1066day.year
Following the death of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, Edgar the Ætheling is proclaimed King of England by the Witan; he is never crowned, and concedes power to William the Conqueror two months later.
After Harold II's death at the Battle of Hastings, the Witan proclaimed Edgar the Ætheling king of England, though he was never crowned and ceded power to William the Conqueror two months later.
Following the crushing defeat at Hastings, England's Witan council faced a leadership vacuum. They selected Edgar the Ætheling, a teenager of royal bloodline, as king despite his youth and limited military support. Edgar was never formally crowned due to lack of widespread baronial endorsement. Within two months, William of Normandy advanced on London and compelled Edgar to submit peacefully. This transfer averted further civil conflict and cemented William's claim as the first Norman monarch of England. Edgar spent his later years in a subordinate role under the new regime.
1066
Battle of Hastings
Edgar the Ætheling
Witan
William the Conqueror
1211day.year
Battle of the Rhyndacus: The Latin emperor Henry of Flanders defeats the Nicaean emperor Theodore I Laskaris.
At the Battle of the Rhyndacus, Latin Emperor Henry of Flanders secured a victory over Nicaean Emperor Theodore I Laskaris, bolstering the Latin Empire's position in Anatolia.
The clash took place near the Rhyndacus River, pitting the Crusader-established Latin Empire against the resurgent Nicaean Empire. Henry of Flanders led heavily armored knights and infantry, while Theodore I Laskaris commanded native Byzantine forces striving to reclaim territory after the Fourth Crusade. Utilizing disciplined cavalry charges, Henry broke through Nicaean lines and forced a decisive rout. The defeat halted Theodore's campaigns in western Anatolia and momentarily strengthened Latin control of key coastal regions. This battle marked a pivotal moment in the shifting power struggle following the sacking of Constantinople. Despite this victory, the Latin Empire would eventually face decline from continued Byzantine resistance.
1211
Battle of the Rhyndacus
Latin emperor
Henry of Flanders
Nicaean emperor
Theodore I Laskaris
1529day.year
The Siege of Vienna ends when Austria routs the invading Ottoman forces, ending its European expansion.
The Siege of Vienna ended in a decisive Austrian victory, halting the Ottoman Empire's advance into Central Europe.
In 1529, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent led an Ottoman army to besiege Vienna, the Habsburg capital, aiming to expand Ottoman influence further into Europe. The city's defenders, reinforced by troops from the Holy Roman Empire and resistance from local militias, withstood weeks of cannon bombardment and repeated assaults. Harsh autumn weather and stretched supply lines weakened the Ottoman encampment. On October 15, the beleaguered attackers were repelled by a coordinated counterattack, forcing Suleiman to lift the siege. This failure marked the limit of Ottoman territorial ambitions in Central Europe. The successful defense of Vienna became a symbol of Christian resistance and reshaped the balance of power.
1529
Siege of Vienna
1582day.year
Adoption of the Gregorian calendar begins, eventually leading to near-universal adoption.
Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar to correct the Julian calendar's drift, initiating a system still used worldwide.
By the late 16th century, inaccuracies in the Julian calendar had shifted the date of the spring equinox and affected the timing of Easter. To address this, Pope Gregory XIII issued a papal bull in 1582 implementing a new calendar that advanced the date by ten days. Countries under the Catholic Church adopted the Gregorian system immediately, moving from October 4 directly to October 15. The reform also refined leap year rules, skipping three leap days every 400 years to improve solar year alignment. Over the following centuries, Protestant and Orthodox nations embraced the calendar to facilitate trade and diplomacy. Today, the Gregorian calendar forms the backbone of international civil timekeeping.
1582
Adoption of the Gregorian calendar
1651day.year
Qing forces capture the island of Zhoushan. Zhu Yihai, Prince of Lu, resident of the island and regent of the Southern Ming, flees to Kinmen.
Qing dynasty troops seized Zhoushan Island, forcing Southern Ming regent Prince Zhu Yihai to escape to Kinmen.
During the Ming–Qing transition, Qing forces sought to eliminate remaining pockets of Ming resistance along China's eastern coast. On October 15, 1651, Qing armies launched a successful assault on Zhoushan Island, a strategic stronghold held by loyalist troops under Zhu Yihai, the Prince of Lu. Overwhelmed and outgunned, the defenders succumbed after a brief but intense battle. Zhu Yihai managed to flee to the nearby island of Kinmen, where he continued his regency in exile. The capture of Zhoushan dealt a significant blow to the Southern Ming cause and solidified Qing dominance in the region. This victory paved the way for Qing consolidation of coastal provinces and suppression of Ming loyalist uprisings.
1651
Qing
island of Zhoushan
Zhu Yihai, Prince of Lu
regent
Southern Ming
Kinmen
1781day.year
The Battle of Raft Swamp marks the last battle fought in North Carolina during the American Revolutionary War with a Patriot victory. It occurred four days before the British surrender at Yorktown.
The Battle of Raft Swamp was the final Revolutionary War engagement in North Carolina, ending in a Patriot victory just days before Yorktown.
Fought on October 15, 1781, near the Cape Fear River, the Battle of Raft Swamp pitted North Carolina militia against a Loyalist contingent. The Patriots leveraged the swampy terrain to ambush British foraging parties, inflicting casualties and capturing vital supplies. This skirmish was the last recorded military action in North Carolina during the American Revolution. Occurring four days prior to Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown, it underscored the collapse of British operations in the South. The victory boosted local morale and demonstrated the effectiveness of militia tactics. Raft Swamp remains a notable example of grassroots resistance in the Southern theater.
1781
Battle of Raft Swamp
American Revolutionary War
1783day.year
The Montgolfier brothers' hot air balloon makes the first human ascent, piloted by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier.
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier achieved the first human hot air balloon flight, a pioneering milestone in aviation by the Montgolfier brothers.
After successful unmanned tests, brothers Joseph and Étienne Montgolfier prepared a large silk balloon heated by a charcoal fire. On October 15, 1783, at Annonay, France, Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier ascended in the hot air balloon, reaching about 26 meters and traveling several kilometers. This historic flight proved that humans could survive and control lighter-than-air travel. Pilâtre de Rozier landed safely, inspiring widespread fascination with flight. The achievement sparked rapid development in ballooning across Europe. It laid the foundation for future advances in aeronautics.
1783
Montgolfier brothers
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier
1793day.year
Queen Marie Antoinette of France is tried and convicted of treason.
Queen Marie Antoinette was tried and convicted of treason by the revolutionary tribunal in Paris, sealing her fate.
Amid the radical phase of the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette faced charges of conspiring against the state and plotting royalist insurrections. Her trial began on October 14, 1793, before the Revolutionary Tribunal dominated by Jacobin leaders. On October 15, the court pronounced her guilty based on intercepted correspondence and testimonies alleging secret diplomacy with foreign powers. Sentenced to death, she was executed by guillotine on October 16, shocking Europe and symbolizing the revolution's break with monarchy. Marie Antoinette's downfall exemplified the revolution's shift toward extreme measures. Her life and trial have since inspired countless works of art, literature, and historical study.
1793
Marie Antoinette
1815day.year
Napoleon begins his exile on Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Napoleon Bonaparte commenced his final exile on Saint Helena, ending his dramatic return from Elba and the Hundred Days.
After his defeat at Waterloo in June 1815, Napoleon surrendered to the British and requested asylum aboard their ships. On October 15, 1815, he landed on Saint Helena, a remote volcanic island in the South Atlantic chosen for its isolation. The British governor, Sir Hudson Lowe, imposed strict restrictions on Napoleon's movement and correspondence. Over the next six years, he dictated memoirs and reflected on his career while under constant guard. Napoleon died on the island in 1821, marking the end of an era in European politics and warfare. His exile and death on Saint Helena have since become emblematic of the rise and fall of one of history's greatest military leaders.
1815
Napoleon
1864day.year
American Civil War: The Union garrison of Glasgow, Missouri surrenders to Confederate forces.
During Price's Raid, Confederate cavalry forced the Union garrison at Glasgow, Missouri to surrender, marking a rare Southern victory in the Trans-Mississippi theater.
In October 1864, Major General Sterling Price led a Confederate incursion into Missouri aiming to disrupt Union supply lines and rally support. On the 15th, his forces surrounded the Union garrison at Glasgow, a strategically placed river town. Facing superior numbers and cut off from reinforcements, the Union commander opted to surrender under honorable terms. The Confederates seized weapons, horses, and local provisions, boosting their morale. Despite this success, Price's Raid ultimately failed to change the war's outcome. The action at Glasgow remains a notable example of cavalry warfare and raiding tactics in the Western theater.
1864
surrenders
1878day.year
The Edison Electric Light Company begins operation.
In 1878, the Edison Electric Light Company began operations, marking the dawn of commercial electric lighting.
Founded by Thomas Edison, the Edison Electric Light Company commenced operations on October 15, 1878. The company played a crucial role in developing and selling the Edison light bulb and the necessary electrical systems. Its formation marked the transition of electric lighting from experimental demonstrations to practical commercial use. By building power stations and distribution networks, it laid the groundwork for modern electrical utilities. This milestone accelerated the spread of electricity in homes and businesses, transforming daily life and industry.
1878
Edison Electric Light Company
1888day.year
The "From Hell" letter allegedly sent by Jack the Ripper is received by investigators.
In 1888, the notorious "From Hell" letter allegedly from Jack the Ripper was received by investigators, deepening the chilling mystery.
On October 15, 1888, London investigators received a gruesome letter signed "Jack the Ripper" and known as the "From Hell" letter. It arrived during one of the most infamous unsolved serial murder cases in history. The letter contained a human kidney preserved in spirits and cryptic messages that fueled public fear. Its authenticity remains debated among historians, but it amplified media sensationalism surrounding the murders. The chilling correspondence illustrated the murderer's taunting relationship with the press and police. It became one of the most haunting artifacts of the Jack the Ripper legend.
1888
"From Hell" letter