1695 CE

(December 28, 1694 O.S.) – The United Kingdom's last joint monarchy, the reign of husband-and-wife King William III and Queen Mary II comes to an end with the death of Queen Mary, at the age of 32. Princess Mary had been installed as the monarch along with her husband and cousin, Willem Hendrik von Oranje, Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, in 1689 after King James II was deposed by Willem during the "Glorious Revolution". Alan Brodrick is appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland; he is a supporter of Penal Laws against Roman Catholics. All but eight of the remaining 305 crew of the Royal Navy ship HMS Winchester are killed when the ship founders in the Florida Keys. According to the ship's logbook, an epidemic of yellow fever began on August 1 and had killed 45 people before the hurricane struck, and left all but seven crew members too ill to walk.

In the 1690s, the 17th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • March 14 – Paul Foley is elected as the new Speaker of the House after the expulsion of John Trevor.source
  • April 17 – The House of Commons of England decides not to renew the Licensing Order of 1643, and states its reasoning, beginning with "Because it revives, and re-enacts, a Law which in no-wise answered the End for which it was made". The lifting of censorship creates a more open society, and an explosion of print results. Within 30 years, the number of printing houses in England increases from 20 to 103.source
  • April – Parliament decides not to renew the Licensing Order of 1643 requiring press censorship.Englandsource
  • 3 May – Parliament passes the Corrupt Practices Act to tackle bribery in general elections.Englandsource
  • 5 June – the title of Viscount Lisburne and Baron Fethard, of Feathered in the County of Tipperary is created in the Peerage of Ireland in favour of Welsh politician John Vaughan.Irelandsource
  • 27 August – Parliament of Ireland opens. Robert Rochfort is elected Speaker of the Irish House of Commons.Irelandsource
  • October 11 – King William III of England dissolves Parliament in the wake of a scandal involving former Speaker of the House of Commons John Trevor and other Tory MPs.source
  • November 22 – The new Parliament, with 513 members of the House of Commons is opened by King William III. Commons is composed of 257 Whigs (who hold a majority of one), 203 Tories and 53 members of other parties or independents.source
  • November – general election results in victory for the Whigs.Englandsource
  • Motzmanns Plads, now known as Christiansholm or Papirøen, is created in Copenhagen.Denmarksource
  • Quakers Act ("An Act that the Solemne Affirmation & Declaration of the People called Quakers shall be accepted instead of an Oath in the usual Forme") permits Quakers (who conscientiously object to taking an oath) to substitute an affirmation in certain legal proceedings.Englandsource
  • Sir Richard Reynell is dismissed as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench in Ireland for incapacity and is succeeded by Sir Richard Pyne.Irelandsource

Conflict & Security

  • January 14 (January 4 O.S.) – The Royal Navy warship HMS Nonsuch is captured near England's Isles of Scilly by the 48-gun French privateer Le Francois. Nonsuch is then sold to the French Navy and renamed Le Sans Pareil.source
  • January 27 – A flotilla of six Royal Navy warships under the command of Commodore James Killegrew aboard HMS Plymouth captures two French warships, the Content and the Trident, the day after the French ships had mistaken the English fleet to be a group of merchant ships to attack.source
  • April 27 – Russo-Turkish War (1686–1700): Russia begins the Azov campaigns (1695–96) against the Ottoman Empire, with 31,000 troops departing to the Ottoman fortress at Azov on the Don River.source
  • June 24 – The Commission of Enquiry into the Massacre of Glencoe in Scotland in 1692 reports to the Parliament of England, blaming Sir John Dalrymple, Secretary of State over Scotland, and declares that a soldier should refuse to obey a "command against the law of nature".source
  • 24 June – a commission of enquiry into the Massacre of Glencoe reports to Parliament, blaming Sir John Dalrymple, Secretary of State over Scotland, and declares that a soldier should refuse to obey a "command against the law of nature".Englandsource
  • July 12 – The Siege of Namur begins in the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium).source
  • July 15 – The siege of the Ottoman fortress at Azaq by the Russian Army begins, but is unsuccessful and is discontinued after October 2 (September 22 O.S.).source
  • August 10 – A naval skirmish occurs between English and Swedish ships in the Strait of Doversource
  • August 13–15 – Nine Years' War: Brussels is bombarded by French troops.source
  • September 1 – Nine Years' War: France surrenders Namur, Spanish Netherlands to forces of the Grand Alliance, led by King William III of England, Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, following the 2-month Siege of Namur.source
  • 1 September – Nine Years' War: France surrenders Namur in the Spanish Netherlands to forces of the Grand Alliance led by King William III of England following the 2-month Siege of Namur.Englandsource
  • 1 September – HMS Winchester founders in the Florida Keys with the loss of 400.Englandsource
  • September 7 – English pirate Henry Every perpetrates one of the most profitable raids in history, with the capture of the Grand Mughal ship Ganj-i-Sawai. In response, Emperor Aurangzeb threatens to put an end to all English trading in India.source
  • October 25 – The 48-gun English Navy ship HMS Berkeley Castle is captured by the French Navy.source
  • December 6 – A total eclipse of the sun is visible across the Middle East and western Asia.source
  • After 23 years of construction, Spain completes Castillo de San Marcos to protect St. Augustine, Florida, from foreign threats.source
  • 13–15 August – Nine Years' War: Bombardment of Brussels by French troops.Francesource

Exploration & Expansion

  • A naval skirmish occurs between English and Swedish ships en-route to Portugal.source

Religion & Belief

  • February 6 – Mustafa II (1664 – 1703) succeeds his uncle, Ahmed II as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.source
  • April 22 – Sürmeli Ali Pasha is fired from his position as Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, after coming into a disagreement with the new Sultan, Mustafa II. Sürmeli is initially sent into exile, but executed on the Sultan's orders on May 29.source
  • 9 May – the Whig Henry Capell, Lord Capell, is appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland.Irelandsource
  • 10 May – Alan Brodrick is appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland; he is a supporter of Penal Laws against Roman Catholics.Irelandsource
  • 16 May – Thomas Tenison enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury, the first Primate of All England since the Reformation to be installed in person at Canterbury Cathedral.Englandsource
  • A moonloft on the Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou was builtChinasource

Economy & Finance

  • July 17 – The Bank of Scotland is founded.source
  • 31 December – the window tax is imposed.Englandsource
  • In Amsterdam, the bank Wed. Jean Deutz & Sn. floats the first sovereign bonds on the local market. The scheme is designed to fund a 1.5 million guilder loan to the Holy Roman Emperor. From this date on, European leaders commonly take advantage of the low interest rates available in the Dutch Republic, and borrow several hundred millions on the Dutch capital market.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • 30 April – William Congreve's comedy Love for Love opens the New Theatre, Lincoln's Inn Fields.Englandsource
  • August 8 – The Wren Building is started in Williamsburg, Virginia (completed in 1700).source
  • After many years of construction, the Potala Palace in Lhasa is completed.source
  • 5th Month: further tours are made in the outskirts of the capital. New dams and inlets at seaports are inspected. The Temple of the Sea God (Haishen miao) is constructed.Chinasource

Science & Discovery

  • June 11 – An annular eclipse of the sun is visible across South America.source

Health & Medicine

  • 1 November – The Parliament of Ireland passes the Sunday Observance Act to promote Sabbatarianism.Irelandsource
  • A £2 fine is imposed for swearing in England.source

Crime & Justice

  • March 7 – John Trevor, Speaker of the English House of Commons, is expelled from the House by vote of the members, after being found guilty of accepting a bribe of 1000 pounds sterling from the City of London Corporation.source
  • 7 March – Sir John Trevor, Speaker of the House of Commons, is found guilty of taking a bribe and expelled from the Commons.Englandsource
  • March 26 – John Hungerford is expelled from the English House of Commons when members vote to find him guilty of accepting a bribe in return for using his committee chairmanship to promote the pending Orphans Bill.source
  • June – Robert Rochfort is appointed Attorney-General for Ireland.Irelandsource
  • 7 September – English pirate Henry Every in the Fancy perpetrates one of the most profitable raids in history with the capture of the Grand Mughal ship Ganj-i-Sawai. In response, Emperor Aurangzeb threatens to put an end to all English trading in India.Englandsource
  • 30 September–25 October – an attempt is made in the Irish House of Commons (largely at the instigation of Rochfort) to impeach Charles Porter (Lord Chancellor of Ireland) for his conduct in office. He is acquitted following a speech made in his own defence.Irelandsource
  • December 31 – A window tax is imposed in England. Some windows are bricked up to avoid it.source
  • English manufacturers call for an embargo on Indian cloth, and silk weavers picket the House of Commons of England.source
  • Sir Nicholas Acheson is appointed High Sheriff of Armagh.Irelandsource

Disasters & Accidents

  • January 24 – Milan's Court Theater is destroyed in a fire.source
  • The king dissolves the tapestry school Tapetskolan vid Karlberg.Swedensource

Climate & Environment

  • May 18 – The 7.8 magnitude Linfen earthquake in Shanxi Province, Qing Dynasty kills over 50,000 people.source
  • September – A crop failure due to cold weather leads to a great famine in Norway the next year.Norwaysource
  • A large unidentified tropical volcanic eruption causes colder temperatures, crop failure, food shortage and mortality in north-western Europe.source
  • The Great Famine of 1695–1697 begins as the Great Famine of Estonia (1695–97) in Swedish Estonia and spreads across Finland, Latvia, Norway and Sweden, while the "seven ill years" of famine in Scotland are ongoing.source
  • Winter - Seven years of bad harvests result in the beginning of the Great Famine, and 1695 being known as the Black Year.Swedensource

Culture & Society

  • January 7 (December 28, 1694 O.S.) – The United Kingdom's last joint monarchy, the reign of husband-and-wife King William III and Queen Mary II comes to an end with the death of Queen Mary, at the age of 32. Princess Mary had been installed as the monarch along with her husband and cousin, Willem Hendrik von Oranje, Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, in 1689 after King James II was deposed by Willem during the "Glorious Revolution".source
  • 13 January – Princess Anne returns to court to act as royal hostess.Englandsource
  • March 5 – The funeral of Queen Mary II of England takes place, accompanied by music written for the occasion by Henry Purcell.source
  • 4 May – Charles Boyle, Viscount Dungarvan, is appointed Lord High Treasurer of Ireland, in succession to Lord Burlington, his grandfather, Lord Treasurer of Ireland since 1660.Irelandsource
  • 5 December – The wedding of Crown Prince Frederick (IV) and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow takes place at Copenhagen Castle.Denmarksource
  • 6th Month: Lady Si is named the consort of Heir Apparent Yunreng.Chinasource
  • 2nd Month: the reconstruction of the Hall of Supreme Harmony beginsChinasource
  • 11th Month: the emperor conducts a grand military inspection at the South Gardens (Nan yuan). Orders are issued for codifying the use of horns and drums in military inspections.Chinasource
  • Wren Library, Cambridge, the library of Trinity College, designed by Christopher Wren, is completed.Englandsource
  • Basilica di Santa Croce (Lecce) completed.Italysource

Births

  • February 2 – William Borlase, English antiquarian, geologist and naturalist (died 1772)source
  • February 11 – Françoise de Graffigny, French writer (died 1758)source
  • 11 February – Abraham Pelt, industrialist and philanthropist (died 1783)Denmarksource
  • March 10 – Adrien Manglard, French painter and engraver (died 1760)source
  • April 17 – Ludovico Valenti, Italian cardinal (died 1763)source
  • May 27 – Miguel Cabrera, Mexican painter (died 1768)source
  • July 17 – Alexander Moncrieff, Scottish minister of the Secession church (died 1761)source
  • August 10 – Samuel Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys, British politician (died 1770)source
  • August 20 – Marie Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans, French princess (died 1719)source
  • 26 August – Marie-Anne-Catherine Quinault, singer and composer (died 1793)Francesource
  • September 3 – Pietro Locatelli, Italian Baroque composer and violinist (died 1764)source
  • September 5 – Carl Gustaf Tessin, Swedish count, politician and art collector (died 1770)source
  • 5 September - Carl Gustaf Tessin, Count and politician (died 1770)Swedensource
  • September 15 – Michel Lullin de Chateauvieux, Genevan agronomist (died 1781)source
  • October 5 – John Glas, Scottish theologian (died 1773)source
  • November 10 – John Bevis, English physician and astronomer (died 1771)source
  • 20 November – John Bevis, physician and astronomer (died 1771)Englandsource
  • December 22 – Rebecca Kellogg Ashley, captive of Native Americans (died 1757)source

Deaths

  • January 4 – François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg, Marshal of France (born 1628)source
  • February 18 – Sir William Phips, First royal governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (born 1651)source
  • March 10 – Almost all French Army soldiers in a column of 1,300 troops, commanded by Brigadier General Urbain Le Clerc de Juigné, are killed or captured in the Battle of Sant Esteve d'en Bas against a smaller Spanish Empire force led by Ramon de Sala i Saçala during the War of the Grand Alliance.source
  • March – Edvard Edvardsen, educator and historian (born 1630).Norwaysource
  • April 5 – George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax, English writer and statesman (born 1633)source
  • April 13 – Jean de La Fontaine, French poet, fabulist and writer (born 1621)source
  • April 17 – Juana Inés de la Cruz, Mexican nun, writer, philosopher, composer and poet (born 1648)source
  • April 23 – Henry Vaughan, Welsh author, physician and metaphysical poet (born 1621)source
  • 9 May – Lambert van Haven, architect (born 1630)Denmarksource
  • July 8 – Christiaan Huygens, Dutch mathematician and physicist who developed the wave theory of light (born 1629)source
  • August 20 – Giuseppe Francesco Borri, Italian alchemist, prophet and doctor (born 1627)source
  • September 24 – All but eight of the remaining 305 crew of the Royal Navy ship HMS Winchester are killed when the ship founders in the Florida Keys. According to the ship's logbook, an epidemic of yellow fever began on August 1 and had killed 45 people before the hurricane struck, and left all but seven crew members too ill to walk.source
  • November 20 – Zumbi, Brazilian leader of a runaway slave colony (born 1655)source
  • November 21 – Henry Purcell, English composer (born 1659)source
  • 21 November – Henry Purcell, composer (born 1654)Englandsource
  • November 22 – Francis Nurse, husband of Rebecca Nurse, (accused during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692), (born 1618)source
  • November 29 – James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount Stair, Scottish lawyer and statesman (born 1619)source
  • Giovan Antonio de' Rossi, architect (born 1616)Italysource