Directory

1831 CE

Battle of Warsaw: The Army of Russia takes the Polish capital after a two-day battle to crush the Polish uprising. Ioannis Kapodistrias, Greek head of state and founder of Greek independence, is assassinated in Nafplion. Charles Darwin embarks from Plymouth on the second voyage of HMS Beagle which will be the foundation for his life of scientific study.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • February 7 – The Belgian Constitution of 1831 is approved by the National Congress.source
  • March 10 – The French Foreign Legion is founded.source
  • April 7 – Pedro I abdicates as Emperor of Brazil in favor of his 5-year-old son Pedro II, who will reign for almost 59 years.source
  • July 13 – Russian imperial officials in Wallachia adopt Regulamentul Organic, introducing a period of unprecedented reforms that provide for Westernization of this region of Romania.source
  • July 21 – Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha is inaugurated as the first King of the Belgians, in Brussels.source
  • September 22 – The House of Commons of the United Kingdom passes the Great Reform Bill to expand the franchise, but this is later defeated in the House of Lords.source
  • November 17 – Ecuador and Venezuela are separated from Gran Colombia.source
  • December 31 – Gramercy Park is deeded to New York City.source

Conflict & Security

  • February 5 – Dutch naval lieutenant Jan van Speyk blows up his own gunboat in Antwerp rather than strike his colours on the demand of supporters of the Belgian Revolution.source
  • February 14 – Battle of Debre Abbay: Ras Marye of Yejju marches into Tigray, and defeats and kills the warlord Sabagadis.source
  • February 25 – Battle of Olszynka Grochowska (Grochów): Polish rebel forces divide a Russian army.source
  • March 29 – The Bosnian uprising (1831–32) against the Ottoman Empire begins.source
  • April 27 – Ending of the First Anglo-Ashanti War (1823–1831).source
  • May 26 – Battle of Ostrołęka: The Poles fight another indecisive battle.source
  • August 2 – The Dutch Ten Days' Campaign against Belgium is halted by a French army.source
  • August 21 - Nat Turner's slave rebellion in the United States breaks out in Southampton County, Virginia.source
  • September 8– Battle of Warsaw: The Army of Russia takes the Polish capital after a two-day battle to crush the Polish uprising.source
  • October 9 – Ioannis Kapodistrias, Greek head of state and founder of Greek independence, is assassinated in Nafplion.source
  • October 21 – The November Uprising ends in the defeat of Polish forces.source
  • October 29 – The 1831 Bristol riots ("Queen Square riots") in Bristol (England) begin, in connection with the Great Reform Bill controversy. Quelled by the authorities and the military on October 31, 100 city centre properties are destroyed, at least 120 are estimated to have been killed, 31 of the rioters will be sentenced to death and a colonel facing court-martial for failure to control the riot commits suicide.source
  • October 30 – In Southampton County, Virginia, escaped slave Nat Turner is captured and arrested for leading the bloodiest slave rebellion in United States history.source
  • November 22 – First Canut Revolt: After a bloody battle with the military causing 600 deaths, rebellious silk workers seize Lyon, France.source
  • November 26 – Egyptian–Ottoman War (1831–1833): The start of the one year Siege of Akka by Egyptian forces.source
  • December 27 – The Baptist War (Christmas Rebellion) begins in Jamaica, with the setting afire of the Kensington House in St James Parish, inspiring thousands of black slaves to revolt against their British masters. At its peak, more than 20,000 people will be involved, and more than 500 killed.source
  • Scholar Rifa'a at-Tahtawi returns from study in Paris to Egypt, where he will participate in the Nahda.source
  • Egyptian–Ottoman War (1831–1833): Egyptian forces under Muhammad Ali occupy Ottoman Syria.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • February 8 – French-born botanical explorer Aimé Bonpland leaves Paraguay for Argentina.source
  • May 31 – Auxiliary paddle steamer Sophia Jane arrives at Sydney from London, becoming the first steamboat to operate in the coastal waters of New South Wales.source
  • June 1 – British Royal Navy officer James Clark Ross locates the position of the North Magnetic Pole, at this time on the Boothia Peninsula.source
  • December 27 – Charles Darwin embarks from Plymouth on the second voyage of HMS Beagle which will be the foundation for his life of scientific study.source

Religion & Belief

  • February 2 – Pope Gregory XVI succeeds Pope Pius VIII, as the 254th pope.source
  • February–March – Revolts in Modena, Parma and the Papal States are put down by Austrian troops.source
  • August 7 – American Baptist minister William Miller preaches his first sermon on the Second Advent of Christ in Dresden, New York, launching the Advent Movement in the United States.source

Economy & Finance

  • January 10 – Japanese department store, Takashimaya in Kyoto established.source
  • November 7 – Slave trading is forbidden in Brazil.source
  • December 26 – Global financial services business Assicurazioni Generali is founded in Trieste (at this time in the Austrian Empire) as Imperial Regia Privilegiata Compagnia di Assicurazioni Generali Austro-Italiche.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • October 28 – Michael Faraday constructs an early form of dynamo.source

Science & Discovery

  • August 29 - Michael Faraday demonstrates electromagnetic induction at the Royal Society of London. Joseph Henry recognises it at about the same time.source

Disasters & Accidents

  • May–June – Merthyr Rising: Coal miners and others riot in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, for improved working conditions.source
  • June 21 – The North Carolina State House and Canova's George Washington are destroyed by fire in Raleigh, North Carolina.source

Climate & Environment

  • July 15 – The volcanic Graham Island briefly emerges in the Mediterranean.source

Culture & Society

  • January 1 – William Lloyd Garrison begins publishing The Liberator, an anti-slavery newspaper, in Boston, Massachusetts.source
  • March 16 – Victor Hugo's historical romantic Gothic novel Notre-Dame de Paris, known in English as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, is published in Paris.source
  • April 18 – The University of Alabama is founded.source
  • April 18 – The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper is first published, as the Sydney Herald.source
  • September 8 – Coronation of King William IV of the United Kingdom (he will reign until 1837).source
  • September 28– The first national presidential nominating convention in the United States concludes after three days as the Anti-Masonic Party selects its nominee for president in Baltimore, Maryland.source
  • November 8 – The Kings School (Parramatta) was approved to be established.source
  • New York University in New York Citysource
  • Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticutsource
  • Founding of educational establishments:source
  • Wallinska skolan, the first secondary school for girls in the Swedish capital of Stockholm.source
  • Xavier University in Cincinnati (as "The Athenaeum")source
  • Denison University in Granville, Ohiosource

Births

  • January 3 – Savitribai Jyotirao Phule, Indian social reformer, poet (d. 1897)source
  • February 24 – Leo von Caprivi, Chancellor of Germany (d. 1899)source
  • March 3 – Gioacchino La Lomia, Italian Roman Catholic priest and venerable (d. 1905)source
  • March 3 – George Pullman, American inventor and industrialist (d. 1897)source
  • March 6 – Philip Sheridan, American general (d. 1888)source
  • August 12 – Helena Blavatsky, Russian-born author, theosophist (d. 1891)source
  • August 16 – Ebenezer Cobb Morley, English sportsman and the father of modern football (d. 1924)source
  • August 28 – Lucy Webb Hayes, First Lady of the United States (d. 1889)source
  • September 3 – States Rights Gist, Confederate Brigadier General in the American Civil War (d. 1864)source
  • October 18 – Frederick III, German Emperor (d. 1888)source
  • November 5 – Anna Leonowens, Anglo-Indian educator (Anna of The King and I) (d. 1915)source
  • November 7 – Mélanie Calvat, French Roman Catholic nun, Marian Visionary, canonized (d. 1904)source
  • November 19 – James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States (d. 1881)source
  • December 1 – Princess Maria Amélia of Brazil, daughter of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil (d. 1853)source

Deaths

  • February 14 – Vicente Guerrero, 2nd President of Mexico, Independence War hero (b. 1782)source
  • February 14 – Sabagadis, Ethiopian warlord (b. c. 1770)source
  • February 17 – Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (b. 1785)source
  • April 27 – Charles Felix of Sardinia, King of Sardinia (b. 1765)source
  • April 27 – Charles Albert becomes king of Sardinia after the death of King Charles Felix.source
  • April 30 – Collet Barker, British military officer, explorer (b. 1784)source
  • June 8 – Sarah Siddons, English actress (b. 1755)source
  • June 27 – Sophie Germain, French mathematician (b. 1776)source
  • July 16 – Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron, Russian general (b. 1763)source
  • November 11 – Nat Turner, American slave rebel (b. 1800)source
  • November 14 – Georg Hegel, German philosopher (b. 1770)source
  • November 16 – Carl von Clausewitz, German military strategist (b. 1780)source
  • December 15 – Hannah Adams, American author (b. 1755)source
  • December 23 – Emilia Plater, Polish heroine (b. 1806)source