May 31
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Anniversary of Royal Brunei Malay Regiment(Brunei)
A day commemorating the founding of Brunei’s principal infantry force, the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment.
Christianfeast day:
Camilla Battista da Varano, Hermias, Petronella, Visitation of Mary(Western Christianity), May 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Collective observance of several Christian feasts on May 31 in Western and Eastern liturgical calendars, honoring saints and holy events.
Kaamatan, harvest festival in the state ofSabahand the federal territory ofLabuan(Malaysia)
A traditional harvest festival celebrated by the Kadazan-Dusun people in Sabah and Labuan, Malaysia, giving thanks for the rice harvest.
World No Tobacco Day(International)
Annual World Health Organization initiative to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use and promote tobacco control policies.
Camilla Battista da Varano
Feast day commemorating Saint Camilla Battista da Varano, a 15th-century Italian Poor Clare nun and mystic.
Hermias
Feast day honoring Saint Hermias, an early Christian martyr celebrated for his courage and faith.
Petronella
Commemorates Saint Petronella, a 1st-century Roman martyr and traditional daughter of Saint Peter.
Visitation of Mary(Western Christianity)
Celebrates the biblical event of the Virgin Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth, observed in Western Christian traditions.
May 31 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
Overview of the saints and commemorations observed in the Eastern Orthodox Church on May 31.
Events
Emperor Petronius Maximus is stoned to death by an angry mob while fleeing Rome.
Emperor Petronius Maximus was violently killed by a Roman mob as he attempted to flee the city.
Zhongdu (now Beijing), then under the control of the Jurchen ruler Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, is captured by the Mongols under Genghis Khan, ending the Battle of Zhongdu.
Mongol forces under Genghis Khan capture Zhongdu (modern Beijing), ending a key siege during their northern China campaign.
Mongol invasion of the Cumans: Battle of the Kalka River: Mongol armies of Genghis Khan led by Subutai defeat Kievan Rus' and Cumans.
At the Battle of the Kalka River, Mongol armies commanded by Subutai defeat the combined forces of Kievan Rus' and the Cumans.
Mongols depart Java after the failed Mongol invasion against King Kertanegara of Singhasari.
After a failed invasion, Mongol forces withdraw from Java, marking the end of their campaign against Singhasari.
King Henry III lays the first stone of the Pont Neuf (New Bridge), the oldest bridge of Paris, France.
King Henry III lays the first stone of the Pont Neuf, initiating construction of Paris's oldest standing bridge.
The pageant London's Love to Prince Henry on the River Thames celebrates the creation of Prince Henry as Prince of Wales.
A grand pageant on the River Thames celebrates Prince Henry's creation as Prince of Wales in a spectacle known as London's Love to Prince Henry.
Citing poor eyesight as a reason, Samuel Pepys records the last event in his diary.
Samuel Pepys records his final diary entry, ending his celebrated journal due to failing eyesight.
American Revolution: The Mecklenburg Resolves are adopted in the Province of North Carolina.
The Mecklenburg Resolves, asserting local governance, are adopted in North Carolina during the early American Revolution.
Manuel Quimper explores the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Explorer Manuel Quimper surveys and maps the Strait of Juan de Fuca along the Pacific Northwest coast.
Births
Margaret Beaufort
Mother of King Henry VII and influential English noblewoman who played a pivotal role in the Wars of the Roses and the establishment of the Tudor dynasty.
Philipp II
Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg who ruled a small principality in the Holy Roman Empire during the late 15th century.
King of Portugal who presided over the height of the Age of Discovery, overseeing voyages to India, Africa, and the Americas.
Alessandro Allori
Leading Italian Mannerist painter known for his intricate religious and allegorical works in Florence.
Jerzy Radziwiłł
Polish-Lithuanian nobleman and prominent Catholic cardinal who served as Bishop of Vilnius.
Nur Jahan
Influential empress consort of the Mughal Empire who wielded power as a de facto ruler during Emperor Jahangir's reign.
John George II
Elector of Saxony who guided his territory through the complexities of the Thirty Years' War and its aftermath.
Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki
King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania whose reign was marked by noble factions and military challenges.
Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem known for his leadership of the church and support of Orthodox Christian institutions.
Deaths
Petronius Maximus
Petronius Maximus was Western Roman Emperor for a brief period in 455. His short reign was marked by political turmoil and it ended with his violent death during the sack of Rome.
Liu Hua
Princess Liu Hua was a daughter of Emperor Liu Yan of Southern Han. She was known for her patronage of Buddhism and the arts.
Fujiwara no Morosuke
Fujiwara no Morosuke was a powerful Japanese statesman of the Heian period. He strengthened the influence of the Fujiwara clan as regent and court official.
Waltheof
Waltheof was the last Anglo-Saxon Earl of Northumbria after the Norman Conquest. He became a symbol of resistance before his execution in 1076.
Sigwin von Are
Sigwin von Are served as Archbishop of Cologne from 1078 to 1089. He was a leading figure in church reform during the Investiture Controversy.
Géza II
Géza II was King of Hungary who reigned from 1141 to 1162. He fostered economic growth by inviting foreign settlers and strengthening alliances.
Birger
Birger was King of Sweden in the early 14th century. His reign was marked by bitter feuds with his brothers and conflicts with the nobility.
Maurice de Berkeley
Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley, was an English nobleman active in the early 14th century. He took part in the Wars of Scottish Independence under Edward II.
Albertino Mussato
Albertino Mussato was an Italian statesman and pioneering humanist. He is best known for his Latin tragedy Ecerinis and contributions to early Renaissance literature.