May 12
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Christian feast day:
BlessedJoan of Portugal, Crispoldus, Dominic de la Calzada, Epiphanius of Salamis, Gregory Dix(Church of England), Modoald, Nereus, Achilleus, Domitilla, and Pancras, PatriarchGermanus I of Constantinople(Eastern Church), Philip of Agira
A collective feast day honoring a group of Christian saints celebrated across various traditions on May 12.
International ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
A day dedicated to raising global awareness and understanding of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia.
International Nurses Day
A day to celebrate the contributions and dedication of nurses worldwide.
J. V. Snellman Day or the Finnish Heritage Day (Finland)
A Finnish public holiday celebrating the legacy of statesman Johan Vilhelm Snellman and Finnish culture.
BlessedJoan of Portugal
Commemorates Blessed Joan of Portugal, a royal figure renowned for her faith and charitable works.
Crispoldus
The feast day of Saint Crispoldus, an early Christian martyr.
Dominic de la Calzada
Commemorates St. Dominic de la Calzada, known for aiding pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago.
Epiphanius of Salamis
Honors Epiphanius, a 4th-century bishop and influential theologian.
Gregory Dix(Church of England)
Remembers Gregory Dix, influential 20th-century liturgical scholar of the Church of England.
Events
Pope Stephen I succeeds Pope Lucius I, becoming the 23rd pope of the Catholic Church, and immediately takes a stand against Novatianism.
Pope Stephen I became the 23rd pope, succeeding Lucius I, and took a decisive stance against the Novatianist schism.
Zhu Wen forces Emperor Ai into abdicating, ending the Tang dynasty after nearly three hundred years of rule.
Military leader Zhu Wen deposed Emperor Ai, bringing the nearly three-century Tang dynasty to an end.
Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre in Cyprus; she is crowned Queen consort of England the same day.
King Richard I of England wed Berengaria of Navarre in Cyprus, crowning her Queen consort on the same day.
Antipope Nicholas V, a claimant to the papacy, is consecrated in Rome by the Bishop of Venice.
Antipope Nicholas V was consecrated in Rome by the Bishop of Venice, claiming the papacy against John XXII.
Jagiellonian University, the oldest university in Poland, is founded in Kraków.
The Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland’s oldest university, was established to foster academic learning.
Pope Alexander VI excommunicates Girolamo Savonarola.
Pope Alexander VI excommunicated the reformer Girolamo Savonarola, deepening the crisis in Florence.
The Prince of Anhua rebellion begins when Zhu Zhifan kills all the officials invited to a banquet and declares his intent on ousting the powerful Ming dynasty eunuch Liu Jin during the reign of the Zhengde Emperor.
Prince of Anhua’s revolt erupted in chaos as Zhu Zhifan slaughtered officials, challenging Ming dynasty power.
National University of San Marcos, the oldest university in the Americas, is founded in Lima, Peru.
The National University of San Marcos was founded in Lima, becoming the oldest university in the Americas.
French Wars of Religion: Henry III of France flees Paris after Henry I, Duke of Guise, enters the city and a spontaneous uprising occurs.
Amid the French Wars of Religion, King Henry III fled Paris as the Duke of Guise’s forces sparked an uprising.
Births
Rupert II
German noble from the House of Wittelsbach who served as Elector Palatine of the Rhine in the late 14th century.
104th Emperor of Japan during the early Muromachi period.
Pompeo Colonna
Italian noble who became a prominent cardinal of the Catholic Church and influential political figure during the early 16th century.
King of Sweden from 1523 to 1560 who led the country to independence from the Kalmar Union and founded the Vasa dynasty.
Cosimo II de' Medici
Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1609 until his early death in 1621, remembered as a patron of science and the arts.
Joachim von Sandrart
German painter and art historian best known for his monumental 'Teutsche Academie' documenting artists and art theory.
Louis de Buade de Frontenac
French aristocrat and soldier who served twice as Governor General of New France, defending the colony against Iroquois attacks.
Louis Hennepin
Flemish Recollect missionary and explorer who first documented Niagara Falls and Saint Anthony Falls.
Augustus II the Strong
Elector of Saxony and twice King of Poland renowned for his physical strength, opulent court, and patronage of the arts.
Deaths
Æthelhard
Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of Canterbury who strengthened the medieval English church and navigated royal disputes.
Eutychius
Melkite Patriarch of Alexandria renowned for his scholarly works and universal history chronicling ancient to medieval times.
Sylvester II
Pope Sylvester II, born Gerbert of Aurillac, was a scholar and mathematician who reintroduced Arabic numerals to Europe.
Sergius IV
Pope Sergius IV led the Catholic Church during political turmoil and defended ecclesiastical rights against Roman nobility.
Liutold of Eppenstein
Liutold of Eppenstein was Duke of Carinthia who maintained loyalty to the Holy Roman Emperor during regional conflicts.
Fergus of Galloway
Fergus of Galloway was a powerful Scottish noble who expanded his domain and fostered religious foundations in Galloway.
Valdemar I
Valdemar I 'the Great' strengthened the Danish monarchy and led campaigns against the Wends in the Baltic.
Engelbert of Admont
Engelbert of Admont was a Benedictine abbot known for his scholarly works on theology and natural sciences.
Thomas Palaiologos
Thomas Palaiologos was the Despot of Morea, known for his efforts to defend the Byzantine principality against the Ottomans.