Today October 15th 2009 this day in history Read more below to view events, deaths, births, Holidays observances and video clips. Last database updated: Jan 17th, 2009
Events
533 – Byzantine general Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the Vandals.
1552 – Khanate of Kazan is conquered by troops of Ivan Grozny.
1582 – Pope Gregory XIII implements the Gregorian calendar. In Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain, October 4 of this year is followed directly by October 15.
1764 – Edward Gibbon observes a group of friars singing in the ruined Temple of Jupiter in Rome, which inspires him to begin work on The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
1815 – Napoleon I of France begins his exile on Saint Helena in the Atlantic Ocean.
1863 – American Civil War: The CSS H. L. Hunley, the first submarine to sink a ship, sinks during a test, killing its inventor, Horace L. Hunley.
1864 – American Civil War: The Battle of Glasgow is fought, resulting in the surrender of Glasgow, Missouri, and its Union garrison, to the Confederacy.
1878 – The Edison Electric Light Company begins operation.
1880 – Mexican soldiers kill Victorio, one of the greatest Apache military strategists.
1888 – The From Hell letter sent by Jack the Ripper is received by the investigators.
1894 – The Dreyfus affair: Alfred Dreyfus is arrested for spying.
1904 – The Russian Baltic Fleet leaves Reval, Estonia for Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War.
1917 – World War I: At Vincennes outside of Paris, Dutch dancer Mata Hari is executed by firing squad for spying for the German Empire.
1928 – The airship, the Graf Zeppelin completes its first trans-Atlantic flight, landing at Lakehurst, New Jersey, United States.
1932 – Tata Airlines (later to become Air India) makes its first flight.
1934 – The Soviet Republic of China collapses when Chiang Kai-shek s National Revolutionary Army successfully encircle Ruijin, forcing the fleeing Communists to begin the Long March.
1938 – The District of Columbia formally adopts a design for its flag.
1939 – The New York Municipal Airport (later renamed La Guardia Airport) is dedicated.
1944 – The Arrow Cross Party (very similar to Hitler s NSDAP (Nazi party)) takes over the power in Hungary.
1945 – World War II: The former premier of Vichy France Pierre Laval is shot by a firing squad for treason.
1946 – Nuremberg Trials: Hermann Göring poisons himself the night before his execution.
1951 – Mexican chemist Luis E. Miramontes synthesized the first oral contraceptive.
1953 – British nuclear test Totem 1 detonated at Emu Field, South Australia.
1965 – Vietnam War: The National Coordinating Committee to End the War in Vietnam stages the first public burning of a draft card in the United States to result in arrest under a new law.
1966 – Black Panther Party is created by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale.
1970 – Thirty-five construction workers are killed when a section of the new West Gate Bridge in Melbourne collapses.
1970 – Anwar Sadat becomes president of Egypt.
1971 – The start of the 2500-year celebration of Iran, celebrating the birth of Persia.
1973 – The diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and Gabon are established.
1981 – Professional cheerleader Krazy George Henderson leads what is thought to be the first audience wave in Oakland, California.
1987 – The Great Storm of 1987 hits France and England.
1989 – Wayne Gretzky becomes the all-time leading points scorer in the NHL.
1990 – Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to lessen Cold War tensions and open up his nation.
1997 – The first supersonic land speed record is set by Andy Green in ThrustSSC (United Kingdom).
1997 – The Cassini probe launches from Cape Canaveral on its way to Saturn.
2001 – NASA s Galileo spacecraft passes within 112 miles of Jupiter s moon Io.
2003 – China launches Shenzhou 5, its first manned space mission.
2003 – The Staten Island Ferry boat Andrew J. Barberi runs into a pier at the St. George Ferry Terminal in Staten Island, killing 11 people and injuring 43.
2005 – Iraqi constitution ratification vote.
2005 – A riot in Toledo, Ohio breaks out during a National Socialist/Neo-Nazi protest; over 100 are arrested.
2007 – Seventeen activists in New Zealand are arrested in the country s first post 9/11 anti-terrorism raids.
Births
70 BC – Virgil, Roman poet (d. 19 BC)
1471 – Konrad Mutian, German humanist (d. 1526)
1542 – Akbar, Jellaladin Mahommed, Mughal Emperor (d. 1605)
1608 – Evangelista Torricelli, Italian physicist (d. 1647)
1686 – Allan Ramsay, Scottish poet (d. 1758)
1701 – Marie-Marguerite d Youville, first native Canadian canonized (d. 1771)
1711 – Elisabeth Teresa of Lorraine, queen of Sardinia (d. 1741)
1784 – Thomas Robert Bugeaud, Marshal of France and duke of Isly (d. 1849)
1785 – José Miguel Carrera, Chilean general and founding father (d. 1821)
1814 – Mikhail Lermontov, Russian author (d. 1841)
1825 – Queen Marie of Prussia (d. 1889)
1829 – Asaph Hall, American astronomer (d. 1907)
1836 – James Tissot, French artist (d. 1902)
1840 – Honoré Mercier, politician and premier of Quebec (d. 1894)
1844 – Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher (d. 1900)
1858 – John L. Sullivan, American boxer (d. 1918)
1872 – Wilhelm Miklas, Austrian president (d. 1956)
1874 – Prince Alfred of Edinburgh (d. 1899)
1878 – Paul Reynaud, French politician (d. 1966)
1879 – Jane Darwell, Academy Award-winning American actress (d. 1967)
1881 – P. G. Wodehouse, British novelist (d. 1975)
1882 – Charley O Leary, American baseball player (d. 1941)
1884 – Arch Hoxsey, pioneer aviator (d. 1910)
1893 – King Carol II of Romania (d. 1953)
1894 – Moshe Sharett, second Prime Minister of Israel (d. 1965)
1898 – Boughera El Ouafi, Algerian athlete (d. 1951)
1900 – Mervyn LeRoy, American film director (d. 1987)
1905 – C. P. Snow, British writer (d. 1980)
1906 – Hiram Leong Fong, American politician (d. 2004)
1907 – Varian Fry, American journalist (d. 1967)
1908 – John Kenneth Galbraith, Canadian economist (d. 2006)
1909 – Robert Trout, American reporter (d. 2000)
1909 – Jesse Leonard Greenstein, American astronomer (d. 2002)
1915 – Yitzhak Shamir, Israeli politician
1917 – Jan Miner, American actress (d. 2004)
1917 – Arthur Schlesinger Jr., American historian and political commentator (d. 2007)
1919 – Malcolm Ross, American balloonist and atmospheric physicist (d. 1985)
1920 – Mario Puzo, American novelist (d. 1999)
1920 – Henri Verneuil, French film director (d. 2002)
1922 – Agustina Bessa-Luís, Portuguese writer
1923 – Italo Calvino. Italian writer (d. 1985)
1924 – Lee Iacocca, American industrialist
1924 – Mark Lenard, American actor (d. 1996)
1924 – Marguerite Andersen, German writer
1924 – Warren Miller, American director
1925 – Mickey Baker, American guitarist (Mickey & Sylvia)
1926 – Michel Foucault, French philosopher (d. 1984)
1926 – Evan Hunter, American author (d. 2005)
1926 – Jean Peters, American actress (d. 2000)
1926 – Karl Richter, German conductor (d. 1981)
1930 – Fereydun M. Esfandiary, Iranian philosopher (d. 2000)
1931 – Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, Eleventh President of India
1934 – N. Ramani, Indian flutist
1935 – Bobby Joe Morrow, American sprinter
1935 – Barry McGuire, American singer
1935 – Willie O Ree, Canadian Hockey Player
1938 – Fela Kuti, Nigerian musician (d. 1997)
1938 – Marv Johnson, American singer (d. 1993)
1940 – Tommy Bishop, English rugby league player
1940 – Peter Doherty, Australian immunologist, Nobel laureate
1942 – Penny Marshall, American actress and movie director
1944 – Sali Berisha, President of Albania
1944 – David Trimble, Irish politician, Nobel laureate
1944 – Haim Saban, Egyptian-born American media proprietor
1945 – Jere Burns, American actor
1945 – Jim Palmer, American baseball player
1946 – Richard Carpenter, American musician (The Carpenters)
1946 – Stewart Stevenson, Scottish politician
1948 – Chris de Burgh, Irish singer and songwriter
1949 – Prannoy Roy, Journalist, Psephologist, CEO – NDTV
1953 – Tito Jackson, American musician
1953 – Larry Miller, American actor and comedian
1953 – Betsy Clifford, Canadian alpine skier
1954 – Peter Bakowski, Australian poet
1955 – Kulbir Bhaura, British field hockey player
1955 – Tanya Roberts, American actress
1957 – Mira Nair, Indian director
1957 – Stacy Peralta, American director
1959 – Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York
1959 – Emeril Lagasse, American chef
1959 – Todd Solondz, American film director
1960 – Daniel Mazur, American mountaineer
1961 – John Kenny, Irish sports broadcaster and journalist
1964 – Roberto Vittori, Italian astronaut
1966 – Jorge Campos, Mexican footballer
1968 – Jyrki 69, Finnish musician The 69 Eyes
1968 – Didier Deschamps, French footballer
1969 – Paige Davis, American television personality and Broadway actress
1969 – Vanessa Marcil, American actress
1969 – Dominic West, British actor
1969 – Vítor Baía, Portuguese footballer
1970 – Eric Benét, American singer
1971 – Andy Cole, British footballer
1971 – Jason Arhndt, American wrestler
1972 – Matt Keeslar, American actor
1972 – Sandra Kim, Belgian singer
1973 – Dax Riggs, American musician
1975 – Ginuwine, American singer
1975 – Glen Little, English footballer
1976 – Yoon Son-ha, South Korean actress and singer
1977 – Masato Kawabata, Japanese racing driver
1977 – Erin McKeown, American musician
1977 – David Trezeguet, French football player
1977 – Patricio Urrutia, Ecuadorian footballer
1978 – Devon Gummersall, American actor
1978 – Takeshi Morishima Japanese professional wrestler
1979 – Paul Robinson, English football player
1979 – Maris Verpakovskis, Latvian football player
1979 – Blue Adams, American Football Player
1980 – Tom Boonen, Belgian cyclist
1980 – Siiri Nordin, Finnish singer (Killer)
1981 – Keyshia Cole, American R&B singer
1981 – Elena Dementieva, Russian tennis player
1981 – Guo Jingjing, Chinese diver
1981 – Radoslav Židek, Slovak snowboarder
1982 – Paulini Curuenavuli, Fijian/Australian singer
1982 – Charline Labonté, Canadian ice hockey player
1983 – Stephy Tang, Hong Kong singer and actress
1985 – Walter López, Uruguayan footballer
1985 – Marcos Martínez, Spanish racing driver
1986 – Donghae, Korean singer (Super Junior)
1987 – Jesse Levine, Canadian/American tennis player
1992 – Vincent Martella, American actor
1999 – Bailee Madison, American actress
2005 – Prince Christian of Denmark
Deaths
412 – Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria
898 – Lambert, Holy Roman Emperor
912 – Abdullah ibn Muhammad, Emir of Córdoba (b. 844)
1002 – Otto-Henry, Duke of Burgundy (b. 946)
1080 – Rudolf of Rheinfeld, Duke of Swabia
1326 – Walter de Stapledon, English bishop (b. 1261)
1389 – Pope Urban VI
1564 – Vesalius, Flemish anatomist (b. 1514)
1715 – Humphry Ditton, English mathematician (b. 1675)
1730 – Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, French explorer (b. 1658)
1788 – Samuel Greig, Scottish-Russian admiral (b. 1735)
1810 – Alfred Moore, American judge (b. 1755)
1811 – Nathaniel Dance-Holland, English painter (b. 1735)
1817 – Tadeusz Kosciuszko, Polish and Lithuanian national hero (b. 1746)
1819 – Sergey Vyazmitinov, Russian general and statesman (b. 1744)
1820 – Karl Philipp Fürst zu Schwarzenberg, Austrian field marshal (b. 1771)
1837 – Ivan Dmitriev, Russian statesman and poet (b. 1760)
1880 – Victorio, Apache leader
1891 – Gilbert Arthur a Beckett, English writer (b. 1837)
1900 – Zdenek Fibich, Czech composer (b. 1850)
1910 – Stanley Ketchel, boxer (murdered) (b. 1886)
1917 – Mata Hari, Dutch dancer and spy (b. 1876)
1918 – Sai Baba of Shirdi, Indian saint (b. c. 1838)
1930 – Herbert Henry Dow, American chemical industrialist (b. 1866)
1934 – Raymond Poincaré, French statesman (b. 1860)
1945 – Pierre Laval, Prime Minister of Vichy France (executed) (b. 1883)
1946 – Hermann Göring, German air force commander (suicide) (b. 1893)
1948 – Edythe Chapman, American actress (b. 1863)
1959 – Lipót Fejér, Hungarian mathematician (b. 1880)
1960 – Clara Kimball Young, American actress (b. 1890)
1963 – Horton Smith. American golfer (b. 1908)
1964 – Cole Porter, American composer (b. 1891)
1976 – Carlo Gambino, American gangster (b. 1902)
1980 – Mikhail Lavrentyev, Russian physicist and mathematician (b. 1900)
1980 – Apostolos Nikolaidis, Greek footballer and volleyball player (b. 1896)
1981 – Philip Fotheringham-Parker, British racing driver (b. 1907)
1987 – Thomas Sankara, African revolutionary and leader of Burkina Faso (assassinated) (b. 1949)
1988 – Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, English composer and pianist (b. 1892)
1994 – Sarah Kofman, French philosopher (b. 1934)
1995 – Marco Campos, Brazilian racing driver (b. 1976)
2000 – Konrad Emil Bloch, German-born biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (b. 1912)
2001 – Zhang Xueliang, Chinese ruler of Manchuria (b. 1901)
2003 – Bertram N. Brockhouse, Canadian physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1918)
2003 – Ben Metcalfe, Canadian environmental activist (b. 1919)
2005 – Jason Collier, American basketball player (b. 1977)
2005 – Matti Wuori, Finnish politician (b. 1945)
2008 – Fazil Hüsnü Daglarca, Turkish poet (b. 1914)
2008 – Edie Adams, American singer and Broadway actress (b. 1927)
2008 – Jack Narz, American game show host (b. 1922)
Holidays and observances
October 15 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Roman festivals – the Equirria or October equus: sacrifice of a horse to Mars
R.C. Saints – Saint Teresa of Avila
United States – White Cane Safety Day
French Republican Calendar – Amaryllis (Amaryllis) Day, twenty-fourth day in the Month of Vendémiaire
Teachers Day in Brazil
Global Handwashing Day for first time in 2008
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