15th May anniversaries

• Birth
  • 1808
  • Ireland
  • "Birth of Michael Balfe, Irish singer and composer (‘The Bohemian Girl’) ."
  • 1859
  • France
  • "Birth of Pierre Curie, French physicist, pioneer of radiation, magnetism and crystallography, joint winner of the Nobel Prize with his wife Marie"
  • 1909
  • Great Britain
  • "Birth of James Mason, British stage and screen actor"
• event
  • 1464
  • Great Britain
  • Battle of Hexham
  • 1567
  • Great Britain
  • "Marriage of Mary Queen of Scots to James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell "
  • 1756
  • The Seven Years War with France (Pitt's trade war) begins
  • 1756
  • United Kingdom
  • The start of the Seven Years War between Britain and France. more
  • 1858
  • Great Britain
  • The third (and current) Royal Opera House officially opened in London .
  • 1918
  • Finland
  • The Finnish Civil War ended .
  • 1918
  • United States
  • "The world’s first regular airmail service began operating between New York City, Philadelphia and Washington DC."
  • 1928
  • United States
  • "The animated short ‘Plane Crazy’ was released, featuring the first appearances of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse."
  • 1948
  • "Within hours of declaring its independence, Israel was attacked by Transjordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon."
  • 1957
  • Great Britain
  • Britain tests 1st Nuclear weapon
  • 1958
  • Russian Federation
  • "The USSR launched Sputnik 3 on a mission to study the Earth’s upper atmosphere, charged particles, cosmic rays, and the Van Allen Belts."
  • 1988
  • Russian Federation
  • The USSR began withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan .
• Death
  • 1609
  • Italy
  • "Death of Giovanni Croce, Italian composer of sacred music and madrigals"