Explore 197 historical events from 1650–1659.
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 …
The death of Oliver Cromwell; Richard Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England.
The Battle of Vilanova took place on 17 September 1658 during the Portuguese Restoration War near the Fort of São Luis de Gonzaga, located downstream from Tui on the southern bank …
The Battle of Vilanova is fought between Portugal and Spain during the Portuguese Restoration War.
Giuseppe Torelli was an Italian violinist, teacher and composer of the middle Baroque era.
Giuseppe Torelli, Italian violinist and composer (died 1709)
Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll, 10th Earl of Argyll was a Scottish peer.
Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll, Scottish general (died 1703)
Mary of Modena was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of James VII and II. A devout Roman Catholic, Mary married the widower James, who was then the younger …
Mary of Modena, Queen Consort of England, Scotland and Ireland (died 1718)
Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg, was the first Duke of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz, reigning from 1701 until his death. Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a part of the Holy Roman Em…
Adolphus Frederick II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (died 1704)
Henri de Boulainvilliers was a French nobleman, writer and historian. He was educated at the College of Juilly; he served in the army until 1697.
Henri de Boulainvilliers, French nobleman (died 1722)
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
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, English general and politician, Lord Protector of England (born 1599)
The Anglo-Spanish War of 1654–1660 was fought between the Commonwealth of England and Habsburg Spain. It was driven by the economic and religious rivalry between the two countries,…
Anglo-Spanish War: The largest battle ever fought on Jamaica, the three-day Battle of Rio Nuevo, began
The Restoration War between Portugal and Spain began in 1641 and ended with the Treaty of Lisbon in 1668, bringing a formal end to the Iberian Union. The period from 1640 to 1668 w…
Portuguese Restoration War: Having crossed the Minho and entered Portuguese territory, a Spanish army was victorious…
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)
The Anglo-Spanish War of 1654–1660 was fought between the Commonwealth of England and Habsburg Spain. It was driven by the economic and religious rivalry between the two countries,…
Anglo-Spanish War: Spanish forces fail to retake Jamaica at the Battle of Ocho Rios.
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)
Frederick I, of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Elector of Brandenburg (1688–1713) and Duke of Prussia in personal union (Brandenburg–Prussia). The latter function he upgraded to roy…
Frederick I of Prussia (died 1713)
Philipp Heinrich Erlebach was a German Baroque composer, a prolific writer of church music and secular music. Much of his work is lost due to a fire.
Philipp Heinrich Erlebach, German composer (died 1714)
Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena, surname also spelt Galli da Bibiena or Bibbiena, was an Italian Baroque-era architect, designer, and painter.
Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena, Italian architect and painter (died 1743)
Sophia Alekseyevna was a Russian princess who ruled as regent of Russia from 1682 to 1689. She allied herself with a singularly capable courtier and politician, Prince Vasily Golit…
Sofia Alekseyevna of Russia (died 1704)
Francesco Solimena was a prolific Italian Baroque painter, one of an established family of painters and draughtsmen. In his early years, influenced above all by Luca Giordano and M…
Francesco Solimena, Italian painter and illustrator (died 1747)
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)