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On this day

December 15 Tuesday, December 15, 2026

A curious almanac of what happened on December 15 across the years — history, birthdays, the songs that ruled the charts, the films that packed cinemas, and the science that nudged the world forward.

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Find out what the world looked like the day you arrived.

12
Events
7
Birthdays
5
Holidays
December 15, 1791: The United States Bill of Rights becomes law when ratified by the Virginia General Assembly.
1791
US history 235 years ago

The United States Bill of Rights becomes law when ratified by the Virginia General Assembly.

The Bill of Rights becomes law when Virginia becomes the eleventh state to ratify the first ten amendments to the Constitution.

History

What happened on December 15

12 verified entries Full timeline
  1. 533

    Vandalic War: Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Tricamarum.

    Belisarius defeats the Vandals in the Battle of Tricamarum, ending Vandal rule in North Africa.

    War
  2. 687

    Pope Sergius I is elected as a compromise between antipopes Paschal and Theodore.

    Pope Sergius I is elected to resolve the dispute between antipopes Paschal and Theodore.

    Religion
  3. 1025

    Constantine VIII becomes sole emperor of the Byzantine Empire, 63 years after being crowned co-emperor.

    Constantine VIII becomes the sole emperor of the Byzantine Empire.

    European history
  4. 1161

    Jin-Song wars: Military officers conspire against the emperor Wanyan Liang of the Jin dynasty after a military defeat at the Battle of Caishi, and assassinate the emperor at his camp.

    Military officers conspire against and assassinate Jin dynasty Emperor Wanyan Liang at his camp following his defeat at the Battle of Caishi.

    War
  5. 1167

    Sicilian Chancellor Stephen du Perche moves the royal court to Messina to prevent a rebellion.

    Stephen du Perche relocates the Sicilian royal court to Messina to avoid an impending rebellion.

    European history
  6. 1256

    Mongol forces under Hulagu enter and dismantle the Nizari Ismaili (Assassin) stronghold at Alamut Castle (in present-day Iran) as part of their offensive on Islamic southwest Asia.

    Hulagu's Mongol forces capture and destroy the Nizari Ismaili stronghold at Alamut Castle in their campaign through Islamic Southwest Asia.

    War
  7. 1270

    The Nizari Ismaili garrison of Gerdkuh, Persia surrender after 17 years to the Mongols.

    The Nizari Ismaili garrison in Gerdkuh surrenders to the Mongols after a 17-year-long siege.

    War
  8. 1467

    Stephen III of Moldavia defeats Matthias Corvinus of Hungary, with the latter being injured thrice, at the Battle of Baia.

    Stephen III of Moldavia defeats Matthias Corvinus of Hungary in the Battle of Baia, injuring the Hungarian king three times.

    War
  9. 1546

    The town of Ekenäs (Finnish: Tammisaari) is founded by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden.

    King Gustav Vasa of Sweden founds the coastal town of Ekenäs (Finnish: Tammisaari).

    European history
  10. 1651

    Castle Cornet in Guernsey, the last stronghold which had supported the King in the Third English Civil War, surrenders.

    Castle Cornet in Guernsey surrenders, marking the end of support for the king during the Third English Civil War.

    UK history
  11. 1791

    The United States Bill of Rights becomes law when ratified by the Virginia General Assembly.

    The Bill of Rights becomes law when Virginia becomes the eleventh state to ratify the first ten amendments to the Constitution.

    US history
  12. 1864

    American Civil War: The Battle of Nashville begins at Nashville, Tennessee, and ends the following day with the destruction of the Confederate Army of Tennessee under General John Bell Hood as a fighting force by the Union Army of the Cumberland under General George H. Thomas.

    The Battle of Nashville concludes with the Union Army defeating the Confederates, effectively ending General John Bell Hood's army as a fighting force.

    War

Born today

Famous birthdays on December 15

Music

The number one songs on December 15

Across the years Full chart history
Stand and Deliver album cover

🇬🇧 #1 on December 15, 1981

"Stand and Deliver"

by Adam and the Ants

The dandy highwayman spent five weeks at the top — a brash, glam-pop coronation.

#1 for 5 weeks

Also #1 on this day

  • 1965
    "Ticket To Ride"
    — The Beatles
  • 1972
    "Metal Guru"
    — T. Rex
  • 2003
    "Make Luv"
    — Room 5 ft. Oliver Cheatham

Film & TV

At the movies

Box office #1 and premieres All releases
The Empire Strikes Back poster

Box-office #1

The Empire Strikes Back

1980 · dir. Irvin Kershner

Wide US release on May 23, 1980. Goes on to become the highest-grossing film of the year.

Sci-fiStar Wars $538M worldwide
🏆 Sport

December 15, 1965

Project Gemini: Gemini 6A, crewed by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford, is launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida. Four orbits later, it achieves the first space rendezvous, with Gemini 7.

Gemini 6A launches from Cape Kennedy, Florida, and four orbits later, it performs the first space rendezvous with Gemini 7.

Read the story
🔬 Science

December 15, 1970

Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 successfully lands on Venus. It is the first successful soft landing on another planet.

Venera 7 makes history as the first spacecraft to achieve a soft landing on another planet, transmitting data back to Earth for 50 minutes.

Read the story

Today is also

Holidays & observances

5 celebrated today

Bill of Rights Day (United States) 2nd Amendment Day (South Carolina)

International

2nd Amendment Day is a public awareness day observed in Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina in the United States

Homecoming Day (Alderney)

International

The military occupation of the Channel Islands by Nazi Germany lasted for most of the Second World War, from 30 June 1940 until liberation on 9 May 1945

Kingdom Day (Netherlands), moves to December 16 if the 15th is on a Sunday

International

Koninkrijksdag is the commemoration of the signing of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 15 December 1954 in Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten

Zamenhof Day (International Esperanto Community)

International

Zamenhof Day, also called Esperanto Book Day, is celebrated on 15 December, the birthday of Esperanto creator L

World Turkic Language Family Day (UNESCO)

International

World Turkic Language Family Day is an international day observed annually on 15 December

The people ask for justice; it is the duty of the government to give it to them.

Emilio Jacinto · born December 15, 1875