1655
English Capture Jamaica
An English expeditionary force, having failed to seize Hispaniola, consoled itself by taking the lightly defended Spanish island of Jamaica.
Swedish Deluge Begins
Swedish armies under Charles X invaded Poland-Lithuania and devastated it from north to south, sacking Warsaw and Krakow and driving the king into exile.
Queen Nzinga Dies in Matamba
Ana de Sousa Nzinga, the warrior queen of Ndongo and Matamba who had fought the Portuguese slave trade for four decades, died at the age of eighty-one.
Huygens Discovers Titan
The Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens, using an improved telescope he had ground himself, noticed a moon orbiting Saturn and named it, unhelpfully, Luna…
Cromwell Readmits Jews to England
Oliver Cromwell quietly permitted Jewish merchants and their families to return to England after an exile of three hundred and sixty-six years.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1655?
Saeculum lists 5 events from 1655. The most significant is English Capture Jamaica: An English expeditionary force, having failed to seize Hispaniola, consoled itself by taking the lightly defended Spanish island of Jamaica.
What era was 1655 part of?
1655 falls within the Enlightenment (1651-1800). Reason, revolution, and the first global wars.
Which regions saw notable events in 1655?
The events from 1655 span North America, Europe and Africa.