1684 facts for kids

The year 1684 was a leap year. It began on a Saturday according to the Gregorian calendar. This year saw many important events around the world. People made new discoveries, explored new lands, and faced challenges.

Key Events of 1684

Important Happenings

• July 24 – The French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle set sail from France once more. His goal was to start a French colony near the Mississippi River in the Gulf of Mexico.
• October 7 – In Japan, the Chief Minister Hotta Masatoshi was killed. This left the Shogun Tsunayoshi without good advisors. Because of this, the Shogun made rules that were not practical. These rules caused problems for the Japanese people.
• December 10 – Isaac Newton's important work was shared with the Royal Society. His paper, called De motu corporum in gyrum, explained Kepler's laws using his ideas about gravity. Edmond Halley read the paper for him.

Other Notable Events

• France, led by Louis XIV, made a separate peace agreement. This was called the Truce of Ratisbon. It was made with the Holy Roman Empire and Spain.
• Pope Innocent XI created a special group called the Holy League. This group included the Habsburg Empire, Venice, and Poland. Their aim was to free Europe from the rule of the Ottoman Turks.
• The Japanese poet Saikaku showed his amazing talent. He wrote 23,500 verses in just 24 hours. This happened at the Sumiyoshi Shrine in Osaka. The people writing down his words could not keep up. They just counted the verses instead.
• The British East India Company received permission from China. They could build a trading station in Canton. Tea was sold in Europe for a low price. However, a high tax made it too expensive for most English people.
• Many people in England drank tea that was smuggled. This was because legal tea was very costly.
• England experienced its coldest winter in many years. The River Thames in London froze over. Even the sea froze for up to 2 miles from the land.
• John Bunyan wrote the second part of his famous book, The Pilgrim's Progress.
• The Chipperfield's Circus family started their tradition. James Chipperfield brought performing animals to England. This happened at the frost fairs on the frozen River Thames in London.

People Born in 1684

• January 1 – Arnold Drakenborch, a Dutch expert in old languages. (died 1748)
• January 14 – Jean-Baptiste van Loo, a French painter. (died 1745)
• February 24 – Matthias Braun, a Czech sculptor. (died 1738)
• March 15 – Francesco Durante, an Italian composer. (died 1755)
• March 19 – Jean Astruc, a French doctor and scholar. (died 1766)
• April 15 – Catherine I of Russia, who later became Empress of Russia. (died 1727)
• June 22 – Francesco Manfredini, an Italian composer. (died 1762)
• September 18 – Johann Gottfried Walther, a German music expert and organist. (died 1748)
• October 10 – Antoine Watteau, a French painter. (died 1721)
• October 26 – Kurt Christoph Graf von Schwerin, a Prussian military leader. (died 1757)
• December 3 – Ludvig Holberg, a Norwegian historian and writer. (died 1754)

People Who Died in 1684

• April 1 – Roger Williams, an English religious leader and colonist. (born 1603)
• April 5 – Lord William Brouncker, an English mathematician. (born 1602)
• May 4 – John Nevison, an English highwayman. (born 1639)
• May 12 – Edme Mariotte, a French physicist and priest. (born c.1620)
• July 2 – John Rogers, an American president of Harvard University. (born 1630)
• July 6 – Peter Gunning, an English churchman. (born 1614)
• August 8 – George Booth, 1st Baron Delamer. (born 1622)
• October 1 – Pierre Corneille, a French playwright. (born 1606)
• October 11 – James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven. (born 1617)

Images for kids

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  This image shows a scene from the Morean War, which began on April 25.

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  A portrait of Catherine I of Russia.

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  A portrait of the famous painter Antoine Watteau.

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  A portrait of Edward Vernon.

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  A possible self-portrait of the painter Pieter de Hooch.

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  A portrait of the playwright Pierre Corneille.

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  A portrait of Géraud de Cordemoy.

See also

In Spanish: 1684 para niños