1692
Salem Witch Trials Begin
Two young girls in Salem Village began having fits and accused a Barbadian slave and two older women of bewitching them. The accusations spread. By autumn, twenty people had been executed and five had died in jail. The hysteria finally ended when accusers began naming the governor's wife, and the trials became a permanent cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked moral panic.
Battle of La Hogue
An Anglo-Dutch fleet under Admiral Russell destroyed a French invasion armada off the Normandy coast at La Hogue, scattering Louis XIV's plan to restore James II by force. Twelve French ships of the line burned on the beach while English sailors cheered. France would never again seriously attempt an invasion of England by sea.
Earthquake Destroys Port Royal, Jamaica
At eleven forty-three on a June morning, a catastrophic earthquake liquefied the sand beneath Port Royal, the wickedest city in Christendom, and swallowed two-thirds of it into the Caribbean. Two thousand died instantly; another three thousand perished in the aftermath. Preachers across the Atlantic called it divine judgment on a pirate capital that had gorged on plunder.
Port Royal Earthquake
A violent earthquake and subsequent tsunami shook the pirate haven of Port Royal, Jamaica, and sank most of the town into the harbor in minutes. Around two thousand people died. Contemporaries called it a judgment on the most wicked city in the Caribbean, and the buccaneers relocated to Kingston, which would grow into Jamaica's capital on the ruins of Port Royal's infamy.
Diego de Vargas Reconquers New Mexico
Twelve years after the Pueblo Revolt, the Spanish captain Diego de Vargas led a small column back into New Mexico and, after a year of negotiation and occasional bloodshed, reestablished Spanish rule at Santa Fe. The Pueblo had their religion and lands restored in part; imperial rule returned on modified terms.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1692?
Saeculum lists 5 curated events from 1692. The most significant is Salem Witch Trials Begin: Two young girls in Salem Village began having fits and accused a Barbadian slave and two older women of bewitching them. The accusations spread.
What era was 1692 part of?
1692 falls within the Enlightenment (1651-1800). Reason, revolution, and the first global wars.
Which regions saw notable events in 1692?
The curated events from 1692 span North America and Europe.