1701 in History

The Lords acquit Somers after the Commons fails to prosecute its charges.

William III of Orange gives royal assent to the Act of Settlement, which secures the future English succession in the Protestant House of Hanover.

Charles enters the Courland capital after victory at the Duna.

As plenipotentiary, signs the Grand Alliance treaty at The Hague.

Louis strengthens his position through an alliance with the Elector of Bavaria.

Philip concludes an alliance with Pedro II of Portugal.

Louis supports the Franco-Spanish alliance concluded with Portugal.

Louis concludes an alliance linking Savoy to the Bourbon war effort.

Pedro II concludes an alliance with Philip V and Louis XIV.

Eugene manoeuvres through Alpine routes to enter northern Italy.

Louis orders French troops into Dutch barrier fortresses in the Spanish Netherlands.

Frederick attends thanksgiving ceremonies celebrating the new monarchy.

Maximilian Emanuel aligns Bavaria and the Spanish Netherlands with France.

Victor Amadeus joins the Franco-Spanish alliance and promises military support.

Newton is returned to Parliament for Cambridge University.

Walpole enters Parliament as member for Castle Rising.

Peter celebrates Erestfer as an important recovery after Narva.

Pierpont helps organise the ministers who establish Connecticut's Collegiate School.

Pierson becomes the first rector of Connecticut's new Collegiate School.

Appointed commander-in-chief of the English forces serving abroad.

Presses Saxon forces away from the Baltic provinces.

Eugene crosses the Adige and outflanks the French defensive position.

Charles leads Swedish troops across the Duna under covering smoke.

Charles XII defeats Saxon forces and Russian detachments near the Duna and relieves Riga.

Defeats Saxon forces near Riga after forcing the Duna crossing.

Schlippenbach suffers defeat during the Russian winter offensive.

Augustus fails to prevent Charles XII from crossing the Duna.

Eugene defeats Villeroy's assault from a prepared defensive position.

Steinau commands Saxon forces opposing the Swedish crossing.

Sophia becomes the designated Protestant successor after Anne under the Act of Settlement.

Charles prepares to drive Saxon forces away from Riga and Livonia.

Stenbock participates in the Swedish victory over the Saxon army.

Dahlbergh supports engineering and logistical preparations for the river crossing.

Heinsius secures alliance commitments intended to restore a protective Dutch barrier.

Philip enters Madrid to begin governing the Spanish monarchy.

Philip confirms a close military and political alliance with Louis XIV.

Louis issues letters preserving Philip V's theoretical place in the French succession.

Catinat withdraws after Eugene's surprise attack at Carpi.

Portocarrero becomes Governor of the Realm during Philip V's early reign.

Heinsius supports the Dutch Republic entering the alliance against France and Bourbon Spain.

Leopold I joins the alliance to defend Habsburg claims and resist Bourbon expansion.

Supports the Grand Alliance against Bourbon control of Spain.

The United Provinces join the treaty to restore the Dutch barrier in the Spanish Netherlands.

William III of Orange joins England with the Dutch Republic and the Habsburg monarchy in the Grand Alliance formed at The Hague.

William III of Orange directs negotiations for a renewed European alliance as the Spanish succession crisis moves toward war.

Signs the Grand Alliance treaty binding England, the Dutch Republic and the Emperor against France.

Anne remains first in the Protestant succession established by Parliament.

Acts as a teller in a Lords division during the dispute over the impeachment of leading Whig peers.

Somers answers impeachment charges arising from the partition treaties.

Charles XII invades Poland

After the victory on the Duna, Charles XII turns south against Augustus II and his Polish-Saxon position.

Eugene assumes command of the Imperial army assembled for the Italian campaign.

Villeroy replaces Catinat as commander of the French army in Italy.

Leopold authorises an Imperial campaign in northern Italy.

James assumes his father's claim to the English and Scottish crowns.

William III of Orange assents to the Act of Settlement, including provisions that strengthen the security of judicial tenure.

Crowns himself King in Prussia with imperial consent.

Manages a parliamentary conference on amendments to legislation regulating the King's Bench and Fleet prisons.

Frederick's coronation establishes the royal title King in Prussia.

Sheremetev conducts raids and field operations against Swedish Livonia.

Peter authorises renewed operations against Swedish positions in Livonia.

Catinat is replaced after failing to stop Eugene's advance.

Philip marries Maria Luisa Gabriella of Savoy by proxy.

Maria Luisa Gabriella marries Philip V in person at Figueres.

Elected again as Member of Parliament for the University of Cambridge.

Boufflers supervises French entry into fortresses previously garrisoned by Dutch troops.

French troops enter Spanish Netherlands fortresses after the Bourbon succession settlement.

Charles occupies Courland after the Saxon withdrawal.

William III of Orange opens Parliament and urges members to address European security and the unresolved succession question.

Frederick establishes the Order of the Black Eagle before his coronation.

William III of Orange summons a new Parliament as the European crisis and the French recognition of the Stuart claimant intensify.

William III of Orange urges Parliament to respond firmly after Louis XIV recognizes James Francis Edward Stuart as king of England and Scotland.

Augustus organises resistance to the approaching Swedish campaign in Poland.

Louis XIV recognises James as James III of England and VIII of Scotland.

Recognises James Francis Edward Stuart as claimant to Britain.

Louis XIV recognises James Francis Edward Stuart as heir to the English and Scottish crowns.

Louis recognises James Francis Edward Stuart as the rightful British monarch.

Leopold's prior consent enables Frederick to assume the title King in Prussia.

Charles XII relieves Riga after defeating the Saxon army at the crossing of the Duna.

Relieves Riga and restores Swedish control in Livonia.

William III of Orange condemns Louis XIV's recognition of James Francis Edward Stuart as the rightful English king.

Frederick makes a ceremonial royal entry into Berlin.

Frederick publicly assumes the new royal dignity.

Sheremetev's Russian detachment supports the Saxon position near the Duna.

Votes against the acquittal of Lord Somers during the contentious impeachment proceedings.

Harley is chosen Speaker when the new Parliament assembles.

Bray secures a royal charter for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.

William III of Orange grants a royal charter to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

Succeeded as the Pretender to the English throne by James Edward, "the Old Pretender"

Succeeds as Duke of Orleans

George Louis becomes the principal future beneficiary of his mother's designated succession.

Louis XIV preserves Philip V's theoretical French succession rights, alarming rival European powers.

Attends the St Albans election in support of his brother George Churchill's parliamentary candidacy.

Heinsius joins England and the Emperor in concluding the Grand Alliance.

Charles defeats the Saxon army and relieves pressure on Riga.

Charles establishes winter quarters while preparing operations against Augustus II.

Birth of Anders Celsius

Anders Celsius is born into an academic family in Uppsala.

Charles Marie de La Condamine is born in Paris.

The last Spanish Habsburg dies without an heir. Death of Charles II, the throne is claimed by Philip V grandson of Louis XIV

James II dies in exile after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage.

Death of James II, cerebral haemorrhage

Catinat is defeated by Eugene of Savoy at Carpi during the opening Italian campaign.

Eugene defeats Catinat's French forces at Carpi.

Villeroy attacks Eugene of Savoy at Chiari and suffers a costly French defeat.

Villeroy attacks Eugene's fortified position and suffers heavy losses.

Charles XII defeats a joint Russian & Saxon Army

Sheremetev defeats Schlippenbach's Swedish force at Erestfer.

Schlippenbach defeats a larger Russian force during fighting in Livonia.

Charles XII defeats a joint Russian, Polish & Saxon Army

Rehnskiold commands Swedish troops during the successful river crossing.

Sophie Charlotte is crowned Queen in Prussia during the royal ceremony.

The Elector of Brandenburg crowns himself King in Prussia.

Frederick crowns himself King in Prussia at Konigsberg.