Historical Events
- May 1 Acts of Union comes into force, uniting England and Scotland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain
Famous Birthdays
- May 14 Antonio Teixeira, Portuguese composer, born in Lisbon, Portugal (d. after 1769)
Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778)
May 23 Swedish botanist, explorer and the Father of Taxonomy, born in Råshult, Sweden
Famous Deaths
- May 3 Michiel de Swaen, Dutch physician and poet, dies at 53
- May 9 Dietrich Buxtehude, German organist and composer, dies at about 69
- May 27 Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, Marquise de Montespan, French celebrated mistress of Louis XIV of France, dies at 66
- May 28 Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, Marquise de Montespan, French mistress of King Louis XIV of France, dies at 66
Authors
Dictators
Explorers
Outlaws
Queens
Spies