This Day In European History
19th May
Events1536: Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII of England, is executed for treason and incest, along with her brother and alleged lover Lord Rochford.
1588: The Spanish Armada sets out from Lisbon to attack England.
1643: Anne of Austria, mother of the underage King Louis XIV of France, is declared his regent.
1643: A French force under Marshal Enghien defeats a Spanish army at the Battle of Rocroi, the first defeat suffered by Spain in a century.
1649: England is declared a Commonwealth and Free State by parliament.
1792: Russia invades Poland to defend their influence.
1796: Napoleon sails with a French army to conquer Egypt.
1802: The Legon d'Honneur is created in France to honour citizens.
Births
1762: Johann Fichte, German philosopher.
1879: Nancy Astor, British politician.
Deaths
804: Alcuin, Charlemagne's teacher.
988: St Dunstan, English archbishop.
1536: Queen Anne Boleyn, beheaded.
1715: Charles Montague, British creator of the Bank of England.
1795: James Boswell, Scottish writer.
1825: Claude-Henri de Saint-Simon, French reformer.
1898: William Gladstone, British Prime Minister.
1935: T. E. Lawrence, British soldier.
