Events on May 29
- 0526Antioch struck by Earthquake; about 250,000 die
- 0757St. Paul I begins his reign as Catholic Pope
- 1138Anti-Pope Victor IV (Gregorio) overthrows self for Innocentius II
- 1167Lombard League defeat Frederick Barbarossa at Battle of Legnano
- 1176Battle at Legnano: Lombardi League beats Frederik Barbarossa
- 1415Council of Konstanz
- 1453Constantinople falls to Muhammad II (Turks); ends Byzantine Empire
- 1453French banker Jacques Coeurs possessions confiscated
- 1506Earl Willem I van Nassau-Dillenburg weds countess Walburg van Egmont
- 1630Gov John Winthrop begins "History of New England"
- 1652English Admiral Robert Blake drives out Dutch fleet under Lieutenant Admiral Tromp
- 1660Charles II restored to English throne after Puritan Commonwealth
- 1692Battle at La Hogue: English and Dutch fleet beat France
- 1692Royal Hospital Founders Day 1st celebrated
- 1721South Carolina formally incorporated as a royal colony
- 1727Peter II Aleksei (11) becomes Czar of Russia
- 1753Joseph Haydns "Krumme Teufel, " premieres
- 1765Patrick Henry historic speech against the Stamp Act, answering a cry of "Treason!" with, "If this be treason, make the most of it!"
- 1787"Virginia Plan" proposed
- 1790Rhode Is becomes last of original 13 colonies ratifying Constitution
- 1848Battle at Curtazone: Austrians beat Sardinia-Piemonte
- 1848Wisconsin becomes 30th state
- 1849Patent for lifting vessels granted to Abraham Lincoln
- 1861Dorothea Dix offers help in setting up hospitals for Union Army
- 1874Present constitution of Switzerland takes effect
- 18841st steam cable trams start in highgate
- 190025th Preakness: H Spencer aboard Hindus wins in 1:48.4
- 1900Trademark "Escalator" registered by Otis Elevator Company
- 1902Dutch State Mine law forms
- 1905Pogrom against Jewish community in Brisk Lithuania
Born on May 29
- 1630Charles II: King of England (1660-85)
- 1673Cornelis van Bijnkershoek: Lawyer / President of High Council
- 1716Louis J M Daubenton: French zoologist
- 1731Orazio Mei: Composer
- 1741Johann Gottfried Krebs: Composer
- 1791Pietro Romani: Composer
- 1810Erasmus Darwin Keyes: Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1895
- 1810Juan B Alberdi [Figarillo]: Argentina -- Politician / writer
- 1810Solomon Meredith: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1875
- 1824Cadmus Marcellus Wilcox: Major General (Confederate Army)
- 1825David Bell Birney: Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1864
- 1826Ebenezer Butterick: Inventor (tissue paper dress pattern)
- 1827Reuben Lindsay Walker: Brigadier General (Confederate Army), died in 1890
- 1837Alexander F de Savornin Lohmann: Dutch Minister / party leader (CHU)
- 1837Luca Fumagalli: Composer
- 1840Hans Makart: Austrian painter (Plague in Florenz)
- 1843Emile Pessard: Composer
- 1852Jindrich z Albestu Kaan: Composer
- 1864A H Borgesius: Dutch amateur astronomer
- 1874Gilbert Keith Chesterton: England, United Kingdom -- Novelist (Man Who Made Gold)
- 1880Oswald Spengler: Germany -- Philosopher (Decline of West)
- 1881Frederik Septimus Kelly: Composer
- 1883William Beatton Moonie: Composer
- 1885Erwin F Finlay-Freundlich: British astronomer (theory of relativity)
- 1890Francis de Bourguignon: Composer
- 1892Alfonsina Storni: Argentine poet (La inquietud del rosal)
- 1894Beatrice Lillie: Toronto, Ontario -- Comedian / actress (Around World in 80 Days)
- 1894Josef von Sternberg: Austrian director (Der blaue Engel)
- 1896George L Funke: Botanist (Flower Physiology)
- 1897Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Brno, Austria -- Movie composer (Violanta)
Died on May 29
- 1453Constantine XI Dragases: Last Byzantine Emperor, dies at 49
- 1500Bartholomeu Diaz de Narvaez (Novaez): Portuguese sea explorer, drowns
- 1544Jacobus Latomus [Jasques Masson]: Belgian inquisitor, dies at about 68
- 1593John Penry: English congressionalist, executed
- 1629Arnold Baert: Flemish lawyer / member of Great Council, dies at about 74
- 1680Abraham Megerle: Composer, dies at 73
- 1691Cornelis Tromp: Admiral-General / Son of Maarten T, dies at 61
- 1750Giuseppe Porsile: Composer, dies at 70
- 1788Jacques Aliamet: French etcher / engraver, dies at 61
- 1815Cornelis de Gijselaar: Politician / patriot, dies at 64
- 1862Franciszek Wincenty Mirecki: Composer, dies at 71
- 1869Philippe Vandermaelen: Flemish cartographer / publisher, dies at 73
- 1877John Lothrop Motley: (History of United Netherlands), dies at 63
- 1883Albrecht of Prussia: Mistress of John van Rossum, dies at 73
- 1883WFLC Marianne: Princess of Orange-Nassau
- 1885Alfred von Meissner: Austria Physician / writer (Ziska), dies at 63
- 1899Frantz Jehin-Prume: Composer, dies at 60
- 1905Leon Francis Victor Caron: Composer, dies at 55
- 1910Mili Alexeyevich Balakirev: Russian Composer (Islamej), dies at 73
- 1911William Schwenck Gilbert: Engl writer (Gilbert & Sullivan), dies at 74
- 1922Jevgeni B Vachtangov: Armenian / Russian actor / director, dies at 39
- 1924Pierre-Paul Cambon: French diplomat (Madrid / London)
- 1934Eugenie Besserer: Actress (Anna Christie, Madame X), dies at 65
- 1935Josef Suk: Czech violinist / composer, dies at 61
- 1942John Barrymore: US actor (Beloved Rogue, Dinner at 8), dies at 60
- 1943Hermann Hans Wetzler: Composer, dies at 72
- 1948May Whitty: Actress (Gaslight, Mrs Miniver, Suspicion), dies at 82
- 1951Dimitrios Levidis: Composer, dies at 66
- 1951Fanny Brice: Zeigfield Girl (Baby Snooks Show), dies at 59
- 1951Josef Bohuslav Foerster: Composer, dies at 91
Historical events on May 30
- 1035Boudouin V van Rijsel becomes Earl of Flanders
- 1087German Emperor Henry IV crowns his son Koenraad
- 1100Burchard becomes Bishop of Utrecht
- 1381English boer uprising begins in Essex
- 1434Battle at Lipany
- 1498Columbus departs with 6 ships for 3rd trip to America
- 1522French troops driven out of Genoa
- 1527University of Marburg (Germany) founded
- 1536English King Henry VIII marries Jane Seymour
- 1539Spanish explorer Fernando de Soto discovers Florida
- 1574Henry III follows brother Charles IX as King of France
- 1574Sea battle at Lillo Belgium (Adolf Van Haemstede vs. Louis de Boisot)
- 1584Earl Adolf van Nieuwenaar / Meurs becomes Viceroy of Gelderland
- 1588Spanish Aramada under Medina-Sidonia departs Lisbon to invade England
- 1631France / Maximilian van Bavarian signs Accord of Fontainebleau
- 1635Emperor Ferdinand II and Saksen sign Peace of Prague
- 1646Spain and Netherlands signs temporary cease fire
- 1783Benjamin Tower of Philadelphia publishes 1st daily newspaper in US
- 1793Georges Couthon chosen member of French Committee the Salut Public
- 1808Napoleon annexes Tuscany and gave it seats in French Senate
- 1821James Boyd patents Rubber Fire Hose
- 1822House slave betrays Denmark Vesey conspiracy (37 blacks hanged)
- 1832Evariste Galois give his theory on free assembly (dies in duel May 31)
- 1842John Francis attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria
- 18482nd battle at Gioto: Sardinia-Piemonte beats Austrians
- 1848Mexico ratifies treaty giving US; New Mexico, California and parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Colorado in return for $15 million
- 1848William G Young patents ice cream freezer
- 1854Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed Missouri Compromise opens north slavery
- 1854Territories of Kansas and Nebraska created
- 1862Battle of Booneville MS - captured General Beauregard evacuates Corinth
Born on May 30
- 1220Alexander Nevski [Aleksandr]: Russian Great Ruler (1252-63)
- 1578Valentin Dretzel: Composer
- 1623Wallerand Vaillant: Painter / engraver, baptized
- 1672Peter I [the Great]: Tsar of Russia
- 1757Henry Addington: Viscount Sidmouth (C), British Prime Minister (1801-04)
- 1797Johann Christian Lobe: Composer
- 1800Karl W Feuerbach: German mathematician (Position of Feuerbach)
- 1808Joaquim Casimiro, Jr.: Composer
- 1812John Alexander McClernand: Major General (Union volunteers)
- 1829Levin Goldschmidt: German business law expert
- 1830Edward Winslow Hinks: Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
- 1832George Doherty Johnston: Brigadier General (Confederate Army)
- 1835Alfred Austin: Leeds, England -- Poet laureate of England (Garden)
- 1844Louis Varney: Composer
- 1845Amadeus I FM: Duke of Aosta / King of Spain (1870-73)
- 1847Alice Sophia Stopford Green: Ireland -- Proponent of Irish independence
- 1853Karl Fritjof Valentin: Composer
- 1859Pierre Marie Felix Janet: France -- Psychologist / neurologist
- 1867Arthur Vining Davis: Sharon, Massachusetts -- CEO (Alcoa-1910-57)
- 1883Riccardo Zandonai: Composer
- 1887Alexander Archipenko: Ukraine -- Sculptor / lithographer
- 1887Gino Tagliapietra: Composer
- 1888James A Farley: Postmaster General (1932-38)
- 1891Iman J van den Bosch: Belgian resistance fighter
- 1894Hubertus J van Mook: Dutch Minister of Colonies (1942-45)
- 1896Howard Hawks: Goshen, Indiana -- Director / producer (Rio Bravo, Scarface)
- 1901Cornelia Otis Skinner: Chicago, Illinois -- Writer (When Our Hearts Were Young & Gay)
- 1902Seton Howard Frederick Lloyd: Archaeologist
- 1902Stepin Fetchit [Lincoln Perry]: Florida, United States -- Actor (Miracle in Harlem)
- 1903Ray Howard-Jones: Artist
Died on May 30
- 0727Hubertus: Bishop of Tongeren-Maastricht / saint, dies at about 72
- 1035Boudouin IV: Count of Flanders (988-1035)
- 1431Joan of Arc: Burned as a witch by English at Rouen at 19
- 1574Charles IX: King of France (1560-74)
- 1593Christopher Marlowe: British dramatist (Tamburlaine the Great), murdered
- 1640Peter Paul Rubens: Flemish painter, dies at 62
- 1718Arnold J van Keppel: Earl of Albemarle / General, dies at about 48
- 1718Bernard Nieuwentyt: Physician / theologist, dies at 63
- 1744Alexander Pope: English Poet (Eloisa to Abelard), dies at 56
- 1746Giovanni Antonio Pollarolo: Composer, dies at 69
- 1778Voltaire [Francois-Marie Arouet]: French writer (Candide), dies at 42
- 1791Ildephons Haas: Composer, dies at 56
- 1797Carl Ludwig Junker: Composer, dies at 48
- 1809Johan B Scheffer: Portrait painter, dies at about 43
- 1833Josef Slavik: Composer, dies at 27
- 1840Dominique J de Eerens: Governor-General of Dutch-Indies, dies at 59
- 1864James Barbour Terrill: US attorney / Confederate Brigadier General, dies at 26
- 1865William Clarke Quantrill: Criminal / Confederate bushwhacker, dies at 27
- 1870Gustave Vogt: Composer, dies at 89
- 1906William Yeates Hurlstone: Composer, dies at 30
- 1912Wilbur Wright: US aviation pioneer
- 1918Georgi V Plechanov: Russian revolutionary theorist
- 1919Lord John WS Raleigh: British physicist (Nobel 1904)
- 1922David Mendes Chumaceiro: Curacaos Poet (Adelfas), dies at 45
- 1923Camille Chevillard: Composer, dies at 63
- 1935Lothar Windsperger: Composer, dies at 49
- 1938Raden Sutomo: Indonesian freedom fighter, dies at 49
- 1940Y de Smit-Rog: Eldest Dutchman, dies at 104
- 1944Jessie Ralph: Actress (Good Earth, San Francisco), dies at 79
- 1945Irma Laplasse: Flemish farmer / Nazi collaborator, executed
Events on May 31
- 0070Rome captures 1st wall of the city of Jerusalem
- 1417Jacoba van Bavarian becomes Countess of Holland / Zealand / Henegouwen
- 1495Emperor Maximilian, Pope Alexander VI, Milan, King Ferdinand, Isabella and Venice sign anti-French Saint League
- 1621Sir Francis Bacon thrown into Tower of London for 1 night
- 1634US colony Massachusetts Bay annexes Maine colony
- 1659Netherlands, England and France sign Treaty of The Hague
- 1678Lady Godiva rode naked through Coventry in a protest of taxes
- 1696John Salomonsz elected chief of Saint-Eustatius
- 1727France, England and Netherlands sign accord of Paris
- 1744French troops conquer Kortrijk
- 1790US copyright law enacted
- 1821Cathedral of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, 1st US Catholic cathedral, is dedicated in Baltimore
- 1836HMS Beagle anchors in Simons Bay, Cape of Good Hope
- 1837Astor Hotel opens in NYC, it later becomes the Waldorf-Astoria
- 1849Last edition of Orange sheet "Journal de La Haye"
- 1859Philadelphia Athletics organize to play "town ball" became baseball 20 years later
- 1861Gen Beauregard is given command of Confederate Alexandria Line
- 1861Mint at New Orleans closes
- 1862Battle of Seven Pines VA (Fair Oaks)
- 18681st Memorial Day parade held in Ironton, Ohio
- 1868Dr James Moore (UK) wins 1st recorded bicycle race, (2k) velocipede race at Parc fde St. Cloud, Paris
- 1870Congress passes 1st Enforcement Act (rights of blacks)
- 1870E J DeSemdt patents asphalt pavement
- 1878US Congress accept decrease in dollar circulation
- 18791st electric railway opens at Berlin Trades Exposition
- 1879Madison Square Garden opens
- 1880League of American Wheelmen (1st US Bicycle Association), forms in Newport, Rhode Island
- 1883French fleet under Pierre begins siege of Tamatave, Madagascar
- 1884Dr John Harvey Kellogg patents "flaked cereal"
- 1889Johnstown Flood; 2,209 die in Penn
Born on May 31
- 1469Manuel I: King of Portugal (1495-1521) during era of exploration
- 1472Erardus van der Mark: Prince-Bishop of Luik / Cardinal
- 1557Theodorus I [Fedor Ivanovitsj]: Czar of Russia (1584-98)
- 1656Marin Marias: Composer
- 1664Giulio Alberoni: Spanish / Italian Minister / Cardinal
- 1674Friedrich Erhard Niedt: Composer
- 1701Alexander Cruden: Compiler of a concordance to King James Bible
- 1744Richard Edgeworth: Writer, Bath
- 1753Pierre V Vergniaud: French politician / police leader
- 1773Ludwig Tieck: Writer
- 1802Cesare Pugni: Composer
- 1804Jeanne-Louise Farrenc: Composer
- 1809Franz Joseph Haydn: Vienna, Austria -- Composer
- 1810Horatio Seymour: Gov (Union), died in 1886
- 1817Edouard Deldevez: Composer
- 1817Georg Herwegh: Writer
- 1818John Albion Andrew: Gov (Union), died in 1867
- 1837Ernest Daudet: French writer (White Terror)
- 1837Joseph Grimaldi: London, England -- Clown
- 1837William Henry Fitzhugh "Rooney" Lee: Major General (Confederate Army)
- 1838Henry Sidgwick: English philosopher (Wife at University)
- 1857Pius XI [Ambrogio DA Ratti]: Italy -- 259th Pope (1922-39)
- 1860Walter Richard Sickert Munich: Danish / English painter (The Miner)
- 1861Emily Perkins Bissell: Welfare worker (1st christmas seal drive, 1907)
- 1863Francis E Younghusband: British journalist / explorer
- 1864Albert J M Bakker: Dutch actor (Teun the night watch)
- 1866Vladimir Ivanovich Rebikov: Composer
- 1872Charles G Abbot: United States -- Astronomer (Constant Sun)
- 1872William Heath Robinson: England, United Kingdom -- Illustrator / cartoonist (Don Quixote)
- 1875Italo Montemezzi: Composer
Died on May 31
- 0455Petronius Maximus: Senator / Emperor of Rome, lynched
- 1091Hendrik van Verdun: Bishop of Luik (1075-91)
- 1198Moses ben Solomon Ha-Cohen: Rabbi of Mainz
- 1504Engelbert II: Earl of Nassau-Dillenburg-Dietz
- 1551Aristotele "Basiano" da Sangallo: Italian set designer
- 1594Tintoretto: Italian Mannerist painter, dies at 75
- 1620Willem Louis: Earl of Nassau-Dillenburg, dies at 59
- 1665Pieter J Saenredam: Dutch architectural painter, dies at 67
- 1696Heinrich Schwemmer: Composer, dies at 75
- 1740Frederick-William I: King of Prussia (1713-1740), dies at 51
- 1809Ferdinand von Schill: Prussian officer / rebel, dies in battle at 33
- 1809Franz Josef Haydn: Austrian Composer (Jahreszeiten), dies at 77
- 1837Joseph Grimaldi: Greatest clown (king of pantomime), dies at 57
- 1854Vatroslav Lisinski: Composer, dies at 34
- 1862Robert Hatton: Confederate Brigadier General, dies in battle at about 34
- 1900James Loudon: Governor-General of the Netherlands Indies (1871-75), dies at 75
- 1900John Power: Irish baronet / whiskey manufacturer, dies in battle
- 1906Hermann Schell: German Theologist (Gott und Geist), dies at 56
- 1906King Alfonso XIII: Assassinated in Madrid
- 1910Elizabeth Blackwell: 1st woman physician, dies at 89
- 1916Horace Hood: British spy (Battle of Jutland), dies in battle
- 1928Ludwig Enneccerus: German leader, dies at 85
- 1928Manuel de Oliveira Lima: Brazilian historian, dies at 60
- 1947Adrienne Ames: Actress (Black Sheep, 24 Hours), dies at 39
- 1948Jose Vianna da Motta: Composer, dies at 80
- 1952Walter Schellenberg: German lawyer / headed spy (Venlo)
- 1955"Wild Bill" Vukovich: Killed in Indy 500
- 1955Raoul Gunsbourg: Composer, dies at 95
- 1960Willem Elsschot [Alfons de Ridder]: Flemish writer (Kas), dies at 78
- 1962Adolf Eichmann: War criminal, hanged at Ramie Prison in Israel at 56