1772 CE

Johann Friedrich Struensee and Queen Caroline Matilda are arrested, leading to his execution and her banishment from Denmark. Somersett's Case: Lord Mansfield, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, delivers the decision that leads to the end of slavery in England. The first Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth begins. The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria becomes part of the crown lands of the Habsburg monarchy.

In the 1770s, the 18th century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

January 1 – Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria established.Austria source
February 17 – The First Partition of Poland is agreed to by Russia and Prussia, later including Austria.source
24 March – Royal Marriages Act 1772 requires the monarch's consent for the marriage of all members of the royal family.United Kingdom source
April 8 – Massachusetts legislator Samuel Adams persuades his colleagues to approve his plan for creating a Committee of Correspondence to begin a dialogue with the other American colonies concerning mutual problems with England.source
May 8 – The Watauga Association Compact is signed in what is now East Tennessee by a group of white settlers led by William Bean, creating the first non-colonial government body in British North America.source
16 May – A treaty between Christian VII and the Bey of Algiers brings an end to the Danish-Algerian War.Denmark source
June 22 – Somersett's Case: Lord Mansfield, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, delivers the decision that leads to the end of slavery in England.source
27 July – the Johnston Baronetcy, of Gilford in the County of Down, is created in the Baronetage of Ireland.Ireland source
August 5 – The first Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth begins. The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria becomes part of the crown lands of the Habsburg monarchy.source
21 August – King Gustav III forces the parliament to accept the Swedish Constitution of 1772.Sweden source
November 2 – American Revolutionary War: Samuel Adams and Joseph Warren form the first Committee of Correspondence.source
Kingdom of Galicia and LodomeriaPoland source
Three Stirling councillors privately sign a secret agreement, the "Black Bond", to run the affairs of the burgh to their own personal advantage.Scotland source
The Stepney family of Prendergast sell their Pembrokeshire estates.Wales source

Conflict & Security

January 10 – Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor of India, makes a triumphant return to Delhi 15 years after having been forced to flee.source
18 January – Queen Caroline Matilda, Johann Friedrich Struensee and Enevold Brandt were arrested and their rule ended in a palace coup.Denmark source
16 May - End of the Dano–Algerian War.Norway source
June 9 – Gaspee Affair: In an act of defiance against the British Navigation Acts, American patriots, led by Abraham Whipple, attack and burn the British customs schooner HMS Gaspee off of Rhode Island.source
June 23–28 – Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774): First of two Russian occupations of Beirut, following a naval bombardment which began on June 18.source
June - Johan Christopher Toll arrive in Scania to prepare a coup d'état.Sweden source
July - Jakob Magnus Sprengtporten arrive in Finland and take hold of the Sveaborg Fortress in preparation of a coup d'état.Sweden source
August 21 – A coup d'état by King Gustav III is completed by adopting a new Constitution, ending half a century of parliamentary rule in Sweden, and making him an enlightened despot.source
September - Charles of Hesse was appointed commander-in-chief of the Norwegian army.Norway source
The military language for use in writing and commands is changed from German to Danish.Denmark source
German ceased to be the official language of command in the army, in favour of "Dano-Norwegian".Norway source
Henry Herbert is promoted to general, shortly before his death.Wales source

Exploration & Expansion

February 12 – Breton-French explorer Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec discovers the uninhabited Kerguelen Islands in the Southern Indian Ocean.source
12 February – Breton-French explorer Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec discovers the uninhabited Kerguelen Islands in the Southern Ocean.France source
March 20 – Pedro Fages, the Spanish Governor of Alta California, and Juan Crespí, a Catholic priest, set off from the capital at Monterey with a party of 12 soldiers and begin the first European exploration of the lands around San Francisco Bay.source
April–June – the brig Alexander collects emigrants from the west of Scotland (the "Glenaladale settlers") and carries them to Prince Edward Island.Scotland source
July 13 – The second voyage of James Cook departs from Plymouth on Captain Cook's new ship, HMS Resolution and the companion ship HMS Adventure in an attempt to prove the existence of an uncharted continent even further south than New Zealand.source
13 July – navigator James Cook sets out from Plymouth on HMS Resolution for a second Pacific voyage.United Kingdom source
October 28 – Basque-Spanish explorer Domingo de Bonechea, in the Aguila, sights Tauere atoll, which he names San Simon y Judas.source
December 14 – Second voyage of James Cook: The crew of HMS Resolution finds that the ice floes encountered on their journey south are a source of fresh water, a "discovery... of utmost importance to the success of the voyage."source
HBC Mathey Cocking, to Blackfeet country west of Eagle Hills.Canada source
James Cook and George Vancouver explore the northwest coast of America.Canada source
English naturalist Joseph Banks travelled around Iceland.Iceland source
Summer – Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant makes a second tour of Scotland.Scotland source
Jinny Jenks - Tour through WalesWales source

Religion & Belief

February - The pamphlet Det Olyckliga Swenska Fruentimrets Böneskrift till Allmänheten by Anna Maria Rückerschöld, counted as one of the first feminist publications in the women's issue in Sweden.Sweden source
September 1 – Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa is founded in San Luis Obispo, California.source
Daniel Rowland - Pum Pregeth ac Amryw o HymnauWales source
Job Orton - Eglwys yn y Ty : neu Bregeth am Grefydd-Deuluaidd.Wales source

Economy & Finance

June 10 – The crisis of 1772 is triggered when, following the flight of their partner Alexander Fordyce to France, the London banking house of Neal, James, Fordyce and Down (which has been speculating in East India Company stock) suspends payment. The resultant panic causes other banks to fail, extends to Scotland, Amsterdam and the Thirteen Colonies and threatens the East India Company with bankruptcy.source
10 June – Credit crisis of 1772 is triggered when, following the flight of their partner, Aberdeen-born Alexander Fordyce, to France, the London banking house of Neal, James, Fordyce and Down (which has been speculating in East India Company stock) suspends payment. The resultant panic causes failure of other banks, particularly in Scotland, and especially in Edinburgh and the Ayr Bank.Scotland source
10 June – credit crisis of 1772 is triggered when, following the flight of their partner Alexander Fordyce to France, the London banking house of Neal, James, Fordyce and Down (which has been speculating in East India Company stock) suspends payment. The resultant panic causes other banks, particularly in Scotland, to fail, extends to Amsterdam and the Thirteen Colonies of British North America, and threatens the East India Company with bankruptcy.United Kingdom source
9 November – A Pawnbroker of the state is founded in Stockholm.Sweden source
The Clicquot Champagne house is founded by Philippe Clicquot in Reims.France source
Houbigant Parfum is founded by Jean-François Houbigant of Grasse in Paris.France source
National income - ₹9,790 millionIndia source
Richard Price - Appeal ... on the National DebtWales source

Technology & Infrastructure

28 May – Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal open for traffic throughout from a junction with the Trent and Mersey Canal to the River Severn at Stourport. Engineered by James Brindley, this is the first British trunk canal completed and its dimensions determine the size of boat used throughout the narrow canal network (72 ft by 7 ft).United Kingdom source
21 September – Birmingham Canal Navigations main line open for traffic, linking Birmingham to the River Severn via the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal.United Kingdom source
The Hudson's Bay Company opens Cumberland House on the Saskatchewan River.Canada source
Construction of St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, as the first part of the New Town (designed by James Craig), begins.Scotland source
Original North Bridge, Edinburgh, completed.Scotland source

Science & Discovery

March 8 – Biela's Comet is first discovered by French astronomer Jacques Leibax Montaigne, but not proven to be a periodic comet until 1826, when Wilhelm von Biela correctly identifies its return.source
12 September – Daniel Rutherford demonstrates the method of distinguishing nitrogen from other gases.United Kingdom source
Scottish scientist Daniel Rutherford discovers nitrogen gas, isolating it from air.source
Fingal's Cave is brought to the attention of the English-speaking world by English naturalist Sir Joseph Banks.Scotland source
Evan Evans (Ieuan Fardd) - The Love of our CountryWales source
Williams Evans - A New English-Welsh dictionary: Containing All Words Necessary for Reading an English AuthorWales source

Health & Medicine

March 18: Björn Jónsson becomes the first fully licensed pharmacist in Iceland.Iceland source
8 December - The Sahlgrenska University Hospital is founded.Sweden source
December 14 – Russian government offices reopen at Moscow and Saint Petersburg after being closed for 15 months because of an epidemic of bubonic plague.source
Warren Hastings appointed governor of Bengal.India source

Crime & Justice

January 17 – Johann Friedrich Struensee and Queen Caroline Matilda are arrested, leading to his execution and her banishment from Denmark.source
February 12 – The Virginia Assembly amends an act to describe the punishments for the practice of gouging.source
26 August – King Gustav III formally abolish torture, and the Rose Chamber in Nya smedjegården and the Thief Cellar in the Town Hall, is closed.Sweden source
Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, demands that all bodies remain unburied for three days to ensure that death has actually taken place.source

Climate & Environment

August 12 – The volcano Mount Papandayan in West Java erupts and partially collapses, the debris avalanche killing several thousand.source
September – The legal manufacture of Brännvin for personal use is banned because of the crop's failure.Sweden source
Iolo Morganwg - Dagrau yr AwenWales source

Culture & Society

April 13 – Warren Hastings begins his service for the British East India Company as Governor of Bengal, arriving at the company's headquarters at Fort William, outside of Calcutta, and including what are now parts of northeast India and Bangladesh. Hastings serves for two years, then later becomes Governor-General of India.source
30 April – The Norwegian Society is founded in Copenhagen as a national venue for Norwegian students.Denmark source
30 April - The Norwegian Society (Det Norske Selskab), a literary society for Norwegian students in Copenhagen, is formed.Norway source
29 May – Coronation of King Gustav III and Queen Sophia Magdalena in Stockholm.Sweden source
3 June – the London-Derry Journal and General Advertiser is first published.Ireland source
22 June – Somersett's Case: Lord Mansfield, the Lord Chief Justice delivers the decision that slavery is not supported by the common law of England.United Kingdom source
September - The comedy-play Kierlighed uden Strømper, by Johan Herman Wessel, is first published.Norway source
Lady Anne Lindsay writes the ballad "Auld Robin Gray".Scotland source
William Williams Pantycelyn writes the words of the missionary hymn "O'er the Gloomy Hills of Darkness".Wales source

Births

10 January - William Jenkins Rees, antiquary (died 1855)Wales source
February 24 – William H. Crawford, American politician, judge (died 1834)source
29 February - Hans Andersen Barlien, farmer and politician. (died 1842)Norway source
March 10 – Friedrich von Schlegel, German poet (died 1829)source
April 4 – Nachman of Breslov, Hasidic rabbi and founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement (died 1810)source
April 7 – Charles Fourier, French philosopher (died 1837)source
April 18 – David Ricardo, British economist (died 1823)source
May 2 – Novalis, German poet (died 1801)source
May 20 – William Congreve, British rocket pioneer (died 1828)source
May 22 – Ram Mohan Roy, Hindu religious and social reformer (died 1833)source
17 June – Hans Peter Holm, naval officer (died 1812)Denmark source
July 11 – John Rodgers, American naval officer (died 1838)source
August 2 – Louis Antoine, Duke of Enghien (died 1804)source
August 24 – King William I of the Netherlands (died 1843)source
September 27 – Martha Jefferson Randolph, Acting First Lady of the United States (1801–1809) (died 1836)source
October 21 – Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English poet and philosopher (died 1834)source
November 8 – William Wirt, 9th United States Attorney General (died 1834)source
Mikhail Speransky (12 January 1772 in Cherkutino, Russia)Russia source

Deaths

February 8 – Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Princess of Wales (born 1719)source
February 18 – Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff, Danish statesman (born 1712)source
March 21 – Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, French cartographer (born 1703)source
March 27 – Taylor White, British judge (born 1701)source
March 29 – Emanuel Swedenborg, Swedish philosopher and mathematician (born 1688)source
April 28 – Johann Friedrich Struensee, Danish royal physician and de facto regent, executed (born 1737)source
June 18 – Gerard van Swieten, Dutch-born Austrian physician (born 1700)source
June 18 – Gerard van Swieten, 72, Dutch-Austrian physicianAustria source
August 31 – William Borlase, English naturalist (born 1695)source
September 30 – James Brindley, English canal builder (born 1716)source
September 30: Jean-Louis Le Loutre, priest, Spiritan, and missionary (born 1709)Canada source
October 7 – John Woolman, American Quaker preacher, abolitionist (born 1720)source
October 8 – Jean-Joseph de Mondonville, French violinist, composer (born 1711)source
October 16 – Ahmad Shah Durrani, Afghan founder of the Durrani Empire (cancer) (born 1724)source
18 October – Gunder Gundersen Hammer, government official (born 1725).Norway source
November 18 – Madhavrao I, ruler of India (born 1745)source
December 4 – Dov Ber of Mezeritch, the Great Maggid, a preacher and founder of Hasidism.source
December 26 - Pyotr Saltykov, Russian statesman and a military officer. (born c. 1697/1698/1700)Russia source