada, from the Rocky Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
*1859 - Pig War: Ambiguity in the Oregon Treaty leads to the "Northwestern Boundary Dispute" between U.S. and British/Canadian settlers.
*1864 - American Civil War: Siege of Petersburg begins.
* 1864 - Arlington National Cemetery is established when 200 acres (0.8 km²) around Arlington Mansion are officially set aside as a military cemetery by U.S. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton.
*1867 - Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode gold mine located in Montana.
*1877 - Henry Ossian Flipper becomes the first African American cadet to graduate from the United States Military Academy.
*1888 - Crown Prince Wilhelm becomes Kaiser Wilhelm II and is the last emperor of the German Empire
*1904 - A fire aboard the steamboat "General Slocum" in New York City's East River kills 1000.
*1905 - Princess Margaret of Connaught marries Gustav, Crown Prince of Sweden.
*1909 - Representatives from England, Australia and South Africa meet at Lord's and form the Imperial Cricket Conference.
*1911 - Tabulating Computing Recording Corporation (IBM) is incorporated.
*1913 - The Battle of Bud Bagsak in the Philippine concludes.
*1916 - U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signs a bill incorporating the Boy Scouts of America, making them the only American youth organization with a federal charter.
*1919 - John Alcock and Arthur Brown complete the first nonstop transatlantic flight at Clifden, County Galway, Ireland.
*1920 - Duluth lynchings in Minnesota.
*1934 - The U.S.'s Great Smoky Mountains National Park is founded.
*1944 - World War II: Battle of Saipan: The United States invades Saipan.
* 1944 - In the Saskatchewan general election, 1944, the CCF, led by Tommy Douglas, is elected and forms the first socialist government of North America.
*1945 - The General Dutch Youth League (ANJV) is founded in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
*1954 - UEFA (Union des Associations Européennes de Football) is formed in Basle, Switzerland.
*1955 - The Eisenhower administration stages the first annual "Operation Alert" (OPAL) exercise, an attempt to assess the USA's preparations for a nuclear attack.
*1962 - Students for a Democratic Society complete the Port Huron Statement.
*1978 - King Hussein of Jordan weds American Lisa Halaby, who takes the name Queen Noor.
*1985 - Rembrandt's painting "Danaë" is attacked by a man later judged insane; he threw sulfuric acid on the canvas and cut it twice with his knife.
*1991 - Birth of the first federal political party in Canada that supports Quebec nationalism, le Bloc Québécois.
*1992 - The United States Supreme Court rules in "United States v. Álvarez-Machaín" that it is permissible for the USA to forcibly extradite suspects in foreign countries and bring them to the USA for trial, without approval from those other countries.
*1994 - Israel and Vatican City establish full diplomatic relations.
*1996 - In Manchester, UK, a terrorist bomb injures over 200 people and devastates a large part of the city centre.
*2002 - Near earth asteroid 2002 MN missed the Earth by 75,000 miles (120,000 km), about one-third of the distance between the Earth and the Moon

Births

*1330 - Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales (d. 1376)
*1519 - Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset, illegitimate son of King Henry VIII of England (d. 1536
*1594 - Nicolas Poussin, French painter (d. 1665)
*1623 - Cornelis de Witt, Dutch politician (d. 1672)
*1624 - Hiob Ludolf, German orientalist (d. 1704)
*1640 - Bernard Lamy, French mathematician (d. 1715)
*1755 - Antoine François, comte de Fourcroy, French chemist (d. 1809)
*1765 - Johann Gottlieb Friedrich von Bohnenberger, German mathematician (d. 1831)
*1767 - Rachel Donelson Jackson, First Lady of the United States (d. 1828)
*1789 - Josiah Henson, American slave and settlement founder (d. 1883)
*1801 - Benjamin Raymond, Mayor of Chicago (d. 1883)
*1805 - William Butler Ogden, first Mayor of Chicago (d. 1877)
*1809 - François-Xavier Garneau, French-Canadian poet and historian (d. 1866)
*1843 - Edvard Grieg, Norwegian composer (d. 1907)
*1875 - Herman Smith-Johannsen, cross-country skier (d. 1987)
*1882 - Ion Antonescu, Prime Minister of Romania (d. 1946)
*1884 - Harry Langdon, American actor (d. 1944)
*1888 - Ramón López Velarde, Mexican poet (d. 1921)
*1894 - Nikolai Chebotaryov, Ukrainian mathematician (d. 1947)
* 1894 - Robert Russell Bennett, American composer and arranger (d. 1981)
*1900 - Gotthard Günther, German philosopher (d. 1984)
* 1900 - Otto Luening, German-American composer (d. 1996)
*1902 - Erik Erikson, psychoanalyst (d. 1994)
*1906 - Léon Degrelle, Belgian SS officer (d. 1994)
*1908 - Sam Giancana, American mafioso (d. 1975)
*1910 - David Rose, American songwriter, composer and orchestra leader (d. 1990)
*1911 - W.V. Awdry, British children's writer (d. 1997)
*1914 - Yuri Andropov, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (d. 1984)
* 1914 - Saul Steinberg, Romanian/American cartoonist (d. 1999)
* 1914 - Hilda Terry, American Cartoonist (d. 2006)
*1915 - Thomas Huckle Weller, American virologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
*1916 - Herbert Simon, American economist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2001)
*1917 - John Fenn, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
* 1917 - Lash La Rue, American actor (d. 1996)
* 1917 - Michalis Genitsaris, Greek singer and composer (d. 2005)
*1920 - Alberto Sordi, Italian actor and director (d. 2003)
* 1920 - Alla Kazanskaya, Russian stage and film actress (d. 2008)
*1921 - Errol Garner, American musician (d. 1977)
*1922 - John Veale, English composer (d. 2006)
*1924 - Ezer Weizman, 7th President of Israel (d. 2005)
*1926 - Mac McGarry, game show host
* 1926 - Shigeru Kayano, Japanese Ainu activist (d. 2006)
*1927 - Ibn-e-Insha, Pakistani humourist and Urdu poet (d. 1978)
*1927 - Hugo Pratt, Italian comic book creator (d. 1995)
*1930 - Marcel Pronovost, professional ice hockey player
*1932 - Mario Cuomo, Governor of New York
*1933 - Sergio Endrigo, Italian singer (d. 2005)
* 1933 - Mark Jones, English footballer (d. 1958)
*1936 - Claude Brasseur, French actor
* 1936 - William Joseph Levada, American Catholic prelate
*1937 - Waylon Jennings, American singer (d. 2002)
*1938 - Billy Williams, baseball player
*1939 - Ward Connerly, American political figure
* 1939 - Brian Jacques, British author
*1941 - Harry Nilsson, American singer and composer (d. 1994)
*1942 - John E. McLaughlin, former Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
*1943 - Xaviera Hollander, Dutch author
* 1943 - Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, former Prime Minister of Denmark
* 1943 - Johnny Hallyday, French singer and actor
* 1943 - Muff Winwood, British songwriter, producer and bassist (Spencer Davis Group)
*1944 - Robert Keppel, American criminologist
*1945 - Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Philippine senator
* 1945 - Nicola Pagett, British actress
* 1945 - Lawrence Wilkerson, American retired military officer
*1946 - Noddy Holder, British singer (Slade)
* 1946 - Demis Roussos, Greek singer
*1947 - John Hoagland, American photographer
* 1947 - Lee Purcell, American actress
*1948 - Mike Holmgren, American football coach
*1949 - Dusty Baker, baseball player and manager
* 1949 - Simon Callow, British actor
* 1949 - Russell Hitchcock, Australian singer (Air Supply)
* 1949 - Jim Varney, American actor (d. 2000)
*1950 - Lakshmi Mittal, Indian industrialist
*1951 - Steve Walsh, American singer (Kansas)
*1952 - Sandra Cassel, American actress
*1953 - Rita Lee, American model and "Playboy" Playmate
*1954 - James Belushi, American actor
* 1954 - Paul Rusesabagina, Rwandan hotel manager
* 1954 - Beverley Whitfield, Australian swimmer (d. 1996)
*1955 - Julie Hagerty, American actress
* 1955 - David Kennedy, Kennedy family member (d. 1984)
*1956 - Ava Cadell, American actress
* 1956 - Robin Curtis, American actress
* 1956 - Polly Draper, American actress
*1957 - Seppo Pääkkönen, Finnish actor
*1958 - Wade Boggs, American baseball player
* 1958 - Riccardo Paletti, Italian racing driver (d. 1982)
*1959 - Eileen Davidson, American actress
* 1959 - Alan Brazil, British footballer
*1960 - Michèle Laroque, French actress
* 1960 - Marieke van Doorn, Dutch field hockey player
*1961 - Kai Eckhardt, German musician (Garaj Mahal)
* 1961 - Dave McAuley, Northern Irish boxer
* 1961 - Yoshimi Iwasaki, Japanese singer/actress
*1962 - Andrea Rost, Hungarian soprano
*1963 - Mario Gosselin, Quebec ice hockey player
* 1963 - Helen Hunt, American actress
* 1963 - Blanca Portillo, Spanish actress
* 1963 - Nigel Walker, Welsh athlete and rugby union player
*1964 - Courteney Cox, American actress
* 1964 - Michael Laudrup, Danish footballer
*1965 - Annelies Bredael, Belgian rower
* 1965 - Adam Smith, American politician
*1966 - Idalis DeLeon, American actress/singer
*1967 - Yūji Ueda, Japanese voice actor
*1968 - Oh Dal-su, South Korean actor
*1969 - Ice Cube, American rapper
* 1969 - Oliver Kahn, German footballer
* 1969 - Cédric Pioline, French tennis player
* 1969 - Maurice Odumbe, Kenyan cricketer
*1970 - Leah Remini, American actress
* 1970 - Gaëlle Méchaly, French soprano
*1971 - Edwin Brienen, Dutch director
* 1971 - Jake Busey, American actor
* 1971 - Bif Naked, Canadian musician
* 1971 - Nathan Astle, New Zealand cricketer
*1972 - Justin Leonard, American golfer
* 1972 - Andy Pettitte, American baseball player
* 1972 - Marcus Hahnemann, American soccer player
* 1972 - Hank Von Helvete, Turbonegro Frontman
*1973 - Neil Patrick Harris, American actor
* 1973 - Tore André Flo, Norwegian footballer
* 1973 - Pia Miranda, Australian actress
* 1973 - Greg Vaughan, American actor
*1975 - Elizabeth Reaser, American actress
* 1975 - Rachel Wacholder, American beach volleyballer
*1976 - Gary Lightbody, Northern Irish musician (Snow Patrol)
*1977 - Nina Liu, Australian actress
* 1977 - Michael Doleac, American basketball player
*1978 - Wilfred Bouma, Dutch footballer
* 1978 - Zach Day, American baseball player
*1979 - Yulia Nestsiarenka, Belarusian athlete
* 1979 - Julia Schultz, American model
* 1979 - Charles Zwolsman Jr., Dutch racing driver
*1980 - Mary Carey, American pornographic actress
*1980 - Christopher Castile, American actor
* 1980 - Almudena Cid, Spanish gymnast
* 1980 - Cara Zavaleta, American model
*1981 - William Dean Martin, American musician (Good Charlotte)
* 1981 - Jeremy Reed, American baseball player
* 1981 - Jordi Vilasuso, American actor
*1982 - Abdur Razzak, Bangladeshi cricketer
* 1982 - Haley Scarnato, American singer
*1983 - Derek Anderson, American football player
* 1983 - Julia Fischer, German violinist
* 1983 - Laura Imbruglia, Australian musician
*1984 - Tim Lincecum, American baseball player
*1984 - Luke Hodge, AFL player for Hawthorn
*1985 - Nadine Coyle, Northern Irish singer (Girls Aloud)
*1988 - Miku Ishida, Japanese teen idol

Deaths

*923 - Robert I of France (b. 866)
*991 - Empress Theophanu
*1073 - Emperor Go-Sanjō of Japan (b. 1034)
*1246 - Duke Frederick II of Austria (b. 1219)
*1341 - Andronikos III Palaiologos, Byzantine Emperor (b. 1297)
*1381 - John Cavendish, Lord Chief Justice of England
*1381 - Wat Tyler, English rebel
*1383 - John VI Cantacuzenus, Byzantine Emperor
*1389 - Murad I, Ottoman Sultan (b. 1326)
*1389 - Prince Lazar, Serbian Orthodox saint (b. 1329)
*1467 - Philip III, Duke of Burgundy (b. 1396)
*1521 - Tamás Bakócz. Hungarian Catholic cardinal and statesman (b. 1442)
*1614 - Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton, English politician (b. 1540)
*1679 - Guillaume Courtois, French painter (b. 1628)
*1724 - Henry Sacheverell, English churchman and politician (b. 1674)
*1750 - Marguerite De Launay, Baronne Staal, French writer (b. 1684)
*1768 - James Short, Scottish mathematician and optician (b. 1710)
*1772 - Louis-Claude Daquin, French composer (b. 1694)
*1849 - James Knox Polk, 11th President of the United States (b. 1795)
*1858 - Ary Scheffer, Dutch-French painter (b. 1795)
*1888 - Emperor Friedrich III of Germany (b. 1831)
*1889 - Mihai Eminescu, Romanian poet (b. 1850)
*1917 - Kristian Birkeland, Norwegian physicist (b. 1867)
*1934 - Alfred Bruneau, French composer (b. 1857)
*1941 - Evelyn Underhill, British writer (b. 1875)
* 1941 - Otfrid Foerster, German neurologist (b. 1873)
*1961 - Giulio Cabianca, Italian racing driver (b. 1923)
*1962 - Alfred Cortot, Franco-Swiss pianist (b. 1877)
*1965 - E. A. Speiser, American Bible scholar (b. 1902
* 1965 - Steve Cochran, American actor (b. 1917)
*1968 - Sam Crawford, baseball player (b. 1880)
* 1968 - Wes Montgomery, American jazz guitarist (b. 1925)
*1971 - Wendell Meredith Stanley, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1904)
*1976 - Jimmy Dykes, baseball player and manager (b. 1896)
*1983 - Srirangam Srinivasarao, also known as Sri Sri, Telugu poet (b. 1910)
*1984 - Meredith Willson, American composer (b. 1902)
*1985 - Andy Stanfield, American athlete (b. 1927)
* 1985 - Robert Stethem, U.S. Navy Seabee diver murdered by terrorists on TWA Flight 847 (b. 1961)
*1989 - Victor French, American actor (b. 1934)
* 1989 - Maurice Bellemare, Canadian politician (b. 1912)
*1991 - Arthur Lewis, British economist, Nobel laureate (b. 1915)
*1991 - Happy Chandler, American politician and Commissioner of Baseball (b. 1898)
*1993 - John Connally, American politician (b. 1917)
* 1993 - James Hunt, English race car driver and 1976 F1 world champion (b. 1947)
*1994 - Manos Hadjidakis, Greek composer (b. 1925)
*1995 - John Vincent Atanasoff, American computer pioneer (b. 1903)
*1996 - Ella Fitzgerald, American singer (b. 1917)
* 1996 - Dick Murdoch, professional wrestler (b. 1946)
*2000 - Jules Roy, French writer (b. 1907)
*2001 - Henri Alekan, French cinematographer (b. 1909)
*2002 - Choi Hong Hi, founder of Taekwon-Do (b. 1918)
*2003 - Hume Cronyn, Canadian actor (b. 1911)
*2005 - Suzanne Flon, French actress (b. 1918)
*2006 - Raymond Devos, French humourist (b. 1922)
* 2006 - Herb Pearson, New Zealand cricketer (b. 1910)
*2007 - Claudia Cohen, American gossip columnist and socialite (b. 1950)
* 2007 - Sherri Martel, American professional wrestler and valet (b. 1958)
*2008 - Stan Winston, American special effects and makeup artist, and film director (b. 1946)

Holidays and observances

*Commemoration of Evelyn Underhill (Anglican mystic and poet)
*Roman Empire – ninth and final day of the Vestalia in honor of Vesta
*Flag Day in Denmark
*Augustine of Hippo's feast in many Eastern Orthodox Churches
*Saint Vitus (observed with Sts. Modestus and Crescentia), patron of actors and epileptics
*Saint Landelin (7th century)
*Saint Edburga of Winchester (d. 960)
*Saint Germaine Cousin, (d. 1601), patron of shepherdesses and of victims of child abuse

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/15 BBC: On This Day]
*
* [http://www1.sympatico.ca/cgi-bin/on_this_day?mth=Jun&day=15 On This Day in Canada] ----