Data for 1691

A new governor arrives from England in New York (Mar 20), the Spanish Inquisition forcibly baptizes Xuetas in Palma, Majorca, and those who try to escape are burned alive at the stake (May 6), in New York, Jacob Leisler is hanged for treason by the English (May 16), Rolle’s Theorem is invented, the textile factory Barnängens Manufaktur is established in Stockholm, Sweden – and all these fine people were born:

Data for 1653

New Amsterdam – later renamed New York City – is incorporated (Feb 2), The Morning Star Rebellion breaks out in Sweden, against Queen Christina, the Taj Mahal mausoleum, the construction of which began in 1630, is completed at Agra, India – and all these fine people were born:

Data for 1608

Quebec City is founded by Samuel de Champlain (Jul 3), the first telescope (which Galileo later improves upon) is demonstrated by a Dutch spectacle maker in the Netherlands (Oct 2), the first cheques are used in the Netherlands – and all these fine people were born:

Data for 1696

Peter the Great becomes the sole tsar of Russia (Jan 29), fleet of the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire clash near the Greek island of Andros (Aug 22), a famine wipes out almost a third of the population in Finland, window tax is introduced in England, construction of Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna begins – and all these fine people were born:

Data for 1677

The first medical publication in America is produced (Jan 21), The Treaty of Middle Plantation establishes peace between the Virginia colonists and the local natives (May 29),  Sweden defeats the Danes in the Battle of Landskrona (Jul 14), ice cream becomes popular in Paris –  and all these fine people were born:

Data for 1621

Mohegan leader Samoset greets the English settlers in Plymouth Colony (Mar 16), first treaty between the Native Americans and the settlers is signed (Apr 1), the Dutch East India Company is founded (Jun 3), the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony and Wampanoags celebrate a harvest feast, later regarded as the First Thanksgiving (Oct), Gothenburg in Sweden is founded, the Dutch forces massacre thousands in Java for nutmeg – and all these fine people were born:

Data for 1613

The Coat of Arms of the Romanov Dynasty

The Romanov Dynasty begins in Russia (Mar 3), the first English child is born in Canada (Mar 27), the Algonquian princess Pocahontas is kidnapped by the English in Passapatanzy, Virginia, in order to ransom her for English prisoners – she later marries an Englishman (Apr 13),

Data for 1635

The Académie française is constituted (Feb 22), France declares war on Spain (May), the Royal Mail service – established in 1516 –  is made available to the public in England (Jul 31), Thomas Parr, dead at the alleged age of 152, is buried in Westminster Abbey (Nov 15), Boston Latin School is founded

Data for 1644

In the year 1644, the first livestock branding law in America is passed (Feb 5 ), Chinese rebels sack Beijing, causing ultimately the collapse of the Ming Dynasty (Apr 25), Beijing is recaptured, and Manchu rule over China proper begins (Jun 6), the English Civil War goes on, Sigismund Column is erected in Warsaw,

Data for 1655

Amsterdam Town Hall by Gerrit Berckheyde (today the Royal Palace)

Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is discovered (Mar 25), the Dutch West India Company denies Peter Stuyvesant’s request to exclude Jews from New Amsterdam (Manhattan) (Apr 26), English troops land on Jamaica (May 10), the Amsterdam Town Hall is inaugurated (Jul 20),

Data for 1666

Sapling of the original Newton apple tree in Cambridge, England

In the year 1666, the English court returns to London with the Great Plague of London subsiding (Feb 1), Isaac Newton witnesses the falling of an apple which leads him to discover gravity (May 3), the Great Fire of London occurs (Sep 2-5), Newton uses a prism to split sunlight, contributing to the scientific understanding of light, the first census in North America is completed – and all these fine people were born:

Data for 1685

Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow, New York

Catholic James Stuart becomes King James II of England and Ireland, and King James VII of Scotland (Feb 6), but his nephew James Scott wants the throne and starts the Monmouth Rebellion (Jun 11), James Scott is executed for treason (Jul 15), the first organised street lighting is introduced in London with oil lamps to be lit on moonless winter nights outside every tenth house (Sep), the Morean War between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire goes on, construction begins of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow – and all these fine people were born:

Data for the 1670s

The Hudson’s Bay Company – a fur trading business for much of its existence – is founded in England, to operate in Canada (May 2), Spain recognizes Jamaica and the Cayman Islands as English possessions (Jul 18), Spanish frigates attack Charleston, South Carolina (Aug), Louis XIV authorizes the construction of Les Invalides in Paris as a home and hospital for aged and unwell soldiers (Nov 24), the first French settlers arrive in what is to become Senegal, Stenka Rasin begins the Cossack rebellion in Ukraine – and all these fine people were born:

Data for the 1660s

Samuel Pepys’ bookplate, the Latin translates as “Mind Makes the Man”

In the year 1660, Samuel Pepys begins his diary, one of the most important primary sources for the English Restoration Period (Jan 1), in the Treaty of Oliva, peace is made between Sweden and major European powers (May 5), the first actress appears on the professional stage in England in a non-singing role (Dec 8), the Royal African Company is founded by James II of England, in order to trade slaves along the coast of West Africa – and all these fine people were born:

Data for the 1650s

Wheelchair built by Stefan Farfler in 1655

In the year 1650, in the Third English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell defeats a Scottish army (Sep 3), Einkommende Zeitungen becomes the first newspaper published in Germany, Ethiopia deports Portuguese diplomats and missionaries, three-wheeled wheelchairs are invented in the German +city of Nuremberg, cafés  begin to become popular in Europe – and all these fine people were born:

Data for the 1640s

A slightly more modern coffeehouse in Venice

In the year 1640, John Punch becomes the first official slave in the English colonies as he is sentenced to life in servitude (Jul 9), the first Finnish University opens in Turku/Åbo (Jul 15), 41 Spanish delegates to Japan are beheaded in Nagasaki (Aug 9), the first book to be printed in North America – the Bay Psalm Book – is published, the first known European coffeehouse opens in Venice – and all these fine people were born:

Data for 1672

Aerial view of the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida

The Kingdom of England declares war on the Dutch Republic (Mar 17), France invades the Dutch Republic (Apr 29), Johan de Witt and his brother Cornelis are slaughtered by a mob in The Hague, Holland, accused of being responsible for major Dutch defeats of late (Aug 20), Spain begins the construction on the fort of Castillo de San Marcos in order to protect St. Augustine, Florida (Oct), Richard Hoare becomes a partner in the London goldsmith’s business which will survive through to the 21st century –  and all these fine people were born:

Data for the 1630s

In the year 1630, native American Quadequine of the Wampanoag tribe introduces popcorn to English colonists (Feb 22), Swedish warships depart from Stockholm for Central Europe (Jun 6), and a month later make landfall at Peenemünde in Pomerania (Jul 6), the Treaty of Stettin is signed; Sweden gets full military control over Pomerania (Sep 4), the city of Boston, Massachusetts, is founded (Sep 7), the Deccan Famine begins in India, and it will kill 2 million people during the next two years – and all these fine people were born:

Data for the 1620s

A merry-go-round at the London Zoo (photo by Elliott Brown)

In the year 1620, the first merry-go-round is seen at a fair in Philippapolis, Turkey (May 17), the oldest stone church in French North America is begun in Quebec (Jun 3), Johannes Kepler’s mother is arrested for witchcraft (Aug 7), Mayflower departs from Plymouth, England (Sep 16) and arrives with the pilgrims and planters at Cape Cod in Massachusetts (Nov 21), a severe frost freezes the Thames in London, the modern violin is developed, witch hunts begin in Scotland – and all these fine people were born:

Data for the 1610s

The four Galilean moons compared to Earth and its moon

In the year 1610, Galileo Galilei first observes the four Galilean moons of Jupiter: Ganymede, Callisto, Europa and Io (Jan 7), Polish troops occupy Moscow (Jul 4), Henry Hudson sails into what is now known as Hudson Bay, believing it was the Pacific Ocean (Aug 2), the Tuscans fight the Turks (Oct 10), the Orion Nebula is discovered, first shipments of tea to Europe by the Dutch East India Company are made around this time – and all these fine people were born: