553day.year
The Second Council of Constantinople begins.
The Second Council of Constantinople convened in 553 to address ongoing doctrinal disputes within the early Church.
In 553, bishops from across the Christian world gathered in Constantinople for the Second Council of Constantinople.
It was the fifth Ecumenical Council, tasked with addressing the Three Chapters controversy concerning Christ’s nature.
Leading theologians and church authorities debated the condemnation of certain writings seen as heretical.
The council’s canons sought to restore unity between the Eastern and Western branches of the Church.
Its lasting decisions shaped Christological doctrine and influenced ecclesiastical relations for centuries.
553
Second Council of Constantinople
1215day.year
Rebel barons renounce their allegiance to King John of England — part of a chain of events leading to the signing of the Magna Carta.
In 1215, English barons withdrew their loyalty to King John, setting the stage for the Magna Carta.
On May 5, 1215, a group of rebel barons formally withdrew their allegiance to King John of England.
Their open defiance was sparked by the king’s heavy taxation and arbitrary rule.
This act of rebellion heightened tensions between the monarchy and the nobility.
It directly contributed to the negotiation and sealing of the Magna Carta later that month.
The Magna Carta became a foundational document limiting royal authority and influencing constitutional law.
Its principles have echoed through centuries, shaping modern concepts of justice and governance.
1215
John of England
Magna Carta
1260day.year
Kublai Khan becomes ruler of the Mongol Empire.
In 1260, Kublai Khan ascended as the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, marking a pivotal shift in leadership.
In 1260, Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, succeeded to leadership of the Mongol Empire.
His accession followed internal power struggles among Genghis Khan’s descendants.
As the Great Khan, Kublai moved the empire’s political center to China and later founded the Yuan dynasty.
Under his rule, the empire saw increased cultural exchange and trade expansion along the Silk Road.
He implemented innovative administrative reforms blending Mongol and Chinese traditions.
Kublai Khan’s reign established a legacy of East-West connections that endured beyond the Mongol era.
1260
Kublai Khan
Mongol Empire
1640day.year
King Charles I of England dissolves the Short Parliament.
King Charles I dissolved the Short Parliament in 1640 after it refused to grant him funds for war.
On May 5, 1640, King Charles I of England abruptly terminated the Short Parliament.
The assembly had convened amid Charles’s financial crisis following military setbacks in Scotland.
Members of Parliament resisted granting new taxes without addressing grievances against royal policies.
Charles’s dissolution deepened the rift between the monarchy and Parliament.
This conflict foreshadowed the English Civil War that erupted a year later.
The episode underscored growing demands for parliamentary authority and checks on royal power.
1640
Charles I of England
Short Parliament
1654day.year
Cromwell's Act of Grace, aimed at reconciliation with the Scots, proclaimed in Edinburgh.
Oliver Cromwell’s Act of Grace was proclaimed in Edinburgh in 1654 to extend reconciliation to the Scots.
On May 5, 1654, Oliver Cromwell’s Act of Grace was officially proclaimed in Edinburgh.
The proclamation aimed to extend pardon and concessions to the Scottish people after their defeat.
It followed the incorporation of Scotland into the Commonwealth of England.
The act offered limited amnesty while imposing conditions on Scottish governance.
It signaled a strategic move to stabilize Cromwell’s rule across the British Isles.
Despite its conciliatory tone, the act maintained strict oversight of Scottish affairs.
1654
Cromwell's Act of Grace
Edinburgh
1762day.year
Russia and Prussia sign the Treaty of St. Petersburg.
In 1762, Russia and Prussia signed the Treaty of St. Petersburg, ending hostilities and reshaping European alliances.
On May 5, 1762, the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia concluded the Treaty of St. Petersburg.
The agreement ended the brief conflict that arose during the Seven Years’ War.
Russia agreed to withdraw its forces and restore previously captured territories to Prussia.
This diplomatic shift significantly altered the balance of power in Europe.
Frederick the Great regained his eastern provinces, enabling him to continue resisting other enemies.
The treaty marked a pragmatic realignment that shaped subsequent European alliances.
1762
Russia
Prussia
Treaty of St. Petersburg
1789day.year
In France, the Estates-General convenes for the first time since 1614.
The Estates-General met in 1789 for the first time since 1614, igniting the French Revolution.
On May 5, 1789, King Louis XVI summoned the Estates-General to Versailles, convening them for the first time since 1614.
Representatives of the clergy, nobility, and commoners gathered to address France’s fiscal crisis.
Sharp disagreements over voting procedures and inequality quickly emerged.
The deadlock led the Third Estate to declare itself the National Assembly.
This bold move set in motion the events that ignited the French Revolution.
The convening of the Estates-General remains a defining moment in the struggle for modern democracy.
1789
France
Estates-General
1821day.year
Emperor Napoleon dies in exile on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on the remote island of Saint Helena, marking the end of his storied reign.
After his defeat at Waterloo in 1815, Napoleon was sent to Saint Helena under British supervision. Isolated and in poor health, he spent his final years dictating memoirs and reflecting on his empire. On May 5, 1821, at age 51, he succumbed to stomach cancer, though alternative theories persist. His death ended hopes of a Bonapartist resurgence and influenced European politics during the Restoration period. His tomb on Saint Helena remains a place of historical pilgrimage, preserving his legacy as a military icon.
1821
Napoleon
Saint Helena
1865day.year
American Civil War: The Confederate government was declared dissolved at Washington, Georgia.
The Confederate government formally dissolved in Washington, Georgia, signaling the definitive end of the Confederacy.
Following the surrender of General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in April 1865, remaining Confederate officials gathered in Washington, Georgia. On May 5, 1865, they voted to disband the Confederate cabinet and cease governmental functions, acknowledging the collapse of their cause. President Jefferson Davis and his administration self-dissolved, leaving no centralized authority to resist Union advances. This act officially terminated the Confederate States of America and paved the way for Reconstruction efforts in the South. The dissolution underscored the Confederacy’s total defeat and reshaped the political landscape of postwar America.
1865
Confederate government
Washington, Georgia
1905day.year
The trial in the Stratton Brothers case begins in London, England; it marks the first time that fingerprint evidence is used to gain a conviction for murder.
The trial in London marks the first use of fingerprint evidence to convict a murderer in the Stratton Brothers case.
On May 5, 1905, the high-profile trial of Henry and Francis Stratton commenced at the Old Bailey in London. The prosecution introduced fingerprint analysis to link Henry Stratton to the crime scene in the infamous road murder case. This pioneering application of forensic science demonstrated the reliability of fingerprint identification. The groundbreaking evidence played a crucial role in securing a conviction for murder. The case set a legal precedent that would revolutionize criminal investigations worldwide.
1905
Stratton Brothers case
fingerprint
1920day.year
Authorities arrest Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti for alleged robbery and murder.
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are arrested for an alleged robbery and murder in Massachusetts.
On May 5, 1920, Italian-American anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were apprehended in South Braintree, Massachusetts. Authorities accused them of participating in a payroll robbery at a local factory that resulted in two deaths. Their arrest ignited a global controversy over their guilt, fueled by political bias against immigrants and radical activists. The ensuing trial and appeals highlighted tensions over civil liberties, due process, and nativism in post-World War I America. Although debate over their innocence endures, Sacco and Vanzetti became symbols of injustice and martyrdom in the struggle for social and political equality.
1920
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti
1941day.year
Emperor Haile Selassie returns to Addis Ababa; the country commemorates the date as Liberation Day or Patriots' Victory Day.
Emperor Haile Selassie returns to Addis Ababa, marking Ethiopia's Liberation Day from Italian occupation.
On May 5, 1941, Emperor Haile Selassie triumphantly re-entered Addis Ababa alongside Allied forces, ending five years of Italian colonial rule. His return fulfilled a promise of national sovereignty and rekindled hope among Ethiopians. The day has since been celebrated as Liberation Day or Patriots’ Victory Day, honoring resistance fighters and foreign allies. Festivities include parades, speeches, and remembrances of those who sacrificed for Ethiopia's freedom. The liberation also strengthened the emperor’s international stature and contributed to the decline of European colonialism in Africa.
1941
Haile Selassie
Liberation Day