Historical Events
- May 11 Amsterdam Theater destroyed by fire, 18 killed, in Amsterdam, Northern Netherlands
Famous Birthdays
- May 2 Novalis [Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg], German romantic writer ('Heinrich von Ofterdingen), born in Oberwiederstedt, Saxony (d. 1801)
- May 4 Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus, German encyclopedia publisher, born in Dortmund, Germany (d. 1823)
- May 11 Henri-Jean Rigel, French composer, music director, and "pianiste de la musique particulière de l’Empereur et Roi" to Napoleon, born in Paris, France (d. 1852)
- May 20 William Congreve, English artillery officer and inventor who designed fire rockets, born in London (d. 1829)
- May 22 Ram Mohan Roy, Hindu reformer who helped found Brahmo Sabha, a social-religious reform movement, born in Radhanagar, British India (d. 1833)
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