1757 CE

Seven Years' War: The British East India Company Army, under the command of Robert Clive, captures Calcutta in India. At Versailles in France, representatives of the Russian Empire and the Austrian Empire enter into an alliance against Prussia, with each nation pledging 80,000 troops. Other clauses to the treaty, not disclosed to the public, commit Austria to pay Russia one million rubles per year during the war to pay for the expenses of 24,000 of the Russian troops, and two million rubles upon the conquest of Silesia (a Prussian province that had been seized from Austria in 1746). Asylum confinement of Christopher Smart: poet Christopher Smart is confined to St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics in London.

In the 1750s, the 18th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

February 2 – At Versailles in France, representatives of the Russian Empire and the Austrian Empire enter into an alliance against Prussia, with each nation pledging 80,000 troops. Other clauses to the treaty, not disclosed to the public, commit Austria to pay Russia one million rubles per year during the war to pay for the expenses of 24,000 of the Russian troops, and two million rubles upon the conquest of Silesia (a Prussian province that had been seized from Austria in 1746).source
2 February – At Versailles, representatives of the Russian Empire and the Austrian Empire enter into an alliance against Prussia.France source
February 9 – The Nawab and General Clive sign the Treaty of Alinagar, with Bengal compensating the British East India Company for its losses and pledging respect for British control of India.source
March 21 – Sweden signs an alliance treaty with France and Austria in the multinational effort to remove King Frederick the Great, even though Queen Consort Ulrika of Sweden is Frederick's sister. Sweden agrees to contribute 25,000 troops to the French and Austrian force.source
21 March – France signs an alliance treaty with Sweden and Austria in the multinational effort to remove King Frederick the Great, even though Queen Consort Ulrika of Sweden is Frederick's sister. Sweden agrees to contribute 25,000 troops to the Frenco-Austrian force.France source
May 1 – France and Austria sign a second Treaty of Versailles, committing France to sending an additional 105,000 troops to the war against Prussia, and to pay expenses to Austria at the rate of 12 million florins annually.source
1 May – France and Austria sign a second Treaty of Versailles, committing France to sending an additional 105,000 troops to the war against Prussia, and to pay expenses to Austria at the rate of 12 million florins annually.France source
May - Sweden form an alliance with France and Austria against Prussia.Sweden source
June 25 – The Duke of Devonshire resigns as Prime Minister of Great Britain after being unable to conduct governmental affairs without William Pitt.source
July 2 – The Duke of Newcastle is asked to form a new government of Great Britain and fills the office of Prime Minister of Great Britain, after his forced resignation eight months earlier. Pitt is recalled to conduct Britain's foreign and military affairs and given greater control.source
2 July – the Duke of Newcastle is asked to form a new government of Great Britain and fills the office of Prime Minister, after his forced resignation eight months earlier. Pitt is recalled in a coalition to conduct Britain's foreign and military affairs and given greater control.United Kingdom source
December 24 – The Pratt-Yorke opinion distinguishes British overseas territories acquired by conquest from those acquired by private treaty: while the Crown of Great Britain enjoys sovereignty over both, only the property of the former is vested in the Crown.source
24 December – the Pratt-Yorke opinion distinguishes overseas territories acquired by conquest from those acquired by private treaty: while the Crown of Great Britain enjoys sovereignty over both, only the property of the former is vested in the Crown.United Kingdom source
December 30 – James Abercrombie replaces James Mure-Campbell, 5th Earl of Loudoun as supreme commander in the British American colonies. Abercrombie is replaced himself, after failing to take the fort at Ticonderoga.source
Nam tiến, the southward expansion of the territory of Vietnam into the Indochina Peninsula, is concluded.source
William Burness builds Burns Cottage in Alloway; his son, the national poet Robert Burns, will be born here in January 1759.Scotland source
78th Fraser Highlanders raised as the Second Highland Battalion.Scotland source

Conflict & Security

January 2 – Seven Years' War: The British East India Company Army, under the command of Robert Clive, captures Calcutta, India.source
2 January – Seven Years' War: The British East India Company Army, under the command of Robert Clive, captures Calcutta in India.United Kingdom source
January 5 – Robert-François Damiens makes an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Louis XV of France, who is slightly wounded by the knife attack. Damiens is executed on March 28.source
January 17 – Ahmad Shah Durrani leads his Afghan forces to sack Delhi during his invasions of India.source
January – Recapture of Calcutta.India source
February 5 – The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, leads an attempt to retake Calcutta from the British. With just 1,900 soldiers and sailors, but superior cannon power, General Robert Clive forces the Nawab's much larger force into a retreat. The British sustain 194 casualties, but the Bengalis suffer 1,300.source
February 23 – A revolt against the government of King Joseph I of Portugal takes place in the city of Porto. After the riot's suppression, the King's minister, Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 1st Marquis of Pombal, orders harsh punishments against the perpetrators, carried out in October.source
March 23 – The British East India Company takes control of Chandannagar and forces out the French Indian administrators.source
March 28 – Robert-François Damiens is tortured, then dismembered and his remains burned in public for his January 5 assassination attempt on King Louis XV of France, the last person in France to suffer this punishment.source
April 21 – Battle of Reichenberg: Marshal Augustus William von Bevern enters Bohemia with a Prussian army (some 15,000 men). In Reichenberg he encounters the Austrians under the command of General Christian Moritz von Königsegg. Von Bevern defeats the Austrian troops and captures large quantities of supplies. He continues his advance on Prague.source
May 6 – Seven Years' War: Battle of Prague – Frederick the Great defeats an Austrian army, and begins to besiege the city.source
May 6 – Seven Years' War – Battle of Prague: The Prussians under Frederick the Great defeats an Austrian army and begins to besiege the city of Prague.Austria source
June 18 – Seven Years' War: Battle of Kolín – Frederick is defeated by an Austrian army under Marshal Daun, forcing him to evacuate Bohemia.source
June 23 – Battle of Plassey: 3,000 troops serving with the British East India Company under Robert Clive defeat a 50,000 strong Indian army under Siraj ud-Daulah with the help of Mir Jafar, at Plassey in India, marking the first victory of the East India Company over India, which lasts until 1857.source
June 25 – The 1755 rebellion against the Chinese Empire by Mongolian Oirat Prince Amursana is met by a Chinese army of 10,000 attackers against Amursana's 2,500 man force at their capital at Bor Tal. The rebels hold out until July 17.source
August 3–9 – French and Indian War: A French army under Louis-Joseph de Montcalm forces the English to surrender Fort William Henry. The French army's Indian allies slaughter the surviving men, women and children.source
August 11 – In the Battle of Delhi, the capital city of the Mughal Empire is retaken by Maratha Empire leader Raghunathrao from Najib ad-Dawlah, who flees to refuge in the royal palace, the Red Fort.source
August 30 – Seven Years' War: Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf – A Prussian army under Hans von Lehwaldt is defeated by the Russian army under Marshal Stepan Apraksin.source
September 6 – The life of Najib ad-Dawlah is spared by Raghunathrao upon the intercession of General Malhar Rao Holkar. Najib and his family are permitted to leave the Fort along with most of their property, and the Emperor Alamgir II is restored to the Mughal throne as a nominal ruler.source
September 8 – The Convention of Klosterzeven is signed at the Lower Saxony town of Bremervörde by the Duke of Cumberland following his defeat at Hastenbeck. The treaty provides for the army of the Electorate of Hanover to be reduced to a token force and for the French Army to occupy Hanover and most of northwest Germany. At the time, King George II of Great Britain is also the Elector of Hanover, and it is later said that "The terms proved worse than either George or his ministers had wanted or expected."source
September 13 – Pomeranian War: A column of troops from Sweden begins the surprise invasion of Prussia, setting up a pontoon bridge across the Peene River that marks the boundary between Swedish Pomerania and northern Prussia. After crossing at Loitz in the early morning hours, the troops march 10 km and begin the occupation of the undefended Prussian town of Demmin. Hours later, another Swedish infantry regiment charges across the border into the Prussian town of Anklam, where the city gate had been left open.source
13 September - Sweden joins the Seven Years' War through the Pomeranian War.Sweden source
September 23 – The "Raid on Rochefort" is carried out as a pre-emptive strike by Great Britain to neutralize France's Arsenal de Rochefort before the French Navy can carry out plans to invade England. Led by Royal Navy Admiral Edward Hawke, HMS Neptune and six other vessels sail in and capture the Île-d'Aix and its battery of cannons, effectively blocking the departure of any ships from the mouth of the Charante river.source
October 24 (10 Safar 1171 A.H.) – 1757 Hajj caravan raid: Bedouin warriors of the Bani Sakher confederacy conduct a massive assault against a caravan of thousands of Muslim travelers who are on their way back to Damascus after the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. The attack, made at Hallat Ammar after the group has been resupplied at Tabuk, leads to the annihilation of 20,000 of the pilgrims. Those who are not killed outright die later in the desert from thirst and starvation. According to one Arabic source, the largest attack takes place on October 24.source
November 5 – Seven Years' War: Battle of Rossbach – Frederick defeats the French-Imperial army under the Duc de Soubise and Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen, forcing the French to withdraw from Saxony.source
5 November – Seven Years' War – Battle of Rossbach: Frederick defeats the French-Imperial army under the Duc de Soubise and Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen, forcing the French to withdraw from Saxony.France source
November 22 – Seven Years' War: Battle of Breslau – An Austrian army under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine defeats the Prussian army of Wilhelm of Brunswick-Bevern, and forces the Prussians behind the Oder.source
December 5 – Seven Years' War: Battle of Leuthen – Frederick defeats Prince Charles's Austrian army, in what is generally considered the Prussian king's greatest tactical victory.source
December 6 – Seven Years' War – Battle of Leuthen: Frederick defeats Prince Charles's Austrian army.Austria source
December 14 – Battle of Khresili: King Solomon I of Imereti defeats the Ottoman army and an allied faction of nobles, in what becomes western Georgia.source
Saturday July 30 - Seven thousand men are collected to attack Fort William Henry.Canada source
Main defences of Fort George completed.Scotland source

Exploration & Expansion

February 22 – King Frederick V of Denmark issues an order to create a Lutheran mission for African slaves at the Danish West Indies (the modern-day United States Virgin Islands) at St. Croix.source
April 17 – The Spanish mission of Mission Santa Cruz de San Sabá is founded by Spanish missionary families on the banks of the San Saba River near modern-day Menard, Texas. Less than two years later, the European settlement is destroyed by the native Comanche Indians who lives in the area.source
October 4 – Bearing British flags, two French privateers sail up the Gambia River and attempt to capture the British fort on James Island, but their ruse is discovered the next day before they can stage their attack. The two ships are captured by the Royal Navy after retreatingsource
Robert Wood publishes The ruins of Balbec, otherwise Heliopolis in Coelosyria in English and French, making the ancient city of Baalbek, Syria known to the West.source
Bjarni Pálsson and Eggert Ólafsson complete a research trip around Iceland.Iceland source
Robert Adam surveys the ruins of Diocletian's Palace at Spalato in Dalmatia.Scotland source

Religion & Belief

January 12 – Koca Ragıp Pasha becomes the new Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, and administers the office for seven years until his death in 1763.source
29 March – Matthew Hutton is nominated as Archbishop of Canterbury, being translated from York.United Kingdom source
May – the Baskerville typeface, designed by John Baskerville of Birmingham, is first used in a wove paper quarto edition of Virgil.United Kingdom source
December 31 – the title of Viscount Ligonier of Enniskillen is created in the Peerage of Ireland in favour of Field Marshal John Ligonier.Ireland source
Emanuel Swedenborg claims to have witnessed the Last Judgment occurring in the spiritual world.source
A firman (decree) of Ottoman sultan Osman III (died October 30) preserves the division of ownership and responsibilities of various Christian holy places in Jerusalem and Bethlehem (e.g. the former's Church of the Holy Sepulchre); this becomes established as the Status Quo in international law.source
Catholic Committee, to press for repeal of the penal laws against Roman Catholics, is established by Charles O'Conor, John Curry and Mr. Wyse of Waterford. O'Conor publishes The Protestant Interest of Ireland Considered.Ireland source
Edward Evans – translation of S. Bourne's CatechismWales source
Elizabeth Griffith – A Series of Genuine Letters between Henry and FrancesWales source
William Williams (Pantycelyn) – Rhai Hymnau a Chaniadau DuwiolWales source

Economy & Finance

The government reduces the annual interest payable on Consolidated Annuities (consols) from 3.5% to 3%, where it will remain until 1888.United Kingdom source

Technology & Infrastructure

The oldest house in Nedstakaupstaður in Ísafjörður was built.Iceland source
Kilbeggan Distillery established.Ireland source
Final rebuilding of Douglas Castle begins.Scotland source
First lighthouse on Little Cumbrae is built.Scotland source
77th Regiment of Foot (Montgomerie's Highlanders) raised as the First Highland Battalion by Maj. Archibald MontgomerieScotland source
Hirwaun ironworks begins coke smelting.Wales source
George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, takes out a lease on Esgair-mwyn lead mine.Wales source

Science & Discovery

April 16 – The works of astronomer Galileo Galilei espousing heliocentrism are removed (with the approval of Pope Benedict XIV) from the Index Librorum Prohibitorum list of books banned by Roman Catholic Church, along with "all books teaching the earth's motion and the sun's immobility". Other works of heliocentrists Galileo, Nicolaus Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, Diego de Zúñiga and Paolo Foscarini remain on the list.source
December 6 – In Buddhist tradition, Jigme Lingpa discovers the Longchen Nyingthig terma through a meditative vision, which brings him to Boudhanath. The Longchen Nyingtig is a popular cycle of teachings in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.source
Macfarlane Observatory established at the University of Glasgow; its instruments are set up by James Watt in his new capacity as the university's instrument maker.Scotland source
Joseph Harris – An Essay Upon Money and CoinsWales source

Health & Medicine

March 30 – The Rigshospitalet, national hospital of Denmark, is founded at Copenhagen.source
6 May – asylum confinement of Christopher Smart: poet Christopher Smart is confined to St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics in London.United Kingdom source
September 26 – St Patrick's Hospital for Imbeciles, Dublin, established under the will of Jonathan Swift, accepts its first patientsIreland source
December 8 – the Rotunda Hospital opens in Dublin.Ireland source
Physician Francis Home publishes The Principles of Agriculture and Vegetation, an early presentation of the chemical principles underlying plant nutrition, in Edinburgh.Scotland source

Crime & Justice

February 3 – French artist Robert Picault begins the rescue of the frescoes at the King's Chamber of the Palace of Fontainebleau before architect Ange-Jacques Gabrel begins renovations.source
3 February – Artist Robert Picault begins the rescue of the frescoes at the King's Chamber of the Palace of Fontainebleau before architect Ange-Jacques Gabrel begins renovations.France source
October 14 – Of the 478 people arrested, and 442 (including 50 women and young boys) convicted, for their roles in the Porto riot in February, 13 men and one woman are hanged; afterwards, their bodies are then quartered, and the severed limbs are publicly displayed on spikes. Another 49 men and 10 women are exiled to Portuguese colonies in Africa and India, and the other convicts are either flogged, imprisoned, or pressed into service rowing galley ships.source
October 16 – Seven Years' War: Raid on Berlin – Hungarian raiders (3,400 horseman) under Count András Hadik plunder Berlin. He demands that the city council pay a ransom of 200,000 thalers and a dozen pairs of gloves for Empress Maria Theresa. The Hungarians leave the Prussian capital after they received messages about a Prussian relief force under Prince Dietrich von Anhalt-Dessau, marching towards Berlin.source
Ossian's Hall of Mirrors, a folly at Dunkeld, is built.Scotland source
Daines Barrington is appointed judge of the Merioneth, Caernarvonshire and Anglesey circuit (Court of Great Sessions).Wales source
Joshua Thomas – Tystiolaeth y CredadynWales source

Culture & Society

April 29 – Inside the house at Stratford-upon-Avon in England known as Shakespeare's Birthplace, a bricklayer, identified only as "Mosely", re-tiling the roof, discovers a supposed pro-Catholic testament of John Shakespeare, father of William Shakespeare, more than 150 years after the elder's death. The finding starts "what remains one of the most controversial topics in Shakespeare studies" because of disagreements over its authenticity and date.source
Kongsberg School of Mines was established.Norway source

Births

January 11 – Alexander Hamilton, first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury (most cited date of birth) (died 1804)source
January 16 – Richard Goodwin Keats, British admiral, Governor of Newfoundland (died 1834)source
April 9 – Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, British admiral (died 1833)source
May 30 – Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 1844)source
June 18 – Gervasio Antonio de Posadas, Argentine leader (died 1833)source
June 22 – George Vancouver, British explorer (died 1798)source
June 22: George Vancouver, naval officer, explorer (d.1798)Canada source
August 9 – Elizabeth Schuyler, wife of Alexander Hamilton, co-founder of New York's first orphanage (died 1854)source
August 9 – Thomas Telford, Scottish-born civil engineer, architect (died 1834)source
September 6 – Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, French soldier, statesman (died 1834)source
October 9 – King Charles X of France (died 1836)source
October 21 – Charles-Pierre Augereau, Marshal of France and duc de Castiglione (died 1816)source
October 31 - Ignaz Spangler was a singer and composer, born in Vienna, Austria.Austria source
November 1 – Antonio Canova, Italian sculptor (died 1822)source
20 November – Jacob Hersleb Darre, priest, member of the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly (died 1841).Norway source
November 28 – William Blake, English poet and artist (died 1827)source
December 30 – Sebastián Kindelán y O'Regan, Spanish colonial governor (died 1826)source
Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna of RussiaRussia source

Deaths

March 8 – Thomas Blackwell, Scottish classical scholar (born 1701)source
March 14 – British Royal Navy Admiral John Byng is executed by firing squad on board the ship HMS Monarch in the Solent after his court martial conviction for failing in the Battle of Minorca (1756) to save British troops who had been besieged by a numerically superior French force in the Siege of Fort St Philip. General Edward Cornwallis, the ranking British Army officer at the battle, is exonerated of charges of dereliction of duty, but his career is ruined. Byng's execution is the origin of the phrase "In this country, it is wise to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others", coined by Voltaire in his novel Candide.source
March 14 – John Byng, British admiral (executed) (born 1704)source
14 March – Seven Years' War: Admiral Sir John Byng is executed by firing squad aboard HMS Monarch in The Solent after his court martial conviction for breach of the Articles of War in failing in the Battle of Minorca (1756) to save British troops who had been besieged by a numerically superior French force in the Siege of Fort St Philip (1756). The execution is largely opposed by the Admiralty and the House of Commons. General Edward Cornwallis, the ranking British Army officer at the battle, is exonerated of charges of dereliction of duty, but his career is ruined.United Kingdom source
March 28 – Robert-François Damiens, French domestic servant, executed for the attempted assassination of Louis XV (born 1715)source
4 April – Peder Hersleb, bishop (born 1689).Denmark source
June 28 – Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, queen consort of Frederick William I (born 1687)source
July 2 – Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent ruler of Bengal of undivided India (born 1733)source
16 July – Richard Lloyd, politician, about 54Wales source
July 23 – Domenico Scarlatti, Italian composer (born 1685)source
August 28 – David Hartley, English philosopher (born 1705)source
August 30 – Bulleh Shah, Sufi poet (born 1680)source
October 30 – Edward Vernon, English naval officer (born 1684)source
October 30 – Osman III dies, and is succeeded as Ottoman Sultan by Mustafa III.source
October 31 – News of the massacre of Muslim pilgrims first reaches Damascus; the Ottoman officials who had been in charge of protecting the pilgrimage are executed by beheading.source
November 2 : Louis Coulon de Villiers, military officer.Canada source
November 10 – King Abdallah IV of Morocco dies and is succeeded by his son, who takes the throne as King Mohammed III and reigns until 1790.source
December 11 – Colley Cibber, English poet laureate, actor-manager (born 1671)source