1694: A Year of Notable Events
1694 (MDCXCIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. This year marked the 1694th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 694th year of the 2nd millennium, the 94th year of the 17th century, and the 5th year of the 1690s decade. As of the start of 1694, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.
Events
January–March
- January 16 – Francesco Morosini, the Doge of Venice since 1688, dies after ruling the Republic for over five years following an unsuccessful attempt to capture the island of Negropont from the Ottoman Empire during the Morean War.
- January 18 – Sir James Montgomery of Scotland, arrested on January 11 for conspiracy to restore King James to the throne, escapes and flees to France.
- January 21 (January 11 O.S.) – The Kiev Academy receives official recognition by Tsar Ivan V of Russia, now known as the national university of Ukraine.
- January 28 – Pirro e Demetrio, an opera by Alessandro Scarlatti, is performed for the first time at the Teatro San Bartolomeo in Naples.
- January 29 – French missionary Jean-Baptiste Labat arrives in the “New World”, landing at the Caribbean island of Martinique.
- February 5 – The ship Ridderschap van Holland is lost at sea after departing the Cape of Good Hope, never to arrive at its destination of Batavia.
- February 6 – The colony of Quilombo dos Palmares in Brazil is destroyed by the bandeirantes, with the last King, Zumbi, fleeing after a reign of over 13 years.
- February 26 – Silvestro Valier is elected as the new Doge of Venice.
- March 1 – The HMS Sussex treasure fleet is wrecked in the Mediterranean off Gibraltar, resulting in approximately 1,200 lives lost.
- March 8 – The Casa da Moeda do Brasil is established by Peter II of Portugal.
April–June
- April 2 – Exiled Sheikh Yusuf arrives at the Dutch Cape Colony, introducing Islam to South Africa.
- April 7 – The English Navy captures the French privateer Entreprenant in battle.
- April 12 – The French ship Diligente is attacked by six Royal Navy ships, leading to significant losses.
- April 13 – The largest volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius since 1631 occurs.
- April 27 – Frederick Augustus of Wettin becomes the new Elector of Saxony.
- May 27 – The Battle of Torroella takes place during the Nine Years’ War, with significant casualties on the Spanish side.
- June 22 – An annular solar eclipse is visible across North America.
- June 24 – The Tunisian–Algerian War begins.
- June 29 – The Battle of Texel takes place near the Dutch island of Texel.
July–September
- July 27 – The Bank of England is founded through a Royal charter.
- August 6 – The coronation of Sultan Husayn of the Safavid dynasty occurs in Isfahan.
- August 24 – The first official dictionary of the French language, the Dictionnaire de l’Académie française, is presented to King Louis XIV.
- September 5 – The Great Fire of Warwick breaks out, destroying half the town.
- September 8 – The 1694 Irpinia–Basilicata earthquake results in severe damage and over 6,000 deaths in the Kingdom of Naples.
- September 27 – A hurricane strikes Carlisle Bay, Barbados, sinking 27 British ships.
October–December
- October 19 – A major windstorm spreads the Culbin Sands over a large area in the Scottish Highlands.
- October 23 – British/American colonial forces fail to seize Quebec from the French.
- October 25 – Queen Mary II founds the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich.
- November 12 – The Army of Algeria captures Tunis, ending the Tunisian–Algerian War.
- December 3 – The Parliament of England passes the Triennial Act.
- December 6 – Thomas Tenison is appointed Archbishop of Canterbury.
- December 16 – A total solar eclipse is visible across South America.
Births
January–March
- January 1 – Abdallah of Morocco, Sultan of Morocco (d. 1757)
- January 3 – Paul of the Cross, Italian mystic (d. 1775)
- January 6 – Melchor Chyliński, Polish presbyter (d. 1741)
- February 4 – Georg Gottlob Richter, German philosopher and physician (d. 1773)
- February 11 – Henrietta Harley, English noblewoman (d. 1755)
- March 21 – Daniel Scott, British lexicographer (d. 1759)
April–June
- April 3 – George Edwards, English naturalist (d. 1773)
- April 25 – Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, English architect (d. 1753)
- June 27 – John Michael Rysbrack, Flemish sculptor (d. 1770)
July–September
- July 11 – Charles-Antoine Coypel, French painter (d. 1752)
- September 22 – Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (d. 1773)
October–December
- November 21 – Voltaire, French writer (d. 1778)
- December 12 – Filippo Lauri, Italian painter (d. 1694)
Deaths
January–March
- January 16 – Francesco Morosini, Doge of Venice (b. 1619)
- February 4 – Natalya Naryshkina, Tsaritsa of Russia (b. 1651)
- March 10 – Paul Fréart de Chantelou, art collector (b. 1609)
April–June
- April 27 – John George IV, Elector of Saxony (b. 1668)
- June 22 – Thomas Tollemache, English general (b. 1651)
July–September
- July 29 – Suleiman I, Shah of Persia (b. 1647)
- September 28 – Gabriel Mouton, abbot and scientist (b. 1619)
October–December
- November 22 – John Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury (b. 1630)
- December 28 – Queen Mary II of England (b. 1662)
References
Source information on notable events, births, and deaths of 1694.