What happened on May 23 ?

1125 - Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1081)

1304 - Jehan de Lescurel, French poet and composer

1498 - Girolamo Savonarola, Italian religious reformer and ruler of Florence (b. 1452)

1523 - Ashikaga Yoshitane, Japanese shogun (b. 1466)

1524 - Ismail I, Shah of Persia (b. 1487)

1662 - John Gauden, English bishop and writer (b. 1605)

1670 - Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1610)

1691 - Adrien Auzout, French astronomer (b. 1622)

1701 - Captain Kidd, Scottish pirate (b. 1645)

1752 - William Bradford, British-born printer (b. 1663)

1754 - John Wood, the Elder, English architect (b. 1704)

1783 - James Otis, American lawyer and patriot (b. 1725)

1786 - Móric Be?ovský, Slovak explorer

1813 - Geraud Duroc, French general (b. 1772)

1825 - Ras Gugsa of Yejju, Regent of the Emperor of Ethiopia

1841 - Franz Xaver von Baader, German philosopher and theologian (b. 1765)

1846 - Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki, Polish politician (b. 1778)

1855 - Charles Robert Malden, English explorer (b. 1797)

1857 - Augustin Louis Cauchy, French mathematician (b. 1789)

1868 - Kit Carson, American trapper, scout, and Indian agent (b. 1809)

1886 - Leopold von Ranke, German historian (b. 1795)

1893 - Anton von Schmerling, Austrian statesman (b. 1805)

1895 - Franz Ernst Neumann, German mineralogist and physicist (b. 1798)

1906 - Henrik Ibsen, Norwegian writer (b. 1828)

1908 - François Coppée, French poet and novelist (b. 1842)

1920 - Svetozar Boroevi?, Austrian field marshal (b. 1856)

1934 - Clyde Barrow, American outlaw (b. 1909)

1934 - Bonnie Parker, American outlaw (b. 1910)

1937 - John D. Rockefeller, American entrepreneur (b. 1839)

1945 - Heinrich Himmler, Nazi official (b. 1900)

1965 - Earl Webb, baseball player (b. 1897)

1966 - Demchugdongrub, Mongolian politician (b. 1902)

1967 - Lionel Groulx, French Canadian priest and historian (b. 1878)

1975 - Moms Mabley, American comedian (b. 1894)

1981 - George Jessel, American actor (b. 1898)

1981 - David Lewis (politician), Canadian labour lawyer and politician (b. 1909)

1986 - Sterling Hayden, American actor (b. 1916)

1989 - Georgy Tovstonogov, Russian theatre director (b. 1915)

1991 - Wilhelm Kempff, German pianist and composer (b. 1895)

1992 - Giovanni Falcone, Italian judge (b. 1939)

1999 - Owen Hart, Canadian professional wrestler (b. 1965)

2002 - Sam Snead, American golfer (b. 1912)

2003 - Jean Yanne, French actor and director (b. 1933)

2006 - Lloyd Bentsen, American politician (b. 1921)

2006 - Kazimierz Górski, Polish footballer (b. 1921)

2006 - Frits Bernard, American activist (b. 1920)

2006 - Clifford Antone, American businessman (b. 1950)