1689 CE

(January 12, 1688 O.S.) – Glorious Revolution in England: The Convention Parliament is convened to determine if King James II of England, the last Roman Catholic British monarch, vacated the throne when he fled to France, at the end of 1688. The settlement of this is agreed on 8 February. Start of the Williamite War in Ireland: James II lands at Kinsale with 6,000 French soldiers, is met by Major-General McCarthy and marches for Dublin. He is joined by the Earl of Tyrconnel with Irish Catholic troops at Cork on 14 March. The Act of Toleration, drawn up by the Convention Parliament of England to protect Protestants but with Roman Catholics intentionally excluded, is passed; this effectively concludes the Glorious Revolution.

In the 1680s, the 17th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • January 22 (January 12, 1688 O.S.) – Glorious Revolution in England: The Convention Parliament is convened to determine if King James II of England, the last Roman Catholic British monarch, vacated the throne when he fled to France, at the end of 1688. The settlement of this is agreed on 8 February.source
  • 22 January – the Convention Parliament is convened to determine if James II, the last Roman Catholic king, had vacated the throne when he fled to France at the end of 1688.Englandsource
  • 6 February – the Convention Parliament reads the Declaration of Right to William of Orange and his wife, Mary (daughter of the exiled James II) in formally offering them the throne.Englandsource
  • February 12 – John Locke returned to London from exile in Holland.source
  • 7 May–20 July – first and only session of the Patriot Parliament, the Parliament of Ireland called by James II in Dublin, with Richard Nagle as Speaker. This declares that James remains King, passes The Great Act of Attainder against those who have rebelled against him and repeals the Act of Settlement (1662) while, at James's urging, also passing an Act for Liberty of Conscience.Irelandsource
  • May 11 – William and Mary accept the Scottish throne a month after the Scottish Parliament votes to depose King James VIIsource
  • May 24 – The Act of Toleration, drawn up by the Convention Parliament of England to protect Protestants but with Roman Catholics intentionally excluded, is passed; this effectively concludes the Glorious Revolution.source
  • 24 May – the Toleration Act passed by Parliament protecting freedom of worship for Protestant Nonconformists (Roman Catholics and nontrinitarians are intentionally excluded). This effectively concludes the Glorious Revolution.Englandsource
  • June 5 – The Convention of Estates adjourns in Scotland after 11 weeks and its members form a new Scottish parliament.source
  • August 2 – Boston Revolt: Edmund Andros, former governor of the Dominion of New England, escapes from Boston to Connecticut, but is recaptured.source
  • August 27 – China and Russia sign the Treaty of Nerchinsk.source
  • December 16 – The Bill of Rights (An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown), drawn up by the Convention Parliament of England to establish constitutional monarchy in England, but with Roman Catholics barred from the throne, receives royal assent; it will remain substantially in force into the 21st century.source
  • 16 December – the Bill of Rights (An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown), drawn up by the Convention Parliament, receives royal assent; it will remain substantially in force into the 21st century.Englandsource
  • The latter realms entering the Nine Years War and its expansion to the American colonies in the King William's War.source
  • The English East India Company expands its influence, and a Committee of the House of Commons is formed to deal with the concerns of the Company.source
  • The Bill of Rights becomes law in England.source
  • Resolved with the signing of the Treaty of Nerchinsk, the first treaty between Russia (Tsardom of Russia) and China (Great Qing Empire). The Russians gave up the area north of the Amur River as far as the Stanovoy Range and kept the area between the Argun River and Lake Baikal.Chinasource

Conflict & Security

  • March 2 – Nine Years' War: As French forces leave, they set fire to Heidelberg Castle, and the nearby town of Heidelberg.source
  • 2 March – Nine Years' War: As French forces leave, they set fire to Heidelberg Castle and the nearby town of Heidelberg.Francesource
  • 12 March – start of the Williamite War in Ireland: James II lands at Kinsale with 6,000 French soldiers and marches for Dublin.Englandsource
  • 12 March – start of the Williamite War in Ireland: James II lands at Kinsale with 6,000 French soldiers, is met by Major-General McCarthy and marches for Dublin. He is joined by the Earl of Tyrconnel with Irish Catholic troops at Cork on 14 March.Irelandsource
  • March 22 (March 12 O.S.) – Start of the Williamite War in Ireland: The deposed James II of England lands with 6,000 French soldiers in Ireland, where there is a Catholic majority, hoping to use it as the base for a counter-coup. However, many Irish Catholics see him as an agent of Louis XIV, and refuse to support him.source
  • April 18 – The Siege of Derry begins in Ireland as former King James II arrives at the gates of Derry and asks for its surrender during the Williamite War in Ireland. The Protestant defenders refuse and the siege lasts until August 1 when it is abandoned. .source
  • April 18 – Boston revolt: Unpopular New England Governor Sir Edmund Andros and other officials are overthrown by a "mob" of Bostonians. Andros, an appointee of James II of England, is disliked for his support of the Church of England and revocation of various colonial charters.source
  • 18 April – Boston Revolt: Governor of the Dominion of New England Sir Edmund Andros and other officials are overthrown by a mob in Boston.Englandsource
  • 1 May (11 May N.S.) – Battle of Bantry Bay between the English Royal Navy under the Earl of Torrington and the French fleet under the Marquis de Châteaurenault. The French are able to protect their transports unloading supplies for James II and withdraw unpursued.Irelandsource
  • May 11 – The Battle of Bantry Bay begins during the Williamite War in Ireland as the French fleet under the Marquis de Châteaurenault is able to protect its transports, unloading supplies for James II, from the English Royal Navy under the Earl of Torrington, and withdraws unpursued.source
  • May 31 – Leisler's Rebellion: Calvinist Jacob Leisler deposes lieutenant governor Francis Nicholson and assumes control of the Province of New York.source
  • June 14 – The Duke of Gordon, a Scottish peer and Jacobite supporter, surrenders Edinburgh Castle to Protestant attackers after holding out for 20 days following the Glorious Revolution.source
  • July 28 – English sailors break through a floating boom across the River Foyle, to end the siege of Derry after 105 days.source
  • August 5 – Beaver Wars: Lachine massacre – A force of 1,500 Iroquois largely destroys the village of Lachine, New France.source
  • August 20 – A large Williamite force under Marshal Schomberg begins the siege of Carrickfergus in the north of Ireland, which surrenders on August 27.source
  • August 21 – First Jacobite rising: Battle of Dunkeld – Covenanters defeat the Jacobites in Scotland.source
  • 21 August – first Jacobite rising: Battle of Dunkeld: Covenanter Cameronians defeat the Jacobites in Scotland.Englandsource
  • 27 August – Schomberg captures Carrickfergus after several days of siege and begins to march unopposed to Dundalk where he establishes Dundalk Camp. Here he is faced by Jacobite forces led by the Earl of Tyrconnell, but the two sides do not come to battle before Schomberg retires to winter quarters in Lisburn.Irelandsource
  • September 8 – The Siege of Mainz (in the modern-day Rheinland-Pfalz state of Germany), which had started on June 1, ends after almost three months, as French General Nicolas Chalon du Blé surrenders the walled city to the armies of Austria and the Dutch Republic.source
  • September 9 – King William brings England into a military alliance with the Holy Roman Empire in a fight against France in the Nine Years War.source
  • September 24 – The Holy Roman Empire wins the Battle of Niš, fought against the Ottoman Empire during the Great Turkish War in modern-day Serbia.source
  • October – A Danish Auxiliary Corpsof 996 horse and 6,109 foot, under the command of Ferdinand Willem, Duke of Württemberg-Neuenstadt, is sent to England to take part in the Williamite War in IrelandDenmarksource
  • November 11 – The Siege of Larache in Morocco ends when the Spanish troops surrender to Mawlay Ismail and the Moroccan forces.source
  • Morocco wins in the Siege of Larache against Spain.source
  • The Holy Roman Empire wins the Battle of Niš, fought against the Ottoman Empire.source
  • The overthrow of Catholic king James of England, Ireland, and Scotland in the Glorious Revolution.source
  • Peter the Great plots to overthrow his half-sister Sophia as regent of Russia.source
  • Supporters of William of Orange seize Liverpool Castle in the north west of England.source
  • Coup, war, and legislation in England and its territories.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • March 27 – Japanese haiku master Bashō sets out on his last great voyage, which will result in the prose and verse classic Oku no Hosomichi ("Narrow Road to the Interior").source
  • May 12 – Nine Years' War: With England and the Netherlands now both ruled by William III, they join the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), thus escalating the conflict, which continues until 1697. This is also the effective beginning of King William's War, the first of four North American Wars (until 1763) between English and French colonists, both sides allied to Native American tribes. The nature of the fighting is a series of raids on each other's settlements, across the Canadian and New England borders.source
  • 12 May – Nine Years' War: With England and the Netherlands both now ruled by William III, they join the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), thus escalating the conflict, which continues until 1697. This is also the effective beginning of King William's War, the first of four North American Wars until 1763 between English and French colonists, both sides allied to Native American tribes. The nature of the fighting is a series of raids on each other's settlements across the Canadian and New England borders.Francesource
  • November 22 – Peter the Great decrees the construction of the Great Siberian Road to China.source
  • Japanese writer Bashō goes on a voyage, resulting in the classic Narrow Road to the Interior.source

Religion & Belief

  • 9 January – Patrick Sarsfield, 1st Earl of Lucan marries Honora Burke, daughter of William Burke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde, in Portumna Abbey.Irelandsource
  • 11 April – crowning of William and Mary as King and Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland at Westminster Abbey by the Bishop of London, Henry Compton. Ireland does not yet recognise them.Englandsource
  • July 25 – The Council of Wales and the Marches is abolished.source
  • 25 July – Abolition of Council of Wales and the Marches.Englandsource
  • 1 August – nonjuring schism in the Church of England: Archbishop of Canterbury William Sancroft, along with eight bishops and around 400 other clergymen, is suspended for refusing to swear allegiance to William and Mary. He is dismissed from office the following year.Englandsource
  • 8 August – a thanksgiving service for the relief of Derry is held in St Columb's Cathedral.Irelandsource
  • August 23 – Roman Catholic cardinals convene in Rome for a papal conclave to elect a successor to Pope Innocent XI. The conclave lasts until October 6.source
  • September 3–12 – Messengers from over 100 Baptist churches assemble in the City of London to discuss and endorse the 1677 document that will become known as the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.source
  • October 6 – The papal conclave in Rome unanimously elects Pietro Vito Ottoboni as the new Pope. Ottoboni takes the name Alexander VIII and succeeds Pope Innocent XI, to become the 241st pope, the first Venetian to hold the office in over 200 years.source
  • 10 November – Reformed Church in Copenhagen is consecrated.Denmarksource
  • Valvasor's The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola is printed in Nuremberg.source
  • Thomas Shadwell becomes Poet Laureate and Historiographer Royal.Englandsource
  • Richard Cox begins publication of his history of Ireland, Hibernia Anglicana.Irelandsource

Economy & Finance

  • 25 May – last collection of hearth tax; it is replaced by a poll tax.Englandsource

Technology & Infrastructure

  • Gardens at Levens Hall in the north-west begin to be laid out; the plan remains substantially unaltered into the 21st century and includes one of the country's earliest ha-has.Englandsource

Science & Discovery

  • April 4 – A total lunar eclipse is visible in central Asia.source
  • September 28–29 – A total lunar eclipse is visible in eastern America, western Europe and west Africa.source
  • December 10 – A great comet is visible from Pekin and sightings continue until December 24th, including many from Dutch ships near the equator.source

Health & Medicine

  • Boston suffers a smallpox epidemic.source

Crime & Justice

  • Ambrose Wall, Sheriff of Wicklow, oversees the re-erection of a 10th-century high cross at St. John's Church, Ballymore Eustace in County Kildare.Irelandsource

Disasters & Accidents

  • 12 January – a powerful storm causes significant damage in London and southeast England.Englandsource
  • April 19 - A fire in Amalienborg-palace in Copenhagen kills 180 people.source
  • April – great fire at St Ives, Huntingdonshire; also this year there is a major fire in Morpeth, Northumberland.Englandsource
  • October 26 – Skopje fire of 1689 occurs, lasting for two days and burning much of the city.source
  • Micheál Ó Mordha becomes the only Roman Catholic Provost of Trinity College Dublin, following the flight of the previous office holder. With Dominic Maguire and the librarian, Father McCarthy, he prevents the Jacobite soldiery from burning the library.Irelandsource
  • Autumn – Jacobites occupy and burn down the castle at Castlebellingham.Irelandsource

Climate & Environment

Culture & Society

  • January 30 – The first performance of the opera Henrico Leone composed by Agostino Steffani takes place in Hannover to inaugurate the new royal theatre in the Leineschloss.source
  • 13 February – William III and Mary II are proclaimed co-rulers of England, Scotland and Ireland in a ceremony at the Guildhall in the City of London but are not yet recognised in Scotland or Ireland.Englandsource
  • 13 February – the Protestant William, Prince of Orange, and Mary II are proclaimed co-rulers of England, Ireland and Scotland in London following the deposition of the Catholic James II at the end of 1688 but are not yet recognised in Ireland or Scotland.Irelandsource
  • February 23 (February 13, 1688 O.S.) – William III and Mary II are proclaimed co-rulers of England, Scotland and Ireland.source
  • 21 March – Robert Lundy swears allegiance to William III and Mary II and is commissioned as governor of Derry, where he commands the garrison.Irelandsource
  • April 11 (O.S.) – William III and Mary II are crowned in London as King and Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Ireland does not recognise them yet, while the Estates of Scotland declare King James VII deposed.source
  • May 25 – The last hearth tax is collected in England and Wales.source
  • August 23 – Gravely ill, the Empress Xiaoyiren is proclaimed empress by her husband, China's Kangxi Emperor, after having been Imperial Noble Consort since 1682. She dies the next day.source
  • The first documented performance of the opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell takes place at Josias Priest's girls' school in Chelsea, London, with a libretto based on Virgil's Aeneid.source
  • Windsor Guildhall in Berkshire, designed by Sir Thomas Fitz (or Fiddes), is completed by Christopher Wren.Englandsource
  • The march Lillibullero is first published in its present form by Henry Purcell in his compilation Music's Handmaid; the satirical text is attributed to Thomas Wharton.Englandsource

Births

  • January 15 – Giovanni Gaetano Bottari, Italian scholar and critic (died 1775)source
  • January 18 – Montesquieu, French social commentator and political thinker (died 1755)source
  • February 3 – Blas de Lezo, admiral of the Spanish Empire (died 1741)source
  • c. February 23 – Samuel Bellamy, English pirate captain (died 1717)source
  • March 11 – Roger Handasyd, British Army officer (died 1763)source
  • 25 March – Peder Hersleb, bishop (d.1757).Norwaysource
  • April 2 – Arthur Dobbs, Irish politician, governor of the Province of North Carolina (died 1765)source
  • April 14 – William Murray, Marquess of Tullibardine, Scottish army officer and Jacobite leader (died 1746)source
  • May 15 – Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, writer and poet from England (died 1762)source
  • May 24 – Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea, British politician (died 1769)source
  • 26 May – Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, writer (died 1762)Englandsource
  • July 21 – John Quincy, American soldier and politician (died 1767)source
  • July 24 – Prince William, Duke of Gloucester, son of Queen Anne (died 1700)source
  • August 19 – Samuel Richardson, English writer and printer (died 1761)source
  • 4 September – Anna Sophie Schack, noblewoman and landlord (born 1760)Denmarksource
  • October 22 – King John V of Portugal, Portuguese king (died 1750)source
  • November 17 – Jean François Foppens, Flemish historian (died 1761)source
  • unknown - Margareta Gyllenstierna, politically active countess (died 1740)Swedensource

Deaths

  • February 19 – Khushal Khattak, Afghan poet (born 1613)source
  • 24 February - Elsa Elisabeth Brahe, duchess (born 1632)Swedensource
  • March 11 – Sambhaji, High Protector of the Maratha Empire (born 1657)source
  • March 26 – Gabriel Milan, Governor of the Danish West Indies (born 1631)source
  • 26 March – Gabriel Milan, governor (born c. 1631)Denmarksource
  • March 30 – Kazimierz Łyszczyński, Polish philosopher (born 1634)source
  • April 16 – Aphra Behn, British playwright, poet and spy (born 1640)source
  • April 18 – George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys, Welsh judge, aka the Hanging Judge (born 1645)source
  • April 19 – Christina, Queen of Sweden, ruled from 1632 until abdication in 1654 (born 1626)source
  • June 27 – Richard Waldron, colonial settler, acting President of the Province of New Hampshire (born 1615)source
  • July 27 – First Jacobite rising: Battle of Killiecrankie near Pitlochry in Perthshire – Scottish Covenanter supporters of William III and Mary II (under Hugh Mackay) are defeated by Jacobite supporters of James II, but the latter's leader, John Graham, Viscount Dundee, is killed. Hand grenades are used in action.source
  • July 27 – John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee, Scottish general (born 1648)source
  • 27 July – first Jacobite rising: Scottish Covenanter supporters of William and Mary (under Hugh Mackay) are defeated by Jacobite supporters of James at the Battle of Killiecrankie but the latter's leader, John Graham, Viscount Dundee, is killed.Englandsource
  • August 12 – Pope Innocent XI, pope of the Catholic Church (born 1611)source
  • September 10 – John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse, English politician and noble (born 1614)source
  • November 24 – Carey Dillon, 5th Earl of Roscommon, Irish nobleman and professional soldier (born 1627)source
  • December 29 – Thomas Sydenham, English physician (born 1624)source
  • Zhang Dai (張岱; pinyin: Zhāng Dài, courtesy name: Zhongzhi (宗子), pseudonym: Tao'an (陶庵)) (1597–1684) a Ming Dynasty Chinese writer, historian, essayist, a biographer of his own privileged aristocratic family. His bibliographical collection Dream Memories of Tao'an, a is considered a masterpiece of late Ming dynasty xiaopin and a key reference of the tangible culture assets of his time.Chinasource