Big Ben

May 31, 1859 Big Ben located at the top of the 320-foot-high St. Stephen's Tower, rang out over the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, for the first time.

History Trivia

May 31,1279 BC – Rameses II (The Great) (19th dynasty) became pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. 526 A devastating earthquake struck Antioch, Turkey, killing 250,000. 1223 Mongol invasion of the Cumans: Battle of the Kalka River – Mongol armies of Genghis Khan led by Subutai defeated Kievan Rus and Cumans. 1076 The execution of Waltheof of Northumbria ended the 'Revolt of the Earls' against William the Conqueror.

History Trivia

May 30, 70 Siege of Jerusalem: Titus and his Roman legions breached the Second Wall of Jerusalem. The Jewish defenders retreated to the First Wall. The Romans built a circumvallation, cutting down all trees within fifteen kilometres. 1416 The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund, a supporter of Antipope John XXIII, burned Jerome of Prague following a trial for heresy. 1431 Hundred Years' War in Rouen, France, 19-year-old Joan of Arc was burned at the stake by an English-dominated tribunal. Because of this the Catholic Church remember this day as the celebration of Saint Joan of Arc. 1434 Hussite Wars (Bohemian Wars): Battle of Lipany – effectively ending the war, Utraquist forces led by Diviš Bořek of Miletínek defeated and almost annihilated Taborite forces led by Prokop the Great.
1536 King Henry VIII of England married Jane Seymour, a lady-in-waiting to his first two wives. 1593 Leading Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe was stabbed to death in a pub brawl in Deptford

History Trivia

May 29, 363 Roman Emperor Julian defeated the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Sassanid capital, but was unable to take the city.
1167 Battle of Monte Porzio – A Roman army supporting Pope Alexander III was defeated by Christian of Buch and Rainald of Dassel. 1176 Battle of Legnano: The Lombard League defeated Emperor Frederick I. 1414 Council of Constance. 1453 Fall of Constantinople: Ottoman armies under Sultan Mehmed II Fatih captured Constantinople after a 53-day siege, ending the Byzantine Empire. Although the date of May 29, 1453 is that of the Julian Calendar, the event is commemorated in Istanbul on this day of the present Gregorian calendar. 1660 English Restoration: Charles II arrived in London from exile in the Netherlands to reclaim his throne. This date is also his birthday.

History Trivia

May 28, 585 BC A solar eclipse occurred, as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes was battling Cyaxares in the Battle of the Eclipse, leading to a truce. This was one of the cardinal dates from which other dates can be calculated. 1291 Acre, in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, fell to the Moslems, ending the Crusades. 1503 James IV of Scotland and Margaret Tudor were married according to a Papal Bull by Pope Alexander VI. A Treaty of Everlasting Peace between Scotland and England signed on that occasion resulted in a peace that lasted ten years. 1533 The Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer declared the marriage of King Henry VIII of England to Anne Boleyn valid. 1588 The Spanish Armada, with 130 ships and 30,000 men, set sail from Lisbon heading for the English Channel. (It would take until May 30 for all ships to leave port).

History Trivia

May 27, 893 Simeon I of Bulgaria was crowned Emperor of the first Bulgarian empire.927 Battle of the Bosnian Highlands: the Croatian army, led by King Tomislav, defeated the Bulgarian Army. 1120 Richard III of Capua was anointed as Prince two weeks before his untimely death. 1153 Malcolm IV became King of Scotland.1199 King John I of England crowned. 1328 King Philip VI of France crowned.

History Trivia

May 26, 17 Germanicus returned to Rome as a conquering hero; he celebrated a triumph for his victories over the Cherusci, Chatti and other German tribes west of the Elbe.
451 Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire took place. The Empire defeated the Armenians militarily but guaranteed them freedom to openly practice Christianity.