The Treaty of Andrusovo (or the Truce of Andrusovo) is signed on January 30, 1667, ending the thirteen year between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It marked a shift in power towards Russia, laying groundwork for its rise and eventually being solidified by the Eternal Peace Treaty of 1686.
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What Happened in January?
Tragic deaths, ravaged cities, and great acts of heroism. Discover what happened this month in history and the defining moments that shaped the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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England, the Dutch Republic, and Sweden sign the Triple Alliance against France on January 23, 1668. It was a crucial defensive pact against French King Louis XIV's expansion into the Spanish Netherlands.
The Alliance forcing King Louis XIV him to sign the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and return most territories. However, France was later able to break the coalition through diplomacy.
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Henry Morgan, a Welsh pirate, attacks Panama City on January 28, 1671, looting it, causing destruction. and capturing the wealthy city from the Spanish. Morgan's attack, however, was technically illegal as it occurred after a peace treaty between England and Spain which he claimed he was not aware of.
Upon his return, he was arrested but was ultimately hailed as a hero, knighted by King Charles II, and appointed Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica.
The Treaty of Westminster ends England's involvement in the Franco-Dutch War.
King Charles II disbands the English Parliament on January 24, 1679 due to constant conflicts over foreign policy, taxation and the perceived belief of his secret Catholicism and his favoritism of Catholics.
The final breakdown involved intense opposition to James, Duke of York (the future James II), and efforts to exclude him from the succession, culminating in Parliament's dissolution in 1681. Charles II ruled without Parliament, relying on subsidies from France, until his death in 1685.
The English Convention Parliament declares that James II has abdicated the throne, opening the way for William of Orange to become King of England which happened six days later on January 22, 1689.
The Iroquois League signs the Treaty of Lachine, ending hostilities with the New France government.
The Massacre of Glencoe occurs in Scotland when government troops slaughter the MacDonald clan.
The Bank of England is chartered by the English Parliament, becoming the first national bank in the world.
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Fire destroys most of the Palace of Whitehall in London on on January 4, 1698. The fire was caused by a maidservant drying linen over a charcoal brazier.
It destroyed most of the royal complex leaving only the Banqueting House standing This event marked the end of Whitehall as the primary royal residence, with subsequent royal residences moving to St. James's Palace and Kensington Palace.
The Treaty of Karlowitz as signed on January 26, 1699, in modern-day Sremski Karlovci, Serbia, ending the Austro-Ottoman War (1683–1699) and marking the start of the Ottoman Empire's territorial decline.
Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg , crowns himself Frederick I, King in Prussia on January 18, 1701, in a lavish ceremony at Königsberg Castle. This crucial step, authorized by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I in exchange for military alliance, elevated the Duchy of Prussia to a kingdom and boosted the Hohenzollern dynasty's prestige.
The Act of Union, uniting the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland into a single political state, is ratified is by the Scottish Parliament on January 16, 1707. The act received Royal assent on March 6, 1707 and became effective on May 1, 1707 when Scotland and England formally became the single Kingdom of Great Britain.
James Francis Edward Stuart, known as the Old Pretender, declares himself King of England and Scotland.
The peace conference at Utrecht, Netherlands, known as the "Congress of Utrecht", officially begins on January 29, 1712. Secret peace talks between Great Britain and France in 1711 paved the way for the formal conference which resulted in a series of peace treaties signed between 1713 and 1715.
The major treaties, were signed on April 11, 1713, ending the War of the Spanish Succession, settling dynastic issues and reshaping European and colonial territories. 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.
The German mathematician and physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit invents the first reliable mercury thermometer in 1714 and also develops the Fahrenheit scale for it in 1724; leading to its widespread use and standardization making significant improvements to temperature measurement.
France declares war on Spain on January 9, 1719, escalating the War of the Quadruple Alliance.(Austria, Britain, the Dutch Republic (United Provinces), and France, against Spain. A conflict fueled by King Philip V of Spain's attempt to regain lost Italian territories following the War of the Spanish Succession.
The Alliance was originally formed on August 2, 1718 to maintain the European balance of power. The conflict ended with the Treaty of The Hague in February 1720, forcing Philip V to renounce his Italian claims.
The Principality of Liechtenstein is created within the Holy Roman Empire.
Czar Peter the Great begins a military campaign in Persia, capturing the Persian capital of Isfahan.
The Grafton Estate in Virginia is established by the colonial governor, Sir William Gooch.