Events on Dec 14
- 0644Osman ibn Affan appointed 3rd kalief of islam
- 0867Adrian II begins his reign as Catholic Pope
- 0872John VIII elected as Catholic Pope
- 1124Theobald Buccapecus elected Pope Coelestinus II (he refuses)
- 1287Zuider Zee seawall collapses with loss of 50,000 lives
- 1490Anna van Bretagne marries a proxy Maximilian of Austria
- 1582Zealand / Brabant Neth adopt Gregorian calendar, tomorrow is 12 / 25
- 1656Artificial pearls 1st manufactured by M Jacquin in Paris made of gypsum pellets covered with fish scales
- 1774Mass militiamen successfully attacked arsenal of Ft William and Mary
- 1782Charleston, SC evacuated by British
- 17931st state road authorized, Frankfort, Ky to Cincinnati
- 1798David Wilkinson of Rhode Island patents a nut and bolt machine
- 1819Alabama admitted to Union as 22nd state
- 1825Decembrist uprising in Russia against Tsar Nicholas I begins
- 18491st chamber music group in US gives their 1st concert (Boston)
- 1882Henry Morton Stanley returns to Brussels from the Congo
- 1889American Academy of Political and Social Science organized, Philadelphia
- 19011st table tennis tournament is held (London Royal Aquarium)
- 1911South Pole 1st reached, by Norwegian Roald Amundsen
- 1913Greece formally takes possession of Crete
- 1915Jack Johnson is 1st black world heavyweight boxing champion
- 1917UFA, Universal Film AG, forms in Germany
- 1920Heavyweight Jack Dempsey KOs Bill Brennan in New York City
- 1920Jack Dempsey KOs Bill Brennan in 12 for heavyweight boxing title
- 1924Chiang Kai-shek occupies Hankou
- 1926Danish Madsen Government forms
- 1927Iraq gains independence from Britain, but British troops remain
- 1929Alexander Zaimis elected President of Greece
- 1930New York Giants defeat Notre Dame 22-0 in a charity game
- 19311st assembly of Anton Musserts NSB in Utrecht
Born on Dec 14
- 1363John Van [Jean C] Gerson: French theologist
- 1546Tycho Brahe: Knudstrup, Denmark -- Astronomer (Golden nose)
- 1730Capel Bond: Composer
- 1738Johann Antonin Kozeluch: Composer
- 1777Juan N Gallego: Spanish poet / interpreter (El dos the mayo)
- 1779Mariano Rodriguiz de Ledesma: Composer
- 1780Karl Robert von Nesselrode: German / Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 1783Johann Christoph Kienlen: Composer
- 1789Maria Agata Szymanowska: Composer
- 1812Charles J Canning: English Earl / 1st Viceroy of British-Indies
- 1829John Mercer Langston: 1st black to hold US political office
- 1830Allen Thomas: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1907
- 1832Daniel Harris Reynolds: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1902
- 1837William Wells: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1892
- 1853Salvador Diaz Miron: Mexican poet (Los Cien Mejores Poemas)
- 1862John M Acket: Dutch literary (Grammatic Conceptions)
- 1868Richard Batka: Composer
- 1870Dirk J de Geer: Dutch Premier (1926-29, 39-40)
- 1870Karl Renner: Austrian Chancellor / President (1918-20, 45-50)
- 1873Marie-Alphonse-Nicolas-Joseph Jongen: Composer
- 1875Dobri Khristov: Composer
- 1877Lieven Duvosel: Flemish music writer / composer (Leiecyclys)
- 1883Manolis Kalomiris: Greek opera composer
- 1883Morihei Ueshiba: Founder (Aikido)
- 1884Regina Ullmann: Writer
- 1894Joaquin Zamacois Soler: Composer
- 1895George VI: King of England (1936-52)
- 1896James H Doolittle: USAF General (Raid on Tokyo 1942)
- 1897Margaret Chase Smith: (Rep / Sen-R-Maine)
- 1898Frederick Douglass Hall: Composer
Died on Dec 14
- 0872Adrian II: Italian Pope (867-72) / last married pope, dies at about 80
- 1136Harald IV: "Gylle Krist", King of Norway, murdered
- 1417John Oldcastle: Lord Cobham, English nobleman, hanged and burned
- 1542James: King of Scotland (1513-42), dies at 30
- 1591Juan de la Cruz [de Yepes]: Spanish Carmelet / Poet / saint
- 1732Johann Philipp Fortsch: Composer, dies at 80
- 1754Mahmud I: Sultan of Turkey, dies at 58
- 1760Kacic Miosic: Croatian Poet (Razgovar Ugodni Naroda Slovinskoga)
- 1788Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach: German composer, dies at 74
- 1788Carlos III: King of Naples / Spain (1759-88), dies at 72
- 1799George Washington: 1st President USA (1789-97), dies at 66
- 1823Vincenzo Cuoco: Italian Historian (Naple revolution 1799), dies at 53
- 1829Luigi Marchesi: Composer, dies at 74
- 1849Conradin Kreutzer: Composer, dies at 69
- 1861Albert: Prince consort of Engld / husband of Queen Victoria, dies at 42
- 1861George HG Earl of Aberdeen: English Minister of Foreign Affairs, dies at 76
- 1861Heinrich August Marschner: Composer, dies at 66
- 1862George Dashiell Bayard: Union Brigadier General, dies at 27
- 1873J Louis R Agassiz: Swiss geologist / paleo-biologist)
- 1886Antoni Wincenty Rutkowski: Composer, dies at 27
- 1893Karolina Pawlowa: Writer, dies at 86
- 1900Jean B A Kessler: Director of Oil on Dutch Indies, dies at 46
- 1903William Ennis: 1st cop to die in electric chair
- 1906John A C Oudemans: Dutch geographer / astronomer, dies at 78
- 1909Leopold II: King of Belgium
- 1914Giovanni Sgambati: Composer, dies at 73
- 1918Sidonio Pais: Prince of Portugal, murdered
- 1923Giuseppi Gallignani: Composer, dies at 72
- 1926Theo van Rysselberghe: Belgian Painter (pointillism), dies at 64
- 1928Theodore Roberts: Actor (Roaring Road, 10 Commandments), dies at 77
Historical events on December 15
- 0687St. Sergius I begins his reign as Catholic Pope succeeding Conon
- 1124Chancellor Haimeric selects Pope (Lamberto becomes Honorius II)
- 1488Bartholomeus Diaz returns to Portugal after sailing round Cape of Good Hope
- 1569Westmoreland flees to Scotland
- 1582Leidse university names Rembert Dodoens prof of botany / medicine
- 1582Spanish Netherlands / Denmark / Norway adopt Gregorian calendar
- 1586Laevinus Torrentius, becomes Bishop of Antwerp
- 1593State of Holland grants patent on windmill with crankshaft
- 1612Simon Marius, is 1st to observe Andromeda galaxy through a telescope
- 1660Philippines: Andres Malongs rebels plunders Bagnotan
- 1664English colonizing Connecticut
- 1667Brandenburg declares himself neutral in Devolutie War
- 1680Tax revolt on Terschelling due to tax on cereal
- 1745Battle at Kesseldorf: Prussia beats Saksen and Austria
- 17911st US law school established at University of Pennsylvania
- 1791Bill of Rights ratified when Virginia gave its approval
- 17921st life insurance policy issued in US (Philadelphia)
- 1794Revolutionary Tribunal abolished in France
- 18101st Irish magazine in US, Shamrock, is published
- 1811Earthquake hits New Madrid, Missouri
- 1815Rossini gets assignment for Il barbiere di Siviglia
- 18201st General pharmacopoeia in US published, Boston
- 1836Patent Office burns in Washington, DC
- 18541st street-cleaning machine in US 1st used in Philadelphia
- 1859GR Kirchoff describes chemical composition of Sun
- 1864Battle of Nashville, Tennessee
- 1864Raid on Stoneman: Abingdon and Glade Springs, Virginia
- 18741st reigning King to visit US (of Hawaii) received by President Grant
- 1877Thomas Edison patents phonograph
- 1891James Naismith invents basketball (Canada)
Born on December 15
- 0037Nero Claudius Augustus Germanicus: 5th Emperor of Rome (54-68)
- 1534Lucas Osiander: Composer
- 1567Christoph Demantius: Composer
- 1574Samuel Besler: Composer
- 1610David Teniers II: Flemish courtpainter (Theatrum Pictorium)
- 1648Gregory King: English statistician (Natural & Political Observations)
- 1657Michel-Richard Delalande: Composer
- 1667Ludwig Ernst: Composer
- 1720J F Beck: Writer
- 1735Cesare Beccaria-Bonesana: Italian lawyer
- 1765Philippe-Jacques Pfeffinger: Composer
- 1778Godert AGP Baron van der Capellen: Dutch Governor-General (Dutch-Indies)
- 1787Charles Cowden Clarke: English editor / Shakespearean critic
- 1793Henry Charles Carey: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -- Economist (Principles of Poli Economy)
- 1803August Freyer: Composer
- 1812Isidor Dannstrom: Composer
- 1821Auguste Emmanuel Vaucorbeil: Composer
- 1822Edward Stephen: Composer
- 1823Friedrich Gottlieb Schwencke: Composer
- 1832Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel: French engineer (Eiffel tower)
- 1836Edmond Picard: French / Belgian lawyer / writer (La forge Roussel)
- 1842Henry Gadsby: Composer
- 1848Edwin Howland Blashfield: Decorated the dome of Library of Congress
- 1852Antoine Henri Becquerel: Discovered radioactivity (Nobel 1903)
- 1852Tewfik Pasja: Khedive (viceroy) of Egypt
- 1853Jean B A Kessler: Director of Oil on Dutch Indies
- 1857Eugeniusz Pankiewicz: Composer
- 1859Ludwik L Zamenhof: Russian Poland, Physician / linguist (Esperanto)
- 1860Niels Ryberg Finsen: Denmark -- Physician / phototherapist (Nobel 1903)
- 1861Charles Edgar Duryea: Inventor (1st auto built and operated in US)
Died on December 15
- 1025Basilius II [the Bulgarendoder]: Byzantine Emperor (976-1025)
- 1230Ottokar I: King of Bohemia (1197-1230)
- 1515Alfonso de Albuquerque: Viceroy of Portuguese Indies
- 1576Joachim Hopperus [Hoppers]: Frisian lawyer / politician, dies at 53
- 1598Philip van Marnix: Flemish ruler of St Aldegonde / poet, dies at 58
- 1626Adriaen de Vries: Dutch Sculptor / painter, dies at about 70
- 1675John Vermeer: Dutch Painter (Love Letter), dies at 43
- 1688Gaspar Fagel: Lawyer / Netherlands grand pensionary (1672-88), dies at 54
- 1699Henrik A van Reede tot Drakenstein: Dutch botanist, dies at about 63
- 1712Sidney 1st Earl of Godolphine: English Minister of Finance, dies at 67
- 1715George Hickes: English linguist (Old German Philology), dies at 73
- 1779Manuel Jeronimo Romero de Avila: Composer, dies at 62
- 1792Joseph Martin Kraus: Composer, dies at 36
- 1816Joseph Franz Maximilian Lobkowitz: Composer, dies at 44
- 1817Maria Walewska [Leszczinska]: Lover of Emperor Napoleon I
- 1822Ferenc Verseghy: Composer, dies at 65
- 1826William Browser: Revolting slave, executed in New York City
- 1831Paul R Cantzlaar: Gov of Saba / Curacao / Dutch-West Indies, dies at 60
- 1839Matthijs I van Bree: Flemish court-painter, dies at 66
- 1861Gualtiero Sanelli: Composer, dies at 45
- 1880Carlo Boncompagni di Mombello: Ital Minister of Justice, dies at 76
- 1889Ferdinand II A F A: King of Portugal, dies at 73
- 1890Sitting Bull: Hunkpapa-Sioux chief (Little Big Horn), killed by US
- 1892Charles Balmer: Composer, dies at 75
- 1896John GR Acquoy: Dutch Theologist / church historian, dies at 67
- 1901Elias Alvares Lobo: Composer, dies at 67
- 1909Francisco Tarrega y Eixea: Composer, dies at 57
- 1934Maggis Lena Walker: 1st US (black) woman to head a bank, dies at 69
- 1943Thomas W "Fats" Waller: Jazz pianist, dies at 39 in Kansas City, Missouri
- 1944Glenn Miller: US band leader / jazz composer, dies at 40
Events on Dec 16
- 0882Marinus I begins his reign as Catholic Pope succeeding John VIII
- 1431King Henry VI of England crowned King of France
- 1538King Francois I orders renewed pursuit of Protestants
- 1631Mount Vesuvious, Italy erupts, destroys 6 villages and kills 4,000
- 1653Oliver Cromwell sworn in as English Lord Protector
- 1659General Monck demands free parliamentary election in Scotland
- 1689English Parliament adopts Bill of Rights after Glorious Revolution
- 1740Prussian Libya falls to Silezie
- 1761Russian army occupies Kolberg
- 1767Van Ritter von Glucks opera "Alceste" premiers
- 1773Big tea party in Boston harbor-indians welcome (Boston Tea Party)
- 1809Napoleon Bonaparte divorces Empress Josephine by French Senate
- 18118.0 earthquake shakes New Madrid, Missouri
- 1817Leaders of Molukkas uprising hanged in Ambon
- 1824Great North Holland Canal opens
- 1835Fire consumes over 600 buildings in New York City
- 1838Boers beat Zulu chieftain Dingaan in South Africa
- 1857Earthquake in Naples, Italy
- 1858Dutch government decides to vacate Schokland Island
- 1862Kingdom of Nepal accepts its constitution
- 1864Battle of Nashville ends after 4400 casualities
- 1880Republic of South-Africa forms
- 1886Rift at Dutch Reformed Church over "Doleantie"
- 1890Negro Methodist Episcopal Church founded in Jackson, Tennessee
- 18971st submarine with an internal combustion engine demonstrated
- 1900Boer army under General Kritzinger take Cape colony
- 1901Boer general Kritzinger captured
- 1903Majestic Theater, NYC, becomes 1st in US to employ women ushers
- 1905"Variety, " covering all phases of show business, 1st published
- 1907Eugene H Farrar is 1st to sing on radio (Brooklyn Navy Yard NY)
Born on Dec 16
- 1485Catherine of Aragon: Spanish Princess / 1st Wife of Henry VIII
- 1622Kurt S Adeler: Danish Admiral / ship builder
- 1652Giovanni Maria Casini: Composer
- 1734Georg Peter Weimar: Composer
- 1748Ferdinand-Philippe-Joseph Staes: Composer
- 1775Francois-Adrien Boieldieu: Composer
- 1775Jane Austin: England, United Kingdom -- Novelist (Pride & Prejudice)
- 1777Janos Fusz: Composer
- 1809Peter P van Bosse: Dutch attorney / liberal Minister of Finance
- 1812William Grose: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1900
- 1819Robert Selden Garnett: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1861
- 1822Charles Edward Horsley: Composer
- 1825Henry Heth: Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1899
- 1825Robert Prescott Stewart: Composer
- 1827John A C Oudemans: Dutch geographer / astronomer
- 1828John Beatty: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1914
- 1830John Frederick Hartranft: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1889
- 1847Augusta Mary Anne Holmes: Composer
- 1851Theodoor H de Meester: Dutch Premier (1905-08)
- 1863George Santayana: Spain -- Philosopher / poet / humanist (Last Puritan)
- 1863Ralph Adams Cram: United States -- Gothic architect (Cathedral of St Joan NYC)
- 1865Victor Rousseau: Belgian sculptor
- 1869Albert F Pollard: British historian (Dict of natural biography)
- 1879William Duncan: Scotland, United Kingdom -- Actor (Thunder Trail)
- 1882Walther Meissner: German physicist (Meissner effect)
- 1883Max Linder: Caverne, France -- Actor / comic / director (Max Prend un Bain)
- 1888Alphonse Juin: French marshal
- 1890Harlan Sanders: Founder / CEO (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
- 1893Vladimir Golschmann: Paris, France -- Conductor with Immortal Downbeat
- 1895Lidj Jasu: Emperor of Ethiopia
Died on Dec 16
- 0875Ado of Vienne: French Archbishop of Vienne, dies at about 75
- 0882John VIII: Italian Pope (872-82)
- 0999Adelheid the Saint: German empress of Otto I / saint, dies at about 68
- 1404Albrecht of Bavaria: Duke of Bavaria, dies at about 74
- 1670Dorothy: 1st English Marquis of Halifax
- 1672John II Casimir Vasa: Cardinal / King of Poland (1648-68), dies at 63
- 1719Adrian "Aart" van Wijck: Dutch Theologist (anti-jansenism), dies at 78
- 1774Francois Quesnay: French personal Physician of Louis XIV, dies at 80
- 1781Georg Simon Lohlein: Composer, dies at 56
- 1783Johann Adolf Hasse: Dutch operatic Composer (Sesostrate), dies at 84
- 1790Ludwig August Lebrun: Composer, dies at 38
- 1816Vincenzo Galeotti [Tomazelli]: Ital dancer / choreographer, dies at 73
- 1833Friedrich August Kanne: Composer, dies at 55
- 1852Andries H Potgieter: South African / Transvaal explorer, dies at 59
- 1852Henri-Jean Rigel: Composer, dies at 80
- 1859Wilhelm Grimm: Writer, dies at 73
- 1861Karol Joseph Lipinski: Composer, dies at 71
- 1870Stanislaw Duniecki: Composer, dies at 31
- 1871Willibald Alexis: German writer (Schloss Avalon), dies at 73
- 1874Abraham Capadose: Physician / missionary, dies at 79
- 1897Alphonse Daudet: Writer, dies at 57
- 1897L-M Alphonse Daudet: Frans writer (Tartarin sur les Alpes), dies at 57
- 1914Ivan Zajc: Composer, dies at 82
- 1916Grigori Rasputin: A powerful Russian monk, murdered
- 1920Ma [the Benovelent]: Chinese muslim rebel (holy war)
- 1921Charles Camille Saint-Saens: French composer, dies at 86
- 1922Gabriel Narutowicz: 1st President of Poland (Dec 7-16, 1922), assassinated
- 1923Pongrac Kacsoh: Composer, dies at 50
- 1927Hugh Archibald Clarke: Composer, dies at 88
- 1931Gustave J Waffelaert: Flemish Theologist / Bishop of Bruges, dies at 82