President of Switzerland
Begins a one-year term as President of the Swiss Confederation.
Historical events in 1859
147 historical records
January 18597 historical events
Election as Prince of Moldavia
Cuza is elected Prince of Moldavia, advancing the unionist programme.
Election as Prince of Wallachia
Cuza is elected Prince of Wallachia, creating a personal union of the principalities.
Union of the Principalities
Cuza's double election establishes the United Principalities under one ruler.
Death of Frederick John Robinson Goderich
Death of Frederick John Robinson
Treaty of Cobden
Cobden & Napoleon agree the Treaty
Treaty of Cobden
Has a budget surplus & wishes to quell anti-French feeling
February 18592 historical events
Birth of Victor Herbert
Birth of Victor Herbert
Federal War
Federalist rebels proclaimed a new movement at Coro, beginning the Federal War.
March 18593 historical events
Birth of Alexandru Averescu
Birth of Alexandru Averescu
Leavenworth Speech
Lincoln speaks at Leavenworth during his Kansas tour
IRB
Founds the Irish Republican Brotherhood
April 18598 historical events
Capture of Tatya Tope
Tatya Tope is captured after betrayal by Man Singh of Narwar, ending his long guerrilla campaign.
Royal Albert First Test Train Crosses
A South Devon locomotive makes the first test crossing of Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge.
Execution
Tatya Tope is executed at Shivpuri after capture, trial by military court, and conviction.
Royal Albert Bridge
The Royal Albert Bridge passes its official Board of Trade inspection and load tests.
Construction of Suez Canal
Allows construction to begin at Port Said under the Suez Canal Company concession.
Port Said
Work starts on the shore of the future Port Said
Suez Canal
Work starts on the shore of the future Port Said. The excavation takes some 10 years using forced labor (corvee) of Egyptian workers, sources estimate that over 30,000 people were working on the canal at any given period, that more than 1.5 million people from various countries were employed, and that thousands of laborers died
Construction of Suez Canal
Opens construction work at Port Said, beginning the excavation of the Suez Canal.
May 185913 historical events
Royal Albert Bridge
Prince Albert formally opens the Royal Albert Bridge, although illness prevents Brunel from attending.
Declaration of War
France declares war Austria
Declaration of War
France declares war Austria
Siege of Milan
French victory at Magenta is followed by the French liberation of Milan
Royal Albert Bridge
Public railway services begin across the Royal Albert Bridge as the Cornwall Railway opens through Saltash.
Reichstag
The Liberals have a majority in the Landtag & William dissolves it
Birth of Pierre Curie
Birth of Pierre Curie in Paris.
Birth of Arthur Conan Doyle
Birth of Arthur Conan Doyle
Franklin Expedition Remains Found
McClintock finds human remains and abandoned equipment during his search of King William Island, adding important evidence about Franklin's lost expedition.
Battle of Varese
Wins a victory over the Austrians
Marshal
Appointed Marshal after the Battle of Magenta
Peerage
Created Duke of Magenta, after the Battle of Magenta
Franklin Record Recovered
McClintock's expedition recovers the written record left by Franklin's officers, providing the first authoritative account of the ships' abandonment.
June 185917 historical events
Battle of Magenta
Results in a French-Sardinian victory under Napoleon III against the Austrians under Marshal Ferencz Gyulai. French victory at Magenta is followed by the French liberation of Milan
Siege of Milan
French victory at Magenta is followed by the French liberation of Milan
Battle of Magenta
Transforms the battle into a French victory. MacMahon is created Duke of Magenta for his role in this battle, and later serves as President of the French Republic. French victory at Magenta is followed by the French liberation of Milan
Battle of Magenta
Napoleon IIIs army crossed the Ticino River and outflanked the Austrian right forcing the Austrian army under General Gyulai to retreat
Battle of Magenta
Leads an Austrian force defeated by the French & Italians, forced to retire
Retirement
Leads an Austrian force defeated by the French & Italians, forced to retire
Resignation of Edward Stanley
Lord Derby resigns
Mobilization
Prussia begins to mobilize against France
Prime Minister of Great Britain
Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain, 2nd term
Battle of Solferino
Saves the Austrian Army from a total rout by a rear guard action
Battle of Solferino
The north Italian village of Solferino is captured by the French from the Austrians. The North Italian village of Solferino is captured by the French from Franz Josef. Dismisses Gyulai & assumes command of 160,000 against the Franco-Piedmontese. Defeated by the French in Piedmonts attempt to gain Lombardy or Venetia & unite Italy
Dismissal
Dismisses Gyulai & assumes command of 160,000 against the Franco-Piedmontese
Independence of Austria
Defeated by the French in Piedmonts attempt to gain Lombardy or Venetia & unite Italy
Independence of Italy
Defeated by the French in Piedmonts attempt to gain Lombardy or Venetia & unite Italy
Unification
Defeated by the French in Piedmonts attempt to gain Lombardy or Venetia & unite Italy
Battle of Solferino
The Austrians are defeated by the French & Sardinians
Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy
Marx publishes a major preliminary treatment of commodities, money and production.
July 18598 historical events
Armistice
France & Austria agree an armistice
Armistice
France & Austria agree an armistice
Succession
Succeeds as King of Sweden
Death of Oscar I
Death of Oscar I
Peace
Under the peace of Villafranca Venice remains Austrian. Under the peace of Villafranca Tuscany & Modena are to be restored. Under the peace of Villafranca Parma & Lombardy are ceded to France. The preliminary peace of Villafranca
Rule of Lombardy
Under the peace of Villafranca Parma & Lombardy are ceded to France
Rule of Parma
Under the peace of Villafranca Parma & Lombardy are ceded to France
Rule of Venice
Under the peace of Villafranca Venice remains Austrian
September 18594 historical events
Stroke
Brunel suffers a severe stroke shortly before the first sea trials of SS Great Eastern.
Nationalverein
Opening of a German National Union formed by Bennigsen
Unification
The Nationalverein unites a "Little Germany" under Prussian leadership
Death of Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel dies at the age of fifty-three after a career transforming railways, bridges, tunnels and ships.
October 18592 historical events
Capture of Harpers Ferry
The abolitionist, John Brown, captures the Government arsenal at Harpers Ferry
Birth of Henri Bergson
Henri Bergson is born in Paris to a Polish father and an English mother.
November 18598 historical events
Peace
Under the peace of Villafranca Parma & Lombardy are ceded to France
Rule of Lombardy
Under the peace of Villafranca Parma & Lombardy are ceded to France
Rule of Parma
Under the peace of Villafranca Parma & Lombardy are ceded to France
Peace
The Treaty of Zurich confirms the peace of Villafranca
Treaty of Zurich
The Treaty of Zurich confirms the peace of Villafranca
Peace
The Treaty of Zurich confirms the peace of Villafranca
Treaty of Zurich
The Treaty of Zurich confirms the peace of Villafranca
Peace
The peace of Villafranca is confirmed
December 18593 historical events
First Hall Government
The First Hall Government ends in Copenhagen, concluding this term as Council President of Denmark.
Rotwitt Government
Begins the Rotwitt Government in Copenhagen and serves as Council President of Denmark.
Birth of George's Surat
Birth of George's Surat
Ohio Campaign
Lincoln speaks in Columbus during the Ohio Republican campaign
Ohio Campaign
Lincoln addresses Cincinnati Republicans and answers Southern criticism
Wisconsin State Fair
Lincoln speaks at the Wisconsin State Fair on labor and free society
Ohio Campaign
Lincoln campaigns for Republican candidates during his Ohio speaking tour
Kansas Tour
Lincoln visits Kansas Territory as a rising Republican speaker
Resignation of Alexander Freiherr von Bach
Resigns after Austrias defeat to France & Italy
Armistice
Forced to surrender Lombardy at the Armistice of Villafranca
Revolution of 1859
Suppresses a regional rebellion against the central government.
Allies with Italian States in gaining unity
Allies with Italian States in gaining unity
Alliance Napoleon III and Sardinia
Allies with Sardinia against Austria
Orbit of Mercury
Le Verrier was the first to report that the slow precession of Mercurys orbit around the Sun could not be completely explained by Newtonian mechanics and perturbations by the known planets
Mercury Perihelion Anomaly
Reports the unexplained advance of Mercury's perihelion, later explained by general relativity.
Ambassador
William takes over the Government of Prussia as Regent, he replaces Bismarck as Envoy in Frankfurt and makes Bismarck Prussia's Ambassador of the Russian Empire
Lieutenant
Appointed Lieutenant General
Reform of Armed Forces
Wilhelm apppoints Roon as a member of a commission to report on the reorganisation of the army
Tale of Two Cities
Publication of "Tale of Two Cities"
On the Origin of Species
Publication of "The Origin of the Species"
Discovery of Malawi
Establishes European contact with what becomes Malawi
Franchise
Reform Bill, Introduces & loses the bill for extending the franchise
Reform of Electoral System
Reform Bill, Introduces & loses the bill for extending the franchise
Budget
Raises a budget to pay for the war with China raising income tax from 5d to 9d
Income Tax
Raises a budget to pay for the war with China raising income tax from 5d to 9d
Home Secretary of Great Britain
Appointed Home Secretary
Board of Trade
Appointed President of the Board of Trade
President of Board of Trade
Appointed President of the Board of Trade
Foreign Secretary of Great Britain
Appointed Foreign Minister
Postmaster General
Appointed Post Master General
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer
Treaty of Cobden
Has a budget surplus & wishes to quell anti-French feeling. Chevalier visits Gladstone to discuss Anglo-French free trade
Vice President
Appointed Vice President of the Education Board
On Liberty
Publication of "Thoughts on Parliamentary Reform". Publication of "On Liberty"
Thoughts on Parliamentary Reform
Publication of "Thoughts on Parliamentary Reform". Publication of "On Liberty"
Editor
Acton is appointed Editor of the Roman Catholic monthly paper, The Rambler, in 1859, on John Henry (later Cardinal) Newmans retirement from the editorship
The Rambler
Acton is appointed Editor of the Roman Catholic monthly paper, The Rambler, in 1859, on John Henry (later Cardinal) Newmans retirement from the editorship
Member of Parliament
Elected Parliamentary member of the Irish Borough of Carlow and becomes a devoted admirer and adherent of Gladstone
Resignation of Richard Cobden
Resigned in opposition to the Crimea War in 1857 but returns to office in 1859
Treaty of Cobden
Michel Chevalier visits Gladstone to discuss Anglo-French free trade. Gladstone has a budget surplus & wishes to quell anti French feeling
President of the Council
Appointed financial member of the council of India
Reform of Royal Succession
Palmerston & Russell resolve their differences & found of the modern Liberal Party
Reform of Royal Succession
Palmerston & Russell resolve their differences & found of the modern Liberal Party
Peelites
Lord Palmerston forms a new mixed Government with Radicals included, and Gladstone again joins the Government as Chancellor of the Exchequer (with most of the other remaining Peelites) to become part of the new Liberal Party
Brunel Crosses Saltash Bridge
The crossing marks completion of one of his final major bridge projects.
Cornwall Railway Connection Completed
Completion of the Tamar crossing allows the Cornwall Railway to connect directly with the South Devon broad-gauge network.
First Crossing of Royal Albert Bridge
Crosses the completed Royal Albert Bridge while seriously ill.
Royal Albert Bowstring Tubular Principle Completed
Brunel combines tubular compression arches with suspension chains to create the bridge's distinctive bowstring structural system.
Royal Albert Bridge Cost Held below £225000
The completed bridge is recorded as costing under two hundred and twenty-five thousand pounds.
Royal Albert Engineering Inscription Added
The Cornish portal carries the prominent inscription 'I K BRUNEL ENGINEER 1859' as part of the completed bridge.
Royal Albert Main Spans Set at 135 Metres
The completed bridge uses two principal spans of about 135 metres each across the navigable Tamar.
Royal Albert Navigation Clearance Achieved
The bridge provides the high navigation clearance demanded by the Admiralty while carrying the railway across the Tamar.
Royal Albert Seventeen Approach Spans Completed
Seventeen approach spans connect Brunel's two main river spans with the railway on both banks.
Three Bridges Engineering Work
The structure becomes one of Brunel's rare surviving iron bridges.
Windmill Bridge Opens
Completes the combined road, rail and canal crossing known as Windmill Bridge.
Captain
Appointed Captain
Commander in Chief
Appointed Commander in Chief
Commander in Chief
Appointed Commander in Chief
Voyage of the Fox Published
McClintock publishes The Voyage of the Fox in the Arctic Seas, presenting the expedition's evidence about the fate of Franklin and his companions.
Inuit Evidence of Franklin Expedition
McClintock interviews Inuit witnesses who report a shipwreck and describe survivors from Franklin's expedition travelling south across the Arctic.
Succession
Succeeds as King of Italy
Birth of Luigi Attilio Capello
Birth of Luigi Attilio Capello
Foreign Secretary of Romania
Appointed Foreign Secretary
Dvoryanskoye gnezdo
Publication of "Dvoryanskoye gnezdo"
Editing Commissions
Supports the editing commissions that turn provincial emancipation proposals into draft legislation.
Surrender of Imam Shamil
Russian forces capture Imam Shamil, breaking organised resistance in the eastern Caucasus.
Election
Elected President of the Orange Free State
Free State
Elected President of the Orange Free State
Marriage
Marries Ellen Lewis Herndon
Post Debate Reputation
Republicans begin treating Lincoln as a national figure after the debates with Douglas
Republican Correspondence
Lincoln writes to Republican allies and expands his national political network
Republican Leadership
Lincoln becomes a serious Republican prospect for national office
Church of God
Founds the Church of God in Christ
Death of John Brown
Hanged for capturing a Government arsenal
Execution
Hanged for capturing a Government arsenal