Year Overview: 1696
1696 (MDCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar and a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. It marked the 1696th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 696th year of the 2nd millennium, the 96th year of the 17th century, and the 7th year of the 1690s decade. As of the start of 1696, the Gregorian calendar was 10 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.
Events
January–March
- January 21 – The Recoinage Act passed by the Parliament of England to remove counterfeit silver coins from circulation becomes law.
- January 27 – In England, the ship HMS Royal Sovereign catches fire and burns at Chatham after 57 years of service.
- January 31 – In the Netherlands, undertakers revolt following funeral reforms in Amsterdam.
- February 8 (January 29 old style) – Peter the Great becomes the sole Tsar of Russia after the death of his half-brother, Tsar Ivan V.
- February 15 – A plot to assassinate King William III of England is foiled when he alters his usual return route from a hunting trip.
- February 23 – A royal proclamation is issued to arrest suspected Jacobite conspirators involved in the assassination plot.
- March 4 – King William III departs from the Netherlands.
- March 9 – Spanish missionaries in Santa Fe de Nuevo México learn of a pending Pueblo Indian revolt.
- March 18 – Robert Charnock, arrested for the assassination plot against King William, is executed.
April–June
- April 23 – The Russo-Turkish War (1686–1700) sees Russia initiate the second of the Azov campaigns.
- May 1 – A partial solar eclipse is observable in westerly Canada and Greenland.
- June 4 – A second Pueblo Revolt breaks out in Santa Fe de Nuevo México.
- June 12 – Kangxi Emperor leads Chinese troops to victory in the Battle of Jao Modo.
July–September
- July 18 – The Russian fleet occupies Azov amid the ongoing campaigns.
- September 8 – The Parliament of Scotland passes the Education Act 1696, mandating schools be established in local parishes.
October–December
- October 7 – The Convention of Vigevano ends hostilities in Italy related to the Nine Years’ War.
- November 12 – The Hand in Hand Fire & Life Insurance Society is founded in England.
- December 23 – The House of Lords approves the bill convicting Sir John Fenwick of high treason.
Significant Births
January–March
- January 5 – Giuseppe Galli Bibiena, Italian artist (d. 1757)
- February 10 – Johann Melchior Molter, German composer (d. 1765)
- March 5 – Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Italian painter (d. 1770)
April–June
- April 10 – Esther Wheelwright, Ursuline nun (d. 1780)
- May 2 – Thomas Chester, British Member of Parliament (d. 1763)
- June 11 – James Francis Edward Keith, Scottish soldier (d. 1758)
July–September
- August 2 – Mahmud I, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (d. 1754)
- September 18 – Thomas Hunt, English academic (d. 1774)
Notable Deaths
January–March
- January 8 – Charles Albanel, French missionary (b. 1616)
- February 8 – Tsar Ivan V of Russia (b. 1666)
- March 25 – Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz (b. 1657)
April–June
- April 17 – Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné (b. 1626)
- June 17 – John III Sobieski, King of Poland (b. 1629)
July–September
- August 2 – Robert Campbell of Glenlyon, Scottish military commander (b. 1630)
- September 4 – Celestino Sfondrati, Italian cardinal (b. 1644)
October–December
- November 26 – Gregório de Matos, Brazilian poet (b. 1636)
- December 4 – Empress Meishō, empress of Japan (b. 1624)
References
This historical overview captures the major political, cultural, and social events of the year 1696, reflecting its significance in world history.