The 1740s

1749

King George II of Great Britain grants the Ohio Company a charter of land around the forks of the Ohio River

George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 (O.S.) until his death in 1760…

King George II of Great Britain grants the Ohio Company a charter of land around the forks of the Ohio River

1749

Halifax, Nova Scotia, is founded

Halifax, officially the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), is the capital and most populous municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipali…

Halifax, Nova Scotia, is founded

1749

Jean-Frédéric Edelmann, French pianist and composer (died 1794)

Jean-Frédéric Edelmann was a French classical composer. He was born in Strasbourg to a Protestant family of Alsatian descent. After studying law and music, he moved to Paris in 177…

Jean-Frédéric Edelmann, French pianist and composer (died 1794)

1749

Levi Lincoln Sr

Levi Lincoln Sr. was an American revolutionary, lawyer, and statesman from Massachusetts. A Democratic-Republican, he served as Thomas Jefferson's first attorney general, and playe…

Levi Lincoln Sr

1749

Ambrose Philips, English poet and politician (born 1674)

Ambrose Philips was an English poet and politician. He feuded with other poets of his time, resulting in Henry Carey bestowing the nickname "Namby-Pamby" upon him, which came to m…

Ambrose Philips, English poet and politician (born 1674)

1749

William Jones, Welsh mathematician and academic (born 1675)

William Jones, FRS was a Welsh mathematician best known for his use of the symbol π to represent the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. He was a close friend o…

William Jones, Welsh mathematician and academic (born 1675)

1749

Edward Jenner, English physician and microbiologist (died 1823)

Edward Jenner was an English physician and scientist who pioneered the concept of vaccines and created the smallpox vaccine, the world's first vaccine. The terms vaccine and vaccin…

Edward Jenner, English physician and microbiologist (died 1823)

1749

Georg Joseph Vogler, German organist, composer, and theorist (died 1814)

Georg Joseph Vogler, also known as Abbé Vogler, was a German composer, organist, teacher and theorist. In a long and colorful career extending over many more nations and decades th…

Georg Joseph Vogler, German organist, composer, and theorist (died 1814)

1749

Abraham ben Abraham, Polish martyr (born 1700)

Abraham ben Abraham, also known as Count Valentine Potocki, was a Polish nobleman (szlachta) of the Potocki family who converted to Judaism and was burned at the stake by the Roman…

Abraham ben Abraham, Polish martyr (born 1700)

1749

Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois, French navy officer and politician, Governor General of New France…

Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois was a French Naval officer who served as Governor of New France from 1726 to 1746.

Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois, French navy officer and politician, Governor General of New France…

1749

A plot by Muslim slaves in Malta to assassinate Manuel Pinto da Fonseca of the Knights Hospitaller was uncovered

The Conspiracy of the Slaves was a failed plot by Muslim slaves in Hospitaller Malta to rebel and assassinate Grand Master Manuel Pinto da Fonseca of the Order of St John, in an at…

A plot by Muslim slaves in Malta to assassinate Manuel Pinto da Fonseca of the Knights Hospitaller was uncovered

1748

Georg Michael Telemann, German composer and theologian (died 1831)

Georg Michael Telemann was a German composer and theologian.

Georg Michael Telemann, German composer and theologian (died 1831)

1748

Félix Vicq-d'Azyr, French physician and anatomist (died 1794)

Félix Vicq d'Azyr was a French physician and anatomist, the originator of comparative anatomy and discoverer of the theory of homology in biology.

Félix Vicq-d'Azyr, French physician and anatomist (died 1794)

1748

Adamantios Korais, Greek-French philosopher and scholar (died 1833)

Adamantios Korais or Koraïs was a Greek scholar credited with laying the foundations of modern Greek literature and a major figure in the Greek Enlightenment. His activities paved …

Adamantios Korais, Greek-French philosopher and scholar (died 1833)

1748

Denmark adopts the characteristic Nordic Cross flag later taken up by all other Scandinavian countries

Denmark is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark, also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unit…

Denmark adopts the characteristic Nordic Cross flag later taken up by all other Scandinavian countries

1748

Olympe de Gouges, French playwright and philosopher (died 1793)

Olympe de Gouges was a French playwright and political activist. She is best known for her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen and other writings on women'…

Olympe de Gouges, French playwright and philosopher (died 1793)

1748

Cyrus Griffin, American lawyer, judge, and politician, 16th President of the Continental Congress (died 1810)

Cyrus Griffin was an American lawyer and politician, who served as the final President of the Congress of the Confederation and first United States district judge of the United Sta…

Cyrus Griffin, American lawyer, judge, and politician, 16th President of the Continental Congress (died 1810)

1748

Anton thor Helle, German-Estonian clergyman and translator (born 1683)

Anton Thor Helle was a Baltic German Lutheran clergyman, linguist and Bible translator in Estonia. He led the initiative and served as chief editor of the first complete translatio…

Anton thor Helle, German-Estonian clergyman and translator (born 1683)

1748

Thomas Lowndes, English astronomer and academic (born 1692)

Thomas Lowndes was the founder of the Lowndean professorship of astronomy at Cambridge University, England.

Thomas Lowndes, English astronomer and academic (born 1692)

1748

Felice Torelli, Italian painter (born 1667)

Felice Torelli was an Italian Baroque painter active mainly in Bologna, Papal States.

Felice Torelli, Italian painter (born 1667)

1747

John Paul Jones, Scottish-American captain, early leader in the Continental Navy (died 1792)

John Paul Jones was a British-American naval officer who served in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War. Often referred to as the "Father of the American Navy…

John Paul Jones, Scottish-American captain, early leader in the Continental Navy (died 1792)

1747

John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair, Scottish field marshal and diplomat, British Ambassador to France (born 1673)

Field Marshal John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair, was a British army officer and diplomat who served as the British ambassador to France from 1714 to 1720. He served in the Nine Yea…

John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair, Scottish field marshal and diplomat, British Ambassador to France (born 1673)

1747

War of the Austrian Succession: A British fleet under Admiral George Anson defeats the French at the First Battle of Cap

The War of the Austrian Succession, 1740 to 1748, was a conflict between the European great powers, fought primarily in Europe, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Related co…

War of the Austrian Succession: A British fleet under Admiral George Anson defeats the French at the First Battle of Cap

1747

Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor (died 1792)

Leopold II was the penultimate Holy Roman Emperor, as well as King of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia, and Archduke of Austria from 1790 to 1792, and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 t…

Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor (died 1792)