What happened on May 11

38 documented historical events happened on May 11, from antiquity to the present day. The best known is this: A copy of the Diamond Sutra was printed in Tang-dynasty China, making it the world's oldest dated printed book. On the same day, in another year: War of the Austrian Succession: French forces defeated those of the Pragmatic Allies at the Battle of Fontenoy in the Austrian Netherlands in present-day Belgium. On Almanaccolo every event is listed in chronological order, grouped by century, and links to the Wikipedia article it comes from, so you can always read further or check the source. Alongside the events you find who was born and who died on this date, and which observances are celebrated around the world.

115 people with a Wikipedia article were born on May 11, including Sophie Axelsdatter Brahe, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, José Mariano Salas. The list spans every era and every field — art, science, politics, sport, entertainment — ordered by year of birth, from the earliest to the most recent. The six featured people are those most has been written about: the ordering uses the length of their Wikipedia article as an indicator of prominence. For each one you find their occupation, year of birth and a link to the full biography.

55 people with a Wikipedia article died on May 11, including Leo VI the Wise, Matteo Ricci, William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. The list is in chronological order by year of death and spans all of documented history, from antiquity to the present day. For each person you find their occupation, the year and a link to the Wikipedia biography, where the full story and its sources can be read.

6 observances are celebrated on May 11 around the world: Christian feast day: Anthimus of Rome, Christian feast day: Gangulphus of Burgundy, Christian feast day: Blessed John Rochester, Christian feast day: Ignatius of Laconi, Christian feast day: Majolus of Cluny, Christian feast day: Mamertus, the first of the Ice Saints. The list gathers national holidays, international days and religious or civil observances falling on this date in different countries, as recorded on Wikipedia. Some are fixed and recur on the same day every year; others depend on the local calendar. Each links to the article explaining its origin and meaning.