919day.year
The nobles of Franconia and Saxony elect Henry the Fowler at the Imperial Diet in Fritzlar as king of the East Frankish Kingdom.
In 919, German nobles gather at Fritzlar to elect Henry the Fowler as king, laying foundations for the East Frankish Kingdom.
At the Imperial Diet of Fritzlar, leading nobles from Franconia and Saxony chose Henry the Fowler as their king. This election marked a decisive step in consolidating the East Frankish Kingdom after the decline of Carolingian rule. Henry's ascension initiated the Ottonian dynasty, which would strengthen royal authority and defend against external threats. His reign saw the reorganization of the realm and the beginning of a more unified German kingdom. The event underscored the growing power of regional dukes and set a precedent for future royal elections.
919
Franconia
Saxony
Henry the Fowler
Imperial Diet
Fritzlar
East Frankish Kingdom
1276day.year
Magnus Ladulås is crowned King of Sweden in Uppsala Cathedral.
In 1276, Magnus Ladulås is crowned king in Uppsala Cathedral, ushering in a new era in Sweden.
Magnus Ladulås, later known as Magnus III, was crowned at Uppsala Cathedral after a struggle with his brother King Valdemar. He earned the nickname Ladulås for laws that curbed private conflicts and protected common farmers. His reign strengthened royal power and introduced legal reforms that centralized authority in Sweden. Magnus promoted trade and urban development in key towns. The coronation affirmed Uppsala's status as both the spiritual and political center of the kingdom.
1276
Magnus Ladulås
King of Sweden
Uppsala Cathedral
1487day.year
The ten-year-old Lambert Simnel is crowned in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland, with the name of Edward VI in a bid to threaten King Henry VII's reign.
Lambert Simnel is crowned in Dublin as a Yorkist pretender to challenge King Henry VII in 1487.
Lambert Simnel was crowned in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin by Irish Yorkist supporters. The ten-year-old pretender's coronation under the name Edward VI aimed to challenge King Henry VII's Tudor dynasty. Supported by powerful nobles and hired mercenaries, Simnel marched into England but suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Stoke in June 1487. Henry VII spared Simnel's life, famously redirecting him to serve in the royal kitchens. The episode revealed the fragility of the early Tudor reign and the enduring legacy of Yorkist resistance.
1487
Lambert Simnel
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
King Henry VII
1567day.year
Erik XIV of Sweden and his guards murder five incarcerated Swedish nobles.
King Erik XIV orders the killing of five noble prisoners in 1567, an event known as the Sture Murders.
Driven by paranoia and political strife, King Erik XIV of Sweden accused five nobles of treason and imprisoned them at Uppsala Castle. Fearing a plot against his rule, Erik personally oversaw their execution without trial. The killings, later called the Sture Murders, shocked the kingdom and deepened mistrust between the crown and aristocracy. This ruthless act contributed to Erik's eventual downfall and mental decline. The incident remains a stark example of royal excess and the precarious nature of power in 16th-century Sweden.
1567
Erik XIV of Sweden
murder
1607day.year
Jamestown, the first permanent English colony in North America, is founded.
English settlers establish Jamestown in 1607 as their first enduring colony in North America.
Sponsored by the Virginia Company, a group of English colonists landed on the shores of Virginia and founded Jamestown. Facing harsh conditions, disease, and tense relations with Indigenous peoples, the settlers struggled to survive their first years. The colony's eventual success with tobacco cultivation ensured its economic viability. Jamestown became a foothold for English expansion and a symbol of the New World's promise and perils. Its legacy endures as the starting point of the United States' colonial history.
1607
Jamestown
North America
1621day.year
The Protestant Union is formally dissolved.
Formed to defend Protestant interests, the Protestant Union is officially disbanded in 1621.
Established in 1608 by German princes and cities, the Protestant Union aimed to protect Protestant territories within the Holy Roman Empire. Political divisions and the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War strained the alliance. In May 1621, facing military setbacks and diplomatic isolation, its members agreed to dissolve the Union. The collapse weakened Protestant defenses and shifted the balance of power toward Catholic forces. This dissolution paved the way for renewed conflict and influenced the wider course of European religious wars.
1621
Protestant Union
1626day.year
Peter Minuit buys Manhattan.
In 1626, Dutch director Peter Minuit purchases Manhattan Island from Native Americans.
Acting on behalf of the Dutch West India Company, Peter Minuit negotiated a deal with Lenape chiefs to acquire Manhattan Island. The transaction, valued at goods worth around 60 guilders, is often cited as the basis for modern Manhattan. The purchase facilitated the growth of New Amsterdam, which later became New York City. Minuit's pragmatic approach to land deals influenced colonial practices in North America. The moment stands as a foundational event in the history of European settlement and urban development on the continent.
1626
Peter Minuit
Manhattan
1689day.year
The English Parliament passes the Act of Toleration protecting dissenting Protestants but excluding Roman Catholics.
In 1689, the English Parliament passed the Act of Toleration granting freedom to dissenting Protestants while still excluding Roman Catholics.
The Act of Toleration, passed by the English Parliament on May 24, 1689, granted limited religious freedom to Protestant dissenters following the Glorious Revolution. The legislation allowed nonconformists, such as Baptists and Congregationalists, to worship openly, provided they pledged allegiance to the Crown. However, the act explicitly barred Roman Catholics and non-Trinitarians from its protections, reflecting ongoing religious tensions in the kingdom. The measure represented a significant step toward religious pluralism in England, easing deep-seated hostilities. This legislative change influenced subsequent debates on civil rights and laid groundwork for later expansions of religious liberty. Despite its restrictions, the Act of Toleration marked an important milestone in the evolution of religious freedom in the British Isles.
1689
English Parliament
Act of Toleration
dissenting Protestants
Roman Catholics
1832day.year
The First Kingdom of Greece is declared in the London Conference.
On May 24, 1832, the First Kingdom of Greece was declared during the London Conference, establishing George I as king.
The London Conference of 1832 formally established the First Kingdom of Greece on May 24, 1832, following Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire. Representatives of Britain, France, and Russia appointed the Bavarian Prince Otto as the first King of the Hellenes. This decision marked the creation of a sovereign Greek state under a European monarchy, balancing the interests of the Great Powers. The new kingdom adopted a Bavarian-style administration and constitution, setting up institutions for governance. Otto's reign introduced modern reforms in infrastructure, education, and public administration, despite struggles with local political factions. The declaration of the kingdom laid the foundations for the modern Greek nation-state.
1832
First Kingdom of Greece
London Conference
1940day.year
Acting on the orders of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, NKVD agent Iosif Grigulevich orchestrates an unsuccessful assassination attempt on exiled Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky in Coyoacán, Mexico.
An NKVD agent attempted to assassinate exiled revolutionary Leon Trotsky in Mexico City, acting on Stalin’s orders.
On May 24, 1940, Soviet agent Iosif Grigulevich led a failed assassination attempt on Leon Trotsky at his Coyoacán home in Mexico City. Stalin had directed the NKVD to eliminate Trotsky, accusing him of undermining Soviet authority from abroad. Grigulevich gained access to Trotsky’s compound but was thwarted by vigilant guards and protective measures. The failed attempt exposed the lengths to which Stalin would go to silence dissent. Trotsky remained in exile, continuing his writings and political activities until a later, successful attack that August. The incident remains a testament to the brutal reach of Stalin’s security apparatus.
Soviet
Joseph Stalin
NKVD
Iosif Grigulevich
Leon Trotsky
Coyoacán
1944day.year
Congress of Përmet occurs which establishes a provisional government in Albania in areas under partisan control, the first independent Albanian government since 1939. In honor of this the national emblem of Albania inscribed this date from 1946 until 1992.
The Congress of Përmet establishes Albania's first independent provisional government since 1939, a milestone later honored on the national emblem.
In May 1944, the Congress of Përmet convened under the leadership of the Albanian partisan movement.
It declared a provisional government in regions liberated from Axis occupation during World War II.
This marked the restoration of autonomous Albanian governance for the first time since the Italian invasion of 1939.
From 1946 until 1992, the national emblem of Albania bore the date May 24, 1944 in tribute to this event.
The Congress laid the foundations for the post-war political structure that would shape Albania's future.
1944
Congress of Përmet
Albania
partisan
1939
national emblem of Albania
1981day.year
Ecuadorian president Jaime Roldós Aguilera, his wife, and his presidential committee die in an aircraft accident while travelling from Quito to Zapotillo minutes after the president gave a famous speech regarding the 24 de mayo anniversary of the Battle of Pichincha.
On May 24, 1981, Ecuadorian President Jaime Roldós Aguilera and his entourage died in a plane crash near Zapotillo.
On May 24, 1981, President Jaime Roldós Aguilera was traveling from Quito to Zapotillo to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Pichincha.
Minutes after delivering a passionate speech, his presidential aircraft crashed under unclear circumstances.
The accident claimed the lives of the president, First Lady Martha Bucaram, and all members of his committee on board.
The tragedy plunged Ecuador into deep mourning and sparked inquiries into possible mechanical failures or sabotage.
Despite official investigations, many questions about the cause of the crash remain unanswered to this day.
1981
Jaime Roldós Aguilera
Battle of Pichincha