May 4th in History

1415 - Religious reformers John Wycliffe and Jan Hus are condemned as heretics at the Council of Constance.

1436 - Assassination of the Swedish rebel (later national hero) Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson

1471 - Wars of the Roses: The Battle of Tewkesbury: Edward IV defeats a Lancastrian Army and kills Edward, Prince of Wales.

1493 - Pope Alexander VI divides the New World between Spain and Portugal along the Line of Demarcation.

1675 - King Charles II of England orders the construction of the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

1776 - Rhode Island becomes the first American colony to renounce allegiance to King George III.


1814 - Emperor Napoleon I of France arrives at Portoferraio on the island of Elba to begin his exile.

1814 - King Ferdinand VII of Spain signs the Decree of the 4th of May, returning Spain to absolutism.

1836 - Formation of Ancient Order of Hibernians

1904 - The United States begins construction of the Panama Canal.

1912 - Italy occupies the Greek island of Rhodes.


1945 - World War II: Neuengamme concentration camp near Hamburg is liberated by the British Army.

1945 - World War II: German surrender at Lüneburg Heath, the North German Army surrenders to Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.

1959 - The 1st Grammy Awards are held.

1979 - Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.


1989 - Iran-Contra Affair: Former White House aide Oliver North is convicted of three crimes and acquitted of nine other charges. The convictions, however, are later overturned on appeal.

1990 - Latvia proclaims the renewal of its independence after the Soviet occupation.

2000 - Ken Livingstone becomes the first Mayor of London.

Famous Birthdays

1008 - Henry I of France

1654 - Emperor Kangxi of China

1655 - Bartolomeo Cristofori, musical instrument maker, inventor of the piano

1820 - Julia Gardiner Tyler, First Lady of the United States, second wife of John Tyler the 10th President of the United States

1913 - Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark

1918 - Kakuei Tanaka, Prime Minister of Japan


1928 - Hosni Mubarak, military commander, 4th President of Egypt

1930 - Katherine Jackson, mother of the Jackson family

1950 - Darryl Hunt, musician

1951 - Jackie Jackson, singer-songwriter, musician, and dancer

1961 - Jay Aston, singer-songwriter and dancer

1972 - Mike Dirnt, musician and songwriter

1980 - Franziska Weisz, actress

1989 - Rory McIlroy, golfer

1994 - Pauline Ducruet, daughter of HSH Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, Countess of Polignac