What is May 21?
{{calendar}} {{day}} == Events == === Up to 1900 === * [[293]] &ndash; Roman Emperors [[Diocletian]] and [[Maximian]] appoint [[Galerius]] as [[Caesar (title)|Caesar]] to [[Diocletian]]. * [[878]] &ndash; [[Syracuse, Italy]] is captured by the Muslim [[Sultan]] of [[Sicily]]. * [[879]] &ndash; [[Pope John VIII]] gives blessings to [[Branimir of Croatia]] and to the [[Croatia]]n people. * [[996]] &ndash; [[Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor]] is crowned. * [[1085]] &ndash; The city of [[Helsingborg]] is founded in what is now southern [[Sweden]]. * [[1471]] &ndash; [[Henry VI of England]], the last [[King]] from the [[House of Lancaster]], is [[murder]]ed in the [[Tower of London]] on the orders of King [[Edward IV of England]]. * [[1502]] &ndash; The [[island]] of [[Saint Helena]] is discovered by Portuguese explorer Joao da Nova. * [[1674]] &ndash; The nobility elect [[John Sobieski]] to become King of [[Poland]] and Grand Duke of [[Lithuania]]. * [[1792]] &ndash; The [[Unzen]] [[volcano]] in [[Japan]] erupts, resulting in thousands of people getting killed. * [[1809]] &ndash; [[Napoleonic Wars]]: First day of the [[Battle of Aspern-Essling]] – [[Austria]], under [[Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen]] and [[France]], under [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], meet in battle, with Napoleon's side winning the next day. * [[1851]] &ndash; [[Colombia]] abolishes [[slavery]]. * [[1856]] &ndash; The town of [[Lawrence, Kansas|Lawrence]], [[Kansas]], is captured and burned by pro–[[Slavery]] forces. * [[1863]] &ndash; [[American Civil War]]: The [[Union Army]] closes off the last escape route from Port Hudson, [[Louisiana]], in preparation for the coming [[siege]]. * [[1863]] &ndash; Organization of the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]] in [[Battle Creek, Michigan]], [[United States]]. * [[1864]] &ndash; [[American Civil War]]: The [[Battle of Spotsylvania Court House]] ends. * [[1871]] &ndash; French troops invade the [[Paris Commune]] and engage its residents in street fighting. * [[1879]] &ndash; [[War of the Pacific]]: The naval [[Ba