1620 CE

The first merry-go-round is seen at a fair in Philippapolis, Turkey. Captain Andrew Shilling, on behalf of the English Honourable East India Company, lays claim to Table Bay in Africa. (September 6 OS) – Mayflower departs from Plymouth in England on her third attempt to cross the Atlantic. The Pilgrims on board comprise 41 "saints" (English separatists largely from Holland), 40 "strangers" (largely secular planters from London), 23 servants and hired workers, together with c. 30 crew.

In the 1620s, the 17th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • January 22 – In France, Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes, and his wife, the Duchess Marie de Rohan, sign a marriage contract on behalf of their one-year-old daughter to be engaged to the year-old son of Charles, Duke of Guise.source
  • January 26 – Karan Singh II becomes the new ruler of the Kingdom of Mewar (in the modern-day state of Rajasthan in India) upon the death of his father, the Maharana Amar Singh I.source
  • February 4 – Prince Bethlen Gabor secures a peace treaty with Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor.source
  • April 20 – Mian Shahul Mouhammed Kalhoro begins his reign at Karachi as the king of Sindh, in modern-day Pakistan, and rules until 1657.source
  • July 3 – Under the terms of the Treaty of Ulm, the Protestant Union declares neutrality and ceases to support Frederick V of the Palatinate's claim to the throne of Bohemia.source
  • 19 November – The Tranquebar Treaty is signed with the Nayak of Tanjore, giving Denmark possession of Tharangambadi (Danish: Trankebar) and the right to construct Fort Dansborg.Denmarksource
  • November 21 (November 11 OS) – The Mayflower arrives inside the tip of Cape Cod (named from the Concord voyage of 1602), at what becomes known as Provincetown Harbor, with the Pilgrims and Planters; 41 Plymouth Colony settlers sign the Mayflower Compact, the first governing document of the colony, on board the ship.source
  • A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies by Bartolomé de las Casas and Origin and progress of the disturbances in the Netherlands by Johannes Gysius are re-published in the Netherlands.source
  • "A Dutch Ship, putting in this Year [of 1620, before June], sold 20 Negroes to the Colony [as slaves], which were the first of that Generation, that were ever brought to Virginia."source
  • County Longford is planted by English and Scottish landowners, with much of the O'Farrell lands being confiscated and granted to new owners.Irelandsource
  • The titles of Earl of Cork and Viscount of Dungarvan are created in the Peerage of Ireland in favour of Richard Boyle, Lord Boyle.Irelandsource

Conflict & Security

  • April 1 – Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor and former King of Bohemia, sends a two-month ultimatum directing King Frederick of Bohemia (who has usurped the throne in the modern-day Czech Republic) to leave Bohemia by June 1. Frederick refuses to depart his capital at Prague.source
  • August 7 – In a battle at Les Ponts-de-Cé in France, King Louis XIII defeats troops led by his mother, Marie de' Medici.source
  • August 7 - Battle of Les Ponts-de-Cé, Poitou: French king Louis XIII defeats his mother Marie de' Medici.Francesource
  • September 17–October 7 – Battle of Cecora: The Ottoman Empire defeats Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth–Moldavian troops.source
  • October 6 – Battle of Amedamit in Gojjam, Ethiopia: The Roman Catholic Ras Sela Kristos, half-brother of Emperor Susenyos, crushes a group of rebels, who are opposed to Susenyos' pro-Catholic beliefs.source
  • November 8 – Thirty Years' War: Battle of White Mountain – Catholic Habsburg forces are victorious over Bohemian rebels two hours from Prague.source
  • The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) continues (principally on the territory of modern-day Germany).source
  • Shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada begins restoring Osaka Castle in Japan. Its modern-day appearance dates from this remodeling.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • 10 May – An expedition led by Admiral Ove Gjedde arrives in CeylonDenmarksource
  • July 3 – Captain Andrew Shilling, on behalf of the English Honourable East India Company, lays claim to Table Bay in Africa.source
  • July 25 (July 15 OS) – The armed merchant ship Mayflower embarks about 65 emigrants for New England at or near her home port of Rotherhithe on the Thames east of London; about July 29 (July 19 OS) she anchors in Southampton Water.source
  • August 1 (July 22 OS) – The ship Speedwell departs Delfshaven with English separatist Puritans from Leiden bound to rendezvous with the Mayflower; on August 5 (July 26 OS) she anchors in Southampton Water.source
  • September 2 (August 23 OS) – Mayflower and Speedwell depart together from Dartmouth; they are well out into the Atlantic when the Speedwell is again found to be leaking.source
  • September 16 (September 6 OS) – Mayflower departs from Plymouth in England on her third attempt to cross the Atlantic. The Pilgrims on board comprise 41 "saints" (English separatists largely from Holland), 40 "strangers" (largely secular planters from London), 23 servants and hired workers, together with c. 30 crew.source
  • December 21 – Plymouth Colony: William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims land near what becomes known as Plymouth Rock, in Plymouth, Massachusetts.source
  • History of submarines: Cornelis Drebbel demonstrates the first navigable undersea boat in the Thames in England.source

Religion & Belief

  • June 3 – The oldest stone church in French North America, Notre-Dame-des-Anges, is begun at Quebec City in modern-day Canada.source
  • 12 December – the title of Earl of Antrim is created in the Peerage of Ireland in favour of Randal MacDonnell, Viscount Dunluce.Irelandsource
  • Juan Pablo Bonet, teacher of deaf children in the Spanish court, creates a sign alphabet.source
  • The title of Viscount Grandison is created in the Peerage of Ireland in favour of Oliver St John, Lord Deputy of Ireland.Irelandsource

Technology & Infrastructure

  • November 3 – The Great Patent is granted to Plymouth Colony.source
  • The construction of the original Knippelsbro is completed.Denmarksource
  • Bangor, County Down, is granted the status of a port by King James I of England.Irelandsource

Science & Discovery

  • January 7 – Ben Jonson's play News from the New World Discovered in the Moon is given its first performance, a presentation to King James VI and I. In addition to dialogue about actual observations made by telescope of the Moon, the play includes a fanciful discussion of a lunar civilisation, featuring a dance by the "Volatees", the lunar race.source

Crime & Justice

  • March 24 – English sailor Owen Fitzpen is captured by Turkish pirates while on a trading voyage in the Mediterranean Sea and sold into slavery. He remains a slave in North Africa for seven years until he and 10 other slaves are able to take over a Turkish ship and sail back to Europe.source
  • August 7 – The mother of astronomer Johannes Kepler is arrested for witchcraft.source
  • August 15 (probable date; August 5 OS) – Mayflower and Speedwell depart together from Southampton, but are forced to put back into Dartmouth, Devon, for repairs to a leak in the latter ship on August 22 or 23 (August 12 or 13 OS).source

Disasters & Accidents

  • September 7 – Mayflower and Speedwell return again to England, anchoring at Plymouth; the latter ship is given up as a participant in the voyage and on September 12 (September 2 OS) departs for London, most of her passengers and stores having been transferred to the Mayflower.source

Climate & Environment

  • April 7 – The earliest recorded earthquake in South Africa occurs at Robben Island.source
  • A severe frost in England freezes the River Thames; 13 continuous days of snow blanket Scotland. On Eskdale Moor, only 35 of a flock of 20,000 sheep survive.source

Culture & Society

  • May 17 – The first merry-go-round is seen at a fair in Philippapolis, Turkey.source
  • September 7 – The Finnish town of Kokkola (Karleby) is founded by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden.source
  • 13 October – the Blundell Baronetcy is created in the Baronetage of Ireland in favour of Francis Blundell, Vice-Treasurer and Receiver-General of Ireland.Irelandsource
  • 10 November – the Parsons Baronetcy, of Bellamont in the County of Dublin, is created in the Baronetage of Ireland in favour of William Parsons, Surveyor General of Ireland.Irelandsource
  • November 25 – The wedding of Gustav II Adolf and Maria Eleonora takes place in Sweden.source
  • 25 November - Wedding of Gustav II Adolf and Maria EleonoraSwedensource
  • Francis Bacon publishes the Novum Organum (beyond Aristotle's Organon) on logical thinking. 1.source

Births

  • January 5 – Miklós Zrínyi, Croatian military commander (died 1664)source
  • 4 February - Gustaf Bonde (1620–1667), statesman (died 1667)Swedensource
  • February 16 – Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg (died 1688)source
  • February 23 – Francis Newport, 1st Earl of Bradford, English politician (died 1708)source
  • March 29 – Edward Digges, English barrister and colonist, Colonial Governor of Virginia (died 1674)source
  • April 15 – Edward Villiers, English politician and military officer (died 1689)source
  • April 17 – Marguerite Bourgeoys, French Catholic nun, founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame (died 1700)source
  • April 24 – John Graunt, English demographer (died 1674)source
  • July 21 – Jean Picard, French astronomer and priest (died 1682)source
  • July 21 – Jean Picard, French astronomer and priest (died 1704)Francesource
  • September 6 – Isabella Leonarda, Italian composer (died 1704)source
  • September 25 – François Bernier, French physician and traveller (died 1688)source
  • October 16 – Pierre Paul Puget, French painter (died 1694)source
  • October 20 – Aelbert Cuyp, Dutch painter (died 1691)source
  • October 31 – John Evelyn, English diarist and writer (died 1706)source
  • November 10 – Ninon de l'Enclos, French author (died 1705)source
  • Dina Vinhofvers, silk worker and accuser of Corfitz Ulfeldt (died 1651)Denmarksource
  • Approximate date – Redmond O'Hanlon, outlaw (died 1681)Irelandsource

Deaths

  • January 26 – Amar Singh I, ruler of Mewar (born 1559)source
  • January 28 – Archduchess Eleanor of Austria (born 1582)source
  • February 15 – James Archer, Irish Jesuit; played a controversial role in the Nine Years' War (born 1550)source
  • February 15 – James Archer, Jesuit (born 1550)Irelandsource
  • February 23 – Nicholas Fuller, English politician (born 1543)source
  • March 1 – Thomas Campion, English poet and composer (born 1567)source
  • March 5 – Giovanni Francesco Sagredo, Italian mathematician (born 1571)source
  • March 22 – King Karma Phuntsok Namgyal of Tibet dies of smallpox after a reign of less than two years, after Ngawang Namgyal of Bhutan casts a tantric spell over him.source
  • April 8 – Angelo Rocca, Italian humanist (born 1545)source
  • 11 April – Steen Ottesen Brahe, privy counsellor and landowner (born 1547)Denmarksource
  • April 23 – Hayyim ben Joseph Vital, Palestinian-born Kabbalist (born 1543)source
  • May 16 – William Adams, English navigator and samurai (born 1564)source
  • July 10 – John Boyle, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross (born 1563?)Irelandsource
  • 4 August – Karen Roeds, accused witchDenmarksource
  • August 18 – Wanli Emperor, of China (born 1563)source
  • September 26 – Taichang Emperor, fourteenth emperor of the Ming dynasty of China (born 1582)source
  • September – Sidonia von Borcke, German noble and alleged witch (born 1548)source
  • October 7 – Stanisław Żółkiewski, Polish nobleman of the Lubicz coat of arms (born 1547)source