Events
January–June
- January – The Khmelnytsky Uprising in Ukraine, at this time part of the Republic of Both Nations (Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth), begins.
- January 17 – England’s Long Parliament passes the Vote of No Addresses, breaking off negotiations with King Charles I, and thereby setting the scene for the second phase of the English Civil War.
- January 30 – The Dutch and the Spanish sign the Peace of Münster, ending the Eighty Years’ War. The Spanish Empire recognizes the Dutch Republic of United Netherlands as a sovereign state (governed by the House of Orange-Nassau and the States General), which was previously a province of the Spanish Empire (ratified May 15).
- March 31 – A major earthquake strikes Van in Ottoman Armenia.[2]
- April 19 – First Battle of Guararapes: The Portuguese army defeats the Dutch army, in the north of Brazil.
- June –September – Semyon Dezhnyov makes the first recorded voyage through the Bering Strait, between Asia and North America.[3]
- June 1 – The Roundheads defeat the Cavaliers at the Battle of Maidstone in the Second English Civil War.
July–December
- July 16 – Thirty Years’ War – Battle of Prague: The west bank of Prague (including Prague Castle) is occupied and looted by Swedish armies.
- August
- Arabs besiege the Portuguese in Muscat.
- The First Fronde, the Fronde Parlementaire, an insurrection, begins in France.
- The Cambridge Platform, a new, localized system of Christian church governance, is agreed upon and written down in New England.
- August 20 – Battle of Lens: French Duc d’Enghien defeats Spaniards
- October 24 – Signing of the Treaties of Münster and Osnabrück conclude the Peace of Westphalia, ending the Thirty Years’ War. Rulers of the Imperial States have powers to decide their state religion, Protestant, Catholic or Calvinist, with the minorities of each of those faiths granted toleration of worship, and there is general recognition of exclusive sovereignty, including that of the Dutch Republic and Switzerland. France and Sweden gain territory, and the latter is granted an indemnity. However, France remains at war with Spain until 1659.
- November 11 – France and the Netherlands agree to divide the Caribbean island of Saint Martin between them.
- December 11 – “Pride’s Purge” in England: Elements of the New Model Army, under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell invade London and expel a majority of the Long Parliament, resulting in the creation of the Rump Parliament.
Date unknown
- In India, building of the Red Fort in Shahjahanabad is completed.
- The epic poem Padmavati is written by Alaol.
- Sabbatai Zevi declares himself the Messiah at Smyrna.
- George Fox founds the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in England.
- The Dutch artist Rembrandt produces the works Rembrandt drawing at a window and Beggars at the Door.
- Giacomo Carissimi composes Historia di Jephte, one of the first significant Latin oratorios.
