c. 919, May 24
Henry the Fowler is crowned c. May 24, 919, as King of East Francia (Germany) marking the beginning of the Saxon Dynasty.
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On This Day in History: May 24
Explore the historical events that shaped our world on May 24th. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Alfonso VI of Castile captures the city of Toledo, Spain, from the Moorish Taifa kingdom on May 24, 1085, after a lengthy siege. The fall of Toledo, after over 370 years of Muslim control was a crucial moment in the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, The city went on to become the capital of the united kingdom of Castilla y León.
The Reconquista of Spain took nearly 800 years from the early 8th century Umayyad invasion in 711 or the Battle of Covadonga until 1492, when the last Muslim stronghold, the Emirate of Granada, fell to the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Making it one of history's longest conflicts.
French King Philip VI's Great Council in Paris formally confiscates the Duchy of Aquitaine (Gascony) on May 24, 1337, taking away King Edward III lands in France.
In response, Edward III sent a formal challenge to Philip VI and began using documents that implied his claim to the French throne, creating the "trigger cause" and marking the start of the hostilities and the start of the Hundred Years' War. This was followed on January 26, 1940 with a full public proclamation declaring himself King of France, in part to provide legal cover for his alliance with the Flemish. The 100 year War was eventually won by the French at the Battle of Castillon in 1453.
Nicolaus Copernicus publishes his book "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres" (De revolutionibus orbium coelestium), just before his death on May 24, 1543. It was printed in Nuremberg and formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center.
It is believed that Copernicus developed his model independently of Aristarchus of Samos, an ancient Greek astronomer who had formulated such a model some eighteen centuries earlier.
The Dutch led by Peter Minuit, buy Manhattan Island from Native Americans for trinkets and tools, valued at 60 guilders (around $24 in modern terms) on May 24,1626 and go on to found New Amsterdam which later became New York.
The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England, the world's first university museum, was founded in 1682 and officially opened to the public on May 24, 1683.
The English Parliament passes the Act of Toleration of 1688 , granting freedom of worship and to hold public worship services to Protestant nonconformists, like Baptists and Congregationalists). The Act received royal assent on May 24, 1689. and it was a key component of the Glorious Revolution, reducing religious restrictions.
Anglican priest John Wesley experienced a profound evangelical conversion at a Moravian meeting on Aldersgate Street, London, on May 24, 1738. This event launched the Methodist movement, transforming him into an itinerant, outdoor preacher who focused on personal holiness and social reform, leading to revitalizing 18th-century British Christianity.
Samuel Morse, inventor of the Telegraph sent the first official telegraph message fulfilling his $30,000 contract with the U.S. government. The text of the first Telegram from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore was "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT". More
The Brooklyn Bridge over the East River officially opens, connecting New York City and Brooklyn for the first time in history. The opening ceremony was presided over by President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland.
The bridge, designed by John A. Roebling, with a span of 1,595 feet was the largest suspension bridge ever built to that date and took 14 years to complete. Roebling died as a result of a construction accident, three weeks after the start of the project. The bridge construction was completed by his son, Washington A. Roebling, who took over as Chief Engineer. At least 20 workers were killed during construction, and many more suffered decompression sickness. More
Popular Graphic Arts, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Library of Congress - Catalog: http://lccn.loc.gov/2001702100
The first US transatlantic convoy to reach Great Britain departs Hampton Roads, Virginia, on May 24, 1917, marking a critical shift in Allied naval strategy during World War I. This convoy of nine ships, escorted by HMS Roxburgh, was the first to implement the convoy system to protect against German U-boats, ensuring essential, safe transit across the North Atlantic.
Vice Admiral William Sims, former President of the Naval War College and commander of all U.S. naval forces, was a strong supporter of the convoy system and the Royal Navy decided to adopt it. The Hampton Roads convoy, escorted by HMS Roxburgh coupled with the American "Dazle" camouflage system contributed to the war effort and lost only one ship to the u-boat attack. The convoy. More
The German Battleship Bismarck sinks the battlecruiser HMS Hood on May 24, 1941, in just three minutes during a naval engagement in the Second World War, resulting in the death of all but 3 of her crew of 1,418. During the engagement, the Bismarck‘s fuel tank was damaged and headed for occupied France to effect repairs.
Two days later the Bismarck was attacked by torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal; rendering the battleship's steering gear inoperable. In her final battle the following morning, the already-crippled Bismarck was engaged by two British battleships and two heavy cruisers, and sustained incapacitating damage and heavy loss of life. The ship was scuttled to prevent her being boarded by the British, and to limit further casualties. There were 2,300 German casualties.
More than 300 soccer fans were killed and another 500 people were injured on May 24, 1964 at the National Stadium in Lima, Peru, during a riot that erupted after a referee’s call in a soccer match between Peru and Argentina, disallowed an apparent goal for Peru.
The stadium went wild as outraged Peruvian fans invaded the field and police fired tear gas into the crowed causing stampedes in which people were crushed and killed.
Eritrea independence day is celebrated on May 24. Eritrea's history is characterized by ancient trade routes, colonial rule, and a long struggle for independence. It has roots in ancient civilizations like the Kingdom of Axum, experienced Italian colonial rule, and a 30-year war for liberation before achieving independence on May 24, 1991.
Four men, Mohammed Salameh, Nidal Ayyad, Mahmud Abouhalima, and Ahmad Ajaj, are convicted on May 24, 1994, for the February 26, 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Each was sentenced to 240 years in prison. The terrorist attack, involved detonating a truck bomb in the parking garage of the North Tower, killing six people and injuring over 1,000. More