Historical Events
- May 1 Archduke Karel of Austria/Hungarian rebellion sign Peace of Szatmar
Historic Publication
May 15 Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism" is published anonymously
Famous Birthdays
- May 18 Roger Boscovich [Ruđer Bošković], Croatian-Italian astronomer. physicist, poet, and priest, born in Ragusa (Dubrovnik), Republic of Ragusa (now Croatia) (d. 1787)
Famous Deaths
- May 2 Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester, English statesman (b. 1641)