References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2008 June 28.

1630 January 1 Tetsugen Zen teacher (Jodo sect converted to Obaku Zen), dies. [1] January 7 Composer Pier Cavalli marries rich widow Maria Sosomeno. [1] January 13 Patent to Plymouth Colony issued. [1] February 14 Dutch fleet of 69 ships reaches Pernambuco Brazil. [1] February 22 Indians introduce pilgrims to popcorn, at Thanksgiving. [1] February 26 William Brade composer, dies. [1] March 22 First colonial legislation prohibiting gambling enacted (Boston). [1] March 23 French troops occupy Pinerolo Piedmont. [1] April 17 Christian I ruler of Anhalt-Bernburg (battle of White Mountain), dies. [1] April 30 Ercole Porta composer, dies at age 44. [1] May 17 Italian Jesuit Niccolo Zucchi, first to see two belts on Jupiter surface. [1] May 29 Governor John Winthrop begins "History of New England". [1] June 25 Fork introduced to American dining by Governor Winthrop. [1] June 26 Sweden enters the German wars, as King Gustav Adolf and 13,000 men land on the island of Usedom off the Pomeranian coast (Poland). His force is comprised of mostly Swedes, with some Scottish and Irish mercenaries. The reasons for entering the war are many, but principally to remove Imperial intervention in Poland. [7] July 10 King Gustav Adolf of Sweden and Bogislaw XIV of Pomerania sign a treaty of alliance. [7] September 16 Mass village of Shawmut changes name to Boston. [1] September 17 City of Boston forms. [1] September 30 First execution in America-J Billington hanged in Plymouth, Massachusetts. [1] November 15 Death of German mathematician/astronomer Johannes Kepler in Regensberg, Germany, at age 58. [1] [129] December 29 Jan Baptist Stalpart van der Wiele Roman Catholic pastor/lyricist, dies at age 51. [1] 1631 January 13 Sweden and France sign the Treaty of Bärwalde, for Sweden to lead an army in Europe for six years. France will pay 400,000 riksdaler per year for Sweden to maintain an army of 36,000 men to fight for German liberties and the freedom of Baltic trade. [7] February 5 Rhode Island, founder, Roger Williams arrives in Boston from England. [1] March 13 Imperial army leader Tilly captures New Brandenburg, defended by 2000 Swedish forces. Only 60 survive. [7] March 24 Philipp Dulichius composer, dies at age 68. [1] March 31 John Donne Metaphysical poet, dies (birth date unknown). [1] April 3 Swedish forces storm and quickly capture Frankfort. 3000 of the garrison are killed, in reprisal for New Brandenburg. [7] May 10 Imperial forces storm the town of Magdeburg following a resisted siege. A large part (20,000) of the population is killed, and a large fire destroys much of the town. The incident is much publicized, leading to support for anti-Imperial forces. [7] May 11 Christoph Buel composer, dies at age 57. [1] May 17 Earl Johann Tilly attacks Maagdenburg. [1] May 18 English colony Massachusetts Bay grants puritarian voting right. [1] John Winthrop is elected first governor of Massachusetts. [1] May 30 France/Maximilian van Bavarian signs Accord of Fontainebleau. [1] June 7 Mumtax Mahal wife of Shah Jahan of India, her tomb (Taj Mahal). [1] September 1 King Gustav Adolf of Sweden reaches an alliance with Johann Georg I, Elector of Saxony, for Saxon forces to join with the Swedes in the war. [7] September 7 The Swedish and Saxon armies of about 45,000 meet the Imperial army of about 36,000 at Breitenfeld, near Leipzig. An Imperial charge on the Swedish right flank is a disaster for the attacker. A charge on left flank, which the Saxons occupied, causes most of Saxon forces to run away. Tilly then advances his whole center toward the weak left flank. But the Swedes send cavalry from the right flank and attack ferociously. Tilly is wounded with three shots. 7-10,000 of Imperial troops are killed, plus thousands more are killed in retreat by peasants. Swedes lose about 2100 men. The Imperial army loses two-thirds of its troops, and all of its artillery. This battle is called the first battle of the modern age, and King Gustav Adolf is hailed as the father of modern warfare. [7] November 7 Pierre Gassendi observes transit of Mercury predicted by Kepler. [1] November 30 Rabbi Samuel Eliezer ben Judah ha-levi Edels dies. [1] December 6 First predicted transit of Venus (Kepler) is observed. [1] December 16 Mount Vesuvius, Italy erupts, destroys six villages and kills 4,000. [1] December 27 John Pijnas Dutch painter, buried at about age 47. [1] 1632 February 22 Galileo's 'Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems' is published. [5] April 5 The Swedish and Imperial armies exchange cannon fire for six hours, killing 2000 of the Swedish force, and 3000 of the Imperial force. Tilly is fatally wounded. Maximilian and the army escape during the night to Ingolstadt. [7] April 16 Albrecht von Wallenstein appointed supreme commander. [1] April 20 Nicolas Antione converted to Judiasm, burned at the stake. [1] April 30 Jean de Tilly fieldmarshal, dies. [1] Sigismund III King of Poland/Sweden, dies at age 65. [1] May 25 Albrecht von Wallenstein recaptures Prague on Saksen. [1] June 20 Britain grants second Lord Baltimore rights to Chesapeake Bay area. [1] November 6 Armies of Swedish King Gustav Adolf and Imperial general Albrecht von Wallenstein meet in battle at Lützen. King Gustav is shot three times in a cavalry engagement early in the battle, and dies. Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar takes over command, and wins the battle. One-third (about 4500) of the Swedish-Finnish army is killed. [7] December 20 Nicolas Antoine French cath pastor who converted to Judaism, executed. [1] 1633 February 2 M Rossi's opera "Erminia sul Giordano" premieres in Rome. [1] February 13 Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before Inquisition for professing belief that earth revolves around the Sun. [1] March 1 George Herbert English poet, dies at age 39. [1] March 7 Prince Frederik Henry appoints himself viceroy of Limburg. [1] April 23 Sweden and Protestant German monarchy form Union of Heilbronn. [1] December 1 Isabella of Austria infante of Spain/governess in Holland, dies at age 67. [1] December 18 Theodoor Galle Flemish engraver, buried at age 62. [1] 1634 January 24 Emperor Ferdinand II declares Albrecht von Wallenstein a traitor. [1] February 17 William Prynne tried in Star Chamber for publishing "Histriomastix". [1] February 18 Ferdinand II orders execution of commander Albrecht von Wallenstein. [1] February 19 Battle at Smolensk Polish king Wladyslaw IV beats Russians. [1] February 25 Albrecht WE baron von Wallenstein German duke, murdered at age 50. [1] Van Friedland/Mecklenburg General-Admiral, dies at age 50. [1] March 1 Battle at Smolensk; Polish King Wladyslaw IV beats Russians. [1] March 3 First tavern in Boston opens (Samuel Cole). [1] March 13 Académie Française opens. [1] March 25 Lord Baltimore founded Catholic colony of Maryland. [1] April 6 Heeren XIX asks "to secure Eylands Curaçao". [1] May 4 Johan van Walbeecks fleet departs to West-Indies. [1] May 12 George Chapman English dramatist/interpreter, dies. [1] May 31 US colony Massachusetts Bay annexes Maine colony. [1] August 27 The Battle of Nördlingen is fought. The Imperial armies number 33,000 troops, the Protestant forces with 25,000. At the end of the day, 12,000 Protestants are dead, another 4,000 captured, including Swedish army leader Gustaf Horn. [7] 1635 February 10 Académie Française is founded in Paris (by Cardinal Richelieu). [1] February 13 Georg R Weckerlin German poet, dies at age 50. [1] Oldest US public institution, Boston Latin School founded. [1] March 3 Philips de l'Espinoy historian/mayor of Ghent, dies. [1] March 19 Pieter Christiaensz Bor Dutch historian, dies. [1] March 24 Jacques Callot French cartoonist/engraver, dies at about age 42. [1] April 18 Axel Oxenstierna and French Cardinal Richelieu sign the Treaty of Compiègne in Paris, France. Sweden gains control of the Rhine area from Breisach to Strasbourg, and France accepts Sweden as an equal ally, and agrees to declare war on Spain. Both parties agree to assist Protestants in Germany by force, and not to obtain a separate peace. [7] April 25 Alessandro Tassoni Italian political writer (Rape of Bucket), dies at age 69. [1] April 28 Virginia Governor John Harvey accused of treason and removed from office. [1] May 19 France declares war on Spain. [1] May 28 Zorilla's "El Desafio de Carlos V" premieres in Madrid. [1] May 30 Emperor Ferdinand II and Saksen sign Peace of Prague. [1] June 28 French colony of Guadeloupe established in the Caribbean. [1] August 27 Lope Felix de Vega dramatist/poet (Angelica, Arcadia), dies at age 72. [1] September 10 Swedish Council concludes the Truce of Stuhmsdorf with Poland, surrendering Prussia to Poland for 26 years truce. [7] October 9 Religious dissident Roger Williams banished from Mass Bay Colony. [1] December 1 Melchior Teschner composer, dies at age 51. [1] December 30 Jan Baptista Van Helmont physician/alchemist, dies. [1] 1636 March 26 University of Utrecht opening ceremony. [1] April 29 Prince Frederik Henry occupies Schenkenschans. [1] July 4 City of Providence, Rhode Island form. [1] October 4 First code of law for Plymouth Colony. [1] October 28 Harvard University (Boston) established. [1] December 9 Giovanni B Aleotti Italian writer/theater architect, dies at about age 90. [1] 1637 January 23 Dutch Governor Johan Mauritius lands in Pernambuco Brazil. [1] February 2 Zorilla's "El más Impropio Verdugo Para Las" premieres in Madrid. [1] February 15 Ferdinand II King of Bohemia/Hungary/German Emperor (1619-37), dies at age 58. [1] Ferdinand III succeeds Ferdinand II as Holy Roman Emperor. [1] May 10 Susanna van Baerle Dutch wife of Constantine Huygens, dies at age 37. [1] May 13 Cardinal Richelieu of France creates the table knife. [1] May 26 First battle of Pequot at New Haven Connecticut kills 500 Indians. [1] November 20 Peter Minuit and first Swedish immigrants to Delaware sail from Sweden. [1] 1638 January 3 Dutch Premier Van Joost speaks of "Hostage rights of Aemstel". [1] Schouwburg Theatre, the first in Amsterdam, opens. [1] January 5 Petition in Recife Brazil leads to closing of their two synagogues. [1] February 11 Dutch countess Louise of Solms marries earl John of Brederode. [1] February 28 Claude G Bachet de Meziriac French mathematician/poet, dies at age 56. [1] Henri duc de Rohan, French soldier/Huguenot leader, dies. [1] Scottish Presbyterians sign National Convenant, Greyfriars, Edinburgh. [1] March 3 Duke Bernard van Saksen-Weimar occupies Rheinfelden. [1] March 8 Jacob C van Neck Admiral/mayor of Amsterdam, dies at about age 73. [1] March 19 Paul Moreelse Dutch painter/master builder, dies at about age 66. [1] March 22 Religious dissident Anne Hutchinson expelled from Massachusetts Bay Colony. [1] March 26 Palamedes "Stevens" Palamedesz painter, dies at about age 30. [1] March 29 Two Swedish/Dutch ships, the Kalmar Nyckel and the Fogel Grip, arrive at the Delaware river in North America. (Ground is soon bought from the Indians, and Nova Svecia (New Sweden) is established.) [7] April 13 Henri II duke of Rohan-Gié, French hugenot leader, dies at age 58. [1] May 6 Cornelius Jansen theologian (Jansenism), dies. [1] May 7 Cornelis S Goyer takes possession of Mauritius (uninhabited). [1] May 14 Admiral Adam Westerwolt conquerors Batticaloa, Ceylon. [1] May 27 Nicolas Forme composer, dies at age 71. [1] June 25 A lunar eclipse becomes the first astronomical event recorded in US. [1] August 9 Jonas Bronck of Holland becomes first European settler in the Bronx. [1] September 14 John Harvard dies. [5] December 10 Ivan [Dzivo F] Gundulic Dalmatian writer (Osman), dies at age 49. [1] December 17 French/Swedish troops occupy Breisach on the Rhine. [1] December 18 Le Père Joseph French mystic, dies. [1] 1639 January 6 Virginia is first colony to order surplus crops (tobacco) destroyed. [1] January 14 First Connecticut constitution (Fundamental Orders) adopted in Hartford. [1] Rodger Ludlow publishes"Fundamental Orders of Connecticut". [1] January 20 Mustapha I sultan of Turkey (1622-23), dies. [1] January 23 Francisco Maldonado da Silva Solis Peruvian poet, burned at stake. [1] January 24 Connecticut colony organizes under Fundamental Orders. [1] George Jenatsch Grisons leader, assassinated. [1] February 7 Académie Française begins the Dictionary of the French Language. [1] March 13 Cambridge College renamed Harvard for clergyman John Harvard. [1] March 22 Thomas Carew English poet/diplomat (The Rapture), dies. [1] May 8 William Coddington founds Newport Rhode Island. [1] May 20 Dorchester Massachusetts, forms first school funded by local taxes. [1] May 21 Giovan D "Tommaso" Campanella Italian philosopher/poet, dies at age 70. [1] June 6 Massachusetts grants 500 acres of land to erect a gunpowder mill. [1] June 10 First American log cabin at Fort Christina (Wilmington Delaware). [1] September 25 First printing press in America. [1] December 3 First annulment by court decree passes. [1] December 4 Jeremiah Horrocks makes the first observation of a transit of Venus. [5] (November 24 [1])