May 12, celebrated as Florence Nightingale's birthday, has also seen pivotal wartime and political events.
King Richard the Lionheart married Berengaria of Navarre in Cyprus during the Third Crusade. It was the only medieval English royal wedding to take place outside of the British Isles.
The National University of San Marcos was founded in Lima, Peru. It is the oldest continuously operating university in the Americas.
Florence Nightingale was born in Florence, Italy. She would revolutionize nursing during the Crimean War and establish the foundations of modern professional nursing.
The body of Charles Lindbergh Jr. was found in the woods near the Lindbergh home in New Jersey. The kidnapping and murder had captivated the nation for over two months.
George VI was crowned King of the United Kingdom following the abdication of his brother Edward VIII. His reign would span World War II and the beginning of decolonization.
German and Italian forces in Tunisia surrendered, ending the North African campaign of World War II. Over 250,000 Axis soldiers were taken prisoner.
A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China, killing nearly 70,000 people. The destruction of poorly built schools that killed thousands of children sparked public outrage.