Explore 216 historical events from 1840–1849.
Benito María de los Dolores Pérez Galdós was a Spanish realist novelist and politician. He was a leading literary figure in 19th-century Spain, and some scholars consider him secon…
Benito Pérez Galdós, Spanish author and playwright (died 1920)
The Wairau Affray of 17 June 1843, also called the Wairau Massacre and the Wairau Incident, was the first serious clash of arms between British settlers and Māori in New Zealand af…
The Wairau Affray, the first serious clash of arms between Māori and British settlers in the New Zealand Wars, takes pla
Charles Albert Gobat was a Swiss lawyer, educational administrator, and politician who jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize with Élie Ducommun in 1902 for their leadership of the…
Charles Albert Gobat, Swiss lawyer and politician, and Nobel Prize laureate (died 1914)
Louis Renault was a French jurist and educator, and the co-winner in 1907 of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Louis Renault, French jurist, educator, and Nobel Prize laureate (died 1918)
Henry Faulds was a Scottish doctor, missionary and scientist who is noted for the development of fingerprinting.
Henry Faulds, Scottish physician and missionary, developed fingerprinting (died 1930)
Frederik VIII was King of Denmark from 29 January 1906 until his death in 1912.
Frederik VIII of Denmark (died 1912)
Henriette Wulfsberg was a Norwegian educator, writer and translator.
Henriette Wulfsberg, Norwegian school owner and writer (died 1906)
Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicitas von Suttner was an Austrian noblewoman, pacifist and novelist. In 1905, she became the second female Nobel laureate, the first woman to be awarded …
Bertha von Suttner, Austrian journalist and author, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1914)
Heinrich Picot de Peccaduc, Freiherr von Herzogenberg was an Austrian composer and conductor descended from a French aristocratic family.
Heinrich von Herzogenberg, Austrian composer and conductor (died 1900)
Sir David Gill was a Scottish astronomer who spent most of his career as H.M. Astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope. He was born in Aberdeen, trained as a watch and clock-maker, and …
David Gill, Scottish-English astronomer and author (died 1914)
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repert…
Edvard Grieg, Norwegian pianist and composer (died 1907)
Mary Sibbet Copley Thaw was an American philanthropist and charity worker.
Mary Sibbet Copley, American philanthropist (died 1929)
Samuel Morey was an American inventor, who worked on early internal combustion engines and was a pioneer in steamships who accumulated a total of 20 patents.
Samuel Morey, American engineer (born 1762)
Sylvestre François Lacroix was a French mathematician.
Sylvestre François Lacroix, French mathematician and academic (born 1765)
Noah Webster was an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and author. He has been called the "Father of American S…
Noah Webster, American lexicographer (born 1758)
Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin was a German poet and philosopher. Described by Norbert von Hellingrath as "the most German of Germans", Hölderlin was a key figure of German R…
Friedrich Hölderlin, German lyric poet and author (born 1770)
On 8 May 1842, a train crashed in the cutting between Meudon and Bellevue stations on the railway between Versailles and Paris, France. The train was travelling to Paris when it de…
A train derails and catches fire in Paris, killing between 52 and 200 people
The Illustrated London News, founded by Herbert Ingram and first published on Saturday 14 May 1842, was the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. The magazine was publish…
The first edition of The Illustrated London News, the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine, was published
A wagon train is a group of wagons traveling together. Before the extensive use of military vehicles, baggage trains followed an army with supplies and ammunition.
The first major wagon train heading for the Pacific Northwest sets out on the Oregon Trail from Elm Grove, Missouri, wit
Victoria was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days, which was longer than those of …
John Francis attempts to murder Queen Victoria as she drives down Constitution Hill in London with Prince Albert
Maurice Rouvier was a French statesman of the "Opportunist" faction, who twice served as the Prime Minister of France. He is best known for his financial policies and his unpopular…
Maurice Rouvier, French businessman and politician, 53rd Prime Minister of France (died 1911)
Carl Joseph Millöcker, was an Austrian composer of operettas and a conductor.
Carl Millöcker, Austrian composer and conductor (died 1899)
Emil Christian Hansen was a Danish mycologist and fermentation physiologist.
Emil Christian Hansen, Danish physiologist and mycologist (died 1909)
Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. The two most frequently staged are Manon (188…
Jules Massenet, French composer (died 1912)