February 15 in History

52 events 438 – 2021

February 15 spans 52 recorded events across recorded history — from 438 – 2021. Below is a curated digest of the most significant moments tied to this date.

By · Wikipedia

A meteor explodes over Russia, injuring 1,500 people as a shock wave blows out w

2013 — A meteor explodes over Russia, injuring 1,500 people as a shock wave blows out windows and rocks buildings

This happens unexpectedly only hours before the expected closest ever approach of the larger and unrelated asteroid 2012 DA14.

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The Chelyabinsk meteor was estimated to have released around 500 kilotons of energy, approximately 30 times the energy released by the atomic bomb detonated in Hiroshima.

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The impact area was located in the Chelyabinsk Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, with a population of around 3.5 million people.

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Scientists from the Urals Federal University were among the first to investigate the meteor's remnants and gather data on its composition.

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The European Space Agency and NASA tracked the asteroid 2012 DA14, which safely passed by Earth just 16 hours after the Chelyabinsk meteor explosion.

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Russian authorities reported that over 7,200 buildings were damaged in the blast, including 6 schools and 15 healthcare facilities, with total damages estimated at around 1 billion rubles.


Roman emperor Theodosius II publishes the law codex Codex Theodosianus.
Roman civilisation from the 8th century BC to the 5th century AD
In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman civilisation from the founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC), the Roman Republic (509‍–‍27 BC), and the Roman Empire until the fall of the western empire.
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438
Khosrau II is crowned king of Persia.
Emperor of the Sasanian Empire from 590 to 628
Khosrow II, commonly known as Khosrow Parviz, is considered to be the last great monarch of pre-Islamic Iran, ruling the Sasanian Empire from 590 to 628, including an interruption of one year.
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590
Byzantine emperor Justinian II has his predecessors Leontios and Tiberios III publicly executed in the Hippodrome of Constantinople.
Continuation of the Roman Empire (330–1453)
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, it endured until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. The term 'Byzantine Empire' was coined only after its demise; its citizens used the term 'Roman Empire' and called themselves 'Romans'.
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706
At an assembly at Pavia of Lombard nobles, Arduin of Ivrea is restored to his domains and crowned King of Italy.
Comune in Lombardy, Italy
Pavia is a town and comune in south-western Lombardy, Northern Italy, 35 kilometres south of Milan on the lower Ticino near its confluence with the Po. It has a population of about 73,086.
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1002
Pope Paschal II issues Pie Postulatio Voluntatis, recognizing the Order of Hospitallers.
Head of the Catholic Church from 1099 to 1118
Pope Paschal II, born Raniero Raineri di Bleda, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 August 1099 to his death in 1118. A monk of the Abbey of Cluny, he was created the cardinal-priest of San Clemente by Pope Gregory VII (1073–85) in 1073. He was consecrated as pope in succession to Pope Urban II (1088–99) on 19 August 1099. His reign of almost twenty years was exceptionally long for a medieval pope.
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1113
During the Anglo-French War (1213–1214), an English invasion force led by John, King of England, lands at La Rochelle in France.
Conquest war of Philip II against England
The Anglo-French War was a major medieval conflict that pitted the Kingdom of France against the Kingdom of England and various other states. It was fought in an attempt to curb the rising power of King Philip II of France and regain the Angevin continental possessions King John of England lost to him a decade earlier. It is widely regarded as the first anti-French coalition war and came to an end at the decisive Battle of Bouvines at which Philip defeated England and its allies.
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1214
While on board the Niña, Christopher Columbus writes an open letter (widely distributed upon his return to Portugal) describing his discoveries and the unexpected items he came across in the New World.
One of the ships in Columbus' voyage to the West Indies
La Niña was one of the three Spanish ships used by Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus in his first voyage to the West Indies in 1492. As was tradition for Spanish ships of the day, she bore a female saint's name, Santa Clara. However, she was commonly referred to by her nickname, La Niña, which was probably a pun on the name of her owner, Juan Niño of Moguer. She was a standard caravel-type vessel.
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1493
Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor.
Holy Roman Emperor from 1637 to 1657
Ferdinand III was Archduke of Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia from 1625, King of Bohemia from 1627 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1637 to his death.
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1637
Constantin Cantemir, Prince of Moldavia, and the Holy Roman Empire sign a secret treaty in Sibiu, stipulating that Moldavia would support the actions led by the House of Habsburg against the Ottoman Empire.
Moldavian nobleman (1612–1693)
Constantin or Constantine Cantemir was a Moldavian nobleman, soldier, and statesman who served as voivode between 25 June 1685 and 27 March 1693. He established the Cantemir dynasty which—with interruptions—ruled Moldavia prior to the imposition of phanariot rule.
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1690
The city of St.
Louis is established in Spanish Louisiana (now in Missouri, USA).
St. Louis is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while its metropolitan area, which extends into Illinois, had an estimated population of over 2.8 million. It is the largest metropolitan area in Missouri and the second-largest in Illinois. The city's combined statistical area is the 20th-largest in the United States.
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1764
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Born on February 15

20 people 1986 – 2004
Šimon Nemec
Šimon Nemec
Slovak ice hockey player
Šimon Nemec is a Slovak professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted second overall by the Devils in the 2022 NHL entry draft, the…
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2004
Jakub Kiwior
Jakub Kiwior
Polish footballer
Jakub Piotr Kiwior is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Primeira Liga club Porto, on loan from Premier League club Arsenal, and the Poland national team.
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2000
Zachary Gordon
Zachary Gordon
American actor
Zachary Adam Gordon is an American actor. He played the lead role of Greg Heffley in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid film series (2010–2012), which earned him nominations for a Kids' Choice Award and seven Young Artist Awards.…
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1998
George Russell
George Russell
English racing driver
George William Russell is a British racing driver who competes in Formula One for Mercedes. Russell has won six Formula One Grands Prix across eight seasons.
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1998
Derrick Jones Jr.
Derrick Jones Jr.
American basketball player
Derrick Labrent Jones Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. He is…
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1997
Justin Reid
Justin Reid
American football player
Justin Quintin Reid is an American professional football safety for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal. He was selected by the Houston…
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1997
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion
American rapper
Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper, songwriter and actress. She gained recognition when videos of her freestyling went viral on social media, leading her to sign…
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1995
Sodapoppin
Sodapoppin
American Twitch streamer and internet personality
Thomas Chance Morris, known professionally as Sodapoppin, is an American Twitch streamer and YouTuber. He has one of the largest followings on Twitch, with over 8.9 million followers as of November 26, 2024; he also has…
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1994
Ravi
Ravi
South Korean rapper
Kim Won-sik, better known by his stage name Ravi (라비), is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and founder of the record label Groovl1n and The L1VE. He is a former member of the South Korean boy…
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1993
Geoffrey Kondogbia
Geoffrey Kondogbia
Central African footballer
Geoffrey Edwin Kondogbia is a professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Marseille, which he captains. Primarily a defensive midfielder, he has also played centre-back on occasion.
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1993
Manuel Lanzini
Manuel Lanzini
Argentine footballer
Manuel Lanzini is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Argentine Primera División club Vélez Sarsfield.
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1993
Ángel Sepúlveda
Ángel Sepúlveda
Mexican footballer
Ángel Baltazar Sepúlveda Sánchez is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga MX club Guadalajara and the Mexico national team.
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1991
Rich Swann
Rich Swann
American wrestler
Richard Anthony Swann is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is a former member of First Class. In TNA, he is a former Impact World Champion, TNA World…
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1991
Callum Turner
Callum Turner
English actor
Callum Robilliard Turner is an English actor. After working as a fashion model, he began working in film and television. He had lead roles in the drama film Queen and Country (2014) and the mystery miniseries Glue…
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1990
Mark Canha
Mark Canha
American baseball player
Mark David Canha is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, New York Mets, Milwaukee…
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1989
Papu Gómez
Papu Gómez
Argentine footballer
Alejandro Darío "Papu" Gómez Villaverde is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward, left winger or attacking midfielder for Italian Serie B club Padova.
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1988
Rui Patrício
Rui Patrício
Portuguese footballer
Rui Pedro dos Santos Patrício is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
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1988
Valeri Bojinov
Valeri Bojinov
Bulgarian footballer
Valeri Emilov Bojinov is a Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for eighteen different clubs during his various spells in Italy, as well as in England, Portugal, Bulgaria, Serbia,…
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1986
Johnny Cueto
Johnny Cueto
Dominican baseball player
Johnny Cueto Ortiz is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Chicago…
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1986
Amber Riley
Amber Riley
American actress and singer
Amber Patrice Riley sometimes known mononymously as Riley, is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is best known for her portrayal of Mercedes Jones on the Fox comedy-drama series Glee (2009–2015). For her…
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1986
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Died on February 15

20 people 2012 – 2026
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall
American actor and filmmaker (born 1931)
Robert Selden Duvall was an American actor, filmmaker, and producer, best known for his roles in films of the later 20th century. Duvall began acting professionally on stage in 1952, performing in summer plays at the…
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2026
George Armitage
George Armitage
American film director (born 1942)
George Brendan Armitage was an American filmmaker and writer best known for directing the films Miami Blues (1990) and Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), as well as for frequent collaborations with Roger Corman.
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2025
Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa
Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa
Portuguese businessman (born 1937)
Jorge Nuno de Lima Pinto da Costa was a Portuguese sports executive, who was president of Portuguese sports club Porto from 1982 until 2024. He was the president with most titles won (69) in the history of football and…
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2025
Muhsin Hendricks
Muhsin Hendricks
South African imam, Islamic scholar and LGBT activist (born 1967)
Muhsin Hendricks was a South African imam, Islamic scholar and LGBTQ activist. He was involved in various LGBTQ Muslim advocacy groups and was an advocate for greater acceptance of LGBTQ people within Islam. He has been…
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2025
Raquel Welch
Raquel Welch
American actress and singer (born 1940)
Jo Raquel Welch was an American actress. Welch first gained attention for her role in Fantastic Voyage (1966), after which she signed a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her contract to the British…
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2023
Bappi Lahiri
Bappi Lahiri
Indian singer, composer and record producer (born 1952)
Bappi Aparesh Lahiri, also known as Bappi Da, was an Indian singer, composer and record producer. He popularised the use of synthesised disco music in Indian music industry and sang some of his own compositions. He was…
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2022
P.J. O'Rourke
P.J. O'Rourke
American author, humorist, and journalist (born 1947)
Patrick Jake O'Rourke was an American author, journalist, and political satirist who wrote twenty-two books on subjects as diverse as politics, cars, etiquette, and economics. His books Parliament of Whores and Give War…
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2022
Caroline Flack
Caroline Flack
English actress and TV presenter (born 1979)
Caroline Louise Flack was an English television presenter. Flack grew up in Norfolk and took an interest in dancing and theatre while at school. She began her professional career as an actress, starring in the comedy…
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2020
Lee Radziwill
Lee Radziwill
American socialite (born 1933)
Princess Caroline Lee Radziwill, previously known as Lee Canfield and Lee Ross, was an American socialite, public relations executive, and interior designer. She was the younger sister of former First Lady Jacqueline…
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2019
Stuart McLean
Stuart McLean
Canadian radio broadcaster (born 1948)
Andrew Stuart McLean, was a Canadian radio broadcaster, humorist, monologist, and author, best known as the host of the CBC Radio program The Vinyl Cafe. Often described as a "story-telling comic" although his stories…
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2017
George Gaynes
George Gaynes
Finnish-American actor (born 1917)
George Gaynes was a Dutch-American singer, actor, and voice artist. Born to a Dutch father and a Russian mother in the Grand Duchy of Finland of the Russian Empire, he served in the Royal Netherlands Navy during World…
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2016
Vanity
Vanity
Canadian-American singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress (born 1959)
Denise Katherine Matthews, known professionally as Vanity, was a Canadian singer, songwriter, dancer, model, and actress. Known for her image as a sex symbol in the 1980s, in the 1990s she renounced her career as Vanity…
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2016
Haron Amin
Haron Amin
Afghan diplomat, Afghan Ambassador to Japan (born 1969)
Mohammad Haron Amin was the Afghan ambassador to Japan from 2004–2009. He is also known for his role as spokesman for the Northern Alliance during the U.S.-led invasion of his country after the events of September 11,…
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2015
Arnaud de Borchgrave
Arnaud de Borchgrave
American journalist and author (born 1926)
Arnaud Charles Paul Marie Philippe de Borchgrave was a Belgian–American journalist who specialized in international politics. Following a long career with the news magazine Newsweek, covering 17 wars in 30 years as a…
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2015
Steve Montador
Steve Montador
Canadian ice hockey player (born 1979)
Steven Richard "The Matador" Montador was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 571 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins,…
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2015
Thelma Estrin
Thelma Estrin
American computer scientist and engineer (born 1924)
Thelma Estrin was an American computer scientist and engineer who did pioneering work in the fields of expert systems and biomedical engineering. Estrin was one of the first to apply computer technology to healthcare…
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2014
Christopher Malcolm
Christopher Malcolm
Scottish-Canadian actor, director, and producer (born 1946)
Christopher Malcolm was a Scottish-Canadian actor, director, and producer. He first achieved notoriety for his role as Brad Majors in the original stage production of The Rocky Horror Show.
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2014
Sanan Kachornprasart
Sanan Kachornprasart
Thai general and politician (born 1935)
Sanan Kachornprasart was a Thai politician and military officer. He was deputy prime minister in the cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva, and was chief advisor of Chartthaipattana Party.
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2013
Ahmed Rajib Haider
Bangladeshi atheist blogger
Ahmed Rajib Haider was a Bangladeshi atheist blogger. He used to blog in the blogging communities namely somewhereinblog.net, amarblog.com and nagorikblog.com and used the pseudonym Thaba Baba.
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2013
Cyril Domb
English-Israeli physicist and academic (born 1920)
Cyril Domb FRS was a British-Israeli theoretical physicist, best known for his lecturing and writing on the theory of phase transitions and critical phenomena of fluids. He was also known in the Orthodox Jewish world…
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2012
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Related questions

More questions about February 15

What happened on February 15?

A featured event on this date is 2013: A meteor explodes over Russia, injuring 1,500 people as a shock wave blows out windows and rocks buildings. This happens unexpectedly only hours before the expected closest ever approach of the larger and unrelated asteroid 2012 DA14. This page also lists 52 events from other years on the same day.

Why is February 15 remembered in history?

February 15 brings together events, births, and deaths across many eras, which makes it useful for seeing how one calendar date connects different historical turning points.

Who was born on February 15?

Notable birthdays on this date include Šimon Nemec, Jakub Kiwior, Zachary Gordon.

See birthdays

Who died on February 15?

Notable deaths on this date include Robert Duvall, George Armitage, Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa.

See deaths
Short answer

What happened on February 15 in history?

On February 15, one notable event in history was 2013: A meteor explodes over Russia, injuring 1,500 people as a shock wave blows out windows and rocks buildings. This happens unexpectedly only hours before the expected closest ever approach of the larger and unrelated asteroid 2012 DA14..

This date currently highlights 52 recorded events on thisDay.info, spanning 438 – 2021.

DateFebruary 15
Featured year2013
LocationHistorical Location
Events listed52

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