2nd » Outbreak of the Peninsular War: The people of Madrid Dos de Mayo Uprising or rise up in rebellion against French occupation. Francisco de Goya later memorializes this event in his painting The Second of May 1808.
3rd » Finnish War: Sweden loses the fortress of Sveaborg to Russia.
3rd » Peninsular War: The Madrid rebels who rose up on May 2 are executed near Príncipe Pío hill.
17th » Napoleon I of France orders the annexation of the Papal States to the First French Empire called French Empire.
Famous Birthdays on May in 1808
2nd » Emma Darwin, English wife of Charles Darwin (d. 1896)
15th » Michael William Balfe, Irish composer (d. 1870)