1207day.year
King John of England expels Canterbury monks for supporting Archbishop Stephen Langton.
King John of England expelled the monks of Canterbury in 1207 for backing Archbishop Stephen Langton. This clash with the Church escalated tensions ahead of the Magna Carta era.
In 1207, King John faced a political standoff with Pope Innocent III over the appointment of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury.
When the monks refused John’s nominee and welcomed Langton, the king retaliated by expelling them from Canterbury Cathedral.
This action led to England’s interdict and John’s excommunication, straining the crown’s relationship with the papacy.
The crisis weakened John’s domestic support and contributed to baronial discontent, setting the stage for the Magna Carta of 1215.
Historians view this conflict as a pivotal moment in medieval church–state relations and the development of English common law.
The expelled monks endured exile until a resolution in 1213 restored their positions.
1207
John of England
Canterbury
Archbishop
Stephen Langton
1482day.year
Muhammad XII is crowned the twenty-second and last Nasrid king of Granada.
Muhammad XII, known as Boabdil, was crowned as the last Nasrid ruler of Granada on July 15, 1482. His reign presaged the final chapter of Muslim rule in Spain.
Born into the Nasrid dynasty, Muhammad XII ascended to the throne of Granada amid internal strife and external pressure from Castile.
His coronation on July 15, 1482, marked the twilight of Al-Andalus and the beginning of intensified Christian Reconquista efforts.
Facing rival claimants and Castile’s expanding kingdom, Boabdil’s rule was fraught with political betrayal and military challenges.
Despite attempts at negotiation, Grenadian forces gradually lost territory, culminating in the city’s fall in 1492.
Boabdil’s legacy endured in Spanish and Moorish legends, symbolizing loss, exile, and the cultural fusion of medieval Spain.
His final departure from the Alhambra palace is remembered as a poignant moment in Iberian history.
1482
Muhammad XII
Nasrid
Granada
1738day.year
Baruch Laibov and Alexander Voznitzin are burned alive in St. Petersburg, Russia. Vonitzin had converted to Judaism with Laibov's help, with the consent of Empress Anna Ivanovna.
Baruch Laibov and Alexander Voznitzin are burned alive in St. Petersburg after converting to Judaism with the approval of Empress Anna Ivanovna.
In 1738, Baruch Laibov and Alexander Voznitzin were tried and burned alive in St. Petersburg under charges of heresy. Voznitzin's conversion to Judaism had been facilitated by Laibov and controversially sanctioned by Empress Anna Ivanovna. The executions sparked outrage in the Jewish community and were used to reinforce religious conformity in the Russian Empire. Eyewitness accounts describe the public spectacle and the severity of the punishment. This event exposes tensions between imperial authority and religious minorities in 18th-century Russia.
1738
St. Petersburg
Empress
Anna Ivanovna
1789day.year
French Revolution: Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, is named by acclamation Colonel General of the new National Guard of Paris.
Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, is acclaimed Colonel General of the newly formed National Guard of Paris during the French Revolution.
Amid the fervor of the early French Revolution, Lafayette was chosen by popular acclamation on July 15, 1789 to lead the National Guard of Paris as Colonel General. The National Guard was established to maintain public order and protect citizens' revolutionary gains. Lafayette's moderate reputation and military experience made him a unifying figure for both the revolutionary bourgeoisie and the monarchy. Under his command, the Guard helped suppress violence in the capital and uphold the new constitutional ideals. His leadership during this critical period symbolized the blending of liberty and order that early revolutionaries sought to achieve.
1789
French Revolution
Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
Colonel General
National Guard
1834day.year
The Spanish Inquisition is officially disbanded after nearly 356 years.
The Spanish Inquisition is officially disbanded by royal decree, ending over three and a half centuries of ecclesiastical investigations.
By royal decree on July 15, 1834, Queen Isabella II's government disbanded the Spanish Inquisition after nearly 356 years. Established in 1478 by Ferdinand and Isabella, the tribunal had prosecuted heresy and enforced Catholic orthodoxy across Spain and its territories. Its abolition reflected the liberal tide sweeping Europe and the rise of modern legal systems. The Inquisition's archives were preserved and later made accessible to scholars. The formal end of this institution marked a significant shift toward religious freedom and the separation of church and state.
1834
Spanish Inquisition
1870day.year
Reconstruction Era of the United States: Georgia becomes the last of the former Confederate states to be readmitted to the Union.
Georgia becomes the final former Confederate state to be readmitted to the United States, completing the Reconstruction process.
After the Civil War, Reconstruction aimed to restore the South and extend civil rights to freed enslaved people. Under military supervision and by ratifying the 14th and 15th Amendments, Georgia drafted a new constitution abolishing slavery and granting voting rights to African American men. On July 15, 1870, Congress officially readmitted Georgia to the Union, restoring its congressional representation. This readmission marked the end of Reconstruction in Georgia and symbolized the federal government's efforts to reunify the nation. However, social and economic challenges persisted as many African Americans continued to face discrimination.
1870
Reconstruction Era of the United States
Georgia
Confederate
Union
1870day.year
Canadian Confederation: Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory are transferred to Canada from the Hudson's Bay Company, and the province of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories are established from these vast territories.
Canada expands westward as Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory transfer from the Hudson's Bay Company, forming Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.
In 1870, following Confederation, the British Crown negotiated the purchase of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory from the Hudson's Bay Company. The transfer, effective July 15, placed vast western holdings under Canadian control. The government immediately created the province of Manitoba, centered on the Red River Settlement, and established the Northwest Territories. These actions laid the groundwork for western expansion and settlement. Indigenous peoples and Métis communities raised protests, notably the Red River Rebellion, underscoring the complexities of western governance.
Canadian Confederation
Rupert's Land
North-Western Territory
Hudson's Bay Company
Manitoba
Northwest Territories
1920day.year
Aftermath of World War I: The Parliament of Poland establishes Silesian Voivodeship before the Polish-German plebiscite.
Poland's parliament establishes the Silesian Voivodeship to administer Upper Silesia ahead of a plebiscite determining its national affiliation.
In the wake of World War I, the status of Upper Silesia was fiercely contested between Germany and Poland. To solidify its claim, the Polish Parliament created the Silesian Voivodeship on July 15, 1920. This administrative region was intended to prepare for the Polish-German plebiscite scheduled later that year. The move aimed to organize governance, collect taxes, and support Polish cultural institutions. Tensions between national communities ran high, leading to uprisings and international intervention. The plebiscite ultimately resulted in a division of the region that shaped interwar borders.
1920
Aftermath of World War I
Parliament of Poland
Silesian Voivodeship
Polish-German plebiscite
1922day.year
The Japanese Communist Party is established in Japan.
The Japanese Communist Party is founded, initiating organized communist political activity in Japan.
On July 15, 1922, a group of Japanese socialists and Marxists established the Japanese Communist Party in Tokyo. Inspired by the recent Bolshevik Revolution, they sought to promote workers' rights and social reform under a communist ideology. The new party operated in secrecy due to government suppression under the Peace Preservation Law. Early members faced arrests, censorship, and imprisonment but continued their activism underground. Despite decades of marginalization, the Japanese Communist Party became Japan's oldest left-wing political party, participating in elections and influencing labor movements.
1922
Japanese Communist Party
1946day.year
The State of North Borneo, now Sabah, Malaysia, is annexed by the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom formally annexes North Borneo, establishing it as a Crown Colony.
On July 15, 1946, the British government formally annexed the State of North Borneo following the end of World War II. Formerly administered by the British North Borneo Company, the territory had been devastated by Japanese occupation. The United Kingdom established direct colonial rule, renaming it the Crown Colony of North Borneo. This move laid the groundwork for modern-day Sabah’s political development. Infrastructure and public services were rebuilt under British administration. The annexation also triggered debates over colonial governance and the future of indigenous rights. North Borneo would later join the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 as the state of Sabah. The event remains a milestone in Sabah’s colonial history and path to self-governance.
1946
State of North Borneo
Sabah
Malaysia
United Kingdom
1955day.year
Eighteen Nobel laureates sign the Mainau Declaration against nuclear weapons, later co-signed by thirty-four others.
Eighteen Nobel laureates issue the Mainau Declaration, urging the abolition of nuclear weapons.
On July 15, 1955, eighteen Nobel laureates convened on the German island of Mainau to issue a unified call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Led by physicists such as Otto Hahn, these distinguished scientists warned that atomic warfare posed an existential threat to humanity. The Mainau Declaration urged political leaders to pursue disarmament and peaceful scientific cooperation. Their appeal resonated worldwide amid mounting Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. Within weeks, thirty-four additional laureates added their signatures, amplifying the message. The declaration highlighted the responsibility of scientists to advise governments on high-stakes technology. It fostered an international dialogue on arms control that would influence later treaties. The Mainau Declaration remains a landmark in the history of scientific advocacy for peace.
1955
Nobel laureates
Mainau Declaration
nuclear weapons
1971day.year
The United Red Army is founded in Japan.
Radical leftist factions in Japan merge to form the militant United Red Army.
On July 15, 1971, the United Red Army was established in Japan through the merger of two radical student organizations. The group aimed to ignite a violent revolution against the Japanese government and societal structures. Key leaders included Tsuneo Mori and Hiroko Nagata, who sought a disciplined, ideologically pure cadre. In the months that followed, internal purges resulted in the deaths of several members deemed disloyal. The United Red Army gained notoriety after the Asama-Sanso incident in 1972, which captured national attention. Their actions prompted a harsh police crackdown and public backlash. The group's violent tactics ultimately undermined its revolutionary goals. The United Red Army remains a controversial chapter in Japan’s postwar political history.
1971
United Red Army