1744 CE
Russia's treasury begins an effort to reduce the number of copper five-kopeck pieces (20 of which equal a Russian ruble) by declaring that it will buy them back at a ruble for every 20 until August 1, after which kopecks would be redeemed at a ruble for every 25; then at the rate of 33 for a ruble on October 1, and 50 for a ruble on and after August 28, 1746. The Union of Germany is proclaimed in Frankfurt Frederick II of Prussia, as articles of union are signed between Prussia, Hesse-Kassel and the Rhineland Palatinate. William Shirley, the British colonial Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, announces the declaration of war against the Miꞌkmaq and Maliseet Indian tribes.
In the 1740s, the 18th century.
Geopolitics & Diplomacy
- March - The threatening war with Denmark is prevented by a treaty between Sweden and Denmark.Swedensource
- May 22 – The Union of Germany is proclaimed in Frankfurt Frederick II of Prussia, as articles of union are signed between Prussia, Hesse-Kassel and the Rhineland Palatinate.source
- 15 June - Alexey Bestuzhev is appointed Grand Chancellor of the Russian Empire, consolidating control over Russian foreign policy.Russiasource
- July - The Empire of Russia agree to recall their troops from Sweden.Swedensource
- 3 August – the Colthurst Baronetcy, of Ardrum in the County of Cork, is created in the Baronetage of Ireland.Irelandsource
- October 25 – The Massachusetts General Court, colonial legislature for the Massachusetts Bay Province, approves an incentive for the killing of enemy Indians, authorizing the payment of 100 Massachusetts pounds for the scalping of a Mi'kmaq or Maliseet Indian, and 50 for the scalps of women or children.source
- December 18 – Queen Maria Theresa of Austria issues a proclamation to rid Bohemia of its Jewish residents, with the Jews to leave Prague over the next two weeks, and then to depart from Bohemia entirely in 1745.source
- The Treaty of Lancaster between Great Britain and the Iroquois occurs.Canadasource
- Administrative divisions of Russia: The Vyborg Governorate is formed on parts of Finland and St. Petersburg Governorate, and Orenburg Governorate is created from Siberian and Astrakhan lands.Russiasource
Conflict & Security
- January 24 – The Dagohoy rebellion in the Philippines begins, with the killing of Father Giuseppe Lamberti.source
- February 22–23 – Battle of Toulon: A British fleet fights a Franco-Spanish fleet; the battle is tactically inconclusive but results in a strategic success for the allies.source
- February 27 – Violent storms frustrate a planned French invasion of Britain.source
- 27 February – a planned French invasion of Britain fails when a violent storm partially wrecks the French invasion force attempting to cross from Dunkirk to Maldon.United Kingdomsource
- March 15 – France declares war on Great Britain.source
- April 27 – Siege of Villafranca (1744): A joint French and Spanish force defeats Britain and Sardinia.source
- May 3 – News of the declaration of war by France on Great Britain arrives in New France, starting King George's War.Canadasource
- May 24 – After receiving the news from Europe that Great Britain and France are at war, the French Army at Louisbourg attacks the British settlement at Fort William Augustus at Canso, Nova Scotia and forces its surrender.source
- 6 June - French agent Jacques-Joachim Trotti, marquis de la Chétardie is ordered to leave Russia within 24 hours by Empress Elizabeth, following intrigues against Alexey Bestuzhev.Russiasource
- July 19 – Battle of Casteldelfino: France defeats the Kingdom of Sardinia.source
- July 29 – Nader Shah lays siege to the Ottoman citadel of Kars.source
- 1 August (12 August New Style) – Battle of Velletri in the Kingdom of Naples: Spanish-Neapolitan forces defeat those of the Archduchy of Austria. Irish mercenaries fight on both sides.Irelandsource
- August 12 – Battle of Velletri in the Kingdom of Naples: Spanish-Neapolitan forces defeat those of the Archduchy of Austria.source
- September 16 - Prussian forces capture Prague: Prussia became anxious at Austrian advances on the Rhine frontier, and Frederick again invaded Bohemia, beginning a Second Silesian WarAustriasource
- September 30 – Battle of Madonna dell'Olmo: France and Spain defeat the Kingdom of Sardinia.source
- 30 September – Battle of Madonna dell'OlmoFrancesource
- October 19 – William Shirley, the British colonial Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, announces the declaration of war against the Miꞌkmaq and Maliseet Indian tribes.source
- November 1 – Second Silesian War: The Prussian Army, under the command of Field Marshal Kurt Christoph Graf von Schwerin, begins the bombardment of Prague. The Bohemian capital surrenders after two weeks.source
- 28 December–8 January 1745 – War of the Austrian Succession: The Quadruple Alliance of Britain, Austria, Saxony-Poland and the United Netherlands is formed against Prussia.United Kingdomsource
- The third French and Indian War, known as King George's War, breaks out at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.source
- Nicolas-Joseph de Noyelles de Fleurimont succeeded Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye as the Commandant of the western French forts.Canadasource
Exploration & Expansion
- October 25 – Spanish explorers Antonio de Ulloa and Jorge Juan y Santacilla complete their mission of exploration and depart from the Peruvian seaport of Callao for a return to Spain.source
Religion & Belief
- 1 April - The Hon. Richard Trevor is consecrated as Bishop of St David's, replacing Edward Willes. Samuel Lisle is consecrated as Bishop of St Asaph on the same day.Walessource
- 20 April – Arthur Price is translated from Meath to become Church of Ireland Archbishop of Cashel (letters patent 7 May).Irelandsource
- 31 December - The town of Holmestrand was founded.Norwaysource
- Ludvig Harboe became bishop of Skálholt.Icelandsource
- Jane Brereton - Poems on several occasions (posthumously published)Walessource
- date unknown - Richard Morris is selected by the S.P.C.K. to supervise the production of its edition of the Welsh Bible.Walessource
Economy & Finance
- May 11 – Russia's treasury begins an effort to reduce the number of copper five-kopeck pieces (20 of which equal a Russian ruble) by declaring that it will buy them back at a ruble for every 20 until August 1, after which kopecks would be redeemed at a ruble for every 25; then at the rate of 33 for a ruble on October 1, and 50 for a ruble on and after August 28, 1746.source
Technology & Infrastructure
Science & Discovery
- March 1 (approximately) – The Great Comet of 1744, one of the brightest ever seen, reaches perihelion.source
- April – The Female Spectator (a monthly) is founded by Eliza Haywood in England, the first periodical written for women by a woman.source
- June 15 – Commodore George Anson's voyage around the world concludes after four years as HMS Centurion returns to England at Spithead and Anson is greeted as a hero.source
- October 12 – The creator of binomial nomenclature for the identification of plant and animal species, Carl Linnaeus, is selected as president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, succeeding the late Anders Celsius, who had devised the centigrade measurement of temperature.source
- Den danske Spectator is first published.Denmarksource
Health & Medicine
Crime & Justice
- 30 January - Execution of Skinnar Per Andersson.Swedensource
- The first Chief of police is hired in Christiania.Norwaysource
- By royal letter, the right to sell Tobacco in the Swedish cities is reserved for women in need of support, ruined male burghers and war invalids: this is confirmed a second time in 1772, then with the addition that the tobacco sellers are only permitted to employ females or non-adult males.Swedensource
Disasters & Accidents
- January 6 – The Royal Navy ship Bacchus engages the Spanish Navy privateer Begona, and sinks it; 90 of the 120 Spanish sailors die, but 30 of the crew are rescued.source
- 26 February – a house in Pill Lane, Dublin, collapses while Roman Catholic mass is being held there, killing the priest and nine of the congregation.Irelandsource
- March 13 – The British ship Betty capsizes and sinks off of the Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana) near Anomabu. More than 200 people on board die, although there are a few survivors.source
- July 8 – The Royal Navy privateer Somerset capsizes and sinks in the Bristol Channel, killing 86 of the 97 crew.source
- 3 October – HMS Victory is wrecked on the Casquets in the Channel Islands with the loss of around 900 lives.United Kingdomsource
- October 4 – In one of the greatest disasters for the Royal Navy, HMS Victory sinks in a storm in the English Channel, killing 1,100 sailors and officers it had been bringing back from Gibraltar to England, including Admiral John Balchen. The wreck will be located 264 years later, in January, 2009.source
- December 18 - Maria Theresa, Queen of Austria, orders the expulsion of Jews from Bohemia.Austriasource
Climate & Environment
Culture & Society
- April 2 – The first Rules of golf are drawn up at Leith, for the first golf competition.source
- 18 May - Howell Harris marries Anne Williams.Walessource
- June 13 – Alexey Bestuzhev-Ryumin is named as the new Chancellor of the Russian Empire by the Empress Elizabeth.source
- June 28 – At the age of 15, Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, the future Empress of Russia, is received into the Russian Orthodox Church after converting from the Lutheran faith. Upon her conversion to the Russian Orthodox religion, she is given the name Yekaterina (Catherine). In 1762, she takes the throne as the Empress Catherine II, later known as Catherine the Great.source
- 28 June - The future Catherine the Great, Princess Sophia of Anhalt-Zerbst, fiancée of Peter III, the heir to the throne of Russia, converts to the Russian Orthodox Church and is received with the new name Catherine (Yekaterina or Ekaterina) and the (artificial) patronymic Алексеевна (Alekseyevna, daughter of Aleksey).Russiasource
- 18 August - The wedding between Crown Prince Adolf Frederick and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia on Drottningholm Palace.Swedensource
- August - Creation of the L'Ordre de l'Harmonie.Swedensource
- 6 December – first performance of Handel's Irish-premiered oratorio Messiah in Cork, at St. Finbarr's Cathedral.Irelandsource
- Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book, sequel to Tommy Thumb's Song Book, containing the oldest version of many well-known and popular rhymes, is published in London.source
- Alexander Bryce's "A Map of the North Coast of Britain", the first to show the Caithness coastline accurately, is published.Scotlandsource
- The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers established on Leith Links.Scotlandsource
- William Williams Pantycelyn - Aleluia (first collection of hymns)Walessource
Births
- February 6 – Pierre-Joseph Desault, French anatomist and surgeon (died 1795)source
- February 23 – Mayer Amschel Rothschild, German banker, founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty (died 1812)source
- May 19 – Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen of George III (died 1818)source
- May 21 – Samuel Ireland, British author and engraver (died 1800)source
- May 22 - Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, naval officer, explorer, administrator (d.1794)Canadasource
- May 31 – Richard Lovell Edgeworth, Anglo-Irish politician, writer and inventor (died 1817)source
- July 20 – Joshua Clayton, American politician (died 1798)source
- August 1 – Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, French naturalist (died 1829)source
- August 16 – Pierre Méchain, French astronomer (died 1804)source
- August 25 – Johann Gottfried Herder, German writer (died 1803)source
- 15 September - Erik Must Angell, jurist and politician (died 1814)Norwaysource
- 17 September - Albemarle Bertie, 9th Earl of Lindsey, father of Lady Charlotte Guest (died 1818)Walessource
- September 25 – King Frederick William II of Prussia (died 1797)source
- October 13 – Henrik Johan Nauckhoff, Swedish admiralsource
- Marie Barch, Danish ballerina (died 1827)source
- Marie-Louise-Adélaïde Boizot, French engraver (died 1800)source
- Elena von Rehbinder, industrialistRussiasource
Deaths
- January 11 – James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn (born 1686)source
- 14 January – Henrich Suhm, naval officer and colonial administrator (born 1693)Denmarksource
- 19 January - Lady Lucy Herbert, writer, 74Walessource
- January 23 – Giambattista Vico, Italian philosopher and historian (born 1668)source
- January 26 – Ludwig Andreas Graf Khevenhüller, Austrian field marshal (born 1683)Austriasource
- February 11 – Hedvig Taube, mistress to King Frederick I of Sweden (born 1714)source
- March 4 – John Anstis, English herald (born 1669)source
- April 25 – Anders Celsius, Swedish astronomer (born 1701)source
- May 30 – Alexander Pope, English writer (born 1688)source
- June 29 – André Campra, French composer (born 1660)source
- June 30 – Januarius Maria Sarnelli, Italian Roman Catholic priest and blessed (born 1702)source
- July – Mihai Racoviță, Prince of Moldavia and Prince of Wallachia (born c. 1660)source
- August 9 – James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, English patron of the arts (born 1673)source
- August 26 – William Byrd II, prominent planter from Virginia (born 1674)source
- October 18 – Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, English friend of Anne, Queen of Great Britain (born 1660)source
- 18 October – Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, friend of Queen Anne (born 1660)United Kingdomsource
- December 8 – Marie Anne de Mailly-Nesle, French mistress of King Louis XV (born 1717)source
- December 23 – Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans, duchess and regent of Lorraine (born 1676)source