1657 CE
King Frederick III of Denmark signs a manifesto, de facto declaring war on Sweden. The first eleven Quaker settlers arrive in New Amsterdam (later New York City), and are allowed to practice their faith. Christina, former Queen regnant of Sweden, has Gian Rinaldo Monaldeschi killed in her presence, at the Palace of Fontainebleau.
Geopolitics & Diplomacy
- January 29 – Rule of the Major-Generals (regional military government) in England is abolished.source
- February 4 – Resettlement of the Jews in England: Oliver Cromwell gives Antonio Fernandez Carvajal the assurance of the right of Jews to remain in England.source
- March 23 – Anglo-Spanish War (1654–60): By the Treaty of Paris, France and England form an alliance against Spain; England will receive Dunkirk.source
- April 20 – The Jews of New Amsterdam (later New York City) are granted freedom of religion, as full citizens.source
- July 13 – Following his refusal to take the oath of allegiance to Oliver Cromwell, English army leader John Lambert is ordered to resign his commissions.source
- September 19 – Brandenburg and Poland sign the Treaty of Wehlau.source
- September 24 – The first autopsy and coroner's jury verdict in the Colony of Maryland are recorded.source
- October 1 – Treaty of Raalte: William III, Prince of Orange is no longer stadtholder of Overijssel.source
- November 6 – Brandenburg and Poland sign the Treaty of Bromberg.source
Conflict & Security
- January 8 – Miles Sindercombe and his group of disaffected Levellers are betrayed in their attempt to assassinate Oliver Cromwell by blowing up the Palace of Whitehall in London and are arrested.source
- April 20 – Anglo-Spanish War – Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife: English Admiral Robert Blake attempts to seize a Spanish treasure fleet.source
- June 1 – King Frederick III of Denmark signs a manifesto, de facto declaring war on Sweden.source
- October 3 – French troops occupy Mardyck.source
Exploration & Expansion
- August 20 – The ship Les Armes d'Amsterdam arrives at Quebec, New France. Among the passengers is Michel Mathieu Brunet dit Lestang (1638–1708), colonist, explorer and co-discoverer of modern-day Green Bay, Wisconsin, and ancestor of the Brunet, Lestang and Carisse families of North America.source
Religion & Belief
Economy & Finance
- England's first chocolate house is opened in London and introduction of tea in England while coffee is introduced to France.source
Technology & Infrastructure
- December 27 – The Flushing Remonstrance is signed in New Amsterdam, at the site of the future (1862) Flushing Town Hall in New York City.source
Science & Discovery
- Christiaan Huygens writes the first book to be published on probability theory, De ratiociniis in ludo aleae ("On Reasoning in Games of Chance").source
Health & Medicine
- September – Shah Jahan becomes ill, allowing his son to take control of the Mughal Empire.source
Crime & Justice
- November 10 – Christina, former Queen regnant of Sweden, has Gian Rinaldo Monaldeschi killed in her presence, at the Palace of Fontainebleau.source
Disasters & Accidents
- March 2 – The Great Fire of Meireki in Edo, Japan, destroys most of the city and damages Edo Castle, killing an estimated 100,000 people.source
Culture & Society
- February 23 – In England, the Humble Petition and Advice offers Lord Protector Cromwell the crown.source
- Thomas Middleton's tragedy Women Beware Women (c. 1623–24) is published posthumously in London.source
- The Accademia del Cimento is founded in Florence, Italy.source
- Andreas Gryphius' drama Katharina von Georgien is published in Breslau.source
Births
- January 17 – Pieter van Bloemen, Flemish painter (d. 1720)source
- February 10 – George Carpenter, 1st Baron Carpenter, English Army general (d. 1731)source
- February 11 – Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle, French scientist and man of letters (d. 1757)source
- March 19 – Jean Leclerc, Swiss theologian and biblical scholar (d. 1736)source
- June 17 – Louis Ellies Dupin, French ecclesiastical historian (d. 1719)source
- July 8 – Abraham de Peyster, New Amsterdam/New York politician (d. 1728)source
- August 18 – Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena, Italian architect and painter (d. 1743)source
- September 14 – Sir Charles Blois, 1st Baronet, English politician (d. 1738)source
- September 17 – Pieter Schuyler, acting governor of the province of New York and army colonel (d. 1724)source
- October 4 – Francesco Solimena, Italian painter (d. 1747)source
- November 28 – Philip Prospero, Prince of Asturias, heir apparent to the Spanish throne (d. 1661)source
- December 15 – Louis Thomas, Count of Soissons, Count of Soissons and Prince of Savoy (d. 1702)source
- December 23 – Josiah Franklin, English-born American businessman, father of Benjamin Franklin (d. 1745)source
- December 23 – Hannah Duston, Massachusetts Puritan mother of 8, taken captive during King William's War (d. 1736)source
Deaths
- March – Edward Hopkins, colonial Connecticut politician (b. 1600)source
- April 2 – Jean-Jacques Olier, French Catholic priest (b. 1608)source
- April ? – Richard Lovelace, English Cavalier poet (b. 1617)source
- May 9 – William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth Colony (b. 1590)source
- May 10 – Gustav Horn, Count of Pori, Swedish soldier and politician (b. 1592)source
- August 6 – Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Ukrainian Cossack Hetman (b. c. 1595)source
- August 14 – Giovanni Paolo Lascaris, Italian 57th Grandmaster of the Knights Hospitaller (b. 1560)source
- August 19 – Frans Snyders, Flemish painter (b. 1579)source
- August 29 – John Lilburne, English dissenter (b. c. 1614)source
- September 23 – Joachim Jungius, German mathematician and philosopher (b. 1587)source
- September 27 – Olimpia Maidalchini, politically active Roman noble (b. 1591)source
- October 4 – Prince Maurice of Savoy, Catholic cardinal and Prince of Savoy (b. 1593)source
- November 18 – Luke Wadding, Irish Franciscan friar and historian (b. 1588)source
- November 20 – Sir Hugh Cholmeley, 1st Baronet, English politician (b. 1600)source