History
1697
General
Population: 634 Million*
- Entertainment: Congreve (tragedy), Charles Perrault Contes de ma mere l'oie (Mother Goose tales), Sir John Vanbrugh (comedy), Pierre Bayle (reference), William Wotton (learning),
Daniel Defoe (tax)
Cinderella's fur (vair) slippers become glass (verre) due to translation error
- Science: Rudbeck publishes on stratigraphy in geology
- Transportation: Sedan chair a popular means of transportation
- Deaths: Author John Aubrey, Charles XI of Sweden
Africa
- West Africa: French under Andre de Brue attempt to colonize West Africa
Americas
- Mexico/Belize: Last remains of Maya civilization destroyed by Spanish in Yucatan
Asia
- General: China conquers western Mongolia (Khalka)
Europe
- General: Treaty of Ryswick between France and Grand Alliance (King William's War) – France recognizes William III as King of Englind with Princess Anne as heir presumptive
League of Augsberg ends war against France with Peace of Ryswick - French lose fortresses to Dutch and returns lands to Spain
- England: Renewal of Bank of England charter
John Blow's anthem written for opening of St. Paul's Cathedral in London
Whitehall Palace in London burns
- France: French mathematician Abraham Demoivre elected Fellow Royal Society
Court of Versailles becomes model for European courts
- German States: Augustus Elector of Saxony converted to Roman Catholicism – elected King of Poland to succeed Jan III
- Holy Roman Empire: Prince Eugene defeats Turks at Zenta
- Ireland: Lightning storm causes explosion that destroys Athlone castle - hit arsenal and kills 8, bu "none were killed of note"
- Poland: Augustus Elector of Saxony converted to Roman Catholicism – elected King of Poland to succeed Jan III
- Russia: Peter the Great of Russia travels Western Europe in disguise as Peter Michailoff – goes to Prussia Holland England and Vienna to study European lifestyles
- Sweden: Charles XI King dies – succeeded by Charles XII age 15
Young age of king leads invaders to attack starting Great Northern War
Middle East
- Ottoman Empire: Battle of Zenta – Eugene of Savoy defeats Turks