Events on May 4
- 1303Flemings conquers Middelburg
- 1471Battle of Tewkesbury - King Edward IV vs. Ex-queen Margaretha
- 1493Spanish Pope Alexander VI divides America between Spain and Portugal
- 1494Christopher Columbus lands in Jamaica
- 1540Venice and Turkey sign Treaty of Constantinople
- 1572Veere sides with Geuzen
- 1626Indians sell Manhattan Island for $24 in cloth and buttons
- 1626Peter Minuit becomes Director-General of New Netherlands
- 1634Johan van Walbeecks fleet departs to West-Indies
- 1652Battle at Etampes: French army under Turenne beats Fronde rebels
- 1715French manufacturer debuts 1st folding umbrella (Paris)
- 1747Willem IV appointed Viceroy of Overijssel
- 1776Rhode Island declares independence from England
- 1780American Academy of Arts and Science founded
- 1780Charles Bunbury on Diomed wins 1st Epsom Derby
- 1783Herschel reports seeing a red glow near lunar crater Aristarchus
- 1805Henry C Overing buys 80 acres of Throggs Neck in Bronx
- 1814Bourbon reign restored in France
- 1818Netherlands and England sign treaty against illegal slave handling
- 1839The Cunard Steamship Company Ltd forms San Bonifacio
- 1843Great-Britain annexes Natal
- 1846US state Michigan ends death penalty
- 1847New York State creates a Board of Commissioners of Emigration
- 18511st major SF fire
- 1861At Gretna LA, one of 1st guns of Rebel navy is cast
- 1862Yorktown, VA - McClellan halted his troop before town as it is full of armed torpedoes left by CS Brigadier General Gabrial Rains
- 1863Battle of Chancellorsville-action at Salem Church
- 1863End of Chancellorsville - Beaten Union army withdraws
- 1864Ulysses S Grant crosses Rapidan and begins his duel with Robert E Lee
- 1865Battle of Citronville, AL; Richard Taylor surrenders
Born on May 4
- 1006Abd-Allah Ansari: Persian mystic / poet (Monadjat)
- 1611Carlo Rainaldi: Composer
- 1631Mary I Henriette Stuart: Daughter of Charles I / Queen of England
- 1635Willem van Outhoorn: Dutch Governor-General (Dutch East Indies)
- 1655Bartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori: Italy -- Piano builder
- 1738Josef Kohaut: Composer
- 1744Marianne von Martinez: Composer
- 1763Franz Stanislaus Spindler: Composer
- 1769Charles Hague: Composer
- 1776Johann Friedrich Herbart: Germany -- Philosopher / psychologist
- 1777Charles-Louis-Joseph Hanssens: Composer
- 1796Horace Mann: United States -- Educator / author / editor (pioneered public schools)
- 1796Joseph Pannell Taylor: Brigadier General (Union Army), died in 1864
- 1820Julia Gardiner Tyler: 2nd Wife of President John Tyler (1841-45)
- 1825Thomas Henry Huxley: Scientist / humanist / Darwinist
- 1826Frederick Church: US romantic landscape painter (Hudson River Sch)
- 1835Edmund Hart Turpin: Composer
- 1860Emil Nikolaus Von Reznicek: Vienna, Austria -- Composer (Donna Diana)
- 1867Dynam-Victor Fumet: Composer
- 1871Mynona: Writer
- 1875Ramiro de Maeztu y Whitney: Spanish writer (Don Quixote & Celestine)
- 1877Arthur Lang: United States -- Boxer / businessman (Died August 8, 1992 at 115)
- 1881Aleksandr F Kerenski: Russian Premier (1917-Prelude to Bolshevism)
- 1882Wilhelm Lehmann: Writer
- 1889Francis J Spellman: US Cardinal
- 1891Frederick Jacobi: Composer
- 1891Johan W F Werumeus Buning: Dutch poet (Daily Bread)
- 1893Edgar Dearing: Ceres, California -- Actor (Abraham Lincoln, Free & Easy)
- 1893Royal Butler [Edwin Richey]: Atlanta, Georgia -- Actor
- 1902Cola [Nicolas] Debrot: Bonaire Governor (Netherlands Antilles) / author
Died on May 4
- 1594Paul Buys: Grand Pensionary of Holland, dies at 62
- 1605Ulisse Aldrovandi: Italian biologist / medical, dies at 82
- 1752Pieter Snyers: Flemish Painter / engraver, dies at 71
- 1770Christian Gottfried Krause: Composer, dies at 51
- 1832Jan van Speyck: Dutch Admiral, buried in New Church
- 1855Camille Pleyel: Austria piano builder / composer, dies at 66
- 1879William Froude: British Civil Engineer / shipbuilder (F Integer), dies at 68
- 1885Aleksandar I Karadjordjevic: Monarch of Serbia (1842-58), dies at 78
- 1891Sherlock Holmes: "dies" at Reichenbach Falls
- 1893George Washington Hewitt: Composer, dies at 82
- 1928Barry E Odell Pain: English writer (Punch), dies at 63
- 1929Henry Morton Dunham: Composer, dies at 75
- 1938Carl von Ossietzky: German pacifist / writer (Nobel 1935), dies at 48
- 1953Edward B B Shanks: British Poet / critic, dies at 60
- 1953Thomas Tertius Noble: Composer, dies at 85
- 1955Georges Enescu: Romanian / French violist / Composer (Oedipe), dies at 73
- 1955Louis Breguet: French aviation pioneer, dies at 75
- 1961Anita Stewart: Dies of heart attack at 66
- 1965Norman Brokenshire: TV moderator (Four Square Court), dies at 66
- 1966Juan Maria Thomas Sabater: Composer, dies at 69
- 1967Bengt Axel von Torne: Composer, dies at 75
- 1969F Osbert S Sitwell: English Poet (Who Killed Cock Robin?), dies at 76
- 19704 students at Kent State University killed by Ohio National Guard
- 1971Donald Dexter Van Slyke: US chemist (Cyanosis), dies at 88
- 1971Joseph Csaky: Hungarian / French sculptor, dies at 83
- 1971Louis de Bree [Louis C Davids]: Dutch actor (Bluejackets), dies at 87
- 1973Jane Bowles: Writer, dies at 56
- 1974Israel Citkowitz: Composer, dies at 65
- 1974John Wengraf: Actor (Pride & Passion, 12 to the Moon), dies at 77
- 1975Moe Howard [Moses Horowitz]: Comedian (3 Stooges), dies at 77
Historical events on May 5
- 05532nd Council of Constantinople (5th ecumenical council) opens
- 1382Battle of Beverhoutsveld - population beats drunken army
- 1430Jews are expelled from Speyer Germany
- 1494On 2nd voyage to New World, Christopher Columbus sights Jamaica
- 1640English Short Parliament unites
- 1646King Charles I surrenders at Scotland
- 1665Nicolaas Witsen visits patriarch Nikon in Moscow
- 1764Smolny-institution forms in St. Petersburg for noble girls
- 17802nd oldest learned society in US (American Academy of Arts & Sciences) forms (Boston)
- 1789French States-General for It first since 1614 together
- 1809Citizenship is denied to Jews of Canton of Aargau Switzerland
- 1809Mary Kies is 1st woman issued a US patent (weaving straw)
- 1814British attack Ft Ontario, Oswego, New York
- 1816American Bible Society organized (NY)
- 1835King Leopold opens Brussels-Mechelen railway
- 1842City-wide fire burns for over 100 hours (Hamburg Germany)
- 1847American Medical Association organized (Philadelphia)
- 1854English pirate Plumridge robs along pro-English Finnish coast
- 1855New York City regains Castle Clinton, to be used for immigration
- 1861Alexandria, VA - CS troops abandon city
- 1862French army intervenes in Puebla, Mexico: Cinco de Mayo
- 1862Peninsular Campaign-Battle of Williamsburg, Virginia
- 1863Battle of Tupelo, Mississippi
- 1863Joe Coburn KOs Mike McCoole for US boxing title in 63rd round
- 1864Atlanta Campaign-5 days fighting begins at Rocky Face Ridge
- 1864Battle between Confederate and Union ships at mouth of Roanoke
- 1864Battle of Wilderness, VA (Germanna Ford, Wilderness Tavern)
- 1864Campaign in Northern Georgia - Chattanooga to Atlanta
- 18651st US train robbery (North Bend Ohio)
- 1874Dutch 2nd Chamber passes child labor law
Born on May 5
- 1352Ruprecht: Roman Catholic German King
- 1557Emmanuel-Philibert van Lalaing: Baron of Montigny / Marquis of Renty
- 1657Jacques Danican Philidor: Composer
- 1680Giuseppe Porsile: Composer
- 1715Daniel Dal Barba: Composer
- 1749Jean-Frederic Edelmann: Composer
- 1800Louis Hachette: French publisher (Librairie Hachette)
- 1804Jacob Kats: Flemish writer (Earthly Paradise)
- 1817George Washington Julian: MC (Union), died in 1899
- 1819Stanislaw Moniuszko: Polish composer
- 1823James Allen Hardie: Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1876
- 1832H H Bancroft: Historian, publisher (History of Pacific States)
- 1833Ferdinand von Richthofen: German geographer / explorer
- 1842Johann Nepomuk Fuchs: Composer
- 1846Federico Chueca: Composer
- 1846Henryk Sienkiewicz: Poland -- Author (Quo Vadis, Nobel 1905)
- 1848Adalbert von Goldschmidt: Composer
- 1849Hambletonian: Chester, New York -- Greatest standardbred horse
- 1854Antonio Smareglia: Composer
- 1862Max Elskamp: Belgian author / poet (Lesson Joies Blondes, Maya)
- 1863Frederik A Stoett: Linguist (Dutch Proverbs)
- 1865Felicjan Szopski: Composer
- 1867Nellie Bly [Elizabeth Cochran Seaman]: Journalist
- 1867Thomas Tertius Noble: Composer
- 1871Alberto Cametti: Composer
- 1879Symon Petlyura: Leader Ukraine (pogroms)
- 1883Leopold Samuel: Composer
- 1883Petar Konjovic: Composer
- 1884Wang Tjing-Wei: Premier China (1932-35)
- 1885Henri Velge: 1st Chairman (Belgian Council of State)
Died on May 5
- 0311Gaius VM Galerius: Emperor of Rome, dies at about 50
- 1194Kazimierz II [the Justified]: Grand Duke of Poland (1177-94)
- 1309Charles II [the Lame]: King of Naples (1285-1309)
- 1504Anton of Burgundy [the Great Bastard]: Knight, dies at about 82
- 1525Frederik III [the Wise]: Ruler of Saxon (1486-1525), dies at 62
- 1582Charlotte de Bourbon: Princess of Orange
- 1613Johann Steuerlein: Composer, dies at 66
- 1678Anna M van Schurman: Dutch Poet / spoke 10 languages, dies at about 70
- 1702Jacob Hintze: Composer, dies at 79
- 1705Leopold I von Hapsburg: Emperor of Holy Roman Empire, dies at 64
- 1786Pedro III: King of Portugal
- 1801Philippe-Lambert-Joseph Spruyt: Flemish Painter / engraver, dies at 74
- 1821Napoleon I Bonaparte: Emperor France (1799-1815), dies in St Helena
- 1827Frederik Augustus I: Justified, King of Saxon (1806-27), dies at 76
- 1831Friedrich Ludwig Seidel: Composer, dies at 65
- 1837Niccolo Antonio Zingarelli: Italian Composer / bandmaster, dies at 85
- 1840Gottlob Benedikt Bierey: Composer, dies at 67
- 1840Matthaus Fischer: Composer, dies at 76
- 1859Peter G L Dirichlet: German mathematician, dies at 53
- 1864Alexander Hays: US Union General Major, dies in battle at 44
- 1864John Marshall Jones: Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at 43
- 1864Leroy A Stafford: US Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at 42
- 1875Jan A C A van Nispen tot Sevenaer: Dutch MP (1848-75), dies at 71
- 1885Lauro Rossi: Composer, dies at 73
- 1886Joseph Albert: German photographer (Albertotype), dies at 61
- 1892Jan Nepomuk Skroup: Composer, dies at 80
- 1902Bret Harte: Writer, dies at 65
- 1909Pauline Staegeman: German feminist
- 1921Alfred H Fried: Austrian / German pacifist (Nobel 1911)
- 1927Charles Boissevain: Editor in chief (General Trade 1885-1908)
Events on May 6
- 1312Pope Clement V closes Council of Vienna
- 1476Emperor Frederik III of Habsburg and Duke Charles the Stout arrange marriage of their children
- 1527Spanish and German Imperial troops sack Rome; ending Renaissance
- 1529Battle at Gogra: Mogol Emperor Babur beats Afghans and Bengals
- 1536King Henry VIII, orders bible be placed in every church
- 1598Archduke Albrecht and Isabella become Monarch of Southern Netherlands
- 1626Dutch colonist Paul Minuit buys Manhattan for $24 in trinkets
- 1642Ville Marie (Montreal) forms
- 1644Johan Mauritius resigns as Governor of Brazil
- 1672Brandenburgs monarch Frederik Willem signs treaty with Netherlands
- 17331st international boxing match: Bob Whittaker beats Tito di Carni
- 1753French King Louis XV observes transit of Mercury at Mendon Castle
- 1757Battle at Prague: Frederik II of Prussia beats Emperor army
- 17871st Black Masonic Lodge (African # 459) forms Prince Hall, Boston
- 1804Suriname sold to English (until Feb, 1816)
- 1833John Deere makes 1st steel plow
- 18351st edition of New York Herald (price 1 cent)
- 18401st postage stamps (Penny Black) issued (Great Britain)
- 1844Johan Thorbecke argue general right to vote
- 1848Otto Tank ends slavery in Suriname colony
- 1851Dr John Gorrie patents a "refrigeration machine"
- 1851Linus Yale patents Yale-lock
- 1851New slave regulations go into effect in Suriname
- 1851San Francisco Chamber of Commerce starts
- 18531st major US rail disaster kills 46 (Norwalk, Connecticut)
- 1860San Francisco Olympic Club, 1st US athletic club forms
- 1861Arkansas and Tennessee becomes 9th and 10th state to secede from US
- 1861Jefferson Davis approves a bill declaring War between US and Confederacy
- 1864Battle of Wilderness - General Longstreet seriously injured
- 1864General Sherman begins advance to Atlanta, Georgia
Born on May 6
- 0973Henry II: Roman Catholic German King / Emperor (1002 / 14-24)
- 1501Marcellus II [Marcello Cervini]: Italy -- Humanist / Pope (1555, 22 days)
- 1581Frans Francken [the Younger]: Painter
- 1606Lorenzo Lippi [Perlone Zipoli]: Poet / painter
- 1758Maximilien Robespierre: Arras, France -- French revolutionary / avocat (1781)
- 1759Francois GJS Andrieux: French writer / politician
- 1769Ferdinand III: Archduke of Austria / ruler of Toscane
- 1785Arvir A Afzelius: Swedish story teller
- 1790Vaclav Vilem Wurfel: Composer
- 1800Ferdinand Marcucci: Composer
- 1801George Sears Greene: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1899
- 1802Friedrich Wilhelm Schirmer: Artist
- 1806Chapin Aaron Harris: United States -- Founder of the America Society of Dental Surgeons
- 1809William Walker: Composer
- 1812Marin R Delany: Charles Town, West Virginia -- 1st black major in US Medical Corp
- 1813Joseph Tarr Copeland: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1893
- 1814Wilhelm Ernst: Violinist / composer
- 1825Joseph Bailey: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1867
- 1829Phoebe Ann Coffin: 1st female ordained Minister in New England
- 1830Guido Gezelle: Flemish priest / poet
- 1838Alfred Humphreys Pease: Composer
- 1843Grove Karl Gilbert: Geologist, investigated Lake Bonneville, Utah
- 1849Wyatt Eaton: Artist
- 1858Georges Adolphe Hue: Composer
- 1859Willem J T Kloos: Dutch poet (Act of Simple Justice)
- 1861Radindranath Tagore: Hindu poet / mystic / composer (Nobel 1913)
- 1868Wladyslaw Stanislaw Reymont: Poland -- Novelist (Chiopi, Nobel-1924)
- 1869Joseph Cuvelier: Belgian historian / archivist
- 1870Amedos Peter Giannine: San Jose, California -- Founded Bank of America
- 1870John McClutcheon: Cartoonist (Pulitzer Prize-1931)
Died on May 6
- 0523Thrasamunde: King of Vandalen
- 0988Dirk II: West Frisian Count of Holland
- 1124Balak: Emir of Aleppo, murdered
- 1475Dieric Bouts: Dutch painter, dies at about 64
- 1527Karel van Bourbon: Military Governor (Lombardije), dies at 37
- 1540Jean Luis Vives: Spanish theory / humanist / reformer, dies at 48
- 1638Cornelius Jansen: Theologian (Jansenism)
- 1642Frans Francken [the Younger]: Flemish painter, dies on 61st birthday
- 1666Paul Siefert: Composer, dies at 79
- 1667Johann Jacob Froberger: German singer / Organist / composer, dies at 50
- 1678Joseph de La Barre: Composer, dies at 44
- 1727Catharina I: Latvia tsarina of Russia, dies at about 42
- 1739Bernardus Smijtegelt: Vicar (Gekrookte Reed), dies at 63
- 1794Jean-Jacques Beauvarget-Charpentier: Composer, dies at 59
- 1814George Joseph Vogler: Composer, dies at 64
- 1836Christian Ignatius Latrobe: Composer, dies at 78
- 1841John Thomson: Composer, dies at 35
- 1852Charles-Louis-Joseph Hanssens: Composer, dies at 75
- 1859Friedrich Heinrich Alexander: Explorer / scientist
- 1862Henry David Thoreau: US writer / pacifist (Walden Pond), dies at 44
- 1864Henry Livermore Abbott: US Union Brigadier General, dies in battle
- 1864Micah Jenkins: Confederate Brigadier General (friendly fire), dies at 28
- 1882Frederick Cavendish: Assassinated by Fenian Invincibles, in Dublin
- 1882Thomas Henry Burke: Assassinated by Fenian Invincibles, in Dublin
- 1890Hubert Leonard: Composer, dies at 71
- 1892Ernest Guiraud: Composer, dies at 54
- 1904Franz von Lenbach: German painter, dies at 67
- 1910Edward VII: King of England (1901-10), dies at 68
- 1916Dirk Bos: Dutch MP (Liberal), dies at 53
- 1916Earl Ross Drake: Composer, dies at 50