Major Events
- 1461 Empire of Trebizond surrenders to forces of Sultan Mehmet II – last Byzantine Empire remnant to fall. Emperor David exiled and later murdered.
- 1620 Mayflower sets sail from Southampton, England, with 102 Pilgrims
- 1900 The Boxer Rebellion: In China, the Empress, her family and court retainers flee while foreign troops move through Peking in an attempt to quell the rebellion
Aug 15 in Film & TV
- 1918 Longest work of animation then produced – “The Sinking of Lusitania” by Winsor McCay
- 1939 “The Wizard of Oz“, American musical fantasy film adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s book, premieres at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood; directed by Victor Fleming and King Vidor with cast featuring Judy Garland (Dorothy), Ray Bolger (Scarecrow), Jack Haley (Tin Man), Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion), Frank Morgan (Wizard), Billie Burke (Glinda), and Margaret Hamilton (Wicked Witch); songs by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg
Aug 15 in Music
Aug 15 in Sport
- 1903 New Zealand’s All Blacks play their first Rugby Test Match against Australia’s Wallabies at the Sydney Cricket Ground; New Zealand win 22-3
Did You Know?
Fun Fact About August 15
North Korea creates its own time zone -moving its clocks back half an hour to GMT+8.5
Famous Weddings
- 1352 Lionel of Antwerp (14), son of Edward III marries Elizabeth de Burgh (20), Countess of Ulster and last legitimate descendent of William de Burgh at the Tower of London
- 1515 Marriage of King Christian II of Denmark to Isabella of Austria, granddaughter of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I is ratified at Copenhagen Castle (married by proxy 1514)
- 1958 American rock singer-songwriter Buddy Holly (21) weds Puerto Rican-American record company receptionist MarÃa Santiago (25) at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lubbock, Texas
Articles, Photos and Quiz
First Faltering Steps of Jane Eyre
With hope, pride – and some subterfuge – Charlotte Brontë sent her hefty manuscript of Jane Eyre to publishers in London on this day, then crossed her fingers.
August 15, 1847
A Kiss For Adolf Hitler
A woman spectator leaned over and kissed Adolf Hitler at the Berlin Olympic Games on this day. Hitler pretended to be amused, but his guards were to suffer.
August 15, 1936
The Wizard of Oz
Publicity still of the Wizard of Oz, showing the Tin Man, Scarecrow, Dorothy and Cowardly Lion
August 15, 1939
Woodstock Music and Art Fair
Swami Satchidananda addressing the opening ceremony at Woodstock
August 15, 1969
Omagh Bombing
A man and a child (who both survived) stand next to the car bomb in Omagh, Northern Ireland, that exploded shortly after, killing 29 people. The photographer did not survive.
August 15, 1998
Weekly Quiz for August 12 – 18
Test your knowledge of historical events and famous people in our multi-choice, weekly history quiz for August 12 – 18. Then challenge your friends!