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
Historical 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
Events on May 20
- 0526Earthquake kills 250,000 in Antioch, Syria
- 1293Earthquake strikes Kamakura Japan, 30,000 killed
- 1303Treaty of Paris restores Gascony to British in Hundred Years War
- 1310Shoes were made for both right and left feet
- 1495French King Charles VIII leaves Naples
- 1498Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrives at Calcutta India
- 1501Joao da Nova Castell discovers Ascension Islands
- 1521Ignatius Loyola seriously wounded by a cannon ball
- 1524Duke of Albany leaves Scotland
- 1571Venice, Spain and Pope Pius form anti-Turkish Saint League
- 1591Spanish troops in Zutphen surrenders to Willem Louis / Mauritius
- 1631German army under Earl Johann Tilly conquerors Maagdenburg
- 1639Dorchester Mass, forms 1st school funded by local taxes
- 1690England passes Act of Grace, forgiving followers of James II
- 1704Elias Neau forms school for slaves in New York
- 17341st Jockey Club forms in South Carolina
- 1775Citizens of Mecklenburg County, NC declare independence of Britain
- 1784England and Netherlands signs peace treaty (Peace of Paris)
- 1825Charles X becomes King of France
- 18301st railroad timetable published in newspaper (Baltimore American)
- 1830D Hyde patents fountain pen
- 18451st legislative assembly convenes in Hawaii
- 1861Cornerstone of University of Washington laid in Seattle
- 1861Kentucky proclaims its neutrality in Civil War
- 1861North Carolina becomes 11th and last state to secede from Union
- 1862Homestead Act provides cheap land for settlement of West
- 1864Battle at Ware Bottom Church, Virginia, 1,400 killed or injured
- 1864Spotsylvania-campaign ends after 10,920 killed / injured person
- 1867British parliament rejects John Stuart Mills law on women suffrage
- 1867Royal Albert Hall foundation laid by Queen Victoria
Born on May 20
- 1364Henry Percy [Harry Hotspur]: British soldier / politican
- 1470Pietro Bembo: Cardinal / Theologian
- 1537Hieronymus Fabricius Ab: Aquapend, Italy -- Physician (De Formato Foetu)
- 1547Melchior Bischoff: Composer
- 1554Paulo Bellasio: Composer
- 1593Jacob Jordaens: Flemish barok artist
- 1750Stephen Girard: Bailed out US bonds during War of 1812
- 1754Hans Gram: Composer
- 1759William Thornton: Architect (Capitol Building - Washington, DC)
- 1764J Gottfried Schadow: German sculptor / cartoonist / lithographer
- 1768Dolley Dandridge Payne Madison: 1st lady (1809-17)
- 1772William Congreve: English officer (design fire rocket)
- 1806John Stuart Mill: United Kingdom -- Philosopher / political economist / Utilitarian
- 1812Gustav Adolf Mankell: Composer
- 1818William George Fargo: Founder (Wells Fargo)
- 1822Emile Erckmann [E-Chatrian]: French writer (Waterloo)
- 1825Antoinette Brown Blackwell: Clergy (1st ordained US female minister)
- 1828James William Reilly: Brigadier General (Union volunteers), died in 1905
- 1830Amalia MdGA: Princess of Saxon-Weimar-Eisenach / Wife of Prince Henry
- 1830Hector H Malot: French writer (Without Family)
- 1841Sara Louisa Oberholtz: Social reformer, anti-smoking advocate
- 1844Henri Julien Felix Rousseau: French ambassador / painter (Dream)
- 1850Eaton Faning: Composer
- 1851Emile Berliner: Germany -- Inventor (flat phonograph record)
- 1851Rose Hawthorne Lathrop: United States -- Nun / Daughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne
- 1856Henri E Cross [Delacroix]: French painter
- 1874Folkert E Posthuma: Dutch Minister of Agriculture / Industry
- 1876John Owen Jones: Composer
- 1881Wladyslaw Sikorski: Premier Poland (WWII General)
- 1882Sigrid Undset: Norway -- Novelist (Kristin Lavransdatter, Nobel 1928)
Died on May 20
- 1277John XXI [Petrus Juliani / Hispanus]: Port Pope (1276-77)
- 1444Bernardinus van Siena: Italian saint, dies at 63
- 1449Peter: Prince / regent of Portugal / writer (Virtuosa Benfeitoria)
- 1471Henry VI: King of England (1422-61, 70-71) / France (1431-71)
- 1506Christopher Columbus: Explorer, dies at 55 in poverty, Spain
- 1509Catharina Sforza: Italian Duchess of Forli, dies at 45
- 1597Matthijs Heldt: Dies in battle
- 1622Osman II: Sultan of Turkey (1618-22)
- 1648Wladyslaw IV Wasa: King of Poland
- 1650Francesco Sacrati: Composer, dies at 44
- 1669Joris van der Hagen: Landscape painter
- 1751Domingo Miguel Bernaube Terradellas: Composer, dies at 38
- 1782Carlo Giovanni Testori: Composer, dies at 68
- 1782Christoph Gottlieb Schroter: Composer, dies at 82
- 1834Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert de Motier: Nobleman
- 1834Marquis de Lafayette: French General
- 1841Joseph Blanco White: Theological writert
- 1847Mary Lamb: Writer
- 1864John Clare: English Poet (Little Trotty Wagtail), dies at 70
- 1875Amalia: Wife of King Otto of Greece, dies at 58
- 1876Harold: Grandson of English Queen Victoria, dies at 8 days old
- 1876Khristo Botev: Bulgarian poet
- 1883William Chambers: Author / publisher
- 1896Clara Josephine Wieck Schumann: Composer / pianist, dies at 76
- 1900Gustav Heinrich Graben-Hoffman: Composer, dies at 80
- 1910Jean-Baptiste Theodore Weckerlin: Composer, dies at 88
- 1919Jacob Verdam: Philosopher
- 1923Hans Goldschmidt: German chemist
- 1935Ivans [Jacob van Schevichaven]: Lawyer / detective writer, dies at 68
- 1939Joe Carr: NFL hall of famer / NFL President (1921-39), dies at 59