A solar eclipse occurs, as predicted by the Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Cyaxares in the Battle of Halys, leading to a truce. This is one of the cardinal dates from which other dates can be calculated.

Solar eclipseThalesAlyattes of LydiaCyaxaresEclipse of Thales

Battle of Hulao: Li Shimin, the son of the Chinese emperor Gaozu, defeats the numerically superior forces of Dou Jiande near the Hulao Pass (Henan). This victory decides the outcome of the civil war that followed the Sui dynasty's collapse in favour of the Tang dynasty.

Battle of HulaoEmperor Taizong of TangEmperor Gaozu of TangDou JiandeHulao Pass

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, declares the marriage of King Henry VIII of England to Anne Boleyn valid.

Archbishop of CanterburyThomas CranmerHenry VIII of EnglandAnne Boleyn

The Spanish Armada, with 130 ships and 30,000 men, sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal, heading for the English Channel. (It will take until May 30 for all ships to leave port.)

Spanish ArmadaLisbonEnglish Channel

Bolton Massacre by Royalist troops under the command of James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby.

Bolton MassacreCavalierJames Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby

French and Indian War: In the first engagement of the war, Virginia militia under the 22-year-old Lieutenant colonel George Washington defeat a French reconnaissance party in the Battle of Jumonville Glen in what is now Fayette County in southwestern Pennsylvania.

French and Indian WarVirginiaMilitiaLieutenant colonelGeorge Washington

In Guadeloupe, 400 rebellious slaves, led by Louis Delgrès, blow themselves up rather than submit to Napoleon's troops

GuadeloupeLouis DelgrèsNapoleon

U.S. President Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act which relocates Native Americans.

President of the United StatesAndrew JacksonIndian Removal ActNative Americans in the United States

Fall of the Paris Commune.

Paris Commune

In San Francisco, John Muir organizes the Sierra Club.

San FranciscoJohn MuirSierra Club

Russo-Japanese War: The Battle of Tsushima ends with the destruction of the Russian Baltic Fleet by Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō and the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Russo-Japanese WarBattle of TsushimaBaltic FleetAdmiralTōgō Heihachirō

The first Isle of Man TT race was held.

Isle of Man TT

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the First Republic of Armenia declare their independence.

Azerbaijan Democratic RepublicFirst Republic of Armenia

The 28 May 1926 coup d'état: Ditadura Nacional is established in Portugal to suppress the unrest of the First Republic.

28 May 1926 coup d'étatDitadura NacionalPortugalHistory of Portugal

In the Netherlands, construction of the Afsluitdijk is completed and the Zuiderzee bay is converted to the freshwater IJsselmeer.

AfsluitdijkZuiderzeeZuiderzee WorksIJsselmeer

Near Callander, Ontario, Canada, the Dionne quintuplets are born to Oliva and Elzire Dionne; they will be the first quintuplets to survive infancy.

Callander, OntarioDionne quintupletsMultiple birthInfant

Alan Turing submits On Computable Numbers for publication.

Alan Turing

Volkswagen (VW), the German automobile manufacturer is founded.

Volkswagen

World War II: Belgium surrenders to Nazi Germany to end the Battle of Belgium.

World War IINazi GermanyBattle of Belgium

World War II: Norwegian, French, Polish and British forces recapture Narvik in Norway. This is the first allied infantry victory of the War.

Battles of NarvikNarvik

World War II: In retaliation for the assassination attempt on Reinhard Heydrich, Nazis in Czechoslovakia kill over 1,800 people.

Reinhard HeydrichNazismCzechoslovakia

Daniel François Malan is elected as Prime Minister of South Africa. He later goes on to implement Apartheid.

Daniel François MalanPrime Minister of South AfricaApartheid

Cuban Revolution: Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement, heavily reinforced by Frank Pais Militia, overwhelm an army post in El Uvero.

Cuban RevolutionFidel Castro26th of July Movement

Peter Benenson's article The Forgotten Prisoners is published in several internationally read newspapers. This will later be thought of as the founding of the human rights organization Amnesty International.

Peter BenensonNewspaperHuman rightsAmnesty International

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is formed.

Palestine Liberation Organization

Northern Ireland's power-sharing Sunningdale Agreement collapses following a general strike by loyalists.

Northern IrelandSunningdale AgreementUlster Workers' Council strikeUlster loyalism

Fifteen West African countries sign the Treaty of Lagos, creating the Economic Community of West African States.

West AfricaTreaty of LagosEconomic Community of West African States

In Southgate, Kentucky, the Beverly Hills Supper Club is engulfed in fire, killing 165 people inside.

Southgate, KentuckyBeverly Hills Supper Club fire

Konstantinos Karamanlis signs the full treaty of the accession of Greece with the European Economic Community.

Konstantinos KaramanlisEuropean Economic Community

A West German pilot, Mathias Rust, who was 18 years old, evades Soviet Union air defenses and lands a private plane in the Red Square in Moscow, Russia. He is immediately detained and released on August 3, 1988.

Mathias RustSoviet UnionRed Square