Events on May 17
- 0352Liberius begins his reign as Catholic Pope replacing Julius I
- 0884St. Adrian III begins his reign as Catholic Pope
- 1525Battle at Zabern: Duke of Lutherans beats rebels
- 1536Anne Boleyns 4 "lovers" executed
- 1544Scot Earl Matthew van Lennox signs secret treaty with Henry VIII
- 1579Artois / Henegouwen / French-Flanders sign Treaty / Peace of Parma recognizing Spanish Duke van Parma as land guardian
- 16201st merry-go-round seen at a fair (Philippapolis, Turkey)
- 1630Italian Jesuit Niccolo Zucchi, 1st to see 2 belts on Jupiter surface
- 1631Earl Johann Tilly attacks Maagdenburg
- 1648Emperor Ferdinand III defeats Maximilian I of Bavaria
- 1672Frontenac becomes Governor of New France (Canada)
- 1673Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette begin exploring Mississippi
- 1678King Charles II and Louis XIV sign secret treaty
- 1712Maximilian Emanuel of Bavaria honored as "sovereign of the Netherlands"
- 1733England passes Molasses Act, putting high tariffs on rum and molasses imported to the colonies from a country other than British possessions
- 1742Frederick great (Emperor of Prussia) beats Austrians
- 1744French army takes Austrian Netherlands
- 1787English slave ship Sisters, from Africa to Cuba, capsizes
- 179224 merchants form New York Stock Exchange at 70 Wall Street
- 1794Hard frost in southern New England
- 1803John Hawkins and Richard French patent the Reaping Machine
- 1804Lewis and Clark begin exploration of Louisiana Purchase
- 1809Papal States annexed by France
- 1814Denmark cedes Norway to Sweden (National Day)
- 1814Norwegian constitution passed by constitutent assembly at Eidsvoll
- 1837Royal Decides installs the Weapon of Belgium firm (ly)
- 1845Rubber band patents
- 1846Saxophone is patents by Antoine Joseph Sax
- 1848Premier Earl Schimmelpenninck resigns
- 1849Fire destroy Centrum in St. Louis, Missouri
Born on May 17
- 1444Sandro Botticelli: Italian painter (Birth of Venus)
- 1451Engelbert II: Earl of Nassau-Dillenburg-Dietz / Viceroy of Luxembourg
- 1490Albrecht von Hohenzollern: 1st Duke of Prussia
- 1551Martinus A del Rio: Spanish / South Netherlands lawyer / historian / theologist
- 1568Christoph Thomas Walliser: Composer
- 1576Ferdinand van Apshoven [the Older]: Flemish painter
- 1691Antoine Court: French reformed theologist
- 1732Francesco Pasquale Ricci: Composer
- 1749Edward Jenner: England, United Kingdom -- Physician (discovered vaccination)
- 1768Caroline Brunswick: Queen Consort of King George IV
- 1794Anna Brownell Jameson: Dublin, Ireland -- Writer
- 1796Martinus J Niewindt: Bishop of Curacao (christen slaves)
- 1800Carl Friedrich Zollner: Composer
- 1803Robert Smith Surtees: Novelist
- 1804Ottho G Heldring: Dutch vicar / Reformer (Heldring Institutions)
- 1808Charles-Louis-Adolphe Vogel: Composer
- 1812Joseph Warren Revere: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1880
- 1819Johann Nepomuk Kafka: Composer
- 1823Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby: Contralto / composer
- 1836Joseph Norman Lockyer: Discoverer (Helium) / founder (Nature magazine)
- 1846Edmund Bishop: English Secretary of Thomas Carlyle
- 1850Antonio Scontrino: Composer
- 1867Gerrit Mannoury: Dutch mathematician / philosopher
- 1871Henricus P Bremmer: Art historian (Modern Kunstwerken)
- 1873Dorothy Miller Richardson: Abingdon Berkshire, United Kingdom -- Novelist
- 1873Henri Barbusse: Asnieres, France -- Novelist (Le Feu)
- 1876Alban Collignon: Belgian sport journalist
- 1878Conway Tearle: US actor (Klondike Annie, Should Ladies Behave?)
- 1888Selmer Jackson: Iowa, United States -- Actor (Life & Legend of Wyatt Earp)
- 1889Alfonso Reyes: Mexican poet / historian / diplomat (Higenia Cruel)
Died on May 17
- 1050Guido van Arezzo: Italian music theorist
- 1510Alessandro di Botticelli: Painter (Birth of Venus), dies at about 65
- 1510Sandro Botticelli [Alessandro di Mariano del Filpepi]: Painter
- 1575Matthew Parker: Archbishop of Canterbury (1559-75), dies at 68
- 1591Jost / Jobst / Jodocus Amman: Swiss cartoonist / graphic artist, dies at 51
- 1606Forges Dimitri #1: Czar of Russia (1605-06), murdered
- 1695Cornelis de Heem: Painter
- 1727Catherine I: Empress of Russia (1725-27)
- 1729Samuel Clarke: Theologian
- 1796Jacob Wilhelm Lustig: Composer, dies at 89
- 1809Leopold Auenbrugger von Auenbrugg: Physician
- 1840Niccolo Paganini: Composer, dies at 57
- 1851Jean E "Adrian" van Bevervoorde: Journalist (Treason), dies at 31
- 1864N Hawthorne: Writer, dies at 59
- 1866Adolf Bernhard Marx: Composer, dies at 70
- 1872Fryderyk Edward Sobolewski: Composer, dies at 63
- 1883Lydia Estes Pinklham: Patent-medicine manufacturer
- 1884Louis Brassin: Composer, dies at 43
- 1889William Roxby Beverly: Artist
- 1914Peter Leyten: Bishop of Breda (1885-1914), dies at 79
- 1916Gervais Bernard Gaston Salvayre: Composer, dies at 68
- 1919Bohumil Pazdirek: Composer, dies at 80
- 1926Lucien Herr: French leader (Correspondance entre Schiller)
- 1930Herbert David Croly: US founder (New Republic), dies at 61
- 1931Johan [Eliza J] de Master: Art critic / writer
- 1931Timothy Cole: Wood engraver
- 1943Montagu Love: Actor (Wind), dies at 65
- 1945Jan van Geenen: Resistance fighter
- 1945Sasaki Shigetsu Sokei-an: Founder 1st Zen Institute of America
- 1950Eduardo Fabini: Composer, dies at 67
Historical events on May 18
- 1096Crusaders massacre Jews of Worm
- 1291Sultan of Egypt and his son take last Christian stronghold of Acre
- 1302Trades people assault on French garrison (Brugse Metten)
- 1385Peace of Doornik: Gent and Louis van Thoughts
- 1596Willem Barents leaves Amsterdam for Novaya Zemlya
- 1619Hugo the Great sentenced to life in prison
- 1631English colony Massachusetts Bay grants puritarian voting right
- 1631John Winthrop is elected 1st Governor of Massachusetts
- 1642Montreal Canada founded
- 1652Rhode Island enacts 1st law declaring slavery illegal
- 1703Dutch and English troops occupy Cologne
- 1756England declares war on France
- 17942nd battle of Bouvines (France-Austria)
- 1803Britain declares war on France after Napoleon Bonaparte continues interfering in Italy and Switzerland
- 1804Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed Emperor of France
- 1828Battle of Las Piedras, ends conflict between Uruguay and Brazil
- 1830Edwin Budding of England signs an agreement for manufacture of his invention, lawn mower. Saturdays are destroyed forever
- 1843United Free Church of Scotland forms
- 1846US troops attack Rio Grande occupying Matamoros
- 1851Amsterdam-Nieuwediep telegraph connection linked
- 1852Massachusetts rules all school-age children must attend school
- 1860Republican Party nominates Abraham Lincoln for President
- 1861Friedrich Hebbels "Kriemhildes Rache, " premieres in Weimar
- 1863Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi
- 1864Battle of Yellow Bayou, LA (Bayou de Glaize, Old Oaks)
- 1866French Government of De Putte resigns
- 1889Jules Massenets opera "Esclarmonde, " premieres in Paris
- 1896US Supreme court affirms race separation (Plessy vs. Ferguson)
- 1897Irish Music Festival 1st held (Dublin)
- 1897New York Giant William Joyce sets record of 4 triples in 1 game
Born on May 18
- 1692Joseph Butler: Wantage Berkshire, United Kingdom -- Theologian
- 1711Ruggiero G Boscovich [Rudzer J Boskovic]: Italian astronomer
- 1744Joseph Beer: Bohemia clarinetist / composer (5th clarinet flap)
- 1759Charles Duquesnoy: Composer
- 1788Hugh Clapperton: Annan, Scotland -- African explorer
- 1797Frederik Augustus II: King of Saxon (1836-54)
- 1798Ethan Allen Hitchcock: Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1870
- 1815Thomas Stanhope Bocock: Rep (Confederacy), died in 1891
- 1817James William Denver: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1892
- 1819Julius Hopp: Composer
- 1830Karl Goldmark: Keszthely, Hungary -- Composer (Sakuhtala)
- 1836Isidor Vorobchievici: Composer
- 1836Wilhelm Steinitz: Austria -- World chess champion (1866-94)
- 1850Oliver Heaviside: London, England -- Physicist (predicted ionosphere)
- 1854Bernard Zweers: Dutch composer (To my Fatherland)
- 1862Freiherr Albert von Schrenk-Notzing: German para-psychologist
- 1864Jan P Veth: Bayern -- Dutch painter / etcher / lithographer / art historian
- 1865William Heinemann: England, United Kingdom -- Publisher (Chemical Instrumental)
- 1868Nicholas II Aleksandrovitsj: Last tsar of Russia (1894-1917)
- 1869Ruprecht: Crown Prince of Bavaria / General-Field Marshal
- 1871Franiska zu Reventlow: Writer
- 1872Bertrand Russell: England, United Kingdom -- Mathematician / philosopher (Nobel 1950)
- 1875Guido Alberto Fano: Composer
- 1881Georgi Atanasov: Composer
- 1882Eduardo Fabini: Composer
- 1883Walter Gropius: Berlin, Germany -- Architect (Bauhaus school of design)
- 1885Eurico Gaspar Dutra: President of Brazil (1945-50)
- 1886Ole Windingstad: Composer
- 1887Ernst Wiechert: Writer
- 1889G Gunnarson: Writer
Died on May 18
- 0323Alexander III the Great: King of Macedonia / conqueror, dies at 32
- 0526John I: Pope (523-26)
- 1160Erik IX Helgi [The Saint]: King of Sweden
- 1410Ruprecht: Roman Catholics German King
- 1587Felix van Cantalice: Italian saint
- 1675Jacques Marquette: Jesuit / missionaries (Chicago), dies at 37
- 1692Elias Ashmole: Antiquary
- 1724Johann K Amman: Swiss / Dutch doctor for deaf-mutes, dies at 54
- 1733Georg Bohm: German Organist / composer, dies at 71
- 1767Thaddaus Ferdinand Lipowsky: Composer, dies at 28
- 1799Pierre de Beaumarchais: Dramatist
- 1808Jacob Albright [Albrecht]: German / US preacher, dies at 49
- 1829Bernardo Bittoni: Composer, dies at 72
- 1832Bonafacio Asioli: Composer, dies at 62
- 1839Carolina [Maria A] Bonaparte: Countess Lipona, dies at 57
- 1848William A Leidesdorf: Black, dies at 38 in San Francisco
- 1862William H Keim: US Union Brigadier General, dies in battle at 48
- 1864James Byron Gordon: Confederate Brigadier General, dies at 41
- 1909George Meredith: English Poet / writer (Diana of Crossways), dies at 81
- 1910Flor van Duyse: Composer, dies at 66
- 1913Otto Reubke: Composer, dies at 70
- 1918Toivo Kuula: Composer, dies at 34
- 1930Joao Marcellino Arroyo: Composer, dies at 68
- 1936Alick Maclean: Composer, dies at 63
- 1949James T Adams: US Historian (Pulitzer 1921)
- 1952Rossetter Gleason Cole: Composer, dies at 86
- 1955Mary McLeod Bethune: Educator and civil rights leader, dies at 79
- 1965Eduard J Dijksterhuis: Mathematician (Archimedes), dies at 72
- 1966Paul Althaus: German Theologist (That Christian Wahrheit), dies at 78
- 1967Richard Ainley: Actor (I Dood It, Above Suspicion), dies at 56
Events on May 19
- 0715St. Gregory II begins his reign as Catholic Pope
- 1506Columbus selects his son Diego as sole heir
- 1515George van Saksen-Meissen sells Friesland for 100,000 gold guilders to Archduke Charles
- 1517Philip van Bourgondie installed as Bishop of Utrecht
- 1547Monarch Johan Frederik surrenders to Karel
- 1568English Queen Elizabeth I arrests Scottish Queen Mary
- 1571Miguel Lopez de Lagazpi founded Manilla in the Phillipines
- 1585Spain confisquates English ships
- 1588Spanish Armada sets sail for Lisbon, bound to England
- 1608Matthias von Habsburgs army reaches Lieben, at Prague
- 1635France declares war on Spain
- 1643Battle at Rocroi / Allersheim: French army destroys Spanish army
- 1643Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Harbor form United Colonies of New England
- 1652Spanish troops occupy Grevelingen
- 1662Uniformity Act of England goes into effect
- 1749George II grants charter to Ohio Company to settle Ohio Valley
- 1792Russian army enters Poland
- 1793Netherlands captures French island of St. Maarten (held until 1795)
- 1796Game protection law restricts encroachment on Indian hunting grounds
- 18481st department store opens
- 1848Mexico gives Texas to US, ending the war
- 1853Dutch Prince Henry marries Princess Amalia of Saxony-Weimar
- 1856Sen Charles Sumner, Mass, spoke out against slavery
- 1857William Francis Channing and Moses G Farmer patents electric fire alarm
- 1862Homestead Act becomes law provides cheap land for settlement of West
- 1863Siege of Vicksburg, investment of city complete
- 1864Last engagement in series of battles known as Spotsylvania
- 1864Skirmish at Cassville, Georgia
- 1865President Jefferson Davis is captured by Union Cavalry in Georgia
- 1878Blanche Kelso Bruce appointed register of treasury by President Garfield
Born on May 19
- 1469Giovanni della Robbia: Italian sculptor
- 1611Innocent XI [Benedetto Odescalchi]: Italy -- 240th Pope (1676-89)
- 1616Johann Jacob Froberger: German singer / Organist / composer
- 1746Johann Friedrich Peter: Composer
- 1755Gabriele Prota: Composer
- 1762Johann G Fichte: Germany -- Philosopher (Wissenschaftslehre)
- 1770Antoine-Charles Glachant: Composer
- 1795Johns Hopkins: Philanthropist, founded Johns Hopkins University
- 1808Samuel Jameson Gholson: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1883
- 1812Felix Kirk Zollicoffer: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1862
- 1815John Gross Barnard: Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1882
- 1828Adin Ballou Underwood: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
- 1839Alice Mary Smith: Composer
- 1858Roland Napoleon Bonaparte: French officer / traveller (Surinam)
- 1859Nellie Melba [Heal Mitchell]: Australian soprano (Peach Melba)
- 1864Carl Ethan Akeley: United States -- Naturalist - developed animal mount process
- 1869Jules Poncelet: Belgian Minister of State
- 1873Federico Gerdes: Composer
- 1878Adam von Ahn Carse: Composer
- 1880Allard R Hulshoff: Architect of Amsterdam (1924)
- 1883Henricus WJM Keuls: Dutch lawyer / poet (Dancing Lamp)
- 1884Arthur Meulemans: Belgian composer (Adriaan Brouwer) (or 5 / 10)
- 1895Albert Hay Malotte: Composer
- 1895Cecil Gray: Composer
- 1896Michael Balcon: Birmingham, England -- Producer / father of Jill Balcon
- 1899Leonid Maksimovich Leonov: Novelist / playwright
- 1901Ivo Cruz: Composer
- 1904Sven Thofelt: Sweden -- Pentathlete (1928 Olympics - Gold Medalist)
- 1909Bruce Bennett: Tacoma, Washington -- Actor (Before I Hang, Sahara)
- 1909Schlomo Joffe: Composer
Died on May 19
- 0804Alcuin of York: English scholar, dies in Tours France at 69
- 0988Dunstan[us]: English Archbishop of Canterbury
- 1296Celestine V [Pietro del Murrone]: Pope (1294)
- 1536Anne Boleyn: Queen of England / Wife of Henry VIII, beheaded
- 1536Lord Rochford: English Brother of Anna Boleyn, beheaded
- 1647Sebastian Vrancx: Flemish Painter (captain of vigilante)
- 1786John Stanley: Composer, dies at 74
- 1795Josiah Bartlett: US Physician / judge (signed Declaration of Independence), dies at 65
- 1800French Bosbeeck: Veterinarian / robber, hanged
- 1801Herman H Vitringa: Politician (National Meetings)
- 1845Maria EJ Versfelt: Mistress of General Moreau / marshal Ney, dies at 68
- 1864Nathaniel Hawthorne: United States -- Writer (Scarlet Letter)
- 1872Johan van Dale: Schoolmaster (New Dutch Language Wordbook), dies at 44
- 1876Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer: Dutch Historian / politician, dies at 74
- 1895Jose J Marti y Perez: Spanish / Cuban Poet (Versos sencillos)
- 1901Marthinus Wessels Pretorius: 1st President Rep South-Africa, dies at 81
- 1922Heinrich I Quincke: German internist (postural drainage), dies at 79
- 1928Henry Franklin Belknap Gilbert: Composer, dies at 59
- 1928Max Scheler: German philosopher, dies at 53
- 1935Charles Martin Tornow Loeffler: French composer, dies at 74
- 1935Thomas E Lawrence (of Arabia): Dies in a motorcycle crash
- 1942[Nicoline] Magdalene Anchor-Roll: Norwegian Author (Enken), dies at 69
- 1953Damasco Berenguer y Fuste: Spanish General / Minister of War, dies at 79
- 1954Aart A van Schelven: Church Historian (Willem of Orange), dies at 73
- 1954Charles Edward Ives: US Composer (Unanswered Question), dies at 79
- 1958Bruno Sturmer: Composer, dies at 65
- 1958Ronald Colman: British actor (Prisoner of Zenda), dies at 67
- 1961Joe Howard: Singer (Gay Nineties Revue), dies at 94
- 1965Maria Dabrowska: Polish writer (Znaki Zycia)
- 1969Coleman Hawkins: US jazz musician / composer