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The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth, Massachusetts, on April 5, 1621, returning to England and leaving behind the struggling Plymouth Colony. The Mayflower arrived at Rotherhithe in London on May 6, 1621.
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What Happened in April?
Sieges, raids, and monumental deaths. Discover key historical events from April that influenced the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material. When possible, we show a link to a source which provides additional or unique perspective about the event.
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Galileo goes on trial for heresy on April 12, 1633. The trigger for the trial was his 1632 publication, "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems," presenting "heliocentrism", the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun which contradicted the Church doctrine where the Earth was the center.
The Short Parliament stars on April 13, 1640, but it is disbanded by King Charles I of England soon after, on May 5, 1640.
Li Zicheng's rebel forces captures Beijing, on April 24, 1644, marking the effective end of the Ming dynasty as the last emperor, the Chongzhen Emperor, commits suicide. The fall of Beijing opened the path for the Manchu-led Qing dynasty to eventually take control of China.
Dutch East India Company (VOC) administrator, Jan van Riebeeck, established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa, at Cape Town, on April 6, 1652. The settlement was to support ships traveling to the East Indies. He built a fort and cultivated crops, marking the start of Cape Town.
Oliver Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament in England on April 20, 1653 due to frustration over its failure to pass reforms. This action effectively ended the initial Commonwealth phase and started the Protectorate, a period of military dictatorship starting in December 1653 with Cromwell as Lord Protector.
The Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb orders the destruction of the Hindu temple at Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, India on April 9, 1669.
The Convention Parliament meets on April 25, 1660, in England, beginning the Restoration of the monarchy under Charles II.
The first recorded victims of the Great Plague of London died, on April 12, 1665. The Plague was a bubonic plague epidemic which killed approximately between 75,000 and 100,000 of its 460,000 inhabitants. This outbreak was the last major plague epidemic in England since the Black Death of 1348. More
John Milton, blind and impoverished sells the copyright of his epic over 10,000 line poem, "Paradise Lost", on April 27, 1667, to publisher Samuel Simmons for an initial £5, with an additional £5 to be paid upon the sale of 1,300 copies of each of the first three editions. (Roughly £16,000 today). Milton's work went on to become one of the most significant one in English literature.
Paradise Lost is an epic poem by John Milton that retells the biblical story of the Fall of Man, focusing on Satan's rebellion, his temptation of Adam and Eve, and their subsequent expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Written in blank verse, (“ a literary term that refers to poetry written in unrhymed but metered lines), it explores themes of free will, obedience, tyranny, and redemption, famously aiming to "justify the ways of God to men". The poem is renowned for its complex characters. Milton's epic poem, containing over 10,000 lines of blank verse and it is commonly published in 12 books.
France officially declares war on the Dutch Republic on April 6, 1672, initiating the Franco-Dutch War.
French explorer, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, claims the Mississippi River basin for France, on April 9, 1682, naming it Louisiana (La Louisiane), to honor King Louis XIV. The claim spanned from the Appalachian Mountains to the Rockies, and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.
William III and Mary II are crowned on April 11, 1689, as joint sovereigns of England, Scotland, and Ireland, at Westminster Abbey.
The Siege of Derry, a key event in the Williamite War in Ireland began on April 18, 1689, when the deposed Catholic King James II arrived to demand surrender, initiating a 105-day standoff against Protestant defenders.
It was a key, brutal event in the Williamite War in Ireland, featuring starvation, bombardment, and enduring resistance by the city's inhabitants until relief arrived in August 1, 1689, when supply ships broke through a boom on the River Foyle and relieved the city.
The first edition of "Tatler" magazine is published by Richard Steele in London on April 12, 1709. Writing under the pseudonym "Isaac Bickerstaff, Esquire," Steele produced a pioneering, periodical featuring social commentary, literature, gossip, and news from London's coffee houses, continuing publication, three times a week until January 2, 1711.
The first copyright legislation in Great Britain, known as the Statute of Anne comes into force on April 10, 1710.
The Statute of Anne, the first fully-fledged copyright law, comes into force in Great Britain on April 10, 1710. It shifted rights from publishers to authors, braking the monopoly of the "Stationers' Company", establishing a 14-year protection term for new works (renewable for another 14) and 21 years for existing books.
The major treaties of Utrecht, were signed on April 11, 1713, ending the War of the Spanish Succession, settling dynastic issues and reshaping European and colonial territories. The Peace conference at Utrecht, Netherlands, known as the "Congress of Utrecht", officially began on January 29, 1712. Secret peace talks between Great Britain and France in 1711 paved the way for the formal conference.
The Treaty of Utrecht refers to a series of peace treaties signed in Utrecht, Netherlands, between 1713 and 1715, that concluded the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) by settling the Spanish throne with Philip V, grandson of France's Louis XIV, renouncing his claim to the French throne, preventing a Bourbon superstate and establishing European balance of power. The treaties also granted Britain key territories like Gibraltar, Minorca and Nova Scotia plus the lucrative Asiento (slave trade monopoly) marking Britain rise as a world power The conflict officially ended with later treaties in 1714 and 1715.
Robinson Crusoe, the novel by Daniel Defoe is published in London on April 25, 1719, quickly becoming a major success, having four editions printed in the first year of publication. The book tells the story of Robinson Crusoe, who defies his family's wishes and goes to sea, only to be shipwrecked on a deserted island.
He survives for many years by his own ingenuity, adapting to his environment, learning to farm, and eventually befriending a native man he names Friday. The novel explores themes of survival, resilience, and the human spirit's resilience. The book went on to become the second-most translated book in the world. More
Sir Robert Walpole, widely recognized as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain, takes the office on April 3, 1721, although the title "Prime Minister" was not officially recognized at the time. Walpole held the position for over 20 years. He became the first "Prime Minister" to live at 10 Downing Street, establishing it as the official residence for the First Lord of the Treasury.