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
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
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
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
1791day.year
French Revolution: Maximilien Robespierre proposes the Self-denying Ordinance.
Maximilien Robespierre proposed the Self-denying Ordinance to bar National Assembly members from holding executive posts.
During the French Revolution on May 15, 1791, Robespierre introduced the Self-denying Ordinance to prevent legislators from taking government offices. The measure aimed to curtail corruption and concentrate oversight within the National Assembly. It reflected early revolutionary ideals of equality and the separation of powers. Though the proposal faced opposition and was not immediately adopted, it influenced subsequent debates on governance. Robespierre's move foreshadowed his increasing influence and the complex politics of revolutionary France.
1791
French Revolution
Maximilien Robespierre
Self-denying Ordinance
1850day.year
The Arana–Southern Treaty is ratified, ending "the existing differences" between Great Britain and Argentina.
In 1850, the Arana–Southern Treaty was ratified, ending lingering disputes between Great Britain and Argentina.
Negotiated by Argentine diplomat Felipe Arana and British envoy Lord Southern, the treaty addressed contested boundaries and trade issues in the Río de la Plata region. It reaffirmed Argentine sovereignty over key territories while ensuring British commercial rights. Ratification on May 15, 1850, improved diplomatic relations and opened the way for expanded trade. The agreement served as a model for resolving colonial-era disputes in South America. It laid the groundwork for future cooperation and stability in the region.
Arana–Southern Treaty
Great Britain
Argentina
1911day.year
In Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey v. United States, the United States Supreme Court declares Standard Oil to be an "unreasonable" monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act and orders the company to be broken up.
In 1911, the US Supreme Court ordered the breakup of Standard Oil, deeming it an illegal monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act.
On May 15, 1911, the United States Supreme Court delivered a landmark verdict in Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey v. United States.
The Court ruled that Standard Oil had engaged in "unreasonable" monopolistic practices in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890.
As a result, the company was ordered to be divided into 34 independent entities to restore competition.
This decision set a powerful precedent for federal regulation of trusts and shaped modern antitrust jurisprudence.
The breakup reshaped the American oil industry and affirmed the government's authority to curb corporate concentration.
1911
Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey v. United States
United States Supreme Court
Standard Oil
monopoly
Sherman Antitrust Act
1932day.year
In an attempted coup d'état, the Prime Minister of Japan Inukai Tsuyoshi is assassinated.
During the 1932 May 15 Incident, Japanese Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi was assassinated in a failed coup attempt.
On May 15, 1932, naval officers and army cadets attempted a coup d’état in Tokyo, seeking to overthrow party politics.
Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi was shot and killed outside his residence by rebel naval personnel.
The conspirators aimed to establish military rule, reflecting the rise of nationalist and militarist sentiments.
Although the coup failed to seize full power, the government's lenient response emboldened extremist factions.
Inukai’s assassination marked the decline of civilian governance and the rise of military influence in pre–World War II Japan.
1932
coup d'état
Prime Minister of Japan
Inukai Tsuyoshi
assassinated
1934day.year
A self coup by prime minister Kārlis Ulmanis succeeded in Latvia, suspending its constitution and dissolving its Saeima.
In 1934, Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis led a self-coup in Latvia, suspending the constitution and dissolving parliament.
Kārlis Ulmanis, then Prime Minister of Latvia, carried out an unopposed coup on this day in 1934. He declared a state of emergency, suspended the democratic constitution, dissolved the Saeima, and established an authoritarian regime. The move ended parliamentary governance and concentrated power in Ulmanis’s hands. He justified it by promising stability during economic hardship but suppressed political freedoms. This event marked the beginning of a long dictatorship that persisted until Soviet occupation in 1940. Ulmanis’s regime is remembered for both modernization efforts and political repression.
1934
self coup
prime minister
Kārlis Ulmanis
Latvia
Saeima