The Macedonian army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus.

Macedonia (ancient kingdom)Alexander the GreatDarius IIIBattle of the Granicus

Mayan king Bird Jaguar IV of Yaxchilan in modern-day Chiapas, Mexico assumes the throne.

Yaxun B'alam IVYaxchilanChiapas

John II becomes Duke of Brabant, Lothier and Limburg.

John II, Duke of Brabant

The largest of three earthquakes strikes the island of Rhodes and causes an estimated 30,000 casualties.

1481 Rhodes earthquakeRhodes

Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries, adopting the baptismal name of João I.

Kingdom of KongoNkuwu NzingaPortuguese EmpireJoão I of Kongo

Treaty of Loudun ends French civil war.

Treaty of Loudun

A total solar eclipse was visible across northern Europe, and northern Asia, as predicted by Edmond Halley to within 4 minutes accuracy.

Solar eclipse of May 3, 1715Edmond Halley

The Constitution of May 3 (the first modern constitution in Europe) is proclaimed by the Sejm of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Constitution of May 3, 1791ConstitutionSejmPolish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Washington, D.C. is incorporated as a city.

Washington, D.C.

Finnish War: Sweden loses the fortress of Sveaborg to Russia.

Finnish WarSveaborg

Peninsular War: The Madrid rebels who rose up on May 2 are executed near Príncipe Pío hill.

Peninsular WarMadridDos de Mayo UprisingMay 2Príncipe Pío (hill)

Neapolitan War: Joachim Murat, King of Naples is defeated by the Austrians at the Battle of Tolentino, the decisive engagement of the war.

Neapolitan WarJoachim MuratKingdom of NaplesBattle of Tolentino

The Canterbury and Whitstable Railway is opened; it is the first steam-hauled passenger railway to issue season tickets and include a tunnel.

Canterbury and Whitstable Railway

The University of Athens is founded in Athens, Greece.

National and Kapodistrian University of AthensAthens

The boar-crested Anglo-Saxon Benty Grange helmet is discovered.

Anglo-SaxonBenty Grange helmet

The May Uprising in Dresden begins - the last of the German revolutions of 1848-49.

May Uprising in DresdenGerman revolutions of 1848-49

American adventurer William Walker departs from San Francisco with about 60 men to conquer Nicaragua.

William Walker (filibuster)San FranciscoNicaragua

Charles XV of Sweden-Norway is crowned king of Sweden.

Charles XV of SwedenSweden-Norway

The Hudson's Bay Company gives up all claims to Vancouver Island.

Hudson's Bay CompanyVancouver Island

The Great Fire of 1901 begins in Jacksonville, Florida.

Great Fire of 1901Jacksonville, Florida

Raja Harishchandra the first full-length Indian feature film is released, marking the beginning of the Indian film industry.

Raja HarishchandraFeature filmCinema of India

A Bolshevik coup fails in the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

1920 Georgian coup attemptDemocratic Republic of Georgia

West Virginia becomes the first state to legislate a broad sales tax, but does not implement it until a number of years later due to enforcement issues.

West VirginiaSales tax

The Partition of Ireland; The Government of Ireland Act 1920 is passed, dividing Ireland into Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland.

Partition of IrelandGovernment of Ireland Act 1920IrelandNorthern IrelandSouthern Ireland (1921-22)

Gone with the Wind, a novel by Margaret Mitchell, wins the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Gone with the Wind (novel)Margaret MitchellPulitzer Prize for Fiction

The All India Forward Bloc is formed by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

All India Forward BlocSubhas Chandra Bose

World War II: Japanese naval troops invade Tulagi Island in the Solomon Islands during the first part of Operation Mo that results in the Battle of the Coral Sea between Japanese forces and forces from the United States and Australia.

Empire of JapanInvasion of Tulagi (May 1942)Solomon IslandsOperation MoBattle of the Coral Sea

World War II: Sinking of the prison ships Cap Arcona, Thielbek and Deutschland by the Royal Air Force in Lübeck Bay.

Prison shipSS Cap Arcona (1927)SS Thielbek (1940)SS Deutschland (1923)Royal Air Force

New post-war Japanese constitution goes into effect.

Constitution of Japan

The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Shelley v. Kraemer that covenants prohibiting the sale of real estate to blacks and other minorities are legally unenforceable.

U.S. Supreme CourtShelley v. KraemerReal estate