King Charles VI of France is forced to sign the Ordonnance Cabochienne, on May 22, 1413. which was the work of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy aimed to restrict the powers of the French monarchy. The ordinance ultimately collapsed due to the enforcers violence and the shifting tides of Parisian politics, leading to intensifying the Armagnac-Burgundian Civil War.
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What Happened in May?
Battles, revolts, and explorations. Learn about the noteworthy events in May that have taken place throughout the ages. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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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)
Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English, leading to her trial and execution.
Joan of Arc, the peasant girl daughter of a tenant farmer at Domremy, who led the French army to victory over England at Orleans during the Hundred Years' War, was burned at the stake for heresy by an English-dominated tribunal in Rouen. More
1450, c. May 15
Jack Cade leads a rebellion against King Henry VI of England in the Kent region, known as Cade's Rebellion. Cade and his followers marched to London, briefly entered the city, and executed officials, but were driven out and ultimately defeated in July 1450.
Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Empire forces led by Sultan Mehmed II after a being under siege for 55 days. The fall of Constantinople marked the end of the Byzantine Empire which had lasted for over 1000 years. Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Byzantine emperor, was killed fighting against the Ottoman Empire.
The Ottomans capture Constantinople's strategically important region of Morea on May 29, 1460, exactly seven years after the fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453, completing their conquest of the Byzantine Empire.
The Battle of Tewkesbury, a major battle in the Wars of the Roses takes place om May 4, 1471, resulting in a decisive victory for the Yorkists led by King Edward IV. against the Lancastrian army under the command of the Duke of Somerset.
The battle took place south of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, and was a turning point in the Wars of the Roses. The Lancastrian king, Henry VI, was a prisoner in the Tower of London. He died shortly after the battle, on May 21, 1471. Tewkesbury restored political stability to England until the death of Edward IV in 1483. More
Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci leaves on May 10, 1497 from Cadiz, Spain, on his first voyage to the New World.
Italian explorer Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Trinidad during his third voyage to the Americas.
Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reaches India on May 20 1498, opening the sea route to the East. Da Gama departed from Lisbon, Portugal, on July 8, 1497, sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and up the east coast of Africa where he hired a pilot in Malindi to help him cross the Indian Ocean. He arrived at Calicut where he erected a padrão (stone pillar) to prove he had reached India.
His voyage proved the sea route to India was viable and profitable, paving the way for Portuguese dominance in Asian trade and for a new era of European colonization in the East.
The Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus leaves on his fourth and final voyage from Cádiz, Spain, hoping to find a passage to Asia. Columbus was born in Genoa in 1451 and died on May 20, 1506 at age 54 in in Valladolid, Spain
This portrait was executed in the first half of the sixteenth century, after the death of Columbus. It is displayed in a showcase of the Museum of the sea and navigation of Genoa, "It Padiglione del Mare e della Navigazione." The artist, Ridolfo Ghirlandaio, was the son of Domenico Ghirlandaio. He is also known as Ridolfo Bigordi. Ghirlandaio never lived in Spain and it is unlikely that he ever met with the Admiral.
Christopher Columbus begins his fourth and final voyage to the New World, departing from Cádiz, Spain on May 11, 1502.
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.
King Henry VIII of England orders the burning of all Lutheran books in London on May 12, 1521. Cardinal Wolsey led the condemnation, symbolizing England's opposition to Lutheranism.
Emperor Charles V issues the Edict of Worms, declaring Martin Luther a heretic and an outlaw, making him subject to capture.
During his trial at the assembly of Worms, Martin Luther's defense argument was: "My conscience is captive to the word of God! To go against conscience is neither right nor safe, I therefore cannot, and I will not recant! Here I stand. I can do no other." More
King Charles V's troops, army of German and Spanish mercenaries, sack Rome, on May 6, 1527 capturing Pope Clement VII and then ransoming him.
The event occurred during the Italian Wars as a result of a power struggle between the Pope and the Emperor. It caused widespread destruction, effectively ending the High Renaissance in Rome and marking a shift in European power dynamics.
The Sack of Rome - Spanish and German Imperial troops, led by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, sacked Rome, marking the end of the Italian High Renaissance. This event, involved a mutinous army, including Landsknecht soldiers (German mercenaries) and other foreign troops, who looted and plundered the city, forcing the Pope to flee and causing widespread destruction. More
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French explorer Jacques Cartier lands in Newfoundland on May 10, 1534, marking the beginning of French exploration in North America. He sailed from Saint-Malo, France with two ships and 61 men. His primary mission for King Francis I was to find a passage to Asia and bring back riches.
On July 24, 1534, he erected a 10-meter cross in Gaspé Bay, claiming the land for France. He returned to France in September 1534, having failed to find a, passage but having identified a new, vast land for his king. During his first voyage, Cartier explored the coasts of Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, including the Strait of Belle Isle. Cartier is credited with naming Canada, applying the Iroquoian word kanata, meaning "village" or "settlement", to the region around present-day Quebec City in 1535. He initially used "Canada" to refer to Stadacona and the territory controlled by its chief, Donnacona, but the name was soon extended to a much larger area. Jacques Cartier made three major trips to North America all commissioned by King Francis I of France. His voyages were crucial for France's claim to Canada, allowing the nation to explore the St. Lawrence Gulf and River and later colonization efforts.
Henry VIII has his second wife, Anne Boleyn, arrested and sent to the Tower of London. She was charged with adultery, incest, and treason. After a sham trial filled with Anne’s enemies, she was found guilty, on charges of adultery, incest, conspiracy and high treason against the king. She was convicted on May 15 and beheaded four days later on May 19, 1536. More