The Second Millenium

[Vince53]

1642

Dutch explorers discover New Zealand.

The nine year long English Civil War begins. It pits Parliament against the King, and Parliament eventually wins. The King is executed, and to this day, the King (or Queen) of England only rules with the consent of Parliament.


But for now, battles rage all over England as the King's armies battle Parliament's armies. Withstanding a Royal siege, Parliament closes all theaters in London, effectively ending the Renaissance in England.


A Frenchmen, [FONT=&quot]Blaise Pascal[/FONT] invents an adding machine.


And in the US, Harvard University graduates its first nine students.

 

[Vince53]

Wow, it's 1643 already!

Five year old Louis the XIV begins his 72 year reign over France. This is the longest recorded reign of any European monarch. Known as "Louis the Great" and "The Sun King," he consolidated pñower into a strong central government that ended civil wars, but which could not be stopped when it became corrupt. However, he made France the most powerful nation in Europe.

Louis revoked the rights of Protestants, and hundreds of thousands of them (mostly Huguenots) converted to Catholicism without resistance. He greatly expanded French colonies in the New World. While usually successful militarily, he suffered a major defeat when he invaded the Holy Roman Empire.

Civil war continues to rage across England as Parliament and Royal forces seize and lose territory.

 

[Vince53]

Welcome to 1644!

Innocent X begins his eleven year reign as Pope.
A politically shrewd lawyer with strong ties to Spain, he was elected as a compromise candidate between the French and Spanish factions (He was an Italian).
The new Pope immediately sued some political rivals for misappropriating public funds, and made a successful peace with France. Later, he would send 20,000 pounds of gunpowder to Irish Catholic rebels, who were still defeated. With Europe racked by religious and political wars, he dealt well with both victories and defeats and left a stronger Papacy behind him
As a cardinal, Innocent had protected Galileo, and he quickly received him as Pope. He gave Galileo permission to publish his theories, as long as he strictly promised to explain that they were only theories. Galileo broke his word, and Innocent refused to grant him a pardon or future audiences.

Sixteen year old John Bunyan enlists in the Parliamentarian army, staying three years but only seeing a little combat. Meanwhile, battles continue to rage across England.


The last of the Ming Dynasty collapses, as the Qing Dynasty captures Beijing. The last Ming Emperor commits suicide, and the Qing Dynasty will last for three centuries.

Portugal wins two battles over Spain and maintains its independence.

A large Swedish army is trapped in Denmark, and the Holy Roman Empire sends a 12,000 man army to annihilate them. But only 2,000 survive, as Sweden outmaneuvers them.

 

[Vince53]

1645

Parliament and Royalists continue to ravage England in their civil war. The Royalists outlaw Christmas.

And with the black Plague going through Edinburgh, the city outlaws all gatherings except for weddings and funerals.

The once-mighty Mali Empire is invaded by the Bambara Empire and is destroyed. The Bambara started within the Mali Empire and will grow rapidly, but after 140 years, they are destroyed by another African empire.

 

[Vince53]

It's 1646.

England's King Charles I surrenders.

Puritan missionary John Elliot had learned the Nipmuc language and had won many Indians to Christ, including Waban. Although not a Chief, Waban was a high-ranking Indian, and this year he helps assemble the first organized Indian Christian church service.

Calvinists publish the Westminster Confession of Faith.

The Little Ice Age ran from about 1350 to about 1850, producing noticeable cooling in the Northern Hemisphere, interrupted by periods of warming. This year, a slow decades-long cooling begins.

 

[Vince53]

Let's look at 1647:

The Great Plaugue of Seville arrives in Spain from Algeria. Over the next five years, about half a million people, 5% of the population, will die.


Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius publishes the first map of the Moon. He had built an observatory on the roofs of three neighboring houses and hand-built the longest tube telescope in the world (at that time). During his life, he also discovered comets and constellations and made accurate star maps.


A massive earthquake destroys or damages nearly every building in Santiago, Chile. Weeks of heavy rain follow, and about 2,000 people die of typhoid fever as a result.


Not only is Parliament winning in England, but they even defeat an Irish rebellion.

Rhode Island officially separates Church and State, thus guaranteeing freedom of religion to its citizens.

 

[Vince53]

1648 is a great year for peacelovers.

The Peace of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War, along with the Eighty Years War between Spain and the Netherlands:

1) Spain recognized Dutch independence.


2) International law begins. Signers agree that no nation has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of another nation. This prevents a lot of religious and family wars.


3) Nations that are included in an empire cannot be ruled by that empire without the nation's consent. In other words, the Holy Roman Empire could not invade itself to bring a subject nation under control.


4) It's official--the Holy Roman Empire is not longer a major European power.


5) Catholics and Lutherans were given equality, although local rulers would choose the state religion. Calvinism was recognized, and in nations with a state church, the other two religions could be regulated but were granted freedom of religion. The Netherlands would provide freedom and safety for Jews.



6) Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was recognized (after decades of actual independence).


The treaty ended most religious warfare. France and Sweden were the big winners. Spain and the Holy Roman Empire were the big losers.
Pope Innocent X declares the treaty [FONT=&quot]"null, void, invalid, iniquitous, unjust, damnable, reprobate, inane, empty of meaning and effect for all time".[/FONT]

 

[Vince53]

We return to 1648.

The Treaty of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years War, effectively guaranteed the destruction of the Holy Roman Empire. Unable to force its subject kingdoms to do anything, the Empire was able to raise united armies and help negotiate problems, but it could not effectively lead.

Located between Poland and Russia, Ukraine begins a nine year war for independence from Poland. Resenting the enforcement of Catholicism, the Orthodox joined the revolt. Along wi9th two other wars, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth will lose about 4 million killed (about 1/3 of the population). At least 20,000 Jews were massacred, most of whom were supervisors of Polish landowners and who were responsible for collecting taxes and debts from the Ukrainians.

The Parliamentary army captures London.

George Fox founds the Quaker religion.

 

[Vince53]

Rise and shine! It's 1649!

England beheads King Charles I. The nation forms a new government that starts as a republic ruled by Parliament. later, the monarchy will be restored, but Parliament, not the Monarch, will rule England. That government still rules England.

Parliament then invades Ireland, massacring Catholic garrisons, even after they had surrendered. Their leader, Oliver Cromwell, was so upset at the sight of dead Parliament soldiers that he ordered the massacres.

Buddhist monks found the city of Urga in Mongolia. Today, it has 1.3 million inhabitants, is Mongolia's capital, and even has skyscrapers.

 

[Vince53]

This is nifty! It's 1650!

Well, they beheaded Charles I, but it didn't work. Scotland proclaims his son, Charles II, as King, while England and Ireland reject him. An army loyal to King Charles I (the one who's dead) invades Scotland and is defeated. And a Parliament army loses 1/4 of its men before an Irish army escapes them. however, Oliver Cromwell orders his army to stop massacring Irish who surrender.

A volcanic eruption on a small Greek island kills about 70 people.

Jews are allowed to return to England and France.

The Ottoman Turks have changed the name of Constantinople to Istanbul. This year it becomes the most populated city in the world. Today it is the capital of Turkey and is still one of the world's largest cities.

 

[Vince53]

1651! 'Nuff said.

Using Latin letters, a Jesuit priest invents the modern Vietnamese alphabet and publishes a catechism. The alphabet is still in use.

Two massive tides strike the Netherlands and Germany a few weeks apart. They drown thousands of people, flood Amsterdam, and form a lake that still exists.

Scotland's King Charles II suffers two major defeats and flees to France.

Hundreds of former samurai warriors, who lost their positions under Japan's new government, are defeated in a rebellion.

England passes the Navigation Act, which requires American products to be carried to England in English merchant ships. This causes an economic crisis in the American colonies.

 

[Vince53]

1652

Discontent spreads in England's American colonies over the Navigation Acts. Now Folks, part of good teaching is to teach both sides. England had suffered through a civil war between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians, while the Americans had sat out the war. In rebulding their country, the English were only being reasonable in shifting part of the cost to the Americans, who benefited from English protection.

England declares war on the Netherlands. The two had been staunch allies during the Thirty Years War. But now the Dutch had more merchant ships than the rest of the world combined. With no tariffs or duties, their good sold at lower prices. Desperate for money after their civil war, the English (who had a stronger navy) banned Dutch ships from trading in the Americas. The war consisted entirely of naval battles, with the British attacking Dutch merchant ships. There were four wars altogether, and in the end, Britannia ruled the waves.



Preaching to a large crowd, George Fox gets the Society of Friends established in England. Mockingly called "Quakers," the name sticks.

 

[Vince53]

1653

It's official--Oliver Cromwell seizes complete control of England for the next five years. A devout Christian and military genius, he had strengthened Parliament before getting rid of it, given most Protestants freedom of religion while persecuting Catholics, mistreated the Irish (He was also ruler of Ireland and Scotland), and established a stable, honest government. Five years later he dies of natural causes.

You've never heard of John Thurloe, the super-spy? Appointed as head of intelligence by Oliver Cromwell, Thurlowe developed an extensive spy network throughout Europe and the Americas. He foiled various assassination plots and rebellions. Part of his success was that no one had ever done so well (Cardinal Richelieu had been pretty good) at establishing spies, so there was not much defense against him.

Shipwrecked in Korea, a Dutch sea captain is made prisoner but allowed to mingle with the people. Thirteen years later he escapes, and his account of Korea is a source of valuable historical information.

The Italian medical genius Marcello Malpighi earns his doctor's degree. He is the father of microscopic anatomy, and several microscopic body parts are named after him.

 

[Vince53]

1654 is a good year for Christian books.

Tormented by nightmares, John Bunyan accepts Christ as Savior. Although famous for his profane mouth, he was otherwise no worse than other juvenile delinquents.

A scientist in the Holy Roman Empire proves the existence of atmospheric pressure by inventing a vacuum pump. He places two metal spheres together, pumps out the air, and two teams of horses cannot pull them apart.

Russia makes peace with its Cossack rebels and immediately invades Poland, starting the Thirteen Years War. The Poles were winning, but their shattered economy (from other wars going on at the same time) forced them to sign a treaty giving Russia large areas of land, and establishing Russia as a major eastern European power.

Fleeing persecution, 23 Jews settle in New York. Today, they are the second-largest Jewish community in the world.

The French mathematical genius Blaise Pascal has an immense religious vision that causes him to give up mathematics. He had invented and then improved a mechanical calculator and had even proven some theories about vacuums. He became a Jansenist, a group of Calvinist Catholics who taught salvation through good works, but with God only enabling some people to be good enough.

 

[Vince53]

1655

Alexander VII begins his twelve year reign as Pope.
A devout Catholic who, as a cardinal, had refused to negotiate with Protestants, Alexander started out with a life of simplicity and honesty. After one year, however, he turned to wealth after his relatives corrupted him.
The Pope planned out a very effective system for improving and beautifying Rome, and several of his buildings are still in use. He forbad Catholics to believe the heliocentric theory so successfully that it was not repealed for about eight decades.
Cardinal Mazarin, an Italian who served as Chief Minister of France, was the Pope's bitter political enemy, working hard to continue the conflicts between France and the Papacy. Everywhere else, however, he usually succeeded.

Oliver Cromwell permits Jews to return to England.
The Great Red Spot, a gigantic hurricane on Jupiter, is discovered. The hurricane is still in progress and still visible. Titan, Saturn's largest moon, is discovered.

A Virginia court recognizes the right of Free Blacks to own Black slaves.

Advancing into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Russian troops capture the capital of Lithuania.Shortly afterwards, an advancing Swedish army captures Warsaw. The Swedes then capture Krakow.

 

[Kalevalatar]

1655

On 3 November 1655, the recently abdicated King (her official title) of Lutheran Sweden, Christina -- no less than the daughter of the Lion of the North, Sweden's own hero king in the Thirty Years War against the Catholics -- officially converted to the Catholic faith. Quelle horreur. Or, as they say in Swedish, O, vad fasa!

 

[Vince53]

Thank you, Kalevalatar. People ARE allowed to post on this thread.

And now, on to 1656!

The biggest surprise of Iceland’s biggest witch hunt is that the accused really were guilty. The minister accused a father and son, and they confessed to using magic books to curse their pastor. They were both burned at the stake. He then accused an innocent woman, and she was given all the minister's possessions as compensation.


A Portuguese Jew arrives in Maryland and becomes a successful doctor and merchant. He deals honestly with the Indians as well as the colonists and English merchants. After two years, he is arrested for blasphemy, because he had expressed his opinion of Christ in a private conversation. The court freed him.


And Jews have a great year in Britain. A public debate is held--Jews had been expelled in 1290, but no law forbad Jews from settling in England now. Oliver Cromwell's government allows a group of Jewish settlers to legally live in England, a previously secret synagogue goes public, secret Jews emerge from hiding, more settlers arrive, and England becomes a safe haven for Jews.

 

[Vince53]

1657

A three day long fire destroys 2/3 of Tokyo, killing about 100,000 people. Most of the buildings were made of wood and paper, and the buildings were dry from a drought. Heavy winds quickly spread the flames across Tokyo's narrow streets.

After grudgingly allowing Jews freedom of religion, New Amsterdam (later New york) allows new Quaker settlers the same freedom.

Coffee is first imported to France.

 

[Vince53]

1658 is a bad year for Spain.

Dunkirk ("Church in the Dunes") was an important port that is today part of Belgium but which was held by Spain. A combined French and English army captures it, and Dunkirk is then given to England.

Meanwhile, a Spanish fleet attacks Jamaica, a large island in the Caribbean Sea, but the English drive them off.

It's also a rough year for famous fathers. After completing the beautiful Taj Mahal, the ruler of the Mughal Empire is deposed by his son.

And Oliver Cromwell dies of natural causes and is succeeded as ruler of England, Scotland, and Ireland by his incompetent son. Not really a bad fellow, Richard resigns peacefully nine months later, saving Britain from civil war.

 

[Vince53]

1659

Dutch settlers in New York start and lose a war with local Indians. After a few years, the Dutch sell their settlements to the English. The Dutch, do, however, ban tennis during church services.



Spain's bad fortunes continue from last year. They lay siege to Elvas, a Portuguese city on the Spanish border. With 300 citizens dying every day from the Black Plague, Elvas holds on until a Portuguese army arrives. In the following battle, Portugal has 201 killed. Spain has 11,200 killed or captured, plus Portugal captures all of Spain's artillery.

With difficulty, England, France, and the Netherlands put together a treaty that gets them to stop fighting each other. Although they are not at war with Spain, this alliance does not help the Spanish. Spain ends its war with France by giving up territory to the French.