1640
Long Parliament Convenes
Desperate for funds, Charles I summoned a new parliament, which would sit, on and off, for twenty years.
Japan Closes to the Outside World
With the final expulsion of Portuguese merchants and the killing of an envoy fleet from Macau, Japan's seclusion was essentially complete.
English Factory at Madras
East India Company merchants, looking for a site outside Portuguese Goa and Dutch Pulicat, obtained a grant of land on the Coromandel coast and began building…
Portugal Regains Independence
A group of Portuguese nobles stormed the royal palace in Lisbon, defenestrated a Spanish secretary, and proclaimed the Duke of Braganza as King Joao IV.
Catalan Revolt
On Corpus Christi Day, Barcelona reapers attacked royal officials and killed the viceroy.
Short Parliament
Charles I, broke after a failed Scottish campaign, summoned his first parliament in eleven years to ask for money.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1640?
Saeculum lists 6 events from 1640. The most significant is Long Parliament Convenes: Desperate for funds, Charles I summoned a new parliament, which would sit, on and off, for twenty years.
What era was 1640 part of?
1640 falls within the Renaissance (1501-1650). Reformation, conquest, and the world drawn whole.
Which regions saw notable events in 1640?
The events from 1640 span Europe, East Asia and South Asia.