About this episode

This episode covers significant historical events that occurred on May 2nd, including Portsmouth's Royal Charter and various notable figures and occurrences throughout history.

A Daily Dose of History (02 May 2026) Today's historical events: King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. William de Braose is hanged by Prince Llywelyn the Great. Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, is arrested and imprisoned on charges of adultery, incest, treason and witchcraft. John Knox returns from exile to Scotland to become the leader of the nascent Scottish Reformation. Mary, Queen of Scots, escapes from Loch Leven Castle. The King James Version of the Bible is published for the first time in London, England, by printer Robert Barker. Afonso Mendes, appointed by Pope Gregory XV as Latin Patriarch of Ethiopia, arrives at Beilul from Goa. King Charles II of England grants a permanent charter to the Hudson's Bay Company to open up the fur trade in North America. Outbreak of the Peninsular War: The people of Madrid rise up in rebellion against French occupation. Francisco de Goya later memorializes this event in his painting The Second of May 1808. The Siege of Cuautla during the Mexican War of Independence ends with both sides claiming victory after Mexican rebels under José María Morelos y Pavón abandon the city after 72 days under siege by royalist…

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• Roman Emperors' Historic Retirement: Impact on Empire (+ 10 more historical events on this day!) · May 1, 2026 · 8 min

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