| 1678 AD Treaty of Nimwegen -Two treaties are signed, the first between Holland and France and the second between France and Spain. The agreements between France and Holland restored all the land that the Dutch had lost to the French, in return for Dutch neutrality. The agreement between France and Spain called for each to return the territory of the other. |
| 1679 AD Habeas Corpus Act Passed - The British Parliament passed the Habeas Corpus Act . The act required judges to present a writ of Habeas Corpus that demanded a jailer to produce a prisoner and show cause why the prisoner was being held. |
| 1681 AD Pennsylvania Founded - William Penn, who had embraced Quakerism as an adult, obtained a land grant from the King of England. Penn received the grant in lieu of money owed to his dead father. The land was called “Pennsylvania.” It became a center of religious and other liberties. |
| 1683 AD Turkish Seige of Vienna- The Ottomans, under Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa began a siege of Vienna in July. The siege was lifted in September by a combined German Polish army. |
| 1685 AD Edict of Nantes Revoked - King Louis XIV of France revoked the Edict of Nantes that guaranteed religious freedom in France. This action resulted in the mass emigration of Hugenots from France. As a result France lost many of its most capable citizens. |
| 1687 AD Second Battle of Mohacs Along the Danube River in present Hungary the Ottomans were decisively defeated at the Battle of Mohacs. Charles V, Duke of Lorraine led victorious Imperial troops. |
| 1688 AD The Glorious Revolution in England- The Glorious Revolution ended four years of Catholic rule in England. The bishops of England sent an invitation to James son-in law, William of Orange, to become King and ended Catholic rule. On September 21 William issued a declaration and landed at Tor Bay in November assuming the throne. |
| 1689 AD War of the Grand Alliance Begins The League of Augsburg which combined Spain, Sweden, Bavaria, Saxony and Palatinate began a war against France . After the revolution placed William of Orange on the throne of England, England and Holland joined the alliance against France. |
| 1690 AD Battle of Beachy Head - The Battle of Beachy Head saw the British and Dutch allied against the French. This battle was part of the War of English Succession. The French attacked on June 30, 1690 with a superior force. The British were forced to withdraw however, the French were unable to land their troops. |
| 1690 AD Battle of Boyne River The Protestants completed their conquest of Ireland when England’s William III defeated the Catholic pretender James II at the Battle of Boyne. After the battle, which took place on July 1, 1690 James was forced to flee to France. |
| 1690 AD British Establish Fort at Calcutta The British East India Company founds Calcutta. Leading the effort is John Charnock. |
| 1690 AD John Locke Publishes Two Treatsies of Government -In 1690 John Locke the English philosopher published the "Two Treatise of Civil Government". The book presented the theory of a limited monarchy. It stated that a social contract existed between those governed and those being governed. Lockes work was influential in the development of the theories of democratic government. |
| 1692 AD Battle of La Hogue In May of 1692 the French once again attempted to attack the combined British and Dutch naval fleets. This time at the Battle of Barfleur, they were heavily outnumbered and outgunned The French mounted only 3,240 guns against an enemies force of nearly 7,000. The French fought gallantly but were unable to overcome the superior forces. |
| 1697 AD Battle of Zenta -The Ottomans suffered an overwhelming defeat at the battle of Zenta on September 11, 1697. Eugene of Saxony the commander of Imperial troops in Hungary killed 20,000 Ottomans captured the Ottoman treasury, all of its artillery and provisions and 10 of theSultans wives. After the battle the treaty of Karlowitz is signed in which the Ottomans are forced to cede Croatia, Hungary Transilvania and Sovenia to Austria. |
| 1697 AD Russian Czar Visits Western Europe The Russian Czar Peter, becomes the first Russian leader to leave his country. He undertakes a secret visit to Holland, France and England. Peter returns to Russia determined to westernize the country. |
| 1697 AD Treaty of Rijswijk -The Treaty of Rijswijk ends the 11 year war of the League of Augsburg. All of Spanish lands conquered by France were returned to it. |
