Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Younger) in the battle of Thapsus.

Julius CaesarQuintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio NasicaCato the YoungerBattle of Thapsus

Stilicho stymies the Visigoths under Alaric in the Battle of Pollentia.

StilichoVisigothsAlaric IBattle of Pollentia

King Richard I of England dies from an infection following the removal of an arrow from his shoulder.

Richard I of England

Seventh Crusade: Ayyubids of Egypt capture King Louis IX of France in the Battle of Fariskur.

Seventh CrusadeAyyubid dynastyLouis IX of FranceBattle of Fariskur

The Scots reaffirm their independence by signing the Declaration of Arbroath.

Declaration of Arbroath

The poet Petrarch first sees his idealized love, Laura, in the church of Saint Clare in Avignon.

PetrarchClare of AssisiAvignon

John, Master of the Order of Aviz, is made king John I of Portugal.

Order of AvizJohn I of Portugal

Mehmed II begins his siege of Constantinople (Istanbul), which falls on May 29.

Mehmed IIConstantinopleMay 29

One of the largest earthquakes recorded in the history of England, Flanders, or Northern France, takes place.

1580 Dover Straits earthquake

At the Cape of Good Hope, Dutch sailor Jan van Riebeeck establishes a resupply camp that eventually becomes Cape Town.

Cape of Good HopeJan van RiebeeckCape Town

The New York Slave Revolt of 1712 begins near Broadway.

New York Slave Revolt of 1712Broadway (Manhattan)

American Revolutionary War: Ships of the Continental Navy fail in their attempt to capture a Royal Navy dispatch boat.

American Revolutionary WarContinental NavyBattle of Block IslandRoyal NavyDispatch boat

King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (Rama I) of Siam (modern day Thailand) establishes the Chakri dynasty.

Buddha Yodfa ChulalokeThailand

During the French Revolution, the Committee of Public Safety becomes the executive organ of the republic.

French RevolutionCommittee of Public Safety

John Jacob Astor incorporates the American Fur Company, that would eventually make him America's first millionaire.

John Jacob AstorAmerican Fur Company

British forces under the command of the Duke of Wellington assault the fortress of Badajoz. This would be the turning point in the Peninsular War against Napoleon-led France.

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonSiege of Badajoz (1812)Peninsular WarNapoleon

Nominal beginning of the Bourbon Restoration; anniversary date that Napoleon abdicates and is exiled to Elba.

Bourbon RestorationElba

Church of Christ, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement, is organized by Joseph Smith and others at either Fayette or Manchester, New York.

Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)Latter Day Saint movementJoseph SmithFayette, New YorkManchester, New York

U.S. President John Tyler is sworn in, two days after having become President upon William Henry Harrison's death.

John TylerWilliam Henry Harrison

The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, later renamed Community of Christ, is organized by Joseph Smith III and others at Amboy, Illinois.

Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day SaintsCommunity of ChristJoseph Smith IIIAmboy, Illinois

First performance of Arthur Sullivan's debut success, his suite of incidental music for The Tempest, leading to a career that included the famous Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

Arthur SullivanIncidental musicThe Tempest (Sullivan)Gilbert and Sullivan

American Civil War: The Battle of Shiloh begins: In Tennessee, forces under Union General Ulysses S. Grant meet Confederate troops led by General Albert Sidney Johnston.

American Civil WarBattle of ShilohTennesseeUnion (American Civil War)Ulysses S. Grant

American Civil War: The Battle of Sailor's Creek: Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia fights and loses its last major battle while in retreat from Richmond, Virginia during the Appomattox Campaign.

Battle of Sailor's CreekRobert E. LeeArmy of Northern VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaAppomattox Campaign

The Grand Army of the Republic, an American patriotic organization composed of Union veterans of the American Civil War, is founded. It lasts until 1956.

Grand Army of the Republic

Celluloid is patented.

Celluloid

Thomas Green Clemson dies, bequeathing his estate to the State of South Carolina to establish Clemson Agricultural College.

Thomas Green ClemsonSouth CarolinaClemson University

Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is dedicated by Wilford Woodruff.

Salt Lake TempleWilford Woodruff

Oscar Wilde is arrested in the Cadogan Hotel, London, after losing a libel case against the Marquess of Queensberry.

Oscar WildeCadogan HotelLibelJohn Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry

In Athens, the opening of the first modern Olympic Games is celebrated, 1,500 years after the original games are banned by Roman emperor Theodosius I.

Athens1896 Summer OlympicsRoman emperorTheodosius I

Robert Peary and Matthew Henson reach the North Pole.

Robert PearyMatthew HensonNorth Pole