What happened this day in history May 23

What are the important events that happened on May 23? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

May 23: Facts & Myths About This Day

May 23 is the 143rd day of the year 2025 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 222 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is May 10, 2025 – a Friday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 485,544 hours has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.

Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘hectatetracontatrigon’ day.

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Gemini is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Emerald is the modern birthstone for this month. Sapphire is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 270 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.

The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,536 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

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May 23 Historical Events

  • 1430
    Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne.
  • 1533
    The marriage of King Henry VIII to Catherine of Aragon is declared null and void.
  • 1609
    Official ratification of the Second Charter of Virginia takes place.
  • 1618
    The Second Defenestration of Prague precipitates the Thirty Years’ War.
  • 1813
    South American independence leader Simón Bolívar enters Mérida, leading the invasion of Venezuela, and is proclaimed El Libertador (“The Liberator”).
  • 1846
    Mexican-American War: President Mariano Paredes of Mexico unofficially declares war on the United States.
  • 1873
    The Canadian Parliament establishes the North-West Mounted Police, the forerunner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
  • 1967
    Egypt closes the Straits of Tiran and blockades the port of Eilat at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli shipping.
  • 1995
    Oklahoma City bombing: In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the remains of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building are imploded.
  • 2004
    Part of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport’s Terminal 2E collapses, killing four people and injuring three others.

Who were born on May 23?

  • 1855
    Isabella Ford, English feminist and union activist (d. 1924)
  • 1887
    Thoralf Skolem, Norwegian mathematician (d. 1963)
  • 1890
    Herbert Marshall, English actor (d. 1966)
  • 1923
    Alicia de Larrocha, Spanish pianist (d. 2009)
  • 1943
    General Norman Johnson, American singer (Chairmen of the Board) (d. 2010)
  • 1950
    Bruce Hay, Scottish international rugby union player (d. 2007)
  • 1970
    Matt Flynn, American musician
  • 1970
    Nanette Burstein, American director/producer
  • 1974
    Charlie Yeung, Hong Kong actress and singer
  • 1978
    Mike González, American baseball player

Who died on May 23?

  • 1701
    William “Captain” Kidd, Scottish pirate (b. 1645)
  • 1752
    William Bradford, English-born printer (b. 1663)
  • 1868
    Kit Carson, American trapper, scout, and Indian agent (b. 1809)
  • 1966
    Demchugdongrub, Mongolian politician (b. 1902)
  • 1975
    Moms Mabley, American comedian (b. 1894)
  • 1986
    Sterling Hayden, American actor (b. 1916)
  • 1988
    Aya Kitō, Japanese diarist (b. 1962)
  • 1991
    Wilhelm Kempff, German pianist and composer (b. 1895)
  • 1998
    Eminem, American Musician (b. 1972)
  • 2005
    Fat-Tone, American rapper (b. 1981)

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