April 15

Events

769day.year

The Lateran Council ends by condemning the Council of Hieria and anathematizing its iconoclastic rulings.

The Lateran Council condemns the iconoclastic rulings of the Council of Hieria, reaffirming the veneration of icons.
On April 15, 769, the Lateran Council, convened by Pope Stephen III in Rome, concluded its sessions. The council formally condemned the iconoclastic rulings of the earlier Council of Hieria (754). It anathematized those who denied the veneration of religious images. This decision reaffirmed the use of icons in Christian worship. The council strengthened papal authority and influenced the ongoing iconoclasm controversy.
769 Lateran Council Council of Hieria anathematizing iconoclastic
1071day.year

Bari, the last Byzantine possession in southern Italy, is surrendered to Robert Guiscard.

Bari, the last Byzantine stronghold in southern Italy, falls to the Norman leader Robert Guiscard.
On April 15, 1071, Bari, the last Byzantine stronghold in southern Italy, surrendered to the Norman leader Robert Guiscard. The city's fall ended over three centuries of Byzantine presence in the Italian peninsula. Guiscard's victory solidified Norman control and laid the foundation for the Kingdom of Sicily. The event reshaped the balance of power in the Mediterranean. It demonstrated the growing influence of Norman adventurers in medieval Europe.
1071 Bari Byzantine is surrendered Robert Guiscard
1450day.year

Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English forces, ending English domination in Northern France.

French forces nearly annihilate the English army at the Battle of Formigny, ending English dominance in Northern France.
On April 15, 1450, French forces launched a decisive attack against the English army at the Battle of Formigny. The engagement nearly annihilated the English troops, effectively ending their domination in Northern France. The battle showcased the effectiveness of French artillery and tactical innovation. It marked a turning point in the latter stages of the Hundred Years' War. The victory paved the way for the recapture of Normandy and the eventual French reclamation of their territory.
1450 Battle of Formigny Hundred Years' War
1632day.year

Battle of Rain: Swedes under Gustavus Adolphus defeat the Holy Roman Empire during the Thirty Years' War.

Swedish forces under Gustavus Adolphus defeat the Holy Roman Empire at the Battle of Rain during the Thirty Years' War.
On April 15, 1632, during the Thirty Years' War, Swedish troops led by King Gustavus Adolphus achieved a crucial victory at the Battle of Rain. The Swedish army forced a crossing of the River Lech and crushed the Imperial forces. This triumph opened the way into southern Germany for the Swedes. Gustavus Adolphus's tactics and battlefield innovations were demonstrated. The victory bolstered Protestant morale and shifted the war's momentum in favor of Sweden.
1632 Battle of Rain Swedes Gustavus Adolphus Holy Roman Empire Thirty Years' War
1642day.year

Irish Confederate Wars: A Confederate Irish militia is routed in the Battle of Kilrush when it attempts to halt the progress of a Royalist Army.

A Confederate Irish militia is routed in the Battle of Kilrush while attempting to stop a Royalist army during the Irish Confederate Wars.
On April 15, 1642, during the Irish Confederate Wars, Confederate Irish forces engaged a Royalist army at the Battle of Kilrush. The inexperienced Irish militia was routed, suffering significant casualties. The defeat hindered Confederate attempts to secure Munster. Royalist control in southern Ireland was temporarily strengthened. The battle reflected the wider complexities of the rebellion and civil conflict in Ireland.
1642 Irish Confederate Wars Confederate Irish Battle of Kilrush Royalist
1715day.year

The Pocotaligo Massacre triggers the start of the Yamasee War in colonial South Carolina.

The Pocotaligo Massacre sparks the Yamasee War in colonial South Carolina.
On April 15, 1715, the Pocotaligo Massacre occurred when Yamasee warriors ambushed colonial traders in South Carolina. This attack ignited the Yamasee War, a major Native American uprising against British colonists. Multiple tribes joined the conflict, devastating frontier settlements. The war lasted over a year and nearly annihilated the colony. It led to shifts in colonial policy and Native American alliances in the Southeast.
1715 Pocotaligo Massacre Yamasee War colonial South Carolina
1736day.year

Foundation of the short-lived Kingdom of Corsica.

The short-lived Kingdom of Corsica is founded.
On April 15, 1736, supporters of Corsican patriot Pasquale Paoli proclaimed the Kingdom of Corsica. German adventurer Theodore of Neuhoff was crowned King Theodore I. The new kingdom sought recognition from major European powers. It issued its first coins and organized a government. The experiment lasted under a year before French forces reasserted control.
1736 Kingdom of Corsica
1738day.year

Serse, an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel, receives its premiere performance in London, England.

Handel's Italian opera Serse receives its London premiere.
On April 15, 1738, George Frideric Handel's Italian opera Serse premiered at the King's Theatre in London. The work is best known for the aria 'Ombra mai fu,' dedicated to a plane tree. Its blend of serious and comic elements broke operatic conventions of the time. Despite initial mixed reactions, the opera has endured as a Baroque masterpiece. Serse's premiere marked a significant moment in London's musical history.
1738 Serse Italian opera George Frideric Handel
1755day.year

Samuel Johnson's A Dictionary of the English Language is published in London.

Samuel Johnson's A Dictionary of the English Language is published in London.
On April 15, 1755, Samuel Johnson published A Dictionary of the English Language in London. The monumental work contained over 40,000 entries with illustrative quotations. Johnson worked on the dictionary alone, completing it in eight years. It set new standards for lexicography and English usage. For over a century, it remained the most influential English dictionary.
1755 Samuel Johnson A Dictionary of the English Language
1817day.year

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc find the American School for the Deaf (then called the Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons), the first American school for deaf students, in Hartford, Connecticut.

Thomas H. Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc establish the first American school for deaf students in Hartford.
On April 15, 1817, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc founded the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Connecticut. Originally named the Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons, it was the nation's first school for deaf students. Laurent Clerc, a deaf educator from France, introduced French Sign Language to America. The institution laid the groundwork for modern deaf education in the United States. It later evolved into Gallaudet University, a leading center for Deaf culture and instruction.
1817 Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet Laurent Clerc American School for the Deaf Hartford, Connecticut
1861day.year

President Abraham Lincoln calls for 75,000 militiamen to quell the insurrection that soon became the American Civil War.

In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteer militiamen to quell the insurrection, officially launching the American Civil War.
On April 15, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteer militiamen to suppress the Southern insurrection. This decisive action came days after Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter, underscoring the federal government’s commitment to preserving the Union. Northern states quickly mobilized troops in response, while border states faced intense debate over their loyalties. The call for volunteers marked the transition from political tension to full-scale armed conflict. Lincoln’s leadership in this moment set the stage for a four-year war that would redefine the nation and end slavery.
1861 Abraham Lincoln calls for 75,000 militiamen American Civil War
1865day.year

President Abraham Lincoln dies after being shot the previous evening by actor John Wilkes Booth. Three hours later, Vice President Andrew Johnson is sworn in as president.

In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died after being shot by John Wilkes Booth, and Vice President Andrew Johnson was sworn in hours later.
Late on April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theatre by actor John Wilkes Booth. He succumbed to his injuries the following morning, becoming the first U.S. president to be assassinated in office. Three hours after Lincoln’s death, Vice President Andrew Johnson took the presidential oath, ensuring continuity of government. Johnson faced the monumental task of guiding a grieving nation through Reconstruction amid political turmoil. Lincoln’s assassination profoundly impacted the course of post–Civil War America and national healing.
1865 shot John Wilkes Booth Andrew Johnson