English pirate Henry Every (also known as "Captain Kidd") and his crew capture the Ganj-i-Sawai, a wealthy Indian ship.
Browse Historical Events by Month:
What Happened in November?
Wars, expanding empires, and critical deaths. Explore significant events and milestones from November that have helped shape 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Note: Sources for the historical content shown, include research and reviews of relevant Online History Resources or printed material.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.
We do our best to provide accurate information but would appreciate being notified if any incorrect information is found. You may do so by using our Feedback link.
Sweden's King Charles XII assumes the throne at the age of 18, beginning his long and eventful reign.
Anders Celsius, the Swedish astronomer and inventor of the Celsius temperature scale, is born.
The first Eddystone Lighthouse in England and one of the world's earliest lighthouses, built by Henry Winstanley and completed in 1699, is destroyed in a storm on November 27, 1703. Winstanley and his five assistants inside the lighthouse perished. The loss of the first lighthouse led to a series of subsequent lighthouses on the Eddystone Rocks.
The second Battle of Humenne takes place during the Rakoczi's War for Hungarian independence, with an Austrian victory.
The Treaty of Union is signed, merging the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, creating a single political entity and a united Kingdom called Great Britain.
The treaty established a unified Parliament, a common currency and a single legal framework for the newly formed Great Britain, though Scotland retained its own separate legal system. More
A severe cold wave, known as the Great Frost, begins in Europe and continues into January 1710, causing widespread suffering and hardship.
The notorious English pirate Blackbeard, whose name is believed to have been Edward Teach is killed off the coast of North Carolina by the Royal Navy, under the command of Lieutenant Robert Maynard. Teach had become the most feared pirate in the Americas practically overnight. More
Tsar Peter the Great, is formally proclaimed the title of "Emperor of All Russia" after Russia's victory in the Great Northern War. The title was bestowed upon him by the Governing Senate and Synod in September 1721, and was accepted by him in November 2, 1721, formally transforming the Tsardom of Russia into the Russian Empire.
During the Great Northern War, Russia fought against the Swedish Empire led by King Charles XII, while Russia, under Tsar Peter the Great, led an anti-Swedish coalition that also included Denmark-Norway, Saxony, and eventually Poland.
Natchez Indians massacre French settlers in the Mississippi Territory, leading to conflicts between Native Americans and European colonists.
Benjamin Franklin opens the first subscription library in the United States in Philadelphia. This pioneering institution was founded by Franklin and other members of his "Junto" club as a way for members to share the cost of buying books they could not afford individually.
Louis Timothee. the first professional salaried librarian, in the American colonies is hired by the Library Company of Philadelphia on November 14, 1732.
Benjamin Franklin, a founder of the subscription library, arranged for Timothee's part-time position, with a salary of three pounds every three months. Timothee was a French Huguenot immigrant with a background in printing. He went on to become Franklin's printing partner and publisher of the South-Carolina Gazette.
The start of the 1733 slave insurrection on St. John in the Danish West Indies (now part of the U.S. Virgin Islands).
The city of Prague surrenders to French/Bavarian forces during the War of the Austrian Succession on the night of November 25–26, 1741
Oman's National Day. Officially the Sultanate of Oman, annual celebration of the founding of the Al Bu Said dynasty, which has ruled Oman since 1744.
Oman is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It borders Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen and the Arabian Sea to the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. Oman has an estimated population of 5,5 Million.
1748, c. November 15
French philosopher Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, publishes, c. November 15, 1748."The Spirit of the Laws", a landmark political treatise which went on to profoundly influence political theory, advocating for the separation of powers, abolition of slavery, and the limitation of executive power through checks and balances.
The treatise was well received and highly influential. It is said it had a deep impact on the founding fathers of the United States. However it was added to the Roman Catholic Church's Index of Prohibited Books (Librorum Prohibitorum) iIndex of Prohibited Books) in 1751.
Lisbon, Portugal, is struck by a devastating earthquake, tsunami, and fires, resulting in significant destruction and loss of life. Gigantic fissures of up to 15 feet wide tore through the center of Lisbon. Estimates of casualties range from 30,000 to 60,000. Major damage and casualties also occurred in Spain and Northern Africa. More
The Stamp Act takes effect in the American colonies, requiring a tax on various printed materials such as legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards, leading to widespread protests against British taxation without representation.
The United States Marine Corps is officially established by the Continental Congress. More
British forces capture Fort Washington in New York during the American Revolutionary War.