1436day.year
Assassination of the Swedish rebel (later national hero) Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson (27 April O.S.).
Swedish rebel leader Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson is assassinated in 1436, abruptly ending a popular uprising against royal authority.
In 1436, Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, the renowned leader of a Swedish uprising against King Eric of Pomerania, was betrayed and assassinated while traveling to meet nobles. A former mine owner turned political agitator, Engelbrekt had become a symbol of Swedish resistance and national pride. His revolt had challenged foreign rule and sought reforms in taxation and governance. His death sparked outrage among supporters and led to further unrest in the kingdom. Although the rebellion faltered without his leadership, Engelbrekt’s legacy endured as a folk hero and rallying point for Swedish autonomy. His assassination is remembered as a pivotal moment in the struggle for Swedish self-determination.
1436
Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson
O.S.
1471day.year
Wars of the Roses: The Battle of Tewkesbury: Edward IV defeats a Lancastrian Army and kills Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales.
At the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471, Edward IV secures a decisive Yorkist victory and ends the Lancastrian line by slaying the Prince of Wales.
Fought on May 4, 1471, the Battle of Tewkesbury was a crucial engagement in the Wars of the Roses between the Yorkists under King Edward IV and the Lancastrians loyal to Queen Margaret of Anjou. Edward IV’s forces executed a well-timed flank attack that overwhelmed the Lancastrian camp, securing a swift victory. During the battle, Edward of Westminster, the only son of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou, was killed, extinguishing the Lancastrian heir. The defeat shattered Lancastrian resistance and led to the capture of Queen Margaret. Edward IV’s triumph at Tewkesbury consolidated Yorkist control of the throne and ushered in a period of stability under the House of York. The battle is often cited as one of the bloodiest and most decisive in the conflict’s history.
1471
Wars of the Roses
Battle of Tewkesbury
Edward IV
Lancastrian
Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales
1799day.year
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War: The Battle of Seringapatam: The siege of Seringapatam ends when the city is invaded and Tipu Sultan killed by the besieging British army, under the command of General George Harris.
The British army captures Seringapatam in 1799, leading to the death of Tipu Sultan and the end of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War.
During the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, British forces under General George Harris besieged the fortress of Seringapatam on May 4, 1799. The city fell after intense fighting and a bold assault that breached its walls. Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore and adversary of British expansion, was killed in the final defense of his capital. His death marked the collapse of Mysorean resistance and enabled the British East India Company to assert control over southern India. The fall of Seringapatam reshaped the region’s political landscape and paved the way for British dominance. The battle remains a significant episode in colonial military history.
1799
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
Battle of Seringapatam
Seringapatam
Tipu Sultan
General George Harris
1869day.year
The four-day Naval Battle of Hakodate begins. The newly formed Imperial Japanese Navy defeats the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate navy in the Sea of Japan off the city of Hakodate, leading to the surrender of the Ezo Republic on May 17.
On May 4, 1869, the four-day Naval Battle of Hakodate commenced between the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy and the Tokugawa shogunate’s naval forces in the Sea of Japan.
The Naval Battle of Hakodate was the largest sea engagement of the Boshin War, marking the twilight of Tokugawa rule. The Imperial Japanese Navy, newly established under Meiji leadership, challenged the last bastion of the shogunate’s naval power off Hakodate. Fierce combat lasted from May 4 to May 10, with modern warships and Western artillery playing decisive roles. The defeat of the shogunate remnants and the subsequent surrender of the Ezo Republic on May 17 symbolized the consolidation of imperial authority. This confrontation showcased Japan’s rapid adoption of Western military technology and tactics. It also foreshadowed the emergence of Japan as a modern naval power in the years to come.
1869
Naval Battle of Hakodate
Imperial Japanese Navy
Tokugawa shogunate
Sea of Japan
Hakodate
Ezo Republic
1912day.year
Italy occupies the Ottoman island of Rhodes.
On May 4, 1912, during the Italo-Turkish War, Italian forces occupied the island of Rhodes, seizing it from the Ottoman Empire.
The occupation of Rhodes was part of Italy’s campaign in the Aegean Sea during the Italo-Turkish War (1911–1912). Italian troops landed on the island to secure strategic control over the Dodecanese archipelago. Despite limited Ottoman resistance, the occupation demonstrated Italy’s naval superiority and expansionist ambitions. Rhodes remained under Italian administration until 1947, influencing the island’s architecture, infrastructure, and cultural ties. The event foreshadowed the decline of Ottoman influence in the Mediterranean and set the stage for future geopolitical reshuffling in the region. It also highlighted the waning power of old empires in the face of modern military forces.
1912
Rhodes
1942day.year
World War II: The Battle of the Coral Sea begins with an attack by aircraft from the United States aircraft carrier USS Yorktown on Japanese naval forces at Tulagi Island in the Solomon Islands. The Japanese forces had invaded Tulagi the day before.
The Battle of the Coral Sea commences as US and Japanese naval forces clash in the Pacific.
On May 4, 1942, aircraft from USS Yorktown launched the first attacks against Japanese ships and land positions at Tulagi in the Solomon Islands. This engagement marked the opening phase of the Battle of the Coral Sea, the first naval battle fought entirely with aircraft carriers. The previous day, Japanese forces had occupied Tulagi, threatening Allied supply routes to Australia. Over the following days, carrier-based planes from both sides would strike opposing fleets without ships ever sighting each other. The battle tested new tactics in carrier warfare and signaled a shift in naval strategy. Although casualties were relatively light compared to later engagements, the battle halted the Japanese advance on Port Moresby. The clash foreshadowed the decisive carrier battles that would define the Pacific War and demonstrated the strategic value of airpower at sea.
1942
World War II
Battle of the Coral Sea
aircraft carrier
USS Yorktown
Japanese
Tulagi
Solomon Islands
invaded Tulagi
1945day.year
World War II: Neuengamme concentration camp near Hamburg is liberated by the British Army.
British forces liberate Neuengamme concentration camp near Hamburg in WWII’s final days.
In the closing months of World War II, Neuengamme concentration camp held thousands of prisoners in brutal conditions under the Nazi regime. On May 4, 1945, units of the British Army advanced into the area surrounding Hamburg and reached the camp’s perimeter. Guards fled or surrendered as troops moved through the camp, freeing survivors weakened by forced labor and malnutrition. British medical teams immediately began treating the survivors, many suffering from disease and injury. The liberation exposed the horrors of the Nazi camp system to the world and provided key evidence for postwar war crimes trials. In the days that followed, Allied forces documented testimony and photographs to record the atrocities. The camp’s liberation remains a poignant reminder of the human cost of totalitarianism and the resilience of those who endured unimaginable suffering.
1945
Neuengamme concentration camp
Hamburg
British Army
1945day.year
World War II: The German surrender at Lüneburg Heath is signed, coming into effect the following day. It encompasses all Wehrmacht units in the Netherlands, Denmark and northwest Germany.
German forces sign an unconditional surrender at Lüneburg Heath, ending WWII hostilities in northwest Europe.
On May 4, 1945, representatives of the German Wehrmacht signed the surrender documents on Lüneburg Heath, near Hamburg. The agreement covered all German forces in the Netherlands, Denmark, and northwest Germany, bringing hostilities in these regions to an abrupt close. Brigadier General Bernard Montgomery represented the Allies during the signing, which formally took effect on May 5. This surrender followed the fall of Berlin and the suicide of Adolf Hitler, signaling the imminent end of the European theater of World War II. Thousands of German troops laid down their arms, and Allied occupation plans moved swiftly forward. The event prevented further loss of life in the already devastated regions and facilitated humanitarian efforts. It also set the stage for the final unconditional surrender signed in Reims days later, cementing the Allies’ victory over Nazi Germany.
German surrender at Lüneburg Heath
Wehrmacht
1970day.year
Vietnam War: Kent State shootings: The Ohio National Guard, sent to Kent State University after disturbances in the city of Kent the weekend before, opens fire killing four unarmed students and wounding nine others. The students were protesting the Cambodian Campaign of the United States and South Vietnam.
Ohio National Guard troops open fire on protesting students at Kent State University, resulting in four deaths and nine injuries.
On May 4, 1970, during a protest against the Cambodian Campaign of the Vietnam War, members of the Ohio National Guard fired on unarmed students at Kent State University.
The gunfire killed four students and wounded nine others, shocking the nation and sparking widespread protests.
Witnesses reported tension high after days of local unrest and demonstrations in the city of Kent.
The shootings intensified anti-war sentiment across college campuses and prompted further confrontations between students and authorities.
A subsequent investigation criticized the guardsmen's actions but no one was prosecuted for the deaths.
Kent State became a symbol of the domestic cost of the Vietnam War and the struggle over free speech and assembly.
1970
Vietnam War
Kent State shootings
Ohio National Guard
Kent State University
Cambodian Campaign
South Vietnam
1978day.year
The South African Defence Force attacks a SWAPO base at Cassinga in southern Angola, killing about 600 people.
South African forces assault a SWAPO base at Cassinga in Angola, resulting in around 600 fatalities.
On May 4, 1978, the South African Defence Force launched Operation Reindeer, attacking the SWAPO camp at Cassinga in southern Angola.
The air and ground assault targeted what was believed to be a major guerrilla stronghold of the Namibian independence movement.
Estimates suggest around 600 people were killed, including combatants and many civilians seeking refuge.
The raid drew international condemnation and heightened tensions in the South African Border War.
SWAPO cadres and Angolan forces vowed to intensify armed resistance following the massacre.
The Cassinga raid remains one of the most controversial operations in the conflict over Namibia's liberation.
1978
South African Defence Force
SWAPO
Cassinga
Angola
1982day.year
Twenty sailors are killed when the British Type 42 destroyer HMS Sheffield is hit by an Argentinian Exocet missile during the Falklands War.
During the Falklands War, the destroyer HMS Sheffield is struck by an Exocet missile, killing twenty crew members.
On May 4, 1982, during the Falklands War, the British Type 42 destroyer HMS Sheffield was hit by an Argentine Exocet missile.
The strike caused a devastating fire and resulted in the deaths of twenty sailors.
Sheffield's loss highlighted the lethality of modern anti-ship missiles and prompted changes in naval tactics and ship design.
The attack was carried out by Argentine Navy pilots operating from the mainland, demonstrating the reach of their air forces.
Debris and damage prevented the ship from being salvaged, and it eventually sank while under tow.
The incident underscored the risks faced by naval forces in hostile waters and influenced future naval defence strategies.
1982
Type 42 destroyer
HMS Sheffield
Argentinian
Exocet
Falklands War
1994day.year
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat sign a peace accord, granting self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho.
Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat signed a landmark peace accord granting Palestinian self-rule in Gaza and Jericho on May 4, 1994.
In a high-profile ceremony on the White House lawn, Rabin and Arafat formalized the Gaza–Jericho Agreement following the Oslo Accords. The accord created the Palestinian Authority to administer civil affairs in the Gaza Strip and Jericho. It outlined phased Israeli military withdrawals and established election timelines. The iconic handshake between Rabin and Arafat symbolized hope after decades of conflict. While opposition remained on both sides, the agreement represented a major diplomatic breakthrough. It paved the way for further negotiations in the pursuit of lasting peace.
1994
Prime Minister
Yitzhak Rabin
PLO
Yasser Arafat
a peace accord
Gaza Strip
Jericho