1656
Velazquez Paints Las Meninas
In his studio in the Alcazar of Madrid, the Spanish court painter Diego Velazquez produced an enormous canvas showing the five-year-old Infanta Margarita…
Narai Crowned King of Ayutthaya
Prince Narai ascended the Siamese throne at Ayutthaya after a brief succession crisis.
Huygens Builds Pendulum Clock
Christiaan Huygens, applying Galileo's observation of isochronism, patented a weight-driven clock regulated by a pendulum.
First Jews Return to England
Oliver Cromwell, after a conference at Whitehall with the Amsterdam rabbi Menasseh ben Israel, quietly allowed Jews to return to England for the first time…
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1656?
Saeculum lists 4 events from 1656. The most significant is Velazquez Paints Las Meninas.
What era was 1656 part of?
1656 falls within the Enlightenment (1651-1800). Reason, revolution, and the first global wars.
Which regions saw notable events in 1656?
The events from 1656 span Europe and Southeast Asia.