Historical Events
- May 1 Acts of Union comes into force, uniting England and Scotland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain
Famous Birthdays
- May 14 Antonio Teixeira, composer
Carolus Linnaeus
May 23 Carolus Linnaeus [Carl von Linné], Swedish botanist, explorer and the Father of Taxonomy, born in Råshult, Sweden (d. 1778)
Carolus Linnaeus
Famous Deaths
- May 3 Michiel de Swaen, South Netherlands physician/poet, dies at 53
- May 9 Dietrich Buxtehude, German organist/composer, dies at about 69
- May 27 Marquise de Montespan, French mistress of Louis XIV of France (b. 1640)
- May 28 Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart, Marquise de Montespan, French mistress of King Louis XIV of France, dies at 66