415 years ago today
The King James Bible Published in London
On May 2, 1611, the King James Version of the Bible was published for the first time in London by royal printer Robert Barker, commissioned by King James I of England. The translation was the work of 47 scholars organised into six companies, working from Hebrew and Greek manuscripts for seven years. James had ordered the new translation at the Hampton Court Conference of 1604 to resolve tensions between Puritan and Anglican interpretations of scripture. The resulting text combined linguistic beauty with theological compromise in a way that proved enduring beyond all expectation. For the next three centuries it was simply "the Bible" for most English-speaking Protestants, and its cadences shaped the English language as profoundly as Shakespeare. Phrases like "the skin of my teeth," "a thorn in the flesh," and "the writing on the wall" all originate in its pages.
Catherine the Great
Empress of Russia
Born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, she seized the Russian throne from her husband Peter III and ruled for 34 years as Russia's longest-reigning female leader. Under her reign Russia expanded dramatically and embraced Enlightenment culture.
Theodor Herzl
Austro-Hungarian journalist and Zionist founder
Journalist and political theorist who founded modern political Zionism after witnessing the Dreyfus Affair in Paris. His 1896 pamphlet Der Judenstaat argued for a Jewish state, laying the intellectual groundwork for the eventual founding of Israel.
Benjamin Spock
American pediatrician and author
Author of Baby and Child Care (1946), one of the best-selling books in history, which urged parents to trust their instincts and treat children with warmth rather than rigid schedules. His advice shaped how an entire generation of Americans raised their children.
David Beckham
English footballer
One of the most famous footballers of his generation, Beckham won league titles in England, Spain, and the United States and represented England 115 times. His global celebrity made him as famous off the pitch as on it.
Dwayne Johnson
American actor and former wrestler
Known as "The Rock," Johnson became one of professional wrestling's biggest stars before transitioning into Hollywood, where he became one of the highest-paid actors in the world across franchises including Fast & Furious.
Anne Boleyn Arrested on Charges of Treason
Queen Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII of England, is arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest, and treason. She will be executed on May 19.
King James Bible First Published
Printer Robert Barker releases the King James Version of the Bible in London. The translation by 47 scholars would shape the English language and Protestant worship for centuries.
Hudson's Bay Company Receives Royal Charter
King Charles II grants a permanent charter to the Hudson's Bay Company, giving it monopoly trading rights over Rupert's Land in North America. The company would shape Canadian history for centuries.
Madrid Rises Against French Occupation
The people of Madrid rise in spontaneous revolt against Napoleon's troops, an event later immortalised by Francisco de Goya in his painting The Second of May 1808. The rebellion sparks the wider Peninsular War.
Stonewall Jackson Shot by Friendly Fire
Confederate general Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson is accidentally shot by his own troops while returning from night reconnaissance during the Battle of Chancellorsville. He dies of pneumonia eight days later.
Soviet Union Announces the Fall of Berlin
Soviet forces complete the capture of Berlin, and the Red Army raises its flag over the Reichstag. The fall of Hitler's capital effectively ends World War II in Europe.
First Commercial Jet Airline Flight
A de Havilland Comet jetliner departs London with fare-paying passengers bound for Johannesburg, inaugurating the jet age in commercial aviation. The journey that took days by ship now takes hours.
Argentine Cruiser General Belgrano Sunk
British submarine HMS Conqueror sinks the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano during the Falklands War, killing 323 sailors. The sinking proves the most controversial action of the brief conflict.
Osama bin Laden Killed — World Reacts
News breaks globally that US forces killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan the previous night. Spontaneous celebrations erupt outside the White House and at Ground Zero in New York City.
Edvard Munch's The Scream Sells for Record $120 Million
A pastel version of Edvard Munch's The Scream sells at Sotheby's New York for $119.9 million, setting a new world auction record for a work of art at the time.
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Italian Renaissance polymath
The supreme genius of the Renaissance — painter of the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, visionary engineer, anatomist, and scientist — died at the Château du Clos Lucé in France, aged 67, in the arms of the French king.
J. Edgar Hoover
Director of the FBI
The founding director of the FBI, who held the position for 48 years under eight presidents, died in Washington at age 77. His decades of secret files on politicians and public figures gave him enormous, often feared, political influence.
Osama bin Laden
Al-Qaeda founder
The founder of al-Qaeda and architect of the September 11, 2001 attacks was killed in a US Navy SEAL raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. His death came ten years after the attacks he masterminded.
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