English explorer Henry Hudson discovers Manhattan Island and sails up the river that would later bear his name. More
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What Happened in September?
Battles, deaths, and monumental religious moments. Explore significant events from September that helped shape the world. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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The New River, an artificial waterway built by Sir Hugh Myddelton to bring fresh, clean water to London, is opened in a ceremony at the reservoir in Islington called New River Head. The 28-mile-long New River supplied London with water from Hertfordshire and solved the city's prior water supply issues, which were often contaminated.
The first free public school in Europe opens its doors to children on September 15, 1616 in Frascati, a town in Lazio just a few kilometers from Rome. The school was founded by a Spanish Catholic priest, José de Calasanz, who was originally from Aragon but who moved to Rome in 1592 at the age of 35. More
The Mayflower ship departs from Plymouth, England, with a group of English Pilgrims on September 16, 1620 (Gregorian calendar), bound for the New World in search of a new life – some seeking religious freedom, others a fresh start in a different land.
The Mayflower and a smaller companion ship, the Speedwell had initially departed from Southampton, England, on August 15, 1620 but the Speedwell had to return to port twice and was declared unseaworthy. The Mayflower then, set out alone after taking on some of the smaller ship’s passengers and supplies. More
The Spanish galleon "Nuestra Señora de Atocha" sinks off the coast of Florida during a hurricane with a significant cargo of treasure. Of the 265 people on board, only five survived. The wreck was lost for over three centuries.
On July 20, 1985 treasure hunter Mel Fisher's Treasure Salvors company discovered after a 16-year search. The cargo included a fortune in silver and gold, copper, indigo, tobacco, and 20 bronze cannons, among other items. The recovered treasure was valued at approximately $400 million.
Dutch inventor Cornelis Drebbel successfully tests the world's first navigable submarine in London's River Thames c. September, 1624 , although others report, he started showing it as early as 1620 and even demonstrated it to King James I.
The wooden craft covered in greased leather, reinforced with iron bands, using oars that passed through waterproof leather seals, could stay submerged for hours. The British Navy saw it as a novelty rather than a weapon but Drebbel's invention proved underwater navigation was possible and influenced future submarine development.
The Treaty of Stuhmsdorf (Sztumska Wieś) is signed on September 12, 1635, ending the Polish-Swedish War and recognizing Sweden's control over Livonia. It help establish a 26.5-year truce. The agreement was brokered to allow Sweden to focus on the Thirty Years' War.
The Battle of Dunbar takes place during the English Civil War, resulting in a decisive victory for the English Parliamentarians over the Scottish Covenanters. More
English Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell decisively defeat the Royalists at the Battle of Worcester.
The Great Fire of London starts at a bakery in Pudding Lane shortly and spreads rapidly. It swept through central London for four days gutting the medieval City of London inside the old Roman city wall, while also extending past the wall to the west. More
King John II Casimir of Poland-Lithuania abdicates the throne on September 16, 1668, after the death of his wife and years of political turmoil and wars. He was the last Polish monarch from the Vasa dynasty.
1682 CE, Circa September
English astronomer Edmond Halley (1656–1742) observed the bright comet that now bears his name in September 1682 from his home in England. He was not the first person to see it, but he was the first to recognize its significance and its periodicity; leading to the first-ever successful prediction of a comet's return.
In his 1705 publication, Synopsis Astronomia Cometicae, Halley used Newton's laws of gravity to argue that previous sightings were the same object returning periodically, roughly every 76 years. He predicted its return in 1758. Halley died in 1742, but the comet returned in late 1758, confirming his theory and that comets were indeed in orbit around the Sun, rather than transient atmospheric phenomena.
The Holy League forces defeat the Ottoman Empire at The Battle of Vienna on September 12, 1683 ending their two-month siege of Vienna and stopping the Ottoman advance in Central Europe.
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 on September 20, 1697 bringing an end to the Nine Years' War between France and the Grand Alliance of European powers (which included England, Spain, the Dutch Republic, and the Holy Roman Empire). The last treaty was signed on October 30th 1697, with the Holy Roman Empire
These were some of the most significant agreements reflected on the treaties:
- Louis XIV officially recognized William III as the King of England and withdrew support for the Jacobite claimant, James II.
- Most territories captured since the 1679 Treaty of Nijmegen were returned to their pre-war status.
- France retained Strasbourg and Alsace.
- Spain formally ceded the western third of the island of Hispaniola (renamed Saint-Domingue, now Haiti) to France.
- The Dutch Republic gained favorable commercial concessions and the right to garrison "barrier fortresses" in the Spanish Netherlands to protect against future French aggression.
More
Spanish King Charles II ratifies the Treaty of Ryswick, ending the Nine Years' War.between France and the Grand Alliance, (Spain, England, the Dutch Republic, and the Holy Roman Empire).
The treaty returned territories like Luxembourg and Kortrijk to Spain, securing peace, though issues like the Spanish succession remained unresolved, leading to future conflict.
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.
Russia's Peter the Great imposes a tax on beards on September 5, 1698 as part of his efforts to modernize the country.
The Battle of Rio de Janeiro starts on September 12, 1711, as a raid on the port of Rio de Janeiro by a French squadron under René Duguay-Trouin, during the War of Spanish Succession.
Despite heavy defense from the Portuguese forts, the French occupied the city on September 22, 1711, looting it and demanding a significant ransom of gold and goods, which was paid to avoid more destruction of the city and its defenses.