What Happened on August 22

Significant Events

  • 1485 Battle of Bosworth Field - Henry Tudor's forces defeat English King Richard III during last battle in the Wars of the Roses
  • 1639 Madras (now Chennai), India, founded by the British East India Company on sliver of land bought from local Nayak rulers
  • 1642 Civil War in England began between Royalists & Parliament
  • 1864 First Geneva Convention adopted in Geneva "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field"
  • 1945 Vietnam conflict begins as Ho Chi Minh leads a successful coup
More Historical Events

Did You Know?

The first air raid in history; Austria launches pilotless balloons against the Italian city of Venice

On August 22, 1849

Famous Birthdays

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Would You Believe?

St Columba reports seeing monster in Loch Ness

On August 22, 565

Famous Weddings

  • 1848 Soldier and later US President Ulysses Grant (26) marries Julia Dent
  • 1900 Oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny (44) weds Carrie Estelle Betzold in New Mexico Territory
  • 1925 Prime Minister of Canada Lester B. Pearson (28) weds teacher Maryon Elspeth Moody (23)
  • 1931 FBI agent Melvin Purvis (27) weds childhood sweetheart Marie Rosanne Willcox at St. John's Episcopal Church in Florence, South Carolina
  • 1944 Writer Jack Kerouac (22) weds author Edie Kerouac Parker

Famous Divorces

  • 1968 Cynthia Lennon sues Beatle member John Lennon for divorce on grounds of adultry
  • 2011 Actress Melissa Gilbert (47) divorces actor Bruce Boxleitner (61) due to irreconcilable differences after 16 long years of marriage
  • 2012 "General Hospital" actress Vanessa Marcil (39) divorces actor Carmine Giovinazzo (44) due to irreconcilable differences after 2 years of marriage
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Famous Deaths

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August in History