Anniversary of May 18, 2025: Find out what happened on this day.

The anniversaries of this Sunday, May 18, 2025, allow us to recall social and cultural events that marked the history of humanity. Today, we commemorate key events around the world, such as the Battle of Las Piedras , as well as the births and deaths of historical figures. Discover all of today's anniversaries in Colombia and around the world below.

Historical events that occurred on a day like today in the world

Among the most notable events of May 18 are:

1974 : India becomes the sixth nuclear power by detonating a bomb in Rajasthan, breaking the nuclear monopoly of the five members of the UN Security Council. It responds to international criticism by saying it will use its nuclear power only as a deterrent. (51 years ago)

1944 : In Monte Cassino, Italy, the Polish flag flies over the ruins of the monastery as British troops take the town. This victory comes four months after the first assault on Monte Cassino. (81 years ago)

1899 : The first international conference that led to the Hague Convention is held in The Hague, where 101 delegates discuss world peace and arms reduction at the request of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. (126 years ago)

1811 : In Uruguay, the Battle of Las Piedras takes place, where the revolutionaries, led by José Artigas, achieve their first victory over Spanish rule, although it will be countered by the Portuguese invasion later. (214 years ago)

1680 : King Charles II of Spain approves the "Compilation of Laws of the Kingdoms of the Indies," a compilation of laws to regulate Spanish possessions in the Americas and the Philippines. (345 years ago)

1291 : The Saracens, led by Al-Malik Al-Ashraf Kalil, breach the walls of Acre, the last Christian stronghold in the Holy Land, and the Christians surrender, taking refuge in Cyprus. (734 years ago)

Births on May 18

These are the famous and historical figures who were born on this day:

1920 : Pope John Paul II is born in Poland. He will play an important role in the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

1895 : Augusto César Sandino, leader of the resistance against the US army, is born in Nicaragua.

1872 : Mathematician Bertrand Russell, Nobel Prize winner for Literature in 1950, is born in Wales.

1850 : Oliver Heaviside is born in the United Kingdom, who will demonstrate the existence of the ionosphere.

Who died on a day like today?

Among the most important deaths that occurred on May 18 are:

1911 : Gustav Mahler, the prominent Austrian composer and conductor, dies. 1781 : Túpac Amaru is publicly beheaded in Cuzco after a failed attempt to quarter him, and is considered a pre-independence leader. 1291 : Alfonso III of Aragon dies in Barcelona at the age of 27.

Today is the Battle of Las Piedras

The Battle of Las Piedras , held on May 18, 1811 , is a crucial event in the history of Uruguay, marking a milestone in the fight for independence of the region under Spanish control. This conflict was part of the development of the Eastern Revolution, where the eastern patriots, led by José Gervasio Artigas , faced the royalist forces in a context of growing demand for autonomy. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the patriot troops, composed mainly of criollos and gauchos, achieved a decisive victory that boosted the independence cause in the Banda Oriental. The victory in the Battle of Las Piedras had a significant impact on the fight for independence in the Río de la Plata. After this triumph, the patriot forces consolidated themselves as one of the main military forces in the region, facilitating the expansion of the fight for independence and the control of strategic routes. This success boosted the morale of the patriots and allowed the Eastern Revolution to advance, establishing Artigas and his followers as key figures in the independence process of what is now Uruguay. The Battle of Las Piedras has become a symbol of the struggle against Spanish colonialism and is commemorated every May 18th with patriotic ceremonies honoring those who fought for freedom.