455day.year
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.
In 455 AD, with the Western Roman Empire in turmoil, Emperor Petronius Maximus attempted to flee the capital.
Facing widespread resentment for his role in political assassinations and unpopular rule, he sought safety amid the chaos.
An enraged crowd intercepted him outside Rome, displaying the depth of public fury against imperial authority.
The mob brutally stoned him to death, making him one of the few Roman emperors to suffer a violent, public demise.
His fall exemplified the crumbling power of the Western Empire as internal strife and external pressures mounted.
The assassination paved the way for the Vandal sack of Rome later that summer, further hastening the empire's decline.
455
Petronius Maximus
stoned to death
angry mob
Rome
1215day.year
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.
On May 31, 1215, Mongol forces under the leadership of Genghis Khan laid siege to Zhongdu, the Jurchen capital.
Despite strong fortifications and fierce resistance, the city's defenses eventually succumbed to the relentless attackers.
The fall of Zhongdu, known today as Beijing, marked a decisive moment in the Mongol conquest of northern China.
Emperor Xuanzong of Jin was forced to abandon his seat of power, seeking refuge further south.
This victory opened the way for subsequent Mongol advances, reshaping the political landscape of the region.
The event demonstrated the strategic prowess of the Mongol war machine and its impact on East Asian history.
1215
Zhongdu
Jurchen
Emperor Xuanzong of Jin
Mongols
Genghis Khan
Battle of Zhongdu
1223day.year
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.
The Battle of the Kalka River took place on May 31, 1223, as Mongol scouting parties met the forces of Kievan Rus' and the Cumans.
Commanded by the famed general Subutai, the Mongol contingents employed sophisticated tactics to encircle their opponents.
Inferior coordination and unfamiliar tactics led the Rus' princes and their Cuman allies into a devastating trap.
The Mongols inflicted heavy casualties, forcing the survivors into a disastrous retreat across the frozen river.
The encounter served as a stark warning of Mongol military superiority to European realms.
It foreshadowed later invasions that would sweep across Eastern Europe in the following decades.
1223
Battle of the Kalka River
Mongol
Genghis Khan
Subutai
Kievan Rus'
Cumans
1293day.year
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.
In 1293, Mongol forces concluded their ill-fated expedition against the kingdom of Singhasari in Java.
Dispatched by Kublai Khan to punish a defiant regional ruler, they initially captured the port of Tuban.
However, shifting alliances and local resistance under King Kertanegara thwarted Mongol ambitions.
Facing supply issues and potential ambush, the invaders decided to withdraw from the island.
Their departure marked the end of direct Mongol intervention in the Indonesian archipelago.
The episode influenced the rise of the Majapahit Empire, which succeeded Singhasari and shaped Javanese history.
1293
Mongols
Mongol invasion
Kertanegara
Singhasari
1578day.year
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.
On May 31, 1578, King Henry III of France ceremonially laid the cornerstone of the Pont Neuf in Paris.
Designed to span the Seine without houses, it represented a novel approach to urban bridge construction.
Intended to alleviate congestion and provide a public promenade, the bridge was an architectural innovation.
Delays, technical challenges, and political upheavals slowed progress over the next decades.
Upon completion in 1607, Pont Neuf became a social hub, lined with shops and street performers.
Today, it stands as the oldest surviving bridge in Paris, linking the Île de la Cité with both riverbanks.
1578
Henry III
Pont Neuf
Paris, France
1610day.year
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.
In 1610, the River Thames hosted an elaborate pageant called London's Love to Prince Henry in honor of the prince's appointment as Prince of Wales.
Flamboyant barges, theatrical performances, and music transformed the river into a stage of royal celebration.
The event showcased London's civic pride and the city's ability to produce grand spectacles for the monarchy.
Festivities highlighted themes of chivalry, maritime power, and the unity between the crown and the capital.
Designed to impress both the prince and onlookers, it reinforced the importance of pageantry in Stuart court culture.
This tradition of barge pageants continued until the untimely death of Prince Henry two years later.
1610
London's Love to Prince Henry
River Thames
Prince Henry
Prince of Wales
1669day.year
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.
Samuel Pepys made his final diary entry on May 31, 1669, citing failing eyesight as his reason to stop writing.
Over nearly a decade, Pepys had chronicled daily life in Restoration London with remarkable detail.
His diary entries recorded everything from naval battles and fires to social gatherings and personal musings.
Opting to preserve his legacy, he ordered the destruction of earlier volumes but ultimately saved the complete set.
The diary would later become a crucial primary source for historians studying 17th-century England.
Pepys's meticulous observations provide an unparalleled window into the era's politics, culture, and science.
1669
Samuel Pepys
his diary
1775day.year
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.
On May 31, 1775, delegates in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, adopted the Mecklenburg Resolves amidst growing revolutionary fervor.
The Resolves declared British laws null within the county and asserted local self-governance.
Though distinct from the more famous Mecklenburg Declaration, these measures reflected colonial resistance.
The document urged citizens to arm for defense and established committees to oversee local affairs.
It marked one of the earliest acts of defiance against British authority in the American colonies.
The Resolves helped lay the groundwork for the push toward independence the following year.
1775
American Revolution
Mecklenburg Resolves
Province of North Carolina
1790day.year
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.
On May 31, 1790, Spanish naval officer Manuel Quimper charted the coast around the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Sailing under the Spanish flag, he navigated these waters to establish Spain's territorial claims in the Pacific Northwest.
Quimper's expeditions produced some of the first detailed maps of Vancouver Island's southern coastline.
His work aided future explorers and traders by improving knowledge of regional geography and safe passage.
The voyage contributed to the intense competition among European powers for control of North American territories.
Quimper's charts remained valuable reference points for decades after his return to Spain.
1790
Manuel Quimper
Strait of Juan de Fuca
1790day.year
The United States enacts its first copyright statute, the Copyright Act of 1790.
The United States enacts its first federal copyright law, establishing legal protection for creative works.
On May 31, 1790, the United States Congress passed the first federal copyright law, the Copyright Act of 1790.
The statute granted authors exclusive rights to their maps, charts, and books for a limited term.
Modeled in part on British legislation, it aimed to promote learning and the progress of useful arts.
The Act required registration and deposit of copies in government archives for official record-keeping.
This landmark law laid the foundation for American copyright doctrine and creative enterprise.
Subsequent amendments would expand protections as technology and publishing evolved.
copyright statute
Copyright Act of 1790
1795day.year
French Revolution: The Revolutionary Tribunal is suppressed.
The Revolutionary Tribunal, infamous for its political trials during the Reign of Terror, was abolished by the National Convention.
The Revolutionary Tribunal was established in 1793 by the Committee of Public Safety to try suspects of counter-revolution. It became synonymous with the Reign of Terror and expedited political killings. Following the fall of Robespierre and growing backlash against mass executions, the National Convention moved to dismantle its most extreme institutions. On May 31, 1795, the Convention formally abolished the Tribunal, ending its summary judgments. The suppression marked a decisive turn towards moderation and paved the way for the Directory government. This act allowed France to begin stabilizing its judiciary and political landscape. The Tribunal's dissolution symbolized the end of revolutionary excesses.
1795
French Revolution
Revolutionary Tribunal
1805day.year
French and Spanish forces begin the assault against British forces occupying Diamond Rock, Martinique.
French and Spanish forces launch a coordinated naval assault to retake the strategically important Diamond Rock in Martinique from British occupation.
In the midst of the Napoleonic Wars, the French and Spanish navies aimed to dislodge British forces from the strategically located Diamond Rock off Martinique. Diamond Rock had been fortified and declared a British naval outpost to control regional shipping lanes. On May 31, 1805, a joint assault force began operations to retake the rock by bombarding shore batteries and landing troops. The operation involved specialized vessels and marine units trained for amphibious attacks. Although the initial phase achieved surprise, the rugged terrain and heavy fortifications posed challenges. The fall of Diamond Rock would restore French influence over the Caribbean waters. This engagement highlighted the global scale of the conflict between European powers.
1805
assault
Diamond Rock