May 15

Events

221day.year

Liu Bei, Chinese warlord, proclaims himself emperor of Shu Han, the successor of the Han dynasty.

In 221, Chinese warlord Liu Bei declared himself emperor of Shu Han, establishing a new regime following the fall of the Han dynasty.
After the decline of the Han dynasty, Liu Bei seized the opportunity to formalize his rule by proclaiming the state of Shu Han in present-day Sichuan. He claimed legitimacy as a Han successor and adopted imperial titles to strengthen his position. This act marked the beginning of the Shu Han kingdom in the Three Kingdoms period. Shu Han would later rival Cao Wei and Eastern Wu in a tripartite struggle for control of China. Liu Bei’s declaration set the stage for decades of warfare, diplomacy, and shifting alliances. His reign influenced Chinese literature and folklore, immortalizing him in the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The foundation of Shu Han remains a landmark moment in early medieval Chinese history.
221 Liu Bei Shu Han Han dynasty
392day.year

Emperor Valentinian II is assassinated while advancing into Gaul against the Frankish usurper Arbogast. He is found hanging in his residence at Vienne.

In 392, Emperor Valentinian II was found dead in Vienne, ending his reign under mysterious circumstances.
Emperor Valentinian II had marched into Gaul to challenge the powerful magister militum Arbogast. On May 15, 392, Valentinian was discovered hanging in his residence at Vienne, sparking debates over murder versus suicide. Arbogast’s role in the emperor’s death remains a subject of historical intrigue. The event deepened the rift between the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. Gratian, Valentinian’s brother, sought to avenge his death but ultimately deferred. Valentinian II’s demise highlighted the volatility of late Roman imperial politics. His assassination paved the way for Theodosius I to assert greater authority in the West.
392 Valentinian II Gaul Frankish Arbogast Vienne
589day.year

King Authari marries Theodelinda, daughter of the Bavarian duke Garibald I. A Catholic, she has great influence among the Lombard nobility.

In 589, Lombard King Authari married Bavarian princess Theodelinda, forging a key political and religious alliance.
The union of King Authari and Theodelinda of Bavaria bolstered ties between the Lombards and their southern neighbors. Theodelinda, a devout Catholic, wielded significant influence at the Lombard court. Her presence encouraged the spread of Catholicism among the predominantly Arian Lombard nobility. The marriage helped stabilize Authari’s rule during a period of territorial disputes. Theodelinda commissioned churches and supported monastic foundations throughout Italy. Their alliance laid groundwork for cultural and religious transformation in Lombard Italy. Theodelinda’s legacy would endure through her promotion of both faith and architecture.
589 Authari Theodelinda Bavarian Garibald I Catholic Lombard
756day.year

Abd al-Rahman I, the founder of the Arab dynasty that ruled the greater part of Iberia for nearly three centuries, becomes emir of Cordova, Spain.

In 756, Abd al-Rahman I established the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba, initiating nearly three centuries of Arab rule in Iberia.
Escaping the Abbasid overthrow in Damascus, Abd al-Rahman I crossed into Iberia and gathered support from local Muslim and Christian factions. On May 15, 756, he proclaimed himself emir of Córdoba, laying the foundation of the Umayyad Emirate of Al-Andalus. His rule brought political stability to the region and fostered a flourishing cultural environment. Córdoba became a center of learning, architecture, and religious tolerance. Abd al-Rahman implemented administrative reforms and promoted irrigation projects that boosted agriculture. Over the next three centuries, his dynasty would expand and evolve into a major Mediterranean power. The emirate’s legacy shaped Spanish history and left an indelible mark on European culture.
756 Abd al-Rahman I Iberia emir Cordova
1194day.year

Michael the Syrian reconsecrates the Mor Bar Sauma Monastery, which he reconstructed after its destruction by a fire. The monastery stays a center of the Syriac Orthodox Church until the end of the thirteenth century.

In 1194, Michael the Syrian reconsecrated the Mor Bar Sauma Monastery after its reconstruction from fire damage.
The Mor Bar Sauma Monastery, originally founded in the 6th century, was devastated by a major fire prior to 1194. Patriarch Michael the Syrian oversaw its rebuilding and presided over the reconsecration ceremony on May 15. The restored complex served as a spiritual and intellectual hub for the Syriac Orthodox Church. It attracted monks, scholars, and pilgrims from across the Near East. The monastery’s library housed important Syriac manuscripts and theological works. Its architecture blended Byzantine and Middle Eastern styles, reflecting the cultural exchanges of the period. Mor Bar Sauma remained influential until its decline at the end of the 13th century.
1194 Michael the Syrian Mor Bar Sauma Monastery Syriac Orthodox Church
1252day.year

Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad extirpanda, which authorizes, but also limits, the torture of heretics in the Medieval Inquisition.

In 1252, Pope Innocent IV issued the papal bull Ad extirpanda, permitting the limited use of torture in the Medieval Inquisition.
Pope Innocent IV’s bull Ad extirpanda aimed to strengthen the Church’s efforts against heresy. It authorized inquisitors to use torture under strict guidelines, marking a controversial development in ecclesiastical law. The document required that pain not endanger the life of the accused or cause permanent injury. This papal decree represented the first formal endorsement of inquisitorial torture by the Holy See. It intensified the Inquisition’s capacity to extract confessions but also drew criticism for its harsh methods. Ad extirpanda influenced later inquisitorial procedures throughout Europe. The bull’s legacy remains a subject of debate among historians of medieval justice.
1252 Pope Innocent IV papal bull ad extirpanda heretics Medieval Inquisition
1525day.year

Insurgent peasants led by Anabaptist pastor Thomas Müntzer were defeated at the Battle of Frankenhausen, ending the German Peasants' War in the Holy Roman Empire.

On May 15, 1525, peasant forces led by Thomas Müntzer were defeated at the Battle of Frankenhausen, ending the German Peasants' War.
The German Peasants’ War erupted across the Holy Roman Empire as peasants demanded economic and religious reforms. Thomas Müntzer, an Anabaptist pastor, became a key leader of the insurgent army. At Frankenhausen, his poorly equipped forces faced the well-armed princely troops. The decisive defeat on May 15, 1525, crushed the peasant uprising in central Germany. Müntzer was captured and executed shortly after, becoming a martyr for radical reformers. The battle’s outcome reinforced the power of the regional princes and dashed hopes for social change. The Peasants’ War remains a landmark episode in the history of popular revolt.
1525 Insurgent Anabaptist Thomas Müntzer Battle of Frankenhausen German Peasants' War Holy Roman Empire
1536day.year

Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, stands trial in London on charges of treason, adultery and incest; she is condemned to death by a specially-selected jury.

In 1536, Anne Boleyn stood trial in London on charges of treason, adultery, and incest, leading to her condemnation.
Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, faced a specially convened jury at the Tower of London. Accused of plotting the king’s murder, adultery, and incest, the trial commenced on May 15, 1536. The proceedings were swift and heavily influenced by Henry’s desire to end the marriage. Despite her protests of innocence, Anne was found guilty on all counts. Her conviction paved the way for her execution just days later. The trial exposed the brutal intersection of politics, religion, and personal ambition in Tudor England. Anne Boleyn’s fall from favor dramatically altered the course of the English Reformation.
1536 Anne Boleyn jury
1602day.year

Cape Cod is sighted by English navigator Bartholomew Gosnold.

In 1602, English navigator Bartholomew Gosnold became the first European to sight Cape Cod.
Embarking from England in the ship Concord, Bartholomew Gosnold sought a shorter route to the spice-rich East Indies. Instead, he landed on the coast of present-day Massachusetts on May 15, 1602. Gosnold named the area Cape Cod for the abundance of fish along its shores. His voyage is recognized as one of the earliest English expeditions to New England. The crew charted local rivers and made contact with Indigenous peoples. Although they did not establish a settlement, their maps aided future colonization efforts. Gosnold’s discovery marked a significant moment in the exploration of North America.
1602 Cape Cod Bartholomew Gosnold
1618day.year

Johannes Kepler confirms his previously rejected discovery of the third law of planetary motion (he first discovered it on March 8 but soon rejected the idea after some initial calculations were made).

In 1618, Johannes Kepler confirmed his third law of planetary motion, relating orbital periods to distances from the Sun.
After his initial discovery on March 8, Johannes Kepler revisited his calculations and validated the third law of planetary motion. On May 15, 1618, he published his confirmation of the law stating that the square of a planet’s orbital period is proportional to the cube of its semi-major axis. This breakthrough completed Kepler’s set of laws describing planetary orbits. His work provided critical support for the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus. The third law enabled more accurate predictions of planetary positions and laid groundwork for Newton’s theory of universal gravitation. Kepler’s achievement marked a milestone in the Scientific Revolution and transformed astronomy.
1618 Johannes Kepler third law of planetary motion March 8
1648day.year

The Peace of Münster is ratified, by which Spain acknowledges Dutch sovereignty.

In 1648, the Peace of Münster was ratified, officially recognizing the sovereignty of the Dutch Republic.
The Peace of Münster formed part of the larger Peace of Westphalia that ended the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch provinces. By recognizing Dutch sovereignty, Spain conceded to the emergence of the Dutch Republic as an independent state. The treaty established important principles of modern diplomacy and state sovereignty. The ratification helped usher in the Dutch Golden Age, during which trade and culture flourished. It marked a turning point in European geopolitics and the decline of Spanish hegemony.
1648 Peace of Münster
1725day.year

Bach leads the first performance of his cantata Ich bin ein guter Hirt, BWV 85, about Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

In 1725, Johann Sebastian Bach premiered his sacred cantata Ich bin ein guter Hirt, BWV 85, celebrating Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
Johann Sebastian Bach conducted the first performance of Ich bin ein guter Hirt in Leipzig on May 15, 1725. The cantata explores themes of divine guidance and pastoral care through intricate vocal lines and orchestration. Commissioned for the third Sunday after Easter, it highlights Bach's mastery of counterpoint and expressive text setting. The work features solos and choruses that depict the relationship between sheep and shepherd. This premiere solidified Bach's reputation as a leading composer of church music in the 18th century.
1725 Bach Ich bin ein guter Hirt, BWV 85 Good Shepherd