This Day In European History
1st May
Events305: Roman Emperor Diocletian abdicates.
1464: King Edward IV of England marries Elizabeth Woodville, but he does so in secret, upsetting key allies.
1517: 'Evil May Day' when Londoners rioted against foreign merchants; cannons and over fifty hangings were used to restore peace.
1576: King Stephen Báthory of Poland is crowned.
1625: King Charles I of Britain marries Henrietta Maria, sister of King Louis XIII of France by proxy: the Duke of Buckingham acts as stand in for Charles.
1707: The Act of Union unifies England and Scotland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
1711: The Peace of Szathmar between the Holy Roman Empire and Hungarian rebels; the latter recognise the former in exchange for the former accepting the latter's privileges and constitution.
1756: The Treaty of Versailles between France and Austria effects the 'Diplomatic Revolution': Austria will stay out of an Anglo-French war, but both signatories will help the other repel a Prussian attack. Europe is now in two power blocs: Austria, France, Russia, Sweden and Saxony on one side, Prussia, Britain and Portugal on the other.
1757: The Second Treaty of Versailles between France and Austria gives the latter part of Prussia and a subsidy in return for an exchange of cities and duchies across Europe.
1802: State run secondary/military schools are created as part of Napoleon's French Education reforms.
1819: France introduces freedom of the press.
1851: The Great Exhibition opens in Hyde Park, London, England.
1888: Nikola Tesla patents an alternating current motor.
1979: Greenland begins home rule.
Births
1218: King Rudolf I of Germany.
1591: Adam Schall von Bell, German missionary.
1672: Joseph Addison, English writer.
1769: Arthur Wellesley, leading British general during the Napoleonic Wars and British Prime Minister.
1852: Santiago Cajal, Spanish histologist.
1881: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French philosopher.
Deaths
1118: Edith of Scotland, who changed her name when she became Queen Matilda of England, wife of Henry I.
1308: Holy Roman Emperor Albert I, murdered.
1555: Pope Marcellus II.
1572: Pope Pius V.
1700: John Dryden, English poet laureate.
1873: David Livingstone, Scottish explorer.
