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The 1700s

1700

Beginning of the Great Northern War

1 Nov 1700

Death of Charles II of Spain (Habsburg), accession of Philip V (Bourbon).

1 Mar 1700

P. J. Bourcet born in Usseaux or Yseaux (Dauphiné)

30 Nov 1700

Battle of Narva on the Gulf of Finland. Sweden defeats Russian forces of Peter the Great

7 Sep 1701

Grand Alliance of the Hague between Great Britain, Holland, Austria, Prussia, Hanover. France was joined by the House of Wittelsbach (Bavaria, Electoral Cologne)

Feb 1701

Beginning of the War of the Spanish Succession

18 Jan 1701

Elector of Brandenburg-Prussia crowned King Frederick I

12 Jun 1701

Act of Settlement. (Succession of the House of Hanover to the throne of England).

8 Mar 1702

Death of William III. Accession of Queen Anne to throne of England.

4 May 1702

War declared on France and Spain by England

1703

Foundation of St Petersburg

May 1703

Portugal joins Grand Alliance

Nov 1703

Savoy joins Grand Alliance

1704

Death of John Locke.

24 Jul 1704

British take Gibraltar

13 Aug 1704

Battle of Blenheim. British and Austrians under Marlborough defeat French and Bavarians under Tallard

1705

Joseph I elected Emperor

23 May 1706

Battle of Ramillies, nr Louvain. British, Dutch and Danes under Marlborough defeat French and Spanish under Villeroi

7 Sep 1706

Battle of Turin. Eugene defeats French, Spanish and Bavarians

30 Mar 1707

S. L. P. de Vauban dies, Paris

1 May 1707

Act of Union of England and Scotland

23 May 1707

Carl von Linné (Linnaeus) born in Råshult, Smâland

11 Jul 1708

Battle of Oudenaarde. Marlborough defeats Vendôme.

15 Jun 1709

L. de Clermont born in Versailles

9 Jul 1709

Battle of Poltava. Charles XII of Sweden defeated by Czar Peter

11 Sep 1709

Battle of Malplaquet. Marlborough defeats Villars

1711

Habsburgs subdue Hungarian separatists.

17 Apr 1711

Emperor Joseph I dies. Accession of Charles VI (elected Emperor in December)

7 May 1711

David Hume born in Edinburgh

24 Jan 1712

Frederick the Great born in Berlin

11 Jun 1712

L. J. de Vendôme dies, Vinaroz (Spain)

28 Jun 1712

J. J. Rousseau born in Geneva

13 Apr 1713

Pragmatic Sanction. Succession to the throne of Austria in the female line safeguarded.

Feb 1713

Death of Frederick I of Prussia. Accession of Frederick William I

11 Apr 1713

Treaty of Utrecht. Partition of the Spanish Empire. Country and colonies to Philip of Anjou, European territories to Austria, excluding Sicily, which went to Savoy.

5 Oct 1713

Denis Diderot born in Langres

6 Mar 1714

Treaties of Rastadt and Baden (7 Sep). Definitive end to the War of the Spanish Succession

1 Aug 1714

Death of Queen Anne. Accession of George I of Hanover

Jul 1715

Prussia joins Great Northern War against Sweden

1 Sep 1715

Death of Louis XIV, accession of Louis XV

15 Sep 1715

J. B. V. de Gribeauval born in Amiens

Nov-Dec 1715

Jacobite rising in Scotland

1716

Beginning of Turkish war with Austria. Victories of Eugene at Peterwardein (13 Aug) and Temesvar.

10 Oct 1716

G. E. von Loudon born in Livonia

22 Aug 1717

Spain occupies Sicily and Sardinia (Nov)

16 Aug 1717

Austria takes Belgrade

4 Jan 1717

Triple Alliance between Britain, France and Holland

13 May 1717

Maria Theresa born in Vienna

1718

Invention of the mercury thermometer by Fahrenheit

1718

Spain defeated by Quadruple Alliance (Britain, France, Austria, Netherlands)

Jul 1718

Peace of Passarowitz: end of war with Turkey

Dec 1718

Death of Charles XII at Frederickshald

19 Oct 1718

V. F. de Broglie born

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