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May 29
5 moments across history
Fall of Constantinople
On May 29, 1453, the Ottoman army under Sultan Mehmed II captured Constantinople, ending the Byzantine Empire and marking a turning point in world history. The 53-day siege concluded with the fall of the city that had stood for over 1,100 years as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Ottoman forces breach the walls of Constantinople after a 53-day siege on May 29, 1453.
Wisconsin becomes 30th U.S. state
Wisconsin's statehood in 1848 strengthened the free-state presence in the upper Midwest.
The Wisconsin state seal reflects its agricultural and maritime heritage on the Great Lakes.
On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin was admitted to the Union as the 30th state, with its constitution prohibiting slavery and guaranteeing trial by jury. The territory's path to statehood had been delayed by political debates over slavery expansion.
Einstein's theory of relativity confirmed by eclipse
The 1919 solar eclipse provided the first experimental confirmation of Einstein's revolutionary theory.
Eddington's photographs of the Hyades star cluster proved that gravity bends light as Einstein predicted.
On May 29, 1919, during a total solar eclipse, Arthur Eddington's expedition observed starlight bending around the Sun, confirming Einstein's general theory of relativity. The observations from Principe and Sobral made Einstein an overnight celebrity.
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summit Everest
Hillary and Norgay stand together on the roof of the world after their historic ascent.
The summit of Everest at 29,029 feet, captured moments after their arrival.
On May 29, 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak at 29,029 feet. Their success came on the eighth British expedition to the mountain.
Rolling Stones release "Honky Tonk Women"
The Rolling Stones in 1969, the year they released their landmark single.
"Honky Tonk Women" became an instant classic and a defining track of the era.
On May 29, 1969, The Rolling Stones released "Honky Tonk Women," one of their most iconic singles, with its distinctive cowbell intro and swaggering blues-rock sound. The song topped charts worldwide and became a defining track of the era.