The 1600s: a chronology of the 17th century

Historical information on the net!

< Back to Index of Chronologies Note on the sources (at foot of page)
The 1600s
8 Feb 1601		The Earl of Essex leads a rebellion in England.
25 Feb 1601		The Earl of Essex is executed.
24 Mar 1603		Death of Elisabeth I of England at Richmond Palace.
31 Mar 1603		Accession of James VI of Scotland as James I of England.
5 Nov 1605		Gunpowder Plot. A group of Catholics try to blow up King James and the Parliament.
13 May 1607		Virginia is re-colonised by the English. Foundation of Jamestown.
9 Dec 1608		The poet John Milton is born in Cheapside, London.
27 Dec 1611		Accession of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden.
23 Apr 1616		Death of William Shakespeare.
1618		Thirty Years War begins in Germany.
29 Oct 1618		Execution of Sir Walter Raleigh in London.
20 Mar 1619		Death of the Holy Roman Emperor Mathias. He was succeeded by Ferdinand II
16 Sep 1620		The Pilgrim Fathers (Puritan settlers) depart for America in the Mayflower
8 Nov 1620		Battle of the White Mountain (nr Prague). Defeat of Bohemia (Frederick of the Palatinate) at the hands of Tilly.
21 Dec 1620		The Pilgrim Fathers land at Plymouth in Massachusetts
Mar 1621		Death of Philip III of Spain, accession of Philip IV
4 May 1624		Richelieu (later cardinal) becomes a minister of the French king.
27 Mar 1625		Death of James I of England. Accession of Charles I.
27 Aug 1626		Battle of Lutter. Christian IV of Brunswick defeated by Tilly.
2 May 1629		Peace of Lübeck brings an end to Danish intervention in Germany.
29 May 1630		Birth of the future King Charles II of England.
31 Mar 1631		Death of the poet John Donne.
9 Aug 1631		Birth of the poet John Dryden at Aldwincle, Northamptonshire.
17 Sep 1631		Gustavus Adolphus wins the battle of Breitenfeld.
29 Aug 1632		Birth of the philosopher John Locke.
20 Oct 1632		Birth of (Sir) Christopher Wren, architect.
16 Nov 1632		Battle of Lützen. Wallenstein is defeated, but Gustavus Adolphus is killed. Accession of Queen Christina of Sweden
15 May 1633		S. L. P. de Vauban (later Marshal of France) born in Saint-Léger-de-Foucherest
15 Feb 1637		Death of the Emperor Ferdinand II.
5 Sep 1638		Birth of the Dauphin, the future Louis XIV of France.
10 Jan 1642		Charles I of England leaves London. The English Civil War begins.
Dec 1642		Death of Cardinal Richelieu
25 Dec 1642		Birth of (Sir) Isaac Newton, scientist.
14 May 1643		Death of Louis XIII of France, accession of Louis XIV.
24 Oct 1648		Treaty of Westphalia brings an end to the Thirty Years War
26 May 1650		John Churchill (later Duke of Marlborough) born at Ash in Devon
1 Jul 1654		L. J. de Vendôme (later Duke) born in Paris
Jul 1658		Leopold I elected Holy Roman Emperor
18 Oct 1663		F. E. de Savoie-Carignan (Eugene of Savoy) born in Paris
1682		Accession of Czar Peter the Great.
5 May 1682		J. B. F. D. de Maillebois (later Marshal of France) born in Paris
Jun 1683		Beginning of the siege of Vienna by the Ottomans
14 Jul 1683		Siege of Vienna raised by Jan Sobieski
1685		The future Charles VI of Austria is born
6 Feb 1685		Death of Charles II of England and Scotland, accession of James II
23 Feb 1685		G. F. Handel born in Halle
21 Mar 1685		J. S. Bach born in Eisenach
22 Oct 1685		Revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
1687		Publication of Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica.
24 Sep 1688		Beginning of the War of the League of Augsburg (Nine Years War)
21 May 1688		Birth of Alexander Pope
Nov-Dec 1688		Glorious Revolution. Flight of James II from England, arrival of William and Mary.
1689		Birth of Baron de Montesquieu.
13 Feb 1689		Declaration of Rights. Establishment of Constitutional monarchy in England.
7 May 1689		Beginning of war between France and England.
3 Aug 1689		L. I. de Berchény born in Eperjes, Upper Hungary
1690		Publication of Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding.
Mar 1692		Hanover becomes ninth Electorate of the Holy Roman Empire
27 Jul 1694		Establishment of the Bank of England.
21 Nov 1694		F. M. Arouet (Voltaire) born in Paris
28 Dec 1694		Death of Queen Mary from smallpox
1696		Publication of Toland's deistical work Christianity Not Mysterious.
10 Aug 1696		J. W. L. Liechtenstein born in Prague
1697		Augustus II of Saxony elected King of Poland
20 Sep 1697		Treaty of Ryswick. End of the Nine Years War between France, England and her allies.
26 Jan 1699		Treaty of Carlowitz between Austria, Russia, and Turkey. Austria obtains Hungary, Transylvania and Croatia from Ottoman Empire
14 May 1699		J. von Zieten born in Wustrow, Neu-Ruppin, Brandenburg

Note: These chronologies were prepared while the author was researching Napoleon's 1796-7 campaign in Italy, and they naturally refer largely to people who were involved in that campaign, or had a hand in shaping the military history of the period leading up to it. They were never intended to be complete or exhaustive, and they have been posted here merely in case the information contained in them should be of interest to others. However, when time permits, the author hopes to add further material. The chronologies were compiled from standard reference works, but while the usual efforts were made to ensure accuracy, there may be errors. As always, it is advisable to cross-check. The major source works were: Balteau, J., and others, eds. Dictionnaire de biographie française. Paris, 1933- Berthelot, P.-E.-M., and others, eds. La grande encyclopédie. Paris, 1887-1902 Biographie nationale de Belgique. Brussels, 1866-1986 Der Grosse Brockhaus. Leipzig, 1928 Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford (various editions) Ferrabino, A., and others, eds. Dizionario biografico degli Italiani. Rome, 1960- Hassall, A., European History, Chronologically Arranged (476-1920). London, 1920 Hoefer, D., ed. Nouvelle biographie universelle/générale. Paris, 1852-66 Liliencron, R., von, and Wegele, F. X., eds. Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. Leipzig, 1875-1912 Michaud, ed. Biographie universelle ancienne et moderne. Paris, 1843-? The New Encyclopædia Britannica. Chicago, c1997 The Pengiun Atlas of World History. London, 1794 Treccani, G., ed. Enciclopedia italiana. Milan, 1929-37 Wurzbach, C., von. Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich. Vienna, 1856-91
		< Previous - Top - Next >