1678 CE
The first part of English nonconformist preacher John Bunyan's Christian allegory The Pilgrim's Progress is published in London. The Test Act provides that members of both the House of Lords and House of Commons of England must swear an anti-Catholic oath, before taking office. The Test Act provides that members of both the House of Lords and House of Commons must swear an anti-Catholic oath before taking office.
In the 1670s, the 17th century.
Geopolitics & Diplomacy
- January 10 – England and the Dutch Republic sign a mutual defense treaty in order to fight against France.source
- 10 January – England and the Dutch Republic sign a mutual alliance against France.Englandsource
- April 12 – The Treaty of Casco Bay is signed between officials of the Province of New York and the Penobscot tribe and the Wabanaki Confederacy, bringing an end to further fighting that has happened in the two years since the end of King Philip's War in the modern-day U.S. state of Maine. Under the terms of the treaty, English settlers pay rent to the Penobscots and are given back farm land that had been confiscated in the war, while the English settlers agree to respect the Penobscot land rights.source
- July 29 – Muhammad Azam Shah is appointed as the Mughal Governor of Bengal by his father, the Emperor Aurangzeb, but serves for a little more than a year before being recalled from Dhaka.source
- August 10 – The Treaties of Nijmegen end the Franco-Dutch War. The County of Burgundy is ceded to the Kingdom of France.source
- August 1678 to December 1679 – The Treaties of Nijmegen, in the aftermath of the Franco-Dutch War of 1672–78Francesource
- December 1 – The Test Act provides that members of both the House of Lords and House of Commons of England must swear an anti-Catholic oath, before taking office.source
- 3 December – the Test Act provides that members of both the House of Lords and House of Commons must swear an anti-Catholic oath before taking office.Englandsource
- The Revolt of the Three Feudatories continuesChinasource
Conflict & Security
- 18 January – Battle of Warksow, the Swedish navy defeats the forces of Denmark-Norway and Brandenburg-Prussia.Denmarksource
- March 23 – Revolt of the Three Feudatories in southern China: rebel general Wu Sangui, lord of the Yunnan fief, takes the imperial crown, names himself monarch of "The Great Zhou", based in the Hunan province, with Hengyang as his capital. He contracts dysentery over the summer and dies on October 2, ending the rebellion against the Kangxi Emperor.source
- March 25 – The Spanish Netherlands city of Ypres falls after a seven-day siege by the French Army. It is later returned to the Netherlands and eventually becomes part of Belgium.source
- June 4 – July 23 – Siege of Bohus Fortress.Norwaysource
- July 23 – The Battle of Ortenbach, one of the last major engagements of the Franco-Dutch War, takes place near Offenburg at the Rhine river in southwestern Germany, as French forces under the command of François de Créquy overwhelm a larger force of Holy Roman Empire troops commanded by the Duke of Lorraine, Karl V Leopold.source
- 23 July – The Battle of Ortenbach, part of the Franco-Dutch WarFrancesource
- August 14–15 – The Battle of Saint-Denis is fought after the signing of peace in the Franco-Dutch War.source
- 14 August – The Battle of Saint-Denis, the last major action of the Franco-Dutch WarFrancesource
- August 21 – On the island of Java in modern-day Indonesia, the Kediri campaign begins as Mataram Sultanate and Dutch East India Company (VOC) forces under the command of VOC Captain François Tack begin marching from Jepara toward Kediri to suppress the Trunajaya rebellion that had driven out the Mataram Sultan. They are joined by two other columns of troops over the next fortnight.source
- September 5 – Sultan Amangkurat II of Mataram sets off from Jepara with the main force in the Kediri campaign, leading native troops, along with VOC forces under the command of Anthonio Hurdt, leader of the campaign.source
- September 6 – Titus Oates begins to present allegations of the "Popish Plot", a supposed Roman Catholic conspiracy to assassinate king Charles II of England. Oates applies the term Tory to those who disbelieve his allegations.source
- 6 September – Titus Oates first presents sworn allegations of the "Popish Plot", a supposed Catholic conspiracy to assassinate King Charles II. On 28 September before the Privy Council he makes allegations against numerous Jesuits and Catholic nobles. Oates applies the term Tory to those who disbelieve his allegations.Englandsource
- September 17 – The Franco-Dutch War between the Kingdom of France and the Dutch Republic (and its allies) comes to an end after more than six years as the Treaties of Nijmegen bring about a ceasefire.source
- November 25 – The Kediri campaign is successfully concluded in Indonesia as Anthonio Hurdt and Sultan Amangkurat II capture Kediri and force the rebel Prince Trunajaya to flee.source
- Wu Sangui declares himself Emperor of Zhou. A few months later he dies of apparent natural causes on October 2, his grandson Wu Shifan continues the rebellion.Chinasource
- 22–24 September – Invasion of Rügen, the allied forces of Denmark-Norway and Brandenburg-Prussia occupy Rügen.Denmarksource
- Swedish Pomerania is occupied by Brandenburg.Swedensource
Exploration & Expansion
- May 11 – French admiral Jean d'Estrees runs his whole fleet aground in either the Las Aves Archipelago or Isla de Aves, intending to reach Curaçao.source
- June 10 – French buccaneer Michel de Grammont arrives at Spanish-held Venezuela with six pirate ships, 13 smaller craft, and 2,000 men in a daring raid on the South American territory, then leads half of his force inward toward Maracaibo, which he takes on June 14. During the rest of the month, he and his soldiers march inland as far as Trujillo. Grammont and his pirates finally depart on December 3.source
- About 1,200 Irish families sail from Barbados to Virginia and the Carolinas.source
Religion & Belief
- April 2 – Ignatius Gregory Peter VI Shahbaddin is enthroned as the Patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church in Aleppo, after receiving recognition by Ottoman Sultan Mehmed IV and by Pope Innocent XI.source
- 11 October – Peter Talbot, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland, having returned to Ireland in May, is arrested near Maynooth on the orders of James Butler, Duke of Ormonde, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, for supposed complicity in the "Popish Plot" and imprisoned in Dublin Castle.Irelandsource
- In Ireland, the vacant Bishopric of Leighlin is given to the Bishop of Kildare in commendam; it will later be formed into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.source
- The vacant Bishopric of Leighlin is given to the Bishop of Kildare to form the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.Irelandsource
- King Christian V established the Barony of Rosendal (Baroniet Rosendal). It was and remained the only fief barony in Norway, during the union with Denmark.Norwaysource
- Jörgen Krabbe, Swedish nobleman and politician (born 1633)Swedensource
Economy & Finance
- November 26 – William Staley, an English banker and a Roman Catholic, becomes the first person to be executed in connection with the "Popish Plot" arrests.source
- 26 November – William Staley, a Catholic banker, becomes the first person to be executed in connection with the "Popish Plot".Englandsource
Technology & Infrastructure
- January 27 – The first fire engine company in North America goes into service in Boston.source
Science & Discovery
Health & Medicine
Crime & Justice
- October 17 – English magistrate Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey is found murdered in Primrose Hill, London. His death is seen as proof of the "Popish Plot" to the public.source
- 17 October – magistrate Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey is found murdered in Primrose Hill, London. Titus Oates claims it as a proof of his allegations.Englandsource
- 25 October – five Catholic peers accused of involvement in the "Popish Plot" are arrested at the instance of the House of Commons and committed to the Tower of London. On 1 November, impeachment proceedings begin.Englandsource
- November 11 (November 1 O.S.) – England's House of Commons votes to begin impeachment proceedings against five Roman Catholic members of the House of Lords, Viscount Stafford, the Marquess of Powis, Baron Arundell, Baron Petre and Baron Belasyse accused by Protestant members as participating in a "Popish Plot". Viscount Stafford is convicted and executed, while the other four are imprisoned in the Tower of London for more than five years.source
Disasters & Accidents
Culture & Society
- February 18 – The first part of English nonconformist preacher John Bunyan's Christian allegory The Pilgrim's Progress is published in London.source
- March 21 – Thomas Shadwell's comedy A True Widow is given its first performance, at The Duke's Theatre in London, staged by the Duke's Company.source
- 21 March – Thomas Shadwell's comedy A True Widow is given its first performance, at The Duke's Theatre in London, staged by the Duke's Company.Englandsource
- 31 May – the Godiva Procession, a commemoration held in honour of Lady Godiva's legendary 11th century naked horseback ride through the streets of Coventry in protest against her husband's treatment of the citizens, begins.Englandsource
- June 25 – Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia becomes the first woman to be awarded a university degree, a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Padua.source
- Dorothe Engelbretsdatter hymn and poetry book, Siælens Sang-Offer is published for the first time.Norwaysource
Births
- March 4 – Antonio Vivaldi, Italian composer (died 1741)source
- March 7 – Filippo Juvarra, Italian architect (died 1736)source
- April 14 – Abraham Darby I, one of the English fathers of the Industrial Revolution (died 1717)source
- May 3 – Amaro Pargo, Spanish corsair (died 1747)source
- May 16 – Andreas Silbermann, German organ builder (died 1734)source
- 24 June – Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve, Count of Samsø, admiral and illegitimate son of Christian V (died 1719)Denmarksource
- July 26 – Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (died 1711)source
- 25 August – Jacques Caffieri, sculptor (died 1755)Francesource
- September 16 – Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, English statesman and philosopher (died 1751)source
- 16 September – Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, statesman and philosopher (died 1751)Englandsource
- 26 September – Peter Lacy, soldier, imperial commander in Russia (d.1751)Irelandsource
- September 29 – Adrien Maurice de Noailles, 3rd Duke of Noailles, French soldier (died 1766)source
- October 10 – John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, Scottish soldier (died 1743)source
- October 16 – Anna Waser, Swiss painter (died 1714)source
- November 26 – Jean Jacques d'Ortous de Mairan, French geophysicist (died 1771)source
- December 8 – Horatio Walpole, 1st Baron Walpole, English diplomat (died 1757)source
- December 13 – Yongzheng Emperor of China (died 1735)source
- December 30 – William Croft, English composer (died 1727)source
Deaths
- March 3 – Philip Bell, British colonial governor (born 1590)source
- April 27 – Nicolas Roland, French priest and founder (born 1642)source
- May 4 or May 14 – Anna Maria van Schurman, Dutch poet and scholar (born 1607)source
- June 17 – Giacomo Torelli, Italian stage designer, engineer, and architect (born 1608)source
- June 19 – Benedict Arnold, Rhode Island colonial governor (born 1615)source
- 12 August – Jacob Maschius, clergyman, poet and copperplate engraver (born c.1630).Norwaysource
- August 16 – Andrew Marvell, English writer (born 1621)source
- August 28 – John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, English soldier (born 1602)source
- September 1 – Jan Brueghel the Younger, Flemish painter (born 1601)source
- September 8 – Pietro della Vecchia, Italian painter (born 1603)source
- 5 October – Hedevig Ulfeldt, daughter of king Christian IV (born 1626)Denmarksource
- October 12 – Edmund Berry Godfrey, English magistrate (born 1621)source
- October 18 – Jacob Jordaens, Flemish painter (born 1593)source
- November 1 – William Coddington, first Governor of Rhode Island (born 1601)source
- 1 November – William Coddington, first Governor of Rhode Island (born 1601)Englandsource
- November 30 – Andries de Graeff, Dutch politician (born 1611)source
- December 3 – Edward Colman, English Catholic courtier under Charles II (born 1636)source
- Maria Faxell, war heroine (died 1738)Swedensource