Explore 67 historical events from 1650–1659.
John William, Elector Palatine of the Wittelsbach dynasty was Elector Palatine (1690–1716), Duke of Neuburg (1690–1716), Duke of Jülich and Berg (1679–1716), and Duke of Upper Pala…
Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, German husband of Archduchess Maria Anna Josepha of Austria (died 1716)
George St Lo was a British naval officer and politician.
George St Lo(e), Royal Navy officer and administrator (died 1718)
Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or p…
Freedom of religion is granted to the Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City)
The Battle of Carbisdale took place close to the village of Culrain, Sutherland, Scotland on 27 April 1650 and was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It was fought by the Roya…
The Battle of Carbisdale: A Royalist army from Orkney invades mainland Scotland but is defeated by a Covenanter army
Robert Blake was an English naval officer who served as general at sea and the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports from 1656 to 1657. Blake served under Oliver Cromwell during the Engl…
English Admiral Robert Blake destroys a Spanish silver fleet, under heavy fire from the shore, at the Battle of Santa Cr
The siege of Santo Domingo was fought between April 23, 1655 and April 30, 1655, at the Spanish Colony of Santo Domingo. A force of 2,400 Spanish troops led by Governor Don Bernard…
The Siege of Santo Domingo begins during the Anglo-Spanish War, and fails seven days later
The Anglo-Spanish War was fought between England and Spain between 1654 and 1660. It was driven by the economic and religious rivalry between the two countries, with each side atta…
Anglo-Spanish War: The English navy sank much of a Spanish treasure fleet at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife off th
Cromwell's Act of Grace, or more formally the Act of Pardon and Grace to the People of Scotland, was an Act of the Parliament of England that declared that the people of Scotland w…
Cromwell's Act of Grace, aimed at reconciliation with the Scots, proclaimed in Edinburgh
Oliver Cromwell was an English statesman, farmer and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the …
Oliver Cromwell dissolves England's Rump Parliament
Giuseppe Torelli was an Italian violinist, teacher and composer of the middle Baroque era.
Giuseppe Torelli, Italian violinist and composer (died 1709)
The Stuart Restoration was the return in May 1660 of the Stuart monarchy to the kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, ending the Interregnum and the Commonwealth of England t…
English Restoration: A faction of the British Army removes Richard Cromwell as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and re
The Concert of The Hague, signed on 21 May 1659, was an outline of the common stance of England, France and the Dutch Republic regarding the Second Northern War. The powers agreed …
In the Concert of The Hague, the Dutch Republic, the Commonwealth of England and the Kingdom of France set out their vie
David Gregory FRS was a Scottish mathematician and astronomer. He was professor of mathematics at the University of Edinburgh, and later Savilian Professor of Astronomy at the Univ…
David Gregory, Scottish-English mathematician and astronomer (died 1708)
Morgan Llwyd was a Puritan Fifth Monarchist and Welsh-language poet and prose author.
Morgan Llwyd, Welsh minister and poet (born 1619)
Richard Cromwell was an English statesman who served as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1658 to 1659. He was the son of Lord Protector Oliv…
Richard Cromwell resigns as Lord Protector of England following the restoration of the Long Parliament, beginning a seco
Pope Alexander VII, born Fabio Chigi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 April 1655 to his death, in May 1667.
Pope Alexander VII appoints François de Laval vicar apostolic in New France
John William, Elector Palatine of the Wittelsbach dynasty was Elector Palatine (1690–1716), Duke of Neuburg (1690–1716), Duke of Jülich and Berg (1679–1716), and Duke of Upper Pala…
Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, German husband of Archduchess Maria Anna Josepha of Austria (died 1716)
Giuseppe Torelli was an Italian violinist, teacher and composer of the middle Baroque era.
Giuseppe Torelli, Italian violinist and composer (died 1709)
Battle of Samugarh, also known as Jang-e-Samugarh, was a decisive battle in the struggle for the throne during the Mughal war of succession (1658–1659) between the sons of Mughal E…
Battle of Samugarh: decisive battle in the struggle for the throne during the Mughal war of succession (1658–1659)
The Franco-Spanish War, May 1635 to November 1659, was fought between France and Spain, each supported by various allies at different points. It consists of two distinct phases, th…
Franco-Spanish War: Turenne and the French army win a decisive victory over the Spanish at the battle of the Dunes
John Cleveland was an English poet who supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War. He was best known for political satire.
John Cleveland, English poet and author (born 1613)
Pope Alexander VII, born Fabio Chigi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 April 1655 to his death, in May 1667.
Pope Alexander VII appointed François de Laval as the first apostolic vicar of New France
Robert Blake was an English naval officer who served as general at sea and the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports from 1656 to 1657. Blake served under Oliver Cromwell during the Engl…
English Admiral Robert Blake destroys a Spanish silver fleet, under heavy fire from the shore, at the Battle of Santa Cr
Freedom of religion or religious liberty, also known as freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or p…
Freedom of religion is granted to the Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City)
Sambhaji, also known as Shambhuraje, ruled from 1681 to 1689 as the second king (Chhatrapati) of the Maratha Empire, a prominent state in early modern India. He was the eldest son …
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Indian(Maratha) emperor (died 1689)
William Bradford was an English Pilgrim Separatist originally from the West Riding of Yorkshire in Northern England. He moved to Leiden in the Dutch Republic in order to escape per…
William Bradford, English-American politician, 2nd Governor of Plymouth Colony (born 1590)
Andrew Bobola, SJ was a Polish missionary and martyr of the Society of Jesus, known as the "Apostle of Lithuania" and the "hunter of souls". He was beaten and tortured to death dur…
Andrew Bobola, Polish missionary and martyr (born 1591)
William Harvey was an English physician who made influential contributions to anatomy and physiology. He was the first known physician to describe completely, and in detail, pulmon…
William Harvey, English physician and academic (born 1578)
The Anglo-Spanish War was fought between England and Spain between 1654 and 1660. It was driven by the economic and religious rivalry between the two countries, with each side atta…
Anglo-Spanish War: The English navy sank much of a Spanish treasure fleet at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife off th
Thomas Fincke was a Danish mathematician and physicist, and a professor at the University of Copenhagen for more than 60 years.
Thomas Fincke, Danish mathematician and physicist (born 1561)
Jan Josephszoon van Goyen was a Dutch landscape painter. The scope of his landscape subjects was very broad as he painted forest landscapes, marine paintings, river landscapes, bea…
Jan van Goyen, Dutch painter and illustrator (born 1596)
Thomas Tomkins was a Welsh-born composer of the late Tudor and early Stuart period. In addition to being one of the prominent members of the English Madrigal School, he was a skill…
Thomas Tomkins, Welsh-English composer (born 1572)
The siege of Santo Domingo was fought between April 23, 1655 and April 30, 1655, at the Spanish Colony of Santo Domingo. A force of 2,400 Spanish troops led by Governor Don Bernard…
The Siege of Santo Domingo begins during the Anglo-Spanish War, and fails seven days later
An English expeditionary force captured Spanish Jamaica in May 1655, during the Anglo-Spanish War (1654–1660). It was part of an ambitious plan by Oliver Cromwell to undermine or o…
The Invasion of Jamaica begins during the Anglo-Spanish War