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The 1740s

1740

C. P. Sebottendorf born

1740

J. Ocskay born in Hungary

1740

End of first Turkish war

1740

Franco-Prussian alliance. First Silesian War

4 Feb 1740

A. P. de Custine born in Metz

9 May 1740

G. Paisiello born in Taranto

31 May 1740

Accession of Frederick the Great

20 Oct 1740

Death of Emperor Charles VI and accession of Maria Theresa

16 Dec 1740

Frederick invades Silesia. Beginning of the War of the Austrian Succession. Saxony and Bavaria make claims to Austrian throne

1741

A. F. J. M. de Pezay born in Versailles

1741

K. P. von Weidenfeld born nr Esseg

12 Feb 1741

J. Servan born in Romans

13 Mar 1741

Joseph (II) von Habsburg born in Vienna

10 Apr 1741

Prussians win the battle of Mollwitz

11 Sep 1741

Diet of Pressburg. Maria Theresa receives Hungarian help

1742

Peace of Breslau. Austria gives up Silesia and turns on Bavaria while making alliances with Savoy, Saxony and Britain

1742

Invention of centigrade thermometer by Celsius

1742

P. F. Sauret born

19 May 1742

H. A. Haquin born in Juilly (Val-de-Marne)

8 Dec 1742

J. M. P. Sérurier born in Laon (Aisne)

16 Dec 1742

G. L. von Blücher born in Rostock

1743

Second Franco-Prussian alliance

8 Feb 1743

Battle of Camposanto. Austrians under Traun repulse a Spanish army

13 May 1743

T. Jefferson born in Shadwell, Virginia

27 Jun 1743

Battle of Dettingen. Pragmatic Army defeats the French

26 Aug 1743

A. L. Lavoisier born in Paris

11 Nov 1743

J. A. H. de Guibert born in Montauban

1744

2nd Silesian War. Frederick moves deep into Bohemia, but is forced to retreat

3 Jan 1744

G. G. Serbelloni born in Milan

1 Mar 1744

C. F. J. Dugua born in Valenciennes

4 May 1744

P. Guillaume born in [Courcelles]-Chaussy (Moselle)

11 May 1744

H. C. M. Stengel born in Neustadt (Palatinate)

4 Jun 1744

Battle of Hohenfriedberg. Austrians and Saxons defeated

25 Sep 1744

Frederick William II of Prussia born in Berlin

1745

Genoa declares for the Bourbons

1745

A. Lipthay born in Szecseny

18 Feb 1745

A. G. A. A. Volta born in Como

11 May 1745

Battle of Fontenoy. British army under Cumberland defeated by French under Saxe

4 Jun 1745

Prussians defeat Austrians at the battle of Hohenfriedberg

Jul 1745

Beginning of Jacobite rising in Scotland

11 Sep 1745

M. I. G. Kutuzov born in St Petersburg

30 Sep 1745

Prussians defeat Austrians at the battle of Soor

4 Oct 1745

Francis Stephen of Lorraine enthroned as Emperor in Frankfurt cathedral

12 Dec 1745

F. R. J. de Pommereul born in Fougères

25 Dec 1745

Peace of Dresden: Austria confirms cession of Silesia to Prussia. Peace of Füssen: Bavaria recognises Francis Stephen as Emperor

29 Mar 1746

C. M. Bonaparte (Buonaparte) born in Ajaccio

30 Mar 1746

F. J. de Goya y Lucientes born in Fuendetodos

16 Apr 1746

Battle of Culloden. Defeat of Scottish jacobites

16 Jun 1746

Battle of Piacenza: Austrians defeat French and Spanish

Dec 1746

Brief Austro-Piedmontese invasion of Provence

Jan 1747

French under Belle-Isle drive the Austrians back from Provence into Italy

5 May 1747

Leopold (II) von Habsburg born in Vienna

19 Jun 1747

Piedmontese crush French at Colle dell'Assietta

Oct 1748

Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. End of the War of the Austrian Succession. France returned Austrian Netherlands and British colonies. Parma to secondary Bourbon line. Savoy received parts of Milan

1748

Publication of Montesquieu's De l'Esprit des Lois.

30 Aug 1748

J. L. David born in Paris

1 Oct 1748

C. H. B. de Vaubois born in Château-Vilain, Clairvaux (Aube)

19 Oct 1748

T. Graham born in Balgowan, Perthshire

22 Dec 1748

A. Schübirz born in Olmutz

1749

K. C. von Piaczek born in Klobusicz

14 Feb 1749

J. Davin born in Baratier (Hautes-Alpes)

9 Mar 1749

H. G. R. de Mirabeau born in Bignon, nr Nemours

22 Apr 1749

J. B. Meynier born in Avignon

28 Aug 1749

J. W. von Goethe born in Frankfurt am Main

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