May 23 in History: Famous Births, Events, and Deaths

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The date of May 23rd is etched into history by pivotal events like the 1618 Defenestration of Prague, which ignited the Thirty Years' War, and the 1788 admission of South Carolina as the eighth U.S. state, while also being marked by the artistic births of revolutionary composer Richard Wagner in 1813 and the beloved American folk artist "Grandma" Moses in 1860, a legacy that contrasts with the final resting day of the iconic American showman "Buffalo Bill" Cody in 1917.

Famous People Born on May 23

  • 1813 Richard Wagner: the influential German composer of epic operas.
  • 1860 Grandma Moses: the renowned American folk artist who began painting late in life.
  • 1908 John Bardeen: an American physicist, the only person to win the Nobel Prize in Physics twice.
  • 1910 Artie Shaw: a famous American clarinetist, composer, and bandleader of the swing era.
  • 1931 Barbara Barrie: an American actress known for her work in film and television.
  • 1933 Charles K. Kao: a physicist known as the father of fiber optics, Nobel Laureate.
  • 1934 Robert Moog: the American inventor of the pioneering Moog synthesizer.
  • 1958 Drew Carey: an American comedian, actor, and game show host.
  • 1983 Melanie Laurent: a French actress, director, and singer.
  • 1986 Lena Dunham: an American writer, director, and actress.
  • 1992 Aaron Judge: the American professional baseball star and captain for the New York Yankees.
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    Famous Historical Events on May 23

  • 1430: Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians while defending Compiègne, leading to her eventual trial and execution.
  • 1533: The marriage of King Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragorn was declared null and void by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer.
  • 1618: The Second Defenestration of Prague occurred, where Bohemian rebels threw two Catholic regents and their secretary out of a window, sparking the Thirty Years' War.
  • 1701: Captain William Kidd was hanged in London for piracy and murder after a controversial trial.
  • 1785: Benjamin Franklin announced his invention of bifocal glasses, describing them as a solution for seeing both near and far.
  • 1788: South Carolina was admitted as the eighth U.S. state following the ratification of the Constitution.
  • 1844: Persian Prophet The Báb announced His mission in Shiraz, founding the Bábí Faith, a precursor to the Bahá'í Faith.
  • 1900: Sergeant William H. Carney became the first African American to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Battle of Fort Wagner in 1863.
  • 1915: Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, entering World War I on the side of the Allies.
  • 1934: Notorious American outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were ambushed and killed by law officers in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.
  • 1945: Nazi official Heinrich Himmler, the chief architect of the Holocaust, committed suicide by cyanide while in British custody.
  • 1949: The Federal Republic of Germany, known as West Germany, was formally established.
  • 1992: The European Space Agency's Giotto spacecraft made a close flyby of Comet Grigg Skjellerup.
  • 1995: Sun Microsystems officially launched the Java programming language, revolutionizing software development.
  • 1998: The Good Friday Agreement was approved by voters in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in a dual referendum.
  • 2006: Montenegro held a referendum, resulting in a vote for independence from its state union with Serbia.
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    Famous People Who Died on May 23

  • 1498 Girolamo Savonarola: Italian Dominican friar and ruler of Florence, executed.
  • 1523 Ashikaga Yoshitane: 10th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate in Japan.
  • 1701 Captain William Kidd: Scottish pirate, executed in London.
  • 1857 Augustin-Louis Cauchy: French mathematician and pioneer of analysis.
  • 1906 Henrik Ibsen: Norwegian playwright and founder of modern realism.
  • 1917 William F. Cody: American scout and showman known as Buffalo Bill.
  • 1934 Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow: American criminal duo, killed in police ambush.
  • 1937 John D. Rockefeller: American industrialist and philanthropist.
  • 1945 Heinrich Himmler: German Nazi leader and architect of the Holocaust.
  • 1960 Georges Claude: French engineer and inventor of neon lighting.
  • 1981 George Jessel: American actor and comedian known as The Toastmaster General.
  • 1992 Atahualpa Yupanqui: Argentine singer and songwriter.
  • 2009 Roh Moo-hyun: 9th President of South Korea.
  • 2013 Georges Moustaki: Egyptian-French singer and composer.
  • 2019 Murray Gell-Mann: American physicist and Nobel laureate.
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    In conclusion, the date of May 23 stands as a powerful testament to the full spectrum of human endeavor, marking the arrival of artistic genius like Richard Wagner, the passing of infamous figures like Heinrich Himmler, and pivotal historical turning points such as the Defenestration of Prague. It is a day that has witnessed profound acts of creation and destruction, from the birth of a new nation with West Germany to the death of an era with Buffalo Bill. This collection of births, deaths, and events on a single day on the calendar weaves a rich tapestry that reflects the enduring drama of history, innovation, and legacy.

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