15 August in history

6 events that happened on 15 August, from 778 to 1947.

  1. ✦ Anniversary of the day

    778 CE 1,248 years ago

    Basques destroy Charlemagne's rearguard at Roncevaux

    Basque fighters ambushed Charlemagne's rearguard in the Pyrenees, killing the commander Roland. The Song of Roland later recast the skirmish as a heroic stand against Saracens.

    CharlemagnePyreneesBasques

  2. 1057 CE 969 years ago

    Macbeth is killed at the Battle of Lumphanan

    King Macbeth of Scotland was killed at Lumphanan in Aberdeenshire by forces of Malcolm Canmore, Duncan's son. He had ruled for 17 years and even made a pilgrimage to Rome.

    Scotland

  3. 1534 CE 492 years ago

    Ignatius of Loyola and companions take vows at Montmartre

    Ignatius and six companions vowed poverty and chastity in a chapel on Montmartre in Paris. The group became the Society of Jesus, approved by the Pope in 1540.

    Paris

  4. 1769 CE 257 years ago

    Napoleon Bonaparte is born in Corsica

    Napoleone Buonaparte was born in Ajaccio, a year after France acquired Corsica from Genoa. He rose to become Emperor of the French and redrew the map and laws of Europe.

    NapoleonCorsicaGenoa

  5. 1945 CE 81 years ago

    Emperor Hirohito broadcasts Japan's surrender

    For the first time, ordinary Japanese heard their emperor's voice as he announced acceptance of the Allied terms. The day is marked as VJ Day in Britain; the formal surrender was signed on 2 September.

    Empire of JapanHirohito

  6. 1947 CE 79 years ago

    India becomes independent as British rule ends

    At midnight India became independent, a day after Pakistan. Partition uprooted perhaps 15 million people and communal violence killed hundreds of thousands, possibly up to two million.

    Pakistan

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