Death of Tipu Sultan
Born in 1750, Tipu Sultan also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the eldest son of the de-facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore Hyder Ali. Tipu Sultan was trained in warfare and military tactics by French officers from the young age of 15 and participated in the First Mysore-British war in 1766. Obtaining a string of victories over the British during the Second- Mysore-British War, Tipu Sultan came to power in December, 1782 after the death of his father.
Recognising the threat posed by the British to the Indian subcontinent, he sought to form alliance with Napoléon Bonaparte of France and provide training to his troops.
Suffering a defeat in the Third Anglo- Mysore War in 1789, Tipu’s efforts to link with Napoléon against the British ended in failure after Napoléon himself faced defeats in the middle-east.
Supported by the Nizam of Hyderabad Ali Khan, the British succeeded at the Siege of Seringapatam in Fourth Anglo-Mysore War on 4 May, 1799. Tipu Sultan fell in battle, fighting to the end.
His body was discovered by British troops soon after dusk on the same day as shown in the painting above.
The First Freedom Ride
The First Freedom Ride leaves Washington DC on 4 May, 1961. The Freedom Rides were called by Civil Rights activists to test the 1960 decision by the US Supreme Court which ruled that segregation at inter-state transport facilities or bus stations was unconstitutional.
The First Freedom Ride was composed of 13 people, six Whites and seven African Americans who were due to arrive in New Orleans on May 17. While travelling through South Carolina and Alabama, the 13 members were viciously attacked by mobs for entering white-only restrooms and bus stops. The original bus went up in flames after a bomb was lobbed into it, though the passengers survived the attack.
In response, 100’s of Freedom Rides were launched challenging White-only places in the South of the country. The issue attracted widespread attention within and outside the United States until finally the Interstate Commerce Commission issued fresh regulations banning segregation on inter-state transport facilities.
Battle of Coral Sea begins
Battle of the Coral Sea begins on 4 May, 1942 between the US Navy assisted by the Australian Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy. Within four days, a number of ships were sunk on both sides.
The Japanese gained a tactical victory but the US won a major strategic victory. This was also the first time a naval engagement took place with either combatants unable to sight the other, using aircraft for long-range strikes.
Rabin and Arafat sign accord for Palestinian self-rule
Gaza–Jericho Agreement, as it is known was signed on 4 May, 1994 between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The agreement resulted in the creation of the Palestinian Authority and Arafat became its first president.
Josip Broz Tito dies
The communist leader of Yugoslavia since the end of the second world war, Josip Broz Tito dies on 4 May, 1980. A staunch communist, he still developed serious disagreements with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, who made several attempts on his life.
“Stop sending people to kill me,” wrote Tito in a letter to Stalin. “We’ve already captured five of them, one of them with a bomb and another with a rifle. […] If you don’t stop sending killers, I’ll send one to Moscow, and I won’t have to send a second.”
Because of these disagreements, Yugoslavia became of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement though Tito was often criticised for his harsh measures against political dissidents. Within 12 years of his death, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia descended into conflict resulting in the dissolution of the country in 1992.
The Old Man and the Sea wins the Pulitzer Prize
Written in 1951 by American author Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man And The Sea tells the story of an old fisherman’s quest to capture a Marlin and end his 84-day streak of bad luck.
Winning the Pulitzer Prize on 4 May, 1953, the book re-established Hemingway’s reputation as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.
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