Historical Events
- May 8 Greek War of Independence: Greeks defeat the Turks in Gravia
- May 12 The first major battle of the Greek War of Independence against the Turks occurs in Valtetsi
- May 30 James Boyd patents Rubber Fire Hose
- May 31 Cathedral of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, 1st US Catholic cathedral, is dedicated in Baltimore, designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe
Famous Birthdays
- May 1 Charles Samvei Bovy-Lysberg, Swiss pianist and composer, born in Geneva, Switzerland (d. 1873)
- May 2 Abram Sanders Piatt, American farmer, publisher, poet, politician, and Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1908)
- May 8 William Henry Vanderbilt, American businessman, member of the Vanderbilt family, born in New Brunswick, New Jersey (d. 1885)
- May 11 [Carlos] Charles John Stolbrand, Swedish-American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Skåne, Sweden (d. 1894)
- May 16 Pafnuty Chebyshev, Russian mathematician (d. 1894)
- May 17 Sebastian Kneipp, Bavarian priest and naturopathist (known for "Kneipp Cure" form of hydrotherapy), born in Stephansried, Germany (d. 1897)
- May 21 John F. Loudon, Dutch sugar and indigo manufacturer, whose Deft collection was left to the Rijksmuseum, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1895)
- May 22 Alfred Sully, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1879)
- May 25 Diederich Krug, German pianist and composer (Le petit Chevalier), born in Hamburg, German Confederation (now Germany) (d. 1880)
Famous Deaths
Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
May 5 French military leader and Emperor of the French (1804-14, 1815), dies in exile on the island of Saint Helena, officially from stomach cancer but rumours of arsenic poisoning persist
