The Battle of Vienna takes place, with the Holy League forces defeating the Ottoman Empire and ending their siege of Vienna.
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What Happened in September?
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The Battle of Vienna occurs, as an alliance of European powers successfully repels the Ottoman Empire's siege of the city. The decisive European victory halted Ottoman expansion into Central Europe and led to a major shift in the balance of power in favor of the European powers.
The last hangings of the Salem Witch Trials takes place as six women and two men are hanged on September 22. On October 29, 1692, the court was disbanded by Governor William Phipps. He also prohibited more arrests and released many accused witches. By May 1693, Phips had pardoned all those imprisoned on witchcraft charges, effectively ending the trials. More
The signing of the Treaties of Ryswick begins, bringing an end to the Nine Years' War between France and the Grand Alliance of European powers. The last treaty was signed on October 30th 1697. More
Tsar Peter I of Russia ("Peter the Great") imposes a tax on beards as part of his efforts to modernize and Westernize the country. Officials were empowered to publicly and forcibly shave anyone who refused to pay. The tax was formally repealed in 1772 by Catherine the Great.
The Battle of Rio de Janeiro starts. It was a raid in September 12–22, 1711 on the port of Rio de Janeiro during the War of Spanish Succession by a French squadron under René Duguay-Trouin.
The Portuguese defenders, including the city's governor and an admiral of the fleet anchored there, were unable to put up effective resistance in spite of numerical advantages and the city had to pay a ransom to avoid destruction of its defenses.
The Battle of Soor takes place during the Second Silesian War (part of the War of the Austrian Succession), between Frederick the Great's Prussian army and an Austro-Saxon army led by Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine. The battle occurred in the vicinity of Soor, also known as Hajnice, in the modern day Czech Republic. The Prussian army managed to defeat the Austrians.
The British Empire adopts the Gregorian calendar, skipping 11 days to correct the discrepancy with the Julian calendar.
The pivotal Battle of Quebec (Battle of Plains of Abraham) takes place during the Seven Years' War, leading to the British capture of Quebec City from the French and ultimately changing the course of Canadian history.
British General James Wolfe and French General Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm, were both, mortally wounded during the battle. More
The first session of the Continental Congress convenes at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Delegates from twelve of the thirteen American colonies, except for Georgia, convened to discuss their future under growing British aggression and to formulate a unified colonial response.
Georgia did not attend because it was in a conflict with Native American nations and relied on British military support, which it feared jeopardizing by joining the other colonies in protest of British policies. The colony had many Loyalists and was hesitant to break from Great Britain. The meeting was organized by the delegates after the British Navy implemented a blockade of Boston Harbor and the Parliament of Great Britain passed the punitive Intolerable Acts in response to the Boston Tea Party. The Congress session lasted until October 26, 1774. More
During the Revolutionary War, the American submersible craft Turtle attempts to attach a time bomb to the hull of British Admiral Richard Howe’s flagship Eagle in New York Harbor. It was the first use of a submarine in warfare. More
The Continental Congress formally declares the name of the new nation to be the “United States” of America, replacing the term “United Colonies.” More
John Paul Jones, commanding the U.S. ship Bonhomme Richard, an armed former French East India Company trading vessel which had been adapted for military use, wins the naval Battle of Flamborough Head, against the British ships of war Countess of Scarborough and Serapis, off the the coast of Yorkshire, England. The Americans suffered approximately 170 casualties, while the British suffered approximately 117 casualties and 2 captured ships. More
Without consulting Abigail, Adams accepts Congress' offer to return to Europe as minister plenipotentiary to negotiate peace with Britain, whenever America's enemy was ready to come to the table. Adams hadn't sought the post, but reveled in Congress' nearly unanimous decision to appoint him. More
Revolutionary War hero Benedict Arnold turned his back on his country and met secretly with British Major John Andre to discuss handing over West Point to the British, in return for the promise of 20,000 pounds and a British military command for Arnold. More
Los Angeles is founded. A group of settlers consisting of 14 families numbering 44 individuals journeyed more than one-thousand miles across the desert from present-day northern Mexico and established a farming community in the area.
The Settlement was named "The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Porciúncula" ("El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula"). The community grew over time under the flags of Spain, Mexico and eventually the United States to become the City of Los Angeles, one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world. More
Source: Unknown author - Dating from the era of the Pueblo de Los Angeles, The Plaza and "Old Plaza Church" (Mission Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles) in 1869. There is a square main brick reservoir in the middle of the Plaza at the right, which was the terminus of the town's historic lifeline: the Zanja Madre. The Plaza itself was rounded and turned into a traditional ornate plaza, with a fountain that later became a bandstand. The building in the top right background was the Lugo House: first home to St. Vincent's College (now Loyola Marymount University). They are now a part of Olvera Street.
The Grand Siege of Gibraltar by the allied French and Spanish fleets is defeated by the British garrison, with all floating batteries destroyed and allied casualties of 1,473 compared to only 83 for the British. More
The Treaty of Paris is signed, officially ending the American Revolutionary War and recognizing the United States as an independent nation. More
The U.S. Constitution is finally accepted and signed The document consisted of a Preamble and seven Articles. Some pointed to the missing bill of rights as a fatal flaw in the new document. A compromised was reached assuring that amendments would be immediately proposed to addressed the need for a bill of rights and the Constitution was signed by 39 of the 42 delegates still present at the convention when it was finished (Governor Edmund Randolph and George Mason, both from Virginia, and Elbridge Gerry from Massachusetts, declined to sign It).
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document, and it was subsequently agreed that government under the U.S. Constitution would begin on March 4, 1789 thus replacing the existing Articles of Confederation which had been adopted by the Continental Congress on 11/15/1777.
The First Congress of the United States creates the Department of Treasury, a permanent institution for the management of government finances. Alexander Hamilton served as the first Secretary of the Treasury from 1789 to 1795. Hamilton was killed in a duel in 1804. More