Otto III is crowned Holy Roman Emperor at the age of 16 by Pope Gregory V, on May 21, 996 in Rome. Ottos' mother Theophanu and grandmother Adelaide had served as regents for him since he was a child, when he was crowned King of Germany at age three.
View Historical Events by Day:
On This Day in History: May 21
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on May 21st. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using our Feedback link.
Henry V of England and Charles VI of France sign the Treaty of Troyes on May 21, 1420, during the Hundred Years' War, establishing Henry V of England as heir to the French throne.
The agreement signed in the French city of Troyes during the Hundred Years' War, following Henry V's military successes in France, was intended to end the war by recognizing Henry V as Charles's heir and cementing his marriage to Charles's daughter, Catherine of Valois. It declared Henry and his heirs would inherit the French throne, disinheriting the Dauphin Charles (later Charles VII)
The Island of Saint Helena, a remote volcanic island located in the South Atlantic Ocean is discovered by Portuguese navigator João da Nova on May 21, 1502 who names it after Saint Helena of Constantinople. (mother of Emperor Constantine I). The island was uninhabited.
The date of discovery coincided with the feast day of Saint Helena of Constantinople (mother of Emperor Constantine I) in the Eastern Orthodox calendar. The English East India Company (EIC) took possession in 1659 and founded its capital, Jamestown, in honor of the Duke of York. The island was passed from the EIC to the British Crown in 1834.
Spanish explorer and conquistador, Hernando De Soto, died on May 21, 1542. on the banks of the Mississippi river. He had first reached the Mississippi a year earlier on May 1541, at a point below Natchez, becoming the first European to seen and document the river. From there, he had traveled through Arkansas and Louisiana, before turning back to the Mississippi, where de Soto died of a fever.
Pro-slavery forces, led by Sheriff Samuel J. Jones, attacked and burned the anti-slavery town of Lawrence, Kansas on May 21, 1856, in what became known as the "Sacking of Lawrence." More
The American Red Cross was founded on May 21, 1881, in Washington, D.C. by Clara Barton and a group of her acquaintances. They were Inspired by the International Red Cross movement in Europe. Barton served as its first president for 23 years. More
Queen Victoria officially opens the Manchester Ship Canal in England to traffic, on May 21, 1894. The 36-mile waterway, linking Manchester to the Irish Sea, became the largest navigation canal in the world and transformed Manchester into a major port.
It was a monumental feat of civil engineering, taking six years to construct and costing £15 million. The Canal had started to allow commercial traffic almost 6 months earlier on January 1, 1894.
Connecticut becomes the first state to pass a law limiting motor vehicles speed. The law passed on May 21, 1901 set the maximum speed to 12 mph in cities and 15 mph on country roads.
A little more than two years later, on October 30, 1903, New York City officially adopted the world´s first comprehensive traffic code. titled the "Rules for Driving and the Regulation of Street Traffic". As of the late 1930, a dozen states still had no speed limit, and 28 states did not required a driver's license to operate a motor vehicle.
Charles Lindbergh becomes the first man to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean on May 21, 1927. He flew 3,610 miles from New York to Paris in his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, in 33 1/2 hours. More
Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, on May 21, 1932. She had departed from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, and landed in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, about 15 hours later, she was only the second person to solo the Atlantic. The first was Charles Lindbergh in 1927. More
The United States Air Force detonated the first airborne hydrogen bomb on May 21, 1956. The test, codenamed "Shot Cherokee," was part of Operation Redwing. The bomb was dropped from a Boeing RB-52B Stratofortress named Barbara Grace, assigned to the 4925th Test Group (Atomic).
The thermonuclear bomb weighing 6,867 pounds.bomb was released from an altitude of 50,000 feet. Due to a target misidentification, the crew missed the designated aim point by about 4 miles.
-%20R.jpg?auto=format,compress&fit=clip&max-w=1600)
Indian politician Rajiv Gandhi, was assassinated, on May 21, 1991 while campaigning for the upcoming general elections in a suicide bombing attack in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
The attack was conducted by a member of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). He had served as the country's prime minister from 1984 to 1989, More.
Montenegro celebrates its Independence Day annually on May 21st, in commemoration of the day in 2006 when the majority (55.5%) of the citizens of Montenegro, voted to restore sovereignty and peacefully separate from the State Union with Serbia. Montenegro's parliament followed, by declaring the Republic's independence, on June 3, 2006.
The vote and the Parliament declaration, ended 88 years of union with Serbia. Montenegro officially became the 192nd member of the United Nations on June 28, 2006.