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
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.
12
Events
7
Birthdays
5
Holidays
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
- 533War
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.
- 687Religion
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.
- 1025European history
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.
- 1161War
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.
- 1167European history
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.
- 1256War
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.
- 1270War
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.
- 1467War
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.
- 1546European history
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).
- 1651UK history
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.
- 1791US history
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.
- 1864War
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.
Born today
Famous birthdays on December 15
7 this date All birthdays
Emilio Jacinto
Filipino journalist and activist
Emilio Jacinto, the Filipino revolutionary known as the "Brains of the Katipunan" who served as a general during the Philippine Revolution, was born today in 1875.
Born
1875
Died
1899
Sylvester James Gates
American theoretical physicist and professor
b. 1950 · 76
John R. Allen
American general and diplomat
b. 1953 · 73
Walter Werzowa
Austrian composer and producer
b. 1960 · 66
Norman J. Grossfeld
American screenwriter and producer
b. 1963 · 63
Paul Kaye
English actor
b. 1964 · 62
Clint Lowery
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
b. 1971 · 55
Music
The number one songs on December 15
Across the years Full chart history
🇬🇧 #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
🏆 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 storyToday 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